Lee Diamond – Remembering that I’m a Jew!
Sometimes I live amongst them
Sometimes I live like a nomad
Sometimes I live in my land
Sometimes I find myself a slave
And sometimes I wander freely
In a desert
Sometimes I feel God’s presence
Sometimes I I forget who I am
When living a moment of life
I live in that moment
And the grand picture Is hidden
And the moment rules
But life is not lived in moments
Life is greater than any moment or
Even a collection of moments
Life is essence !
“And you shall place fringes upon your garments
For all generations
To remember my commandments
I am God ”
“Tzitzit ” is a “fringe’ for the Jew to remember
The Essence
and escape the moment.
The essence that makes us essential
The essence of our uniqueness
The purpose of being Jews!
Just as we dress differently
So too do we eat differently
So too do we make our covenant differently
So too do we speak differently
And live differently
And mark our doors
Differently
And teach our children differently
And wear our words of commitment
On our arm and between our eyes
Differently
And face differently
Toward Zion
Toward our physical place
Together
And celebrate differently
(“Why is this night different from all other nights”)
Is different better?
I think NOT
Is different superior?
I know that it is NOT
Does different conserve
Or preserve
Or carry on essence, forever
Even with change?
I think so!
So wear your Jewish self
With pride
Dare to be different
Don’t blend in!
Be essentially
A Jew
Differently
