It was an interesting exercise to select the graphic for this portion of this website. Since this is a time of introspection and reflection, I thought I would share some of my thoughts with my visitors.
First, I thought, gee, I'll just find a neat picture of a US flag, hopefully something a little different from everything else out there (artistic ego and all....)
And then I thought about the flag more -- I thought about being Jewish and being American -- two aspects about my being that have always been important to me.
Both of my parents were Shoah survivors and lived as immigrants to the US. My father had spent some time fighting in Israel (then Palestine) to help that country be born. In fact, it was to support Israel that he originally came to the US. He fell in love with the US and even served as a chaplain in the military here. My mother's sister already lived in New York, so that is where she came with the rest of her family.
And so I was raised as a first generation American and as a Jew. I learned, as I grew, that there was anti-semitism and there was anti-immigrant-ism. I often think of a line that I loved in Finnian's Rainbow -- "My family has had trouble with immigrants ever since they came to this country".
However, my father told me that at least America was against anti-semitism in principle and that there would be anti-immigrant feelings anywhere in the world. I had certainly seen it in Israel, another great "melting pot" when I lived there.
I remember talking with a Russian Immigrant in Jerusalem once and he made an interesting observation that brought home to me part of this. He said that all his life in the USSR he was a Jew. Now he has moved to Israel and suddenly, he is a Russian. It's about being "different" in some way.
And I think about that sometimes -- we are so afraid of our Selfs that we distance or "other" anyone that we perceive of as different. And immigrants are an easy target group for this "othering".
I think that is part of the problem with Arab-Americans right now -- they are "different" to start with so we are unfortunately distanced. And then you throw in that the perpetrators of the attacks were Arabs ("thems") and suddenly, not only are Arab Americans different and "outside", but our very tendency to "other" and to distance is somehow re-inforced ("I knew THEY weren't...")
So I was consciously aware that I was "American" and quite content with that. I have no delusions, however, that things cannot change -- I hope and pray that they don't. The recognition of people who were lost inShoah because they considered themselves German (or the equivalent) more than Jewish is very much in my awareness.
And because of my gratitude for America, I did a military stint (made it to Capt -- AF). I did mine in peace time but I learned many things there that I could not have learned in the civilian community. I believe we owe something to the US for the benefits we have reaped as her citizens.
So that's me -- and this crazy person wanted to pick out a graphic to go with this section of the website. And I thought about the people who would look at it. Some would be pained and have trouble looking at an image of the WTC -- and that would have slighted the other people killed in DC and in Pennsylvania.
A giant flag seemed to miss the point about the people and the whole issue of life.
A candle might have been an idea, but since I used that for Tisha b'Av and because that image almost seems to focus on the deaths, I rejected it as well.
I wanted something that spoke to life -- because I think a key issue here is continuing to live life to the fullest. Our love for the people lost is NOT diminished by continuing life. I am reminded that my father made my mother and me promise that we would not wear black at his funeral -- his life was about loving all life and about spiritual wholeness. If we were to honor his memory, it was to go forward, not stagnate. And now, when I embrace life, I feel his presence ever so strongly.
So I wanted something that said we would go on living, go on protecting the good things about America and still acknowledging the simple and soul-rending pain felt by so many. The flower and flag graphic that I chose conveys all of this, I hope.
I pray for our individual and national healing. May it be Your will, Endless One, to help us through this -- may we turn this release of Your Sparks into beauty and love for You and Your creation. Let us remember that day and the people hurt and lost to make us strong and to work for the day when Your creatures no longer suffer this way at the hands of man.
(c) 2001 Shafir Lobb All rights reserved.
