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Shalom!
WHAT IS A JEW?We think we know. Whether he calls himself an
Israelite. . . A German. . . A Russian. . . What is a Jew? A tired old man squinting his watery eyes as he bends over needle and thread in a corner tailor shop in an American city. A tall sun-bronzed young zealot working in a kibbutz in Israel. . .a gifted musician performing in a European symphony orchestra. . .an ordinary family man with no medals or high water marks in his life. But yet each is different from his fellowman. And for thousands of years that difference was turned against him. A Jew is neither a specific ethnic or religious or cultural designation. A Jew is a special kind of human whatever his race or color or religion. . .one who has learned the bitter art of survival. . .and the ability to endure adversity with dignity. . .one who has dared to be different when the costs of differences sometimes were life itself. A Jew is more than just a member of a particular minority group in a specific place and in a specific time. He is a cause. . .and it has a name. . .freedom! Freedom of the individual spirit to express itself, according to the dictates of its own conscience. Today the Wandering Jew wanders no more. Nor does he wonder who he is or what he is. He stands like a beacon light in a world that has
often been darkened by the shame of racial and religious hatred. He
grows inwardly and outwardly with the knowledge that while he is
imperfect like all his fellowmen, he has given the world an historic
lesson in survival. Survival Whether intellectual prince or peasant, today’s Jew
has done what millions who went before him tried but could not do.
He has proved to the world that to be a Jew is still something
special and something different. But the artificial inferiority
complex that was laminated on his psyche by centuries of oppression
is gone forever. It was blasted away by the rise of Israel Israel is more united than ever before and it belongs not to the Jews alone but to all the world. It is a flesh and blood statue of liberty. . .a brother in an imperfect world. . .striving for what we strive for. . .the dignity of all men. . .and their inherent right to be free. Israel has caught the torch of liberty. . .and to her we say hold it high. And let no force on earth ever dim its light much less extinguish its flame. © Sam Lax 1984 FOOTNOTE: In 1989 I created and carved the wax models for the Jewish Heirlooms Collection™ and the Never Again™ version of the Star of David was created based on the contents of this article to represent the meaning of “freedom”. |
 CHARTER LIFETIME MEMBER Number 24867 |
 Southern California Academy of Science Life Member |
 Number 00008912 |
 Member Number 0234451 |
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