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[Editor’s note: The piece below is to mark Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, and Yom Haatzmaut, Independence Day – a somber day followed by a day of great celebration held every year in late April or early May on the day (in the Hebrew calendar) which, in 1948, Israel declared its independence. This year, Yom Hazikaron will be commemorated from the evening of Monday, April 24th, and Yom Haatzmaut will be celebrated from the evening of Tuesday, April 25 to the evening of Wednesday, April 26.]
These last days, when I draped myself in the heavy mourning cloak; when my horizon was thickened with the dark memories of my fallen warriors, darkened with my children’s burning tears, my flowerbed was covered with multicolored buds and red roses like my soldiers’ blood, I felt the pain possessing me and never allowing me a moment of respite. All my bones shook, cracked under the heavy load of my past, and groaned under my mothers’, my orphans’, and my fathers’ pain.
We, the people of Israel, never cease mourning our children.
I, ISRAEL, am continually on the verge of despair. Threatened by so many haters, cowards; because you see, I scare them with my brain, my wisdom, and my lights that radiate and illuminate the vast world and the universe.
I, the tiny ISRAEL, am my enemy’s nightmare. They cannot keep up with the tremendous weight of my bible, my understanding, my vision, my science, my love for my people, my admiration for their strength, their greatness, their uniqueness, their affection, their simplicity, their complexity, and their failures, as well.
My children are giants in their discoveries and resounding achievements in all fields. They are titans when they are called to defend their lives and those of their brothers, but above all, they remain so human that they do not neglect any part of the extraordinary divine creation.
My children’s strength lies in their power to eradicate their pain, overcome it, and substitute it with the gift of life’s ineffable joy. Like Phoenix, they rise from their ashes to wonderfully cheer their tribute to their Creator, their gift to life.
Blessed by God himself, I, ISRAEL, am eternal.
Therese Zrihen-Dvir is an Israeli-Canadian citizen who was born in Morocco and now lives in Israel. She has published over 20 books in 3 languages – French, English and Hebrew – and she speaks five languages.
A beautiful piece. But Israel’s greatest gift is its capacity for joy — and for hope. With G0d’s help (B”H).
The ingratitude of folk who have benefited from Israeli inventions! But the real reason they hate Jews is because Jesus was a Jew and they hate Him
“But the real reason they hate Jews is because Jesus was a Jew and they hate Him”
Negative. Jews themselves don’t believe in Jesus, and many hate him. The hatred of Jews started when Christianity started to gain steam and was in direct competition with Judaism.
I don’t know of any Jewish person in my long life that “hates” someone else’s god. If thats what you meant to say-the grammar of the sentence renders it ambiguous.
No one in my family, friends, in memory of all the people Ive known.
Maybe you’re projecting some insecurity or are just misinformed.
There is an underlying fear of being killed, ghettoed, discriminated against, certainly hated and as you seem to display lied about. But, hate, no.
All who are civilized and have some faith are respected.
Lethal stated a falsehood. That people hate Jews because Jesus was a Jew. As dishonest as you are even you know that statement is nonsense. Jews are not hated because Jesus was a Jew. The reason Jews started to be hated was because of their refusal to become Christians.
Second, you’ve checked with the millions of Jews around the world and know they all don’t hate someone else’s god? You said you checked with your family and friends. Ok so a handful of people you know don’t hate Christianity. Of course, you missed the entire point.
Have you ever seen the reaction of some, or most, Jewish families when they find out their child wants to convert to a Christianity? They are disowned. Would you say that’s hate or love?
Why don’t you acknowledge that Lethal’s statement was absurd?
Further, hatred of Jesus by those of the Jewish faith dates back to Biblical times. The Jewish leaders of that time became more hostile and began to hate Jesus. Their most intense fury was directed at Him because Jesus said “I am the Christ, the Son of the Blessed, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven”
Now, of course, not ALL Jewish folks hate someone’s god, but you are clearly being dishonest and speaking on a topic you aren’t well versed in.
Why are you always so overly defensive?
Therese, “My children’s strength lies in their power to eradicate their pain, overcome it, and substitute it with the gift of life’s ineffable joy.” At 70 after losing too many family, friends, children of friends I am on this day each year finding it harder and harder to bring on that joy, listening to Israeli TV waiting for the wail of the siren. I can remember in 82 sitting in our artillery tanks in Lebanon taking this will be it we hope, and our children won’t know war no more. I also know what would happen if we give up, and pray that the younger world Jewish generation will realize, keep the Jewish state close to their hearts and be prepared to protect and defend when needed.
Dear David. My brother’s children, my children, and their children – all of them are in the Israeli army or intended to enroll soon. All of them yet hope for peace, an impossible peace, because the enemy refuses to compromise, and rejects any kind of life even when he is the greatest winner. In french we say ” tant qu’il y a de la vie, il y a de l’espoir” As long as there is life, there is hope.- We continually hope for a better tomorrow and we, also, believe in justice and God’s justice. We don’t have much choice, don’t we? Antisemitism is spread in today’s entire world, and in some places, it flourishes under some democracies. They went so far as to finance terror against Israël. Israël will never give up because, without their state, there is no other place for them elsewhere. AM ISRAEL HAY. The price is high – we mourn and we pray and laugh to the skies after staunching our tears.
Chcuo – What are you looking for? This post will appear in French in Riposte Laïque tonight. I battle for my country and use any means to fight for justice, truth, peace, and harmony. My target is to protect the one and only Jewish state: Israel. So your diatribe has no room in my commentaries and is odd to read.
Chcuo – je ne partage pas tous les points de vue de Riposte Laïque – je n’aime pas les guerres. J’en ai soupé. J’ai cherché à insufler à la France mon souhait de les voir unis, tout comme je veux mes israéliens unis et aimants. J’espère que vous me comprenez mieux maintenant. Bonne soirée.