How to be strong in the eye of the storm

War is hell. As a community, along with world Jewry, we’re in the eye of the storm between Israel and Hamas. It’s so difficult to navigate through the information, the emotions, and often the fear – all while constantly dealing with the updating of events, here and abroad.

How do we stay sane? How do we make a difference? Here are some tips.

Get educated

“In the age of technology, there’s constant access to vast amounts of information. The basket overflows; people get overwhelmed; the eye of the storm isn’t so much what goes on in the world, it’s the confusion about how to think, feel, digest, and react to what goes on.” Criss Jami, a modern-day philosopher, hit the nail on the head with these words.

Knowledge, facts, and information are at your fingertips. This is the time to upskill, read, and research. You don’t need to be a professor in Middle East history or politics or military strategy. You just need to be able to understand the frameworks that can help you make sense of what’s going on.

It’s essential that you source solid, reliable resources that can help you remain on top of current events. At the same time, they can give you an understanding of terms and previous events that are critical to our present situation. Groups like Stand With Us and Jewish Unpacked provide great bite-sized chunks of information on key topics.

Sign up to the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) for a WhatsApp group that curates daily summaries of the fast moving news cycle so that you can limit having to be part of a million groups. The SAZF has also partnered with the Academy of Jewish Thought & Learning to create relevant educational courses that are accessible, short, and impactful so you can level up on Middle East knowledge.

Be proud, be safe

We’ve seen the countless images and videos of Israeli flags shining on world sites or listened to the words of Hatikvah with a renewed sense of pride. The recent communal events have provided a space for our community to gather and for us to show our pride collectively in the state of Israel and our support for her people.

Even members outside of our community have come to show their support. This has spilled over into the personal space, whether it be our clothing, our flags, or the icons and posts on social media. We can and must show our love, connection, admiration, and support.

South Africa is a country where the right to free speech and free association is in the Constitution. We cannot let extremists take that away from us. Hiding away has never saved Jews. A proud Jew is a safe Jew. This doesn’t, however, mean we must put ourselves at risk. The Community Security Organisation (CSO) has been incredible in protecting us – in our shuls, our schools, and at events. Always follow its advice, and sign up for regular updates.

Find your voice

It’s important to remember that you’re not alone in this. In your school, on campus, or at work, there are often other Jews who are feeling vulnerable. Connect with them and work together – there’s power in unity.

If a non-Jewish colleague shares an offensive video or picture out of ignorance, maybe consider a polite discussion about why you feel hurt. If a conversation with such a person wouldn’t be constructive because they have extreme views, consider talking to others who may be open to learning about why you find this unacceptable.

Should you find yourself in a more challenging environment, know who to speak to. Physically, the CSO has a 24-hour hotline with the aim of protecting Jewish life and the Jewish way of life. But if you experience intimidation or antisemitism online or elsewhere, the SAZF and the South African Jewish Board of Deputies have your back and will support and guide you. They are able to assist with information and resources to empower you to stand your ground.

Make sure you reach out to family and friends in Israel and locally if they are feeling anxious and afraid. Help share with them the resources they need to cope in the current environment.

Get active

It’s so easy to slip into feelings of helplessness and disempowerment as we are so far from family and friends fighting or running to shelters. The best way to deal with that helplessness is to get up and do something.

You can fight the spiritual battle with tehillim, learning, and candle lighting. Help the Zionist Youth Council by writing letters to terror victims, make art, create poems, generate memes, tweets, or grams with social media teams, pack boxes at shuls, even produce beanies with the Knit for Israel project!

You can get involved in monetary collections and fundraisers that help support victims of terrorism, just make sure that you check that they are authentic. You can even volunteer to join a humanitarian mission to Israel. Local organisations also need help with money and volunteers so that they can assist in organising relief efforts.

We’ve always been a light unto the nation. So, let’s continue by always remaining polite yet powerful, strong in our stance. We can educate those around us with the facts we’ve learnt and the knowledge we can share. Not everyone can be the ambassador of Israel, but everyone is an ambassador of the Jewish nation. Now is the time to strengthen our community until we get through the storm.

• Benji Shulman is director of public policy for the South African Zionist Federation.