Voice of the Jewish News: A rare unifier in a fractious world

IT’S THE news the Jewish world dreads: ‘Shimon Peres has had a stroke.’ As we went to print, doctors were hopeful he would survive it, but there were few if any words of comfort.

We were hearing of “bleeding,” of him being “critical but stable,” of his heavy sedation and medics’ guesswork as to whether he was still awake and listening.

In the fractious Jewish world, where there are more opinions than inhabitants, Peres is a rare unifier, someone who almost everyone likes, respects and agrees with.

Well into his 90s, he is on the final lap, but still, his every appearance offers words of wisdom, wit and warmth. Who will deliver it when he is gone?

Who will provide the vision of peace he alone seems to espouse? It is not clear. In the meantime, we say: ‘Pull through, Shimon. Pull through.’