I know it's crazy...this idea of a mom from California...just a teacher and mom presuming to talk to you...but somebody's got to.
Have you noticed what's happening?
Is it working out well?
You getting attacked...and you attacking back.
It's timeless.
It's pointless.
It's clearly not working.
You know the definition of insanity, right? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
Let's back track: your strategy isn't working.
Hamas continues to bomb and Israeli soldiers continue to die -- not to mention a whole bunch of children and mothers and fathers and people who have the sheer bad luck of being stuck right there at ground zero.
So...what can be done?
Well, you can continue doing what you're doing and it can continue not to work...or you can think outside the box.
You can be radical.
Radical for peace.
Imagine how powerful it would be to have Hamas launch rockets at Israel and to have Israel respond with silence...
how about with prayer?
How about if the entire state of Israel spent a day in prayer...deep in prayer all day long?
All of the businesses shut down...all of the schools closed...all of the vacationers paused...
paused in prayerful peace.
Would the world take note?
Would your enemies?
Last week, we had a horrific crime happen in a neighboring city. Three guys robbed a bank and took three hostages and then proceeded to drive all over the city shooting to kill. The mother of a 12 year old who was taken hostage was killed...while her 12 year old waited in their car at the bank...killed for no reason.
Guess what her sister chose to do?
In a terrible moment of grief, with a bald head from cancer treatment, the sister of the woman killed ask for people to pray for her and for her family...and then she asked that the crowd pray for the robbers and for their families too.
Incredible.
It takes two to fight -- that's what I tell my kids all day long -- two.
What if Israel just chose not to fight and instead chose peace.
Over and over again.
It might feel like the weakest thing you've ever done as a leader but in fact it would be the most powerful act you have ever done.
(I call this the Yoga Yield -- it's counter-intuitive -- but the moment when you yield when you really really want to push and force it, is the moment it yields and becomes right.)
We've seen what peace can do --
and it's a whole lot more powerful than weapons.
We know this.
You know this.
Be radical.
Think outside the box.
Stay silent in prayer.
Use your Iron Dome...you're protected.
But change it up...let your enemies be shocked.
And let the world see your goodness.
Let the world see you working for peace.
Make peace your goal.
Make peace your prayer.
Never stop believing in its possibility.
And watch what happens.
Give peace a chance.
You can be a hero for the ages -- like Nelson Mandela -- or you can be just another world leader who has missed his chance....and played an old game.
You choose.
Hint: Choose peace.
Sincerely, Beth Foraker -- mom, wife, sister, daughter, Catholic, ignorant of so much -- but a citizen of the world praying for peace.
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