All too often people indulge in the numbers game. Who has more of this or less than that? What do the differences actually mean? Is there a goal, an end in mind, a relevancy to the number games? If so, what is it? Most important, are reasons, facts, behind numbers explained so there is, in fact, a relevancy of truth and knowledge? I doubt the actions of the previous sentence, for most numbers are thrown at people to impress, and the significance gets lost, twisted, and cold, with no humanity attached.
Every day, several times a day, we are greeted with the latest numbers of the killed, the dead, of Gaza, with children highlighted. We were told, several weeks ago, that the people were starving, dehydrated, desperate, no place of safety, to sleep, to wash (oops, lack of water apparently), even as paths to safety were opened, indeed already were, though only announced yesterday. Daily pauses, ceasefires, whatever term you wish to use. Open from 10 AM to 2 PM every single day. A way out. But these oh so put upon Gazans either stay or are blocked by Hamas which needs their dead bodies as proof of 'cruelty' of Israel, never mind their use as human shields for cowards. Or they dillydally until the 4 hours are over and then, despite a warning to prepare for evacuation given at least three hours prior.
No excuses here to remain other than their rather cold use as shields, for propaganda, arrogance, or simple inertia. They are looking singularly well for having run out of food and water, to drink, to cook, to bathe. to wash clothes and walk off with a confident stride. A miracle! So well nourished, hydrated, clean 'refugees'. Wonder how a conversation might go with Ukrainian civilians or victims of the butchery of October 7 as they remained in fear of cruel deaths or captivity. Hot, airless, rooms, no food, no water, babies without formula or diapers, nothing other than a door useless against bullets and fire. Go. Compare the numbers and the facts and the truth. Please do. And please, remember that all numbers originate with Hamas, that terror organization known for its propensity for lies and severe allergy to truth.
And what about here, in America? In Brazil where a plot to kill Jews was in active status? Or where Jews were attacked for daring to be Jewish, to walk freely in the streets of their homelands. Right here, in good old America, not 30 miles away, in Boca, pro Palestinians in favor of massacres, of non-acknowledgement of brutal kidnappings, of children, of wounded, of elderly, of terrorizing just inducted two months ago graduates of high school, kids still, now facing beasts in human skins, whose bestiality was front and center. No compunction. No mercy. No hesitation. Nothing other than inhumanity of vicious degree, stinking of the same kind of hatred and villainy of Hitlerian level. They faced a Pro Israeli group and a battle ensued.
Yes! We will not, cannot, stand down anymore. Been there, done that, and it is less than useless. Only pushback will do the trick. Timidity, cowering inside, hiding, denying one's very being, nope, not the way. Has that time come? Are we once again to tremble in fear for our lives, for our freedom, for acceptance as human beings? Are we once again to accept, to take it, as we are demeaned, degraded, attacked and ambushed, as our kids are targeted in schools, in playgrounds? Are we to count ourselves lucky for our years here and accept, quietly, our expulsion or fall into third class residents, if that!
The answer is not to hide, remove or resituate mezuzahs. Not to mourn and cower, but to embrace Judaism, its joys, its warmth, its holidays, its comradery, and yes, its tribalism. A member of the tribe, in full blown pride. To share in the proud, long history, to share in its warmth and joy, to be a Jew. Amcha was the word of WWII, to know there is a friend for you. Amcha today, your nation, my nation, our people.
Those who conveniently forget their Jewishness or think it can be negated, discounted and discarded, your friends will desert you anyway. You are tainted, merely a tool to be their Jewish friend, the Jew who validates their hateful biased statements and behavior agreeing with them. No, you are sleeping with the enemy.
Here are a few words of wisdom found in a random perusal of essays. I thank all who wrote them. Read them and think.
"... refusal to recognize the unique trauma that Israel and her citizens are experiencing even as I write only exacerbates the pain. Fourteen hundred innocent men, women and children were slaughtered, and two hundred forty were kidnapped.
To all of those whose silence is deafening, we must demand-“Say their names!”
"I have lost friends. I have unfollowed and blocked people I once respected and I have never felt so alone and isolated in the world. I have never felt so much fear in my life for my safety and the safety of my family and friends.
What I have learned since October 7 is that this is not about land at all; this is about Jews and ridding the world of us. I should have known based on the history, but I didn’t want to believe this was true."
"I am here, among other survivors. We are alive and NOT defeated. But today, we’re terribly hurt; we are reliving a lot of what we saw back then. But we are proud Jews. We stand up for our history, our heritage, and our strength. And we are arm in arm with you.”
"And remember that we see you. You’re not alone."
Prejudice and hatred must be called out. We are a minority, here and in the world, though we are not seen nor treated as such. We are in a class of bias separate and alone. Bias talk re other minorities is ignored or even praised when applied to us, the Jews. We are expected to laugh at very uncomfortable jokes and insulting stereotyping. Speech considered reprehensible re other groups of people are ignored, even praised when referring to us, and we are told to buck up. No consequences in complete contrast to similar situations with other groups.
To be a Jew is to be privileged, though often it does not seem that way, does it? But it is. So stand tall, support your right to be a Jew and not be abused for it. Stand proud for Israel for it has a right to exist, to defend itself without the rest of the world having a say and being falsely hypocritically judgmental. It has always and forever will be, is, the ancestral homeland of the Jewish nation and will always be so. We never abandoned it nor forgot it. We rebuilt it into the proud contributing nation it is today and will fight for its right to exist -forever.
It is there for you, and you must be there for it.
You are our Father as well as our Lord. We are Your subjects, Your children. Save us, for all time. I believe we have earned it. Don't You?
Hear me, please, Lord.
I beg you, Father, help Your children.
Heal us with Your guidance, Your love.
Heal us, heal the nation, the world and most definitely, we pray
Heal Yitzy.
Amen. Amen.
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