That feeling of “not belonging” of always wondering why it doesn’t feel right to “join.” The “otherness” is such a huge part of who we are. It has taken me almost a lifetime (we’re not discussing our ages here..) to fully understand that this inability to “fit in” is a gift and a blessing given to us directly from HaShem when we became a Nation. It’s what I tell my children to tell their children.
We are an eternal people despite the ignorant majority we have to deal with. Thank you for this beautifully written piece. I learned a lot.
Thank you for taking the time to read my essay and to comment as well.Thank you for the compliment.
As adults we understand that it is good to be different. We revel in our difference-To stand apart. But as a child we never want to be the odd one. Look at middle school, high school, and even college now. It is not an easy thing to be different. But being different can be a very good thing not just as Jews, but as human beings as well.
On October 7, the Hamas terrorists were armed, the Israelis massacred were defenseless. The unanswered question is why did Israel disarm its citizens most of whom are IDF veterans and leave them vulnerable to mass rape and murder by Hamas? An incredibly stupid decision and the Israeli government is clearly culpable. Every Jewish family in Israel (and the US) should have a 9 mm handgun, an AR15 rifle and plenty of ammunition for both. Every adult and teenage member of the family should be proficient in their use. Have anti-gun Jewish politicians in both countries learned nothing from the Holocaust and the latest slaughter? Isn't it time for the Jewish people to tell them to go fuck themselves?
There are strict gun laws in Israel to prevent them falling into the hands of terrorists. Because you also cant control that everyone is going to use the arms properly. And besides every family who has a child in the army does have a weapon at home when their child returns for a visit.
Listen there were security persons at all the kibbutzim and the music festival. They were just overwhelmed. Even the army bases were overwhelmed because they too weren't properly equipped. The issue isn't should the Israeli government change their policy about guns ownership. The issue for Israelis is what took so long for the IDF to respond? Why was the Gaza envelope left so vulnerable? Why were there more soldiers in Judea and Samaria than at the border with Gaza?
There are stories about private citizens taking their guns to the Gaza envelope to fight the terrorist long before the army showed up. So yes making it easier for some people to own guns would probably be a good thing. But across the board gun ownership may just cause more problems than it solves.
Well said. And there is a certain symmetry in Bernie Sanders and Rand Paul working together to sink the antisemitism act. They may be politically polarized, but they’re both scum of the earth. They have that in common.
Very sad to recognize that the country I came from to escape antisemitism never treated me with a disdain that the country I came to is capable of doing
Sometimes it feels almost ironic. Escaping possible antisemitism for the actual.
Well history showed that antisemitism was alot worse in Europe. No question. So coming here was not a bad move. Antisemitism in Europe is even worse than here. But the virulence of the antisemitism in the US was a shock to everyone, not just the Jews of America. But it is something that only effects our everyday lives.
I have to admit that I personally NEVER experienced it. Yes, my family had to run, but to run from the Nazis with the Latvians starting to kill before the Germans came (as Timothy Snyder so aptly demonstrated), but I never really experienced anything of the magnitude I see here (or truthfully anything). Never during my school or college years or at work after graduation was I treated any differently than my non-Jewish friends. In fact, my very best friends were non Jews and we experienced loyalty, devotion and admiration for each other. I never had friends like this here.
In fact, I am alive, as I shared before, because of the Russians - my parents, independent of each other, of course, my mom was just 13, survived because of them (but I think I shared it before ).
If I knew then what I know and what I observe now, I am not entirely sure I would have emigrated.
Yes, there was no religion. Yes, I was unable to practice Judaism, but truth be told, I still do not. In fact, I attended the synagogue there more often than here, except for the years when I was taking my sons to their classes, including Hebrew lessons.
Yes, there is more literature available here, but my “Jewish life” amounts to zero, as I never got used to the idea that to be a member, one should pay. I was a de facto member when I taught at the synagogue, and my pay went in lieu of my membership. But when I stopped, it stopped as well.
Every day is a day to be proud of one’s Jewish heritage and traditions
That feeling of “not belonging” of always wondering why it doesn’t feel right to “join.” The “otherness” is such a huge part of who we are. It has taken me almost a lifetime (we’re not discussing our ages here..) to fully understand that this inability to “fit in” is a gift and a blessing given to us directly from HaShem when we became a Nation. It’s what I tell my children to tell their children.
We are an eternal people despite the ignorant majority we have to deal with. Thank you for this beautifully written piece. I learned a lot.
Thank you for taking the time to read my essay and to comment as well.Thank you for the compliment.
As adults we understand that it is good to be different. We revel in our difference-To stand apart. But as a child we never want to be the odd one. Look at middle school, high school, and even college now. It is not an easy thing to be different. But being different can be a very good thing not just as Jews, but as human beings as well.
On October 7, the Hamas terrorists were armed, the Israelis massacred were defenseless. The unanswered question is why did Israel disarm its citizens most of whom are IDF veterans and leave them vulnerable to mass rape and murder by Hamas? An incredibly stupid decision and the Israeli government is clearly culpable. Every Jewish family in Israel (and the US) should have a 9 mm handgun, an AR15 rifle and plenty of ammunition for both. Every adult and teenage member of the family should be proficient in their use. Have anti-gun Jewish politicians in both countries learned nothing from the Holocaust and the latest slaughter? Isn't it time for the Jewish people to tell them to go fuck themselves?
There are strict gun laws in Israel to prevent them falling into the hands of terrorists. Because you also cant control that everyone is going to use the arms properly. And besides every family who has a child in the army does have a weapon at home when their child returns for a visit.
Listen there were security persons at all the kibbutzim and the music festival. They were just overwhelmed. Even the army bases were overwhelmed because they too weren't properly equipped. The issue isn't should the Israeli government change their policy about guns ownership. The issue for Israelis is what took so long for the IDF to respond? Why was the Gaza envelope left so vulnerable? Why were there more soldiers in Judea and Samaria than at the border with Gaza?
There are stories about private citizens taking their guns to the Gaza envelope to fight the terrorist long before the army showed up. So yes making it easier for some people to own guns would probably be a good thing. But across the board gun ownership may just cause more problems than it solves.
Well said. And there is a certain symmetry in Bernie Sanders and Rand Paul working together to sink the antisemitism act. They may be politically polarized, but they’re both scum of the earth. They have that in common.
It's the horseshoe theory of antisemitism in practice.
Very sad to recognize that the country I came from to escape antisemitism never treated me with a disdain that the country I came to is capable of doing
Sometimes it feels almost ironic. Escaping possible antisemitism for the actual.
Well history showed that antisemitism was alot worse in Europe. No question. So coming here was not a bad move. Antisemitism in Europe is even worse than here. But the virulence of the antisemitism in the US was a shock to everyone, not just the Jews of America. But it is something that only effects our everyday lives.
I have to admit that I personally NEVER experienced it. Yes, my family had to run, but to run from the Nazis with the Latvians starting to kill before the Germans came (as Timothy Snyder so aptly demonstrated), but I never really experienced anything of the magnitude I see here (or truthfully anything). Never during my school or college years or at work after graduation was I treated any differently than my non-Jewish friends. In fact, my very best friends were non Jews and we experienced loyalty, devotion and admiration for each other. I never had friends like this here.
In fact, I am alive, as I shared before, because of the Russians - my parents, independent of each other, of course, my mom was just 13, survived because of them (but I think I shared it before ).
If I knew then what I know and what I observe now, I am not entirely sure I would have emigrated.
Yes, there was no religion. Yes, I was unable to practice Judaism, but truth be told, I still do not. In fact, I attended the synagogue there more often than here, except for the years when I was taking my sons to their classes, including Hebrew lessons.
Yes, there is more literature available here, but my “Jewish life” amounts to zero, as I never got used to the idea that to be a member, one should pay. I was a de facto member when I taught at the synagogue, and my pay went in lieu of my membership. But when I stopped, it stopped as well.
Thank you for teaching me about Chaim Solomon. I had know idea who he was.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post and leaving a comment. I appreciate you!
Thanks for the straight talk. Great post. I did not know about Chaim.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post and leaving a comment. I appreciate you!