NEVERTHELESS

  Despite everything, nevertheless, whatever the topic of discussion is, it will take place, be ongoing. Generally displaying a defiance of the forces opposing the issue or undertaking, it can be a nevertheless on both sides of the line separating good from bad. 

 Israel has taken on a 'nevertheless' response to a world writhing in ecstasy, once again, yawn - how unsurprising - in its wonderfully promising campaign to destroy Israel and put those pesky Jews in their place. For once and for all.  Whatever it takes, whatever the degree of hypocrisy and ugly truths lying just beneath their thin veils of disguise. Hence, forge forward, a united world, as the ongoing struggle to negate Jewry takes place, with a wonderful degree of success, I might add. 

Unfortunately for these creeps, world Jewry, for the most part, despite, or in spite of those Jews who refuse to recognize the existential threat to ALL Jews, is forging forward. It is doing all it must, despite the animosity and denial of inalienable rights and responsibilities of all nations, to defend itself and its citizens. In conjunction with this nevertheless defiant in your face response to the Oct7 massacre, Israel has undertaken another 'nevertheless' project.

This project is the name of a response of a worldwide surge of applications for "Aliyah", the act of returning home. Home, to Israel. Home to a   place where they are welcomed, invited in, to become part of a beautiful nation, contributing much to the world. Even as it fulfills the Biblical promise, the predictions of the prophets, that at the right time, all Jews would return home to Israel. Until such time they would be loyal citizens of the lands of residence. So they did and do, bringing prosperity, art, literature, research advances and on and on. And yet, and yet, the ugliness remained, the uncertainty remained and has grown into a giant threatening ogre of raging bloodthirst. 

Basically, the world has gone drunk on hate, severing all inner brakes, swallowing the poison only to spew it forth in ever increasing streams of ugly acidic invective, drawing in all who love the idea and the 'purge night' attitudes and allowances. Voices opposed too few, too quiet, or speaking out of two sides of their mouths at the same time. Oh, the movie industry brings forth many new movies or proposed ones re the Holocaust and past incidents or times of persecution, reinforcing the opinion that no, antisemitism was then, not now, of course not now.      Yet the shrieking mobs calling of blood and destruction grow apace, a people reveling in the freedom to hate and threaten, to act on their worst impulses. To throw off their inner brakes and justify their worst moments. Voices truly opposed are lacking or too quiet, co-opted or acquiescing with their silence. 

Nevertheless, despite it all, despite the wars, the threats, the world, nevertheless, Jews are returning. Will they all act on this wish, this yearning for safety, give up on their native born lands, their countries? Yes, theirs- but not so much feeling like theirs now.

Their native born lands have turned on them as well as their second homeland, causing a terrible feeling that they are wanted nowhere and their multi millennia traditional homeland counts for naught as far as they are concerned.  Or as one British woman said, well, yes, they are entitled to a land for their own but not Palestine. Others were there first. Actually, misinformed ignorant British woman, Israelites, Jews, were there prior to any immigration of people of a Palestinian ancestry. 

That designation appeared when that large area under the end of Turkish rule was designated Palestine - with no mention of Palestinians. There were none for that name came from a misspelled mispronounced name of an ancient long defunct kingdom of Philistines living in the present Gaza area. No Palestine. No Palestinians. 

As for prior residence, well, we can turn to the historical journey there and residence of Abraham and tribe, the first Jews, in the land known then as Caanan, and the purchase of land by Abraham for the purpose of burial of Sarah, his wife, for he wanted there to be no confusions as to whose land it was. Eventually the land was settled  by the Israelites 40 years after exodus from Egypt, eventually to become the kingdom of Israel and then kingdom of Judea. Recall, please, the names and historical verification of King David, King Solomon, and the very detailed history of the residents within and their returns after exile several times.

Always, their homeland. Always.  At no time over the ages was there a total lack of Jews within the boundaries of that land. At. No. Time. Ever. Then, at the time of British control and in any case, in the Balfour Declaration of 1917 the British promised to recognize and establish a Jewish Homeland in the Palestine area - note no Palestinians referred to as such - and said homeland was to be on both sides of the Jordan, as it always, historically was. Both. Both. As it always was. So, ignorant British woman who admitted that Jews were allowed their own land and statehood, but perhaps on some deserted unsettled land unwanted by any group on earth. Adamantly not Palestine. Thank you but no thank you. 

We are a people of tradition and that is the tradition we follow, the truth of it known and confirmed. At no time ever did Jews rescind ties and ownerships and forever prayed to return, even when awaiting immediate death or during the happiness of a holiday. This was the destination of Jews throughout the millennia who made holy journeys to that land, and this is the land where there was a continuous presence of a Jewish population. 

Now the tide has changed again, into killer waves washing on shore all over the world, carried along via rivers of fast flowing currents of hate, virulent, toxic, ever more so. It is a movement seen before, where Jews are pariahs, unnatural creatures, children of the devil, to be banished from society, to be held as outliers of society. No presence in the arts or sciences, in technology and invention, in the economy, not to be allowed to own land, to attend university, barred from most professions, their lives always at risk, too often coming true.

Thus, nevertheless, despite the opposition, we will survive. Nevertheless, we will remember where we are wanted, when our beloved countries reject us, and it is in the traditional homeland that we will live and thrive, flourish and raise families in peace. With all. Not live under a hypocritical regime wishing only to do us harm. Their favorite rite of Jew Hatred will be greatly trimmed. 

Nevertheless, we will return home, to Israel, not to Palestine, one forced upon us by the whims and wishes of our enemies. Or false friends.

We are here. We always were here and always will be.

Am Yisroel chai.

The people, the nation of Israel lives.  

La'netzach - forever.

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Just as you, Yitzy, will always live on in our hearts and in the hearts and souls of the many you amazingly inspired during your too short life here on earth. May you be as productive and beloved where you are now.

 Always and forever, sweet boy. 

Always and forever.