The New Dirty Word on the Block

There's a new dirty word on the block. No, it's not another 'F' bomb. It's something that we've heard on TV, read in the papers, and occasionally say ourselves. The word is Israel. This one word is said more quietly than the word f*ck. People whisper the word so they don't defend people but they throw around the word 'bitch' like it's going out of style.

Israel. You've said it - maybe in passing when saying something like 'did you hear about what's going on in Israel?' or 'I just returned from the coolest birthright mission in Israel.' You've probably also said it in prayer (shema Yisrael adonai eloheinu adonai echad). When was the last time you said it loudly? When was the last time you said "I stand with Israel"? When was the last time you said "Hamas is to blame - not Israel"?

If you're Jewish, shame on you for not saying anything. The horrors of the Holocaust should have taught you that you're never safe but you DO have a home. Seriously: shame on you. Politics aside, people are dying on both sides but in 2012 alone over 1,000 rockets have been shot into Israel from Gaza by terrorists. I didn't make that number up. It's true.

See the picture above? I'm in it. So are my cousins, my aunts, my uncle...they are my family. This picture was taken in 2006 during Sukkot on Kibbutz Alumim. We were about five miles from Gaza. During Sukkot, I heard rockets flying overhead. That was six years ago and they haven't stopped. The rockets have been flying for 12 years. Israel left Gaza in 2005. Don't bring the West Bank into the equation because it has nothing to do with Gaza - the two are not the same.

There is fear, injury, and death on both sides but what would you do if a terror group decided to launch rockets into your neighborhood from another area? How would you expect your government to react? I bet you'd expect them to react the same way Israel is.

All of these people (except me and Yoav) ran for cover this week in Tel Aviv. They had around 25 seconds to get to shelter. 25 seconds. That's it.




So, WHY are you being silent?? Why are you allowing a terror group to get away with bombarding Israel with rockets? WHY are you treating the word 'Israel' with such disdain? Why?

Stop treating 'Israel' as if it's a dirty word. It's not. It's a country - a modern country. This little country gave you technology for your smart phone. It's given us medical procedures used around the world. It gave us the ability to chat online. It's a country that allows those who want to harm us to utilize our hospitals. It's a country that gives water, electricity, trash services, gas, and food to the West Bank and Gaza at the expense of its citizens - not the Palestinians. It's a country that needs your help. Stop treating Israel as the aggressor. Start speaking up.

It's time to organize rallies, collect toiletries to send to the troops, and fight the online war. It's time for you to speak up and spread the truth.

Israel is not a dirty word!!