Two Sides of the Same Coin?

Israelis get a bad rap

with other Jews around the world

too pushy, too loud

“I give you best price . . .”

the thumb and index finger

glued together, palm up

could mean wait

or a rude brush off

tongue to roof of mouth

clucking ‘tza’ to mean ‘no way’

line-cutting, heavy smoking

“Mami”,” Bye-ush”,

“Ani meta al ze”

the simple word ‘תודה’

said harshly like a jab

strangers feel they can

tell you what to do

or what to think

but if you sit on the sidewalk

just to rest or tie a shoe

several heavy smoking,

loud talking Israelis

will stop to ask if you’re ok

with the same genuine

concern your mother would.

Two sides of the same coin?

Those Israelis

who send their kids to war

enduring sleepless months

lips mouthing prayers

to protect the homeland

of all Jews, and

generations of families

scarred by terror,

death and past wars,

no one is immune.

Yet, Israelis know how

to live  בשמחה

cafes, sunny days,

downtime on שבת

celebrate חגים

children at the center

eyes looking forward

to the next generation,

the same Israelis

who rank every year

as one of the top

happiest countries in the world.

In 2024, came in 5^th,

during a war with

the modern Amalek

in the bowels of

a national tragedy

defying logic, only

behind Nordic countries

whose last war

dates back 800 years,

where ice blond people

focus on hygge, ski,

and sip hot cocoa all day.

Israelis know how to live,

how to squeeze out meaning

and joy of every day

they face death,

but choose life.

Two sides of the same coin?

לעילוי נשמת מלכה בת חנוך

לעילוי נשמת יהודה בן יצחק

לעילוי נשמת רחל בת חנוך

לעילוי נשמת מרים בת חנוך