Dear Mr. Prime Minister:
I listened to the "eloquent and inspiring" speech you delivered to the entire Knesset and my heart palpitated in excitement and awe. My eyes were fixated upon your person as your voice bellowed across the room, invoking once again and for the umpteenth time, the strength and vigor with which you are leading Israel towards victory. My goodness, I thought, where would Israel be today if this Joshua incarnate was not on the political scene? I raised my eyes to the heavens and I began to recite a prayer thanking G-D for re-establishing the era of our Shoftim, whose appearance at a time of suppression and subjugation instilled in the Jewish people of that era the feelings of gratitude for G-D's benevolence and salvation. It was then that I suddenly realized that unfortunately, once again, you, Mr. Prime Minister, banished G-D from the hallowed grounds of the Land of Israel.
Never once, Mr. Sharon, did I hear you, the "supreme" representative of world Jewry in the world's political arena, evoke the name of G-D or hint at a request for HIS help. Indeed, the entire speech was heavily sprinkled with the "strength and ability" of both Israeli society and your vision and power of determination to overcome the worst crisis to befall Judaism since the Holocaust. Never once did I hear you, Joshua-Sharon, ask for your G-D's guidance or helping hand, but rather you continued with the heavy reliance on the ages old fallacy of Kochi Ve'otzem Yadi, the self grandeur and faith in self strength which has so far brought on hundreds of deaths, thousands of wounded, a collapsing economy and a world whose hostility and hate to the Jew in general, is growing in leaps and bounds.
The President of the United States, the only super-power in the world, does not rely solely on the strength and capabilities of the US Army. Although determined and sure of American strength to overcome every obstacle in its' path, the President has the fortitude to invoke the name of the "supreme being" in every speech he makes, asking G-D to bestow his benevolence and protection on American troops. He asks the country, whose political existence is clearly spelled out as being divested from religion, to have the depth and acumen to ask G-D to travel ahead of American rushing troops. And the American dollar speaks supreme in every financial market in all corners of the universe, its' power invested in the four word line imprinted on every bill; "In G-D We Trust".
Our sworn enemies, the Moslem world, whose goal and vision is the eradication of Israel and Jewry, invokes the name of G-D as it pursue the murderous work of spreading terror and mayhem. Allahu Akkbar ?G-d is Great-every hate-filled, inciteful speech, article or news item in the Arab world proclaims G-D's strength and supremacy. Islam's twisted misconception of G-D's will drives them towards forcibly establishing what they understand to be G-D's rule upon the world. Their zealous pursuit of the goal shames and degrades the ones who claim to be G-D's chosen. Every Arab child is inoculated with a dose of "holy mission" in the name of G-D while Jewish children deny his existence.
Is it any wonder, Mr. Prime Minister, that Israel is sinking deeper into the malaise of depression and economic upheaval? Is it any wonder, Mr. Prime Minister, that the very fabric of Israeli society is becoming undone as G-D's hand is slowly pulling out the threads that holds it together? Is it any wonder that our enemies are becoming bolder and more explicit in their hate and animosity? Is it any wonder, Mr. Prime Minister, that thousands of new orphans are saying Kaddish, sanctifying the name G-D which you have once again banished ?
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Isaac Kohn lives in New York.
Isaackohn@aol.com