Shalom alechem readers! Today is a very special day, the first day I have written on this blog in over a year. Besides life, which tends to happen, I felt uninspired, disappointed and alone, as if nobody really cared about my vision of reviving the spirit of Zion, re-awakening the strength of the Jewish nation and uniting Am Israel wherever we are in the world, all 12 tribes in our days… Until this past week, when I had the pleasure of attending a special viewing for the first episode of a documentary series titled, “We Were Never Lost,” with Rudy Rochman.

   Without giving too much away, I have to say this was something that re-ignited the fires of faith that burn within me, a holy flame for Hashem, and for the my people of Israel. I dare say, Rudy and his team of visionaries remind me a great deal of Theodore Herzl and the early Zionist pioneers, who were the sparks that lit the flame of Jewish Nationalism in their time. Despite all the criticisms and push backs they received, they performed a modern miracle which many claimed could only be done by mashiach (messiah). Herzl may not have been mashiach, but he was certainly a kind of mashiach in his time, and so are you and me if we dare to be.

What do I mean by that? I mean that instead of just saying we believe with perfect faith in the coming of mashiach, why not “wait actively” instead of just sitting around, and do some of the work ourselves! Because I dare believe that inside the heart of each and every Jew is the potential to become a powerful force for good for our people in our days, and for the world. I’ll elaborate more on my own philosophy in a future article b’ezrat Hashem, but for the purpose of this article I would like to encourage all of you who read to go check out Rudy Rochman’s website and support the “We Were Never Lost” project.

What Rudy and his team are doing is indeed what I call a true messianic undertaking, because just as they told Herzl he could not revive the Jewish nation in his day, today so many claim that the 10 northern tribes of Israel are either lost or don’t exist at all, and that it is impossible to unite and revive such a people scattered all over the world. Rudy and his team, who have braved many challenges, are proving them all wrong.

The most beautiful part about this project, to me, as a Jew and as a lover of humanity, is that whether we notice or not, we are beginning to discover the true purpose for which the Children of Israel were chosen, like Joseph’s coat of many colors, today the Jewish people exist and live in many parts of the world with many colors and languages, 12 tribes, but one nation longing to unite. Today Jews are Sefardi, Ashkenazi, Mizrahi, Temani, Beta Israel and more, we are Black, White, Hispanic, Arab, Asian, blonde, brunette, red head, and so much more, and yet we all say “Shema Israel” and are descended from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, from Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah. Today we are like a rich tapestry, an unfinished masterpiece painting, a true blue print for what humanity should become one day, and THAT is the purpose for which I believe we were chosen, to lead the world to such a time of peace and love, where nation shall no longer lift up sword against nation neither study war anymore. Perhaps with movements like these we will finally inspire our fellow Jews to unite, and maybe even inspire mashiach to finally come in our very days!

Until then, it is up to you and me, and people like Rudy and his fellow activists to do some of the work in our own generation and inspire a global awakening, a kind of “hiyyat ha metim” (resurrection) metaphorically speaking, a revival and return of the scattered tribes of Israel, after nearly 3,000 years. Now isn’t that a cause worth supporting? This is why I am throwing my support behind this project in my own way and am happy to commit to this cause with all my skills and resources, because we don’t all have to be religious to share a common vision of unity, a vision of this pathway to peace. Never before have these words rung as true as they do today, and may they only grow in power in the days to come, “the People of Israel Live!” Am Israel Chai! Indeed, WE WERE NEVER LOST!

I invite you to check out their website, stay tuned to watch this thrilling documentary series and if it moves your heart as much as it does mine, support these pioneers for peace. Kol ha kavod to all the brothers and sisters involved in this endeavor, and that we should only grow stronger together!

• article by Uzi Darwiche