My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts as I woke up. I looked back on the past few years. Memories flooded my thoughts and pictures entered my vision. My son thrown to the ground in a center of seven year old children. My daughter raped by a street child. Blood thrown on our building. Rocks thrown through our windows. Our home burglarized by thugs needing a sit down and a stiff drink. Bullets shot through our windows. A torrent of Internet threats, promises, and a mass of hate crime offenses that couldn't be prosecuted because we don't have a hate crime division. Pipe bombs behind our personal home hushed as police drill training. Broken windows and break and entry that were shuffled with paperwork. Spontaneous fire on our front porch and death threats, a car on our front porch, the list went on and yet, we had only been in town nine years?
What was different this time? The hate group involved was an international group. It had many different cells across the world. Their paperwork was taped to our building and their intentions were clear. All Jews must die. We couldn't be less Jewish. We didn't know how. The tenant of our faith basically states to stand apart, look different, live different. We do not blend in. Reporting to the police this time seemed fruitless, however, no acknowledgement also let them go away with no accountability.. A report to state police was made but sedately, almost.
What was different this time? The hate group involved was an international group. It had many different cells across the world. Their paperwork was taped to our building and their intentions were clear. All Jews must die. We couldn't be less Jewish. We didn't know how. The tenant of our faith basically states to stand apart, look different, live different. We do not blend in. Reporting to the police this time seemed fruitless, however, no acknowledgement also let them go away with no accountability.. A report to state police was made but sedately, almost, apologetically.
Who else received these flyers in town? We called the synagogue and the holocaust museum, one yes and one no. We chose to keep it cool and not give the tryrrants what they did not have-free press time. Now the pictures from across the country were showing red and death tolls and these were just families at a Brit Milah. The leader of the free world was quoted stating they should have posted an armed guard, at the synogogue?
Each time something happened to our family, the answer from within was- you choose to be different, you are Orthodox in a city of reform Jews, wear a wig, hide a little, take your tichel off your head, take your kippa off, blend, blend, blend.
The attack was not in our town. It could have been. The incidents were only five days apart. The hate was real. The attack this time was at a synogogue in Pittsburg. We are them, and they are us. What can a Jew in Indiana say or do? Go to your synogogue, be present. Put up your mezuzah, wear your Chai proudly, light your menorah, live "Jewishly"!
Stand up, be Loud, be visable. I stand with you, because you are my mishpacha, my brothers and sisters, grandfathers and grandmothers, my daughters, my sons, my husband. I want to wipe your tears and hug your pain away. I love you because you are my own. You are called by my name. I am called by your name. We are all called Jews.
We are a mishpacha. We fuss and fight and pick and quarrel but ultimately, we love. When someone in our family hurts, we rise up. We rise up! We rise up! We fight when they cannot. We shout, when they cannot. We cry when they cannot. We love when they need more love. We are one. We are a family. We are mishpacha.
What was different this time? The hate group involved was an international group. It had many different cells across the world. Their paperwork was taped to our building and their intentions were clear. All Jews must die. We couldn't be less Jewish. We didn't know how. The tenant of our faith basically states to stand apart, look different, live different. We do not blend in. Reporting to the police this time seemed fruitless, however, no acknowledgement also let them go away with no accountability.. A report to state police was made but sedately, almost.
Who else received these flyers in town? We called the synagogue and the holocaust museum, one yes and one no. We chose to keep it cool and not give the tryrrants what they did not have-free press time. Now the pictures from across the country were showing red and death tolls and these were just families at a Brit Milah. The leader of the free world was quoted stating they should have posted an armed guard, at the synogogue?
Each time something happened to our family, the answer from within was- you choose to be different, you are Orthodox in a city of reform Jews, wear a wig, hide a little, take your tichel off your head, take your kippa off, blend, blend, blend.
We are a mishpacha. We fuss and fight and pick and quarrel but ultimately, we love. When someone in our family hurts, we rise up. We rise up! We rise up! We fight when they cannot. We shout, when they cannot. We cry when they cannot. We love when they need more love. We are one. We are a family. We are mishpacha.
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