The greatest dividing and alternatively uniting force in many private lives and nations is the modern State of Israel.
I took a moment to walk from our tiny rented cottage up through the Moshav to the little ‘pinati’ or corner-store. I chose a few yams and dropped them in a bio-degradable paper bag, along with 3 semi-ripe black avocados, a handful of cucumbers and finally Eco-friendly dish soap. The local moshavnik in charge was obviously very upset. I heard him from the back of the store speaking frantically into his phone in rapid-fire French which, ended with the word ‘Toulouse!’
Seeing me standing on the other side of the counter, reluctantly he hung up; took a glance and me and turned back to the screen of his lap top instead of ringing up my bill. “Israelis and Jews are such a threat” he declared, almost as an oath.
Mustering up courage, “Where are you from?” I queried.
“From, Israel of course,” his words gruff and condescendingly.
“But French is your Mother-tongue…”
“Well, I was born in Paris and came here when I was six, but my wife dragged me back to
France for 3 years, and then divorced me. She has our two children.” He was too thin, smelled of cigarettes and looked gaunt. He glanced up into my face for the first time.
“Yes,” I spoke kindly seeing his stress, “I know what kind a dividing line Israel can be. I am sure you are aware that the Rabbis have ruled that when Israel become divisive the partner who chooses to remain in the land may do so and divorce the one who insists on leaving. But I am so grateful that of our 4 adult sons chose to remain here. Only economics keeps one son and his family outside for now. I think raising our sons up here was the greatest work of our lives.”
He brightened, “I know that one day my son will return.”
“Of course he will,” I encouraged. “The Rabbis say that someone from their generations will always feel the ‘pull’ to return home to Israel. We have met many here in the moshav who come from divided homes, this place has become a refuge. Years ago we were instrumental in encouraging a family to settle in this very village. Now split asunder by a nefarious divorce, the grandchildren are established here.”
He began ringing up my bill, as I stuffed the produce into a cloth bag provided by the shop.
“There has been a terrorist attack on a Jewish school in Toulouse,” he blurted out; paused, caught his breath, then turned back to the computer, eyes glued to the screen, “ Three are said to be dead, one was riding a bicycle…” He swayed slightly and turned to look directly at me in great pain.
“Where are your children?” I asked.
“Toulouse, in the middle of the Jewish Community!”
“I will pray” was all I could say. Sobered by this knowledge, I paid my bill, and slipped out the door. Looking back into his stricken face, I whispered, “I will pray!” And I did most of the way home in a violent wind storm.
Israel is a family and we don’t just pray for our ‘own’ we pray for the whole household, those we know and especially those we do not know. The family of Israel spilling over our borders resides in almost every nation on earth.
Here is just another example of how much Israel is a point of division in marriages as well
as the nations. Terrorists work overtime searching for an opening into which they can creep, undercover and murder innocent Jews. This is the face of insanity. Israel, is the dividing line for Neo-Nazis who are said to have perpetrated the atrocity above. Four are dead, a Rabbi and his two sons, a teacher and an 8 year old girl, all Jews. Israel is also the one central unifying factor for radical Islam which, collectively hates everything Israel is and stands for. All of the nations are also completely divided over Israel. Canada stands alone in her solidarity.
“…I will save My flock and they shall no longer be a prey. They shall be safe in their land and they shall know that I am the LORD. They shall no longer be a prey for the nations.”
Ezekiel 34: 24a, 27a,28a.
Meridel Rawlings