FROM THE DEPTHS

     Life can be hard at times. It can seem as if one hard blow lands smack dab on the site of a previous blow, and in quick succession as well. One can feel paralyzed, unsure as to what to do, how to proceed. And in the depths of despair and desperation one begins to realize that there are two sources of help - one's inner strength and the good Lord above, known by many names but representing one Power, no matter how we, mankind, distort it.
     So from the depths I call out. From the depths I ask why we are at this point again when the people of His choosing, the People of the Book, are once again under harsh attacks, facing enemies whose goal seems to be their extermination once again. Seventy years ago the old mantra of hate, that Jews cannot live among us was changed to Jews cannot live. Plans were made, information gathered, about the Jewish populations in Great Britain and the United States and Canada, for so great and aggrandized were the murderous plans of Hitler and henchmen all around the world.
     The old Tsarist rule was one third by death, one third by exile, and one third by conversion. At least there was a possibility of life via immigration and so many thousands of Jews under Tsarist rule did, including family members of mine. But as of Hitler and in today's world of hatred, there is another rule- the rule that all Jews must die and it seems as if the world could care less. In fact, it seems as if much of the world is cheering on these efforts just as it seemed that during WWII the world finally said oh tsk, tsk, re the camps, but managed not to bomb the tracks leading to them or destroy the crematoria and gas chambers, or do anything that would stop the murderous paths of Hitler. No, for it seemed he was doing the job the whole world approved of but at least here they would not dirty their own hands!!
     Today it seems as if there is no difference from the past. Voices from every country of the world, even countries where Israeli aid has been forthcoming, often the first and most effective aid to arrive after natural disasters, even in countries where the Islamic faith was preeminent, the voices condemning Israel, veiling anti Semitism in those calls are heard. Worse, wherein one might think that okay, there is Israel today where Jewish refugees would be welcomed, as millions were over the years, well, think again. Take this weekend as an example.
     It seems as if the enemies of the Jewish people like to attack them on holidays. So in Lithuania the einzatsgruppen killed most of the population over the days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. In the Warsaw ghetto the start of the Passover seders seemed to be appropriate for murder in their eyes, and little did they know that they would face huge defense and defiance from those within the ghetto, even as the Polish citizens stood and watched the ghetto burn and many cheered it as it did. 
     This weekend, Saturday, a holy day every seven days, was used as a day of bombardment. Over 450 rockets have been sent over. The population of the southern communities are living in their bomb shelters. Schools are closed and that is a blessing for many schools have been hit, empty schools, for the government takes care to secure the safety of their citizens. But the terrorists - and please do not call them militants! - aim their missiles and rockets directly at the civilian population of Israel, going as deep into the country as they can. Their aim - to destroy Israel, to kill its inhabitants, to wipe the state and its people off the maps of the world.
      Homes have taken direct hits. Over 80 people have been treated, hopsitals are treating wounded, one has died, and the fact that more have not died is a credit to the bomb shelters and the traininng of the population. It is a statement to the world that once again you can try to kill us, allow enemies to destroy us, burn our world around us as you laugh at the thought and sight of balloons bringing explosive devices over the fence to burn the crops, to burn the forests so carefully planted to renew the lands - but it will be for nought. We will call out from the depths, ask for aid from the Almighty, show the world our defiance once more.
     So even as the terrorists attack us right after days of mourning for the victims of the Holocaust, as the day of mourning for the deaths of soldiers and victims of terrorist attacks, and the celebration of our Independence approach, even as the attacks are intensified, and even as the world will make more of the accidental deaths of a Palestinian civilian as the Israelis attack buildings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, buildings of armaments, headquarters, tunnel entrances - and warn those within to leave, even giving them phone calls! - and ignore the wounded and the dead of Israel, we will survive! We will persevere. And we will call from the depths. It has been a miracle so far that so few - and even that is too many - have been hurt and/or killed - but make no mistake about it. Israel will stand us for itself and all those of you in Great Britain who follow Corbyn, in France who think nothing of torturing a young Jewish man or throwing an aged survivor out the window, attacking children in schools, or in Belgium who defend a horrific float in a parade, or in Poland where a Jewish effigy is beaten and chants of hatred are heard and yes, right here in the good old USA, where anti Semitism is now PC, admired by both right and left, a point of agreement, and Jews are dying, killed, right here in my country!!! Think again.
     So make no mistake about it. The Bible describes us as a stubborn group and yes, we are. We have outlasted countless huge empires, thousands of enemies, attacks and progroms, rapes and pillage, and we will outlast all of modern times as well. From the depths we call out and from the heights we will be heard. 
     Am Yisroel Chai! The people of Israel live!