                      The last Jewish Hero
                     by Gary M. Cooperberg
                         February 1994

     Dr. Baruch Goldstein, Z"tl, H"yd, was the most respected and beloved citizen of
Kiryat Arba.   He loved his fellow Jews more than any Jew I ever knew.  Aside from treating
nearly every victim of Arab terror in Kiryat Arba and the Hebron area for over ten years, this
baal chesed: visited Jewish prisoners every week; helped new immigrants find jobs; conducted
courses for doctors, nurses and ambulance drivers; served on the city council of Kiryat Arba;
was an outstanding father of four; was a good husband; was an outstanding officer and soldier
in the Israeli army; and a source of everlasting pride to his parents who had the zchut to live
near him here, in Kiryat Arba.
     It was precisely because his credentials were so impeccable that he chose to risk his life
for his people and his country.  Had anyone else done this act of unprecedented heroism it
would be easy to dismiss it as the work of a madman.  Indeed, a herculean effort is being made
to label this pure tzaddik as a fanatic lunatic.  But, when all is said and done, the effort is
destined to fail.
     Since the elevation of the PLO to "peace partner", the intifada, not only did not cease,
but actually deteriorated into armed attacks against Jewish civilians seeing the murder of tens
of Jews and with no hope of its cessation.  Indeed, the IDF Chief of Staff openly admitted to
not being able to prevent even more murders of Jewish citizens, G-d forbid.
     Dr. Baruch Goldstein, z"tl, was no stranger to the aftermath of murder of innocent
Jews.  He personally treated nearly every victim, many of whose lives he saved, and many of
whom perished before his eyes.  
     As a captain in the IDF he was privy to military information not readily dispensed to
the public.  He heard of a planned attack upon Jewish worshipers at Machpelah, and upon the
town of Kiryat Arba, by Arab mobs.  He was given orders to prepare the local clinic to receive
large numbers of casualties.  He also knew about the call by Arab extremists to the population
to horde food in preparation for a long curfew.  He understood that political considerations
caused the IDF to ignore the imminent danger to the Jewish population until, G-d forbid, it
would be too late.
     Knowing full well that the powers that be would never listen to reason if it might cause
political problems, Dr. Goldstein carefully analyzed the situation and determined that nothing
but a rash and outrageous Jewish initiative could lessen the imminent tragedy about to descend
upon the people of Kiryat Arba, and the State of Israel.  But who would be willing or able to
carry out such an initiative?  He could think of no one.  Were he to discuss it with anyone else
it might endanger the initiative, not to mention the lives of other Jews.  
     Like the little shepherd, David, Dr. Baruch Goldstein looked around for someone to
stand up for the people and land of Israel.  When he came to the correct conclusion that there
was no one, he made the grim decision to risk leaving his wife and children and beloved
parents, as well as countless friends and patients, in order to perform a mitzvah that no one
else would have the courage or ability to perform, and to make a tremendous sacrifice for his
people.  There can be no doubt that he believed that the initiative he had in mind outweighed
all other considerations.  It was the only hope of saving thousands of lives, and, very possibly,
the future of his country was a stake.
     The consistent concession to Arab terror on the part of every Israeli government,
including the "tradition" of releasing terrorist prisoners in honor of Ramadan, has had a
cumulative affect upon Moslem extremists which only encouraged them to plan further terror
against Jews, in the name of Islam.  The most powerful antidote to such religious extremism
was to strike a death blow upon religious zealots, at a holy site, during a holy day.     Most Arab murderers in Hebron committed their butchery on a Friday as part of a
religious ritual.  Thus for a single Jew to wreak revenge upon such zealots, at a contested holy
site, and on a Friday during the holy month of Ramadan, struck a powerful blow to the
concept of Moslem religious holy war against the Jews. It was an omen that the Arab holy
month of Ramadan fell out during the Jewish holiday of Purim, thus providing the setting for
the shots heard around the world.  
     His mind made up, Baruch arrived at the Cave of Machpela at about 5:30 on Friday
morning, wearing his army officer's uniform and fully armed.  With an air of confidence and
authority, he entered the Hall of Isaac which was packed with Jew hating Arabs, who, only the
night before, had chanted "Slaughter the Jews", and began shooting until his ammunition ran
out.
     When his bullets were all spent he threw his very body upon the enemies of the Jewish
people until the mob came at him with iron poles and metal fire extinguishers, beating him to
death.
     The traitors to their people and their country, who shake hands with and praise the
butcher of countless Jewish men, women and children, reveal their deep self-hatred, when they
attack the only Jew in Israel who had the courage to sacrifice a bright future, a young family,
and his very life to save Jewish souls and the Jewish state from imminent peril.
     While Rabin and Peres, who would have borne the brunt of responsibility for the riots
that were to have occurred had Dr. Goldstein not taken such a self sacrificing, heroic, step,
stoop to name calling and defaming this Jewish hero, history will bear witness to his greatness.
     Dr. Baruch Goldstein was the last hero of the Jewish people.  No other Jew
approached his level of sanctity since those young men who died at the hands of the British
during the war for Independence.  
     While to some this act might seem irresponsible, history will show that it was a
desperate act of love for his people and his country.  It resulted and continues to result in the
saving of countless lives.  
     The magnitude of Baruch Goldstein's contribution to the future of the Land of Israel
will only be measured by future events resulting from this selfless act of martyrdom, and will
some day be recognized by all Jews as the turning point which was the direct cause of the
redemption of the Jewish people and the rebuilding of the third and everlasting Temple in
Jerusalem.