There is a famous Jewish fable of a poor man, in despair, approaching his rabbi for much needed advice. “Rabbi,” he says, “my house is tiny, but my family is large. We barely have enough space to breathe in our own home. What should we do?” The rabbi gives him a strange answer: “Bring a goat into the house.” The poor man wonders how such advice could possibly help him. Nevertheless, he trusts the rabbi and brings the goat inside. A week later the poor man returns, exhausted: “Rabbi, it is unbearable! The house is even more crowded. The noise, the smell, the chaos; I cannot live like this!” The rabbi smiles and says: “Take the goat out.” The poor man returns several days later, this time smiling: “Rabbi, the house suddenly feels spacious! We have room to breathe!” Notably, the only factor that changed was not the size of the house but rather the poor man’s perspective.
Today, many Israelis are living through a very similar experience comparable to the poor man. US President Donald Trump has undoubtedly been one of Israel’s greatest friends, from moving the US embassy to Jerusalem to providing Israel critical support when we needed it most. And yet many of us look with bewilderment at Trump’s most recent decision-making vis-à-vis Iran. Many pundits have presented various explanations regarding these unexpected developments. Some say that the US was never truly committed to fully neutralizing Iran’s nuclear program and that, when pressure mounted, Israel became a secondary concern for the US. Others believe Trump is implementing a much larger strategy. There is, however, a third possibility. Perhaps “the goat” has entered the “house,” forcing Israel to rediscover something we should have never forgotten: Our resilience and strength were never dependent on any foreign leader or nation on earth. Friendships and alliances are unquestionably crucial, but the survival of Israel has never rested solely in the hands of others. After all, for millennia, we, as a people, survived exile and persecution while countless empires rose and fell. And through every generation, whenever the world counted us out, the Jewish people discovered our national reserves of faith, determination, creativity, and courage.
I truly hope that today’s confusion will be replaced by tomorrow’s clarity and that the friendship between the US and Israel remains unshakable. But if we find ourselves standing more alone than we would prefer, we must remember who we are: the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We are a nation that, with God’s help and providence, has overcome impossible odds time and again. The “goat” may very well be in our “house” today. But perhaps, when all is said and done, we will discover that all the strength we need to prevail is already inside of us.
So let us not be discouraged. Let us not surrender to fear but rather, stand tall and united. And let us continue the fight for our future, our children, the Land of Israel, and the Biblical values that have carried our people through history. After all, Israel’s story did not begin with any one president, and Israel’s future will not depend on any single president. Our story is much older, and our mission is far greater. And our strength, with help from loving, generous, and loyal friends like you, remains unshaken. During such times, I am most comforted knowing that we in the Biblical Heartland can always count on you to stand with us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for playing a most impactful role in our people’s story! May God bless you and your loved ones!
Shmuel Junger
Executive Director