אל המקום אשר...
PS: Shmuel Wende is still in NY so he can still be contacted!
Recently I organized a meeting, an educational event that would hopefully raise money for Shmuel Wende, Administrator of Chomesh Yeshiva/Community.
Shmuel Wende just came to the US, to educate and fundraise on behalf of the Yeshiva of Chomesh and to help build the nascent growing community of Chomesh that was legalized in March 2023. (1)
I had known for a while that Shmuel Wende was planning this trip. I was hoping to help organize a gracious and honored welcome for him that would serve to raise funds for Chomesh.
Warriors (Giborim in Hebrew):
Shmuel Wende and his Avreichim, the Yeshiva students, and the families living in Chomesh all deserve tremendous appreciation, (Hakoras Hatov in Hebrew) for their sacrifice for holding on to the Land with their fingertips as they single handedly protect the Northern Shomron with their very presence.
In preparing for the event I literally had anxiety calling up venue's. I didn't want Chomesh to pay for a venue.
Chomesh needed every dollar it raised and what if noone showed?
(PR and fundraising are obviously not my forte.)
So I decided to enlist help and ask good friends and fellow supporters for suggestions. It was all very last minute because admittedly I procrastinated.
They gave amazing suggestions. Call the local Rabbonim, involve them. Have them invite Shmuel Wende to their shul to speak when the men are gathered for Minyan or a Shiur. Maybe they are connected to potential donors. Tell them it's literally a matter of Pikuach Nefesh not only for Chomesh and the Settlers for Judea and Samaria but literally the entire Israel is at risk since Chomesh is the high ground for Chadera, Netanya and Tel Aviv etc.
I was hoping Rabbonim would grab this opportunity to connect to the salt of the earth. So this event was called for men only.
I created a flier that I posted on Whatsapp chats and status. I sent it to people I knew. In addition I sent around 2 amazing English videos about Chomesh. One produced by Ezra Ridgley (2) plus a short more recent video about Chomesh produced by Shmuel Wende showing Chomesh's recent expansion. Shmuel's video showed the new water tower, a permanent building structure for the Yeshiva, the expansion of Chomesh, now housing 5 families and planning for more and new construction of safe rooms etc.
Lots of good people saw these posts. Lots of people resonated with the cause. But barely anyone came. Me, my husband and our daughter plus a woman from my ladies Tehillim group (who probably didn't see it was called for men) and BH my brother Avi showed up as well. Lorrie Fein, Brooklyn chapter head of AFSI and her husband came towards the end Bh.
Shmuel Wende's presentation:
(Yes we even had a working projector) The presentation included a longer video that gave a historical perspective.
Shmuel started his presentation by showing us an amazing map which clearly showed the dangers of chas veSholom relinquishing the high ground of Northern Samaria based on the strategic location of Chomesh in Northern Shomron and an existential threat to the heavily populated centers low ground on the Mediterranean, like Chadera, Netanya, Tel Aviv etc.
The video began with pictures of Chomesh before the 2005 expulsion where there were 70 homes! Then there were pictures of the residents getting expelled and pictures of Chomesh after the 2005 expulsion. After the expulsion there was not much left in Chomesh. Following the expulsion, we saw several Avreichim stubbornly staying and weathering the elements learning Torah with no heat, electricity and water refusing to abandon Chomesh.
Shmuel Wende described that even though it was illegal according to the Disengagement law to resettle the communities expelled from the disengagement of Gush Katif and Shomron, these Yeshiva guys, Avreichim, in Chomesh persevered.
Temporary structures were built, subsequently demolished and rebuilt over 300 times!
Imagine the guts and perseverance to keep a Yeshiva going for years with no electricity or running water, studying in tents, temporary structures, caves, or in the open, knowing that what you build will probably get demolished!
The video then showed a clip on the terror attack in December 2021 that murdered Yehuda Dimentman(3), an Avreich learning in Chomesh and then showed pictures of masses of Jews in the thousands, buses upon buses, weathering the elements, men, women and children coming following the Shiva, lilui Nishmas Yehuda Dimentman whose wish was to resettle Chomesh. Masses came again Pesach all in support of resettling Chomesh!
So Why Didn't More People Show Up to this event in Brooklyn?
After all, there are many Rabbonim and shuls in Marine Park Brooklyn that were contacted.
I had told and called as many good people as possible. I tried to call the Rebbetzin's or have friends call to tell their Rabbonim and husbands to come and or if not asked permission for me to share their contact info.
It was as it says in Shir ha Shirim. Kol Didi Dofek, Open up! But everyone was busy, overwhelmed, unavailable, giving Shiurim, other conflicts etc. everyone had excellent excuses.
So how come this cause didn't resonate in Marine Park Brooklyn? Even among die-hard Israel activists and Baaleh Chesed?
Why are people so afraid to show open support to these Settlers who are literally sacrificing everything. Why isn't Chomesh the avant garde Tzedaka considering their tremendous sacrifice for Eretz Yisroel and Am Yisroel?
Here are some of my thoughts:
- Out of sight out of mind. Most Jewish Media, Shuls and Yeshivas don't educate about Settlers living in Judea and Samaria. Jewish Media have an Achrayus to do so and may Hashem Bless them in return. Please interview Shmuel Wende and get Chomesh and Judea and Samaria in the news.
- There is presently tremendous Lashon Hara and Motzei Shem Ra on fellow righteous Jews, shepherds and farmers living in Judea and Samaria. These Blood Libels reflect negatively on all Jews. "Extremist Settlers Violence" has become top priority with the Biden administration to the point that "Extremist Settlers Violence" is threatening and dangerous to America! Biden issued an executive Order that permits sanctions on "extremist Violent Israeli Settlers" plus anyone that supports these so called extremist and violent Settlers who dare to defend their families, homes and property when self defense is clearly called for, yet designated by left wing antisemitic groups as "extremist Settlers Violence". (4)
It seems clear to me that mainstream law abiding Jews do not want to be associated and affiliated with radical "extremist Settlers" and therefore by mere association risk their own reputation which threatens their own organization and funding etc. Therefore,the trend is to distance oneself with anyone who might be tagged as "Extreme Settler Violence".
Unfortunately, the Mitzvah of Yishuv Haaretz in Chutz leAretz has morphed into something termed political where the laws of Lashon Hara don't seem to apply and Torat Eretz Yisroel is somehow political and separate from Torah. "We aren't making a political statements" is the excuse not to get involved in speaking out for Right wing Settler youth Asirei Tzion sitting in jail, or under administrative arrest or detention, some for months and with no habeas corpus, with no charges or evidence of wrongdoing or with Trumped up charges based on lies.
Then there is the terrible miscarriage of justice for Jewish hostage Amiram Ben Uliel who was in Shabak dungeon jail under solitary confinement for over 8 years based purely on his forced confession following torture. Why with all the justified outrage about Jewish hostages held in Gaza there is no outrage about a Jewish hostage held under the Israeli courts convicted of a crime where there is no evidence of wrongdoing other than his own confession? Isn't this against Torah? BH he was just transferred to an Agaf Torani but Send Amiram Home!
Then there is also a matter of Pikuach Nefesh for the Settlers living in Judea and Samaria which says
הבא להרגך השכם להרגו"
One who comes to kill you, preempt which is the reason Settler self Defense is necessary and obligatory according to Torah and according to rules of engagement during War.
These are excellent reasons to dispute this ongoing blood libel on Settlers and their youth.
יבמות פ״ז ב:כ׳
שתיקה כהודאה דמיא
Yevamot 87b:20
"Silence is akin to consent." (5)
- This is not only about being afraid of being affiliated with a "extremist Jewish Settlers" because even religious right wing Zionist pro Judea and Samaria groups didn't hop aboard. This I can attribute to the modus operandi of running a business. When resources are limited everyone is in competition. Why share potential donors with competition if it might reduce the contribution to one's own amazing cause.
- This competition in fundraising divides us. If we would only unite as do vendors in the Shuk, selling our individual produce each vendor with its own specialty items, we can increase our business collectively as we will attract greater numbers of donors by uniting with a greater vision of our collective causes.
So what ultimately works to unite all Jews?
It is sad to say but a tragedy. A terror attack, a massacre Chas veChalila.
Do we really want that wake-up call?
Fyi related
(1) Following the murder of Yehuda Dimentman Hy"d of the Yeshiva in Chomesh in December 2021 15,000 people ascended Chomesh and finally in 2023 the Knesset repealed the Disengagement law in Northern Shomron.
Disengagement repeal law for northern West Bank approved in first reading
Reversing sections of the 2005 disengagement law is critical for the government's goal of legalizing the illegal settlement outpost of Homesh
It is now legal to resettle communities like Chomesh expelled in 2005 during the Disengagement of Northern Shomron.
(2) Here is a beautiful video about Chomesh on YouTube produced by Ezra Ridgley of the Jewish Heritage Project March 2023.
Chomesh The Struggle of the Jewish Heritage
(3)
‘A huge loss’: Yehuda Dimentman, 25, named as victim of West Bank terror shooting
Father of one, yeshiva student gunned down outside West Bank settlement outpost; ‘He was a sweet person, welcoming to all,’ says friend injured in attack
(4) From Regavim:
Watch our latest webinar:
*US and EU Sanctions Against Israel: What They Are, What They Aren't, and What it All Means*
(5)
שתיקה כהודאה דמיא פירוש
