Two Lions Gone
I was reeling from news of the death of a dear pro Israel friend, Bill Behrer, when I learned of the terrorist murder of Ari Fuld in Israel, over the weekend.
Fuld, a legendary Israeli advocate, was standing in a grocery store in Gush Etzion near the border with Gaza, last Sunday, when a 17-year-old Palestinian terrorist stabbed him in the back. As the killer ran, Ari turned, drew his weapon, and scaled a fence and shot at the terrorist. He then collapsed and died, leaving a wife and four children.
Bill, a lovely man I never met except by phone, was director of the America-Israel Friendship League. Several months ago, it was revealed that he had pancreatic cancer. This particularly deadly form of cancer is almost impossible to recover from, but Bill—like Ari—stood up to it and fought like a lion.
A gentleman, he was also a tough advocate for developing relationships for the Jewish state. I help the League with their Church Outreach Program, and Bill was always encouraging. He was always kind, no small thing in today’s world, and he cared deeply for our work. It sounds quaint to some, but Bill was so genuinely kind and nice, he really stood out. I will miss him very much.
On Facebook, his daughter posted a recent picture of the two of them and she wrote, “Til the last trump…” I found that so touching and poignant. And true!
Fuld is being mourned like few I’ve seen in Israel. It has affected Israelis and Jews around the world deeply. This is one of those moments when life doesn’t make much sense.
And to remind us of what kind of world we live in, the fiendish Palestinian Authority/PLO is making payments to the murderer’s family. He of course survived and received top medical treatment!
I don’t have any wisdom for this; most of us in this community are believers.
What I do know is that we can’t yield to evil and give in. There is still work to be done. I pray for justice for Israel’s enemies, and for God to welcome those who love Him into paradise.