Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Moshe the Beadle and Vladek Spiegelman Part II

Since I wrote the first part of this post (if you missed it, find it here), antisemitism continues to rear its face around the world. Adding to the list of countries reporting antisemitism - Italy and England - among others. And so I continue to dream and I continue to anticipate Moshe the Beadle's arrival and his warnings of an increasingly dangerous world for Jews...

But, people say, "Don't worry! You live in the USA; you're not in any danger." They are probably right, alas part of me wonders. The folks in Germany and Europe thought that they were okay as well. And what with John Kerry and the White House taking offense at Israel's criticism of Kerry's weak attempt at a ceasefire - leaning heavily on Hamas' demands, I wonder. And as I see President Obama demanding Israel unilaterally ceasefire - he EXPECTS Israel to listen - meanwhile the White House bristles at the "damaging" leak of the private conversation, I wonder. Can it happen here?

As I wrote in part I, there are times I ignore Moshe's warnings, and there are times I take my family and flee to Israel. But often times as well, my dreams turn to protecting my family, I start to dream about places we could hide - if another Holocaust were to happen. I dream about people that would be willing to risk their lives, their family's lives to save mine (and don't worry, I harbor no conscious ill will towards those that I have circled and/or crossed off my dream list of possibilities). After all, Anne Frank's family had the secret annex and folks to provide for them - there must be someone out there for me, right?

But ultimately, I realize that when push comes to shove at times like the Holocaust, survival becomes an "every man for himself" situation. And so I imagine myself as strong as Vladek Spiegelman. Who you ask? Vladek Spiegelman is a Polish Holocaust survivor whose story is told by his author son, Art, in the graphic novel MAUS. As I said, I highly recommend reading both Maus I and Maus II. Vladek's survival, like many survivors, depended on intelligence, preparation, and honestly, a lot of luck.

Like Vladek, I am an analytic planner. And so, like Vladek did back in WWII, as the tide of antisemitism rises in the world around us, my dreams have me planning meticulously. Trust me, I dream about the architectural blue-prints of my house - and wonder where I can build a hiding place like this one detailed in MAUS I:
Here, Vladek hides in a fake compartment built into an attic. Hmmmm...I have an attic. Could I build a secret entrance through a light fixture so that if someone looked up through the 'normal' square opening to the attic, they might not think twice about the false wall I build? Unfortunately, our attic does not have a solid floor between the joists and the old wood would likely squeak and give us away, so I'm not sure it's an ideal place to build a hideout.

Maybe a better idea is to build a hiding place in our basement crawlspace such as this one Vladek hides in during Maus I:
I wonder where I can hide a false entrance above my crawl space. I don't have a coal bin as Vladek did; however, I find this bunker genius.

Believe me, I have pondered every corner and crevice of my house. There's no room in the main basement; we don't have a shed in the backyard in which to take refuge. But there is a fake 'attic' above the garage that is not attached to the main house attic. In fact, I think I could build a false wall that logically lines up with the house line, hiding the fact that it goes deeper beneath the master bedroom. I know I was surprised when I first saw how deep the garage attic stretched into the house. Yes, that will have to do. Like Vladek would do, I will now go take some measurements and head off to Lowe's to purchase some drywall and other supplies.

So even though I know it won't happen here...please, please - if you see Moshe the Beadle rambling along your streets, please let me know. I need to know the right time to stock my hiding spot with food and water - and when we should seek refuge up there.

Monday, July 28, 2014

In My Eyes: Chicago Stands with Israel - A Community-Wide Rally 7.28.14

Now, that was a rally. No offense to last week's rally put on by StandWithUs, but when the JUF decides to put on an event - they do it well. I still don't fully understand what happened or what precipitated having two rallies put on by two different organizations - and to be sure, for the duration of the conflict, maybe we should be doing this every week - but today's rally just felt right and for the most part, I only have positive things to say about it. First I'll give an overview of what went on and then I'll offer some parting observations at the end of this post.

That being said, starting off the rally with a less than enthusiastic, long-winded speaker, was probably not the best idea. I get what he was saying and I get that the gentleman was talking about a recent solidarity trip, but maybe it would be more effective to stick to one or two talking points in favor of more enthusiasm. Walking away from the rally, this was the only criticism I had. Later, a friend told me that towards the back of the crowd, the sound was not as loud and the counter-protestors seemed louder. That is unfortunate as well.

From there though, I only have positive things to say. The production itself was so precise and professional. The JUF always does a great job at having flags, signs, and publicity. The publicity brought out more people than last week's rally. I know that several north suburban congregations sent fairly sizable contingencies to the rally. The JUF seemed to really draw on getting local organizations to come out to stand with Israel. My mother's congregation sent a bus delegation, and I was happy to see our sons' day school represented as well. 


Additionally, JUF seems to really bring out the 'big hitters' in Chicago. Always a big Israel supporter, Senator Mark Kirk took the stage for some brief thoughts. Since his stroke, Senator Kirk is visibly changed and seems to keep a lower profile. But there he was, being helped to the stage, to simply say that Israel is our friend, Israel has the right to defend itself, and he stands behind Israel. I have met Senator Kirk - and before the stroke, he was a vivacious and engaging gentleman. It was hard to see him struggle today, but at the same time - it was meaningful and inspirational. I was also inspired by the strength of JUF's Dr. Steven Nasatir who emphatically implored the crowd to stay informed, to be an Israel advocate, and to educate others. Another outstanding speaker was Rev. Roosevelt Watkins III. It is great that the Jewish community has such friends in the African-American community - and like Pastor Chris Harris last week, Rev. Watkins spoke of his support for Israel and the need to heal the violence in Israel as we have to do in the Chicago South/West sides.

The rally ended powerfully with 2 young people reading the names of the Israeli IDF and civilian casualties. The reading of the names was followed by the singing of the traditional “El Maleh Rachamim.” It was very moving and only a minute or two later, we learned of the newest 5 Israeli casualties - a somber reminder of the steep price Israel is paying to gain peace from terror. Appropriately, after this 'memorial,' the rally ended with thoughts from Consul General Roey Gilad and then the singing of the US National Anthem and HaTikvah. HaTikvah is always emotional for me - in times of conflict and peace. Today was no exception. And it was nice to spot Pastor Chris Harris vociferously singing along - and realize that his singing last week was not just a "show."

A few parting thoughts:
1. There is something about standing in an Israel solidarity crowd and knowing so many people. Though I wish this show of solidarity was for positive reasons, it is still so comforting to be amongst friends. Those I saw today (and those I didn't), I love that we share a love for Israel.
2. Today we did not stick around to see if anything occurred after the rally. I had to get back north for work and my son wasn't feeling well and had to be picked up from camp. If anyone saw anything interesting and would like to chime in - please feel free to add interesting observations in the comments.
3. CPD did a great job with security. At no time did I feel any danger or threat. There were rooftop 'spotters,' gates for entrances, and the counter protestors were held at a distance. An announced request by CPD to disperse quickly and peacefully seemed a more reasonable request than last weeks singling out of one side while the other stood around.
4. A friend told me that a CPD officer commented - "you guys always have American flags...those guys never do." I am glad that they noticed. I noticed this last week as well. Additionally, both pro-Israel rallies have made a point to stress the concern for Israelis, IDF soldiers, AND Palestinian civilians. Multiple times today it was mentioned that we have no issue with Palestinians - only terrorists like Hamas. I hope this message, along with the appreciation of supporting America and Israel, continues to permeate future events.

5. To build off of point #4, I am so tired of the negativity put forth by the pro-Hamasniks. While our leaders talk of peace and our signs read of hope - in addition to placing the blame on Hamas, their chants and signs contain swastikas and hate towards all Jews and all of Israel. It's gross.
6. Yes, Yes, Yes to singing during the rally. I would add that we need to come up with some slogans to chant.

*IF you've read this far...I know that I owe a part II for the "Moshe the Beadle and Vladek Spiegelman" post from yesterday. I will get to that, but in the meantime, here's a link to yesterday's post in case you missed it: Part I.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Moshe the Beadle and Vladek Spiegelman Part I

Pssst...Come closer. I've got a secret to share. Ready? Sometimes, I dream in literature. Not surprised? Fine, I suppose it wouldn't be unexpected for a literature professional to dream about literature. And to be clear, I don't always dream about literature, but it does happen. Often, the dreams are about exciting young adult literature like battling the maze in The Maze Runner by James Dashner or getting thrown into the game world of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Other times, the dreams can be directly related to the books I'm teaching, like gripping the railing as the jury reads Tom Robinson's verdict in Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird or slogging through the Vietnam jungle of Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried.

But lately, my dreams have been about Moshe the Beadle and Vladek Spiegelman. I guess this is a good time to plug the reading. If you have not read Elie Wiesel's Night, I would call it a must read. At about 110 pages, it remains one of the strongest Holocaust testimonies around. In Night, you will meet Moshe. The other character, Vladek, is from the Pulitzer Prize winning graphic novel MAUS by Art Spiegelman - less about the Holocaust and more about a father-son relationship and the post-traumatic effects of the Holocaust on survivors and their families. The former novella, I used to teach, and the latter I have taught the past ten years. Both are worthwhile, but Night is a must.

Without giving away too many spoilers as it happens early in Night, Moshe the Beadle - an impoverished, Kabbalistic, spiritual Jew - is deported from Sighet, Hungary with all other foreign Jews in 1942. After a few days, rumors circulate that the Jews are fine and settling into Galicia. Sometime later, Moshe reemerges in Sighet to warn the Jews of the Nazi crimes against Jews that he witnessed in Poland and to ask them to prepare. No one believes him, and even in the face of more stories of attacks on Jewish shops and synagogues as close as Budapest, the Jews in Sighet say, "Hitler won't be able to do [them] any harm." Ultimately, the Jews of Sighet are overcome by the Nazis in the Spring of 1944 because they did not heed the warnings of Moshe the "madman" (Wiesel 3-7).

So here I sit, over the past few weeks, reading report after report of worldwide anti-Semitic behavior towards Jews. It seems that Israel's defense of her citizens against Hamas terrorists has given license for the world to uncover a boiling undercurrent of antisemitism. Unfortunately, one might expect this type of behavior from countries such as Iran or France or Turkey, where antisemitism is the norm. But the violence accompanying the hurtful speech has come at a bit of a surprise - particularly in France. But antisemitism is also boiling over in other countries such as Belgium, Germany, New Zealand, and Canada. And recently, I was confronted with the hiring of an anti-Semite at my beloved alma mater - University of Illinois. And I wonder, when will Moshe the Beadle appear at my doorstep urging us Jews to flee our homes to the only true safety we know - Israel.

Okay, so maybe I am just a little paranoid (some of you are thinking, "a LITTLE?"). Of course, the media does sensationalize things. Logic dictates that though these events are seemingly increasing, and at times the world seems like it is revisiting Kristallnacht in Europe 1938, there is little for Jews to worry about, especially in the United States. Plus, as one friend told me, we are not in any danger because unlike in WWII, we have Israel. And even though a recent Anti-Defamation League survey found that 26% of those polled (approximately 4 billion adults) harbor deep anti-Semitic views, they won't be able to do us any harm. Right? RIGHT?

Yet, I still dream about Moshe the Beadle appearing at my doorstep - and my responses vary (yes, more than one time have I had this dream). Sometimes, we pack up the family and head to Israel. Sometimes, I ignore that "madman" Moshe. And other times, I think about Vladek Spiegelman.

*And since my wife just asked me, "Are you still writing that? Isn't it better to have 2 shorter posts than one long post?" - I will write about Vladek's entrance into my dreams at a later time.

Until then, if you see Moshe - - - Please let me know.



Thursday, July 24, 2014

Community Pissing Match?

Initially, this blogging stuff has created a fresh flow of ideas and opportunities to opine about thing I encounter in life - particularly regarding Israel right now. Now my issue will be trying to figure out which topic to explore first, which one is most relevant, which one is most important...which one will be irrelevant by tomorrow? Today I have two topics on the tip of my Crazy Fingers, and thus have a pissing match going on in my head to see which one comes out in my adopted stream of conscious format that I am insistent on keeping - another pissing match I hope to avoid: my OCD English teacher pull to stay focused on topic, to edit, to be concise, etc.

But, I digress. Those pissing matches are not what is sticking in my craw at the moment. The one that is frustrating me though is the apparent pissing match between Jewish organizations in the Chicagoland area that are trying to support Israel. Last week, as I wrote about, there was the rally for peace and against terrorism on Tuesday 7/22/14. That rally was sponsored by StandWithUs and the Israel House, among others. I found it strange that JUF was under-represented since normally the Federation is a major sponsor of Chicago community events. Then today I receive a notification for a JUF sponsored rally this coming Monday.

My first frustration is that as a teacher with a fairly flexible summer, there are two Israel rallies that fall on the two days that I have curricular meetings for work. What are the freakin' odds? Planned weeks and weeks ago, these meetings, which are important to me, happen to coincide with my chances to stand with Israel and to show my support to my Jewish homeland, my friends, and their families. Last Tuesday, I emailed my team leaders and decided that I would be missing our meeting. Israel is too important to me, of course. No doubt, since most of my colleagues are friends who have known me for years, they understood. Now, here I sit and face the same dilemma for Monday. Monday's work is with a different team - an initiative that we just started last year and has been so professionally and personally rewarding. The decision is a bit harder...but enough about me and my internal pissing match.

Back to the Chicago Jewish Community pissing match (now that I just sent an email to my Monday morning meeting team asking if we can change the day). I guess my point is: why are we not working together in this time of need instead of dividing the community? If others like me, but have summer work obligations, already made an effort to come out last Tuesday for the rally - can they take off more work time to come to another rally? So I ask again, why aren't we working together as a community to put our best foot forward, to bring out huge numbers, and to show our great support?

I actually overheard three women discussing this last Tuesday, but I dismissed their idea as silly. They said that the Federation did not join in on last week's rally because the decision was made too hastily and the Federation requires a certain amount of time to mobilize their efforts. Since StandWithUs wanted to move so quickly with the support rally, the JUF would not be supporting the effort. Now, this was overheard and it may not be true, but in retrospect, it makes sense given the call for another rally made today by JUF. Instead of compromising, the JUF has to do it their way and StandWithUs had to do it their way.

I get so tired of the silly competitiveness between Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative, and Orthodox Judaism. As a people, we certainly do not subscribe to the concept of "United we stand, divided we fall" often enough. And here we had the opportunity to stand together to support the one thing that most of us agree upon - our love for a strong and prosperous Israel...and we failed in favor of some kind of power struggle or pissing match. So instead of having thousands of supporters in an impressive show of Chicago support (after all, I believe Chicagoland's Jewish Community numbers somewhere around 300,000), we ended up with a paltry 1500 folks last Tuesday, and probably a few thousand more on Monday morning. Last Tuesday we were shouted out by a larger counter-rally of pro-Hamasniks. That possibility exists again for the upcoming rally on Monday...unless we decide to stop the pissing match, all come together, spread the word, and stand side-by-side to support Israel's right to defend themselves and to squash terror - for Israel's sake, and for innocent Palestinian civilians' sake.

See you there?

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

In My Eyes: "Say Yes to Peace, No to Terror" Rally - Chicago 7.22.2014

Ok, so I was supposed to work today...on TWO curricular teams, but I knew that I would not have been able to concentrate on work while turning my back on the opportunity to stand with Israel at today's rally down in Chicago, sponsored by StandWithUs and The Israel House. So don't tell anyone that I was playing hookey - - - kidding. I was honest with my colleagues and they are well aware of my passion for Israel. They were supportive, as always.

I am not sure if there is some kind of blog rule in terms of length or content. Part of me feels like I could/should write a separate blog on about five items that stood out to me today. Ultimately, I decided to keep my firsthand observations in one place...

After the kids were off to camp, the wife and I hitched a ride on the train and began our trek to the city. This was not our first time at a rally to support Israel - and we knew quite well that there would be a vocal counter protest. But I'll be honest, I cannot get used to seeing adults dressing as terrorists (with scarves covering their faces), seeing adults carrying bundles made out to be dead children, seeing adults holding signs equating Israel to Nazis with swastikas (I guarantee that none of them have ever stood at Auschwitz, at Majdanek, at Treblinka, at Terezin; nor have they ever stared through the ashes of a Nazi crematorium), and seeing adults almost trying to goad others into a street fight. But all of that was present today.

Several of my friends had expressed their reservations about us attending the rally. Of course, it is always something to be aware of when emotions are so raw, but this is how we roll. We've both been in Israel during trying times - I was there right before the 1st Intifada and drove past burning tires and demonstrations, I was there in the mid-90s when buses were blowing up in the streets, and I have been there during tense times in the north. Standing with Israel in Chicago is easy compared to what my Israeli friends and their families are going through - so it was obvious for us to go. At no point during the day, did I feel threatened or in danger - at least from the Hamas supporters. The Chicago Police Dept. did a fine job of keeping the two groups separate for the most part (more on this later) - and all bags were searched on the way into the closed off rally area.

As I have been involved in the Jewish Community for as long as I can remember, it is inevitable that I run into folks from all walks of my life. Today, I saw a former temple educator who had a profound affect on my life - and who I had the privilege of accompanying back to her Polish home for the first time since the Holocaust. I saw colleagues from the Jewish world and Taglit. And I saw several students from our high school. Most touching though, was my encounter with the father of a former student who left just yesterday for Israel - a young man that is starting his Hebrew classes so that he can join the IDF later this fall. I had to hug this man, this father that is making a huge sacrifice - letting go and supporting his son as he pursues his passion to serve and protect Israel and Jews worldwide.

Probably the most inspirational portion of the rally came from a non-Jewish Israel supporter - Pastor Chris Harris enthusiastically espousing his support of Israel. Invoking images of MLK and the many Jews that marched with him to Selma, Alabama, Pastor Harris told the crowd it was as important to stand with Israel against terror, as it is to stand with folks in the city of Chicago that are plagued by gang and gun violence on a daily basis. And he is right - we need to stand up and find a way to do away with the senseless violence that goes on in our backyard daily. Pastor Harris culminated his rousing oration by singing HaTikvah. I've linked the video on my Facebook feed...I swear, one day I'll get good enough to embed links in my blogs too :) Thank you, Pastor Harris.

The flip side to Pastor Harris though is that the rest of the rally was generally unenthusiastic. Chicago's Jewish leaders have to realize that their audience is not there to hear talking points - we already know them for the most part. Instead, people want to be inspired, people want to sing, people want to chant, and people want to support Israel. We tried to start up renditions of "Am Yisrael Chai," but we were overshadowed by speakers. The exception to this was the words of Israel Consul General, Roey Gilad, who I enjoy listening to as he expressed the feelings of support felt by Israelis from the diaspora in the U.S. and around the world. Hopefully, future rallies will be more enthusiastic and less about political grandstanding.

After the rally, which lasted all of 30 minutes, the wife and I hung out around some Israelis that were singing Israeli tunes and holding a sign honoring the brave Golani Brigade - the unit that has seemed to have suffered the most losses thus far in this conflict. While I know many soldiers in various units, some of the most inspirational Israelis that I have met through my work with Shorashim and Taglit are members of the Golani Brigades. I was happy to see folks honor this brigade that has been at the forefront of many wars in Israel's decorated history.

The biggest 'issue' of the day occurred as the rally dispersed. The pro-Israel crowd gathered on the corner across from the pro-Hamas folks on the other side of the street. I call them the pro-Hamas folks because by rallying against Israel, they also fail to support the real victims of this mess - the innocent Palestinians held hostage in Gaza, not by Israel, but by Hamas. For those unaware, Israel left Gaza in 2005. It was a painful scene as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had to physically remove some of the Jewish settlers that had made their home in Gaza. At the time, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made the difficult decision to leave Gaza in hopes that the Palestinians there could establish their own enclave - a potential Palestinian controlled territory that would become the model for a future Palestinian state. Israel left greenhouses and other structures in place that could have been used by the Palestinians for economic dividends. Instead, the Palestinian folks elected Hamas to lead them in democratic elections in 2007. The potential for a terrorist state on Israel's doorsteps forced Israel to take protective measures leading to the isolation of Gaza from land and sea. Not even the current government in Egypt allows free passage from Gaza to Egypt for fear of terrorism. And while Israel has gradually let in building materials, electricity, and other humanitarian goods to Gaza - Hamas has turned around and used these resources to build an extensive tunnel network below Gaza and into Israel with the aim to kidnap and maim innocent Israeli citizens. So instead of being pro-Palestinian and helping eradicate Hamas, these protestors are supporting Gaza and in turn Hamas, thus the label pro-Hamas protestors.

At first, the Chicago Police Dept. (CPD) attempted to peacefully disperse the crowd by drowning out the pro-Hamas chants with their police sirens. When that did not work, the CPD made the choice of vocally kicking out the pro-Peace, pro-Israel supporters without doing the same across the street. Of course when faced with this disparity, many pro-Israel supporters stood their ground only to be threatened and harassed by several members of the CPD. For my part, I politely asked one officer why they were choosing to focus on the pro-Israel crowd and his response was that if we left, they would have no one to yell at. I did not agree, but I reasonable began to move along as requested. Along the way, I saw a few police in the face of some Israel supporters. They were threatening arrest, so I intervened and asked the pro-Israel supporters to disperse as conflict served no purpose but to sully our image. Immediately, a black policeman got in my face and screamed, "you fuckers won't even come down to the south side. 86 fuckin people were shot there...but you don't care." I respectfully responded by saying that I was just trying to help out and I moved along.

I'll admit, the confrontation made me angry and so while walking away I did some shouting at the police that continued to harass the pro-Israel crowd while leaving the other side alone. I also did some shouting at the pro-Hamasniks that were cowardly wearing masks and kafiyahs (Scarves) over their faces as if they were terrorists themselves, or simply just ashamed to be supporting terrorists. Needless to say, the positive thoughts I had about the safe crowd control were squashed by the tragically one-sided behavior by the CPD.

Apparently, I was caught on camera by several news outlets (Trib and ABC to my knowledge) that have broadcast my angry image on tv. I am proud to have been a part of the 1500 estimated Israel supporters, but I am a bit upset that my anger was caught so prominently. Don't get me wrong - I am not ashamed to stand up for Israel. But anger does not really serve much purpose. If you saw it, on ABC I was arguing with the cop about focusing on the pro-Israel crowd and not the other side. In any case, it was a tragic ending to a day where I was proud to stand with my Israeli friends and families in their time of need.

If you have lasted this long...thanks for reading. May G-d bless the USA, bless Israel, and bring home our brave IDF soldiers safely home soon.

Divin' Into the Blogosphere

And just like that, it begins...

Not sure how this will go and I make no promises about post frequency. All I know is this: for as long as I can remember, I've been a writer. Don't get me wrong; I'm no professional writer. However, I've always used writing as therapy, as fun, and as escape. At times, I've written poetry - often depressing; other times, I've written music - often badly; and yet other times, I've written mini-stories. Heck, I even have the seeds of a novel tucked away. The point is, I've always enjoyed it. At this point, I hope you do too.

Honestly, I'm not sure where this blog will go. I do know that after this post, I will begin work on my 2nd - a review of the rally for peace and against terror in Chicago today. Beyond that, my blogging may explore various topics such as Israel/American Jewry, the state of Education today, and even explorations of sports/athletics. I make no promises...other than this blogging adventure will contain at least two entries.

Though I am an English professional, I do not plan on over-editing my writing. I'm a big fan of emotion and stream of conscious. Each post will essentially be an invitation to discussion, a chance for learning, an opportunity to explore. All I ask that is that if you are interested, explore and learn with me. If something appeals to you, I hope we can discuss it in a civil manner. If something does not appeal to you, I invite you to close the post.

My guess is that the initial direction of my blogs will be Israel-centric, given the current conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. From there, who knows...

I want to thank those that have reached out to me in the past few weeks to tell me that they have appreciated my writing on Facebook, that they have been inspired by my messages, and that they have learned about the current situation in Israel through my eyes. I also realize that a whole bunch of folks have already blocked me or shut me out because they're tired of hearing my views. It is a free country. In any case, for those that have made the effort to compliment me - your energy is the impetus and the seeds for what follows. And finally, a big shout out to my friend, Jimmy John, whose amazing blogging continually amazes me. Thank YOU all for inspiring me.

In any case, if you're game, I hope you come on along and enjoy the ride!