JEWS DON'T COUNT.

"do you control the weather?" 

sure.

i control the weather

in pouring rains

and soaring winds,

crying on mountains

and sobbing in valleys

lathered in blood

like a fresh coat of paint.

i put myself here

atop ill gotten vane,

to see which way

the storm will approach.

braced back, thick skin ;

coiled poise

and swollen tongue.

"do you control the banks?"

sure.

i control the banks

at dirty dinner tables,

nickel and diming my way

into conversations at meals

never meant to welcome me.

mixed meats, sloppy dairy

bacon coated sympathies

like "sorry, better luck next time."

i write out paychecks

in dried up marker

all the numbers it takes

to make sure i can't

pay rent next month.

beaded eyes and sweating brow,

here i am,

this is all me.

"do you control the media?"

sure.

i control the media

with eyes pried open

and hands wide open

to watch my bretheren

slaughtered and slain

on grounds we all fight for,

to be told they're less

than the price of gunpowder

and thoughts and prayers

not meant for them.

i decided to make sure

you all could see

how the hatred for one man

made you disdain all others.

their man? our man?

which man?

no man.

dirtied rope and 

gun blazed sunrises.

flags that fly for countries

everyone gave up on

a few Facebook posts ago.

"what do you think about

Israel and Palestine?"

i hate it.

i hate that the world

is so disgustingly divided.

that prayers and pleas

are weapons of warfare

on digital battlefields

fighting neighbors and strangers.

i hate the poison.

i hate the fear.

we are told we live

in tunnels in New York,

while our synagogues burn

and rabbis assaulted

for wars they're not in

and fights that aren't theirs.

but sure.

they control the storms

that spit on their faces.

they control the banks

that will not fund them.

they control the media

that says its their fault.

and under Shabbos candlelight,

they hold each other and say ;

"we're here,

and they hate us for it -- 

but we're here." 

Author's Note

Yesterday was Holocaust Remembrance Day, and I noticed that there was extreme levels of antisemitism surrounding any posts about it. "They're say youre a liar, but they'll never say you're wrong", "Good", "Maybe Hitler was onto something."

But you dont see anyone defending their Jewish neighbors.
You dont see anything in the news about it.
You don't see anyone checking anyone who makes jokes like that.
Its all gross and infected and getting out of control.

Choose kindness. Protect your Jewish neighbors. Never let them make you hate each other.

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

How can the hate still exist? Don't we learn anything? When will there be blue sky for everyone, not a chosen few.
Who we are, where we come from, whatever our nationality...we don't make that choice, we are what we are, and we are all human beings...who in their right mind thinks they are better than that?
This poem is perfect...the idea of the hatred towards any single group of people is insane.
So well said....hate is so outdated although it doesn't seem to know that.
J.

[Emunah June.]

Hate exists because we, as humans, fluff it up into things its not. As a Jewish woman, I've literally just been walking down the street, minding my own business, and I've had people shove my shoulder and say "free Palestine", like I had anything to do with it.

Nowadays, hate comes in the form of "activism". I believe many people have good hearts and good intentions, but you get those who will use it as an excuse to hurt, kill, abuse people they see as less than. " Oh, you're Jewish? Well, if I say 'free Palestine' before I do anything, then I'm activist and therefore everything I do is acceptable." A large spike in antisemitic incidents as of the last few years have been conducted under the guise of "activism". This same logic can be applied to ... well, pretty much any polarizing topic that has resulted in casualties. We stopped being human a long time ago.

[Davidgeo]

All humans smell the same when they burn I assume. I'm probably going to cry myself to sleep tonight.

[emmajoygreen]

Most true Faiths uphold the belief that living in peace is their foundation. However, mankind's Politics is what destroys. Good neighbours don't ask for a sign of blood type, they exchange, discover and live as humans should - decently and respectfully. Perhaps the kindest and most logical way is not to use one's faith as a form of superiority. To question situations, whatever they are is necessary but to suspect nastiness in any form is creating unnecessary antagonism. Many, many thanks for sharing.

[Emunah June.]

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this!

Its not a matter of superiority, I think. At least, not for me. I speak for myself as a Jewish woman and many of my Jewish friends --- we just want to be left alone to praise and be happy and joyful in peace.

I had once posted a picture of challah bread I had made for a Jewish holiday online, because I was so thrilled at how it came out. It was the prettiest loaf I'd ever made. And someone who I didnt know commented that I was a horrible human being for baking bread and being happy while there was a genocide happening in Gaza. I had no role in that, and my post was neither Pro-Israel or Pro-Palestine. It was Pro-Jewish joy. And it was reduced to me supposedly being hateful and cruel. When I was not.

I am obviously not happy about whats going on in Gaza. I am horrified and heartbroken. But that doesnt change my faith in Hashem any, and it wont stop me from praying and believing. And for some people, that is too much. My existence is a sign of hatred to them. Just being Jewish is me being hateful. And all I want is for that to stop. I want my pain to count, too.

[emmajoygreen]

Just being Jewish is NOT you being hateful. And all YOU want is for that to stop. Yes, pain belongs to everyone, Emunah June.

[Emunah June.]

Amein to that, my friend.

[emmajoygreen]

Sleep time for me now in the UK. Sweet dreams to you wherever.. ..

[Emunah June.]

Sleep so well!! Rest easy and have pleasant dreams.

[emmajoygreen]

Thank you so much and the same to you when the time comes. :)

[Lighthouse]

............................ A perfect poem.

[Emunah June.]

You’ve touched my spirit! Thank you!!! That means a lot.

[Michael Sun Bear]

Emunah, I want to tell you of an experience I had. David Less, Sufi name Shahabuddin was a traveling teacher, murshid, within my order. His heritage is Jewish. He was and is revered. He came to Seattle twice a year and people of the Sufi path gathered from all over the Northwest. It just happened that that year we rented space in a building where a Judaic school of some sort met regularly. I remind you Sufism is the path of Love. My guide and I were accosted in the hallway by one of the Jewish teachers or administrators and were told that our people were absolutely forbidden to speak to any of the children or she would have the law down on us. It cuts both ways.

[Emunah June.]

I am so sorry you had that experience, and I assure you that is not the normal way things are done. That sounds like a highly orthodox school. Perhaps a Yeshiva? That would make more sense. They try to keep their students focused. Still, I am sorry.

[Michael Sun Bear]

Emunah, I think your new regimen is benefiting your writing. I find this absolutely brilliant. I have extremely strong feelings about the Israeli-Palestinian situation so we better not dance around that subject.But I share your grief over divisions. Once upon a time there were hundreds of communities where Jews, Muslims and Christians, all people of the Book, all three faiths born of the same source, lived in harmony, even intermarried. We are going backwards.

[Emunah June.]

Michael,

I absolutely agree with you that humanity is going backwards, and truth be told, my allegiance is not to any one country or leader. My allegiance is to Judaism, Hashem, and keeping Jewish blood alive. I have no hatred towards other faiths, I have no ill will or desire for extermination, but I do want to keep my blood protected.

I am heartbroken that the ongoing war with Israel v Palestine has opened the floodgates for unapologetic antisemitism masked as activism, and while I believe there are those genuinely wanting to aid and bring forth a genuine ceasefire, there is an alarming amount of people who are using it as an excuse to practice unmediated hatred.

I pray one day we are all united under the same sky, with kindness in our hearts and compassion on our tongues.