By Gary Rotto
SAN DIEGO — What price is a life? That is the question that is being pondered around the world after the swap of Israeli soldier Gilat Shalit for over one thousand Palestinian prisoners. But for one afternoon, the San Diego Jewish community put aside that question – for the most part.
Through song, education and some sobering remarks, 250 people, including School Board Member Kevin Beiser and City Council candidate Mat Kostrinsky, on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 23, celebrated the recent release of Gilad Shalit. Craig Parks led songs of celebration as well as the National Anthems of both the US and Israel in the courtyard of Balboa Park’s House of Pacific Relations. And folks discussed the values and dilemmas of redeeming captives – pidyon shvuyim — at the event organized by the San Diego Israel Advocacy Leadership Forum and StandWithUs.
“Jews have gone to great lengths throughout the centuries to redeem those who have been imprisoned including a great amount of ransom,” pointed out Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal of Tifereth Israel Synagogue. “It usually involved money. Usually not prisoners like this time.
“It is a modern interpretation of our heritage, and in the past, the problem was been the same as it is today,” Rosenthal continued. “Sometimes people have been kidnapped and captured in order to have ransom paid. It was the price that was paid that often induced others to kidnap Jews. That’s the dilemma here”.
“Israel paid a heavy price for Gilad’s release,” noted Yiftach Levy, master of ceremonies. “In keeping with the sacrosanct value shared by the IDF and the American military in leaving no man behind on the battlefield, we must also not forget the six Israeli soldiers still listed as missing in action.”
“We rejoice with a nation, a nation that understands the commitment to each and every individual citizen of the State,” explained Rabbi Scott Meltzer of Ohr Shalom Synagogue to the assembly. He explained that pidyon shvuyim is called “mitzvah rabbah, the great mitzvah.
“And the Rambam in explaining why explains all the other mitzvoth that are fulfilled when one fulfills the mitzvah of redeeming somebody who is held captive – for one fulfills the mitzvah of feeding the hungry and the thirsty, of clothing the naked, of saving someone’s life who is in danger.” Rabbi Metzer noted that “one also fulfills a variety of other mitzvoth to show that we will not hardening our hearts, show that we will not stand idly by, to show that we truly love our neighbor as ourselves. There is no mitzvah greater than this mitzvah.”
It can easily be overlooked that the daily prayers include one that thanks God for being the “matir assurim” – the One who frees the captives. Some think of this concept as freeing the individual from burdens, but the literal meaning is very applicable in this situation.
For years, projects have been launched to appeal for Shalit’s release. In San Diego, the Jewish Federation sponsored programs by which some school children wrote to the Red Cross for his release and others sent messages of hope to his parents. The 2009 Community Teen Trip to Israel had a special connection to the Shalits. “I remember walking towards to Prime Minister’s house. Large signs with Gilad Shalit’s picture were everywhere. Volunteers – young and old – were sitting on white plastic chairs on the sidewalk asking people to sign a petition to the Israeli government for the release of Gilad,” explained
Gabriela Kramer, a participant in that program.
“Inside a tent, Aviva and Noam Shalit sat quietly.” The Shalits had vowed to not leave their tent in Jerusalem until their son returned home. “When we met Noam and Aviva, we gave them a message from the San Diego Jewish community with the hope for Gilad’s safe return. They thanked us and told us how happy they
were for the support from the Jewish communities around the world.”
San Diegan Risé Edney, whose son, Jason, is currently serving in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) talked about how she viewed the ordeal. “As I’ve watched the news and the videos of Gilad’s release, my emotions have gotten the best of me. I see my son’s face in every face, in every frame.” She is not unlike many in the Jewish community, who see someone familiar, someone close to them in Gilad Shalit’s face.
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Rotto is a freelance writer based in San Diego. He may be contacted at gary.rotto@sdjewishworld.com