Shanah Tovah שנה טובה.

I am writing this on the final day of Elul 5784, the last day of a year that can only be described as an annus horribilis for the people of Israel. The events of this month, and especially the last two weeks of it, very firmly promises the dawning of an annus mirabilis for the long-suffering Jews, and for all who actually understand what we are on the brink of losing: civilisation.

We teetered on that same brink in 1943, when others driven to exterminating the Jews almost succeeded. Please forgive me, my dear reader, for becoming a little personal at this point. In this same month, Elul, two years ago, I wrote an obituary for Gerschon Simcha Weiss ז׳׳ל, beloved ba'al tekiah of the Grand Synagogue in the small community of Kochav Yair in Central Israel. Of him I wrote:

The Nazis commandeered time, brought death, and the dying of the world, while this baby would not die, but instead grew up to blow the Shofar to call forth Rosh HaShanah, the New Year, thereby defying the thieves of time: I am still here, I am still alive, I am still giving life.

This Elul, in 5784, the Shofar was heard across the Arab world, and from its streets people long-oppressed by a cult of death now answer, Am Israel chai!

With that, dear reader, I wish you and your loved ones Shanah Tovah שנה טובה.

Picture credits:

Open Source Intel, screenshot from "Israel's invasion of Lebanon", Mahyar Tousi, YouTube, 30 September 2024 https://youtu.be/QV9WqbxGL_0

webstockreview.net

https://x.com/VividProwess/status/1832365696405172369

Screenshot from "العربية تحاكي السيناريو الافتراضي حول كيفية تنفيذ إسرائيل لعملية اغتيال نصرالله", AlArabiya العربية, YouTube, 29 September 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCRy5KERGuk

Screenshot from Yediotnews, Telegram