As Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu and leaders of Hamas fail to reach a ceasefire agreement, the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, fueled by external support, continues with no resolution in sight.
While it may be difficult to fully imagine the horrors and trauma faced by individuals living in Gaza, we are constantly confronted with the images on our electronic devices. Every day brings news of another attack on civilians who are simply trying to survive. As Independent Jewish Voices, a Canadian organization known for its strong advocacy for Palestinian rights and its criticism of Israeli government policies, has stated, “No words can describe the horrors Palestinians in Gaza have witnessed for the past months. Nor can words do justice to the rage and sorrow we have felt.”
Millions of people worldwide long for the day when the violence will end, when aid can move freely into Gaza, when people can access the medical care they need, and when reconstruction and healing can begin. We are all searching for hope in a seemingly hopeless situation.
At the same time, many of us are becoming increasingly desensitized to the horrific news of human suffering – whether from Gaza or elsewhere. What has happened to our sense of humanity? How do we reconnect with it in such troubling times?
Jewish psychiatrist and death camp survivor Viktor Frankl wrote about this in what is considered by many the most powerful work of Holocaust literature, . The book is essentially about maintaining our humanity while dealing with something we all experience: human suffering. We are now living through what Frankl called “a provisional existence of unknown limit.” We have no idea when the global trauma centred in Gaza will end. How do we maintain our grip on reality in times like this and not drift into despair?
The first step, according to Frankl, is to be mindful of the fact that we are in what he called “provisional existence,” – which refers to a temporary or uncertain state of life where the future is unknown and unpredictable – bearing in mind that if we give into hopelessness, we are only making the situation worse. In this case, doing so would allow death and destruction to win.
Frankl faced life-and-death struggles daily, but while we may not be in immediate physical danger, the ongoing crisis still affects us emotionally and psychologically. Despite international efforts, the senseless killing continues, leaving us to question how we can help stop the suffering.
As university students return to their campuses, many administrators are warning them that they may face restrictions on their freedom of speech if they use it to call out for Palestinian rights. At the same time, leaders of Israel’s strongest allies are also making it clear that they have no intention to apply significant pressure on Israel to stop the violence in Gaza.
Frankl managed to cope with his suffering and move beyond his provisional existence by finding meaning in his experiences. He became a witness to his own experience, learned valuable lessons from them, and imagined himself sharing these lessons with others once he was free. Today, we continue to benefit from the wisdom he gained during those difficult times.
All human life has meaning, whether Palestinian, Israeli, Canadian, American or from any other background. We find personal meaning by standing up for the value of human life, no matter the circumstances we face. By doing this, we not only learn important lessons from the present situation, but we also work toward building a world where atrocities like those in the past never happen again.
While fighting to stay alive, Frankl often reflected on the writings of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche’s words also give us something to hold onto in this moment:
“I know of no better life purpose than to perish attempting the great and impossible. The fact that something seems impossible should not be a reason to not pursue it. That’s exactly what makes it worth pursuing.”
Gerry Chidiac specializes in languages and genocide studies and works with at-risk students. He received an award from the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre for excellence in teaching about the Holocaust.
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