The endless retraining of the Jewish people

Last week we celebrated Yom Ha'atzmaut 68 with our annual Canadian barbecue. One of the other guests was a regular Canadian, no hyphenation. She had just arrived in Israel for her first trip here -- after a week on The March of the Living. Needless to say she was in gung-ho Jewish mode. I can sniff these people out a mile away.

A group of Canadian-Israeli barbecue guests sat down to hear about her trip. Some of my friends here have been to Poland, but I have not. In fact, all high school kids in Israel spend a week in Poland touring Holocaust monuments, camps, ghettos and the likes for a week sometime in their Junior or Senior year. Two of my children have been there and the third is going next year. My in-laws are (or were) Holocaust survivors and my husband has been to his father's home town in Poland with his father. My mother-in-law's father died in Auschwitz and she was a hidden child.

In other words, we are not a family who is oblivious to the events of 1936-1945. Although I thought I was well versed on the subject growing up, much of my education came since I met my husband and his family.

Apologies for the digression but I needed to establish my street cred. Okay, back to the story. Here's a mini re-enactment:

Canadian Israelis: So tell us about The March of the Living? (You know we really asked because we are Canadians and we are polite like that.)

Canadian visitor: It was a wonderful trip. It wasn't an easy or fun trip but I learned a lot. (She continued with many more details and responded to a few questions from the crowd.)

So far so good.

Canadian visitor: But the most amazing thing was that there are these new Jewish communities sprouting up in Poland. It really says something: the Jews are returning to Poland.

That's when I lost it. (I'd like to thank everyone there for the uncomfortable silence. If one of you had spoken up I probably would have sat quietly .... hahaha.)

Me: THAT IS THE DUMBEST THING I HAVE EVER HEARD!!!! (I didn't mean to yell, but I am a loud talker to begin with and I was really upset by her comment.) HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO RETRAIN THESE STUPID JEWS? DO THEY THINK THE POLES HAVE HAD A CHANGE OF HEART?  (Personally, I am sure they have not.) DO THEY THINK THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN, WHEN ALL OF EUROPE IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE ANTI-SEMITIC (or its nomme de guerre: anti-Israel), THAT POLAND IS SUDDENLY GOING AGAINST THE SOICAL CURRENT AND IS HAPPY TO SEE THE JEWS RETURN? DIDN'T THE JEWS OF POLAND  LEARN ANYTHING THE LAST TIME? HOW MANY JEWS HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THEY GET THE MESSAGE? (Obviously the number is far greater than a measly six million.)

I am not sure that I stopped to take a breath during my rant but after my exaggerated attack on this poor unsuspecting Canadian woman, she gathered her thoughts enough to say:

Canadian visitor: Well, obviously we don't see things the same way. I think it's great that even Hitler couldn't keep us down and that Jews are returning to Poland.

I also think it is "great" that Hilter's psychotic plans didn't wipe us out. The difference is that for me the turnaround began in 1948. Followed by the successful Six-Day War, the miraculous turnaround in October 1973 and the fact that we are still here today at 68 despite overwhelming odds and many, many setbacks. We have blown Hitler's plans to kingdom come time and time again ..... in Israel.

That's the difference. The Canadian visitor would never live here (her exact words), and I hope I never have to live anywhere else!

The whole conversation left me with a terrible taste in my mouth so I discussed it was several people. Then one wise woman said the words I just couldn't find:

Wise woman: She might know how to read a siddur and when to light the Shabbat candles, but she doesn't have a Jewish soul.

A Jewish Soul. That was it. You don't have to live in Israel to have a Jewish soul but you do have to understand inherently why beginning new Jewish communities in Poland is 180 degrees from sane. I know Jews who live outside of Israel who actually care about the country's well being -- the numbers are dwindling quicker than I would have imagined and a lot less Jews outside of Israel love Israel than at any time in the recent past. I see it in my own life. I am sad on many levels but mostly for the loss of their Jewish souls.

The one thing I know for sure is that the future of the Jewish people is not in Poland, or anywhere in Europe and probably not in North or South America. Sorry soulless Jews.... the future of the Jewish people is in Israel. I'm pretty damn sure the Canadian visitor will not be moving here.