ARUR HAMAN

  Look upon the millennia of Jewish history and there is a pattern easily discernible. For a reason sometimes undisclosed, generally because the people of Israel sought after the wrong gods, worshipping idols or incorrect ideas and goals, and the punishment, a bad time. Then a rebirth, a regrowth, a time of relatively more peace, prosperity and security, though always and forever, the proverbial go bag needed to be stowed within easy reach. Over and over again, be it Chanukah or Purim or the destruction of the two Temples, the existence of which are denied by the Arabs even as they built their Mosque of Omar on top of its ruins. Tossed away relics discovered in illegal projects, which came from those very Temples. But then again, truth apparently has no role nor place within the twisted versions the Palestinians and indeed, too many Arabs in general, present to the world.

Instead of peace, shared prosperity, they avow, pledge loyalty to a series of lies calculated to harm Jews, in particular Israeli Jews. They subscribe to a set of beliefs which ennobles violence, praises vicious hate, awards murder and inhumanity with ululations of joy. They claim pride and joy when a child destroys others in suicidal attacks upon civilians, the more the loss, the better in their eyes. This is the twisted demented group of fanatics with whom Israel is supposed to, urged to negotiate with. One side a nation which values life, going above and beyond to save their citizens even as the security of the nation is harmed by these actions of rescue and repatriation. On the other side, animals in thin human disguise who relish and rejoice in death, in quantities of blood shed, targeting the harmless and helpless as preferred targets of their homicidal intent. Who think nothing of burning people alive, slaughtering babies, terrorizing children, and tormenting the elderly. Not to forget the beatings administered to their hostages, just for the heck of it. How indeed does one combat this, present the actual truth to a world which would rather rejoice in the destruction of Jews. Forever. Soon. Now.

Arur, curses be upon them. We call upon G-d to remember His promise, that those who work with us will be blessed and those who wish us only harm, strive mightily to do their best to make it so, will be cursed, powerful curses of great depth and destruction. Apparently, G-d wishes to reassure His people that He always has our backs. At times, too many times, one has to wonder about His vision, as the torments of His people are immense, hopes of life and security destroyed yet again, as their blood overflows the land, shed in violence and hate, unbelievable in its crazed insanity and inhumanity. 

We were to be blessed, sheltered beneath His umbrella. Where is that umbrella now as we stand almost naked and unprotected under the harsh rain, the world ringing us with shouts of hate and violence and threat even as they acclaim the killers of Your people. Even the least of them all, the babies. Where is the guardian of Kfir and Ariel? Where is the guard of our children, our elderly parents and grandparents? Why, we cry to the Heavens are we the ones cursed rather than those who curse us. 

I cannot answer those questions as I seek answers for myself. At present all I can do is question and cry, live in anguish and constant worry and fear. Baruch, Blessed, we are told, taught in school, in the Torah, in the words of our prophets. We are also warned of the results of straying from the proper path, idolizing false gods. Truly though, do we deserve all that has been done, all that we suffer though the millennia? Are we the only ones needing so severe a chiding? I think not, Lord and I challenge You to change Your ways, to think compassionately, to be more of the parent than the harsh unmerciful judge. Have patience with us, ameliorating punishment with love of that parent to that child. Surely consequences need not be so harsh, so debilitating, so powerful and existential. 

A brave woman recently wrote "there are no walls high enough, no weapons powerful enough, no excuse righteous enough" to justify the war we are within. I take off my hat to her in her bravery as she lives through the worst a parent can endure, the loss of a child. However, we also must look to the truth. The people who attacked us, who slaughtered our people, who chopped babies, who have 'lost' read killed, over 40 kidnapped victims, including Kfir, Ariel, mother, murdered prisoners of war, engaged in rape as weapon of war, what are we supposed to do? We must defend ourselves, commanded to do so and until the enemy turns to reality, to desire a just peace, well, our hands are tied until the enemy returns to sanity and reality.   

This enemy, its enablers have the gall of the Devil as they use the picture of a five year old Jewish victim of Palestinian terror as a symbol of a Palestinian child killed by Israel. Indeed, beyond belief, yet there it is. They capture truth and turn it on its head, capture easily led souls with lies, urge them, goad them, to go forward with acts and words of hate. When we defend ourselves, when we demand action against egregious vitriolic words inciting violence, when we are against acts of violence, we are met with a profound deafness and silence or minimized and conflated with myriad other hates.  

Well, we Jews have always survived. That umbrella can be late, tragically way too late, but eventually it does open. We are strong. We are successful. We are a contributing, hopeful people. We will maintain our beliefs even as they are challenged. We are proud and defiant, always arising, permanent phoenixes arising literally from the ashes. In fact, I believe that much Jew hatred is resentment of our resilience and refreshed success, our belief in hard work and its benefits, and that we remember to give back to the people at large that which we have been granted, allowed to achieve.   

 As the partisans sang in defiance, "We are here," we are told to never forget that. Never. Not then and not now. Be it the Jews of the Diaspora or the Jews living in OUR- ancient homeland, we are here and so we will always be. Always under the umbrella of the One Above, albeit it out for repair at inconvenient times. WE ARE HERE.

We must look within ourselves and find resources we never knew we possessed. We must be strong and optimistic, even as reality tells us otherwise. We have been here before too many times and have overcome challenges many, many times, and will continue to do so.

Now, join us as we pray and fight for the safety of all Jews in the world, be they in captivity or spread throughout the world. We can overcome challenges, defeat all the reincarnated Hamans, our enemies who desire our extinction.  

 Join us in the battle for Yitzy. We need a miracle. We need to pour our voices into the ears of G-d, now plugged with sound blockers. He must remove them, put on glasses and see this child so needful of His attention and power. His mercy, for Yitzy and the tormented grieving family, helpless even as the efforts are earthshaking, hopefully Heaven shaking.  

We need a miracle. We pray for a double miracle. The safety of our people, in a world at peace and the lifesaving miracle we need for Yitzy.

Pray for no more Hamans.

Pray for peace.

Pray with us, for Yitzy. We love him so.

Answer the pleas of so many, now multiplied by so many, so much. Heal our Yitzy, our so sweet treasure. We need him more than You. 

 HEAL, CURE YITZY

YITZCHOK ELIMELECH BEN CHANA SARAH

DEAR G-D, I PLEAD WITH YOU.

HEAR US.  

    

HUMANITARIAN?

"Concerned with or seeking to promote human welfare". Or - "A person who cares about people and works to improve human welfare - in any location."

Sounds lovely, does it not. Who would not like to be thought of as a humanitarian, one with a noble calling - to aid others. The only requirement is that aid and concern are justified, truly needed and to be dispensed in a most nonpartisan manner. Just lovely. However, in the real world, this is a pipe dream, for all sorts of factors intervene between the ideal and the actual. 

In our increasingly Orwellian world propelled by hate and prejudice, busily engaged in reviving the worst of the oldest hatred of all - Jew hatred, there is no such thing as a pure humanitarian. Not in the true sense of the word, other than perhaps a few remnants of the truly humanitarian, very much an endangered species. Or the same idiot Jews who look upon their wounded enemy after having avoided murder by those very same hands, or who needs aid, due to some disaster, natural or manmade, and proceeds to give that very necessary aid. Even if it disadvantages the dispenser of aid. 

For generations, Jews have been demonized, even as they have contributed to the world, punching way over their weight class. They are cast as outsiders and worse. They are, have been, deemed and so declared, to be subhuman, devoid of all rights due to a human and proceed to act on that belief, a standard plank in every hater's political platform of beliefs and championed ideas. Hence, Jews, Israelis, their supporters, are therefore to be devoid of any humanitarian concern or attention, let alone deeds. In fact, the best method of dealing with Jews is to ignore their needs, their bleeding, their violated. Simply take the next logical step - eliminate them. Period. Dot. End of discussion.

On October 7 a vicious massacre, butchery, took place in Israeli kibbutzim populated by civilians of all ages. Celebrating a holiday, gathering with family, anticipating a good day as they awoke Saturday morning. Suddenly there were screams of anguish, of warning, horrifying phone calls pleading for help or to say goodbye and pledge their love as they were overrun by animals in human disguise - and I apologize to animals as I demean them in this comparison. These animals proceeded to murder, rape even children, so much violence that the pelvises of violated women were broken or they bled out.  Or dragged naked into captivity to be further abused or die. Whatever, right!!  Rape, gang rape, so instructed to do by their masters. Burn, property and people, alive and dead. Mutilate. Burn alive. Behead, even babies. One second alive and then not. Slaughtering parents in front of children, children in front of parents. The elderly dragged away. Entire communities, people and infrastructure.  

As the world reacted in shock and horror, we dared to believe that possibly, maybe, perhaps, the world had seen the truth of the result of Arabs, Moslems, fed hatred of Jews, of Israel, with the first sip of mother's milk through the rest of their lives, an   inevitable result. However, as usual, by the second day that sympathy began to wane, and fully die out when Israel finally entered and met with success even as they tried way over the top to avoid civilian deaths, but that is where the enemy hid itself and that is where Israel had to go. A massive tunnel network, stores of weapons and explosives, hidden in these tunnels beneath civilian buildings.    Homes, hospitals, mosques, schools, even UN buildings - not a surprise there at all.

 Oh the 'innocent' Palestinians moaned and groaned, so piteously. Claimed for many, many weeks, for   of only a two-day supply remaining of water, food, cleansing possibility. Then, a miracle in our times, as the two-day supply kept replenishing itself and though I perused all photos very closely, saw no sign of that deprivation- well nourished, hydrated clean, active people, frolicking children.   

Yet the world cried for the 'innocent' Palestinians.  Who cheered as captives, naked bodies of violated women, weeping children were paraded through the streets. Who turned over a refugee seeking safety, whose brave 'militants' gifted other terrorists some of their captives, oh such fearsome foes- Kfir, 9 months, Ariel, 4, in need of special sustenance, their frightened desperate mother. Such mighty foes. Now they are 'missing'. Captives, and prisoners of war were murdered in captivity.  Medicines denied and a Red Cross refusing to help, to bring medicines, to seek access and information.  Why would we expect otherwise -   only Jews. Captives were caged, beaten, starved, terrorized emotionally, scarring then terribly. The same 'innocent' Palestinians who mobbed the cars of hostages released, threatening to lynch them, stone them. Oh, such Innocence, why it boggles the mind.    

 Now we will face the consequences of a tactical error -a ceasefire which allowed for Hamas to regroup and rearm, to reorganize. It will cause us more hostages and captives, more release of murderers. But we do that because we are Israel, we are Jews, and the biggest mitzva one can do is rescue the kidnapped, and the Arabs know that too well. Unfortunately. Yet the world sees nothing here but the fault of Israel. Even as nobody wants these 'innocent' Palestinians for no sane nation will accept terrorists in their midst. So....let Israel deal with it. They are used to it already. Kind of like that old ad - "Let Mikey eat it.'     

Ergo, on go the chanting mobs calling for Jewish blood. On go the officials of American government, the UN and other nations, teachers and professors, parents and children corrupted by false information and delusions fostered by haters, celebrities and sports figures glad to express heretofore suppressed Jew hatred. Fighting antisemitism is given mouth service yet nothing is actually done. People step back from outrageous statements, but the harm is already done. Cannot be erased. The fright, ever growing, there, right in our faces. 

  It grows too close to us, as we now walk down the street looking over our shoulder, worrying until the kids are home, peering into the dark as they get off the school bus down the block.

There are many things wrong with the world, with all nations, cares that must be addressed. First - we must regain the proper understanding of humanitarian and follow that definition. Else, there is nothing to say or do, other than to arm ourselves, barricade the doors and windows, defend ourselves as they come for us. And come they will. History tells us so. Unless we are proactive and mean it. Antisemitism must be fought vigorously, chased into oblivion. If not, again, the warning:  we will once again be the citizens of no nation, only foreigners.

Been there, done that and wish for it no more. 

I so do wish I could convince myself that the nations of our birth or adopted by us, will remember we are their citizens, deserving, entitled to their defense of our rights, our very being. 

 We have a long way to go. 

In the meanwhile, we have to do our best and continue to do what we can to ameliorate situations, to help those in need - the world, Yitzy, and my breaking heart.

We must do our best to improve this world for all, and in doing so, we make it better for ourselves. 

And we hope and pray for an answer, a good one, a hopeful one.

Why and why and why. 

Anger and more anger.

Worry. Love.

 So, I plead and pray.

And beg.

Please join with us and raise your voice as we ask for healing. Please. Please.

Answer the pleas of so many, now multiplied by so many, so much. Heal our Yitzy, our so sweet treasure. We need him more than You. 

 HEAL, CURE YITZY

YITZCHOK ELIMELECH BEN CHANA SARAH

DEAR G-D, I PLEAD WITH YOU.

HEAR US.  

    

                   

SORRY, BUT SORRY DOESN'T COUNT

 What is sorry? What is the value of that 'sorry'? Sorry is to express regret for whatever happened or was done or said or implied or whatever situation had arisen that needed a sorry or one was demanded by the offended party in the matter. However, in many instances, probably the vast majority of these 'sorry' statements, it all means nothing, absolutely nothing. 

Why? Because a forced sorry carries no regret at all. It is merely a window dressing sorry which carries with it no sorrow, certainly no regret other than for the brouhaha that had resulted. Easy fix- say 'oh, dear, I am sorry' - and let the audience 'see' the wink of your eye or the crossed fingers behind your back. Hence - useless, worse than that as they convey a joint feeling of smugness from the 'apologizer' and the audience who support the original statement. Words cannot be unspoken. Their hurt cannot be assuaged with a fake apology. Even a true apology, unforced, sincerely felt, cannot ameliorate the pain of the cut inflicted by the original statement.

There are two very current supposed apologies that carry no sincere regret, only a forced one due to a complaint by an offended parent, a member of the Jewish community in Minneapolis, and the other, one delivered by the taoiseach (Irish PM) after his extremely offensive remark re the rescue of 8 year old Emily Hand, held captive by Hamas for over seven weeks. 

In Minneapolis, the teachers' union - where and why it felt obligated to issue a statement re the Hamas-Israel War, itself predicated upon a violent massacre of civilians and the kidnapping of over two hundred victims, well beats me. The statement was thus:  "condemn the role our [America] government plays in supporting the system of Israeli occupation and apartheid, which lies at the root of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict." In addition, the resolution called on Minnesota state lawmakers to repeal anti-BDS legislation. 

So offensive on so many levels. Begin with their opposition to the "war between the Palestinians and Israel". Grossly incorrect. The war is with Hamas, a terrorist organization whose creed is death, in particular the most gruesome deaths possible and preferably Jews. Israel has made enormous efforts to safeguard a population of Palestinians who most definitely were not 'Innocent", as they cheered and aided Hamas, joined in the massacre, and turned over an Israeli fugitive from capture when he should have correctly been handed over to the Israelis by the oh so not "innocent" Palestinians. No thanks forthcoming, only insults and condemnations.  As for the boycott, since when do we object to boycotts of prejudiced hateful intent?

No, the union had no business here, opening the floodgates, giving permission to attack verbally, physically, any and all Jews within the school system. Truly, yet another awful case of teachers reneging on their responsibilities, betraying students in their care. As a teacher, I am offended. As a Jew- well, yet another hate case, hidden Jew hatred bursting through a thin veneer. Two responses:   "This is a remarkably difficult time to be Jewish, but it is especially hard to be a Jewish teacher, student, or the parent of a Jewish child given the tremendous surge of antisemitism in our schools," the letter stated. "For over a month, Jewish children in Minnesota have been bullied, gaslit, harassed, threatened, and even assaulted simply because they are Jewish."The letter continued, "MFT’s resolution is antisemitic and hostile to our children, MPS staff, and puts our larger community at further risk because of their Jewish identity." 

 The union's: "While it was not MFT members' intent, the ‘Israel-Palestine’ resolution passed at our October 25 meeting harmed many Jewish members, students, and families while causing unnecessary division within our union. We regret this," the flier added.  And the whole truth of an apology just flew out the window. Nope, sorry is not really sorry, is it?

Next is the case of the Irish PM who so gracefully and gratefully said thus. "an innocent child who was lost has now been found and returned". Taken to task by the Israelis, who said, " the taoiseach needed "a reality check". "Emily Hand was not 'lost', "She was kidnapped by a terror organisation worse than ISIS that murdered her stepmother." His 'apology' not worth a centime, a sou, a plugged nickel as he added thus: "the vast majority of people will understand" what he meant. They certainly will, yet another blink of an eye. Sorry? I think not. Most definitely not and in fact, yet another addition to the lexicon of hate.

There are so many, many points of aggravation, of falsehood, of Jew hatred, rife within the lands of the world today. Interference and commentary, condemnation and accusation, over a matter in which they have no skin in the game unless they were there to help. They were not. They are not. They never will be. 

I could fill pages of the evil wrongs of Hamas, their feeding the fire of Jew hatred, the demonization of Israel, their abuse of their own fellow Palestinians, killing any and all who displease them or defy them. Few enough at that. They are puppets of Iran, all hands soaked in the blood of Jews, added to by their oh so brave attack on fierce warriors-civilians, elderly, children, those fearsome warriors of 10 months or three years of age or middle schoolers. 

Shame - on them and the world which enables them to continue their campaigns of bloody murder. "Laws of war" -not here, certainly not on their part, even as they fight from civilian areas and then cry crocodile tears even as they launch yet another rocket at civilian targets within Israel. The world stood still, again, always. Granting a one day commentary of false sympathy and then a return to their true nature as regards Israel, as regards Jews.  Anathema! Deliberately blind, ignoring the truth, the facts, and buying heavily into false narratives.   Same old, same old.

Sorry will not cut it. Only truth, full teshuvah, repentance, acceptance of the truth, openly, fullhearted, in all sincerity - only then can a 'sorry' mean something. But not yet, a long way to go. 

In the meanwhile, we have to do our best and continue to do what we can to ameliorate situations, to help those in need - the world, Yitzy, and my breaking heart.

We must do our best to improve this world for all, and in doing so, we make it better for ourselves. 

And we hope and pray for an answer, a good one, a hopeful one.

Why and why and why. 

Anger and more anger.

Worry. Love.

 So, I plead and pray.

And beg.

Please join with us and raise your voice as we ask for healing. Please. Please.

Answer the pleas of so many, now multiplied by so many, so much. Heal our Yitzy, our so sweet treasure. We need him more than You. 

 HEAL, CURE YITZY

YITZCHOK ELIMELECH BEN CHANA SARAH

DEAR G-D, I PLEAD WITH YOU.

HEAR US.  

    

NOT SURE, ACTUALLY

 I passed a mirror yesterday and got a glimpse of an older woman, looking just like me! Surprise! It was me, but actually, at the moment of sight I thought I was my mother, and then thought, "how appropriate". My mother was always telling me to think things out, be sure, act carefully and not on impulse. Well, I took up that advice many times, but others, well, suffice it to say I am still not the always obedient daughter!!  

During this time of ongoing, ever-growing crises for Jews, for the State of Israel and a rapidly changing America, I, in fact, everyone, must reexamine the internal self and be very honest in that reassessment. Mind you, take on only the truly important here, not the minor deeds or misdeeds that are not of first-class importance.              

Today's atmosphere envelops all that come into touch with it. Even if wishing to ignore reality, it is almost impossible as the media so intrudes upon our lives. Not necessarily a bad thing, for in these desperate times, the worst of times as per Dickens, one must be aware, more so than ever before. In my own case, I have been thinking and rethinking   heretofore sacrosanct thoughts and foundations in my personal life. It is not pleasant, nor are the circumstances driving the reevaluation.     

Some of the conclusions reached frighten me. Others I know are more influenced by the challenges of these times and events, but in the long run, they will remain strong. Just wish I knew when the long run begins. My impatience, my angst, my daily, sometimes hourly challenges to these beliefs are difficult to truly fathom and bear as they eat away at my soul. 

Certainly not happy with the world today, nor its driving force, the One Above, nor the creations roaming the world, I must be honest even if some security within my life is damaged, sprung a leak or two, some minor, some major. In fact, in some ways I am rechanneling a past me, the somewhat naive, hopeful, idealistic persona, willing to have faith in the intrinsic goodness of people. Almost College Philo 2.0, though colored by more life experience than the earlier life of Philo. 1.0. And a resounding bah, humbug! to that. Innately cowardly, I guess, I tried to evade this evaluation, but nevertheless, it forced its way on to me; the bullet had to be bit. 

Thus, the eternal question: G-d. Deep thinking on that now, a belief once automatic, now highly challenged. The fierce arguments returning, all of us so sure in our viewpoints. If there indeed is one, some Power, then what is the role played on earth, with us? Has this Power lost interest in us? Has it grown indifferent, the head and heart, the ears, eyes and soul turned away, perhaps in an effort to remain calm, shedding the anger and urge to have done with it all? If so, then why worship such an angry or intolerant nonunderstanding unsympathetic or indifferent figure who has cut the link between us, to sink or swim by ourselves. Perhaps a test if we are worthy of attention, worthy of yet another chance, another rescue from the crumbling edge. Perhaps. Perhaps not? 

These days, these questions cut deep within my soul, needing so desperately to believe, that there is in fact, a caring, compassionate Power up there, out there, who cares, but in such a manner as to prove unfathomable to me, even distasteful, causing me great anger and unhappiness. More important, the grief of others, personally, and worldly, frightened at the evil rise of hatred, again, never ever dying off. Are we never to be freed of that iron chain round our necks, that existential threat too often proving itself alive and well in an already dangerously ill world?

The Pentecostal belief states that there is an Evil vs Good battle, for real, not in general, philosophic terms, but in reality. These two forces battle for our souls right here on earth. An interesting thought but then, do our actions even carry some importance, some necessity? If someone else is championing me, then I can loaf around, put in a good deed   every so often and refrain from truly Evil acts.  Would that I thought so but no, I believe that each individual is responsible for him/her self, and for teaching the right way to the younger generations. Simple, but quite a heavy load to bear. I do deeply believe that there is indeed Evil, and people who buy 100% into that Evil. We need that Evil if we are to distinguish it from Good, for Evil comes in all sizes, all disguises, all personally designed temptations. 

So, while I scream at G-d, while I demand He improve the situations, I also know, and cannot avoid the fact, the innate belief, that Man is responsible for Man. Not G-d. If G-d intervenes, after a great importuning as we now are in the midst of, with Yitzy, my Yitzy, a situation causing constant tears, anguish beyond comprehension, that interference is an extra gift. What we do not know is whether that interference will be positive or negative in our understandings. We all are praying, hoping, pleading but the final decision is not with the earthly doctors, but with the doctor of the world. To explain negative responses is impossible, ours to accept as divine in order and one day, maybe, just maybe, we will understand and forgive. Maybe.

In the meanwhile, my job here on earth is to awaken some to reality, to rail at G-d, shake my fist, dare him to remember His people, so put upon, so desperately in need of divine intervention. Demand an answer as to why Evil has been allowed to grow so fiercely. Surely, as parent to child, one can reach out and rescue a child in existential danger. As we stare obsessively into our screens, seeking word of the hostages, or the successes of our brave soldiers, we must wonder why this is happening. Why are beasts in human form allowed to wage war upon babies and the elderly? Why is this not recognized as such by the world at large and not 'explained and justified'.  

So yes, my belief is there, albeit changed somewhat, challenged, shallower yet deeper. To be a Jew is to be consigned to a difficult world, at times frightening. We must do our best to improve this world for all, and in doing so, we make it better for ourselves. 

And we hope and pray for an answer, a good one, a hopeful one.

Why and why and why. 

Anger and more anger.

Worry. Love.

 So, I plead and pray.

And beg.

Please join with us and raise your voice as we ask for healing. Please. Please.

Answer the pleas of so many, now multiplied by so many, so much. Heal our Yitzy, our so sweet treasure. We need him more than You. 

 HEAL, CURE YITZY

YITZCHOK ELIMELECH BEN CHANA SARAH

DEAR G-D, I PLEAD WITH YOU.

HEAR US.  

    

SHANDA

 No, not one of the newfangled names nor a misspelling of one. In fact, it is not a name at all, not even English. It is a word from the Yiddish lexicon, its true understood implied conveyed meaning is not actually translatable. It is a word which has accompanied the Jewish people wherever they found themselves and used to convey powerful emotions and a statement of reality, on a personal level or a national level. Whatever the situation is, no one actually aspires to reach the level at which shanda is the go-to term, for it sends a chill though every Jewish body, or at least those who accept reality and do not hide behind, beneath, within false realities which history has already disproven. In fact, when shanda level is reached, one must prepare for disaster. Not merely problems, even severe ones. Nope, shanda is a level unto itself.

Defined in English dictionaries as a shame, a disgrace, it is so much more than that. Beyond that term lay the land where one falls off the map into the area where "there be danger or there be monsters". And monsters there are indeed and aplenty. The worst level of monsters, the top of the genetic chain of monsters. People.

 There are problems and there are Problems. Even a child falling off the right track, an economic pressure within a family or society. Marital disaster. All terrible. But all not on the level of shanda. Shanda is that level in which and beyond an existential crisis is not impending, but actually in process. Pandemics are one instance. But the worst shanda is that born of hate. A hate whose bloodlust is insatiable. It cannot be explained away. It defies destruction, hides beneath ugly rocks in ugly minds, taught to the next generation, surfacing during a time of anticipated success, absolutely the antitheses of humanity. No obvious answers or solutions. It defies sanity and reason, has no factual underpinning. Despite uncountable reams written about it, the answers evade discovery - if people even desire answers. 

The chief word which leads to a true shanda is HATE. Dark, unexplainable, violent hate. Contagious to the nth degree. When the shanda level is broached, that hate has triumphed and global peril perhaps unstoppable, has reached the explosive temperature for the core to explode.

Why hate? Hate blinds people to truth. It appeals to the worst of humankind, gives one legit outlets of bloodlust. It is omnivorous, consuming all in its path, fooling those not yet on the menu, but that point will be reached. That is a guarantee.

Today the world has reached shanda. Hate is rife, is globally rampant. Incubating since the latest   shanda, the Holocaust, it has broken through again, its blood hunger as strong as ever, perhaps even more. In fact, the entire world appears to have bought into the oldest hatred of all, the producer of the shanda level down through the millennia - Jew hatred. No matter the disguises and false denials, that is the truth. Jew hatred. Ugly. Bloody. Frightening more than can be understood by one who is not a Jew.

The hatred is not to be satisfied by the slaughter of millions of Jews. No, for that is not enough it appears. The rest of the world seems to have bought enthusiastically into the plans of Hamas, an entity which openly, victoriously, demands an end to Jews. Period. Not here. Not there. Not anywhere. 

And the world has bought into it. Not merely by standing by and silent, but in actual, physical, homicidal, political support, enthusiastic at that. A violent Jew hatred, targeting the young, the helpless, the elderly, the women, civilians - an obvious war crime and hear the roaring, deafening silence in response. No, I was wrong, for there is a reaction - a world marching in vocal vitriolic support of it. A stated goal, vocal and in print, boastfully, heard in their mesmerizing incessant chants of murder, of genocide.  

 And the world marches on. And on. Jews are threatened, harmed, their properties vandalized, their safety and very presence in universities questioned. Physical harm is ramping up. And the supposed leaders of society - well, just take a look around. Decide.

 Do you see Hamas representative   of your beliefs?

Do you support violations of any civilized rule of humankind? 

Do you equate war with civilian slaughter? 

Do you equate offense and invasion with defense? 

Do you agree with the use of human shields, and then blame it on the foe, disavowing all responsibility?  In fact, are the people innocent -as they voted for Hamas, cheer it as it parades dead naked women through the streets, condone its egregious, heartless actions?

Do you agree with this?  " Jews can be beaten, kidnapped, raped, beheaded, and burned alive in their homes, and so long as the pogromists are Palestinians, the assault will be excused or justified by many claiming to speak for the wretched of the earth.'    

       Yes, I AM FRIGHTENED. Again and again and how much longer are we to take this? Jabotinsky wrote and spoke after the Kishinev pogroms thus: “Israel, will you not listen?/There is no support or aid from strangers/There is no shame like the shame of trembling/And surrendering to the whip/To the demeaned, bent and bowed:/Throw away scorn, and once more blossom.”   Israel fights for its survival and for all world Jewry. For all the victims that would follow, in this time of shanda, feeding the ever open, hungry maw of hate. Those Jews who think collaborating with the enemy will protect them from sharing the proposed fate for Jews, well, think again, read history, think again.

 Today, shanda runs throughout the lands of the globe. Personally, I resent the anger these animals have engendered within my soul. It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I despise them for their inhumanity, for the hate they have forced me to feel. I resent having their ugliness foisted on me. Let them slake their bloodlust on their own; they have done that often enough in the past, present and probably will in the future. 

Finally, I seethe at the waste of so many resources necessary to advance research in medicine, in environment, in so many areas if we are to fix this   broken world of ours.   In particular, I look at my Yitzy and cry at the lack of sufficient   funds for research, to find ways to eliminate child cancer. Why should Yitzy and others with cancer have to suffer consequences of their ugliness, the drain they are on society and positive progress.

Raise our voices loud and strong for all who need the One Above to hear and repair. To answer our pleas positively in a timely manner. these are the positives outcomes we should be paying attention to striving for achievement.

From our mouths to G-d's ears and huge heart and I sincerely hope he is paying attention!

I plead and pray.

And beg.

Please join with us and raise your voice as we ask for healing. Please. Please.

Answer the pleas of so many, now multiplied by so many, so much. Heal our Yitzy, our so sweet treasure. We need him more than You. 

 HEAL, CURE YITZY

YITZCHOK ELIMELECH BEN CHANA SARAH

DEAR G-D, I PLEAD WITH YOU.

HEAR US.  

TICK, TICK, TICK

  That is the sound of myriad clocks ticking away time, ticking away hearts, as they await release of hostages. Taken in a massive raid replete with butchery and savagery unseen since the Holocaust, no one knows who they are, their condition, indeed if there will be a release. Now almost 10AM, three hours after the ceasefire began and no sign of anything. A crime against humanity, targeting and massacring civilians, women and children targeted, a war crime, nothing taken up in that arena, and still, we are forced to deal with human snakes, immoral, cold hearted, cruel to the nth degree. Willing to lie in wait and strike.   

What confuses me now is that now there is talk of a time of 1600, 4PM as release time and that is not seven nor 10. In fact, it is nine hours after start of ceasefire, 3 hours extra and what happens during the duration? When dealing with snakes known not to keep words, why are we allowing extra time for Hamas to regroup, rearm, rewire, move locations, and replan for more Oct 7 plans as they delight in saying. Frankly, we all must keep this warning in mind during this time fraught with danger and heartbreak.  "Be afraid, be very afraid."

No children. No women. No hint of condition. No Red Cross checks and visits to hostages remaining. No world commenting on that violation of "the rules of war". As usual, but still, it hurts. Deeply. With fear and uncertainty growing second by second, we wonder. Will we get our people back or will we get bodies, or catatonic children, dragged from dead parents' arms, all alone, in the dark, no or little food, inappropriate for their needs, women traumatized by the sights of beheaded babies, slaughtered children and spouses, raped repeatedly, a war crime in itself. Who indeed is coming back and how are they? Do we know there will be any more releases after today and after the four days of ceasefire? Snakes with awful track records are not to be trusted as partners who keep promises.

I keep flipping screens, but no word yet on the hostages. Silence reigns except in the hearts of the families awaiting their loved ones and so few will be getting one back. So few. All I do see in the news are more incidents of hate and bigotry, in all educational facilities. Teachers at the elementary level, high school and college level are spouting words of hate, incitement to riot, to threaten and harass, campaigning to eliminate Jewish students from the schools, isolating them in the classrooms. The echoes of "Heil" are resounding ever more powerfully. accompanied with the roars of approving crowds. As the world, for the most part, once again acquiesces via silence or active participation, with a very few standing up for what is right. So very few. 

Very hurtful is the consistent minimalization of Jew hatred. the vile ancient hatred, so convenient for governments needing to deflect from their failings. It should never be conflated with other biases as it is so obviously different in longevity, in viciousness, in use as a weapon. 

People who have no connection with Israel, who can read or see on TV and computer and phone screens the huge numbers of wars, foreign and civil, with bloody violations of humanity, great long lines of starving gaunt women, starving skeletal children walking for hundreds of miles in desperate search for survival, food, the very lives of themselves and their children.  But never mind them for there is Israel. There are the Jews, much better to criticize them for nobody will take them to task for that; in fact, they will probably join in, full gusto. Full voice. 

What the hell does the Minneapolis Teacher's Union have to do with the conflict? How dare Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Russia, China, even London and Paris stick their two cents in all the while ignoring the violence and murder, the bloodshed, in other areas and even within their own borders! How dare they!! And yet, they do. What the hell!!!!  Celebrities call the loss of the babies as "false" or accuse Israel of doing it all by themselves! 

This world is dangerously skewed in every which way, in almost all areas of concern as to life, as to right and wrong. It is, in fact, broken. Can we put it back together or will all the King's men and all the King's horses be unable to do the job.

I am consumed with anger and grief, not sure which is foremost. It changes, back and forth. Anger at the world. Anger at leaders who do not lead. Anger at those of us who enabled this situation. Anger at G-d for deserting His creations. Anger for Yitzy. Fear at the outcome within the world and for Yitzy. Fear for the first time, in real time and emotion, fear of the vicious brand of Jew hatred today.

And overflowing with love and gratitude to those who have stood by Yitzy all these months. Raised funds and instituted campaigns for contributions in his name. Who pray, not only every day, but several times a day, who take on good deeds in his name.

I pray, we all do, I cry, we all do, and hope so deeply, desperately, that between those pleas and prayers, along with the expertise of the doctors - along with the mighty contribution of Yitzy himself, who he is,  that we will be victorious in this battle.

From my mouth to G-d's ears and huge heart and I sincerely hope he is paying attention!

I plead and pray.

And beg.

Please join with us and raise your voice as we ask for healing. Please. Please.

Answer the pleas of so many, now multiplied by so many, so much. Heal our Yitzy, our so sweet treasure. We need him more than You. 

 HEAL, CURE YITZY

YITZCHOK ELIMELECH BEN CHANA SARAH

DEAR G-D, I PLEAD WITH YOU.

HEAR US.  

WE DON'T

  ...but actually, yes you do, very unfortunately so, as do too many others. Here is the standard go to response of most entities questioned or approached with information or a complaint, a reporting, of antisemitic harassment. "We don’t tolerate injustice of any kind, or persecution of any groups," It is as reassuring and responsive an answer as the well-known response of "maybe" to children. They learn very quickly re the unspoken no contained within that answer. Same thing here, a copout nonresponsive response, ever and always to a complaint re antisemitism. 

Actually, the honest answer would have an addendum along these lines - ''yeah, but actually not when it comes to complaints re antisemitism, up to and including threats to life and limb." I recently came across an interesting article re antisemitism and its lack of inclusion within the ugly barrel of biases of myriad types. Quite interesting and depressing at one and the same time as it seems to indicate that there is no hope for fair play here. It seems to be Jewish means to be hoist by one's own petard.  And there we are again - we are the cause of our own victimization, a pretty damned way out of trouble for Jew haters, for obviously, the fault lays within the very concept of Judaism and being Jewish. I believe that following these lines opens a wide path to "understandable " antisemitism, Jew hatred in full voice, hounds baying and riders invigorated by the entire gestalt.

Our fault, as we have been too vague, apparently, to find our niche and fit in. We do not fit in anywhere and that confuses the poor dears. Quite challenging for these oh so challenged dears, so they retreat to an easy answer, so simple, so easy, as too many hate what confuses them. A natural go to for people, justifying Jew hatred. Their fault. Should have chosen a proper definition. Yup. Exactly what category can we place you?

Are Jews a religion? Are Jews and Judaism a culture, a historical concept? Is it a culture and shared history?  And hey, do not omit race and color. Quite ironically, Jews have been lumped into the 'white" category, hence we are innately prejudiced against people of color, opening hate doors and windows to a reciprocated, justified hatred. Ah, so simple, so easy to internalize. Never you mind the significant role Jews played and continue to play within the civil rights movement. Why confuse truth if lies of omission and commission are plentiful.   

Nor does it end there. The 'white' people do not accept this categorization as there are Jews of color, of all ethnicities. In fact, is it not well known that Jews wish to replace whites with their fellow 'mudmen'? Get real, folks. Stick to the easy low road, so much easier to traverse. Never you mind the truth. We will simply keep on kicking it down the road, out of your way.  Now, let's move on. Almost there, full justification for Jew hatred. Won't it feel good when we are done and you feel a weight off your shoulders, left free to partake with full enthusiasm, no need to holdback. None at all.

    Almost there, folks. Finally, of course, the most popular without doubt: the powerful influence and control of and by Jews in oh so many fields of endeavor; print media, social media, airwave media such as TV and radio along with their oversize domination of the field of technology in so many facets. Not to forget AI. Education. All those   professors, teachers, writers, artists, research, science, banking, Wall Street, the medical and legal field, not to forget accounting. Even some criminals there as well. Nowhere safe for us, right? 

Dang it all! Never mind the hard work it took, the ethos of their homes, the expectation of doing well, living right, contributing to society. Never to forget to give back. hence, the huge percentage in the philanthropic world of Jews. From culture to specific beneficial causes. From civil rights to immigration and voting rights. To protection of the rights of women. Dang it again; of course, we have to hate them. Just so natural and so easy to blame them for all our woes. Yup. Should have thought of this sooner.  

This world is so topsy-turvy that it has cracked, broken, spinning off its proper axis and position. As a consequence, hope and goodness seem to fall off the surface of this world in ever faster speed and amount. I worry, along with so many others re the world we bequeath. 

 I worry about my people, victims through the Millenia, hated with a viciousness of no end, no limitations, as these acolytes of the Devil, of Evil, howl with glee, and bloodlust. Praising the murderers, the vicious barbarians who slaughter babies, rip mothers from children, viciously rape as a weapon of war. Totally incensed when Jews have the temerity to defend themselves, wherever, however they are beset and attacked.        

This cannot continue. It cannot. It must not. But where are the foes of this? Why have they not come forward? Those who come forward are the haters, the instigators, the lovers of bloodshed. They    chant the genocidal chants, praise the savagery    of Oct 7, before and beyond. 

This is a nasty world and the good, the untainted, are too silent. We need speed and energy, courage as well, to confront this evil even if physically. The energy of the fighters must be ramped up, exponentially.  Its existential threat is critical and must be powerfully addressed and defeated.  The alternative is not very tempting. "Once upon a time there was a place called earth...'

In the meanwhile, before we come to our senses or go totally off the tracks of sanity, please remember my Yitzy, waiting to hear of the treatment plan and   immediate future. What are the percentages, the options? We try hard to remain optimistic, hide our tears from each other, trying hard to remain strong and carry on with optimism and hope, but it is so hard to visualize a theft of our diamond. In my anger I rail at G-d, challenge Him to fix the problem. Answer why Yitzy, all children suffer so.     Why should this exist? Why has He written the current reality for His people so harshly?  

Why and why and why. 

Anger and more anger.

Worry. Love.

 So, I plead and pray.

And beg.

Please join with us and raise your voice as we ask for healing. Please. Please.

Answer the pleas of so many, now multiplied by so many, so much. Heal our Yitzy, our so sweet treasure. We need him more than You. 

 HEAL, CURE YITZY

YITZCHOK ELIMELECH BEN CHANA SARAH

DEAR G-D, I PLEAD WITH YOU.

HEAR US.  

    

ANYONE SEE THAT LINE?

  In fact, if you do see that line, the one in a perennial state of being drawn, please notify me and indeed, any sane person, probably shaking in the shoes along with the shivering spine. In fact, if one is not engaging in the above two activities, either you are ignorant of current day reality, or are one who is among the inciters, the consistent violators of those lines, the more violent, the louder, the better. 

What is amazing about those lines is that while perpetually being drawn, presented with stern voce and resolute face, they are sound and fury of nothingness. Instead, silence reigns. Deafening it its volume of silence, nothing, a void in space, as those lines are violated, myriad numbers of times with no consequences of any consequence! The violations increase in number and effect, fading into nothingness. Meaningless footnotes of history, dangerous, sad jokes writ in the blood of those who were targets. Jokes that should never have existed.

So, here we are. I cannot figure out whether the Big Man upstairs is either crying at the crimes of His creations, the futility of it all, or overcome with sidesplitting laughter punctuated by cackles while viewing the pathetic antics of the selfsame creations, already written off in His book, plans for next generation humans, Humans 2.0 already in the works. Less prone to hatred, less inclined towards violence, certainly more protective of their home planet. 

As for His People, well, perhaps a redo there, as for sure, that favoritism always seems to have worked the wrong way, as favoritism they could have done without as they became instead the favorite targets of violence and hate, victims whose blood ran not as ripples in the streets, but rather pouring as rivers through the veins of humanity. As their blood was relished for its taste for satisfaction and an apparent source of joy to those who shed it, complicitly or implicitly, no air between the two terms. None at all. In fact, without the implicit, without their approving, enabling, and encouraging silence, there would never have been a realtime  complicity to ever having been realized.

So, Man Above. I have my differences with you. massive ones. Personal first, on a truly close level. Why the hell do you pick on the little ones, the innocent. Not yet corrupted by the contaminated air and residents of earth. Those who could have saved the world, given it a chance to survive. But no, these innocents are sacrificial lambs to the cause, to the adults who failed in their jobs, allowed for the loss of these kids and the fading of options and hopes for a good future. You allowed for their endangerment, to the point of death or worse. How are we to cope with, to possibly understand how children, babies, could be beheaded, burned alive, torn from the desperate grasps of parents, left alone, to die, to be lost forever, never to be returned to their   people.

 Why, WHY, are you taking away our Yitzy, the heart of all who know him. To think of his disappearance, no longer to see that signature, infectious grin, or be inspired by his faith - it is unthinkable, unbearable. How are we ever to understand that, accept that? How are we to understand Your refusal of the pleadings of literally thousands, asking for the healing of Yitzy, a complete refuah that would allow him to grow, to become a man whose goodness emanating from his soul, would provide and encourage warmth, goodness and hope for all who knew him. Allow us  to keep and cherish Yitzy, and indeed all those little ones in danger, mortal danger, be it from illness or brutality inflicted upon them because they are Jews, Your people. Or a member of some other endangered people, hated and hunted by the worst specimens of humankind.    

Your creations. Yes, free will, but perhaps these creations needed some kind of reinforced and strengthened, of morality, or moral courage, an ability to withstand, resist, the temptation to partake of evil. Lord, I have more to say, lots more, but now I am tired, exhausted in body and soul, and all must wait for the morrow. 

I can only pray that the leaders of the political state of Israel have made a wise decision in that deal with Hamas. I do not think so, for I do not trust Hamas. Nor is it good or advantageous for Israel.  Yes, my heart breaks for the hostages and their loved ones, but how to explain and justify to those left behind, again, perhaps forever.

 In that I am at a total loss, answers impossible and certainly not understanding of the entire mess and why we have lost so many and will now endanger more as Hamas is now to be given time to regroup, rearm, and kill some more. And keep our hostages, especially those they cannot 'find'. Or will it be more dead bodies, as yet another hostage has died while in their blood stained hands and corrupted souls. 

NO, no more words, no more energy, only and always - tears. No more useless meaningless lines.

G-d, where the hell were You that day and where are You now? 

Answer the pleas of so many, now multiplied by so many, so much. Heal our Yitzy, our so sweet treasure. We need him more than You. 

 HEAL, CURE YITZY

YITZCHOK ELIMELECH BEN CHANA SARAH

DEAR G-D, I PLEAD WITH YOU.

HEAR US.  

NO POST TODAY

 Sorry the writer is exhausted and is taking a one day break. See you tomorrow

FRACTIONS AND PERCENTAGES AND NUMBERS

 Math has never been my favorite subject. In fact. to be honest, it left me cold, no sense of humanity emanating from it. It measured, without underlayers of explanation, without room for maneuverability. How does one truly respond to say, on a scale of 1-10, with ten the worst, how much is your pain today? Seriously? Reducing pain to a number? What if my tolerance to pain differs from yours? What if 10 is insufficient by quite a bit? What is the type of pain giving you that number you chose? What does it really tell the doctor and actually, do any of them actually read the answers on those numerous forms one fills out at the doctor's office?

How about these questions, the open-ended ones which are reduced to a yes/no response? Do you always feel happy? Truly? If one is not a grinning fool immune to reality, a sane answer would be No. But that would place you in a category of one needing mental health attention. So many stupid questions that it boggles the mind and raises one's blood pressure just as it is being measured!! 

What truly annoys me most are responses mashed into one huge measurement of response, expected to satisfy your need to know or informational intake necessary to form an opinion and/or take action?   When a poll states the 'x'% questioned agreed or disagreed, that number must be analyzed and evaluated within context unless it is absolutely clear that there is only one possible answer or response. Any other response is, or should be considered an outlier, definitely in need of attention and response.  As for responders being reduced to fractions, please describe and portray, as exactly as possible, the appearance of a fractionated person. The coldness and imprecision of interpretation are ipso facto placing them in a doubtful category. Numbers are open for misinterpretation and misuse. (For further information on that topic, please, contact Trump.)     

 What is real are people. What is real are the details of the lives of these people. What is real is the actual objective verification, presented sans deliberately weighted words and tones. "They said" - with emphasis on the "said", a major no-no.  Yet, there it is, too often, too influential, causative   of mis and dis information, burying truth under slabs of subjectivity passed off as objective relaying of truth. Basically, the state of news reporting today. Unfortunately, and so conducive to great harm. 

Here is a most relevant situation. Today, 42 days into the Gaza War, oh so concerned 'humanists' wring hands, shed crocodile tears, and predict a disaster within TWO days as all food, water and fuel will run out. Wow, wow indeed, a miracle in our times, as those two days are replayed day after day after day, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. Corrosive   lies, passed off as truth, yet even as the lies are exposed via reality, the harm emanating from these lies wreak their purposeful damage. 

The public willfully buys into that lie even as the truth states the opposite, clearly there in pictorial   reporting. These 'starving, dehydrated, living in filth poor "victims", always on that miraculous repeating two-day deadline, display absolutely NO signs of starvation or even a lack of any food, no dehydration, which would have been quickly apparent, and are ever so clean, washed, wearing clean clothing. Truly, a modern-day miracle. A lie perpetuated by Hamas publicists, complicit 'news' reporters and a public eager for anything which demonizes Israel and world Jewry. Hook, line and sinker, and come back for more.

Truth is a very limited commodity here. Scan the pictures of Gaza, where digging and rescue are apparently happening, and keep looking, for the repetitive appearances of 'rescuers', so clean, seen again and again. Such good actors! 

Where is the outrage of the world when the Red Cross is denied access to the hostages. Does anyone even care, or are these merely more throwaway Jews? Not worth a fuss, are they? 

An offer of release of hostages is bruited about but actually, check those cold numbers for the truth.

    40 women-  and the rest? 

    13 children - and the other 17? 

    0 men. 0 mention of elderly. 

    No visual take on welfare of the captives.  

    No schedule of release of remaining captives,       the majority of the kidnaped Israelis.  

     No mention of young girls and boys, just inducted, declared unreturnable by Hamas.         

In return: a ceasefire of five days during which they can regroup, rearm, rewire, sentencing more soldiers to death.

No further talks re the release of those remaining nor information about them.

 Release of many terrorists within Israeli cells. A disaster on the same trajectory as with the debacle of Gilad Shalit.   

And back here at the ranch, all the ranches throughout the world, Jews are now immersed in fear inducing dark realities of threats, harassment, intimidation and even predictions of death, gruesome ones at that. The numbers here? The downsizing of the size of the peaceful Jewish rally in DC, the shameful boycott of drivers to drive buses for rallygoers, the continuing boycott of and vandalization of Jewish stores, homes, businesses, the constant doubting of facts as presented by the Israeli army - and then spoken of in the same beath, equated with barely there islamophobia, as the campuses implode and explode with their vile and violent Jew hatred - how dare they!!!!!   

The constant comparison of numbers of dead - the figures from Gaza given by Hamas, known to tell just a few lies in their time! The babies always mentioned, never really seen, and the omission of Israeli contributed incubators and evacuation of said babies. Nope, only silence. The massacre of civilians by Hamas and joyous Palestinians, innocent all, who joined in the romp of Oct 7, even as the burial of a set of twins, 12, and their great aunt who raised them, burned alive, roped together, is now to take place, only just identified. And the world - silence again.

No, numbers should be recognized as of little worth unless accompanied with the truth behind them. Only then will they cease to be cold, but instead carry the truth along with them.

From 1-100 rate your pain at present:

    Unable to be quantified. 

I am overflowing with anger.

I am drowning in sorrow.

I have guilt feelings for being unable to do a damn thing to change the world, to end Jew hatred, to bring back to life the slaughtered, again. To soothe their pain and agony. Does it ever end?

I am helpless as I watch, see, the tragedy unfolding in my own family and I cry, we all cry so that it is a wonder the well for tears has not run dry.

G-d, where the hell were You that day and where are You now? 

Answer the pleas of so many, now multiplied by so many, so much. Heal our Yitzy, our so sweet treasure. We need him more than You. 

 HEAL, CURE YITZY

YITZCHOK ELIMELECH BEN CHANA SARAH

DEAR G-D, I PLEAD WITH YOU.

HEAR US.    

IT'S BROKEN

 Can it be repaired? I have grave doubts about that. This world is broken, not merely into huge pieces able to be soldered together, but into tiny shreds, too small to be united in permanent sure manner. These shreds of earth and mankind overwhelm the atmosphere, permeate it with a toxic dust of anger, grief, horror, and massive hatred, constantly growing in amount and depth of coverage by life threatening swirls sent forth by a humanity that has lost its humanity, lost its remaining shreds of decency, morality tossed aside. Decency, truth, even sanity are shredded, torn asunder from all directions - outer rims and inner foundations, the very basis of civilization. 

We are so lost. Law enforcement personnel arrest counter demonstrators opposing pro Hamas, pro terror parades of chanting, mindless people who have set aside independence of thought and joined the mobs. These mobs are toxic, stealing sense from within and without, causing literal fear for one's physical safety, for life itself, conspicuously among Jews. The threat is physical, visible. The ugliness   of evil echoes, filling the air with chants of hate, faces distorted by that hate and anticipation of bloodshed. Hypnotized by the rhythms of hatred, the mob grows, joined by those who long have desired to be part of the crowd, welcomed, where once they sat alone. 

The mob has lost individuality, given it over willingly by those ceding the privilege and formidable responsibility of independent thought and decision. Shedding the ability, the necessity to discern Truth from Falsehood, Evil from Good, Life from Death, they rejoice as the responsibility, the onus of these decisions is removed from their shoulders. Instead, they lose themselves within newly relegitmized bloodlust and primitive societal mores. But it is the protesters of this downfall of mankind who are arrested.  

Look around. Where are we? How have we gotten here? Is there transportation to take us back? Even a road to walk upon? Do we wish to board or walk that bumpy road in the right Direction? Do we even have sufficient remnants, shreds of bravery, morality, decency, sanity itself, to accompany us on this difficult journey of return? More important, do sufficient numbers wish to do so?

 Truthfully, the answers are beyond my ability to bring forth with any bit of confidence. I fear the reality that we now are living within and the awful to contemplate intensification of it. How do we ever recover from a life now overflowing with literal threats to life and limb? What are Jews, me, supposed to do as yet again evil is growing ever more powerful, ever more dominant in a society that has lost its way, consumed by evil, lusting after it. Internalizing it faster and faster. 

I do not know, nor will I ever understand the ways of mankind nor the ways of G-d. My Yitzy, our Yitzy, is in dire condition. The outlook is not positive at all. This sweet boy is apparently too good for the likes of this evil world, and so, perhaps in protective manner G-d wishes to take him home. To be welcomed into the warmth, the love, the light of Shamayim, of G-d's home. 

Well, we down here are opposed. We want to keep Yitzy with us. We love him so that our hearts are breaking, our very souls are pleading with the One Above to heal him, allow us to keep him with us.  The world certainly needs such a role model. Let him live. Let him heal. Let him fill a need, for certainly, perhaps selfishly, we need him, want him, cannot contemplate the awful possibility of losing him. NO!!!!!!! 

Heal him, Lord. Let him remain with us. The emptiness, the darkness, the grief, that he will leave behind is not right. G-d, hear my voice and the voices of so many. Change Your mind and allow us the gift of Yitzy. Surely, he can do more for humankind here, on earth, an example, a role model, one who charms all and fills them with hope.  

I am so angry with you, G-d. My heart rages. My tears overflow and it is a wonder that there remain more tears.  How is it possible that this beautiful child, with a beauty within and without, will be gone, ripped from our hearts, our souls, our every atom?  Why do You need this child of 13? Why? He is so beloved. Please, I plead, heal him, heal him so he might live on and do so much good for humanity. A child of 13. He belongs with his earthly family.   

NO!!! NO!!! 

This cannot be. Please, I beg, a miracle. Not for me, but for his parents, so good, so deep of faith, for his siblings who love him so, for the extended family who adore him, for the world which has been raising its collective voice to You for almost a year.

  And yes, perhaps selfishly, for me, for Gerry, as we are so overwhelmed with the thought of such a loss, how are we ever to deal with a reality?

NO, we need him to be healed by Your power and love. 

Please.

Please.

Please.

Please.

Please. 

Please.

Yitzchok Elimelech ben Chana Sarah      

NO, NOT AGAIN

  Too often, for far too long, Jews, in whatever guise, wherever they live, have been expected to follow norms non applicable to any other group. Perhaps arising from the peaceful inclination of Jews, to be People of the Book rather than the People of the Sword. Perhaps, but then again, during the entire period of history covered within the books of the Old Testament, Jews fought. Bravely.  Boldly. Triumphantly. 

They were both people, two sides of the same coin. However, when in exile, in the Diaspora, Galut, as we referred to it, restrictions crippled, disabled, and forbade the ability and the very right of Jewish   communities to defense. Crammed within actual ghettoes, surrounded by walls, towers and armed guards, denied most exit from the ghetto, had severely enforced curfews, and were required by law to wear distinctive items of clothing meant to isolate, demean, and debase the wearer. 

Forbidden to bear arms, possess weapons, even to resist the murderers, the pillagers, the rapists unleashed upon us as we were used as relief valves for discontent among the people. For sure, we became the People of the Book. That idea and reality was challenged sporadically through the generations, but a reality in the late 19th century said otherwise. We will no longer remain without defense. IDf. Resistance among the battered and bruised Jews within ghettoes. In the forests. In the camps. All the while, under the most adverse conditions kept up schools for the children, wrote, painted, created music - the People of the Book alongside the People of the Sword. One and the same. Whenever called for whatever needed, we were there.    

Rebuilding our ancestral homeland, we were challenged by many, unaccepting of the idea of Jews within their own land. Denying Jews of the privilege of a state among states, a Jewish state, even as there were myriad Moslem states, nations with heavily favored religions. No, Jews were different. In fact, other nations rejoiced, as once again Israel served as the pressure relief valve for other nations who committed dastardly acts against their own citizens or neighbors. Russia. Iran. Afghanistan. Rhodesia. Philippines. Ethiopia. Darfur. Sudan. Nigeria. Venezuela. Argentina.  Brazil. Saudi Arabia. Egypt. Hamas. Yemen. On and on, never a shortage; however, only Israel was deemed a suitable whipping boy. Even the UN, that institution that should be disbanded immediately had this to say yesterday." Israel does not have a right to self-defense against Hamas under international law and accused the country of committing "war crimes."  

Nations are so busy demanding a role in Israeli interests that they forget completely their own needs, and their devious criminal actions. Nope, Israel is there for rabid criticism as they refute the history of the world, wherein Jews were the scapegoat of all, as pressure relief, the monster all loved to hate. Daring to challenge the past and become a powerful, thriving, contributing nation among nations. Daring to succeed against all odds.      Jews around the world shared the joy, the victory against the ugliness of history. They stood tall, heads up, with determined strides and high goals.   Prominent members of society in all facets. The vow of the Jewish people was Never Again. Never. Even as it has now morphed, tragically, into Never Again. Never is Now.         

   Today the world has turned once again into an ugly cesspool overflowing with the excrescence of Jew haters, again, apparently always. Incorrigible enemies of all mankind. We know terrorists are not 'militants' We know savagery and massacre are not equivalent to defense. We know who is innocent and who is not. We know friends, true friends, from enemies. We are forever vigilant against their ugliness within and their love of bloodshed. Especially if the blood is Jewish blood.  

The world needs to know that Jews today are different. We will not go down easily. We are the People of the Book, as well as the People of the Sword. We will walk tall, head up, defend ourselves, and countries under attack and always protect Jews round the world. One day, hopefully soon, the world will return to sanity, fire hatemongers, teachers who are not teachers, and universities will return to safe and inspiring sites   of true education and enlightenment. Light radiant rather than blocked, dimmed by evil.       

One day. One day. When?   Beats me but I and so many others long for it. 

We Jews say - od yavo hayom. The day will come. 

We must have faith that it will and remain strong in that faith.  

 Am echad, lev echad. One nation, one heart. 

I do so deeply hope that the One that we are, remains strong as well, along with us, in the battle for Yitzy. The news yesterday is still incomplete and the worry remains. It eats away at us. We look at that sweet boy, so generous, so kind, so deep and sincere in faith in his G-d, so true in his admiration of creations of G-d. We look and we cry and we pray and we rail at G-d, demanding how could He even contemplate a negative answer. No, we demand, we plead, we beg - heal him, hear the prayers said literally round the clock round the world for him. Hear them! Listen to them!

Yitzy, with his big grin. 
Yitzy, my youngest grandchild.

He who loves chocolate, arguing that it is not candy.  

Yitzy, whom I love, we all love with a love so deep as to be bottomless.

Yitzy - son, great grandson, grandson, brother, nephew, uncle, friend.

Yitzy

Yitzchok Elimelech ben Chana Sarah.

Hear us.

Amen. Amen.     

        

THERE'S A TIME FOR US

 So begins the plaintive heartbreaking song in West Side Story. The second time around, in the most recent film version, I found that song, one of my favorites of the movie, to be far more plaintive, heartbreaking and so reflective of the world today, the desperate seeking within of a hope that "somewhere, sometime, there will indeed be a place for us." 

Who are the 'us'? Well, compare the two versions, both sung by Rita Moreno. The first is a version of a despairing mourning young girl who has lost her first love in a spate of violence. It is touching, tears are elicited. Now compare it to the version sung by an older Rita Moreno, singing as an older woman, disillusioned, signing off from hope of better times, as yet more violence, more death, more senseless losses continue. Semi spoken, it is a heartrending plea for an actually existing place, that somewhere, sometime place where love can flourish, and violence be unknown. This version reached deeper into the soul, for this version is a life destroyed, love trashed, a finality so sad, so disillusioning, so representative of the majority of life's lessons. 

The second presentation hit home like a bullet to the heart. Rita was the wife of a murdered Jewish pharmacist, killed in yet another racial murder. Among Jews there is a saying, 'Hamayven yaven'. The understander will understand. In other words, the unwritten yet far more important statement is there; one only has to understand, feel, the message implied, unstated in words, yet ever so real.

So apropos of the times today, we Jews are also asking ourselves, asking G-d, demanding an answer: is there, will there ever be, a time, that somewhere sometime place, a failsafe place, where racial and religious strife are no more? Where Jews can breathe free?  Where we do not have to constantly look over our shoulder, parse every word and statement, decipher the meanings implied?  Will there ever indeed be a place where we are safe. SAFE. After millennia of unsafety, of homicidal madness directed at Jews, of vicious Jew hatred, never ever disappearing?  

We Jews thought we had finally found that place, The United States of America. Where words written by a Jewish poet were etched into the Statue of Liberty, welcoming the survivors of centuries of brutal hatred against Jews, where governments sanctioned that violence.  Here was safety. Here was a place where we could direct our efforts to succeed, to build better lives for our children, to contribute to the world. Here, indeed, was the sought for, longed for place. That somewhere sometime place.         

Unfortunately, it has proven otherwise. At first it was mumbling and grumbling, the ever existing accusations. Jews are always on the wrong side, whatever was the wrong side of the time. They were rich. Controlling. The spawn of evil. Blood   libel accusations. They were unnatural and vicious, after you and yours. Wearily, we faced the truth, so ugly and despairing, and forged on. We would dig in, be strong, good citizens, and perhaps, just maybe, the magic aura would return. That place would reappear.

 It was not to be. Worse, the poison grew in depth and spread. It incorporated threats and actual violence. It took on faces of ugliness in daily life. Suddenly it became dangerous to walk as a Jew, to practice the religion, to speak out, always accused of whatever worked for diseased minds, for easily led minds, for those seeking to be part of the mob.   

The vitriolic poison spread. It began to appear to be coordinated, with growing unity of hate, of an energy boding no good for Jews. Once again, we wondered, is there that place, that somewhere, sometime, somehow place we had sought through the millennia? If so, where was it? Where? How? The chants against Israel grew in intensity and exposed ugly truths. 

From the river to the sea - an indigenous homeland of Jews now to be denied, wiped free of Jews, and then-the world. Jew hatred. Open, ugly, bringing and leaving hate, despair, hopelessness, confusion - and a growing desire, a need within, to combat these developments.  

The educated minds, the minds we were hoping would understand the ugliness and oppose it, once again proved again that education could be coopted and corrupted. Once again, the educated elite of countries of the world adopted the fallacies of Jew   hatred. Disappointing, but not surprising. Our kids were threatened on campus as administrations did nothing, dismissing complaints of antisemitism and an unsafe campus. Professors felt free to demean students in classrooms and these complaints too went to deaf ears and blind eyes, and even approving minds. A newer version of elite scum. Complaints and events were minimized, conflated with islamophobia, which never seemed to have an actuality other than that crazed murderer  and motivation was not clear at all. 

Chants grew and continue to grow in intensity and threats. More than mobs, this is a new category of thousands enraged, maddened, driven by an all-consuming bloodlust and hate. Entities unto themselves. They dragged along all the haters, the losers, the self-hating Jews who could not, would not see themselves as Jews, subject to the same fates accorded to their brethren.  

Posters of brutalized victims of Oct 7, the kidnaped, the murdered, the missing, were vandalized. Even the infants were considered dangerous and butchered as well, perhaps in even crueler manner. Such is the manner of crazed minds.

Once again Israel did what she must, and once again the world raged against her. How dare a Jewish army defend its people? How dare they paint the truths on the screens of the world. How dare they not accept the blame of deaths upon their shoulders when responsibility derived from Hamas? Why are Jews to be victims, not allowed to raise a hand in defense? Why? Unfortunately, there are no answers. Perhaps, if not in this lifetime, that somewhere, sometime, somehow place. will appear. For us now, the doubts are strong.  

Together we can defend ourselves and deny ugliness and hate and existential danger. Today we can present truths to open minds and defeat those who now post Holocaust 2.0 on walls of Jewish institutions and homes.

Today and tomorrow and for all the tomorrows, for the hope of finding that wonderful somehow, sometime, somewhere place we must persevere.  Perhaps Israel in our lifetime or our kids, but there has to be that place. Must be a place. Else G-d has a lot of 'splaining to do.

     About Yitzy. We are waiting for definitive answers. We hope they come soon and are of the positive. We simply have to wait, pray, do good deeds. And pray some more. Challenge G-d to do the right thing. For Yitzy and for all Klal Yisroel.

May our soldiers come home safely after a victory for once and for all and may they carry on their shoulders, in celebration, the rescued hostages. 

AMEN. AMEN.