Re: Israeli hostage describes time in captivity during Chabad and Hillel event
As we mourn the events of Oct. 7 today, it is important for us to remember the hostages, share their stories and learn from what they have to tell us. I was particularly inspired by the message of released American hostage Judith Raanan in a recent talk at Dartmouth: to “be nice to each other — to all humanity.”
As a Jewish student myself, I am reminded by Raanan’s remarks of how the Israelites are commanded in the Bible to be a “light for all nations”: to embody the moral and ethical commandments in how we deal with all of humanity. Raanan’s words should be an inspiration for us to embody the universal ethical values and mitzvot that are laid out in the Hebrew Bible in everything we do; we cannot embrace further hate and advocate for violence.
As the genocide rages on and the famine worsens in Gaza, I find it sad that some of my peers take talks like Raanan's as a way of rationalizing indiscriminate violence against Gazans.
Today, we as Jewish students must advocate for Palestinian human rights in the face of a Jewish state that is intent on enforcing apartheid rule rather than recognizing Palestinian self-determination. We must remember that the lives of ordinary Israelis and Palestinians, of the people of Gaza as well as the hostages, cannot be extricated from each other — remember the spirit of the mitzvah from Leviticus 19:18: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” I encourage all my fellow students, Jewish or not, to stand up today for an end to the genocide and equal rights between Israelis and Palestinians.
Amelia Lloyd is a member of the Class of 2029. Letters to the editor represent the views of their author(s), which are not necessarily those of The Dartmouth.
