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Rabbi Joel Lehrfield
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| The Rabbi's Study |
| Summer, 2002 |
Dwelling for a moment upon political issues, I am amused at the tremendous outpouring of lve from the European Union for the victims of Palestinian arrogance. The Palestinians, having found themselves victimized by their chieftain and leader, and hemmed in by their own actions (in order to secure the protection of Israel's citizenry), now find themselves abandonded by their very best friends- the members of the European Union. Can you imagine "Nebach?" It took the Europen Union close to three weeks in order to find a place for twelve murderers exiled by Israel. In this vast multitude of humanity know and the European Union, twelve terrorists, whom the EU does not acknowledge as such as goes so far as to perceive them as guests, could not find a wholesome, comfortable, place of refuge. The thirteenth individual, who was left in Cyprus, must really be feeling like an outcast. If I would be a "Palestinian," this behavior would have expressed itself as a most severe "humiliation," and should have warranted a number of homicide bombers in retribution. To discover that no one wants you - not the Saudis, not the Jordanians, not the Syrians, nor the Lebanese, the Egyptians, the Libyans - note even the European Union, is truly an ego building experience. |
My world has turned upside down. Here, I've always looked to the college campuses as being the source of advanced, liberal, thoughtful positions. I've always thought of them as places for one to speak one's mind as guaranteed us in the First Amendment. Sadly, I've now discovered what a 'naif' I've been! Instead of being breeding places of intellectual discussio, they have been taken over by vitriolic, anti-semeic, Palsetinian-loving eggheads spouting lies, unwilling ot even recognize the possibility of some truth for their opponents (as evidenced by numerous interviews on CNN, NBC, Fox News, CBS, ABC, and other newscasts). Whoever opposes them is shouted down, and they spout slogans that could have come out of Ramallah, Cairo, and Riyadh, et al. Now, I know that people have strong emotional positions on this issue. After all, even I sometimes occasionally give vent to my unhappiness. But something must be wrong. How peculiar it is for me to find myself, fi not in bed with them, certainly in the same corner (or bedroom) with the Evangelicals. |
| It was strange recently to read the
Wall Street Journal of
the number of Evangelicals who have joined forces with us against the terrorist
Palestinian structure. They march with us in the hundreds and sometimes
thousands, and deep in the heart of the Bible Belt, they give money for
ambulances and to purchase protective devices for Israeli citizens. (If
you want more information, look up the May 23rd Wall
Street Journal web site.) and the anti-semitism that we thought might
have disappeared following the horrific events of the Holocaust was only
lying dormant in that cradle of liberty - the college campus. |
| I also have been thinking how frightened
and insecure we are. Not since the days of World War II (when I was just
a child), do I recall that palpable sense of fear in the American community.
as a child, I recall the concern for German saboteurs, and the unmistakable
sense of fear the the Japanese would invade or shell the West coast. I recall
my father rushing off to get his air raid helmet (when any sensible person
would have known that in those days, there was no warplane that could have
reached Chicago.) |
| We are frightened because
we have never experienced the insecurity that is bred by terror.
As a Jew, I have never felt so threatened
in this country. But now, we
have to learn to live with insecurity. As a police spokesman in Jerusalem
was recently reported to have said "we Israelis can teach you Americans
lots about living with terror." |
| But there is one thing
that living under such conditions does; it promotes religious thinking.
It raises questions about the fragility of live, and arouses in us a true
understanding of the verse, "the terror that strikes by night and the
arrow that strikes by day." (Psalm 91). In some ways, it rouses us
from our lethargy, and forces us to think of the quality of our lives, for
who knows how long we have? Certainly the Holydays that we are approaching
(hard to believe that in May I am thinking about the High Holydays) lead
us towards a time of reflection, Teshuva, and Heshbon Hanefesh
(an accounting of one's soul). |
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