Talmud Class: What Does Ukraine Teach us About Israel's Future and the Jewish Future?

Summary: <p>Is Ukraine on its own? Or is the world with Ukraine? It is so confusing.</p> <p>The answer seems to be yes. </p> <p><br></p> <p>On the one hand, the world is with Ukraine. The Daily on March 2 told the fascinating story of how it came to be that the European Union passed unanimously the strongest, toughest, most stringent sanctions ever, including sanctions directed personally against Putin and his henchmen. The nations of the world are supplying Ukraine not only with moral support, and economic support, but also sophisticated weaponry to fight this war. </p> <p>On the other hand, the people fighting and dying and fleeing are Ukrainians. They are in the trenches alone. </p> <p>Reflecting on this reality, Danny Gordis, in an unusually evocative piece at this urgent time, writes: </p> <p><em>"Israelis watch Ukraine, and we see ourselves. We see this week, and we see one possible future. We know with no uncertainty—we would be alone. We would be abandoned. If we or you ever thought otherwise, it’s time to stop the delusion. </em><em><strong>To see our possible future, all we have to do is look north at the present."</strong></em></p> <p><br></p> <p>In other words, if Israel were to be attacked God forbid in any of the scenarios that Danny Gordis lays out, it would be worse for Israel than for Ukraine. We would not have the moral support of the world. We would be alone on the battlefield, and much of the world would be against us.</p> <p>What light does Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the world’s reaction, shed on our beloved eretz Yisrael, and is this grim picture just what it is, or do we have any moves perhaps to make it any better?</p>