“Do Not Turn Away from the Intentional Violence Against Women,” Rabbi Zecher’s Shabbat Awakenings

December 1, 2023 | 18 Kislev 5784

On October 7th, our anger and fear pushed us to the brink. The images recounted of the
savagery and brutality of Hamas will remain imprinted on our minds and hearts. The
intentional and strategically planned violence perpetuated upon the women, in particular,
should engender outrage into eternity. The videos provided by GoPro cameras affixed to the
Hamas terrorists — though ignored and rejected by cowards elsewhere who call them fake —
blatantly bear witness to the planned harm upon pregnant women, their unborn babies, young
female adults, and women in general because: there is gender based violence as a weapon of
war. There are those who say that we should not mention the videos, let alone view them,
because they are too sickening, an affront to humanity, but I say, we must remember this kind
of heinous barbarity even as we long for all the hostages to be released and Hamas to be
immobilized as we seek a pathway to peace.

And I feel sadness and pain for the Palestinian women marred and mauled by the violence they
have endured for which many have lost their lives. Did Hamas even consider the impact on
them?

On this week, when we read the story of Dina, daughter of Leah and Jacob, who went out and
about only to be sexually attacked, it behooves us to remember her in light of the many women
on October 7th and since who have lost their lives. In their memory, I offer this poem by Rabbi
Annie Lewis, my colleague from the Hartman program who shared it with all of us.

Daughters of the Land
By Rabbi Annie Lewis

וַתֵּצֵא דִינָה בַּת־לֵאָה אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לְיַעֲקֹב לִרְאוֹת בִּבְנוֹת הָאָרֶץ׃
Now Dinah, the daughter whom Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the
land.
— Genesis 34:1

Dinah went out to be with the daughters of the land.
She found them motionless on desert roads.
She found them inside out, parts missing.

Dinah went out to be with the daughters of the land.
She found them with no words,
She found them with lips forever grimaced.
She found them with no breath
to give life to speech.
She found them there
and nobody believed her.

Dinah went out to be with the daughters of the land.
She found them contorted
beyond anything recognizable
and yet ever familiar,
their bodies made battlefields
in someone else’s name.

Dinah went out to be with the daughters of the land.
She found them with nails painted,
colors and gemstones
for a stillborn celebration.

Dinah went out to be with the daughters of the land.
She found them
and washed them with her tears.
She poured her love over them,
Promised to hold them close
Never to be silenced
Never to be forgotten again.

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Shabbat Shalom!