One People, One Covenant

This week, an extraordinary piece of Israel's history resurfaced. After 78 years beneath the Mediterranean, the wreck of the Altalena was discovered off the coast of Israel. The ship had become one of the most painful symbols of the early years of the State of Israel, a reminder of a moment when Jews, only weeks after declaring independence, found themselves fighting one another. In June 1948, the Altalena arrived carrying weapons purchased by the Irgun, the underground organization led by Menachem Begin. The new Israeli government, led by David Ben-Gurion, insisted that all weapons come under the authority of the newly formed IDF. Disagreements over the distribution of the weapons escalated into a confrontation. The Altalena was shelled off the coast of Tel Aviv. Nineteen Jews were killed—sixteen members of the Irgun and three IDF soldiers. The tragedy could easily have led to something far worse. Yet Menachem Begin made a remarkable decision. Despite the deaths and the anger of his followers, he called upon them not to retaliate. He understood that the Jewish people could not afford a civil war. Whatever their profound disagreements, they remained brothers. The story of the Altalena is therefore not only about what happened in 1948. It is also about a question that remains with us today: Can we disagree deeply and still remember that we are one people? There could hardly be a more appropriate time to ask that question than the days leading up to Rosh Hashanah. In this week's parsha, Moshe describes a remarkable ceremony that would take place upon the Jewish people's entry into Eretz Yisrael. The twelve tribes would gather together at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal and accept the covenant with Hashem. Six tribes would stand on one mountain and six on the other. They were twelve tribes with different identities, different responsibilities, and different blessings. Yet they stood together as one nation and entered into one covenant. The Torah's message is profound: Jewish unity does not require Jewish uniformity. ​ We will always disagree with our families, our friends, our communities, and our fellow Jews. We will have different perspectives and different priorities. But there are moments when we must remember what stands beneath those differences: we are bound by a common Torah, a shared history, and a covenant that makes us one people. Perhaps that is why the discovery of the Altalena is so timely. A ship that became a symbol of Jewish division has resurfaced just as we prepare to stand before Hashem on Rosh Hashanah. May we enter the new year with the lesson of those twelve tribes firmly in our hearts: many tribes, but one people; many opinions, but one covenant; many differences, but one Klal Yisrael. Have a Peaceful Shabbos, ​ Rabbi Yaakov Fisch