"SHIMMER OF IRREALITY"

  Such were the words used by an analyst to describe the horrific situation in Israel. Even as there were battles fought in the streets of Jerusalem, of Tel Aviv, on the highways and byways, and in the hearts and souls of so many around the world, it was almost impossible to believe that the country, the proud standard of democracy, of refuge of home - has gone berserk. Yet, there it was, tragically, no 'irreality'. Very real was the blood on the streets, the pictures of horses ridden by Jews herding other Jews, of Jews carrying by arms and legs other Jews protesting the stripping of democracy from Israel, negating all that the pioneers did, all the achievements of Israel and its contributions to the world.

While civil war breaks out there, in the rooms of the enemies was a conference behind closed doors. There Hamas and Iranian officials discussed what to do in reaction to this horror so beneficial for them. With the country at odds with itself, with more than half the country not where they needed to be, G-d forbid, in case off attack, with the anger rife, palpable in the very air, overcoming the reek of skunk water, we are at a moment of existential threat to the continued reality of a nation called Israel. It is a crisis rivalling that of the Yom Kippur War when Israel was just about out of arms and ammunition and thousands were already dead.

Was there, is there, a sense of well, history again. Has Netanyahu, especially now that he is deep in contemplation of his own mortality, in a physical and mental fog induced by his health and his overpowering ego, taken a leaf from King Herod, Hamelech Hordos? Has he forgotten his ancestors, his brother, his father, himself, and thrown himself into the fray as the dictator to be, a historical figure that will be cursed forever if he and his succeed in destroying this nation.  

Destroying it, as he and his ugly perverted henchmen will do if they persist in shattering the democracy in Israel. If they insist on weakening the balancing power of the judiciary. Even as they encourage every single venomous antisemite to crawl out of the filth where they abide, crowing all the while with whooping bloodthirsty cries, as they anticipate victory.

And come they will and come they already have. From the false flag of the GOP, as they claim to support Israel, they contain within their party   antisemites and conspiracy pushing creeps such as Greene. Add to that the new empowerment closet antisemites now feel as they emerge. McCarthy, so enmeshed in his crazed craving of retention of power, is setting up a 'movie night', how cute - for 'unity'. His choice? The Sound of Freedom. 

A movie rife with hatred, prejudice, conspiracy theory and sheer old plain antisemitism of the worst kind. The canard of blood libel once again. To speak of adrenochrome theory, wherein Jews are guilty of kidnapping Christian children and draining their blood. Why? To use in cooking and baking! This from a people who follow strong precepts and admonitions within their religious laws to avoid blood - anywhere. From strict war rules to blood cleansing in the meats they eat, from avoiding grief to a mother bird if her eggs are taken, and better yet restore them, and never ever prepare a meal of the meat of an animal within the milk of its mother. Yet blood added to the food!!! But there it is, out in the open.

 And yet we take children?! QAnon and adherents within the GOP, far too many where there should be none, keep shouting that huge lie and people are buying into it. Supposedly intelligent, educated people, jumping whole hog into that filthy polluted pond of virulent antisemitism. And back to Israel, the civil war there does not help matters.

A Fox News host, Greg Gutfeld, stated thus as they were discussing DeSantis and his new fascistic educational plans. Said was "about the new Florida curriculum, which has drawn heavy criticism for a provision that students be taught that slaves developed skills “which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” said that it was similar to someone pointing out that Jews in concentration camps during the Holocaust “learned a strong work ethic.” Gutfeld then pointed to Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning, and how he talks about “how you had to survive in a concentration camp by having skills. You had to be useful. Utility kept you alive.”

The White House response:    "White House spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement, “What Fox News allowed to be said on their air yesterday – and has so far failed to condemn – is an obscenity. In defending a horrid, dangerous, extreme lie that insults the memory of the millions of Americans who suffered from the evil of enslavement, a Fox News host told another horrid, dangerous and extreme lie that insults the memory of the millions of people who suffered from the evils of the Holocaust.”

And I, a proud Jewish American, a lifelong Zionist, now hears within an oft repeated awful mantra:   "where shall I go, what shall I do?" I think to myself, if my two homes are unsafe for me, then where shall I find rest for my head and relief for my feet? Is there, in fact any such place for me and mine? Are there answers to these questions? I remain unable to answer, remaining aghast at the revival, full force, of this ugliness. 

How have we allowed egotistical maniacs around the world to rise again, appealing to the lowest common denominators of mankind, no matter how fancy we dress it up. 

Tell me - if you have the answers, or even hopes of some. Must we submit to those who would stifle the rights of all, demeaning all, discarding them as unfit or unworthy? Turning back the clock of history   erasing all that we have accomplished, all that we have learned?

What the hell!!! 

You probably have noticed that for the past few entries I have not written of Yitzy. My blood curdles within at the thought of writing about him on the same page of such ugliness, resurrected, actually never dying, filth, as much a threat to his future, the future of all our kids, as is the nastiness of cancer. We are working to cure cancers of all types, not enough, but can we ever cure the virus of bias and violent actions arising from these   beliefs? Not sure about that possibility at all. So what to do? What to do?

Unite. Be strong together. Pray for each other. 

Remember we all share this earth, but we do not own it. We can be dispossessed.

Let us all have a moment of prayer. That we come to our senses. That we discard the ugliness we are presently reveling within. Let us beg the Lord Above to excuse our frailties, to cure our ills and our afflicted, to save us from ourselves.

Surreal? Irreality? Unfortunately - not.