This week, a group of Reform rabbis has gathered privately to explore how we might begin to make a difference in what is unfolding in Israel. Each of us loves Israel passionately and deeply. Each of us affirms our unshakable belief that Israel is the Jewish homeland. Each of us knows in our hearts that the Jewish people, Torah, God, and the land of Israel are inextricably bound together.
At the same time, we are heartsick over the ongoing plight of the hostages, the continuing escalation of the war in Gaza, the suffering of innocent Gazans, and the impact these events have on world Jewry and on the rise of antisemitism.
We have seen the heartbreaking images of hostages still in captivity after nearly two years in Gaza, frail and skeletal from starvation. Their families gather week after week without pause, joined by thousands of other Israelis, pleading with the Netanyahu government to end the war and secure their release. We have also seen images of Palestinian children suffering from extreme hunger, themselves trapped and exploited by Hamas’ cruel and inhumane actions.
Just two days ago, the American Jewish Committee (AJC) released a report from Israel’s Ministry of Health to the Red Cross describing the nightmare conditions faced by the hostages in Gaza, including:
“The food was unfit for human consumption, moldy and containing worms and insects. The water provided was contaminated, sometimes seawater, or untreated sewage…The diet imposed on the hostages amounted to deliberate starvation and generally consisted of only one piece of pita bread or a handful of rice per day…Prolonged isolation had severe mental health consequences including acute anxiety and despair, feelings of abandonment, loss of sense of time, and reality, and even detachment from their own identity.”
Such realities force us to confront the question of what human beings truly require to live, beyond the bare minimum of food and water. There is no denying that food and water are absolutely essential for survival. We cannot live without food or water. We know from our past history and from other peoples' experiences of torture and abuse, as well as from the AJC report, that the hostages harrowing situations make the words of our Torah portion this week's Torah portion from Deuteronomy, Eikev, all the more poignant.
In this week’s Torah portion we encounter the timeless words: “A human being does not live on bread alone, but one may live on anything that the Eternal decrees.” (Deuteronomy 8:3). The Torah is reminding us of something deeper: our ultimate sustenance comes not only from meeting our physical needs, but from feeding our souls, nourishing our spirits, and tending to the moral fabric of our lives. (“Bread” in our Torah text does not simply mean something made with flour and water, we can take the notion of “bread” to apply to “food” in general). These experiences remind us that while bread/food may sustain the body, the absence of dignity, freedom, and hope starves the soul.
In our world, however, too many still lack even that. Hunger is a daily reality for millions, whether in war-torn regions, in refugee camps, or in our own cities. While some hunger is for food, other forms of hunger gnaw at the human heart: the hunger for safety, for freedom, for dignity, for the return of loved ones kidnapped, abused, or murdered. We have watched in anguish as families continue to plead for the release of hostages still held in Gaza. Their pain is a reminder that “bread” is not enough. Without the return of their loved ones, their spirits cannot be at peace. Simultaneously, convoys of aid and food trucks are sent into Gaza, never reach their destination, children and families starve, become ill, and perish.
Our tradition teaches that meeting physical needs is only the first step toward a just and compassionate society. Beyond bread, we are called to feed the deeper hungers: for justice, for mercy, for peace. Maimonides, in his code of law called the Mishneh Torah, reminds us that tzedakah is not about charity, it is about righteousness. It is not only about giving food to the hungry, but also about restoring a person to wholeness, enabling them to live with dignity, no matter who they are, since all humans are created b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God.
This week’s Torah portion challenges us to ask: How do we balance our efforts to meet immediate physical needs with the equally urgent call to address spiritual and moral needs? How do we respond to the cries of the hungry, as well as those whose hearts ache for the return of family?
Perhaps the answer lies in recognizing that the food we share must be accompanied by compassion, and the justice we pursue must be rooted in empathy. Feeding the hungry is not just about calories, it is about restoring hope. Working to free hostages is not just about ending captivity, it is about affirming the sanctity of every human life.
There are no simple answers. Perhaps by taking some small, intentional steps, we can begin an ongoing dialogue about how to care for both physical survival and spiritual well-being. Here are a few suggestions to begin:
1. Learn more:
a. Shalom Hartman Institute – a wonderful leading pluralistic research and education center. Offers classes, podcasts, articles online.
b. ARZA – The Association of Reform Zionists of America – the Reform Movement’s Zionist Arm
c. Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) – is the Israel Reform Movement’s Social Justice, Legal, and Advocacy Arm
d. Israeli Reform Movement - this is the Reform movement in Israel. They provide a wide array of services, programs, and activities for Israelis of all religions, cultures, and backgrounds.
2. Donate:
a. Donate to the Israeli Reform Movement , a specific Congregation in Israel, or the Israel Reform Action Center (IRAC) – feel free to contact me if you would like to learn more
b. Donate to ARZA (the Association for Reform Zionists in America)
c. Donate to TBO Tikkun Olam Fund (in the “notes” section, specify if this donation is for Mitzvah of the Year, Civic Action, General Tikkun Olam activities, Feeding the Hungry, or any one of our many projects).
As we enter Shabbat this week, let us remember: bread/food sustains the body, but God’s call to righteousness, kindness, and peace sustains the soul. In the face of hunger, captivity, and suffering, our response must be our actions and deeds: educating ourselves and others, speaking out for change, protecting innocent lives, fighting hunger at home and abroad, and turning our prayers into our living reality for all who live on this earth. May we feed both body and soul so that all may truly live in dignity, justice, and peace.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Sharon L. Sobel
Interim Rabbi
Temple Beth Or
rabbisobel@tboraleigh.org
