Lee Diamond – What Am I & Dr. Hertzl
What Am I
A Jew ?
Jewish?
A Hebrew?
- A Jew: Noun. An Ethnic group descended from the kingdom of Judah. A noun defining any one from this ethnic group or people.
In modern usage often derogatory.
Ex. My neighbor is s Jew!
- Jewish: an adjective. Describing the faith or religion of a person who lives among other religious, ethnic or national groups.
In modern usage a gentle or politically comfortable way of describing a Jew. Less pejorative , more accepted In an open society.
Ex. I am a Jewish American.
- Hebrew. A noun used in biblical terminology to describe those who followed Abraham’s descendants as they wandered. ע ב ר means to wander or ״pass through״ in the ancient near east.
Hardly used today to define Jews or Jewish but once used to avoid the use of the word Jew or Jewish for fear of anti semitism.
Ex. The Union of American Hebrew Congregations was the name of what Is is referred to today—as the Union of Reform Judaism.
So why add “ISH” to the noun Jew.
Jew is such a strong word. It means different from others. Separate from others.
Whereas “ISH” softens the Jew.
Not different; Not separate.
Just a different flavor.
Chocolate, vanilla and strawberry are
All ice creams. Just a matter Of taste.
But all ice cream is
Made the same way
Same ingredients
Same process
It’s all In the taste and coloring.
“Ish” also means almost or similar
Like.
Jew Is not like
Jew Is unlike
Jew Is set aside
Jew Is different ancestry
Jew implies to some, certain characteristics.
It’s even used as a negative verb!
Jewish is alike
Jewish is Integrated
We’re all Human but we’re strawberry humans
Jewish is almost!
Like childish — not quite an adult.
So—. “Not quite a Jew”
So what are we?
Jews, or Jewish?
Shylock said with pride To his persecutors
I am a Jew
Daniel Pearl, to his captors,
Said the Same!
As an Israeli I say to you.
I’m a Jew
Not Jew “ISH”
I Am A Jew.
To Dr. Herzl from an Contemporary Israeli
To “simply be”with each Kol Ha Kavod to you, sir.
You had the vision
And we have the honor
To live the reality
Of your Dream.
You can’t imagine
How good the dream has become
We are the largest Jewish
Community In the world.
We speak Hebrew
Everybody speaks Hebrew
Even babies
It’s our mother tongue .
All our schools Jewish
Yes even the secular
Schools are steeped
In our culture.
Our calendar is Jewish
Our week ends with Shabbat
Our names are Hebrew names
Our holidays are all Jewish!
Jews from every diaspora
Live here and Share a common culture
We eat sufganiot from the day
After Simchat Torah
And Oznei Haman
Weeks before Purim
Most Israelis
Don’t know the words
“Hooman Tashen”
Pesach is breadless
Yet it’s mstzafull
We all fast on Yom Kippur
And the streets are empty
Of all cars and busses
(But our kids ride bikes on highways)
Shabbat is our day
other
Or to pray
or to “beach together”
Or to see our beautiful
Piece of land.
But, Sir, we are still
Unwanted in our neighborhood
We are still fighting
For our right to be
It seems that the
More we succeed
The more we are hated
We’re stronger than you
Ever imagined
Our IDF forces are able
To defend us
But we still lack permanent
Borders.
We have allies In the world
But We have foes In the same
World.
Jerusalem is our capital
But only two or three nations
Recognize this capital
Anti semitism still abounds
In the world
But the words “anti Israel”
Or “anti Zionist”
Have replaced the old words
For Jew hatred.
Diaspora Jews often criticize us
And sometimes we deserve this.
But it’s sometimes hard to listen to
Them, cause they are embarrassed
By Jewish strength .
We also know ourselves that
Strength brings with it
Responsibility. We take this rather
Seriously.
Dr. Herzl
You had the vision
You helped create the vision
We live the vision
And continue to strengthen it
It’s no longer the dream that
We “willed” together
It’s for real! It’s “Is Real.”
But why us it still so hard
To Be A Jew? Dr Herzl?
Do you think that Uganda might have
Been easier?
