A century ago, in May 1921, Arab riots ravaged Jaffa and neighboring Jewish settlements. The aftermath left 47 Jews dead, 146 wounded, and hundreds homeless. These events unfolded long before the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, yet there are striking similarities between those riots and our current state of war in Gaza.
The initial trigger for those riots was a dispute between two Jewish groups in Jaffa. The situation quickly escalated into a savage assault by Arabs on Jews after false rumors spread that Arabs were being attacked.
The violence originated in Jaffa before spreading to other towns. Armed with clubs, knives, swords, and pistols, Arab men invaded Jewish buildings, murdering their occupants, attacking pedestrians, and ransacking homes and shops. Jews, including children, fell victim to brutality. Even Arab policemen joined in the onslaught.
The British army was slow to respond, and the settlement's defense units were not prepared for such a crisis.
Rav Kook received the news with a heavy heart. He composed a forceful letter to British authorities, demanding heightened protection for the Jewish settlements while dismissing the excuses presented to him in response.
Subsequently, the rabbi wrote a brief letter to his son, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook, who was then promoting his father's Degel Jerusalem institutions in various cities in Europe. In the letter, Rav Kook aimed to impart not only courage but also a profound sense of hope. He emphasized that, ultimately, sweetness would emerge from the bitterness and adversity. His message of faith and resilience remains as relevant today as it was during that challenging era.
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To my dear son,
It has now a month that we have received no news from you. We don't even know in what place, city, country you are currently residing. You can imagine our great concern. May God quickly rejoice us with good news from you and all of God's people.
Concerning the recent events [i.e., the Arab riots in Jaffa], you already know. It is not new for such matters to make a resounding impact in the world.
Here [in the Land of Israel], we await the compassion of the Rock and Redeemer of Israel. Our spirits remain undaunted, since we know with clarity that in the end, the footsteps of Israel’s revival and redemption are progressing and clearly evident. All of the constraints in the world merely serve as guides, awakening our thoughts to take action.
With God’s help, we will triumph, and God will defeat our oppressors.
You, who are far away, do not overly anguish. True, our hearts ache, and our pain is immense for the martyrs, our fallen brothers who died at the hands of murderers. But in the end, we will heal also from this wound. And the holy expression, בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי “With your blood, live!” (Ezek. 16:6) shall be fulfilled, God willing, many times over, more than that of last year. [1]
(Iggerot HaReiyahvol. 4, 15 Iyyar 5681 / May 23, 1921, sent to Arutz Sheva by Rabbi Chanan Morrison, ravkooktorah.org)
Source:
[1] A reference to the 1920 Nebi Musa riots in and near the Old City of Jerusalem, when five Jews were killed and several hundred injured.
