The tragedy happening in Afghanistan is on many levels. It is hard to know how to help, though personally, we decided to make a donation to HIAS and keep our eyes open as to how to help if Afghani refugees come to Pittsburgh.

Of the many angles that we see this tragedy unfold, one is the Jewish angle.  While once there were an estimated 40,000 Jews centered in Herat, along the Silk Road trading route, there were fewer than 5,000 by the middle of the 20^th century and now, there is a single Jewish Afghani,  Zablon Simintov.  We must know our people’s history.  40,000 down to 1.

The other worry is over important Jewish sites including the Yu Aw Synagogue.  The Forward writes: “Jewish sites received attention as part of a larger nation-building push to restore cultural landmarks of all kinds and make tangible the country’s claims to being a pluralistic democracy. The Yu Aw Synagogue’s restoration was funded in part by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, a Swiss foundation active in the Muslim world, which described it in a brochure as part of an effort to “celebrate, restore, and maintain Afghanistan’s cultural presence and identity in the modern world.”

It is a beautiful synagogue.

And yet…

Some of us just discussed the book Eternal Life by Dara Horn, which takes place in Jerusalem just before the Roman siege. The mother cannot understand how her son, Yochanan ben Zakkai – a historical figure per the Talmud – given his relationship to the incoming Roman emperor, made his choices. She challenged him: “Yochanan, you could have saved the country.  You could have saved the city.  You could have saved the Temple.  You could have saved the Holy of Holies, the House of God.  And instead you saved – a story.” (p. 193-4).

Of course, had he been able to save all of what she said, it would have been temporary.  It was a short term versus long term view.  Had he not saved our story – the Torah and its students and teachers, Judaism would not exist.  We would not exist.

Whether in Jerusalem 2000 years ago or Afghanistan now, the ultimate investment cannot be in a building.  It must be in lives – and not only Jewish lives.  The many thousands of dollars spent on restoring a synagogue which no longer had a local Jewish community could have been spent on helping human beings.  We cannot focus on sites.  Our sights must be on people.

https://forward.com/news/474297/taliban-jewish-heritage-afghanistan-herat/