This year will mark eleven years, and my eighth Pesach in Eretz Yisrael, in which I have emailed, as it has become tradition with me from prior to my Aliyah, the rendition of Dayenu quoted from the book “Dear Brothers.” In each year, Dayenu holds a unique perspective, unlike the perspective of any previous year.
This theme of Dayenu is ever more timely now, this year in the days before Pesach 5766 here in Eretz Yisrael. Last year, an evil Israeli regime carried out a modern-day expulsion of 9,000 Jews from their homes in Gush Katif and the Shomron. Our worst fears came to fruition, our brothers were ousted from their homes at legalized gunpoint, robbed of all of their possessions and assets; the promised compensation not forthcoming — not then, not over the ensuing eight months, probably never. And during the recently completed campaign, the Jews were given a taste at Amona of what another evil regime led by the trial balloon man of the previous regime intends; they now boast of a replay of Gush Katif within 2 years — this time that 80,000 Jews will be ousted from their homes, with their property and assets stolen just as was previously done in Gush Katif and the 4 Shomron towns. And undoubtedly, if not stopped, the evil ones will move to oust Jews from other parts of Eretz Yisrael — Beit El, Shilo, Jerusalem’s Old City, etc. There would then be not contiguity between Jerusalem and Ma’alei Adumim, but rather Yudenrein. And soon we would be but a few enclaves hugging the sea. That is the reality of the term called “convergence”.
