The below is a translation of an op-ed published in Makor Rishon.

"During War, World Jewry Needs Every Zionist Shaliach"

By Roi Abecassis September 18, 2024

A snowy February descended upon New York while we were at a conference for morim shlichim of the World Zionist Organization in New Jersey. On the last day of the conference, local news channels announced that due to heavy snow, a Snow Day was declared, meaning all schools would close and parents and children would stay home.

The Jewish school principal, who received instructions to close his school, had planned to hold a celebratory reception that day for the Israeli shaliach who had returned from Israel after intensive reserve duty during the war, having left his family and his shlichut at the school.

After pressure and phone calls from the principal, special permission was granted by the district supervisor, and the school opened during the snow day solely to hold the reception for the heroic shaliach from Israel. The school's gymnasium was packed when the shaliach, dressed in IDF uniform, entered to the tune of "Even in the Darkest Hours of Night." The entire teaching staff stood in two lines with gleaming eyes, applauding and emotionally welcoming the shaliach who passed between them with hugs. From there, the shaliach proceeded to the waiting students and joined their singing with great emotion.

This is just one story among dozens of shlichim from around the world who paused their shlichut for several months – went to reserve duty – and returned to continue their educational work during this critical period.

I read the article by Rabbi Elchanan Poupko, an Israeli Jewish rabbi in Manhattan, calling for shlichim to return to Israel from their shlichut or not to go on shlichut because every soldier is needed on the battlefield now. While I strongly identified with the author's words about the moral importance of increasing Israeli support for Diaspora Jewry, I don't understand at all the statement that it's not "moral" to be on shlichut now.

When students in "Orthodox" schools – which according to the author are well-connected to Israel – watch a shaliach leave for reserve duty, watch a shlicha send her partner for extended reserve service thousands of miles away with great concern, listen to a shaliach share experiences of their friends in Israel – they learn an unparalleled lesson in self-sacrifice, mutual responsibility, and Israeli heroism. This creates a profound transformation in them. Those shlichim who do wonderful work within school systems and prepare the hearts of the next generation will leave their mark during this period among hundreds of thousands of Jews. Some will choose to make aliyah to Israel, some will enlist in the IDF, and some will lead communities in the future, with the State of Israel being a significant part of their Jewish world.

Rabbi Poupko prefers in his article to leave this work to others. Without any disrespect to others, could Jewish teachers, Chabad shlichim, community rabbis, or Israelis who have lived abroad for many years convey this lesson?

Irreplaceable Support for Communities

Jewish communities worldwide are experiencing unprecedented antisemitic events. Don't we owe them hundreds of shlichim who can give them a feeling of partnership and shared burden-bearing?

It's important to remember that shlichut is not only meant to support Israel but also to strengthen the Jewish communities themselves. In times of uncertainty, the presence of Israeli shlichim can provide a sense of security and belonging to community members, particularly young people dealing with their Jewish identity in a complex world. Now, given the great closeness between parts of the Jewish people, isn't it time to take advantage of the opportunity to realize the special connections that have been formed?

And I wonder: Does the Jewish people have only one single shlichut to mobilize for? Is there only one front and nothing else? Did thousands of National Service girls stop their service in youth villages, schools, hospitals, development towns, and all get sent to the war front because of the war? Will the presence of 130 National Service girls, or hundreds of young people who come to summer camps, be what decides the war?

A reader of the Rabbi's article might mistakenly think that tens of thousands of Israelis are crowding the doors of shlichut organizations these days, asking to go to communities around the world, causing Israel to worry about filling its combat ranks.

This is not an accurate description of reality. Shlichut organizations make tremendous efforts to recruit shlichim, while Jewish communities are requesting more and more shlichim, particularly after October 7th. One of the shlichim in Cleveland, who left for his shlichut as a moreh shaliach a month ago, spoke with me about his decision to go on shlichut while doing reserve duty. The "embrace" his platoon received at the beginning of the war from the Jewish community abroad, including equipment donations, hotel room rentals for the platoon, and more, led him to decide that this was precisely the time to give back.

Another shaliach shared that his influence extends far beyond the school and synagogues he belongs to. He was asked to tell his story as an Israeli fighter in communities where no shaliach had ever set foot. Having lived among them for an extended period during his shlichut made him a beloved and accessible figure for community members.

Shlichim – continue your missions! Return to reserve duty if you choose to do so, but certainly continue your shlichut afterward. Generations of shlichim never had the opportunity to influence as you do in these days!