Was really hoping to write about the New Year, but had to return to the topic at hand, the remainder of the history I began and the new Trumpisms that just can not be ignored. Every time I think there is a chance, even a miniscule one, that perhaps, just perhaps, he could at least try to pull it off - well, there he goes again and you know folks, laugh as much as we might, this guy is President of the United States of America in a matter of under three weeks. Very sad, very frightening.
So to return and go back in time.
The inhabitants of Judea were scattered all over the world. No longer was there a Judean kingdom. The Exile, Galut, was upon us. And so we scattered to almost every country known to man at the time. And for the most part wherever we went we were welcomed and okay for believe it or not, there was a tolerance to differing religions as there were so many and basically, if one obeyed the laws and was loyal to the country, all was okay. But then the world changed, religions began to downsize and others to grow and the atmosphere of tolerance began to shrivel and naturally, that religion whose believers refused to change - well, the hatred and the prejudice and the laws against them began to multiply.
So from France in the 12th century where they had flourished to exile and bloody pogroms and from England under Edward II we had bloody York and more exile and banning from the entire country and didn't that last a long time. And from Spain in 1492 and a couple of years later from Portugal and banned and hounded in all the Spanish and Portuguese areas in the New World, and over to the Arab lands, the lands of Moslems. Well, first it was great and in the Spain of the Moors it was a golden time but the Catholic rulers and the Inquisition took care of that, did they not? And over the centuries the Jews of the Arab lands lived schizoid lives as sometimes it was good and at others it was awful.
And over to Europe. Awful does not begin to cover it. The Crusades were more about the slaughter of Jews as the supposed holy ones marched thru Europe, ravaged the Jewish communities and killed and maimed at will and with approval and encouragement. And this never stopped thru the centuries as the Jews were locked into new things - ghettoes - and symbols and items of clothing had to be worn, rules were made restricting their movements, their professions, blood libel proliferated - this for a people to whom the thought of any blood in a piece of meat was anathema!
And yet, they remained true to their people, to their heritage, to their religion and that aggravated others for why did they not change, recognize their sins, repent and convert? And this stoked the anger of the peasants as the aristocracy used the Jews as scapegoats for the injustices of society. And again, despite all this, Am Yisroel Chai!
And thru the centuries, no matter what, people journeyed in years long treks to see their remnant of the Temples. And Jews lived in their Holy Land. And always, the prayers for the return and always the praying oriented to the East where Jerusalem and their land were. This never changed and even when the winds of secularism and Enlightenment began to waft over the lands of the world, the eyes of the Jewish people never faltered. Always there was the longing for their land. Always there was a longing for justice and social equality and so they formed both sides of the political spectrum, with Jews in the forefront of workers movements all over the world, including right here in the USA and in the forefront as well of the banking families for money professions were all that had been allowed to them in Europe - no land nor other professions which could lead them anywhere and even when it was allowed, there were quotas on them and for entrance into universities and professional schools and yet, somehow, they flourished into the modern era, became mainstays of society, yet the taint of anti Semitism was there all along in all the classes and tiers of society.
The New World beckoned. The "goldene medina" - the golden state - provided a refuge and a place for the future but do not think that all was perfect there for the stink of anti Semitism ran rank through the peoples of this new country as well, brought with them to this new land and yet, again they worked and lived and struggled and prospered and contributed. And Jews all over fought in the armies and were loyal to their countries, were patriotic and yet, and yet, always there was the undercurrent of distrust, from the Dreyfus Affair to rumors and hate mongerers - to this very day!
As for the Arab lands and their Jewish communities - and for the modern times - that is for another day. Need some relief from this heavy history so over to the world of Trumpisms.
This man just does not stop. Even when he does a good thing, and states that he supports Israel and pans Kerry and Obama for the ally betraying action of theirs or rather lack of action - in the UN, even then there is a shiver running down the spine for this is a man who turns on a dime, who thrives on people constantly patting him on the back, singing his praises and when this is not forthcoming - uh oh! Out come the threats of revenge. Out come the weird statements that have people wondering, scratching their heads and fearing where this will all lead to. And selfishly perhaps, my people shiver even more, for along with Trump came the nasty resurgence of the worst types of haters, the neo Nazis and their ilk and trust me, folks, these people never have an end to their hate. There is always room for more!! Yet all the while there has never been a forswearing of these people by Trump and here is yet another story of this growth as a family in Arizona had their large menorah for Chanukah twisted into a huge Swastika. Anger and hatred, anger and hate, again and again so is there any wonder why Israel is so important to us? Always, there is that undercurrent, that wondering, when will that time come again that we are to be ostracized, herded, threatened, limited, exiled and killed? Even while there is a man who says he will support us, the question is - really? For how long? Will we be sold down the river if we do not agree wholeheartedly to all of the plans held in mind?
And if one says, well, this is not really a realistic worry or threat here in America, think again. With a President who states that "And I know a lot about hacking. And hacking is a very hard thing to prove. So it could be somebody else. And I also know things that other people don’t know, and so they cannot be sure of the situation.” - just how can we be sure of continued support, of an end to all this garbage when the leader is not truly attached to reality but boasts nonsensical statements that do not make sense, that tell people to go back to couriers only, he, the man who tweets everything!
It is a hard thing to explain. It is a hard thing to see one's children actually growing fearful, never having seen or felt this before, the uncertainty about the future and the very physical safety of themselves and their children. It is hard to understand this feeling of the earth trembling underneath one's feet, even here, in America. Even here! So what do we do? Wait for Tuesday or Wednesday when Trump promise a new revelation? What? Will it be that Putin is the new Messiah? Will it be that Putin has sworn loyalty to us? To his best buddy Trump? Will he say that he is going to readmit the expelled Russians? Will he deny once more the truth of the Russian interference in the very underpinnings of our country - free and fair elections? And it must be said and wondered. Is this election even valid? Is it? Really? I, and many others, have our doubts. And in this uncertain atmosphere, ugly things can happen. Word!!
More to come.
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