Musing – Do We Know Who Has Our Back?

La Shanah Tovah (Happy New Year)     Hebraic Musing – Do We Know Who Has Our Back?  

Former mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, recounted the many reasons that Israel is a thriving nation and he talked about how safe it is there.*  He pointed to the way media coverage leaves the impression that people in the Middle-East live in constant danger with terrorists and radicals running rampant; but he pointed out the truth – Israel is much safer than every major US city.  The reason for the low murder rate is because Israelis are trained to run towards the threat, not away from it.  (Do Christians run to or away from problems?)

Mayor Barkat said it this way:  “When it comes to terrorism we have a philosophy of engagement; the opposite of what I often hear is the approach in Europe.  We believe that by engaging (even if you are putting yourself at risk) you are helping to save lives.  On average it takes about 60 seconds to neutralize a terror attack in Jerusalem, and the death and injury caused by attacks are, on average, lower in Jerusalem than anywhere else in the world.”      And the Mayor should know.  Here’s the rest of the story:  “In 2015, as a former IDF paratrooper who holds the rank of major, he tackled a terrorist after he had just stabbed a religious man in Jerusalem. The man was wildly swinging a knife when Mayor Barkat left his security detail and pursued the would-be killer. When one of the bodyguards pulled out a gun, the attacker dropped his knife and the mayor dropped him.   AND…Moments later, after the Palestinian knifeman was subdued, Mayor Barkat was seen comforting the man who had been lightly stabbed in his abdomen.”

In some shooting incidents in the U.S. someone makes headline news because of a uniquely heroic effort to run at the shooter, thus saving countless lives.   But Mayor Barkat contends that this is second nature for Israelis.  In other countries, civilians are told to run from terrorists and wait for the police.  But in Israel, where most of our citizens have been through the army, we are taught to stop the terrorist as soon as possible at all costs.  This concept has saved countless lives over the years.  Yes, in some cases, the Israeli protector is wounded or killed, but in an overwhelming majority of cases, it is the terrorist who is quickly neutralized.

Another example:  In 2008, Captain David Shapira was bathing his children when he heard gunshots. He didn’t think twice before grabbing his pistol and heading for the Yeshiva (Religious school) where the shots were coming from.  He had graduated from that Yeshiva, so he knew the layout.  When he arrived, police officers tried to keep him from entering because they did not know from where the terrorist was firing.  Shapira entered anyway; quickly identified the source of the shooting and opened fire, killing the terrorist and saving lives. 

And another example in the same year:  An East Jerusalem Arab construction worker turned his bulldozer into a weapon of terror.  He went on a rampage, turning over a bus and ramming several cars.  He was shouting “Allah hu Akbar” – God is Great – as he wreaked havoc in Jerusalem.  When the bulldozer stopped for the first time, three Israelis jumped on board.  One was an armed civilian and began to struggle with the attacker, trying to get his foot off of the accelerator.  He shouted to one of the others, a 20 year-old new IDF recruit, to shoot the terrorist.  He grabbed the recruit’s gun and neutralized the terrorist, saving God knows how many lives. The entire episode lasted just a few minutes, but without the Israeli civilian effort, it could have gone on much longer and many more could have died. 

These are just three examples of Israeli mentality when it comes to stopping terrorists.  It goes against human nature and every instinct to survive; but it is drilled into the Israeli psyche.  For many, it is second nature.  

Do we love our neighbor enough to put our life at risk, for the sake of others?  And is our life really at risk?  Or just our time and a few resources?

Points to ponder

Do we Christians run to or away from problems?

Who came to our rescue and was willing to die for our sake?

Do we have confidence among our “Church friends” to support each other in time of need?

How much do we love our neighbor?

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                               January 1, 2019  

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

*  Inspired by & excerpted from “Israelis Run Towards, not away, from Danger” Ron Cantor; Nov. 7, 2018
      Ron Cantor’s final comment “I love living in a country where I know my fellow Israeli has my back.”