Martin H. van den Bergh

Today is election day in Israel, a national holiday. We walked with friends to our polling station, where the atmosphere was truly festive. Everyone felt the extraordinary privilege of voting in Israel, the world’s only Jewish state. Alongside our duty to defend this remarkable country, we share a responsibility to preserve its Jewish character while welcoming those who wish to make it their home.

​

Preserving Israel’s Jewish character includes upholding acts of loving-kindness. Kindness to others is a foundational Jewish practice; according to Pirkei Avot, it is one of the three pillars on which the world stands. Abraham embodies this value through his generosity to strangers and his welcoming of guests.

The Torah describes Abraham sitting outside his tent while recovering from his Brit Milah. He welcomed angels disguised as travellers and, according to our sages, seated them beneath a tree called an Eshel. He offered them food, drink, and a place to rest, then escorted them when they left. The Hebrew word Eshel, אשל, symbolises three aspects of hospitality: א—food; ש—drink; and ל—escorting guests when they depart. Above all, this episode teaches us to provide for our guests’ needs.

​

Every Jew, in Israel or elsewhere, can perform acts of loving-kindness and help make the world a better place.