A Kinah For Gush Katif, by Dr. Yoel Elitzur How the lands of milk and honey are lost; despoiled, destroyed, ruined, dessicated. Green fields, orchards, and hothouses, trampled by shepherds and herds. How could those in halls of power betray their G-d, their voters, their very souls and children? How did the guardian soldiers and police turn from beloved brothers to besieging foes? How desolate are you Gush Katif, beloved land Of verdant parks, sand and sea, love and harmony? Filled like a pomegranate with Torah and good deeds, now a ruin, a desolation. How were judgment, law, justice and custom trampled and mocked? The righteous imprisoned, distress ever present, kindness turned to keening, justice to jeering. How could the black-clothed multitudes burst into beloved homes at dawn, unashamed, flags sewn on their shirts? A desecration of blue and white! Colors of the Divine Throne! How did grandeur-filled synagogues turn to blazing torches at dusk? “Do not hide thy face from us!” they entreated, but You answered not. How the bomb-launching demons did celebrate raucously on our ruins! The mistress, banished, looked on from afar, while the son of her maidservant cavorted in glee. How did the ploughshares flatten Elei Sinai, Dugit, and Nisanit, while terrorists rose from their ruins sending us missiles of death? How the pure did rush to Kfar Maimon but found not the strength to surge on as one. Netzarim waited in vain, Katif, Tel Ketifa were broken in spirit. How solitary sit Gedid and Ganei Tal, Netzer Hazani’s beauty is gone. Neve Dekalim is a jackal’s home, and ocean waves remain of Shirat HaYam and Kfar Yam. How the looters did plunder and spoil P’at Sade and Rafiach Yam are no more, and a wind drove Sl’av away. At B’dolach dims the glow of golden sands. How could not the merit of the ancient sage Rabbi Elazar of Kfar Darom stand up to the Heavens? Following Kfar Darom’s 1948 defenders, the youth on stood resolute on rooftops. How is Atzmona vanished from the earth, No grapes on her vines, her birds lefts their nests? Morag is dispersed, Gan Or’s light extinguished. How was Moses’ blessing forgotten: “The tens of thousands of Ephraim and thousands of Menasseh?” How, as then, in the vineyard of Naboth, evil ones stole ancestral lands? Chomesh was filled with soldiers, police who forcibly dragged young women and men, and the faithful stood in vain in Sa-Nur to protect their newly-built house of prayer. Kadim is gone, its buildings ruins, and Ganim destroyed. Tell it not in Jenin how in Amona the spoilers arose to beat and injure, and show their cruelty. How, tell us, our Protector Who holds close His followers, Whose word is truth. Can You find more loyal sons than these? Did we not pour out our pure hearts to You? Tend Your flock with love, Accept their prayers, and may it be Your will to speedily return Your sons to their borders. For You have said: “My people will be shamed no more.”
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 03:22:32 +0000
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