So we're lucky enough to live very close to our synagogue If you walk out the back door of our synagogue, you're looking across the alley at our garage. Especially in weather like we're having right now, it's really nice not to have a long walk.
Anyway, some of you might have heard about the fun last Friday night, when some lovely Hamas supporters decided to pull a mini-Krystallnacht. (link)
They hit three synagogues and two Jewish schools in my neighborhood. And the Nazi wannabees were actually well organized. They were all wearing white Halloween masks and hoodies. They had one guy on brick throwing detail, another on spraypaint... and they were clearly very committed. Friday night it was snowing, and if you go out in the middle of the night in a Chicago snowstorm, it shows some serious commitment.
(As a side note, I find it fascinating that the media isn't bothering to report on all of the "Jews to the ovens!" signs and chants at the anti-Israel rallys around the world. It's for damn sure that if a single person -- Jewish or otherwise -- were to yell out "Death to the Arabs!" at an anti-terrorist rally, you'd see headlines of "Jewish extremists call for death to Arabs" plastered all over the place.)
Our rabbi is keeping the bricks that went through our windows to use, as the article says, possibly as a cornerstone for our new library, but the library isn't really being built; we're using an already existing room for it.
So I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on what we might do with those bricks to symbolize that the fecal anti-semites who threw them won't win.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Why is it necessary to keep them at all? I don't see the virtue in clinging to that resentment.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 9735) on :
Presumably their behaviour isn't being reported because its not abnormal or newsworthy. Since some (probably overlapping sets even) Muslims already start rioting and sending death threats over cartoons and written satire, the same behaviour is pretty much a given when it comes to war.
Posted by Artemisia Tridentata (Member # 8746) on :
My youngest had a brick. She labeled it "prayer brick" and kept it on the floor just behind the skirt of her bed. Her plan was that when she went to get into bed, she would stub her toe. That would remind her to say her prayers.
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
Ugh. I'm sorry that happened to your synagogue, Lisa.
Tom, I guess I don't see it as clinging to resentment. I think there's virtue in taking something used for destruction and using it for creation instead. An act of defiance, sure, but I wouldn't call it resentment unless what they built was something that directly reminded them of the attack.
It's hard to say what might be good to build without knowing what sort of facility you have and what sorts of structures would be useful to you. You could build a planter if you had outdoor space.
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
I think it's a very wise move on the rabbi's part to keep the bricks and use them positively. It could help heal the hurt for the congregation members. Perhaps make some sort of ceremony of placing them wherever you are going to use them, and use them in a place where they're visible, not buried.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I agree with Shig, keeping it doesn't ahve to be a bad thing, it could be seen as trying to take something bad and turning it around into something positive.
I think I like it. Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
He's pretty amazing. He plays guitar in a Jewish band and had a cast on his hand for a few weeks last year when he broke a finger playing basketball. And at the synagogue picnic last summer, I made the mistake of getting into a volleyball game with him on the other side. And he has an incredible mind.
Posted by Epictetus (Member # 6235) on :
Stack them neatly by the curb with a sarcastic yet witty letter:
"Dear Neo-nazis
For future reference, when donating bricks to our synagogue, please do your best not to disturb the baskets of kittens in the west wing and do take care around the kennel of golden retriever puppies in the back.
Yours etc. etc."
Seriously though, I like Shigosei's idea of a planter box. It's relatively small, could be built quickly, and repeated if there's another incident.
Posted by Starsnuffer (Member # 8116) on :
quote:[he]had a cast on his hand for a few weeks last year when he broke a finger playing basketball
uhh is this supporting evidence of why he's pretty amazing. not that I'm doubting that he is, I just find it a strange comment in that sentence.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
quote:Originally posted by Starsnuffer:
quote:[he]had a cast on his hand for a few weeks last year when he broke a finger playing basketball
uhh is this supporting evidence of why he's pretty amazing. not that I'm doubting that he is, I just find it a strange comment in that sentence.
Well, I took it to mean that he was active and involved in modern, less traditional aspects of her community, which might be rare in a rabbi. I don't know, not being Jewish myself, of course, but I know I thought the same thing when some younger priests came though my parish as a kid. I was amazed to see them keeping up with us, because all th priests I had known up to that point had been old men.
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
That's basically it. He's extremely approachable.
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
Sounds like a great guy. The community is lucky to have him.
Posted by T:man (Member # 11614) on :
Lisa lives in Lincolnwood...
*goes and checks locks*
Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
No, I don't. You live in Skokie. I live in Chicago.
Posted by T:man (Member # 11614) on :
Lincolnwood is like 5 blocks from my house!
and if you go to the one on touhy (is that the place by the movies and the best buy?) then you live right by me...
SUPER Posted by Lisa (Member # 8384) on :
Nope. Touhy and California.
Posted by T:man (Member # 11614) on :
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