Cultivating Jewish Pride

We are living in extraordinary times, a tekufah gedolah, a period of great historical importance. War shakes the foundations of the world. As so much of what we assumed to be dependable has toppled and our sense of security crumbles, the infinitely deep and powerful force of Nishmas Yisrael, the Soul of our Nation, is emerging, in the process of being reborn from within the rubble.

Through the pain and suffering, loss and confusion of this unwanted war, there is an awakening of authentic Jewish heroism, gevurah and sacrifice, and a cascade of expressions of faith and renewed identity, sacred acts, expansive consciousness and holy pride. Whether by choice, or by having been “chosen” for this, Jews around the world have been activated. We are asserting our peoplehood, pushing back against rampant antisemitism and standing tall for Am Yisrael and Yiddishkeit.

In this post–October 7 world, there is an eis ratzon, an opportune moment to break out of our passive acceptance of galus and cry out, Ad masai?! How long will we push off becoming who we really are as a people? How long will we cower in the “safety” and comforts of our self-induced exile?

Charvot Barzel, the Swords of Iron War, commenced on the day we adorned our prayers with Mashiv haRuach—“Who makes the wind blow,” Who blows into us our national life-breath, the reviving ruach of deep Jewish spirit, strength and soul.

In the exalted days of the Six-Day War, the Lubavitcher Rebbe launched a worldwide campaign to cultivate ge’on Yaakov, authentic Jewish pride, based on a return to Jewish identity, practice, values and rituals and the joy of a Torah life. The Rebbe had assumed the mantle of leadership in the shadow of the Holocaust and was chosen to breathe new life, hope and confidence into a breathless, broken nation emerging from the brink of decimation. The Rebbe’s spiritually radical model of “Mitzvah Campaigns” still challenges members of our community to step out of our comfort zones and share our wealth of knowledge, opportunities and blessings with others. From asking men on the street to lay tefillin and women to light Shabbos candles, to holding massive Lag BaOmer parades and public menorah lightings, the Rebbe made it his mission, and every Jew’s mission, to reach out and reveal the greatness, the treasure, of every Jewish soul.

We are asserting our peoplehood, pushing back against rampant antisemitism and standing tall for Am Yisrael and Yiddishkeit.

Ge’on Yaakov entails participating in Jewish life, fulfilling mitzvos, and being empowered by Jewish education and engagement, but it can also manifest geopolitically, as a national sense of self-respect, empowerment and pride. This is komemiyus, standing upright, proud and strong with faith.

Yet it seems that once again we have settled for the status quo, accepting exile as an expected, tolerable, perhaps even respectable, condition. Chas v’shalom! This is the stuckness of conceptzia, a fossilized, detrimental state of self-imposed exile, a deadly galus group-think that divides, weakens and paralyzes Knesses Yisrael. For far too long we have been entrapped in a defeatist mentality, blind to our collective spiritual and national potential, undermining our ge’on Yaakov. But we are essentially a people of great faith and vision who yearn for victory and redemption. We are one people, Am echad ba’aretz. Collectively, our community has the material and spiritual resources to expedite the inevitable glory of Jewish history. The lion is awakening. . . .

A tradition in the name of Rabbi Chaim Volozhiner claims that the American exile will be the final exile of Klal Yisrael. After the pillars of European Jewry would topple, he said, and its great centers of Torah would be destroyed, an unprecedented rebirth would happen in America. This is the final encampment of the Jewish people before we fully reunite in the Promised Land with the arrival of Mashiach. Now we are called upon to ask: What is our next step forward? How can we each contribute to a burst of progress toward the fulfillment of Hashem’s plan and the Torah’s vision for Am Yisrael dwelling in her homeland?

Here are a few practical suggestions for greeting these extraordinary times:

1. Machshavah / Consciousness

Let’s spend time each day thinking about Jewish history, of the Beis Hamikdash, of ancient prophecies currently unfolding, and of rejoicing very soon with the coming of Mashiach and the era of techiyas hameisim. We can include learning Tanach with an open mind and heart, not merely as reviewing the story of our past, but as contemplating real-life indicators of our present . . . and future. Let’s ask ourselves: Are the nevuos of Yeshayahu and Zechariah, the haftaros of Sheva D’Nechemta, the promises to our Avos and Imahos theoretical, or do I really believe them to be addressed to me, now?

2. Dibbur / Speech

The Maharal declared the key to redemption to be a shifting of language, of how we speak; our words create our reality. Let’s steer the conversations in our homes, shuls, mosdos and communities toward ge’on Yaakov and an expansive application of Jewish peoplehood and pride. These awesome days invite us to restore a basic, healthy, Jewish language that expresses our foundational beliefs. Here are some examples of how we could cultivate holy “straight talk” into our vocabulary:

1. Ahavah: We can express unconditional, real love for every Jew, whatever they may say or do, even if we disagree with them. We can focus on their good points and emphasize that which is good or inspirational about them.

2. Nekamah: We can normalize the healthy desire to avenge the pain and degradation our enemies have wrought. We can draw strength from Moshe Rabbeinu facing the Egyptian oppressors and battling Amalek and Midian. We can draw from King David’s yearnings in Sefer Tehillim to witness Divine justice.

3. Nitzachon: We can envision a decisive victory and acknowledge that it is within reach of our all-powerful G-d and our army, which is blessed with Divine assistance.

4. Kavod: We can praise the Ribbono Shel Olam for the miracles and for the courageous self-sacrifice of our soldiers. We can speak with unabashed pride in the IDF, in their gevurah and efforts, as well as pride in the successes of Am Yisrael and the ever-growing numbers of Yidden living lives respectful of tradition and tethered to Torah and mitzvos.

3. Ma’aseh /Action

Every Jew has a latent yearning to return home to Eretz Yisrael. To consecrate and concretize this yearning, let’s consider where we spend our resources and invest our passion: do our choices (vacations, hobbies, investments of time and kochos, et cetera) reflect our deepest values and yearnings?

May we encourage one another (and our children!) to strategize for our future—including planning a future in Israel, developing an exit strategy and aliyah plan, or starting on a Nefesh B’Nefesh application.

May we, our families, and our communities live with an awareness of our vast inner resources and the power of our spiritual identity, and join together to continue to build a bright future in our Land, Eretz Yisrael!

Rabbi Judah Mischel is executive director of Camp HASC, the Hebrew Academy for Special Children, and mashpia for OU-NCSY. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh with his family.