Wednesday Jan 07, 2009
Posted by Nathaniel Rosen
Hannukah has ended, but the ideals and lessons of the holiday burn as bright as the holiday flames. This year the ideals of heroism, the right to live a Jewish life and fighting for what you believe in manifest themselves more vibrantly and visibly than in years past. Like the Maccabees, we are at war against an enemy who wishes to destroy our spirit, desecrate that which we hold dear and question our very right to exist as Jews in a Jewish land. Like the Maccabees, we have chosen to fight, knowing full well the danger which that entails.
As I sit in Yeshiva, the battle in Gaza is on my mind. I think about the young soldiers -- my peers -- who are placing themselves in harm's way to defend their homeland and its people. I think how easily Moshe in Golani could have been Natanel. I think about the families in the South that live under the constant threat and barrage of rockets. I think about the families in Gaza and the unintentional civilian casualties, which are tragic casualties nonetheless. And despite all that, my thoughts are drawn time and time again to one seemingly unrelated event: a Hannukah party I attended days before the fighting began.
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About this blog
Yeshiva Boy
What do you get when you take thousands of Jewish teens from around the world and send them to Israel to study at yeshivot and seminaries for the year before they attend university? A year of maturation, religious growth, and a greater attachment to Israel? Or one giant party? One student reflects on the lessons, challenges and surprises of his gap year in Israel.
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Recent Comments
Jean - Georgia: I find your writing to be very open and from-the-heart. I found myself listening to his innaugural address and actually wondering if he was for real or still just a 'community organizer'. However, within a few minutes, it wore off - it was rather (well, to put it like it was) 'creepy'. I'm back with the 'community organizer' opinion.
A question for you - what would you write about President Obama today?
Roddy Frankel: Nate, make alliyah as soon as possible. Commit to the decision in your own mind, and let your friends know about it. When you date, let your girlfriend know of your intentions. Life has a way of making decisions for you. That is why it is important to take control of your life as soon as possible.
Chaim, Brooklyn,N.Y.: Very well written. If Nathaniel is representative of this generation, we are in good hands.
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Comments (28)