SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Local Rabbi Evan Shore is not shying away from the evil of the Israel – Hamas war. The crux of the problem is that this war began with terrorists attacking innocent and unarmed civilians, he said. However, he isn’t letting this lead him down a road of hatred.
Rabbi Shore is a rabbi at a local synagogue (that requested to remain anonymous for this interview). Like most of us, he is well aware, and deeply disturbed by the events that have been taking place in Israel. Where Rabbi Shore is different from many of us is in his embrace of peace and his decision not to hate.
“Anybody can say they want peace, but pursuing it is something else, and that is something that my congregation, that’s what were doing, and that is the expression of our voice” said Rabbi Shore.
Rabbi Shore said he doesn’t want the victim to become the perpetrator, but that right now Israel is a perpetrator. He made it clear that although what Hamas is doing is wrong, he hates that Israeli men and women are forced to kill to defend their country, saying that killing goes against everything he believes in.
Rabbi Shore told us that anyone can say they love peace, but actually pursuing it is a completely different thing.
He doesn’t only preach this, he practices it; “Every night I go to sleep not asking for the destruction of my enemies, I ask that God, that he enlightens them so that they put down their arms, and they put down their missiles… we all come from Adam and Eve, let’s act like one good, cohesive family.”
Rabbi Shore was welcoming and in good spirits as he cracked jokes throughout the interviewing process, and even handing out candy. How sweet it is to taste love and joy amidst so much hate.
