Lee Diamond – Ethnic Cleansing
It’s a different form of
“Ethnic cleansing”
And you are guilty of it
In your attempt
To be American
In your attempt
To be “like All the nations”
You threw away the baby
With the wash water.
Sure we had to change!
Every living entity changes
But every living body
Every living entity
Has a unique genetic fabric.
You wanted to be like all others
You so much wanted
to be like Them
That you sold your soul
To them.
That “Pinteleh” Yid
That tiny flame of Jewish
Passion and emotion
That had burned so brightly
Throughout our days
Began to flicker on the alter
Of acceptance and modernity.
Instead of leading
You were led
By the fearful who
Who dreaded to be different
Ethnic Judaism
Self love and self pride
Were cast aside
Jewish knowledge
Became a sign
Of weakness
Hebrew a dead language
Reserved For the very few
English now the language of
Prayer between man
And the God of Israel.
“Tikun Olam” your Halacha
So palatable to the Nations
that you so cherished
In Your search for acceptance.
When the cream of your Youth
Inspired by serious Jewish education
Donned a Kipa
Or even Tzitzit
You accused them
Of being brain washed
Of being different
And a threat to integration.
You struggled with the Angel
Of Israel
But failed to overcome him
As Jacob did.
Israel was not your name
Reform was your name
And you became the largest
And strongest of American
Judaism
But wounded in your gait
For you walked
To their drummer.
Why don’t you wrestle ?
Why not be unique?
Why not be ethnic?
Why diminish the flame?
That gave us light and might?
Why not become
Ethnic Israel
B’nai Yisrael
