Huntsville rabbi reacts to hostage release in Gaza
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — “Give hope to Israel,” “world peace” and “freedom” are just a few prayers written on a wall by young members of Temple B’nai Sholom, but a message shared by the entire congregation.
“It was an impossible dream for a lot of people,” said B’nai Sholom Rabbi PJ Schwartz.
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On Monday morning, hostages held by Hamas and Israel were released to their homes, a step toward peace after more than two years of fighting. Temple B’nai Sholom believes that action is a light in the darkness.
“We can catch our breath,” Rabbi Schwartz said. “And that doesn’t necessarily mean that we can automatically find ourselves in a place of peace and resolution. But we have taken a big step in which we can fervently hope that there is a path to true peace.”
As the rabbi and his congregation look forward to the official end of the war, he wants there to be an end for the families who lost their loved ones in the fighting.
“The hostages are being returned home, where their families are reunited,” Rabbi Schwartz said. “And hopefully in the near future, these bodies will also be found and returned so that families can truly grieve and experience this grief.” »
When he asks the rabbi about his hopes for the future once the conflict is over, he says it’s an easy answer.
“A world in which we can walk hand in hand,” said Rabbi Schwartz. “It’s not darkness that drives out darkness. It’s not hate that drives out hate. It’s the ability to find love and compassion with dignity in all that we do.”
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Rabbi Schwartz said the Jewish faith has just begun a new year, which fits perfectly with the hope of a new beginning.
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