Actually, it's been more than a year. but we will round it off to an easier number. The entire year of 2023 was a horror. I watched a diamond of the family get punched hard and We all shattered. It was not only. the shattering of the family members, but also the shattering of multiple hearts, of those who had come into contact with Yitzy. It is nigh unto impossible to convey the depths of despair and loss of a family member, particularly a child. At times, it's that the path to death's door was more hideous than the door itself. We watched a bright, vivacious, beautiful boy just shrink. His grin and sense of humor remained to the very last as did his sweetness, but his body betrayed him. And then he was gone.
When we try to explain how special he was, is, will always be in our hearts and the hearts of so many. There were some who shook heads knowingly, because how could one boy be so special? How could one boy be a super athlete and excellent student and eager to learn. A good person who always made sure to make everybody feel at home and welcome. Who was a baseball player who was an idol to all, his team or an opponent, adult or child. His classmates and family. This boy died of a miserable raging accursed deadly cancer.
It is almost one year to the anniversary of his being stolen from us. They have been moments of laughter, as we recall funny stories. and many, many hours of tears and weeping. In addition to all that I still have a rage which burns inside, and still, I seek answers. I seek reasons. I get none that satisfy me.
December is coming up fast. a one year anniversary. and on Friday. I went to the cemetery. I hoped I would be able to say a prayer, send a kiss and shed a tear. To assure us and him that we will always keep each other in our hearts. But the tears became a torrent, and the feet would not take a step away. So hard, still so hard. The knife blade still sharp. I made my way back to the car through a mist of tears.
It was a weekend of commemoration and honoring. of this boy. City councilor, State senators, the mayor of Pittsburgh. All showed up as the Jewish community danced the Torah written in Yitzy's name, his last request, to iy'z lifez of Yiyt new home. Yitzy's school, now named for him. The Yitzy Sutofsky campus. The streets were closed. The police manned barricades. and the procession with hundreds of people provided a cross section Of Yeti's life: his doctors friends, family, baseball. He touched the hearts of so many with his pure, beautiful soul. All came together to honor one little boy of giant horizon.
It was a day physically and emotionally draining. but satisfying. in many ways. It was the day we wished never to have been but if it had to be this was the way we wished it would be. Then of course, the world intervened.
On Oct7, 2023, 3,000 uniformed beasts of Hamas invaded Israel and Pursue. to wage war on innocence. from young to old, from healthy to ill. It mattered not. Only the slaking of their bloodlust. Accompanied and aided by 3,000 non-uniformed terrorists, they proceeded to wreak havoc and horror and killed and kidnapped indiscriminately. Right alongside. and behind came hundreds upon hundreds of "innocent” civilians. who cheered the blood, jeered and threatened the hostages, held them in their homes, aided and abetted the war crimes. Over the past 11 months. there were a few hostages released. Any swap. for huge numbers of prisoners in Israeli jails. Guilty of terrorism. But the number never met. The number of a contract of the deal. Every further deal. Every further attempt. was backstabbed by Hamas, by Sinwar. and ban on a few hostages have been found alive. Personally, I am not hopeful of many, if any, to remain alive.
Israel has been cut to the bone. It feels the death of every hostage It cheers when one is found alive. Each and every hostage is a member of our family. The nation of Israel puts in maximum effort to rescue any and all hostages, no matter their origin. Sadly, late last night and early this morning we received notice of the finding of six bodies of hostages, brutally slaughtered by their guards who then ran away. In addition, there were two ugly attacks in Israel with at least five people killed, stabbed to death and several more wounded. We ran at least five people were killed. and several more wounded.
This killing will end when the Gazans and all Arabs realize they must stand up to those who would enslave them, those who would place their lives in absolute danger, simply in order to maintain power and accumulate wealth. To gain privileges for their families and callously slaughter any and all to further their own evil goals and ambitions.
College authorities promised that last terms hateful protests would be over and done with. Yet the College of Maryland has given permission for the Students for Justice in Palestine -ironic, yes - to hold a huge rally supportive of Hamas and the murderous assault upon Israel and followed by killings and torture of hostages and deaths on both sides. Where is the change here? Will we never learn? Where is this purported promise to keep Jewish students feeling safe? t
Once again, Jews chosen to be victims. Once again - but never again. We will not disappear, we will not give way, and we will defend our rights and our lives. And we will ask Yitzy to put in a good word for us. Life can be so ugly at times. We must do better, for we cannot do much worse.
No comments:
Post a Comment