One of the streams of thought/memory that I've been experiencing is the part about how attractive extremist beliefs can be when you're young. People used to say that as we get older we lose our juice, our courage, and end up being mealy-mouthed liberals. I don't feel that way at all. I feel that the extremism was sort of age-appropriate but the real work is in bringing people together. It is, as you point out, a very hard time for leftists who support both Palestinian rights and the right of Israel to exist. That much more so from inside the Jewish universe. We all need to practice both/and.
Your sincerity is palpable in each carefully chosen word. I imagine you are exhausted by expressing such a deeply felt and powerful statement. I hope my personal hurt and anger will be softened by reading and rereading your post and I am honored that you call me friend.
If I could lessen a tiny bit of your pain, dayenu. There is a wonderful sermon by Rabbi Sharon Brous in LA that hit the sweet spot for me. It may be very similar to the one from Angela Buchdahl you sent but I read it several days later and was more ready to hear it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFLvLETvP1A.
Zillions of thanks for this post. I have felt frozen and decided all I could do was read a lot from journalists who are better informed than I. Like you, I am an old 60s peacenik. I was never comfortable with the lefties who promoted violence, even while understanding the rage seemed a natural response to racism, sexism, and militarism and corporate greed. Now I am hesitant to join a demonstration because these events are attracting bigots from both sides. People who hate Jewish people and people who hate Muslims feel free to spew their hate. It’s a hard time for leftists who support Palestinian rights to autonomy, but also deeply understand why Israel must exist. We held an Oswego peace vigil last night and plan to continue for an hour each week. Most of the responses from passing cars was positive. Perhaps others will join.
Powerful and important piece. I will share as widely as I can. I couldn't agree with you more, about the need not to add to toxicity by our own responses.
Thank you, Judith. This is what I can do at this point and it feels like it has some merit. The more people envisioning peace, the more we are likely to move into its embrace.
Beautifully said, Susie. I could not agree more. It's heart breaking to watch the conflict while safe in my living room, listening to the anguished pleas of family members to find their loved ones, and the children who are traumatized by what they've seen and experienced. It's unfathomable yo me.
It's difficult for me that "life goes on." I somehow think that every conversation in every place I go will be about Israel/Palestine. Of course, it would be impossible if it were. But I'm having a hard time concentrating on anything else.
I feel a lot of connection to all the good people who are trying to articulate their struggle yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It feels a little less traumatizing to do this together.
The events in Israel/Palestine really put us up against it...trying not to Other. There's an article in the current Atlantic about Kamala Harris in which she talks about how she was assigned the Border Crisis as her portfolio and that that was like getting asked to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It's the paradigm of conflict.
One of the streams of thought/memory that I've been experiencing is the part about how attractive extremist beliefs can be when you're young. People used to say that as we get older we lose our juice, our courage, and end up being mealy-mouthed liberals. I don't feel that way at all. I feel that the extremism was sort of age-appropriate but the real work is in bringing people together. It is, as you point out, a very hard time for leftists who support both Palestinian rights and the right of Israel to exist. That much more so from inside the Jewish universe. We all need to practice both/and.
Thank you Susie for articulating the difficult path of finding some sanity and a glimmer of hope these days.
I have found that if I really say what is true for me that people will understand and allow me to say it. That's all I can do.
Yes, please.
Thank you, Susie.
Took a lot out of me. Very glad to hear from you.
Susie,
Your sincerity is palpable in each carefully chosen word. I imagine you are exhausted by expressing such a deeply felt and powerful statement. I hope my personal hurt and anger will be softened by reading and rereading your post and I am honored that you call me friend.
If I could lessen a tiny bit of your pain, dayenu. There is a wonderful sermon by Rabbi Sharon Brous in LA that hit the sweet spot for me. It may be very similar to the one from Angela Buchdahl you sent but I read it several days later and was more ready to hear it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFLvLETvP1A.
Zillions of thanks for this post. I have felt frozen and decided all I could do was read a lot from journalists who are better informed than I. Like you, I am an old 60s peacenik. I was never comfortable with the lefties who promoted violence, even while understanding the rage seemed a natural response to racism, sexism, and militarism and corporate greed. Now I am hesitant to join a demonstration because these events are attracting bigots from both sides. People who hate Jewish people and people who hate Muslims feel free to spew their hate. It’s a hard time for leftists who support Palestinian rights to autonomy, but also deeply understand why Israel must exist. We held an Oswego peace vigil last night and plan to continue for an hour each week. Most of the responses from passing cars was positive. Perhaps others will join.
Powerful and important piece. I will share as widely as I can. I couldn't agree with you more, about the need not to add to toxicity by our own responses.
Thank you, Judith. This is what I can do at this point and it feels like it has some merit. The more people envisioning peace, the more we are likely to move into its embrace.
Thanks so much for writing on this complexity of the heart as it plays out in the world today. So important.
There you are! I'm very grateful to be having this conversation with you.
Beautifully said, Susie. I could not agree more. It's heart breaking to watch the conflict while safe in my living room, listening to the anguished pleas of family members to find their loved ones, and the children who are traumatized by what they've seen and experienced. It's unfathomable yo me.
It's difficult for me that "life goes on." I somehow think that every conversation in every place I go will be about Israel/Palestine. Of course, it would be impossible if it were. But I'm having a hard time concentrating on anything else.
It's true. And to bear witness is important, even though it is heartbreaking. 😔
Thank you Susie!
Thank you for reading and for being there.
Too bad Hamas and Iran don't think like you.
They think you have NO RIGHT to even exist, that Israel has no right to exist. Reason has no application to these zealots.
I wanted to say what is true for me which is really all I can say. So it's not really about reason. It's about what's in my heart.
Thank you for speaking from the heart, to the hearts of us all.
I feel a lot of connection to all the good people who are trying to articulate their struggle yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It feels a little less traumatizing to do this together.
Thank you Susie. It’s a lifetimes work to resist us and them-ing in our personal lives and in the world. Thank you for expressing it so beautifully.
The events in Israel/Palestine really put us up against it...trying not to Other. There's an article in the current Atlantic about Kamala Harris in which she talks about how she was assigned the Border Crisis as her portfolio and that that was like getting asked to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It's the paradigm of conflict.
Beautifully articulated, Ms. Kaufman.