Why to learn Hebrew . . . and why not to

On Tuesdays, with breaks for spring, summer, and Christmas, I meet with a group of women at my church for Bible study and discussion. This year, we did "secret sisters", where you draw a name, and then remember to pray for them and send them the occasional note. 

This Tuesday, we revealed who our secret sisters were. 

One woman in our study received a beautiful basket of scented flowers. On the front of the basket, the words "Love First" were written on it in Hebrew. The giftee has made many trips to Israel and has a true heart for the people there. "Love First" is the motto, slogan, whatever you want to call it, of our church, and she is one of the people who tries to live it out daily. 

What a wonderful reason to learn Hebrew! 

Both the gifter and the giftee were blessed. 

Now, here are reasons not to learn Hebrew. 

(Content warning: references to and graphic descriptions of sexual assault, sexual violence, and death. Please use appropriate self-care if you choose to read further.) 

A recent NBC News article covers what they call a "mounting body of evidence" of "gender-based crimes" committed by Hamas terrorists on October 7th. 

One of the pieces of evidence, according to Israeli officials, was a Hamas pamphlet they discovered which gave instructions on how to pronounce the following phrases in Hebrew:  

"Raise your hands and open your legs."
"Take off your pants." 

Israeli investigators are cautioning against using exact numbers of rape victims right now. NBC News quoted them as saying that "evidence continues to come in and that the investigation is likely to go on for months."

What they are finding so far is -- if the reports are true -- horrific.

• Female corpses tied to beds.
• Eyewitness accounts of sexual violence
• Reports of women being repeatedly raped repeatedly, their bodies mutilated while still alive.
• Women shot in the breasts and in the vagina.
• Terrorists allegedly having sex with dead bodies. 
• Women bleeding from between their legs.
• Bodily mutilation of private parts, both women's and men's.  

I am sick just writing this. 

At the moment, investigators just aren't sure of the scale of sexual violence. They are moving slowly and carefully to make sure they have a thorough investigation.

But during videotapes of Hamas terrorists being interrogated, they, according to NBC News, talked about rape of women and children as a "Hamas tactic of war." One Hamas militant was quoted, "To have our way with them, to dirty them, to rape them." (NBC News noted that they could not independently identify the authenticity of the videos, and that "officials declined to provide unedited versions of the interrogations.)

Yes, rape is not only a crime, not only an act of violence, but a weapon of war, mostly utilized against women and children. 

And before anyone says to me, "But what about crimes that Israelis have committed against Palestinians?" I'm not doing an overview of the history of the Middle East since 1948, when Israel was founded as a nation. In this specific case, Hamas started the war.  

If reports are accurate, Hamas invaded Israeli territory. Hamas murdered people. Hamas attacked people. Hamas raped people. Hamas kidnapped people and dragged them back to Gaza, through their network of tunnels. The youngest hostage is a baby, 10 months old, and I have not heard if the baby is alive or dead. 

It is a wonderful thing to learn Hebrew to communicate a message of "love first."

It is a brutal, sickening thing to learn Hebrew in order to violently assault someone. 

Last night was the first night on Hanukkah. Since around 2008-2009, at the urging of my son (who is autistic and learned about "December holidays" in school) we have celebrated our own version of Hanukkah. We light our menorah and read from a book that talks about the history of Hanukkah. 

There are three prayers said on the first night of Hanukkah (from www.chabad.org): 

• Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah light.
• Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time.
• Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

Too many Jews were not enabled to reach Hanukkah at this time. This year, not only have the survivors lit Hanukkah candles, they have lit candles for their dead and sat shiva.

A Jewish friend of mine says that the celebrating of Hanukkah is also the celebration of hope. 

I pray he is right. 

People should learn Hebrew to communicate "love first". 

Not, "take off your pants."

Just my .04, adjusted for inflation. 

•  

Whose side am I on?

In 1931, Harlan County, Kentucky resident Florence Reece, the wife of a United Mine Worker organizer, wrote a song, “Whose Side Are You On?” in response to the violence surrounding the efforts of the Harlan County coal miners to unionize. 

I’m asking that question in the face of the latest conflict in the Middle East.

My husband and I took a 10-day vacation and just got back Monday. We left on the day the horrible news broke of the attack on Israel from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. 

Since then, the news I’ve gotten has been mostly through the alerts on my phone. 

So whose side am I on? 

Should I be on the side of Israel? After all, the Jews are “God’s Chosen People.” And we are asked to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6). 

Should I be on the side of Hamas and the Palestinians in the area? After all, Israel has occupied Palestinian territories, and they have imposed a blockade on the border with Gaza.

For me, right now I can’t say I’m totally on one side or totally on the other. 

Jews have suffered terribly throughout history, and what I just wrote is an understatement. Go back to the Old Testament, and you will see their slavery in Egypt, their near-massacre in the book of Esther, their exile into Babylon and their return. 

From history, you will see the story of the Maccabees, who fought for Jewish freedom; and you will also see the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. 

The history of the Jewish people has, too often, been intertwined with violence and persecution. 

I do know that the modern state of Israel was formed in 1948.

I do know there are those who don’t believe in “Israel’s right to exist.” 

But I’m not Jewish, nor am I Palestinian. I don’t live there. I’m worried that if I open my mouth in support of one government versus another, I will show my ignorance of what’s led to this current conflict. 

Florence Reece asked, “Whose side are you on?”

I’m on the side of the people who had no say in this current conflict. 

I’m on the side of the Israelis who are enduring yet another conflict, another war (which Israel has declared on Hamas), missile attacks, bombings, and other weapons of battle. 

I’m on the side of the Palestinians who are suffering the effects of a blockade: no power, water, or ways to get food in. 

I’m on the side of those kidnapped and taken to Gaza against their will. 

There are so many who suffer during war.  Too many. 

And while the politicians run their mouths and the generals plot their strategies, and foot soldiers - whether they are enlisted in an army or swear allegiance to a terrorist group - the people who just want to live a normal life, who want to go to the grocery store without fear of being bombed, want to go to synagogue, or to church, or even to visit a friend without fear of a bomb or a missile strike; they are the ones that pay the price. 

I need to do more reading and listening to understand better why so much is going on in Israel. 

But I think I’m safe in saying that I’m on the side of the people who just want to live their lives in peace. 

For now, that is my answer to Florence Reece’s question.

Just my .04, adjusted for inflation.