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Health & Fitness

Blog: Jewish Community Rejoices in Shalit's Release

A personal view on the political issue surrounding the return of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

On the morning of Oct. 18, the Jewish community, especially those in Israel, rejoiced in the homecoming of Gilad Shalit.

Shalit is a soldier of the Israeli Defense Forces captured in 2006 at the age of 19. Held captive by Hamas (a Palestinian political party often associated with terrorism), Shalit was unable to communicate with the outside world. For more than five years, his friends, family and the entire Jewish world prayed for his safe return.

This week, his homecoming was a time of celebration for those who have waited so long. His family and country are ecstatic to have him home, safe and intact.

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However, his return didn't come without a cost, and a high one at that. In exchange for releasing Shalit, Hamas demanded that Israel release more than 1,000 convicted Palestinian prisoners, many of whom have taken lives of civilians and committed horrendous acts of terror.

As an American, I find it difficult to reconcile the trade of one life for so many criminals. Letting loose these convicts seems like a recipe for more crime and death. Israel has taken a different approach in thought. In adopting the view expressed in Judaism, Israel refuses to let even one citizen go without a fight. If a soldier has been taken prisoner or fallen in war, everything possible is done to retrieve the man or woman.

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While it may seem to many like an unfair or unreasonable trade, Israel views it as a necessary move. In being willing to make this deal, Israel sends the message to all young soldiers that they are not alone and will not be abandoned. In a country that requires all young adults to serve, such a message can be very powerful.

This bittersweet new beginning for Gilad Shalit is one that has even the people of Israel divided. But, at this time of year when we start again with the first portion of the Torah (the Jewish bible which is read weekly), few would begrudge Shalit his new beginning as well.

Rabbi Avi Weiss said it best in his article on Tuesday, "But today, even with all of these images, my heart still wins out. I felt this way in an exchange I recently had with my eldest grandson, Gilad, who lives in Israel and will soon be enlisting in the Israeli Army. When Gilad Shalit's release was announced, my grandson said, "Just remember Sabi (grandfather), I'm not worth a thousand." There was silence on the line. Tears streaming down my cheeks, I found it difficult to speak. Finally, when I could, this hardened activist, who years back argued exchanges should not take place but now feels differently, lovingly responded, "Gilad, you're right, you're not worth a thousand. You're worth at least a million."

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