With the days quickly leading up to Tisha B’Av, I cannot get the destruction of my grandparent’s families out of my mind. After writing about Boleslawiec and its small Jewish community, I feel it is important to write about a town that lies six miles away. The town where my great grandmother Sarah Manes grew up: Viroshov/Wieruszow.
When I realized there were so few Jewish citizens of Boleslawiec, I had to reconsider some of the stories my Grandma told me about growing up. She always talked about all her cousins and spending time with them. Then I remembered, she told me about spending time with her grandmother Klindell Manes, and that is where she saw her cousins, in the town of Viroshov. It took me a while to figure out that Viroshov, was Yiddish for Wieruszow.
All those stories she told me were about her Manes cousins. Those were the cousins I had met in Israel so long ago. (See blogs below.)
I was right. And once again I am forced to forgive my 20-year-old self for not paying enough attention. For not wanting to hear the horrible stories. For tuning out, while trying to escape from the seemingly endless number of survivors who insisted on seeing Grandma during our month-long stay in Israel in 1976.
I have written about several of these survivors and what I discovered. (See blog below.). And I even wrote about my Grandma’s cousin Dora before. But now I need to revisit Dora and tell more of her story.
I now understand why her daughter was so protective of her when she called to set up a meeting with my Grandma. I now have rachmanes, in my mature years, that I did not have as much in my youth. I tried to be as courteous as possible, but I truly did not understand the undercurrents of everything that occurred.
Grandma had survived the war by being in the USA. She had saved her father and her sister by bringing them out of Europe in 1936. In fact, their family did not know that my great aunt had escaped, and had even added her to the Yitzkor book of the town!
My grandmother and her children were safe. She did not need to remake her life. But Dora and so many others had had a different reality. I now know Dora’s reality. And I feel, once again, the burden of knowing someone, but not really understanding and knowing what happened.
Dora was married before the war, in 1924, a few months before my grandparents. She and her husband survived. But her mother, who was my great grandmother’s sister, Mascha, did not survive. Her father, Eliazer, did not survive. Her brother, Wolf, and her sister Yocheved, did not survive. In all 13 people with the last name Manes, and more related to the family, from Wieruszow were murdered.
Before the war, in 1921, there were 2300 Jews in the community of Wieruszow, making up 36 percent of the population. In 1939, before the Nazis invaded there were 2400. That all changed. The Jewish community was slowly decimated. By 1940 there were 1740 Jews. In September 1941 a ghetto was opened where 1200 Jews were imprisoned. Then between August 11 and 23 the ghetto was ‘liquidated.’ I hate that word. Just say the Jews were killed and moved to Concentration Camps. This time, Chelmo. But before they were taken, the old and sick were shot.
In April 21, 1942, there was a mass murder of Jews and a mass grave for 86 people was dug in the Jewish cemetery. But, of course, that did not survive because the Nazis also had to wipe out cemeteries to destroy the memories. The tombstones were used for pavers. The cemetery was dismantled. But 100 tombstones still remain. I doubt I would find my great great grandparents and great grandparents gravesites.
However, that mass grave gave me another clue to my family. A stone was laid on the mass grave by a man with the last name Majerowicz. That sent a shock through me as well. Because in Israel, I also knew a man with the last name Majerowicz. He was also my Grandma’s first cousin. But he was a bit different. I wrote about him because his sister was Grandma’s first cousin and best friend. His mother and my grandmother’s mother were sisters.
In all there were 135 names in the Yad VaShem database with the last name Majerowicz, or some similar spelling that perished in Viroshov/Wieruszow. I noticed that many were duplicates, so perhaps only 80 people were listed. And although not all were related to me, once again I will claim them as being related. Because I feel I must.
Now there are over 8600 people live in Wieruszow. In a town that was once 36 percent Jewish, there are no Jews. The cemetery is destroyed. The original mikveh, where many Jews were murdered by the Nazis is gone. There is just a list, a yitzkor book and some memories.
Once again thank you to Virtual Shetl, the Yad Vashem Database, Jewish Gen, and the Viroshov Yitzkor book.
Recently my synagogue’s Men’s Club sponsored a showing of the movie, “To Cast A Giant Shadow,” all about the 1948 formation of the modern State of Israel, the siege of Jerusalem, and the attacks by five Arab countries to destroy Israel before it was even a day old.
The movie starred Kirk Douglas as Colonel David “Mickey” Marcus, a true hero of the Second World War, who became the first general of Israel and died in a tragic incident concerning friendly fire.
Other stars included Frank Sinatra, John Wayne, Yul Brenner, Angie Dickerson, Topol, and Senta Berger, who played the characters of real people involved in the creation and salvation of Israel against the multitude of Arab nations who vowed to destroy them. It is a fictionalized version. But it gives a view of Israel from the 1960s when the movie was made and the terror that people were living through then.
Sounds familiar? It does to me, as once again terrorist forces from the East, the South and the North try to destroy Israel, and anti-Semitism and Jew hatred takes over social media, and the traditional media also seems to favor the terrorists of Hamas over Israel as it defends itself. In fact, the word Zionism has replaced the word Jewish on social media to create Jew hatred around the world.
We were basically defenseless then. No one would give us weapons. The British were turning everything over to the Arab nations. The Jews had just suffered through a massive attempt to annihilate them—the largest genocide in human history. Many of the ‘soldiers’ had recently arrived from the concentration camps. Who would have thought Israel would survive? It was really a miracle, perhaps the divine intervention included the help of Mickey Marcus.
Now we are not defenseless. But once again there are fractions in the world that would like to see the destruction of the State of Israel. The UN made it obvious who they wanted to believe when they would not even admit for months that the Hamas terrorists raped and brutalized Israel victims, both women and men and the horrible murders of children. The UNWRA seems complicit in the work of Hamas.
On college campuses and in cities around the world people are supporting Hamas, a terrorist group that ended a cease fire and has caused the deaths of thousands of people. It seems to be a world gone insane. But not only in Israel. Yesterday Russia once again bombed the Ukraine. This time destroying a children’s hospital in Kiev.
How bad can it get before the world realizes that Israel is a sovereign country? Ukraine is a sovereign country. When Iran says it will obliterate Israel, what does that really mean? Nuclear War? When Russia threatens to use nuclear weapons, what does it mean? Nuclear War?
In the Middle East the wars between Israel and its neighbors did not stop then with this war for survival. For the entirety of Israel’s existence, the Arab nations surrounding it have worked for its destruction. For the past decade, Russia has been trying to chip away at Ukraine’s borders.
Isn’t it time for these continuous battles to end? Isn’t time for children everywhere to be able to sleep a peaceful night without the need for bomb shelters?
Isn’t it time for Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah to start working to make life better for the people they are entrusted with and use the money they have to rebuild and create a strong economy and society instead of using more and more money to precure arms and build the tunnels and machinery for destruction?
Isn’t it time for Russia to pull back? So the children and people of Ukraine can have peace again? Before this blows up and more people die on both sides.
Does anyone think nuclear war will end the battles? It might – with the destruction of the world as we know it. Releasing atomic bombs will not solve the problems. Ukraine and Russia border each other. Any nuclear bomb will harm both. Israel borders many Arab nations, if Iran obliterate Israel other nations will also be destroyed. It makes me think of another of my favorite movies, “War Games,” in which we find out that thermonuclear war is a non-winner for everyone.
Please Peace. No more battles, deaths, sleepless nights, and destruction. It is time for Iran and its terrorist proxies to look at their own plates and solve the problems of their people and stop trying to kill all the Jews in the world. The same in Ukraine. I know that the ‘normal’ people of the world who are suffering do not want any more battles.
Please Peace. For Israel. For Ukraine. For the world.
“How a mother suffers!” My mother would moan every so often when one of us got sick, or misbehaved, or had an accident. Sometimes she would say it in jest when we were all teasing her.
How a mother suffers. These are words that take on so many more nuances when your child lives in a war zone. Or when your child is called up to serve in the military. Or when your child is hurting. My mother-in-law would say, “You are only as happy as your most unhappy child.” That is also true.
In the past two years I have gone from the highs of motherhood to the lows. And as a mother I am suffering a bit. I say a bit because I know there are parents who are suffering way more than I am. There are mothers whose children are forced to fight for their country against terrorists. There are mothers of children who are taken hostage and have not seen them for six months. There are mothers of children in Gaza who have perished as Israel fights for its existence and Hamas refuses all negotiations, using the people of Gaza and the hostages as shields. Forcing many more mothers to suffer.
My suffering is minor compared to theirs. But it still resonates in my heart. When I get off an airplane and turn my phone on to a multitude of messages, including one from my daughter saying, “We are fine. We are in our safe room (bomb shelter).” When I see the news that Iran is bombarding Israel with 340 missiles, drones and bombs. When I feel that rise of panic and bile in my throat because I honestly do not know if she is safe.
Too many times in the last 12 years I have woken up to the same message. “We are fine, we are in our safe room.”
Hamas has been targeting Israel with bombs all these years. Every year, every month, 100s and 1000s of rockets. Because their aim is the total destruction of the state of Israel and the death of all Jews. All Jews. And when Hamas is not bombing from the south and west, then Hezbollah bombs from the north. And their rockets are move sophisticated.
Now I see college campuses with ignorant students calling out “We are Hamas. Free Palestine. All Zionists should die.” Without ever mentioning the fact that Hamas started this war. That Hamas raped, murdered and brutalized 1000s of people. That Hamas took hostages. That Hamas send over 20,000 bombs into Israel. That Hamas does not really care about their own people feeling that they should be martyrs to the cause. Hamas leaders have actually said this! Definitely not mothers.
This mother, who has a master’s degree in journalism, suffers when she sees that the media does not report equally on what Israel has suffered giving more coverage to Gaza. That the media uses information provided by Hamas to report on what is happening. That they believe the lies of Hamas, which we have seen over and over again. And when found in a lie, then puts the truth buried on back pages and not the front pages where they put the lies. When they report what Hamas says and not what Israel says. I find this type of media coverage despicable. And I wonder what happened in the world that the news is so biased. What happened to reporting equally on both sides and not putting personal opinion or bias in the reports. There are members of the news media who turn my stomach, I can’t imagine why they are allowed on the air. The BBC is one of these media outlets who actually fired some of their so-called reporters because of their biases.
I think of October 7 and the mothers that I know who really suffered. I think of my daughter’s friend whose cousin was murdered at the Nova festival. Three girls went together and only one survived. The one who survived only did so because she hid under the bodies of the DEAD. The last time Jewish people had to do that was in the Shoah.
How a mother suffers! She suffers through the suffering of her children. She suffers through the suffering of the mothers she knows. She suffers from the callousness of others who say thoughtless words.
This mother is angry that any mother has to suffer. But is also angry at the mothers who did not teach their college-age children about right and wrong. Did not teach them that terrorist groups are not the heroes, they are the villains. A sovereign country has a right to exist. And through all the suffering initiated by Hamas, we will survive.
A mother suffers. A mother is only as happy as her most unhappy child. Many times a mother suffers in silence, not wanting their children to know how much they hurt and worry about them. But this mother is strong, supportive and will survive and can speak out for what is right.
I say Israel has a right to exist. Hamas is a terrorist group whose goal is destruction. No mother should have to suffer because Hamas/Hezbullah/Iran started a war. Anti Semitism is alive on college campuses and in the news media. We all have to speak out. Enough is enough.
I am so frustrated with Meta’s policies concerning anti-Semitism and attacks on Jews, Israel, Zionism, Judaism, etc. I realize that we are just 16 million people in the world. Truly a minority. Truly without much of a voice on social media when you consider the total population of the world.
So I was extremely aggravated when I read that Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote a letter to Meta saying that the rights of Palestinians to voice their concerns have been suppressed:
“Reports of Meta’s suppression of Palestinian voices raise serious questions about Meta’s content moderation practices and anti-discrimination protections,” Senator Warren continued. “Social media users deserve to know when and why their accounts and posts are restricted, particularly on the largest platforms where vital information-sharing occurs. Users also deserve protection against discrimination based on their national origin, religion, and other protected characteristics.” (Warren.senate.gov.)
Personally, I do not want anyone’s rights to be abused. But what disgusts me about her letter is that it was totally one sided. Nowhere in her letter, that I have been able to see, does she mention the horrible anti-Semetic and anti-Israel, actually just outright Jew Hatred attacks on social media. Nowhere does she acknowledge that many of these attacks are in Arabic or come from Palestinian areas.
So once again we have a double standard. I agree with her sentiment that users of social medial must be protected. But that means all users, including all the Jewish users. Elizabeth Warren had the opportunity to demand that social media must be better for both groups. Instead she chose to focus only on one side and totally ignore the hate that Jewish users are facing.
It is as if she said, ‘Hey, let’s protect the rights of the 1.7 billion and all others in Moslems and Palestinians. But let us not protect the rights of the 16 million Jews and Israelis. Let us not mention what is happening to them on social media, which is in fact why meta changed the algorithms, to help filter out some of the hate and violence against Jews and Israelis that is all over social media.
I am not saying this from a very personal level. I have seen the hatred against Jews everywhere.
For the past three months I have been overwhelmed at times by the amount of pure hatred and threats and lies and disgusting comments about Jews or Israelis that are on Facebook. As a volunteer for CyberWell, I have reported many comments and cartoons on Meta social media platforms attacking Jewish people and Israelis. My reporting feels as if it goes nowhere. And now Senator Warren wants Meta to ease up so more violence can be posted on social media.
Of the many reports I have sent in and then re-reported, only two have been officially taken down. I have had multiple notifications that I can take my complaints to the oversight review board. I have submitted five such comments to the review board.
And I am not talking about little issues. I am talking about veiled violence: “Imagine a world without Zionism,” A reference to Oct 7, as “The Best Day Ever”; False information saying the IDF attacked the Nova concert; “Hamas was created and funding by Israel”; “Hitler was right.” And these are the nicer ones that I reported. I will admit that two were so bad that Meta immediately took them down and told me that if I ever saw anything by these two people again, I should report them immediately.
No group deserved to be annihilated. “Free Palestine from the River to the Sea,” IS a call for the destruction of all Jews in Israel. Calling for the destruction of Israel is a threat. Saying things like. “All J3w$ should die.” Is not a joke. Using letters and numbers and dollar signs should be recognized. Lies from Hamas and Hezbollah and Bots under the control of these terrorist groups should be recognized and kicked off Facebook.
These inactions are hurting people. College students are being terrorized on campus. Terrorist and hate groups are using social media to emotionally and psychologically hurt people. It is time that Meta stops this behavior. I should not be reading an article from the New York Times and see hundreds of comments that are filled with hate and many times filled with lies. Think of it, I have made many reports, and only two were removed!
So why didn’t Senator Warren make mention of any of these issues. Why didn’t she write that she understands that much of the hatred on social media is coming from Bots and comments from the Middle East and Palestinian areas. I know that Terrorist groups have people purposely putting up hate. But the rights of people who are being attacked also have to be protected.
I believe that those who make constructive criticism without calling for the annihilation of Jews and Israel should be allowed. I can handle that. I also do not agree with everything Israeli government has done.
Meta can tell when song that is under copyright is used and delete it. Meta should be able to recognize when lies and misinformation and disgusting cartoons are posted. It must do better, be part of the solution, and stop any hatred from spreading.
At the same time it has to respect the rights of all people to have the right to express their opinion. As long as their opinion does not include destruction of Israel and all of the Jews..
I wish Senator Warren has said emphasized that as well. Here is Senator Warren’s entire letter. As you can read, not once does she mention that Israel has been attacked both physically and on social media. Not once, even when she writes about the restriction on live streaming, does she mention the horrendous live streaming during the attack on October 7 by the Hamas.: https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Meta%20Letter.pdf
Once again, I have to say there is a major double standard here. And Senator Warren’s letter is evidence of what the Jewish community in the United States is facing.
Earlier this month, I attended a medical meeting with my husband in California. On Friday night, we attended a reception organized by Allergists For Israel, a non-profit founded in 1984 to promote ties between allergists/immunologists in the USA and Israel. This is a group event that we try to attend each year.
With the active war raging between Israel and Hamas, the reception to come together and welcome Shabbat with our Jewish and non-Jewish friends was more emotional than usual. Many of us had family members who live in Israel. Additionally, we had three guests at our meeting, the director of Major Gifts/Southwest, for Magen David Adom, and most importantly two Magen David Adom staff who had experienced the horror of October 7.
They were in the United States and Canada for one week. We were fortunate to meet them. Before their presentation, I spoke to them for a short time one on one, which helped my heart as I worry about my daughter and her husband in Israel. But then they gave their presentation, and my heart was no longer soothed.
Remember, it was a Shabbat and a hag, a holiday, when the terror began. These two people were in the mode of celebration and relaxation before being called in to help.
The woman is a paid employee, a dispatcher for Magen David Adom. She spent 13 hours staffing the phones at the dispatch center in Jerusalem during the crisis. Her tales of the phone conversations she had with people, who she could not promise she could help, were heart breaking. Her inability to get help to where it was needed most, was devastating. Many of those she spoke to were murdered by the terrorists.
The man who spoke to us is a volunteer ambulance driver. He entered an armored ambulance and started what would become a 24-hour day driving back and forth to the south to try to save the injured. Along the way he saw destroyed cars and ambulances, homes burning and the bodies of those who could no longer be saved. He admitted that he realized this was not a safe place to be. But he had an important focus, and in this day of terror, he was able to save about 30 lives.
For all of us listening, both Jewish and not Jewish, both doctors and spouses, the emotional of it was almost too much. I know that there were tears flowing from my eyes as he discussed a young Arab boy who watched his father be murdered as he, himself, was shot. His uncle flagged down the ambulance, a bit afraid for himself, as he knew what was happening. The ambulance, driven by the man speaking to use stopped. He told us he felt so badly for the boy. He could not take the uncle to be with the boy; he had to drive and could not be with the boy. He could just stabilize him and get him to a hospital as soon as possible. Amazingly the boy survived.
I think that is an important point to understand. Hamas did not care who they shot and killed and mutilated and terrorized. There were people from many countries who were impacted. There were people of five faiths who were brutalized or killed. The terrorists desire to destroy was unleased and focused on killing everyone in sight and creating chaos and terror wherever they went. While the volunteers from Magen David Adom saved all they could who were injured.
Besides the many who were murdered, even more were injured, some critically. They need medical care and blood. Magen David Adom is helping. I have made my donation to Magen David Adom through our Donor Advised Fund. You can also donate through the American Friends of Magen David Adom. (See Link below.)
In this time of Thanksgiving, we need to be thankful for the Magen David Adom first responders who put their lives at risk to save others. Let us thank them by supporting their important work.
This is my diary over the last five weeks of the Israel – Hamas War. There are many more, but I think these do the best to explain my feelings. I already wrote a blog about thanking the helpers. You can see links to this and another blog below.
October 7. 7:30 am
Just spoke to my daughter. They spent hours in their safe room. They are ok. But stressed and distressed. Many Israelis have been killed, hundreds injured, and dozens taken captive. Hamas terrorists surprise attack on the southern areas and bombing of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Hamas and Hezbollah are evil attacking civilians, women, children, Jews and Bedouin. They really don’t care who they kill. This was not an attack on a military area. This was attack on innocents at parties, at home at play.
October 12:
United just cancelled our flight to Israel. Not unexpected. But disappointing for several reasons. First, we do not get to see my daughter and son in law and all the other family and friends we planned to visit. Second because United is even afraid to fly a week from now which increases my anxiety by many multiplication of numeric factors.
In the spirit of the recent high holidays, I say: I am angry, I am anxious, I am not sleeping, I am saddened, I am frustrated, I am frightened. I keep thinking of Yom Kippur and how it is inscribed on who will die and how. And I have a scream that is sitting at the bottom of my throat waiting to come out.
October 18:
At this very moment, 8:39 am, I should be landing in Israel at 4:39 pm. Instead I am home in Kansas.
There is nothing else to say except love and prayers for all my family and friends in Israel who I was hoping to visit.
Family update. They are fine. There has only been one rocket a day for a while. My daughter is extremely busy with her work at CyberWell trying to stem the horrible flow of anti-Israel, anti-Semitic and violence toward Jews content off social media. They had a training for volunteers to help identify some of this. If you would be interested in watching the 50-minute webinar and do something productive. Let Lara or me know. I personally have reported posts to the social media platforms and also to CyberWell. This makes a big difference. If everyone one reported one or two a day we can make a change!!!
October 20
I am thankful that he is president during this difficult time. His support for Israel, his fight against baseless hatred is just what we needed. When I visit my elders, many of whom remember the late 1930s and 1940s and are terrified, I can honestly say this is not the same. The president of the USA and many others in government are supporting us.
October 21
My comment today: Do you think the bombing from Gaza has stopped because all you hear in the news is that Israel is attacking Gaza. Have you heard that rockets are still speeding to Tel Aviv, Yafo, Holon, and Rishon LeZion as well as to the south. Many rockets every day. Today my daughter’s alert told of of the incoming all around her community. It is not over. Hamas is still attacking Israel. There is a reason why Hamas has to be eradicated from the world.
Do I feel badly that children are being hurt. Of course. But I am tired of hearing now that Gaza is without water or electricity. Israel has said, return the hostages and we will turn it back on. Give them back.
I am tired of people saying Israel should step down. You are not under the threat of a bomb landing on your home, you are not attending funerals for people you know or family members, you are not sending you son, daughter, spouse, brother, sister off to battle.
The news media is not only focus on what Israel might do. Giving the impression that in Israel it is peaceful. NO it is NOT. Not on the truth about what is happening. Those who live around Gaza have been evacuated. Those who live in the north are on voluntary evacuation.
Stand up for Israel and the impact of this crisis on the citizens. If you want to be angry, be angry at Hamas for what they did murdering 1400 innocent people in their homes; for knowing that what they would do would impact the innocent people of Gaza; for preparing and protecting themselves from the bombing but not the civilians of Gaza. Be angry at the other Moslem countries surrounding the area that want to escalate the war, be angry at Egypt and Jordan and other countries that refuse to help ease the crisis in Gaza.
This war is not what Israel wanted. This is a war that Hamas started and Hamas wanted. Israel is a tiny country surrounded by large land masses inhabited by Moslems. They have all they and they could want. But what many do want is the total annihilating of Israel.
All over the world people are attacking Jewish people who have nothing to do with Israel. So the people who Chant “Not in my Name” are playing into the work of Hamas and so are also guilty for any more attacks on Jews. It is opening a door for more killing and it is wrong. What they should be saying is return the hostages and stop attacking Israel.
October 23
The false news reports about the hospital bombing which was a failed rocket by Hamas leads to violence against Jews world wide. It is amazing, Hamas attacks Israel and kills 1400 people and wounds over 3000. Sends over 6400 rockets and bombs into Israel and in the U.S. and throughout the world people attack Jews. Attack the terrorists who started this. I am horrified by the hatred.
November 3
I pray each day for the conflict in Israel/Gaza to end. For the Hamas to release the prisoners/hostages and to surrender and face the consequences of their crimes. Hamas has continued to threatened Jews and Israel throughout this month and has continued to send rockets into Israel. They have built tunnels under neighborhoods, hospitals and schools. They have threatened and attacked Israeli communities for decades!
I wish there was an easier way to stop the terrorists then this bombing and siege of Gaza City. But the Hamas has stockpiled rockets and weapons, as well as food, water, oil and other supplies. They prepared for this assault on Israel and the return assault on them without caring about any civilians.
During the attack on Israel, Hamas terrorists cut the supply lines that bring water and electricity from Israel to Gaza. Life means nothing to them until they destroy all Jewish life in Israel.
It is time for the terror of Hamas and Hezbollah to end. For all to face the fact that Israel exists and will not disappear. So that all people in the region can live in peace and coexist, so that children will not suffer and innocent people die on either side.
But the increased actions of Jew Hatred that is now growing throughout the world, actually shows the double standard with which Israel and the Jewish communities face. Israel did not start this. On a holiday weekend, when people were sleeping in their beds, Hamas attacked, murdered, mutilated, took captive and wounded almost 6000 people. Over 1400 dead, 240 captive, over 4000 wounded. those killed were mostly Jewish, but many were Moslem and Beduion. Now in the USA there a large numbers that did not condemn Hamas. That is shocking!
No one wants war. Not in Ukraine; Not in Syria; Not in Sudan; Not in Israel; Not in Gaza. Every life has value: Jew, Christian, Moslem, Bahai, Druze, Shinto, Buddist, Hindu, all religions, ethnicities and races.
Shalom, Saalam, Paz, Paix, Friedan, Pace, Peace!
November 4
This is the message I sent to the International Red Cross:
So far only 4 hostages taken by Hamas have been released. One of the main roles of the Red Cross is to help free hostages throughout the world. I have supported the Red Cross for many years. But the unequal and biased work going on now where the hostages, infants, children, women, men, elderly, are ignored because most of them are Jewish is an affront to all what the red cross is supposed to stand for. SHAME ON YOU! Tell Hamas to release the hostages.
We went to a Havdalah service at Leawood City Hall. After the service we each held the photo of a hostage and then stood in silence for 241 seconds in honor of those held hostage by Hamas.
November 13
A relative’s friend asked me if I at all thought Israel was wrong. Here is my response and it is what I believe.
Define wrong. Is it wrong for Hamas to have come into Israel and murder innocents children, women, men, elderly in their homes on a holiday weekend? Is it wrong for Hamas to build their tunnels and shoot rockets off from hospitals and schools using the children and the sick as shields against others? IS it wrong for Hamas to take the funding and cement and fuel sent into Gaza for the people to continue to create and buy weapons and tunnels to attack Israel? Is it wrong for Hamas to keep the people of Gaza captive for years, because you should know that Israel left the Gaze over 15 years ago and withdrew all their people and turn everything over to the Palestinians who voted to put Hamas in power? Is is wrong that Egypt also has a border with Gaza, but they usually keep their border closed and supply little to no help to the people there? Is it wrong that the surrounding Arab countries have kept the people who fled Israel in refugee camps and refused to intergrate them into society, while forcing out an equal number of Jewish citizens who were integrated into Israel, the USA and other countries? Just asking you how you define wrong.
Israel told people to evacuate, Hamas would not let them. ISrael waited over a week to attack so that people could leave. Israel gave fuel. For weeks we have heard that the hospitals would run out of fuel, they did not. Israel repeatedly told the hospital to evacuate. They did not. They have caved to Hamas demands.
You believe everything Hamas says, even though throughout the world they know they are terrorist. The 27 EU countries have condemned Hamas and supported Israel.
So define who is wrong here. To me it is Hamas. ISreal had no intention of going to war on Hamas till Hamas killed and mutilated over 1200 people. And took 240 hostages. What happened after October 7 is on the hands of Hamas.
This would end if Hamas released the hostages and surrender. Why don’t you call for that instead of condemning Israel?
People keep asking me how I am doing. Nauseous anxiety mixed with fear of the unknown would be the best description. Each morning when I awaken, I am afraid to turn on the news or even look at my phone.
On Saturday morning October 7, I was awoken by a text message that said, “We are fine.” Why are you telling me you and your husband are fine? Was the thought that went through my mind. I quickly googled Israel. And I saw the horror that was unfolding. I texted back, “Can we speak.” Because who knew if we could. Were they in their safe room/bomb shelter? Were rockets falling? What was happening?
We did speak. My daughter told me of the unspeakable horrors that were occurring and that in all honestly, no one really knew the full extent of the horror till much later. 1400 murdered, brutalized, their corpses mutilated. Infants and children brutally murdered. And some had their heads or hands cut off! What type of human being does this? 260 young adults slaughtered at a music concert where they were celebrating the holiday and hoping for peace. They were chased and murdered. And then there are the hostages to be used as human shields, many of them children, who are still being held captive.
Over 7,000 rockets have been launched into Israel. Besides the dead, over 4600 people injured. Some are still dying from their wounds. And perhaps all the bodies have not yet been recovered.
Obviously, the Israeli government, intelligence and military failed the people of Israel.
How could my anxiety level not be extremely high? I did not sleep for a week. Our long-planned trip to Israel that was to begin on October 18 was cancelled. I am at times overwhelmed by my angst. I have no control of this situation. I cannot fix it. I am so far away. The photos and videos are horrible. And the haters are hating.
I think my angst is heighted by my family history. My grandfather came to America in 1920. His family stayed behind. They all perished. Hundreds of people murdered. Of the ones who were in Europe only four cousins survived from an extended family of about 300 that I have found. ONLY FOUR! I have been the family genealogist searching for the answers: Death in the Lodz Ghetto; Death in Belzec; Death in Auschwitz; Death by being burned alive in a synagogue or mikveh. Death by gun shot to the head. Death by starvation. Death by disease. Death by Nazis and other anti-Semites. My grandfather is from the first area that the Nazis made Judenrein, cleansed of Jews.
As I see what happened in Israel I can see the comparisons. And I understand the terror and fear and anger that people are feeling.
But the worst is also seeing those in our country and others saying that what Hamas did was okay. The antisemitism is… well I honestly cannot think of a word to describe it. But that people can rationalize and say what Hamas did was okay, makes me ill. The New York Times and other media outlets have reached their lowest point and shown their true bias when they would publish a Hamas release about a hospital bombing before checking facts and blaming Israel, causing more hate and actual violence to Jews outside of Israel.. When students at universities and schools chant the words of terror that means eradicating all Jews from Israel, yelling as they march, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free.” I hope they do not realize that they are calling for the death of all Jews in Israel. But perhaps they are because others chant that Hitler should have finished the job. Hamas, Hezobllah, Iran, want all of Israel to be Judenrein.
Israel said, “Give us back our hostages and we will turn the water and electricity back on.” But Hamas refuses. In the meantime, Israel allows convoyrs with humanitarian aid to pass through, yet so far only 4 hostages have been returned. They are keeping the children. Everyone says the same thing, they will use them as human shields. Can you imagine? A soldier either has to shot through a child or die. Horrifying. In my mind these hostages, many of them, are already dead. And I am not sure if I hope I am wrong. Like that father who found out his 8-year old daughter, Emily, was dead. He was relieved, better dead than a prisoner of Hamas.
Israel said “Move South, we are going to bomb Gaza City.” Those that did not move are now suffering. But is this the fault of Israel? I think not. It is the fault of Hamas who attacked Israel, who built tunnels for their terrorists and bombs to kill, but nothing for the civilians. It is the fault of Hamas who ordered civilians not to leave despite the warnings and then blocked the roads so tht even those who wanted to get out could not. I think 600,000 left. But the ones who are stayed behind are suffering. And I am heartbroken for the children of Gaza, who are also victims of Hamas.
People are angry that Israel cut off the electricity and water. But wait, Israel has been providing electricity and water for decades. And cement, which we know that the Hamas terrorist use to build tunnels was provided by Israel so that they could build homes. We know they build terror tunnels instead. Why should Israel give them anything if their only aim is to destroy Israel and kill all the Jews?
But do the videos and photos of children being pulled out by rubble bother me. YES. I hate that these children are suffering. But my question is this: Did the terrorists in Gaza and the West Bank, and Hezbollah feel bad when they saw the photos of the murdered Jewish/Israeli children? NO they celebrated and gave out candy.
I learned when I lived in Israel after the Yom Kippur War, that if you give an inch the terrorists think you are weak. Right now Israel cannot be weak, or it might be destroyed. And I think that is what sane people are not realizing. Because the terrorists are not sane. They are corrupt with evil. Anyone who can give out candy when others are suffering is evil to me.
How am I feeling? I am disheartened, somewhat despondent, but at the same time I feel disgusted about how the United Nations and progressives are supporting terrorists. There are only 16 million Jewish people throughout the entire population. Why cannot we just be left alone? Just live and let live.
However, I am also defiant. We will survive this. It might take decades to get over the trauma. But we have learned over time how to keep moving forward. We survived the evil of the Holocaust; the wicked plans of Haman; the violence of the Crusaders; the torture and deaths of the Inquisition. I believe we will outlast the evil act of Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and others who try to eradicate the Jewish People. Am Israel Chai.
I am a firm believer in the words of wisdom from Mr. Fred Rogers. One of his gems was in times of stress or danger, “look for the helpers.” I have to say that in the last four days, the helpers have been finding me. I did not realize how many helpers there are surrounding me.
Since Saturday, October 7, when the Hamas terrorists attacked Israel and murdered almost 1000 people who were just going about their days and celebrating the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret, I have felt the support of my community.
I have received over 100 text messages, emails, phone calls, and Facebook messages from people, family and friends, living all over the country and Israel. I have heard from friends I have not heard from in several years who want to check in on me. Why me? Because my daughter and her husband live in Israel. And everyone wants to know if they are safe.
My neighbors have called and left me messages. A family member who was traveling overseas, emailed me upon landing in Hungary when she heard about the attacks. My college roommate and high school friends are contacting me. My community in Kansas have reached out. And it is not just me. My husband has received messages and support from his work colleagues and friends.
Our world is so small now. What happens in one community, one country can impact every country. The violence of terrorist has been a bane to many countries: New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania, USA, Mumbai, India, Paris, France; Buenes Aires, Argentina; and more. The need for security from terrorists/shooters is overwhelming simple things like entering a building, going to school, going to pray.
In most cases the active shooter or the terrorist is easily seen as the one doing evil. It is somewhat disheartening to see on social media and in the news that there are people who are praising the barbaric slaughter of children, women, men, families in their homes, elderly. Many of whom were just at home enjoying a holiday. But not only were they killed but their corpses were mutilated. And many were taken hostage and brutalized and humiliated and hurt. Hamas has shown its true face of evil.
To those who feel that Israel is at fault for this attack, I have to say how would you react if a group of terrorists came over from Mexico and killed 1000 people in El Paso, Texas, and said the USA deserved it because they are treating the South American refugees badly. Would you say the USA deserved once again to be the victim of terrorism? I think not. The citizens of the USA would want revenge, just as we did after 911. It is a war crime to actually target children and non military personal.
According to the United Nations: “The right of civilians not to be arbitrarily deprived of life and the prohibitions against killing or maiming civilians are principles firmly enshrined in international humanitarian law, international human rights law and international jurisprudence. The prohibition of violence to civilians, including children, in particular murder, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture is a principle of customary international law, with universal applicability in all situations of armed conflict.” (See website below.)
I would think that taking children and infants hostage; murdering over 260 teenagers at a party, and murdering families in their homes would be considered a crime against humanity, targeting women, children, civilians is not acceptable in International law. And yes, Israel is now bombing Gaza, and innocents will be killed. And that hurts as well. But as we well know by now that Hamas uses civilians as human shields. Another crime against humanity that must be credited to the evil of Hamas.
Which brings me to another Mr. Rogers quote:
“We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to say ‘It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.’ Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.”
When a terrorist attack occurs anywhere in the world, no matter the country, we as the world community need to come together and be the helpers and say this is wrong. We need to help. It is our problem. These attacks do not happen without financial support. The world is aware of where the money comes from to kill. I believe it was due to the process of creating an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel that this attacks happened. Hamas and its ally would lose some control if that agreement had occurred.
I know there are those working for peace in the Middle East. I thank them.
For me, I say thank you to all those who have reached out to give me moral support and love during this time of great distress and anxiety for Israel, all of her citizens, my daughter and her husband, my extended family and friends and also for the Palestinian people who are not members of Hamas and who are also suffering due to the terrorists’ unconscionable acts.
May the names and memories of all have been killed be a blessing. May the goodness of the helpers be remembered. I end with one last Mr. Rogers’ quote:
While in Israel, my daughter and I went to visit my cousin and her family. Sara and I are just one month a part in age, but she is actually my mother’s first cousin. Sara was the child of my grandmother’s youngest brother. My two uncles and their wives, two sisters, escaped Poland by running to Russia. Probably not the best choice. But since they were tailors, they were able to survive. In any case, they did not have any children till the war was over and they were out of Europe.
Sara and I became pen pals when we were 11. Sara grew up in Australia, and then moved with her family to Israel in 1966. That is when we started writing to each other and we have been in touch ever since.
During this visit, when the young people were visiting, Sara pulled out some old photo albums. Most of the photos I had seen before. But some from Europe and Australia I had not seen. One in particular caught my attention because I noticed my grandmother as a girl. And I realized that this was the only photo I had ever seen of my grandmother in Europe before she came to the USA at age 16.
There are two other girls in the photo. The back of the photo says “Isaac’s three sisters.” And there were three sisters. My grandmother Tova/Taube/Thelma was the oldest. Esther was the middle child and Malcha was the baby. Esther was about six years younger than my grandmother, who was able to bring her to America along with my great grandfather in 1936. (See blog below.)
But the question is: are these really the three sisters? The notation was made by my great aunt, not my great uncle. Sara doesn’t know for sure. I got in touch with my mother’s other first cousin, who is 15 years older than us. I thought she might know.
She agrees that the girl on the right is my grandmother. That is not in doubt. My grandmother never changed! But although the girl on the left looks like my Tante Esther, she seems too close in age to my grandmother in this picture. Grandma was born in 1906, Tante Esther in 1912. These two girls seem to be the same age. The girl in the middle could be Malcha. But supposedly Esther is only three years older than Malcha. Oy Vey.
Then we thought, this is my grandmother on the right, so perhaps it is her best friend and first cousin, Tova Malcha on the left. They were the same age. We then think, sitting on the ground is grandma’s sister, my great aunt Malcha. Then Esther is not in the picture.
The caption could be wrong?
We do not know. And I doubt that we will ever know, because everyone who might know has passed away.
In the meantime, I am just excited about finding a photo of my grandmother when she was a girl in Poland. As my cousin said, no matter what, it is great treasure.
A recent trip to Israel gave me an opportunity to visit my daughter’s jobsite. The last time I visited her on the job, she worked at the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation in Jaffa. She was using her education and experience to help create peace in the Middle East, definitely a difficult aspiration. Her new job focus has switched to stopping the rise of antisemitism and Jew-hate speech on social media platforms. My daughter has always wanted to make the world a better place.
CyberWell is a start-up NGO founded by Tal-Or Cohen, an attorney and American-Israeli who saw that Jew-hatred was growing on social media. She thought her expertise in law and her experience researching extremist movements In the US on social media would work together as astart to combating this growing problem. She founded CyberWell as an ethical high tech non-profit with the aim to make social media less hateful.
A colleague of my daughter’s from the Peres Center is a close friend of Tal-Or’s, and recommended that my daughter could help in this quest.
In October of 2021, my daughter joined the team. In May 2022, the site came online, first as Global ARC, now recently renamed CyberWell. The work of CyberWell is to document social media hate speech directed mainly at Jews and Israel, to report this hate speech to the social media platforms and to get it removed in all instances. Recently when the artist, Ye, formally Kanye, started posting antisemitic tropes on social media, CyberWell could track the major increase in hate speech. Their documentation of the data is being used by others working to stop this rise of hatred and have social media adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism.
Tal-Or Cohen has been cited in several articles about this effort. In ‘the algemeiner,” she is quoted: “’Data must be the cornerstone of our fight against online antisemitism,’ said Tal-Or Cohen, the CEO of CyberWell, the company that provided the data for the antisemitic tweets recorded in the letter. ‘In the face of skyrocketing digital Jew-hatred, social media platforms should take meaningful actions and integrate the IHRA definition into their community standards.’”
My daughter’s job is behind the scenes. As Program and Ops Manager, she organizesand searches for ways to connect with others who would support the mission of CyberWell and work with the organization on this important endeavor. You can learn more about the team and CyberWell by going to the website: https://cyberwell.org/our-team/
My visit to CyberWell and its offices near the Sarona area of Tel Aviv was enlightening. The offices are housed in a shared office space, Panthera, that was started by a woman who wanted to give other women entrepreneurs a chance. The space is perfect. CyberWell has two small offices side by side for the four people who currently work on site. But there are lots of shared spaces for conferences and meetings. There is also a wonderful event space that can be rented for events or can be used by people who work there to have meals. My favorite area was the outdoor patio that can be accessed from the shared space. They have found a wonderful place to work while trying to clean up social media.
Tal-Or, Vered, Lara and I shared a lunch in the Sarona Market, where they told me more about what they were doing, what type of hatred they were seeing on line, and their plans to tackle and try to end antisemitism and other hate speech on social media.
Vered, Tal-Or, Lara. The CyberWell team.
It is a lofty plan, one that I think is well worth the effort.
In my role as one of their greatest fans, I gave them as much positive reinforcement as any mother could and I treated them to lunch. Honestly it made me kvell to be with these three young women who are trying to do good in the world.
I have many friends who fear that the hatred against Jews right now is similar to what happened in 1930s in Nazi Germany and Europe. But I see a major difference. Jews are not keeping quiet. We have many who are pushing back. CyberWell is one such company. If you wish to help them in their work, you can join their mission or support them by emailing hello@cyberwell.org or donating through their 501(c)3 fiscal sponsors here.
zicharonot 