Dear YWN,

I am extremely perplexed and literally at a loss for words.

Millions of Yidden are in extreme danger right now, and for the most part we are silent.

We see massive asifos called for AI. We see gatherings and campaigns regarding giyus and many other important matters. But I ask with a broken heart: where is the yom tefillah? Where is the united cry of Klal Yisroel?

Where are our Gedolei Yisroel calling on the tzibbur to dedicate a day for tefillah and limud haTorah on behalf of our brothers and sisters living under constant missile fire?

The reality is that millions of Yidden are living in Eretz Yisroel and are in sakana every single moment.

Just today, more than 100 rockets were fired by Hezbollah into northern Israel in under 15 minutes, while Iranian missiles were being launched simultaneously. Entire cities were running to shelters.

And yet we continue with life as usual.

Where is the trembling? Where is the crying out to the Ribono Shel Olam?

I also want to raise another point that has been bothering me. How many shuls last Shabbos recited a Mi Shebeirach for President Trump (“…הנותן תשועה למלכים”), and how many will do it this coming Shabbos. It is appropriate to show hakaras hatov to leaders who stand with the Jewish people, especially a President who just wiped out an existential nuclear threat that could have annihilated the entire Eretz Yisroel in a split second.

I remember hearing that in the Mirrer Yeshiva, under the leadership of the great Rosh Yeshiva Rav Shmuel Berenbaum zt”l, they recited the tefillah for President Bush on Yom Kippur following the attacks of 9/11. It was done with tremendous seriousness and recognition of the moment.

So why today, when Klal Yisroel is under such massive threat, do we not see a unified outpouring of tefillah?

Have we become so numb to war that we simply move on with our routines while rockets are falling on Jewish cities?

Our silence is deafening.

I write this with pain and confusion, not with criticism. Perhaps others can explain what I am missing.

But to me, it feels like the moment calls for something far greater from all of us — more tefillah, more Tehillim, more limud haTorah, and more achdus.

May the Ribbono Shel Olam have mercy on His people and protect all of Klal Yisroel.

Pained in Lakewood,

Chaim B.

PS: Here is the Tefilah for President Trump. Make sure your Shul says this on Shabbos:

הנותן תשועה למלכים וממשלה לנסיכים, מלכותו מלכות כל עולמים.
הוא יברך וישמור וינצור וירומם ויגדל וינשא את נשיא ארצות הברית של אמריקה.
הקדוש ברוך הוא ישמרהו ויחיהו מכל צרה וצוקה ומכל נגע ומחלה, וישלח ברכה והצלחה בכל מעשה ידיו.
מלך מלכי המלכים ברחמיו יתן בלבו ובלב יועציו ושריו רחמים לעשות טובה עמנו ועם כל ישראל.
בימיו ובימינו תושע יהודה וישראל ישכון לבטח, ובא לציון גואל.
וכן יהי רצון ונאמר אמן.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)