July 25, 2025
As Jews, we are wrestlers. From the moment Jacob wrestled a mysterious being in the night and became Yisrael—“one who wrestles with God”—we have been a people unafraid to grapple with difficult questions. Our tradition embraces debate. The Talmud, with its 2,000+ pages of discussion, is a testament to our willingness to struggle with complexity in religious law and Jewish ethics. Across centuries, we’ve tried to reconcile the tensions found in sacred texts and mitzvot.
For the past 21 months, many of us have struggled with the ongoing war in Gaza. We pray for peace. We hope for the return of hostages. And we long for the violence to end. Yet, we also recognize that the “we” here isn’t always unified. The Jewish community is diverse, and so are its voices.
The sheer volume of news from Israel can overwhelm. Headlines about the Israel-Hamas war dominate global media. Articles and opinion pieces flood our feeds and force us to think, question, and wrestle with our values.
In recent weeks, I’ve read several reports that made my heart sink. As global focus remained on Gaza earlier this year, violence from Israeli settlers in the West Bank surged. The Israeli human rights group Yesh Din documented 404 incidents of settler violence in just the first part of the year. This represents a troubling increase compared to previous years.
What does “settler violence” mean? These are attacks by Israeli citizens living in the West Bank—settlers—against Palestinians. These attacks include burning agricultural fields, destroying olive groves, setting homes on fire, and injuring or even killing people.
Jewish texts call us to a higher ethical standard. In Exodus 19:6, we read, “And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Genesis 18:19 says, “For I have singled [Abraham] out that he may instruct his children and his posterity to keep the way of the Eternal by doing what is just and right.”
These verses reflect values we cherish—justice, holiness, and moral clarity. Violence toward neighbors, destruction of property, and attacks on civilians contradict our core ethical teachings.
The Talmud reinforces this obligation. Tractate Shabbat 54b teaches:
“Anyone who can protest the sinful conduct of the members of his household and does not, he himself is apprehended for the sins… If he is in a position to protest the conduct of his town and fails to do so, he is held responsible.”
We cannot look away.
Earlier this week, the Reform Movement issued a statement on settler violence calling on the Israeli government to take stronger action. The statement urged officials to investigate, prosecute, and penalize those responsible for settler violence. Part of the challenge lies in current leadership. Bezalel Smotrich oversees the West Bank’s civil administration, and Itamar Ben-Gvir controls the Israeli police force. Both are far-right ministers who openly support settlement expansion. Their positions of power raise serious concerns about accountability.
Most recently, Saifullah Musallet, an American citizen who was visiting family in the West Bank was killed. Ambassador Mike Huckabee demanded a full investigation into his death. Additionally, many American Christians travel to Israel and visit Christian holy sites located in the West Bank. There is growing concern that such violence will make it unsafe for these travelers. It is critical that all is done to curb such violence.
In Yiddish, we call this kind of behavior a shanda—a disgrace. The Talmud (Baba Metzia 8a) tells a story about Rabbi Shimon ben Shetach, who returned a valuable gem found in a donkey he purchased. His students rejoiced, thinking he’d never have to work again. But he replied that he preferred hearing “Blessed is the God of the Jews” over possessing all the world’s riches.
That story reminds us: We carry God’s name through our actions. Our behavior reflects our values and our tradition. When members of our community commit violence, and our government does little to stop it, it becomes a shanda. We must call it out.
Wrestling is central to our identity. But wrestling requires action. To wrestle with ethics is not to remain neutral—it’s to speak, to protest, and to hold our people and leaders accountable.
As we continue to pray for peace, we must also demand justice.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Rick Kellner