Lee Diamond – The End of Galut
I told my son
Of my deep embarrassment
about Harvey Weinstein .
His eyes became blank
He looked at me with
Wonder.
“Why embarrassed Abba?”
“I’m embarrassed that a Jew
Would behave this way!”
“But what does Weinstein’s behavior
Have to do with you? Or Jews
It was hard for me to digest this!
How could my son not feel my pain.
What did I do wrong!
Why had I not passed on this
Ember of Jewish pride and concern to
My own progeny.
And then I continued:
“Did you know that I read all the credits
After every movie that I see
And search for Jewish names”
And did you know that I read the
Lists of accidents searching for Jewish
Names?”
“And did you know that Jewish politicians
On the world stage, turn me on?”
“But Jews are just humans! They are good and bad! Why take pride or be embarrassed by Jewish success or failure”!
I can understand Israeli success or failure” I can understand checking for Israeli names!” said this sabra son of mine!
And then I finally “Got it”
I didn’t fail at all!
Nor did he!
I realized that you can take the Jew out
Of the diaspora
But you can never take the diaspora out of the Jew
I carry the burden
Of the Galut
Of Jews succeeding or failing
Of Jewish acceptance
Into a society
From the narrative of a minority
Israel has succeeded beyond its wildest
Expectation and dream
To create the normal Jew
Unburdened
Fearless
100% Jews.
In a Jewish majority !
We’ve actually succeeded
In creating
“A FREE Jew in his land
In The land of Israel
In Zion.” naftali hertz imber
