The Righteous
When the Nazis sought to exterminate the Jewish population during the Holocaust, a small but significant number of non-Jews risked own their lives to save Jewish people.
They hid individuals and entire families with young children in their attics, basements, outhouses and crevices of their homes.
These brave people are referred to as “Righteous Among the Nations“.
Those who were known were recognized and awarded for their efforts – even posthumously – and some even accepted Israel’s invitation to move there as a citizen with full rights following the war.
The Abduction of Mother and Children
One of the most searing images (and video) from the aftermath of the events of October 7 is the abduction of Shiri Bibas, a young mother clinging to her two redheaded boys Kfir and Ariel, who were just age 9 months and 4 years old at the time of their abduction.
Her face is contorted with fear and disbelief as she is being herded by a group of Palestinian men to the border of Gaza, where they are taken hostage and never heard from again.
The video is as grotesque as it is real – Shiri is confused, fearful and pleading with the so-called *people* surrounding her and filming the scene – yet no one to jumps in to save her and her boys.
Throughout this conflict and the hostage ordeal, the Jewish community (and people with a conscience) pleaded for the safe return of the Bibas family.
It was the hope that kept us going.
Every time I spotted a redheaded child – I thought of these children.
Were they able to survive in the depths of a cave?
Who was looking after them?
Somewhere in the depths of hell, there had to be a wife, daughter, mother or grandmother of their abductors who tried to help them. A Righteous Among Nations.
There were none.
Bracing for the Worst
Many people prayed, hoped and believed that Shiri and her two boys would make it home alive out of Gaza, even though there was no sign of their life.
Yesterday the Hamas terrorist organization announced that the remains of Shiri Bibas and her two sons would be returning to Israel along with the body of an elderly hostage also killed in Gaza – Oded Lifshitz.
An entire nation – and those around the world who are conscious enough to care, brace for one of the saddest days since the start of this war when the bodies of a mother and her children return home to their final resting place.
A Deafening Silence
I came of age when news stories involving children dominated popular culture, as well as the media.
Their stories played out like a saga and garnered worldwide attention.
There was Elian Gonzalez, Baby Jessica and Jon-Benet Ramsey.
Yet somehow the plight of the Bibas family has remained a “below the fold” story with very little coverage and very little worldwide outrage and condemnation of their abductors and murderers.
Not for the Jewish population of my generation.
The vision of Shiri clutching her children and pleading for their survival is an image etched in the soul of every Jewish person who has a soul.
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