Lee Diamond – The Kotel and the Jew
The struggle is in progress
Diaspora Jews demand their rights
Liberal Jews demand their claim to it
Israelis Jews see it as a non issue
Haredi Jews demand ownership
“Women of the Wall” fight for their rightful place
Reform Jews claim it
As well as Conservative Jews.
American Rabbis threaten to abandon Israel
Because of the issue of egalitarianism at the Wall
Why the angst ?
This ancient wall; this retaining wall of Herod’s 2nd Temple
An historical symbol and memory
Of a loss of sovereignty
But I ask you
Haven’t we moved on?
We remember but we stride forward
To a new Judaism and Jerusalem without ” one wall”
But walls of synagogues / batei Knesset.
Facing Jerusalem from every direction
And keeping It as our highest JOY
But breaking the glass to start again
A few pray for rebuilding
Of a third Temple
But most of us see the state of Israel as the fulfillment
Of that ancient dream.
Our Wall is the Wall of a free people in its land.
The Kotel is for many of us a symbol of our past
To remember but not to worship to,
Or At
Authentic Jews remember
But authentic Jews pray everywhere !
Pray in different ways. In different words! In different
Garb; In different tones, mixed with fellow Jews
The Kotel Is simply
Location.
Yes, Location, location and location
Let’s move on
Let’s build that location called Israel.
All of us, as the vision of the prophets
Of Israel
And have it become a light to the nations
And a light to the Jewish people
