of Noemi di Segni
President of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (Ucei)
The week that closes was marked by the pain and indignation connected to the return of eight bodies of hostages, including Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas Zl after months and months of broken hope. Today other straziant minutes of waiting, the denials and then confirmations. The funeral the day before yesterday and still today. Added to this is the inconceivable correspondence calculation in the release of 300 terrorists and the foiled attacks and the one unfortunately succeeded yesterday, the details that emerge on the violence and torture suffered in captivity by the hostages and in closing the publication of the shocking survey on the flaws and underestimations by the intelligence chain of the army, which adds the sense of loss to the anger. A week that announces those close to the expected return of other corpses and other tortured hostages. The massacres of October 7, 2023 and 511 days that immersed Israel in the largest tragedy after the Shoah, isolated in different ways in facing an existential challenge. Moral dilemmas that from the first day have become increasingly sharp and around which the internal dialectic and political comparison are very heated: the management of negotiations for the release of the hostages, safety in the internal areas with Palestinian and Arab population, the “day after” plan, the choices that concern war, participation in the defense effort of the ultra -religious sector, and many others. And together with Israel we suffer from these events and those that concern the distortion and hatred in our cities and the public and private spaces frequented daily. Reading the appeal published on Repubblica last Wednesday by the 270 signatories, as previously interventions of the same tone, makes it clear that the cry of pain and concern no longer wants to suffocate it. Which reads today’s reality with profound conviction, that Israel’s fate depends on certain choices and changes. But it also makes a lot of bad because of everything there is a thought and transport behind the signature does not come anything to an average Italian reader. The complexity of Israel is not understood, we do not understand the internal laceration and concern, we do not read the beautiful and warm face of Israel Room from tears and mourning, we do not read the promptness and solidarity to bring refreshment, consolation and with the dimension of reported facts.
A circumscribed and concise appeal that chooses exactly those few more terrible words of which Israel has been all accused of all Jews for months. A few words that echo the distortions and disinformation against which we have been slaughter for months and for years. A few words that have not collected applause from the haters to see the existence of better and good Jews of others, but only hate. Few accusations also signed with a Jewish brand (more or less doc). Indeed, making it almost think that all the Jews think so and that they are also bearers of an institutional representation. And this hurts. And if he had not been signed by Jews and Jews he would not have read anyone. Those who have expressed sharing from the outside have evidently been widely influenced by media propaganda because criticizing the Israeli government can be done effectively even without using these forms.
And I want to underline once again that, like Ucei and as a community, we have repeatedly stressed that the vandalization and violence acts carried out by Jews towards other people (Palestinians, Arabs, religious of the Church, other Jews) cannot be justified or legitimized by ministers or other bearers of institutional or military charges. They do not reflect any Jewish value and on the contrary, when accomplished with the kippà in the lead or dressing the talled, they are a serious abuse of religion. Those who perform these acts are few and isolated subjects but my pretension of morality is that there is not even one. If the terrorists of Hamas are thousands and follow a mandate on the basis of the Koranic indutor to kill this in terms of safety and to stem a new October 7, but in any way we cannot pass explicit or subliminal message that support a Jew to a terrorist in Hamas. And I repeat once again that the pain for civilians, the children that the war in Gaza has generated as victims are also my, ours as a suffering absolutely not denied or diminished. However, they remain that they cannot be kept silent. Israel did not choose to attack before October 7th and responds to an attack and massacre immediately. The Palestinian population is the victim and shield of the military structure in which it is trapped and is that of Hamas or other groups that command the territory. Not of an employment.
The fate of the Palestinian people does not depend only on Israel but on many other Arab countries and tribal or Middle Eastern logics, of which it is also difficult to make it clear complexity on the pages of our newspapers. To protect rights is important and dutiful and on this we know how lightly the debate on the judicial system in Israel is also, but this cannot forget that the terrorist monster has been able to organize and structure itself better with the help of Iran and with the same help we will find it here in our universities or perhaps even parties. And we continue not to understand (or not to make it clear) that the words “democracy” “state” “freedom” “constitution” have a meaning for us also signed with Jewish blood and Shoah, and for Iran and its correspondents completely. Perhaps this would make sense to sign an appeal, for the UN, Red Cross and many other silent and blind. It is lovely to read that exponents of our communities can take such violent tones and send threats to different signatories. People who cannot feel limited to expressing their point of view, perhaps minority but that exists. Without a diversity of opinions and ideas, Judaism would not have existed, our communities and that wonderful heritage of knowledge that we are so proud of when we present ourselves in front of the institutions of our country and internationally. They are opinions on political and Jewish identity issues, not rules of how a certain religious precept is made on which only a few are responsible for providing answers (and also on each precept it is debated in the Talmudic tradition as should be accomplished). It hurts having to say the obvious: the community does not belong to a small group that decides who yes and who is not able to be part of it based on their political creed.
As president and for the responsibility that implies institutional representation it is my duty to listen and try to summarize when I am called to make a reflection or comment on the outside. Summary does not mean expressing my personal opinion, it does not mean being able to put in two phrases ten different opinions and expressing the average or median, but it means choosing to say something that can transmit the essential spirit of a certain situation and the aspects on which you cannot flatten or evade. Here, in this concept of synthesis, the extremes cannot enter: that distorted and irresponsible way of expressing themselves against the Government of Israel without articulating a thought that helps to understand the desired direction and what are the knots and complexities, and likewise that irresponsible and vehement way of threatening, deriding co -religionaries and representatives of the Jewish institutions. with offensive and degenerated ways and slogans that imitate the propal language. We are not able to express ourselves differently.
Positions that are not deep thoughts are left out of the synthesis and out of the radius of listening, but pretexts to argue or make the electoral campaigns alone, or on other populist and audience generators and perhaps also of personal interests.
Respect and dignity are Jewish values and if we want to reiterate how essential the Jewish contribution to this country is trying to remember it. Perhaps even dialogue we will not convince others of our certainties but the space in order to express them cannot be denied. I personally have very few of certainties and I live since 7 October with many question marks on today and tomorrow. A certainty that I must reiterate every morning is to respond with life to the extermination and death project, with the culture of life to weapons and massacre. Each of us in the private individual or in the institutional context in which he takes part can give a sign of attention and commitment to affirm this choice that pays homage to life, coexistence, perhaps I add even more serene cohesion and community unity. The appeal that I sign is this: they await us hard and difficult days to which to promptly dedicate our support to the many families who need help and help to resume and continue life, reconstruct and make wounds, in the numerous Kibbutz and in the border city in Israel.
Shabbat Shalom
Noemi of signs
President of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (Ucei)
