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WELCOME TO TEMPLE BAT YAM OF EAST FT. LAUDERDALE

 

Confronting Violence and Uncertainty

Temple Bat Yam Statement on the Escalating Conflict with Iran

Yet again, we find ourselves confronting violence and uncertainty in the Middle East. Events are unfolding rapidly, and information remains incomplete. In these moments, humility must be our starting point. Responsible leadership requires patience, moral seriousness, and an awareness that early reports rarely tell the whole story.

As we gather this weekend to celebrate Purim, the resonance is unmistakable. The Purim story is not only about costumes and celebration; it is a story of vulnerability, power, threat, and courage. It reminds us that Jewish history includes moments when danger felt grave and the future uncertain, and that wisdom and moral clarity matter profoundly in such times.

Even amid uncertainty, enduring Jewish values ground our moral reflection.

First, we affirm Israel’s right to live in safety and security. A sovereign nation has both the right and the obligation to protect its people from existential threats. Iran’s longstanding hostility toward Israel, including its support of proxy violence and pursuit of advanced military capabilities, reflects a sustained pattern. The security of those living in the land of Israel is not negotiable.

Second, we recognize the grave danger posed by unchecked aggression and nuclear ambition. A nuclear-armed Iran would destabilize the region and endanger millions. Preventing such an outcome has been a consistent concern across political lines and reflects a broad security consensus.

Third, we remain deeply concerned for innocent life. Military conflict places civilians at risk. Israelis, Iranians, and others across the region bear the human cost of escalation. Our tradition teaches that every human being is created b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God. The sanctity of life must guide how decisions are weighed.

Fourth, we urge restraint and thoughtful engagement with the goal of de-escalation. Security cannot rest on force alone, nor can compassion ignore real threats. Jewish tradition insists that justice be tempered with mercy, and mercy structured by justice. Lasting stability requires strength guided by humanity and careful judgment about the many responsibilities leaders must weigh in moments of crisis.

Fifth, we remain attentive to the safety of Jewish communities at home. Purim is a diaspora story, reminding us that global tensions can have local consequences. We will continue to follow appropriate security guidance while remaining open, proud, and engaged as a Jewish community.

At Temple Bat Yam, we hold diverse perspectives within our community. Our responsibility is not to erase disagreement but to elevate discourse. We speak without partisan language while remaining clear about our values: Israel’s security, the protection of innocent life, and the dignity of every human being.

Purim ends with celebration not because danger was trivial nor because our enemies met violent ends, but because courage and moral clarity prevailed. We pray that wisdom guides those entrusted with power, that innocent lives are protected, and that restraint and stability prevail wherever possible.

We do not claim perfect knowledge. We do claim enduring principles.

Oseh shalom bimromav… May the One who makes peace in the heavens bring peace and protection to Israel, to the region, and to all who dwell upon the earth.

If you are feeling anxious, unsettled, or in need of conversation during this time, please know that I am available to you

Broward Community Mission to Israel

                                 

Baer Family Early Childhood Learning Center

Learn more about the Baer Family Early Childhood Learning Center

 Reflections on the War in Israel- October 7, 2023

Like so many, I attended services this morning with a sense of horror, despair, and disorientation resulting from the events unfolding in Israel. We are shocked and horrified as we witness the developing situation and watch the death toll rise. As a frequent visitor to Israel who has developed a great interest in and attachment to the people, history, and land, I take this opportunity to share some background and thoughts.

Israel was caught off-guard by a massive and coordinated attack mounted out of the Gaza Strip by Hamas. Israel’s response will be intense, and we should be prepared to hear the word “disproportionate” used extensively, as we have in the past. Can we even comprehend what a “proportionate” response to these atrocities might be or mean?  As well, we may hear the term “asymmetrical war” used to describe this conflict, meaning this is not a traditional war between two sovereign states.  Hamas combatants do not wear uniforms, nor engage in conventional battlefield practices, nor do they conform to the international conventions of warfare.  Hamas employs the civilian population as camouflage and shield, including schools and hospitals.  This practice ensures that any attempt to silence their guns and rocket launchers results in the destruction civilian infrastructure and tragically the collateral loss of civilian life. This is not war but terrorism on a massive scale.

I encourage us to learn more about the history, complexity, and circumstances of this conflict. I am a Zionist but not the type who will defend Israel’s every action (just as a proud and patriotic American, I will not defend America’s every action), and there is certainly a lot that Israel has not gotten right with regard to the Palestinians, and perhaps especially those living in Gaza. But those transgressions in no way justify the actions of Hamas, who have repeatedly targeted Israeli civilians, and today, more egregiously than ever before. It is fact that Palestinian civilians have suffered from Israeli military actions, but Israel has never targeted civilians nor ever taken civilians hostage. 

History clearly shows that Hamas has shown no interest pursuing any kind of peace with Israel. Hamas, by its charter and actions, remains dedicated to Israel’s destruction. While Israel has not always done all it could to try to achieve peace, it is impossible to begin such a process if there is no one on the other side who is willing to engage in even the most basic conversation about it. 

For now, our hearts continues to ache, and we hold our breath as we think of all of our friends and family who live in Israel and are all more vulnerable right now than usual. Let’s reach out to them, hoping they may see and feel our support, so they know they are in our thoughts. 

We pray for the peace of Jerusalem, all Israel, and all the world. We stand by feeling helpless except for prayer, knowing that prayer is all that we have until there is more that we can do.

Sun, March 15 2026 26 Adar 5786