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OpEdNews Op Eds    H1'ed 5/22/24

Being Jewish and American in Troubling Times

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Message Elayne Clift
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When I was young, in the 1950s, I identified strongly as a Jew. The sting of the Holocaust was fresh in Jewish minds, and I was proud of Israel as it built a country where Jews could live safely.

At that time, Jewish girls didn't celebrate their coming of age with a Bat Mitzvah as they do today, along with boys who celebrate their Bar Mitzvahs. My rabbi knew of my feelings about being Jewish, so on my 13th birthday he dedicated the Friday night service to the story of Esther, whose place in Jewish history is remembered in the month of March. It went a long way to assuage having been called a Jew b*tch by a classmate around that time. My orthodox grandfather would have been proud.

When I was even younger, I refused to utter the Lord's prayer every morning in school because it was not a Jewish prayer. I also resented having to stand around a Christmas tree every December singing carols, and not having an excused absence for observing the Jewish High Holy Days. I also didn't speak the pledge of allegiance at the morning ritual, hand over my heart, because I didn't want to support my country if it did something wrong (like Germany had done). Those acts of resistance foreshadowed my adult commitment to human rights, social justice, and equality under the law.

As I reflect on those early experiences and ideals now, I find myself in deep pain as both a Jew, and an American citizen. It pains me to bear witness to the inconceivable violence being perpetrated by the Israeli government, whose leadership has gone full fascist in its unrelenting attacks on the Palestinian people, who are suffering a siege of inhumane proportions.

It is painful for me that my president is unwilling to end American collaboration with what is clearly ethnic cleansing and yes, genocide in Gaza and the West Bank. Like many Jews and others I cannot fathom why he won't end the massacres by withholding all funds for Israeli military equipment that keeps the carnage going.

If nothing else, the president and those who speak for him, should realize that this administration is bleeding votes in the most crucial election of our time, which feels like abandonment to me. The president, in particular should, in words and deeds, demonstrate compassion, reason, intelligent decision-making, and commitment to human rights, all of which Democrats love to claim in hollow rhetoric.

Americans deserve to expect that the ideals we espouse as the keystone of our democracy, are not just campaign talk, but well-considered and well-articulated promises and policies, followed by actions that benefit all Americans, and keeps them safe.

The idea of safety and security goes beyond reduced, if not eliminated, worries about war, here and around the globe. Safety and security in America is meant to mean having decent housing, fairly compensated work, food security, and equal rights under the law. It means having accessible, quality healthcare without state intervention, an education that isn't dictated by state laws that decide what you can read, teach, talk about, and protest, all of which are deeply threatened in this time of budding autocracy and deep dive dictatorship.

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Elayne Clift is a writer,lecturer, workshop leader and activist. She is senior correspondent for Women's Feature Service, columnist for the Keene (NH) Sentinel and Brattleboro (VT) Commons and a contributor to various publications internationally. (more...)
 
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3 people are discussing this page, with 8 comments


Robert Gormley

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Is it true that most Jews reject Jesus as the Messiah?

Submitted on Sunday, May 26, 2024 at 8:47:07 PM

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Blair Gelbond

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Reply to Robert Gormley:   New Content

Robert,

Good to see you.

Any Jew (who has deeply immersed him or herself in the teachings and life of Yeshua realizes that he was one of the most advanced meditation masters and spiritual adepts to bless our world with his presence. And that he wasn't kidding when he shared his experience that "I and the Infinite are one."

There is significantly suggestive evidence that during his "lost years" Yeshua traveled to India and Tibet - likely on trade caravans going 'to and fro' - and studied with the most advanced spiritual masters living there, who at once recognized his extraordinary level of attainment.

He also wasn't kidding when he said he was bringing a new dispensation: "The old man must die for the new man to be born."

It also appears that much of Yeshua's teaching was suppressed by a church concerned with its self-preservation and growth amidst the Roman occupation. Yeshua was anti-authoritarian to the core.

No doubt, even then, there were those folks who aligned themselves with the Roman conquerors. Those who die while still supporting cruel, vicious authoritarian rule will need to experience the consequences of their thoughts, words and actions. It can be said that such people have 'gained the world but lost their soul.' As Yeshua so clearly said: What ye sow is what ye shall reap.

If interested - Jean-Ives Leloup, The Gospel of Thomas.

Submitted on Monday, May 27, 2024 at 4:29:25 PM

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David Wieland

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When you say "inconceivable violence being perpetrated by the Israeli government, whose leadership has gone full fascist in its unrelenting attacks on the Palestinian people, who are suffering a siege of inhumane proportions" it's apparent that you're not getting information about what's happening in Israel from Israeli sources. Rather it seems that you're basing your understanding on sources that are unfriendly, even hostile, to Israel and Jews in general such as Al Jazeera or Western media that draw on that source.

It's simply not true that the Israeli government is fascist and attacking the Palestinian people. It's only those Palestinians who are an active part of Hamas who are targets of the IDF. Unintended collateral damage is unfortunately always a consequence of war, but Israeli forces take extraordinary measures to avoid harming non-Hamas Palestinians. The suffering of the Palestinian people is directly attributable to Hamas, which even before the current war was abusing them, especially any (the few) who wouldn't bend the knee, and now pilfers and obstructs aid shipments. Israel doesn't deserve your condemnation; Hamas does. Worrying that supporting Israel in its effort to finally stop the perpetual attacks against it will cost Biden the votes of Hamas sympathizers is not a very principled stance.

Submitted on Monday, May 27, 2024 at 12:05:41 AM

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Robert Gormley

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Reply to David Wieland:   New Content

Couldn't disagree more.

Submitted on Monday, May 27, 2024 at 9:11:50 PM

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David Wieland

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What is it that you disagree with? Surely you're not a Hamas supporter, so what do you think Israel should do to protect itself from continual attack from a determined, extremely hostile, and well-funded terrorist organization? Or do you think that Hamas's unrelenting attacks, some more devastating than others, should be tolerated? Israel goes to extraordinary lengths to avoid harming non-combatants, but war is hell and mistakes are inevitable. Media reports emphasize such mistakes and the suffering of Gazans, while practically forgetting about the massacres and kidnappings that initiated the war. The IDF is the only army that provides warnings of impending attack that give civilians a chance to evacuate, but that's never on the news.

I think the gullibility of Westerners--and the undercurrent of widespread antisemitism--is on full display now as reports from Hamas and Al Jazeera are automatically accepted as valid, while Israeli reports get a skeptical eye. And elite universities have been revealed as more akin to indoctrination centers than places of higher learning.

Submitted on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at 3:38:07 AM

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Robert Gormley

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Reply to David Wieland:   New Content

Certainly Hamas is an evil terrorist orgaization. What they did was despicable. However,

defending yourself is one thing, massacuring innocents is another. There are multiple news agencies reporting this genocide. Reporting of the truth is not anti-Semitism. Israel has been

given a blank check for far too long. Even the Bible states that only a remnant of Israel will be saved.

Submitted on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at 7:43:39 AM

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Blair Gelbond

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Elayne,

I deeply honor the passion and clarity you have brought to this article. You are an important voice re- the challenges we are facing. I asked myself if I have anything to add.

What I can offer are a few resources that might help you extend your already wide and deep viewpoint even further. Dark Night, Early Dawn by Christopher Bache and Choosing Earth by Duane Elgin.

Keep writing!

Submitted on Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at 10:08:36 PM

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Blair Gelbond

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If Trump and Netanyahu fit the bill (to a t) for being malignant narcissists, what does this suggest about their supporters?

And what can we understand about those who go out of their way to justify the destruction such beings leave in their wake?

Submitted on Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 9:58:01 PM

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