Building After Destruction: The Resilience of Am Yisrael

On my way home from Israel this week, I had an interesting experience at the Frankfurt airport. As I passed through security, my backpack was pulled aside for further inspection. What concerned the security officer? My siddur.

He took it out of my tallit bag, swabbed it, and then sent me on my way.

I have no idea why a book would cause suspicion nor am I suggesting that it was antisemitic, but the symbolism of the moment struck me. Here I was, traveling openly as a Jew, carrying my siddur, on my way home from the sovereign Jewish state. This time they didn’t take away my siddur. Baruch Hashem, how far we have come as a people. 

That thought stayed with me as I reflected on an inspiring and emotional week in Israel, a week that reminded me of the extraordinary resilience of Am Yisrael, our ability to rebuild after tragedy, and the remarkable story of Jewish renewal unfolding before our eyes.

One of the most moving experiences of my visit was spending time at Har Herzl, Israel’s national military cemetery. Walking among the graves of those who gave their lives defending our people is heartbreaking. We owe a profound debt of gratitude to these Jewish heroes who fought for all of us and who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

I was particularly moved by visiting the grave of Rabbi Avi Goldberg, Hy”d, a beloved rabbi, educator, husband and father who was killed in Lebanon, two years ago, Shabbat Breishit. Rabbi Goldberg was known for his remarkable simchat hachaim (love of life), his love of people and his dedication to Am Yisrael. His life embodied the ideal that we are here not only for ourselves, but to give of ourselves for others.

Later in the week, on Friday night, I participated in a beautiful tefillah and tisch at Kehilat B’orcha in the Mekor Baruch neighborhood of Jerusalem, with Israeli teens and adults, led in song by the musician Aharon Razel. The gathering was held in Rabbi Goldberg’s memory, with members of his family and community present. It was an evening filled with song, spirituality, Torah and a powerful sense of connection.

At one point, we sang the words of Mimkomcha, a prayer expressing our yearning for G-d’s presence to be revealed in Jerusalem:

“Matai timloch b’Tzion, b’karov b’yameinu l’olam va’ed tiskhon, titgadal v’titkadash b’toch Yerushalayim ircha”

“When will You reign in Zion? May it be soon, in our days. May You dwell there forever and ever, and may You be exalted and sanctified within Jerusalem, Your city.”

These words have special meaning for me. My father, of blessed memory, loved singing Mimkomcha at each family simcha (and other times) and we incorporated the words of Mimkocha in the inscription on his tombstone.

As I sat there singing those same words, this time to a different, distinctly Israeli melody, surrounded by young Israelis and community members carrying forward the legacy of a fallen soldier, I felt a powerful connection between generations.

My father sang these words with deep faith and longing. Now, here we were, singing them together in Jerusalem, in a sovereign Jewish state that previous generations could only dream of.

I thought about how fortunate we are to live at a time when so much of what our ancestors prayed for is becoming a reality. The process of geulah, redemption, is unfolding before our eyes, even as we continue to pray for its completion.

That sense of gratitude and awe were reinforced during other moments of my visit. Standing in Kikar Safra, surrounded by Jerusalem’s 21 municipal buildings, I was struck by the remarkable development of the city. Jerusalem is not merely a place of ancient history and sacred memories. It is a thriving, growing city, filled with families, businesses, institutions, Torah study and new neighborhoods. One of those new areas is Givat HaMatos, where a new Jerusalem neighborhood is taking shape between Talpiot and Gilo, yet another expression of Jewish renewal: a people continuing to build its future in its ancient homeland.

The contrast between Har Herzl and the construction sites of Jerusalem was particularly powerful. At Har Herzl, we confront the terrible price of Jewish sovereignty. In the growing neighborhoods of Jerusalem, we see what those sacrifices have made possible. The grief is real, and it must never be minimized. But so is the extraordinary determination to continue building.

This week’s parsha, Parashat Noach, tells the story of a righteous man who witnessed the destruction of his world. Noach remained faithful to God in a generation filled with corruption and violence. He followed God’s instructions, built the ark and saved his family and the animals from the flood. But what happened after the flood?

When Noach emerged from the ark, he entered a world that had been devastated. Everything familiar was gone. The world he had known no longer existed. And the Torah tells us that Noach planted a vineyard, drank wine, became intoxicated and lay exposed in his tent. It’s a tragic moment in the story of a great man.

Perhaps Noach simply could not bear the reality of what he had witnessed. Overwhelmed by the destruction, he turned to wine to escape his pain. We cannot judge him. It is hard to imagine what it must have been like to witness the destruction of an entire world. He was not able to rebuild and restart a new chapter. 

The story of Am Yisrael, by contrast, is one of a people that has repeatedly found the courage to begin again. After centuries of persecution and ultimately the horrific devastation of the Holocaust, the Jewish people rebuilt and reestablished the sovereign State of Israel.

And after the dark, painful day of Oct. 7, the terrible loss of life on that day and in the time since, the people of Israel have continued to build, grow and move forward. Not because the pain has disappeared or the wounds have healed, but because our people have never allowed tragedy to have the final word.

Enormous challenges remain. Israel faces serious security threats, painful internal divisions and difficult questions about its future. Our Sages teach that Eretz Yisrael nikneit b’yissurim, the Land of Israel is acquired through suffering and hardship. Building something sacred and enduring is rarely simple. Yet, Israel and its people are a story of a people living, thriving, growing and connecting.

Walking through the streets of Jerusalem on leil Shabbat, I saw young people gathering with friends, building relationships and enjoying life together. I spoke to teens and learned about their youth groups that meet twice a week, providing opportunities for informal education, friendship and a sense of belonging. Throughout the week, I participated in moving tefillot and spiritual gatherings that brought people together through prayer, music and Torah. And Machane Yehuda was bustling with energy, day and night.

From thousands of miles away, reading the news, one can easily come away with the impression that Israel is defined by its conflicts and divisions. But I was reminded once again of something that is easy to lose sight of, especially from afar: the true story of Israel is of a people, achenu Bnei Yisrael, who are raising families, educating children, building friendships, strengthening communities and finding joy and meaning in everyday life. Our nation is filled with faith, hope, resilience, love for Hashem and love for the klal, the nation.

The Rabbis teach us that Kol Yisrael areivim zeh bazeh, all Jews are responsible for one another. There is perhaps another dimension to the word areivim. Each morning, in the blessings over Torah study, we ask God, Veharev na Hashem Elokeinu et divrei Toratecha b’finu, may the words of Your Torah be sweet in our mouths.

Especially at this moment, perhaps our responsibility to one another includes not only helping another Jew, but also recognizing the sweetness, goodness and beauty within that person. To look beyond differences in background, religious observance or political outlook and see the purity and value of another Jewish soul. If we make an effort to see the sweetness of the other, the sense of responsibility for the Klal will be a natural outgrowth. 

During several opportunities I had to speak with Israelis this week, I tried to convey a simple message: Even from thousands of miles away, Jews in America are thinking about you. We pray constantly for the safety and success of the brave soldiers of Tzahal. We are inspired by your strength, your resilience and your willingness to give so much for the Jewish people.

But there is another message that we in the Diaspora need to take to heart. We should not simply admire the resilience and dedication of Israelis from afar. We should learn from them.

The spirit of giving to the klal, of placing the needs of the Jewish people alongside our personal aspirations, is something we can and should bring more deeply into our own lives and communities.

For some, that may mean making aliyah and participating directly in the building of the Jewish state. For others, it means supporting Israel, contributing to causes there, deepening our connection to our people and taking greater responsibility for the welfare of Jews in Israel and around the world.

Whatever our circumstances, each of us has something meaningful to contribute. The story of Am Yisrael is one of a people that has endured extraordinary suffering and nevertheless continues to look ahead with faith and hope. Despite the many challenges that remain, the words Israelis often sing capture that spirit: “The eternal nation does not fear the long road.”

At Har Herzl, we remember what we have lost. In the growing neighborhoods of Jerusalem, we see what we continue to build. And in the voices of Jews singing Mimkomcha, we hear the faith and hopes of generations being carried forward.

May we draw inspiration from that resilience, deepen our sense of responsibility for one another, and each do our part to strengthen Medinat Yisrael and Am Yisrael. 

And may we merit to see the fulfillment of the words we continue to sing and pray: Titgadal v’titkadash b’toch Yerushalayim ircha, may You be exalted and sanctified within Jerusalem, Your city. 

Rabbi Kalman Topp is Rabbi Emeritus of Beth Jacob Congregation and Founding Rabbi of Kehillat Ahavat Yisrael in Givat Hamatos, Jerusalem.