Puttin’ on the Ritz
I remember one occasion when my second son was young. One moment he was holding my hand, and the next he was gone. The sheer panic that pulsed through my body was unlike anything I have ever felt. This particular child was the one. The one that always walked off……always wandered away……always got lost. Tears flooded my eyes. I could not think rationally. If it’s happened to you, you know the fear. You understand the agony: https://media.bringthemhomenow.net/media/The+absolute+horror+a+parent+feels+when+losing+his+child+even+if+for+only+a+few+minutes.++Now+imagine+how+it+feels+when+it+is+for+more+than+a+hundred+days./1_08s7en3k/320287072
Kfir Bibas, Ariel Bibas and 134 other hostages remain in captivity in Gaza, 121 days and counting. We found our son that day but lost him permanently in 2021 due to a prolonged illness. I understand that too, but having a child so close (Gaza) yet so far ……this is not something I can relate to. It is a level of cruelty that goes to the deepest and most horrible parts of humanity.
When we went to the Re’em Forest, we saw the place so many young people were kidnapped from. What remains of their all-night dance party are images and posters of those murdered and kidnapped as the sun rose over the tree line. I filmed this with my phone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca_O2FPdL8A. Yes, the background music is assaulting but don’t shoot the messenger. I believe the “concept” was to recreate the music from October 7th, but in retrospect it seems a bit much. Nevertheless, this is what those killing fields look like today. As we walked to the edge of the forest, we came upon the mother of one of the young men killed on that day. All we could do was to hold one another. No words were exchanged. She understood what we understood and that was enough.
As we talk to more members of the IDF (Israel Defense Force), we are learning so much about their time in Gaza. You may find this editorial interesting: https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-785234. It may surprise some to know I have friends from Gaza. I have met many people from Gaza in Israel, in Kuwait and in Dubai. Indeed the myth about it being an “open air prison” is exactly that – a myth. Malls, beaches, fine restaurants, stunning hotels, parks and historical sights make up the enclave. It may not be paradise but then again, neither is Chicago. Ironic that the people of Gaza fought for years to have their own territory and then put the most radical, hateful, spiteful, war-mongering people on the planet in charge. I refuse to accept the fact that hate wins the day. While Hamas was chosen to lead Gaza, democratically elected leaders in western countries fall to intimidation: British MP steps down, cites threats received due to support of Israel – The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com). What does that say about where we are headed?
Meanwhile, while we train the leaders of the next generation, one must wonder about the role intimidation plays in higher education. It appears our friends at the University of Pennsylvania didn’t learn their lesson and Dwayne Booth’s latest cartoon displaying Jewish men standing around drinking the blood of Gazans is – in his words – an opening for us to “debate.” https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2024/02/05/penn-u-prez-criticizes-mr-fish-cartoons/. I can think of better ways to lead a debate but then again, I’m not a Professor nor a cartoonist. There must be a message there that Dwayne fills both roles.
It’s the same situation at Harvard where higher education has taken on new meaning instilling hate and lies in the minds of young people: Fetterman slams Harvard for hosting Palestinian professor who blamed Israel for Oct. 7 Hamas attacks (msn.com).
Four months into this war and one must find love and meaning wherever possible. We took a night out last week and went away to one of the finest hotels in Israel, the Ritz-Carlton in Herzliya. It was my birthday, and we met another couple there visiting from the USA. Like every hotel in Israel now, the Ritz has dozens and dozens and dozens of rooms filled with displaced families. It doesn’t matter what their religion is nor their national identity. If they live in Israel and they have been displaced, the government is funding these hotel stays for tens of thousands of families. We met many families from the north that have been living at the hotel for four months. It’s odd to be sitting at this swanky hotel enjoying a cocktail overlooking the Mediterranean and see children walking barefoot through the lobby, toddlers on scooters, toys in the hallway and hundreds of people in the mezzanine playing games and sharing a story or a laugh during the Sabbath. The Ritz – I think to myself – where is the decorum? Then you remember……these are not normal times. It’s not like the Ritz Carlton in any other location. This has become a home for so many that have no place to go and no home to return to. A smile creeps across my face. I feel guilty that the thought even crossed my mind. I remember my friends and my wife brought me here for the night to “get away from it all,” and this is the most chaotic hotel lobby I have ever seen. It makes Grand Central Terminal seem like a library and yet, I take some pride in this. These children just want to feel safe. They have had enough of burnt-out homes and sirens in the night. They don’t know they’re at the Ritz, and the brand means nothing to them. They’re just happy to have a quiet place to play. It’s moments like these I am happy to be here to witness this scene. Although the government was asleep on October 7th, there is an attempt to do “the right thing” on a level I have never seen. It’s why Israel goes to Turkey or Haiti and builds field hospitals after an earthquake. It’s just who we are. So the overnight was not what I envisioned, but I had other reasons to smile and those made my birthday ext
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David
David at People for Israel
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