Friday, March 18, 2005
Sparks From Israel
Life is Loud
I have a good friend here who is also a new immigrant. We smile at each other when we see Israeli’s passing by dressed loudly, shouting to each other and behaving in what appears to be a primitive way. ‘Why must they scream and yell?’ I asked. My friend answered me. The Galut is very quiet. Here there is noise everywhere. The buses are loud, the people are loud; music blares out of speakers everywhere you go. But here is also the place where the world began. The stream of life is transmitted from the Light of this Nation to the world. And life is loud. It is the sound of building, the sound of protest, the sound of fighting for ones right to exist.
The Galut is quiet, and people try not to rock the boat. They are quite happy if they go unnoticed. They live comfortably in foreign countries and wish to be left alone to continue to live quietly as model citizens of their adopted countries. If the problems of Israel begin to affect their quiet lives, this concerns many and worries them.
Here on the other hand, if the problems of one group of Jews affect another group of Jews no one is quiet about it. If someone is pushed, they push back. Even if it involves foreign governments, world bodies, collaborators, even armies. No one goes down quietly. Life is loud and only death is quiet. Life changes rapidly, while death stands still.
We sat by the water to escape the noise but life was still loud all around us beating its drums and blowing shofars. Life is loud, but it certainly feels good to be alive.
Life is Loud
I have a good friend here who is also a new immigrant. We smile at each other when we see Israeli’s passing by dressed loudly, shouting to each other and behaving in what appears to be a primitive way. ‘Why must they scream and yell?’ I asked. My friend answered me. The Galut is very quiet. Here there is noise everywhere. The buses are loud, the people are loud; music blares out of speakers everywhere you go. But here is also the place where the world began. The stream of life is transmitted from the Light of this Nation to the world. And life is loud. It is the sound of building, the sound of protest, the sound of fighting for ones right to exist.
The Galut is quiet, and people try not to rock the boat. They are quite happy if they go unnoticed. They live comfortably in foreign countries and wish to be left alone to continue to live quietly as model citizens of their adopted countries. If the problems of Israel begin to affect their quiet lives, this concerns many and worries them.
Here on the other hand, if the problems of one group of Jews affect another group of Jews no one is quiet about it. If someone is pushed, they push back. Even if it involves foreign governments, world bodies, collaborators, even armies. No one goes down quietly. Life is loud and only death is quiet. Life changes rapidly, while death stands still.
We sat by the water to escape the noise but life was still loud all around us beating its drums and blowing shofars. Life is loud, but it certainly feels good to be alive.
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