REALLY, JAMAAL, REALLY?

 Methinks that Jamaal Bowman has truly gone off the deep end, and in his mindless hate of Jews and Judaism, has the gall, the absolute chutzpah, to declare he knows, HE knows, what it means to be Jewish. I think not, Jamaal, and perhaps a year or two of intense immersion in a course of study of Jewish history, of the precepts of Judaism, might go a long way to actually understand what it means to be Jewish. What it means to live in constant hostile territory, always knowing no matter how good the life appears for Jews in that country, no matter how interwoven within the fabric of the nation - good, even great - until the day it suddenly was not so any longer. 

Yes, you can cry me a river re prejudice against Black people, tell me all the woes you faced in life - but then again, remind me of how strong a response is made when such ugliness rears its ugly head, bares its ugly teeth. Enforcement of anti-racial prejudice policies is strong, committed to by many, giving of time, money and emphasis. And that is great - as far as it goes. However, it stops short of the mark, very much short of it. 

 Jamaal, somehow, somewhere along the line a very basic, elemental error - maybe not such an ' error' was made, enshrined forever. Jews, of whom there are only 16 million worldwide, only five million more over pre-WWII estimates, are not defined as a minority group, entitled to all protections afforded to other minorities via morality and legality. Must be faulty math when a group of no more than16 million worldwide, scraping up the last most reluctant Jew in the world, is discounted, miraculously morphing into a majority. Every effort to grow has been stymied, as Jews were degraded, challenged to survive, murdered in merry old customs prevalent, still, in Europe and Asia, Arab and Moslem countries. 

Hell, we continue to be targeted within our own little state, our small piece of ancestral homeland. A haven for the millions of Jewish oppressed refugees from all over the world. Ethiopia. Burma (Sri Lanka). India. Multiple Arab and Moslem lands.  Countries of South America. The United States of America. Jews from Iron Curtain countries. France. England. Germany. Austria. On and on and on. You name it, the same thing exists. Same old, same old. Even if it ever rose to good, well, until the day it was not so any longer. Oh yes, Jamaal, this is what it means to be Jewish. Talk to me after your course of studies and then we might be able to hold an intelligent fact-based conversation. Maybe. I am not optimistic.  

How does one manage to counter the lies, the information so twisted it is malevolent disinformation, misinformation, so wrong yet so believed, by people who should know better. What is to be done when an aide to a very important person of Jewish descent states that she knows, oh yes, she does, that apartheid is alive and well   in Jerusalem. Uh-huh! How, where, is that a fact?    

On a tour of Jerusalem her group passed through the Muslim Quarter within the Old City. Aha! That is apparently where all Muslims had to live. Thus, Israel is not a bastion of democracy and freedom. I guess, that would be so, if it were true. However, there are three other quarters - the Armenian, the Christian and the Jewish. Otherwise known as neighborhoods. But there was no talking with her. She knew what she knew and was ever so happy to share that nugget of wisdom with any and all. 

The blindness, the eagerness to believe the worst of Jews, to hate them passionately, to vilify them, to ascribe nefarious motivations, plans and schemes to them is the order of the day. Not to forget of course the now daily attacks on Jewish college students, in high schools, within classrooms by professors!!! On the streets of cities, shot at in synagogues and centers, requiring armed guards, here in America!!! 

What happened to the years of my childhood when that would have been considered unnecessary, way over the top. You mention 'the talk'. Well, sorry, but you are not exclusive to that. We too must give the 'talk' to our kids. How to behave if stopped. How not to behave.  Not call attention to oneself. To stay out of trouble. To be alert, to remain quiet. Why? In America?

Furthermore, I am now treated as a despised minority, though without the protections available and enforced by law to other minorities, not actually minorities if truth is to reign. There is no place to which we can turn to help us fight the battle, right the wrong, to seek relief. Yes, there are supposed to be, but appear deaf, dumb and blind   to the critical, immediate, growing needs of Jewish citizens, of students, of plain Jewish people going about their daily lives.   

It is most frightening on a very real level to worry about being murdered because one is Jewish. That happens elsewhere, not here. Right? Wrong! Jews  have been targeted, murdered in America simply for being and practicing Judaism. Not yours Jamaal, but the true Judaism the true knowledge of what is Judaism. The Judaism you simply are in total denial of existence. Never again is chanted, not chants to kill, rape, murder, butcher, kidnap. Never again is now the chant, in a promise to enable it to ever exist again. Not here, there, or anywhere.   

That is what it means to be Jewish, Jaamal.  Feel it yet? That is what happens when we practice Judaism. Get it yet? We are at a critical juncture of existence or extermination. This time we will not stand alone, or defenseless.  We have learned there must be active defense, as ordered by the Torah in its wisdom at foreseeing needs. We do not cheer the deaths of others, even enemies who   cheer at ours. We abhor their violence, the bloodshed, the horrors. But we will not back down, cede our lives to those who would kill us, preparing justifying grounds for it by claiming knowledge of what it means to be Jewish. Even as they are shrouded in massive impenetrable curtains of ignorance and hate. 

On a Saturday morning, the Shabbat Shechorah, a Black Saturday of savagery, of butchery, you were not there, Jamaal, but I was accompanied by16 million more. No, Jamaal, you do not know the meaning of being Jewish. Not at all. Nor do you have any right to claim to speak for it. 

Nor do you have any conception of the joys found in Judaism. The emphasis on family and nation. The joys of laughter and the powers of prayers. The sharing of a table with family and friends and the stranger needing welcome.  The obligations upon us as human beings. The obligation to leave this world a better place for your having been in it.  

No, Jamaal, you have not a clue re Judaism or what being Jewish actually entails. So go away.  Either learn the truth or shut the hell up. Your ignorance is front and center. As are the true colors of your Jew hatred. Period.

And don't you wish you actually were Jewish and could share in it.

 Silence is the sign of intelligence. Speak only when one has something to say of considered content, of truth and worthy of hearing.  

Guess that leaves you out.

Go away. And do not come back to play one day unless you are a different person.

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More about Yitzy tomorrow. It is not good news  and I am trying to understand, to wrap my head around it.  

But please, please, double the prayers, take on an act in Yitzy's name that will honor Yitzy, that wonderful, sweet beloved boy who see bad in no one and has a deep faith in Hashem. Do not talk bad about others, at least for a couple of hours.  Give charity. Do a favor randomly. Be calmer with the kids. Do not yell at the dumb driver. Smile at a stranger. Help an old lady cross the street.

Whatever works and we hope it will work for Yitzy. We so desperately hope so.