I knew that Israel was going into Gaza with “boots on the ground” at least a day before they finally did so. Two Israeli mothers, who do not know one another, each have sons in the elite Golani and Givati Brigades. Both sons had been ordered to turn in their cell phones; there would be no more “haimishe” (comforting, familiar) contact with home.
Another mother in Israel, Bonna Devora Haberman, who is a dear friend, a feminist professor, a religious woman, and the mother of five, emailed me last night. With her permission, I am sharing her words with you. Hers is the voice of a mother in Israel.
“Our son finished his 17-month grueling training in an elite commando unit last Thursday night. On Friday, his unit prepared equipment, then returned home for Shabbat. He was called to report for service on Shabbat eve, before we had benched. This was the first time the phone had rung in our home on Shabbat that we can recall. In the hour before he left, we read together some poetry, Coleridge and Blake, Wordsworth–romantics who defied social institutions with their embodied Eros, and Mary Wollstonecraft’s introduction to Vindication of the Rights of Women. I shiver with our embrace at the threshold of our home, at the threshold of Shabbat and desecration, at the seam of peace and war.”
Can you imagine an al-Qaeda, Taliban, Hezbollah or Hamas mother sounding like this? Impossible–and trust me, neither Israel nor America are to blame for it. In addition to an abysmally high level of illiteracy, and the absence of both original and translated books in the Arab-Muslim world–the toxic relationship of Arab and Muslim mothers and sons, men and women, which long precedes the rise of western nationalism, capitalism, and colonialism, accounts for the existence of a very different kind of parent-child relationship. In addition, the hatred of women is atavistic, barbaric. Add to that the still-existing tribal codes of “an eye for an eye,” which leads to unending blood feuds among Arabs and Muslims. Infidels, “ferengis,” “dhimmis,” cannot expect better treatment, but must, in fact, count on worse treatment, especially during a pogrom or in an era of jihad-on-the-rise.
Israeli-Canadian Bonna Haberman’s touching words, (above), remind me of the commitment to culture in the face of profound suffering and death exhibited by many Holocaust-era Jews who were walled up in ghettos and in labor and death camps. They maintained libraries, performed concerts, read poetry aloud, studied Torah. In retrospect, some say that they were deluding themselves and should have been fighting the Nazis with their bare hands if not with guns. Others say that these Jews refused to descend to the level of their enemies and insisted on holding fast to the rites of civilization and Godliness.
Bonna continues:
“We have not yet heard from him. It is impossible to imagine this, the most difficult thing that I have ever faced. There are no words to describe the anguish of killing and vulnerability, the mixture of Zionist conviction and empathy with suffering, how much humanity is compromised in the struggle for safety for our human life. The sheer fear for the life that we birthed, nurtured, raised, love beyond any comprehension. Our son is a builder of sacred vessels. May he and all of our dear ones speedily return to their life missions, bodies and souls intact.
I share with you love in the midst of blood. May we create peace.”
“Love in the midst of blood.” Not blood as love but warily, uncomfortably, existing alongside it. And note her words about the desire to “create peace,” as opposed to the oft-stated Hamas desire to mutilate and exterminate their enemies down to the last child standing.
How it pains me that voices like Bonna’s are shut out of global consciousness by a pro-terrorist western media which focuses on staged photos of Palestinian suffering and death and far fewer photos of real Israeli suffering and death. Let me suggest that they check a blog written by an un-named Israeli mother whose son is serving in the army. You may find “A Soldier’s Mother” HERE. Her words and her values represent Israel and Jews. She writes:
“I spoke to an Italian journalist this morning who had found my blog and been touched by it…She asked me how I spend my day now and I told her glued to the computer and the telephone. I’d like to say that I spend most of it doing normal things, but that isn’t really true. They are bombing my country, you see. Rockets hit this morning in many cities. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands are living in a few meters of space, knowing that they take their lives in their hands if they venture too far from shelter. Children haven’t gone to school in over a week – they can’t even go outside to play. This in a nation where children live outdoors…OK, they don’t LIVE outdoors, but they play outside all the time.”
Her blog today ends with a report titled “The First to Fall.” Twenty two year-old Israeli soldier, Dvir Emanuel, of Givat Ze’ev, fell in battle in Gaza. She writes that the entire nation will embrace him, seek out every detail about his life. Dvir will never remain an anonymous, masked soldier. Neighbors, friends, relatives, teachers will all be interviewed.
“We will immerse ourselves in the knowledge of his life before we let him go, and be forever saddened that we only had the chance to meet him in death. But what is also very Israeli is that while his parents may have lost a son, they have in the moment of his death, gained many more sons and daughters. For the rest of their lives, Dvir’s unit will accompany them. They will visit them, invite them into their lives and become part of Dvir’s family. It is little consolation for what they have lost, but it will help.”
But, in so doing, they will be honoring Dvir’s life, not his death. Death is not glorified in Israel as it is in Gaza. The tragic but inevitable battle underway is not only about Israeli survival, but is also about Eros versus Thanatos, (the Life Force versus the Death Force), about whether the world’s civilizations will survive Islamist-style terrorism or be drowned in oceans of blood and unending grief.
The un-named Israeli mother speaks to other mothers in her own neighborhood whose children are all currently soldiers in battle. “We comfort each other and find no real comfort.” She writes: “I want to pray that (Dvir) will be the last one too; that no others will fall. I do pray that even though I know it is not likely; that our enemies seek our destruction, amazingly enough even at the cost of their own. It is hard to face an enemy that seeks death, that worships it, that elevates it to the highest of honors.
“There is no honor in death, though there is honor in how Dvir died. May the memory of Dvir Emanuel be blessed and long remembered and may his family be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem and may they know no more sorrow.”
Amen.
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12 Comments
1. George Jochnowitz:It would be wonderful if one had the option of being a pacifist. Alas, an enemy committed to death and suicide does not leave the door to pacifism open.
The Washington Post, to my surprise, has an op-ed by John Bolton advocating that the West Bank be given to Jordan and Gaza to Egypt. Jordan and Egupt won’t agree, of course, but the Palestinians have been consistently fighting against the creation of an independent Palestine with their lives and the lives of their chidlren.
Jan 5, 2009 - 12:00 pm 2. Helen Freedman:This is all so heartbreaking. If it is any comfort to those mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, who wait to hear that their loved ones in the IDF are safe, let them know that parents throughout the world are suffering with them.
Jan 5, 2009 - 12:27 pm 3. Fern Sidman:For those familiar with the tenets of the Jewish faith, there can be no doubt in anyone’s mind that Judaism places paramount value on the sanctity of life. Preserving life at all costs is central to our belief system. Desecration of the Sabbath and the holidays is not only permitted in order to save a life, but it is incumbent upon us.
Each day, three times a day, in our daily prayers, we pray fervently for peace. “Oseh Shalom Bimromav Hu Ya’aseh Shalom Aleinu v’al Kol Yisroel v”Imru Amen” (He who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace upon us and upon all Israel, now we respond: Amen)
What is required to attain true peace? Just as we utter these words at the end of our prayers, we take three steps back and bow to our Creator. Why so and why at this time during our prayers? To teach us that in order to make peace we must step back, we must make compromises to attain peace, we must bow in contrition for peace in our homes, in our communities and in the global arena. Achieving true peace takes work. We must suppress our pride and arrogance and bow our necks to the Yoke of Heaven.
Moreover, the angels of peace follow us home from synagogue on the Sabbath and we greet them by singing, “Shalom Aleichem” (Peace to you and all of your ancestors)
Israel has repeatedly embraced this concept. We are a peace seeking nation and we have demonstrated that time and time again. I am sure that we will continue to do so as promoting peace is indeed endemic to the Jewish religion.
Israel’s objectives in this latest conflict with Hamas are exclusively to achieve and preserve peace. We seek peace for our people residing in Sderot, Netivot, Be’er Sheva, Ashkelon and Ashdod. We seek peace for our neighbors as well. We ask Israel’s soldiers to place their lives in harm’s way in order to achieve a viable, long lasting peace. Nothing less is acceptable.
Now is the time to raise our voices in prayer for all the soldiers in Israel and for their families. Now is the time to storm the gates of Heaven with supplications for all mothers of our soldiers. Now is the time to recite the words of King David, the sweet singer of Israel, who wrote in the Book of Psalms (23), “Yay, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me”.
To the mother who has expressed her feelings so poignantly, Bonna Devora Haberman and all other mothers, know that you are not alone. The Almighty in His infinite compassion is with you, is with your son, and we, the nation of Israel stand with you, cry with you, pray with you and are ready to help in any way we can.
The words of the bedtime Shema seem appropriate. “In the name of the L-rd G-d of Israel, may Michoel be at our right, Gabriel on our lift, Uriel before us and Raphael behind us and above our heads, the Presence of G-d”
May the angels of G-d spread their loving and protective wings around all the sons and daughters fighting for Israel’s survival and may their love permeate humanity.
Jan 5, 2009 - 12:50 pm 4. David M:The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the – Web Reconnaissance for 01/05/2009 A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.
Jan 5, 2009 - 12:59 pm 5. Dr S McCosker:Dear Phyllis – I think I will simply quote part of the speech that Geert Wilders gave in Jerusalem in mid-December 2008, at the Facing Jihad meeting. He said:
“We are here to voice our concern over the growing Islamisation of the West. We do this in this city, the city of David. The city that, together with Rome and Athens, symbolizes our ancient heritage.
“Perhaps a few of you may be new to Jerusalem, yet, Jerusalem is not new to any of you. We all carry Jerusalem in our blood, in our genes. We all live and breathe Jerusalem. We talk Jerusalem, we dream Jerusalem. Simply because, the values of ancient Israel have become the values of the West.
“We are all Israel, and Israel is in all of us.
“This city is the capital of a democracy under threat.
“Israel is under siege, like the Jewish community in the Land of Israel is under siege for over a century now. Israel with all its glory and splendour is unique, and its history unparalleled.
“Yet, Israel’s security situation is not unique, and neither is its enemy.
“Samuel Huntington writes it so aptly: “Islam has bloody borders”.
“Israel is located precisely on that border.
“This tiny country is situated on the fault line of jihad,
“just like Kashmir, Kosovo, the Philippines, Southern Thailand, Darfur in Sudan, Lebanon, and Aceh in Indonesia.
“Israel is simply in the way of the Islamic advance. Just like West-Berlin was during the Cold War.
“Israel is simply receiving the blows that are meant for all of us.
“If there would have been no Israel, Islamic imperialism would have found other places to release its energy and its desire for conquest.
“Therefore, the war against Israel is not a war against Israel. It is a war against the West. It is jihad.
“Thanks to Israeli parents who see their children go off to join the army and lie awake at night, parents in Europe and America can sleep well and have pleasant dreams, unaware of the dangers looming.
“At present the front-line of jihad runs not just through the streets of Tel Aviv and Haifa, but through the streets of London, Madrid, and Amsterdam as well.
“Jihad is our common enemy, and we better start Facing Jihad before it is too late.
“Therefore, if we voice our concern over the Islamisation of the West, we have to do it here, where our civilization borders on Islam.
“Where jihadists fire Qassams into civilian homes in Sderot and Ashkelon, and where a doctor like Aryeh Eldad is characteristic of our civilization by treating terrorists the same way as he treats the Israeli victims.” END QUOTE.
If Israel is able to achieve a decisive and crushing victory over Hamas, and destroy Jihad Fortress Gaza, then that would be a victory for all of us who are assailed by the global jihad. It would be a victory for Life over Death; for those who love peace, and the arts of peace, over those who worship blood and war.
Jan 5, 2009 - 1:12 pm 6. Gianni:I just gave a brief look to the mainstrean italian feminist organisations.
I stopped after a few minutes. Israel must be stopped, Israel is doing something very wrong, Israel is fuelling hate and the rant goes on.
It’s disgusting. They stopped doing what they did before to write and scream against Israel. It’s almost like being a feminist means hating Israel.
It seems that in the Usa the situation is different. To my understanding (and Phyllis, Ferm, George and Marcia can eventually correct me) mainstream women’s rights organisations like the Feminist Majority, Now and others are staying away from Hamas supporters.
Same goes for gay and lesbian groups and publications.
To their credit they are not attacking Israel and/or cheering Hamas.
In some us feminist blogs there are the usual article against Israel.
They are not front and center obsession-style like in Italy and are challanged by other feminists, jewish and not jewish in forum who say that, at least, this is not an issue there should be so prominent.
I am in no way presenting ascientific research, just anedoctal evidence.
THIS PART IS A PERSONAL MESSAGE TO PHYLLIS:
I have not forgotten you, the magazine is now closed and will open in a few days. Your interview is ready. I just got the idea of asking my director or interviwing this mother author of the blog you mentioned. Very human and heartening.
Jan 5, 2009 - 2:54 pm 7. heathermc:I also hope Israeli women soldiers as well as gay and loesbian soldiers will proove good in this difficult days so that they show they care and defend their country exactly like guys and straigths.
Greetings from Italy.
During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, while in Germany, I happened upon a young British woman. Her husband was part of the British forces. Her one news source was the BBC, and the BBC was totally against the invasion, and therefore ignored its clear obligation to broadcast news of the British armed forces. She was desperate for news. I was keeping up with news via the internet and could give her some news. I remember noting to another woman that the Allies would win the invasion. She did not believe me. Her information was via German news which was totally slanted, and as it happens, completely wrong.
The young British woman, by the way, had noted that there was widespread desecration of Jewish cemeteries in Belgium…
Jan 5, 2009 - 3:09 pm 8. DavidN:One of the overlooked things is in the video Tom Trento posted on Pajamas about a week ago. At one point, one of the adherents of the religion of peace (a young woman wearing a headscarf) yells across the street at Israeli supporters: “Go back to your oven! You need a big oven!” I think that sums up the attitude of these people, and also should provoke the proper response from the rest of the population.
Jan 5, 2009 - 5:49 pm 9. George Jochnowitz:Gianni,
I am not up to date on the reactions of gay and feminist groups to Hamas, but in the past they have not been pro-Israel. It is hard to imagine that they could support an organization like Hamas that calls for their destruction, but stranger things have happened. In the meantime, Andrew Sullivan, who is openly gay and has a blog, has been lukewarm in his condemnation of Hamas.
Jan 5, 2009 - 8:08 pm 10. BL:By the way, have you read my essay “Paragonare ebrei ed omosessuali”? It should be easy to find on line. An English version is found in my book THE BLESSED HUMAN RACE.
Thank you for exposing the “true” pains of war! The suffering of the mothers and fathers whose sons and daughters are in harms way, to finally make the point that Israel will no longer tolerate the perpetual, indicrimate missile launchings by terrorists at civilian targets in “their hard deserved homeland.” It is astonishing that in the 21st century, a country that emerged in 1947, still much send their minutemen and minutewomen to their Bunker Hill! Israel is now fighting their “war of 1812,” and unlike ours, theirs was 8 years in the making and enough is enough! Shabbos interupted, radio silence invoked, these brave men and women must do their duty to preserve democracy.
In 1812, there were mothers and fathers in log cabins, wondering what would become of their democratic soldiers protecting a nation against a “sneak” attack. Today, the same emotions, run through houses that rarely knew the Shabbos “ring up” roll call of their loved ones enlistments. On a hallowed evening, off they go, to what end? War always evokes the same uncertainies for those engaged and those left behind to worry.
I can not find words more worthy than those made by Helen Freedman in an earlier comment!
Jan 5, 2009 - 10:22 pm 11. USpace:.
The delusional insanity of the Left is frightening. They ignore all facts and logic. Hamas, a terrorist organization killing the so-called Palestinians’ hope for peace’, are evil garbage, they must be eliminated. They have sent thousands, yes thousands of missiles into Israel over the past couple of years and Israel had never exercised their right of self-defense, until recently, when Hamas broke the ceasefire and started firing rockets again.
Israel is FINALLY doing the right thing. If Hamas is destroyed, then, if the rest of the ‘Palestinians’ really want peace they can give up their dream of destroying Israel, if not, they will never have peace.
Israel must destroy as much of Hamas as possible before the MSM and the idiots and ignorants whine loud enough for them to stop. They must only quit when they are ready.
For EVERY missile shot into Israel at least ONE missile should be returned to the area as close as possible to the shooter. Tit for tat. Every single missile should be returned. Period. Treat them like adults, if they kill, they will be killed. If they send missiles, they will receive them. That is the only way they will learn. Screw public opinion, force them to see the truth, or let them be damned.
.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
hope your kids grow up
to strap bombs on babies
to kill other children
.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
form a terrorist country
then wish to be destroyed
by committing acts of war
.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
blame your failings on the Jews
for a few more thousand years
they are Earth’s scapegoats
.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
give Israel away
to appease her enemies
dishonor America
.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
never mock Democrats
it’s just their religion
you RIGHT-WING INFIDEL
.
All real freedom starts with freedom of speech. Without freedom of speech there can be no real freedom.
.
Jan 5, 2009 - 11:13 pm 12. Colonel Robert Neville:.
Ah, US Space. My word man hero. Bravo, kid.
And Phyllis, a wonderful and staggering piece.
The culturally and security suicidal West judges Hamass as entirely reasonable because they are nihilist, psychopathic mass murderers, and the Jewish people are unreasonable because they refuse to sit still and smile as they die on heir behalf.
The local Australian MSM is a disgusting disgrace thus a perfect match for the EU, the UN and the UK etc, etc ad nauseum.
Support Israel. Destroy Terrorists. Save the West from itself and Islam.
Excellent as usual Phyllis. Colonel Neville.
Jan 6, 2009 - 3:00 am