YONATAN HAMBOURGER/TZALI REICHER: Cleansing the world hurts, but it’s necessary

It’s been a tumultuous year.

In just 12 months, the Middle East has been shaken to its core following Hamas’s brutal invasion, which resulted in the massacre and kidnapping of more than 1,400 innocent people.

After that horrific October day, when the world questioned how Israel could possibly recover, the nation has responded with remarkable resilience. United and determined despite immense pressure and calls from Hamas sympathizers to simply endure, Israel has eliminated thousands of terrorists in Gaza and Lebanon. At the same time, the leaders of these death cults have been taken out decisively. Iran, the root of much of the region’s turmoil, has lost its deniability and proxies, resembling a wounded serpent lashing out as it confronts Israel’s strength for the first time — potentially leading to the end of its toxic influence in the world.

Meanwhile, the Russia-Ukraine war drags on, while China escalates its preparations for a potential blockade of Taiwan. Domestically, an ailing economy and discontented public have forced the current U.S. president to withdraw from the presidential race, leaving the vice president to step into the fray just six weeks before the election, upending what appeared to be a straightforward race with a former president seeking a comeback.

Sometimes, it feels safer to stick with the status quo because it’s more comfortable. Yes, Israel was surrounded by enemies for years, enduring terror attacks and rockets, but as long as the violence was contained, it seemed manageable. Russia and China have always harbored expansionist ambitions, but as long as we didn’t confront them directly, their growing power felt less urgent. The ruling class knew the public was dissatisfied with their leadership but attempted to enforce the status quo until it became impossible to ignore.

In all these instances, the world moved along until outside influences forced action. But now, we have an opportunity to cleanse the world of these destructive elements and pave the way for a more prosperous and peaceful future.

With Iran and its weakened proxies pushing Israel’s hand, it’s crucial to allow Israel to continue its mission to dismantle the axis of evil threatening global stability and decisively curb Iran’s capacity to harm the world. The U.S. should facilitate negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end the bloodshed and confront China about its true intentions, dispelling the illusion of peaceful competition. Domestically, the upcoming election allows the American people to choose their vision for the country and the world. We are living in a whirlwind, but as events unfold, we can recognize the potential for transformative, positive outcomes.

We see the need for a cleansing to upend a negative status quo in the Biblical story of Noah and the Ark, which is read in synagogues around the world this week. Just generations after Adam and Eve, the world had sunk into corruption and evil. There was no morality, no justice, and no one inclined to change the world for the better. God tried to lead the people toward making the right decisions that could have saved their world, but the hedonists of the day refused to change their ways.

God determined that the only way to heal the world was by thoroughly cleansing it of all evil with a massive flood, instructing Noah — literally the only righteous man of his day — to build an ark to save what would be used to rebuild humanity. He gave the evildoers 120 years of warnings and encouragement to repent before the punishment was meted out. Still, they wouldn’t relent, proving that drastic action was needed to redirect the world’s course.

And so, it came to be that the flood came and healed the world. It was violent and traumatic, even for God, who vowed never to do such a thing again. But the crucial thing is that it worked.

Events of the past several years have been painful, difficult, and unsettling. But now we pray that it has served as a springboard for positive and lasting change — one that leads us toward a safer, more just world for all.