"One must believe in the possibility of happiness, and I now believe in it. Let the dead bury the dead but while I am alive, I must live and be happy." (Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace)
Nice, if only that were true for all other than merely the character in a novel, great though that novel is. I certainly wish I could believe in this wholeheartedly but at present find it nigh unto impossible. Perhaps it depends on one's definition of life and/or happiness. Certainly, even in the best of times it is utterly impossible for one to be happy all the time, consistently and permanently, as long as breath is being taken. Furthermore, as pointed out in the first paragraph of Dickens's Tale of Two Cities, while it might be the "best of times", inducing a state of happiness, it is also the "worst of times" wherein for most, happiness would certainly be diminished, only found in miniscule doses.
Frankly, I am not truly understanding how anyone with any iota of a working brain, a couple of cells or so, can live in this world and be happy in a consistency of state of being. Certainly not if you are a caring, positively oriented human and for sure, if one is Jewish. If one accepts that one is Jewish and proud of it. Actually, even if one prefers to hide or succumbs to the choice of making an effort to be the "good, useful" Jew, for the moment at least, who receives a Ken Carte, proving his/her usefulness and thus is saved for the moment, proving his/her usefulness to one with the power of life or death over him/her.
If you can tell me how to be "happy", other than singing the song "be happy, don't worry", manically, well, certainly you strive for nought. Those Jews who march in concert, volume turned up high, sharing in the chanting of genocidal thoughts and plans for the Jewish people - and that includes them, no matter how they strive to prove their usefulness, good Jews, good dogs as they were referred to by the Nazis - well, where exactly are they happy in life. Perhaps in a fleeting moment of false happiness as they revel in the thought that they are safe, accepted as worthwhile Jews and chant even more loudly, calling for their own death. Truly an instant in existence if one is true to oneself. If one persists in lying, well, when their bubble of happiness will pop, as it inevitably will, with great shock as truth hits their minds and souls with overwhelming force of impact and a great disillusionment. Happiness? Nowhere in sight.
If one needs an adjective to define Jewish life these days it would be tentative, temporary, worrisome, fearful, frightening, repetitive, discouraging, helpless, and oh so many more to choose from. We, adults who grew up here, either as immigrants or native-born Americans, saw bits and pieces of antisemitism as we grew up, but never in overwhelming amounts in daily life. Yes, it was there in college admissions. It was there in employment. It was there in home covenants forbidding Jews to live in certain places. It was there when we were told to hurry home on Halloween before the non-Jews chased us to chalk us up as they shouted insults. Otherwise, we played with those kids. And it was even better for our kids and grandchildren - until now.
Today we face a terrible state of moral equivalency, a false reassurance for one's doubting soul. It allows for so wrong actions to be accepted, even praised, for under moral equivalency, one can make up one's own moral rules even if these same rules actually violate justice and morality. But hey, they feel better for their reassuring excusing reasons. They feel better, and safer, if they are the "good Jews" and they feel better, for how could they be antisemites when they march arm in arm with Jews chanting the identical vicious rhymes. No, they are truly "progressive" in its so reverse definition in vogue today. Progressive is actually regressive, but in this crazed amoral world, there it is. Whatever fits, whatever allows, whatever entitles, whatever. advances the agenda of hate, all good.
Inevitably violence ensues as emotions are ramped up, as perceived or real challenge and opposition is answered with challenge, as mob personality takes over and individual wills and brakes are smothered. People indulge themselves, subsumed within the personality of the mob, these supposedly anonymous mobs, as has been done throughout the history of the world. Lynching. Murder. Violence beyond any understanding or justification. As we ignore friends and neighbors being taken away or lynch a supposed violator of laws. Gang violence. Jan 6 with seeming Presidential encouragement and incitement.
The rampaging, murderous mob of Oct 7, hyped up to murder, to butcher, to rape, to commit infanticide, to kidnap, to do the worst they could, led by Hamas, along with Islamic Jihad, and all those oh so innocent Palestinians who saw an opportunity to indulge their worst instincts, to cut the tethers to morality, to do the same as their admired warriors and simply have some fun. perhaps find a good item to keep.
There is no difference between that violence and the violence arising, being instigated, incited, encouraged and enabled by mob personality. Urged on by the poisonous voices of those such as Tlaib, Bowman, Bush as they push for and justify the extermination of Jews, and an end to the Jewish state, Israel. Their hatred is unmitigated, toxic, and extremely pathological in nature. Morality is foreign to them.
The result of this vitriolic language, the violent, mindless chanting mobs is inevitable, has already arrived. Laws are violated left and right. Violence is growing and Jews are not safe on the streets. Here, in America. Ironically, Jews are safer today in Germany than in America. In America!! How can this be? Why this dangerous false moral equivalency? Equating defense with vicious attack.
From whence this hatred? Sorry to say, and I will be condemned by many who refuse to see the obvious, it appears to be led from top to bottom. By foreign groups and even nations, CAIR, by Islamic teachers and professors. By their students, falsely informed and motivated. By those afraid to speak out even if they disagree. By those who have no clue as to what river. What sea. The true meaning and intent of that chant. These ignorant and/or hateful souls engage in violence against Jews, their institutions and even homes.
Antisemitism has grown, become a fearsome, giant beast threatening Jews today. There is no Gal Godot as Wonder Women to protect us. Our traditional Protector seems to be on a vacation. This hatred must be overcome by strength of will, by education, by prompt removal from positions of influence of any and all who spew violence and its usage. Expel the vitriolic students, and businesses refusing to service Jews should be defied. There must be a recognition that Israel has a right and a duty to defend itself, to strike back, to fight the war where it is, not where we wish it to be. Lay blame for civilian death on the proper shoulders.
Will there ever be a time when we Jews can finally heave a sigh of relief and be happy? I am not optimistic, not at all, though I would certainly like to feel that automatic life connected happiness that Tolstoy touts. I truly would. Happiness, a total immersion in happy vibes will have to wait till such a time of improved, morally correct and courageous people who accept and acknowledge the equality of Jews and the inalienable right of Israel to exist.
Then there might be more happinesses in the world, for me, for my people, as we worry less for our kids in the future. When Jewish blood ceases to flow from violence and hate, then there will be happiness.
Nor can I be happy, personally, even if the world situation were perfect. We are trying to get a compassionate release, stat, of a drug which has the only slim possibility to save Yitzy. The red tape is awful, and time is short. There is no time to waste, and the drug needed NOW! No minutes, no seconds, to spare. It is a last ditch effort, a hail Mary, as is said, to save Yitzy's life. Even it its slim hope, we pray for the process to get it delivered and initiated.
We are desperately unhappy right now. How could it be otherwise? If and when we are told Yitzy is restored, has a good life ahead, then, only then, there will be happiness. The alternative is not acceptable. We cannot even begin to fathom how we would ever, ever, fill such a gaping hole in the lives of individuals and the family as a whole. Fleeting moments of happiness that we have right now will not even be that for us. Unless we have him. Alive and well.
Happiness? I wish. I hope. We need.
Stay with us. We await the happiness.
Until then, as the song goes, 'make my world go away".
YITZCHOK ELIMELECH BEN CHANA SARAH
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