| CIRCLES IN TIME by Rabbi Moshe Kempinsky |
| In 1991 a family of Palestinians are evicted from Kuwait in response to the Palestinian community's loyalty to Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. Rami Ghanem was only twelve years old when his family left Kuwait, but he was never allowed to stop hating. Difficult memories and visions of Vengeance stoked the fires of Hatred in his young mind. It is that hatred that prompted Ghanem, now twenty years old, to attempt to destroy and maim innocent civilians in the "London Cafe" in Netanya. Islamic Jihad, in a statement issued by its leader in Damascus, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was a "gift" for the Iraqi people. A murderous circle in time brought to a close. A circle of Hatred and Darkness. Fifty five years ago, on the same date as the bombing in Netanya, a young volunteer called Noah Kuperman was engaged in fierce battles in the old city of Jerusalem. These were the fateful days of Israel's war of Independence in which the future of Jerusalem would be determined. On March 30th, 1948, Noah Kuperman was seriously injured and was rushed to the Hadassah hospital. Fifty five years later on March 30th, Noah Kuperman's grandson Gil was visiting the Netanya promenade. Gil was the commander of new recruits in the army and he was undergoing a leadership course at Bet Goldmintz in the city. As he and some friends were enjoying the sun in the Netanya Promenade, Gil noticed a nervous young man waiting in line to enter the Cafe London. In spite of the warm weather the young man was dressed in several layers. Gil immediately ran over to block the young Palestinian from entering the garden of the Coffee house and the ensuing explosion peppered his body with shrapnell. Gil had blocked the terrorist with his own body and had saved countless lives. The Medical care at the Laniado hospital saved his live, and he has been flown to the Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem. His condition is still serious but stable, and the nation of Israel is praying for his recovery. Another circle in time had been closed. This time it was a circle of Courage and Light. As the cycle of History plays itself out many circles will be closed. Some of those circles span thousands of years. Some of them have just began to form. They are circles within circles as the Prophet Ezekiel envisioned. There will be circles that seem to be made of darkness and there will be those clearly made of light. Inevitably, the circles that shine with faith and light must and will overwhelm the darkness. moshe kempinski (http://www.shorashim.net) |
| Jerusalem Insights is a journal of insights, stories and torah thoughts form Jerusalem's Old City. A project of SHORASHIM OF THE OLD CITY - Tiferet Israel #3 - Jerusalem 97500 - tel: 001-972-2-628-9729 |