Shame, Accountability, and Pride - Israel’s Real Story | 10@9 | 2026.04.23

About this episode

Rabbi Michael Whitman discusses accountability in Israel following the desecration of a Christian statue by Israeli soldiers and shares insights from a recent rally in Montreal.

Several days ago, two Israeli soldiers serving in Southern Lebanon committed a deeply offensive act - desecrating a Christian statue. There is no excuse, no justification, and no minimizing what they did. What followed matters just as much: swift, unequivocal condemnation from Israel’s leadership, including the Prime Minister and the IDF. The soldiers were arrested, the statue was replaced by the IDF, and the IDF apologized in person to the local community. This is what accountability looks like. In this video, I also share highlights from yesterday’s inspiring Israel rally in downtown Montreal, along with an unexpected and meaningful conversation I had with a pro-Palestinian protester. Because loving Israel means telling the truth about its failures - and taking pride in how it responds to them. Michael Whitman is the senior rabbi of ADATH Congregation in Hampstead, Quebec, and an adjunct professor at McGill University Faculty of Law. ADATH is a modern orthodox synagogue community in suburban Montreal, providing Judaism for the next generation. We take great pleasure in welcoming everyone with a warm smile, while sharing inspiration through prayer, study, and friendship. Rabbi…

People in this episode

Host: Rabbi Michael Whitman

Topics covered

• accountability
• Israel
• pride
• soldiers
• community
• protests

Keywords

• Israel
• accountability
• soldiers
• Christian statue
• Montreal rally
• Rabbi Michael Whitman
• pro-Palestinian

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: IDF, ADATH Congregation, McGill University Faculty of Law

Places: Israel, Lebanon, Montreal

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