The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea

This week is the moment of truth for our ancestors at the Sea of Reeds. They could not return to Egypt, where the harshness and cruelty of their bondage had become unbearable. And, they really had no way of knowing exactly where they were going – they themselves had no familiarity with a “promised land,” which to them was probably little more than a pipe dream. They were trapped, as the expression goes, between the devil and the deep blue sea. But miraculously, according to our text, the Sea split apart, and with the triumphal Song of the Sea that is the centerpiece of our Torah portion, Moses and Miriam lead the Israelites in a paean of praise to God as they crossed through on dry land, emerging safely on the other side.

Time and time again in our history, we have relived that experience in one form or another, as we have fled from oppressive regimes and dangerous environments, often literally into the seas and the oceans. Our only hope was to find refuge in some far off place. As the Second World War loomed larger over Europe, and the Nazi concentration camps became the most feared places on Earth, our people looked for any way they could find to escape the threat that hung over them in Europe. Even after the War itself was over, our people were herded into DP camps, still hoping to find refuge and breathe the air of freedom.

Those of us who traveled to Israel together last May visited the grounds of Atlit, some 15 km south of Haifa. Atlit was a British detention camp, where Jewish refugees and survivors were interned during the years between 1940 and the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. One year before the camp was opened, the British published a “White Paper” which limited the number of the Jewish immigrants allowed to enter Palestine to 75,000 over 5 years: 25,000 immediately and 10,000 for each of the following 5 years. Those caught trying to enter the country illegally were captured and interned at Atlit.

The illegal activities increased exponentially after 1945 when the Palmach commandeered a number of ships of refugees now interned in Displaced Person camps, particularly on the Island of Cyprus. The ship that we know as “The Exodus” was only one of dozens of such ships bearing human cargo that had lost everything they had. It should be noted as well that many refugees came in ships from Italy and North Africa, and a number of Arabic countries as well. The journeys were dangerous and punishing. Many did not survive. Many who did were re-deported to Cyprus by the British. Those who were caught were sent to Atlit, where the men and women were separated and sent to showers. We can only the imagine the paralyzing horror they felt as survivors of Nazi death camps when they entered the rooms with the showers. With barbed wire and guard towers, Atlit bore many resemblances to the camps the Jews had managed to survive. But, in fact, the British were NOT Nazis, and the showers really were – showers.

Atlit is an interesting place and an important piece of pre-State history. But it also is a stark reminder of the desperate plight of refugees, particularly as they travel the seas, searching for safety and security. While I’m sure many of our people on those refugee ships were hoping for a repeat performance of the splitting of the Sea, ultimately they had to rely on the courage and compassion of human beings. The message for us today is painfully clear. “You know the heart of the stranger, for you were strangers in the Land of Egypt.” Over and over again our Torah reminds us of the compassion that is required of us.