MR. SANDMAN

 Can we all remember or dredge up from the past Mr. Sandman, who came to us at night to lull us to sleep. Who sent us sweet dreams allowing us to wake up nice and refreshed and ready to take on the day? Well, Mr. Sandman has not been so generous in his visits of late, and it has proven very difficult to get to sleep, thus making the days to follow difficult as well. In any case, Monday night, Tuesday night and Wednesday night of this week, I literally did not sleep. I may have closed my eyes just to rest them, but I literally did not sleep. And so, when we arrived at our destination at 3:30 in the morning, new country time, there was no time to sleep either. Finally, home again, home again, in my beloved place in the land of my faith, I have finally been able to sleep. Mr. Sandman has stayed with me and I have been making up for my sleep debt.

  That is one of the reasons why my blog has not been written these past few days. Actually, even putting that problem aside, it would have been delayed anyway, because we have made one of our several times a year moves to spend some time in Israel where the air is different. Where despite all the woes and ills that befall it, it is a place of joy, happiness and fulfillment. 

It is a place where I once again can feel at home, welcomed, not looked upon with sidelong glances or eyes of suspicion by one who is not Jewish or not understanding of the situation or simply neutral in a matter that cannot be neutral. Worse even, a fellow member of the tribe who refuses to see his/her own situation - standing on the edge of the rim of the cliff under a delusion that he will be immune through all that follows.  

What is to be said? The change in life here is immense. We flew over the Atlantic, overflew the countries of Europe where an ancient hate continues to reside. Where it is engaged in a new era of strengthening regrowth of this ancient trope of ugliness. Worse even, despite the many generations before me - those immigrating to the United States which gave them room to live, to dream again,, to raise families in peace, and despite the following generations well ensconced within their homes in this nation, the United States, there has been a definite growing feeling of ill will, of unwelcome within my native born nation.

Please note that I have felt more of this hate, this unreasonable insanity, from those who do not know me. Those people with whom I come into contact who are not of the Jewish faith have been warm, welcoming, encouraging and are now integral parts of my life here in America. In fact, they have been one of the most positive aspects of my life here as a Jewish American, but is that enough to keep me and mine safe, to cover us with an umbrella of sorts when the acidic drops of antisemitism and intense, deep JewHatred fall upon us? Are there enough people within this nation, within the world, to stand up to and against the revitalization of that which has been long dead and gone and is now alive and well once again? We unfortunately are finding that there are many more out there more than willing and capable of joining the barbarians or of standing by silently as the world gives rebirth to that which should never have been born in the first place.

In the meantime, I stand here on my beautiful porch overlooking a new development and I watch the children at play. I see the shelters that unfortunately, had to be built beside every playground so that children at play would have a place to run to quickly when the siren sounds. And please be under no delusions that the sirens have quit, for they have not. 

Northern Israel continues to be battered by missiles from the enemy. The enemies of Israel, the enemies of all Jews, wherever, in this world, continue to rearm, refuse to give up their arms, to admit defeat and shed tears of falseness whenever their violations lead to a retaliation, claiming innocence even as we bury yet another victim of terrorism, rebuild yet another building. Our homes and lives which the world conveniently ignores, as if never was, never is, never will be.

I love America, my homeland, my native-born home which gave me a good life, which enabled me to raise my children sure and confident, able to build lives and raise their families. But then... But then there was that damn ugly face again. That dragon that lives beside us, floating offshore, awaiting its opportunity to come ashore and wreak its havoc long building within its stone heart. I resented even more that it has enabled the growth of seeds of hate within me. The most uncomfortable and unwanted growth one could imagine, and I wish it to be gone, never to find welcome or fertile soil again, in me, or in anyone else.

Why? Because hate is destructive. It is degenerative. It is when the worst of humanity comes to the surface, reeking and stinking of ugliness, of blood, of greed, of insane desire to accumulate wealth and power beyond any rational level or rightful level at all. So far, the annals of history of mankind tell us that humanity been lucky, able to overcome its worst and regenerate new lives and new hopes, new dreams. But too often and far more often of late, we have given way before the tide of bitter acidic hate and inhumanity which bodes no good for any nor for all.

There is great concern and unrest within both countries of mine. Whither goes the government? From whence will come the wise leaders and statesmen and women that we so desperately need? Will humanity be able to wend its way back? Find some kind of positive growth area where we will be able to look at each other once again, as fellow citizens, more importantly, as fellow human beings and most important, most critical, is the when of it? There is no time to waste, for the pressure of time is against us. We need all to look deep within ourselves, examine our true feelings, admit them, at least to ourselves and seek ways within which we can work comfortably and positively towards   making this world a better place for all. No matter the religion, no matter the ethnicity, no matter any details which should actually count for naught at all, yet we have allowed to drown all else out, overwhelming positive instincts and drives.  

I am hoping that I will be able to return to a steady blog and I thank for your patience and for your loyalty.

Yesterday, today and tomorrow. All the same and all different. What we make of them is up to us. What becomes of us is also up to us.