Today is Yom Ha’Shoah, holocaust remembrance day. A few thoughts and some more information for you on Yom Ha’Shoah. This is quite a good little article.
Yom Ha’Shoah
Category Archives: Israel
Let My People Go, That they may hold a feast to me
1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” 2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” 3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” 4 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.” Exodus 5:1-4 Shemot 5:1-4
Tomorrow begins Pesach.
The original Pesach began when G-d decided his children had suffered enough of living in a land different than that he allotted to them. G-d sent Moshe to those in power over them to let them go and worship him as he had instructed them.
Pharaoh said “NO, it would threaten the Al-Aqsa mosque”. Actually that’s crap. Pretty much the same crap that muslims have been saying violently for years now. Long since before Israel was re-established as a state.
A quick history lesson. The first Temple was built by King Solomon in 957 BC. It was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Construction on the Second Temple was authorized by Cyrus the Great and began in 538 BC. It was completed 23 years later under the reign of Darius the Great. See the Purim story for more on this little gem. It was destroyed again by the Romans in 70 AD.
Mohammed the founder of the religion of pieces known as Islam lived from 570 AD – 8 June 632 AD. Around 613 AD he started preaching Islam. The first two Al-Aqsa mosques were built in 705 AD and 780 AD. They were destroyed by earthquakes. The third and still standing was built in 1035 AD. It is the 3rd holiest site is islam, and interestingly, at least to me, is there are Arab scholars which say that the mosque located on the Temple Mount is NOT the Al-Aqsa talked of in the Koran, it is not in the right location.
So, just in time for Pesach, the anti-Israel, anti-Semitic UN branch, specializing in anti-Israel actions, known as UNESCO has released a new resolution. It denies Jewish connection to the Temple Mount. You know, the Temple that was constructed to replace the Tabernacle Moshe built in the desert? But it goes a lot further than that. It
refers to Israel as the “occupying power” at every mention and uses the Arabic al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram al-Sharif without ever calling it the Temple Mount, as it is known to Jews. The text does refer to the Western Wall Plaza but places it in quotation marks, after using the Arabic Al-Buraq Plaza.
And
The resolution accuses Israel of “planting Jewish fake graves in other spaces of the Muslim cemeteries” and of “the continued conversion of many Islamic and Byzantine remains into the so-called Jewish ritual baths or into Jewish prayer places.”
Currently on the Temple Mount, holiest site in Judaism and holy to Christians, THIRD holiest site to muslims (if it is the right mosque, debate on that) Jews and Christians are NOT allowed to pray, recite verses from our Tanakh/Bible or wear any religious or Israeli symbols on our clothing. The Israeli police, yes Israeli will arrest you in a heartbeat. Yours or anyone’s. The muslim waqos, (hmm, may have left an “f” out of that somewhere) make sure the screaming harridans can yell “allah hu akbar” at visitors and safely stash rocks and incendiary devices to throw in their sacred Al-Aqsa. Pretty much like most Synagogues and Southern Baptist Churches, right?
Ok, I’ll stop. But the point is, Pesach began when the children were told to go and worship HaShem as he had commanded and the ruling powers tried to prevent it. Thousands of years later and what has changed? Moshe Dyan, you were an IDIOT!
But, there was a Pesach, and tomorrow night there will be a Pesach and I believe HaShem has still got a plan and has this covered. And so I will wish you Happy Passover, Pesach.
חג פסח שמח
73 years ago today, Warsaw
Today, 73 years ago began the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Some say it ended on May 16th, but there are other sources that say that it lasted on until fall. But the Jews in the ghetto held out longer than the nation of Poland.
The thing was, everything had been fine in Poland. Until it wasn’t.
Photo from the Ghetto Fighters House in Acco, Israel
As candidates debate how best to get America disarmed, this is worth remembering.
Not only were there precious few weapons available, most of the Jews in the ghetto didn’t know how to use them.
But I will leave you with something strong, proud and brave.
Zog nit kein mol- Jewish partisan song, but that’s Yiddish.
THIS, is Hebrew!
NEVER.AGAIN.
What about the protectors?
There was recently an incident in Israel that has really sparked controversy. Two peaceful palestinian Arab terrorists approached and pounced on a young 20 year old soldier at the guard post adjacent to the Tel Rumeida neighborhood and both stabbed him. They were “neutralized”, not killed, but “neutralized”. One of them was wearing a heavy coat despite the warm weather. And what, oh what, dear sheepdogs would that make one think? Well, if this isn’t the first thing that goes across your radar, pieceful palestinians are known to enjoy detonating bombs and themselves. Heavy coats cover such things. The pieceful palestinian terrorist that had just stabbed a young soldier began moving and several bystanders began saying “watch out, he has a bomb”. In fact the military WAS worried he had a bomb and had already placed a call for the sappers who had not yet arrived.
Now, how did this get to be such a big deal? There are LOTS of terrorist stabbing attacks in Israel these days. Well, this one was filmed by the anti-Israel, anti-semitic leftist NGO B’Tselem. Interestingly, without sound. Equally interesting to me, is how B’Tselem has been reported to be at the site of several of these attacks to film them. But that’s just me. But since it was filmed without sound, you don’t hear the bystanders warning he’s moving and might have a bomb. A soldier shoots the terrorist in the head. There is another video,
Politicians, and very sadly to me, the upper echelon of the IDF were quick to pounce on the young soldier. B’Tselem had released their video and version of events to the media and rather than investigating, politicians do what politicians shouldn’t do before investigating, they open their mouths and crap pours out. The young soldier was initially charged with murder, that has been downgraded to manslaughter. And he is still in custody.
Would you like to know who is siding with the soldier? Magen David Adom , emergency medical services in Israel, has said their rules were followed by their personnel on the scene. Their rules state that their medical crew does NOT approach a wounded terrorist until it has been cleared by security forces. Originally someone in the IDF had said the terrorist had been checked and there was no bomb. If that is the case, no one seemed to know it. Not MDA, not the bystanders and not the soldiers or the young soldiers commander who has also said there were concerns. Who else? Ramle Mayor Yoel Lavi
“The strategic security establishment of the state of Israel is dealing with a large number of stabbings and car ramming attacks, and instead of giving the response they are passing off the judgement and responses to a lone soldier,” said Lavi. In his comments he noted how the government has not put down the Arab terror wave, and instead left soldiers to deal with the threat on an individual basis.Lavi told Arutz Sheva, “when you pass along the judgement from the Chief of Staff to a soldier, mishaps are liable to occur. They aren’t succeeding in dealing with the terror, and instead pounce on an outstanding soldier and place him in handcuffs.””Instead of embracing the soldiers they put them in handcuffs, that isn’t how an establishment that loves its soldiers acts. The soldiers are acting in a complicated reality and the commanders aren’t giving any response.”
Who else? A whole lot o’ ticked off Israelis that are very tired of going to the market and seeing 60 year old women stabbed, or young fathers trying to stop a stabber being killed. Some of these attackers are young girls and boys.
So why am I, here in America writing about it? I’ve been thinking about Sally’s story in A Walk On The Dark Side. How Sally felt so vulnerable walking to her car and the group that started smashing car windows just as she got there. There is a thin blue line here in America that is suppose to separate and protect the innocent in society. That line of protectors is something that is world wide. Well, mostly. In civilized countries anyway. But it seems that the protectors are under attack. In Israel where the IDF and innocent civilians are the target daily of pieceful palestinians the soldiers are tasked with protecting themselves, each other and civilians. In America the Police, Sheriffs office and Highway Patrol the same.
But it seems the world has lost sight of values and what is important. Just in the last few years we’ve seen more than once politicians open their yap with things like “The Police acted stupidly”. Really? Report of a burglary? The rush to condemn the officer in Ferguson who shot a thug who was charging him? Gov. Jay Nixon opening his yap with “Justice for __________”. The young thugs family went to the UN to demand justice. The UN is quick to condemn Israel when she defends herself and her citizens. Even senile old communist Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders lied in his lament about Israel killing 10,000 pieceful palestinians. Apparently “The Bern” is unaware they use schools and hospitals to launch rockets. I guess anyone who has heard his speeches promising free goodies to everyone is aware he can’t do math. In case you don’t know it, the IDF has a “Purity of Arms” code they have to abide by. This article does a really good job of explaining what that has got them at this point.
The UN and the politicians are so concerned about the rights of terrorists and thugs. I want to know who is concerned about the innocent people affected by these criminals? Who is concerned about the Fogel family asleep in their beds and slaughtered? Who is concerned about the baby who had it’s head smashed in with a rifle butt? The family out shopping or standing at a bus stop? Who is concerned about the people that go to work, take care of their lawn and their families and just want to live out their lives? Apparently not the politicians, the upper echelons of law enforcement or military or the UN. Why aren’t they?
There was already a lack of law enforcement available in Sally’s part of town, how will this work out when the continued focus is on protecting the criminal and good people don’t want any part of making law enforcement or the military a career? Why do the job when every day in addition to the dangers you face, you face the danger of becoming a scapegoat in some politically correct blame game when some ignorant politician opens it’s yap. Will there be a fatal hesitation introduced into the response by law enforcement or the military because of political correctness at the expense of their lives or the lives of the civilians they are charged with protecting?
In Israel there has been a public outcry in defense of the soldier. In America I haven’t seen so much of that in defense of our law enforcement. Perhaps we are now going to be in a position where we need to defend our protectors.
But what I really sorrow over? Is when and why did the focus leave the innocent to favor the guilty.
Never Again? Well, That Didn’t Take Long.
Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed on January 27th, according to the U(seless)N, Germany and many parts of the world. It’s observed on 27th of Nisan which is usually in April or May in Israel. I went to a Holocaust Remembrance service at Ben Gurion University a couple years ago. Phrases you hear often are “Never Again”. The date was chosen because it was the day that the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau occurred. January 27, 1945.
For Germany, “Never Again” didn’t take long. The Munich massacre was September 1972. I can still remember waking up that morning and hearing the news on the radio. I didn’t understand why someone didn’t shoot the terrorists. Young and naive wasn’t I? It just made no sense! The Israelis had a shooting team and a coach. So it was a span of about 27 years before Jews were bound and herded helplessly into the cattle cars of the helicopters.
There are many kinds of hot mess around this additional shameful saga of Germany’s history. Israeli delegation head Shmuel Lalkin had warning bells going off like crazy when he saw the accommodations for the Israeli athletes. Ground floor, no armed guards, anyone could access the hallway, it led to a garage. He howled to the West Germans and the Israelis about it. He begged to be allowed to carry his sidearm, he was recently out of the IDF as a Major. Denied. The West Germans didn’t have any armed guards anywhere in the olympic village. It might make people “feel bad”. They wanted everything to “feel friendly”. So, no armed guards, no moving the Israelis to a higher floor. Nothing that he wanted that would have been sensible preventative safety precautions was done. It might “look bad”. In addition to all this, Der Speigel ran a article in 2012 that said the German authorities had been tipped off something was going to happen.
After the Israelis were taken hostage the “negotiations” such as they were, began to take place. Finally the Germans assembled their crack hostage rescue team. They didn’t have one actually, so candidates were selected by asking them “have you ever fired a gun before?” Not have you ever fired THIS type of gun before, but just sort of asked the willing police officers, “have you ever fired a gun before”. This was after they turned down Golda Meir’s request/beg to be allowed to send an actual Israeli hostage rescue team that did know very well what the heck they were about and what to do. So these Germans are crawling around on the top of the building trying to figure out how to break in and listening for the code word which never came. Probably a good thing. The terrorists peaceful Palestinians who just wanted to liberate their friends and relatives unfairly imprisoned for killing people and blowing up things watched the whole thing on TV, live. TV cameras were set up across from the building and broadcast everything.
Eventually the hostages were bound, herded onto a bus and taken to Fürstenfeldbruck air force base. Where the German rescue attempt continued to exhibit the same finely tuned precision as at the Olympic Village. The police had miscounted the terrorists, they had no night vision equipment, or training and had never worked together before. One terrorist mowed the hostages in his helicopter down with his gun as they sat helpless tied together. The other terrorist threw a grenade into his.
The German government then proceeded to lie and cover up information for many many years. The only reason much of it came to light was Ankie Spitzer who had been married to Israeli fencing coach Andre about a year and a half is a bulldog. The woman never stopped. She kept pressing and going at them and finally an anonymous source called her lawyer and the delivery of information began to flow in. Ankie is amazing. Andre married well.
In the documentary One Day In September, Jamal Al-Jishey, the only surviving terrorist of the attack gave an interview. He was proud of the work he did, the peaceful palestinians did a great thing.
Now we have the shocking news coming from Angela Merkel’s government that Antisemitism is on the rise.
Shocker that. Who could have possibly foreseen that bringing in millions upon millions of people that hate Jews would result in a rise in Antisemitism in a country that has a long proud history of it’s tolerance towards Jews. So ALL possible efforts to combat Antisemitism will be used. Well, except of course re-examining that open door “refugee” policy thingy.
In Israel the stabbing attacks are indiscriminate. Against men women and children. Out in public and in front of their homes, where they die fighting like a tigress to stop the terrorist from going after her children. If you don’t know the name Dafna Meir H”YD, she deserves 2 minutes of your time. Amazing woman.
This has nothing to do with frustration, repression or any other garbage. This is how the peaceful palestinians are brought up. The father of the murderer of Dafna said he is proud of his 15 year old son who stabbed the mother of 6 to death.
Jews in France aren’t especially safe, or Sweden (or Swedish women either for that matter) but at least in America it’s different. Abe Foxman of the ADL will be quick enough to tear you a new one for something said, but be prepared to defend yourself or family against a life threatening attack? With a GUN??? Perish the thought! Same for the congressional professional victim creation class.
Still, it’s different in America.
Well, except in Michigan. Where former state department employee Lina Allan defended the stabbing of Jews as killing animals and was miffed at muslim who aren’t doing so. She’s talking about killing Jews, Israel didn’t really come into it.
Considering Abu Mazen head of the Palestinian Authority financed a chunk of the Munich Massacre, you would think we would examine links a bit more closely, but apparently, no.
At least in America our own government will never attack unarmed defenseless citizens. Countries that have embarrassing records when it comes to protecting a certain ethnic group charged with spreading Torah will certainly learn from their mistakes and correct lapses in the future exercising all vigilance.
And now I’m going to go pet my unicorn and go to sleep!
Into the Herd
Recently I had a lovely opportunity to spend some time with three people that wanted to learn to shoot. While I’m not a REAL firearms instructor, I knew enough to teach basic gun safety and had a place they could shoot. So I coached them through rifle from the prone position only, shotgun and handgun. They all seemed to enjoy themselves very much. I was heartened to hear the young girl, college age comment it wasn’t guns that are bad, it’s who is doing what with them. They all seemed pleased with having the chance to learn and get familiar with some basic tools and they seemed very pleased with how they shot. They should be. They all did a fantastic job. But best of all, they had fun. It was a good experience for them. I was so very proud of the three of them and made it very clear. When I wasn’t kicking their feet, but other than that. I mostly drank coffee, coached, corrected and encouraged. I kept my political commentary and legal commentary to a minimum due to time constraints. Two of the young’uns had to be at work at a certain time.
But one part I just couldn’t contain myself. During our handgun portion I was asked about carrying, how often did I carry, I did carry didn’t I? Of course. I said that most of the time it seemed when people had to pull their emergency equipment that the attacking party reconsidered their current itinerary. BUT, that didn’t mean they would. That a person needed to consider before they ever decided to carry that if the need arose, could they, would they kill someone to protect themselves or someone they were with? That you shouldn’t ever pull your weapon hoping to run a bluff. The people that prey on others are predators and they will sense that. NEVER put your sights on something you aren’t willing to destroy.
I guess this was so strongly on my mind because recently in Tel Aviv there was a Israeli Arab that attacked a pub crowd killing two and wounding others. Witnesses noticed an armed civilian who failed to try to neutralize the terrorist. They don’t know why, but speculation is that he was afraid of being prosecuted or arrested for awhile. America has Mom’s Demand Sanity Action and Gun Senseless crowd to deal with. Israel has “Gun on the kitchen table” who have successfully got the government to restrict the number of weapons issued to security guards and civilians. They apparently have had no effect on the amount of illegal guns in the arab communities as yet though. The terrorist left the pub massacre and went on to kill a cab driver who picked him up. He is still at large presumably in Tel Aviv.
This seems to be happening more. There have been police officers assaulted because they were afraid of becoming Darren Wilson, and afraid to do their job due to the “Ferguson Effect”. Civilians afraid to defend themselves because they are afraid of becoming George Zimmerman and having Black Panthers (or anyone else) publicly put a price on your head. Law abiding citizens are the ones under attack from the law, the government wants people to be afraid to defend themselves and they want the guardians to be afraid to defend the law-abiding. The only ones it seems this administration is intent of defending are thugs.
Which, I guess explains barry’s recent plans on gun control. If they aren’t afraid, make them unable.
I’m not really sure what prompted my three guests to decide they wanted to become a bit familiar with lifesaving tools at this time. I didn’t ask. It didn’t really matter. Bringing new people that understand tools and know how to use them into the herd is good, no matter what gets them here. But I do know what motivated me to teach them. A labor of love. People have different ways of thinking about things and different ways of saying “I love you”. And perhaps they are beginning to realize or consider what some have already discovered the hard painful way. “Without a rifle, you are nothing”.
So at the end of the day, I felt pretty good about things. I had successfully introduced and furthered some education on rifle, shotgun and handgun. I can take them apart a clean them. I was thinking I might not be far from a superhero cape. Until I tried to make a rice dish I wanted and discovered while I can do those things, I can not cook rice properly. I guess the superhero cape will be on hold for a while.
Oh, it’s probably nothing…
Dear Aharon,
I’m sorry to bother you again. But Hanukkah and Christmas are both over and this year it just seems like I’ve seen more than a few things that bother me. I’m really trying to be understanding, but I guess some of this just eludes me and I was kind of hoping you could help me clear it up.
In the America I grew up in, it seemed like December was always just such a joyous time of year. There is Hanukkah, with parties and dreidels and Christmas with Santa and trees and gifts. Of course I know that Hanukkah is not about gelt, dreidels, latkas and sufganiyot. I know Christmas isn’t about gifts, trees and hot chocolate.
Hanukkah was about the freedom to be a Jew, practice your religion and live. All at the same time. The Greeks weren’t so interested in killing the Jews prior to the Maccabbean rebellion as forcing assimilation. As long as you were willing to give up the practice of Judaism as commanded by G-d through the Torah and adopt the Hellenistic ways, as many of the more liberal Jews were, it was all cool beans.
Christmas was about the celebrating the birth of Yeshua, the son of G-d. Churches had nativity scenes out in front and often there might be one by the courthouse as well. Schools would have trees, kids would sing songs, there would be little parties with cookies, and parents would beam as the children did their Christmas plays.
But not this year. It’s been harder and harder to see the symbols in public the last few years, because they aren’t there. This year has been the worst it seems. So many things canceled for fear of offending another religion.
This is the year of the offended. Or fear of offending. It’s so bad that a teacher was told to take down her Hello Kitty Christmas tree. Yep, Hello Kitty. No angels, or baby Yeshua or anything like that, just little cartoon kittys on a pink tree that were dangerously offensive. At another school the Charlie Brown Christmas play was heavily edited due to the complaint of one person. There were many more complaints against it, but they didn’t matter. So it would seems the schools are safely sanitized of religion now.
Well, except for one. While many schools have decided to quit teaching cursive handwriting because it isn’t needed, some school districts are teaching calligraphy. To teach calligraphy, they are teaching the children to write in Arabic. In Arabic the children are learning to write “There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” The first pillar of Islam. The girls in class were also treated to a lecture on how to dress modestly like a muslim, and invited to try on a headscarf while learning. This lesson was not well received by parents, and the school decided to avoid classes the next day and close. Parents were not informed what their children would be told to write, or given a chance to opt out. While a Koran was provided in class for the children to look at, the teacher declined to provide a Bible saying it wasn’t necessary. So I guess that’s how a school in VA observed December. But it’s not just Virginia, in Tennessee in September the schools went even further and made the children learn and recite all five pillars of Islam. They spent three weeks studying Islam, but skipped over the lessons concerning Christianity and Judaism. Doesn’t quite seem equal in the schools to me.
In business, mulsim cabbies refuse passengers with guide dogs and alcohol. Because it’s for religious reasons. However, religious reasons don’t seem to matter when it comes to Christian bakers who don’t want to make a cake. Then it’s all different.
What about obamacare? In 2016 the penalty for an individual is $695 for someone who’s insurance doesn’t match what the government says they must have. The Amish and Muslims are not required to buy obamacare, or have penalties. They believe insurance is gambling. Well, if insurance is gambling and they don’t have to buy it, what about auto insurance? Most states require you to have auto insurance to drive. Are they exempt from that as well?
When there is a crime committed, especially one with guns involved, it seems the media rushes to find a conservative or tea party angle. Yet when it appears the perpetrator is a muslim, the media and the government rush in to decry the connection saying it isn’t islam. In fact, barry still says ISIS has nothing to do with islam. When the woman ran over all those people in Las Vegas? The Sheriff isn’t comfortable discussing motive. Ok, maybe it has nothing to do with terrorism, or islam. Other people may scream “Allahu Akbar”, but seems it could be a clue. I mean that’s how they do it in Israel on a daily basis. The media talking heads and politicians will all trot out and tell us it wasn’t islam, had nothing to do with islam. And then call for more gun control. As a favorite radio show host of mine pointed out, why don’t all those people just hush about it, and let them tell us what islam is and isn’t. The ones doing the terrorist acts says it’s in the name of allah. I’m guessing they would know. No, I don’t think all muslims are terrorists. But the state department hasn’t a clue who is and who isn’t either. Nor does DHS or any other acronym. I’m still waiting for the million muslim march decrying the violence. Oh wait, they probably won’t do that, because it could mean their death as well.
No, islam in America seems to be hoping to force America to change to suit them. And in areas where there are large concentrations of them, they are getting quite brazen about what they insist taxpayer fork over.
So, Aharon, that’s the educational system, the business sector, the health care sector and the criminal arena and even charity and benefits. In all of those one group of people is giving preferential treatment over another. Does this mean we are already living in “dhimmitude” and no one has told us yet? And if the restrictions are applied I guess we will understand why barry tried so hard to take guns away from law abiding citizens. It’s going to be hard to impose the rest of some of those restrictions till he gets that one in place.
It just seemed so sad this December, and I guess I wonder if it is just the start of things? It’s not like we’ve ever seen a time where people are forced to give up the practice of their religion, covert or die right? It’s not like we need to be paging Judah Maccabee, right? No, it’s probably nothing, right?
Sincerely,
נצ
Dear נצ
You really are a glutton for punishment aren’t you? Yes, I can understand why you see things this way. I can understand why you are sad and concerned. But all you can do is keep trying your best to keep the concept of freedom and liberty alive. People have to have the mindset they want to live free. To keep those things alive you have to keep the right to have defensive tools. There are plenty of examples of civilizations that didn’t have enough, or good enough defensive tools and how that turned out. Keep doing those things. That is what you can do. Now, go have a nice cup of Israeli coffee, maybe a piece or two of halva. You’ll feel better.
Regards,
אַהֲרֹן
This is how you do it
Guy rams car into a crowd, injuring 11. He has an axe in his vehicle. This is Israel. Seems he intended to join the ongoing “stabbing jihad” but to go for the bigger thrill of making it a “hacking jihad.”
Crowd doesn’t intend to go quietly. Someone has a gun. Good-bye, terrorist swine.
Yes, that’s how you do it.
Cleaning the Menorah for Next Year
As the last cold latke gets tossed into the microwave oven, and the candle wax is scraped off the menorah, this year’s Hanukkah winds down. We look out into the world and see hope and fear, success and failure, as always. Hmmm.
What is the “point” of celebrating Hanukkah, anyway?
A Jewish response to Christmas? An excuse to eat fried foods? A historical series of battles, defeating a military giant? Clinging stubbornly to one’s own culture, in the face of foreign challengers?
Yes, all of that…sort of. But that’s only the surface.
Columnist Daniel Greenfield declares it a “Dangerous Holiday”, and that it surely is.
In the end the answer is hinted at by the declaration “Am Yisrael Chai”; “The People of Israel Live”. As the Jews survive, against all odds… indeed, contrary to all reason, then the world has hope.
Hanukkah, it’s successes, and it’s failures, shows us once again that everything exists because G-d wills it to be so.
Twas a Night During Hanukkah
Twas a night during Hanukkah and all through the house, not a creature was stirring except for a mouse.
And Cowgirl Kitty killed it.
My Hanukkiah had been lit, and into sufganiyot and latkas I had bit and I smiled with joy that the three of them bring.
Little Marlowe gently snored on his puppy bed, and I snuggled in, with thoughts of Hanukkah in my head.
And who to my wondering eyes should appear? Judah Maccabee, it WAS him, I swear!
I sat up quite started, “Sir, you give me quite a fright, why do you appear here in the dead of the night?”
He regarded me gravely and tugged on his beard, he said so very softly “It’s the things I have heard”.
My eyes widened just as his narrowed, and I shivered in my bones, clear down to the marrow.
Judah, what has you so troubled I asked with a frown, you know you’re one of my heroes, you know it deep down!
He sighed as he listed the attacks both great and small, in France, in England, the USA and Israel, worst of all,
Hannah and her sons, my father, my brothers and I did not fight and give our lives, so that latkas you could fry. The dreidels you do spin, the songs you do sing, they should be a strong reminder there are still evil things.
We loved G-d our father, he created this earth, to serve him we certainly have proven our worth.
Those that would keep us from observing his rules, have mistaken our courage, they must have been fools.
He gave us great victories, he gave back our Temple, you should have held on, it is just that simple.
No Jew may pray there, nor Christian it seems, Beit HaMikdash lives only in my dreams.
In France Jews are told no Menorah to light, so as to avoid the evil in the night.
G-d gave us the miracle of such great victory, he gave us the miracle of the oil, it is our history. To turn our backs and ignore? What a sad mystery!
Judah smiled sadly, and said “The Zelmans Partisans, it fights the good fight you are warriors all. My spirit is beside you, you must heed the call!” We were partisans, we Maccabees, we know of your struggle, we’ve made the same pleas.
Freedom comes dear, without effort it won’t last. Keep your sword sharp and ready, be prepared to draw fast.
Your weapons they will try to seize, your faith try to shake, and you must hold both close. Make no mistake.
Judah then brightened and said with a smile, you all are doing good work. You all spread the word, keep it up and you will be heard.
He then began to fade and my eyes began to tear, Oh Judah I said, why did you come here?
It was then Marlowe barked and I awoke with a start, and I began to rethink the idea that Chipotle pepper Tabasco in latkas was a good idea.
חג חנוכה שמח
chag chanukkah sameach
Happy Hanukkah Holiday!!
With sincere, abject and humble apologies to Clement Clarke Moore. And probably a few of you that just suffered through my attempt at poetry!
