WHO'D A THUNK?

  Never. Nor did you. At least openly, verbally, except to others who felt the same fear, the same chill run down the spine, the need to know as much as possible, to be prepared, to be realistic. But even those who just knew, felt it in our bones that our residency here was as temporary as any other in our history also felt or hoped that maybe we were wrong. Maybe we were being overly paranoid. However, just because one is paranoid does not mean that that there is no one chasing us, determined to inflict harm upon us.  

Unfortunately, the worst of our fears has come true or is ever approaching the truth of that reality. We are being trashed by almost an entire generation of Americans whose education led them to be open to those who would co-opt them and fill them with hate and guilt, a determination to 'make up' for it, for their 'privilege', for their 'entitlement'.

 At this point, I beg to differ. I have had no privilege, no entitlement. I am Jewish. Whatever I have achieved has been through my efforts with the aid of the Lord and the backing of my family. I have had no sense of entitlement. And certainly, I   was not taught that by my family. In fact, looking back, we were poor. Gifts very rare. Money spent carefully. I and my siblings were taught that to achieve in life one had to work hard. Deal with impediments and carry on. No one owed us anything. At the same time, one had to observe the rules of civility. and trust in our nation and its leaders to fulfill the dream of America. 

Never did I think it would be crowds shouting out. "Kill the Jews". Never did I ever expect to hear people deny my right to exist. But they did and continue to do so in blatant open public display of extreme hatred. A hatred which demands that I go someplace, anywhere other than this country. However, is there even another country to go to? And why should I!!!

 I am not going anywhere. I am here to stay. If I go, it is because I choose to go and if I go it will be to Israel, my ancient homeland, and evidently my current one as well. Who'd a thunk this would ever be a scenario in actuality? When and why would we think that incidents of antisemitism of America's past would be resurrected in the year 2024.  Its ugly petals grew from evil seeds planted by the rampant growing lack of civility, of 'Americanness', an approving attitude towards violence and threats, use of blatant force, of ugliness of the left and the right with outliers becoming accepted and even welcomed. 

This storm of hate originated within the top levels of government as its ranks turned upon the nation and followed a treasonous immoral, evil man who wished openly for America to become an authoritarian nation. Many found it liberating to give way to one's worst urges and gain approval for it. The situation went from bad to worse to worst and perhaps now we are at hopeless.  

Hundreds of campuses are involved in 'protests' of hate, raging incoherently with crazed eyes and minds, with foul mouths. Apparently, I, and all Jews, have no right to exist. Israel is deemed illegitimate, hence it too has no right to exist, hence it must be dismantled that moment. Even those who 'support' Israel are weak in their support, intrude deeply into her rights as an independent nation and in fact, treat Israel as a vassal state of the entire world. Why is this so? Why is it that only the Jewish people are denied a nation? Catholics have the papal state of Vatican City. Muslims have numerous states. In Europe. many countries have Protestant rule. So why and wherefore are Jews forbidden to have their own state as well, to be  a majority in a nation which serves as a place of refuge and haven for persecuted Jews of every ethnicity, place of origin, color, facial features, level of observance, from zero to sixty. It is home. 

What we face today is a nation gone rogue, in anarchic manner by university students led on by activists, operating via orders of a sinister group of vile JewHaters. One, two coincidences, maybe, but the huge number of 'coincidences' speaks rather of a central planning and funding.  In short - a conspiracy whose ultimate goal and " purpose is Israel’s destruction and the genocide of the Jewish people".

No more, no less. 

Clear as day as they shout it in voices swollen with hate and bloodlust. "All Zionists must die" leaves no room for ambiguity. Nor is it free speech of a debate on an issue. In fact, it is as Ted Deutch defines it. “But when the debate that’s taking place results in the intimidation and harassment and silencing of one party, there is not free speech for everyone,” ...That “is free speech only for those who are carrying out this intimidating behavior, this harassment.”

 Clear as day.

These are not the sowing of wild oats, nor are they " nonviolent demonstrations" and to ignore the truth, to push fabrications, is to enable, to be openly complicit in what will go down in history as the largest campaign, successful, to exterminate Jewry. Completely. Totally. Second to none. Is that truly what is wanted by the majority? Will there be none who oppose? Optimism is not in abundant supply at present.  

Aliyah Boston of the WNBA, in speaking against the awful nastiness within the WBNA and its fans, used a phrase applicable to that situation and to the topic of this posting. It behooves us to read, think, and act.

 "...this is pure hatred in peoples hearts,"

Yes, it is. Who'd a thunk?

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Yitzy, will every holiday be as difficult as this one? Your presence was glaring in its absence. Your pure joy in the holiday, in the rituals of the Seder were ...not there.

But always you are there - in our hearts, in every breathe we take.

Always and forever. Always and forever. ------------------------------------------------------------

Another posting will be listed early this evening. The next posting after that will be Wednesday morning.