Everything is relative.
Albert Einstein
We could affirm that everything is relative, Not only what is covered by Einstein's famous theory, but every statement in reality, every categorical truth in reality is relatively categorical.
Today, like the spring buds in nature, was filled with outbreaks of opinions on whether we won the war against Hezbollah, whether we lost it as many Lebanese Shiites believe, or whether it is a draw imposed by the Biden-Harris comedy duo to which some other European and non-European leaders were added to form a carnivalesque troupe.
As we believe that the statement that in a war everyone loses is more true, we want to mention an aspect of war that is not really war itself but an external factor that has as much or more influence than the quality and quantity of military weapons. I am referring to the volunteers that we found near our jaialim (soldiers) but without military uniform, and with very different weapons, behind this shield:
One day, already overshadowed by the war against Hamas and Hezbollah, three Israelis who were not in uniform had a concern: we were at war, they were not militarized but they felt an inner need to help in some way those who were serving in the army. It occurred to them that it would be a good idea to offer them a Rioplatense-style barbecue, which would at least give a small group of Israelis some momentary joy.
They did so, and were soon joined by a fourth, and soon after a fifth, a sixth, and so the group grew. Women said that it was not right for there to be only men, so women also joined the group.
The same thing happened with those who did not barbecue, but could provide the elements for it, and donors of meat, vegetables for salad, etc. began to appear.
We do not know of a similar example in other latitudes. Jews, Israelis and non-Israelis, can argue for whole nights among ourselves because we have no shortage of topics. Religion, yes, no, or in what way; right or left in politics, Maccabi or Hapoel, judicial reform or not touching what exists, but when we are surrounded by seven enemy groups that attack us, bomb us, kill our soldiers as well as civilians, men, women, children and the elderly, the differences disappear, and our spirit of the people appears.
This small group of “barbecue makers” currently numbers around a hundred, who are fully organized, leave their private lives behind and instead of resting and having dinner with their respective families, several nights a week they go to give a royal barbecue to the soldiers, who are sometimes twenty and sometimes four hundred, who can be in the north or in the south. And if the date coincides, the barbecue jaialim organize themselves to meet everyone and make more than one barbecue at a time.
It is impossible to explain or value what both parties feel about this attitude. Scenes like the following arise: a soldier on guard, after eating the barbecue, gives the griller a big hug and says “thank you.” Thank you for feeling affection, empathy, when you are far from family and friends. The griller answers, “Thank you for what? Thank you for risking your life to protect ours.”
It may happen that at military posts they tell you that you cannot enter. Then they ask you if they can barbecue from the door out, and they do so to the satisfaction of both parties.
We talked about this example, but it is not the only one. In groups of the OLEI (Organization of Latin American immigrants from Spain and Portugal) when winter came, they got together to buy wool, knit squares and use them to make blankets to protect the soldiers from the cold. Now they are doing a similar task knitting wool hats with colors similar to the uniforms. Children in schools write letters of encouragement and drawings that raise the morale of soldiers who not long ago stopped being children and are far from their families. Lists of small shops whose owners are reservists who were called to fight are circulating, so that we can buy from them so they do not lose everything.
Parodying an old slogan from a certain left, but here it is neither left nor right: If this is not the people, where are the people? Blessed be our people who behave like this in good times and bad.
Mauricio Aliskevicius