It used to be that when a Jewish boy became bar-mitzvah, responsible for his own behavior and religious observance, he would receive a present commensurate with that new 'manhood' -a fountain pen, a tool for the adult he was to be. Today, the fountain pen has become a memory of what used to be, a simpler time, albeit not always a prosperous or safe time.
It was also a time when the very right of the Jewish people to exist was categorically denied. Chased from pillar to post, denied entry and refuge from basically all the countries of the world unless somehow shamed into it, accepting a few here or there. After WWII we had hoped that the conditions would change, that people's thinking would somehow evolve, turn away from the animalistic behavior of so called 'ubermensch' and their supporters. Alas, it was not to be - and I wonder if it ever will be.
Yesterday, at the time when the Israeli weekend begins, Thursday night, the nation of Israel, the Jewish people received a different bar mitzvah present. It was the thirteenth Israeli killed by terror over the past few weeks. 13. Mostly civilians, along with Border Police attacked as they did their patrols. 13 - of all ages, Arab and Jewish citizens of Israel, from all walks of life, killed as they went about their daily lives. 13 - and no fountain pen. No, only bullets and knifings, more death, encouraged by the attitudes of too many of the world, too many leaders who refuse to condemn attacks upon Israel and serve up only criticism of their reactions to terror attacks.
Very soon I expect to hear accusations of unnecessary shooting of the terrorist, should instead have risked life and limb to capture him alive. The Israelis will then turn into murderers as per world opinion. Never mind the bar mitzvah present of 13 dead and many others seriously wounded. A murderer, a terrorist, a person who purposely went after civilians, many of them young adults, just pre and post military service. But do I hear, do you hear, any words about the terrible attacks on civilians here, not even all throwaway Jewish victims, deemed of lesser value and import since time immemorial. Nope. Dead silence. No fountain pen here upon this bloody bar mitzvah.
Jews are apparently obligated to wear thicker skin, to be less 'sensitive' to the memes and tropes of anti Semitism. Tsk, tsk, sorry 'bout that - and goes on to the next unthinking - and I am being generous. I think that too much of this behavior is on purpose, indeed with great thought and even glee. A weak, and manifestly false apology is put forth and on we go again. On this not so merry road which leads to huge bar mitzvahs of blood and death. No pens.
Think America is different? Sorry, folks, not correct. The increased sensitivities of the day so desired by liberals, made so much of, are deemed unnecessary regarding Jews. They will just have to suck it up, say not a word, a word, to draw less attention to themselves. That was then, folks, but not now. We have learned better in a bloody lesson. Where the world stood silent, perhaps even quietly cheering on that aspect of the Nazis.
Well, no longer. Today, when there is no room at the inn for Jews, not on the left, not on the right, we must speak up, particularly in a time of increasing violence against Jews and Jewish institutions. Shrugged off by police, downplayed, denied as hate crimes, and shoved under the carpet of life - until Jewish organizations raise the noise level, reveal the dirty truth. Our fountain pen gift to the world.
The left has turned viciously against Jews, delegitimize Israel, ally themselves with anti-Israel adherents and vicious, openly anti-Semitic people and organizations. The right is increasingly supportive of a toxic mix of politics and extreme religion. Prayers at political meetings, football games, any group action or speech. Wherefore and why? Separation of church and state, the warnings of our Founders to keep them separate - gone like the wind. Their fountain pens running out of ink, or perhaps overfilled with poisoned, corrosive ink.
Still think not so, too much sensitivity here. Okay. Here is one hot off the press. Geico, the huge insurance company was planning a "diversity" event, organized by their oh so not capable - or perhaps very capable - Diversity and Exclusion Planning Center. Their guest speaker? Linda Sarsour! I kid you not. The one and the same vicious anti-Semite who used the Women's March to expound upon those twisted beliefs, finally turned away from them. Too late. The damage was done. Yet here she is again. Evidently this Geico committee is deaf, dumb and blind when it comes to Sarsour and her open mouthing of hate, of encouragement of violence, condemning Israel as being founded on "Jewish supremacy'! They disregarded her open, close relationship with Farrakhan and his organization, openly, rabidly anti anything that smacks of Jews.
It took a whole lot of yelling and protesting to get Geico to understand their 'error'. They canceled the event, but the point was missed. Why not have had a true diversity event? Why not invite in a Jewish person unashamed of his Judaism? Why not allow the ink to flow from our fountain pens, rather than the blood of bar mitzvah attacks. Wherein we garner more death for daring to live and thrive in a country of our own, a country of refuge. A country whose Jewish population includes the people of the world - Asian, European, African, North AMerican, South American, White, Black, Brown, Hispanic, Ethiopean, Burmese, Indian, Nigerian, descendants of Anusim, (the Marranos of Spain and Portugal), Ashkenaz, Sephardic, Mizrachi, a refuge for all, desiring to live in peace with her neighbors and the rest of the world to whom she has contributed much.
"Blessed be Thou, King of the Universe, Who has given us life, and kept us, and allowed us to reach these times. - Amen."
A blessing we all should say, understand, and treasure. A blessing that keeps those deadly fountain pens away from us or makes them proponents and tools of peace for the world. All included. Even the Jews. Enough already. Enough.
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