Alas, She Sits In Solitude

For some time now, Israelis have bided their time with Obama. There has been concern to be sure with his Fractured Fairy Tales version of the history of the Middle East, let alone his free-wheeling style with Syria and Iran. Generally, Israelis have been holding back their assessment of the rookie president until they have more nuanced information about what he is really about.

In the last two weeks, most Israelis have decided there is enough information to make that assessment.

In the Jewish world, this is the period of the Three Weeks. Although there are substantial denominational differences in how this period is observed, the teaching and symbolism of the period is critical. More so in Israel than elsewhere in the Jewish world, everyone in Israel is aware of the meaning of the Three Weeks and the culminating fast of Tisha B'Av, the day of mourning for the destruction of the First and Second Temples (both destroyed on the same day several hundred years apart).

Secular and religious Israeli alike know that on the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, the Roman legions under Titus breached the walls of the Temple to crush the Zealot resistance. In the ensuing hand to hand fighting, fire broke out and the Temple was destroyed. Tradition says the fire burned for several days.

Over the last two millenia, Tisha B'Av has become associated with many collective disasters, pograms, massacres, and exiles of Jews throughout the Diaspora. Each year, varying by denomination and location, Jews gather to read Lamentations, fast, and remember the countless souls who perished keeping alive the promise of return to the Land and the rededication of the Temple in the Holy Temple of Jerusalem. They remember how when fury of destruction descended on their communities, friends and secular authorities were no where to be found.

So, in the last several weeks, while Israelis are reminding themselves of how the same allies who helped Judah Maccabbee and family fight and defeat the Selucids later destroyed the Temple to put an end to civil strife in Judea, three events have occured that remind Israelis that it is "the same as it ever was".

First, Hillary proposed to include the US's Middle Eastern allies (oh, yes, Israel, too) under their nuclear umbrella--the missle shield. Ooooooo. Peace will reign forever, SELA!

Second, Mitchell and company, fresh from the Syrian King's court arrives two days before Tisha B'Av to demand that resettling the Land (one of those Biblical directives, don't you know).

Third, Obama, in a knee jerk reaction, called a police officer "stupid" for following correct proceedure.

Now, you must remember that virtually everyone serves, directly or indirectly, in the military here and those connections into the military continue throughout their lives. So, the Israeli take on the missle defense shield pretty much converges on what military experts would say--time to hand out fly swatters with the gas masks. Moreover, Israelis remember all too well how effective the missle shield was in 1991 against the SCUDS. One of my friends asked if this was some form of sick Monica Lewinsky joke.

With the increasing pressure on the current Israeli regime from the US to uproot 300,000 people from suburbia, it is not surprising that the pressure is building up on the other side to be just like Nancy Reagan and "just say no". In the nine days leading up to the fast of Tisha B'Av, religious leaders of most denominations exhort their congregations to feel as if the Temple was being destroyed at this very moment. Here comes Mitchell and Team Obama in their very best Imperial Strut to inform Israel that it MUST lay down its arms, accept a terrorist state next door, and authorize a pogram or two to expunge Jews from the Land. No wonder the head of the Sephardic world community, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef is calling on Israelis to re-evaluate their connections with the US.

But, it is the last slip of the tongue that is most revealing for Israelis. Israelis know what it means to keep your cool in the heat of the moment. They know real politicians keep their true partisanship close to the chest. Dumping on a police officer for doing his duty as "stupid" just won't work. With that comment, Israelis sat up and took note. Obama was elected on the assumption that racial distinctions did not matter--a black president would defend the laws of the land like any other person. Race, religion, party affiliation, country of origin simply no longer mattered; from now on, it would only be process.

In that unguarded moment, and Israelis had a chilling look at the young emperor--racial types do matter--all cops hate blacks and act stupidly regardless of their professionalism or training or the situation. In the heat of the moment, Obama showed he is not above the racial divide. Whatever he may have said during the campaign, those words were simply part of the emperor's clothes.

As Israelis reflect on the meaning and lessons of Tisha B'Av, it does not take much in the way of Talmudic reasoning to apply these three benchmarks to what lies ahead. Assurances of longstanding US commitments to Israel become hollow campaign babble covering up how difficult "you Jews" are and "you people" must change. Israelis don't believe such cant; but, during the Three Weeks, these three things assume a timeless Biblical prophetic tale of destruction.

Alas--she sits in solitude! The city that was great with people has become like a widow. The greatest among nations, the princess among provinces, has become a tributary.

She weeps bitterly in the night and her tear is on her cheek. She has no comforter from all her paramours; all her friends have betrayed her, they have become her enemies. (Lamentations 1:1-2)