Monday, March 28, 2016

The Self Hating Jew

My poem lamented Israel’s handling of Palestine.
Why must the Arab Muslims recognize
Israel’s right to their own country?
More discouraging was the absurd label attached by two friends:
I was a “Self Hating Jew”.
Who knew?
Would I go less often, or admire Israel’s accomplishments less?
Was Israel looking for peace or platitudes?
I showed my piece to the Chabad Rabbi.
He had no problem, liked the poem.
Those two friends asked for an apology.
I apologized, but not for the poem.
Are we still friends?
Last night, over dinner, one of those two men
recalled the now two year old incident;
stopping just short of noting my “anti-semitic” poem.
Yes, I am an atheist. I don’t like Israel’s current government.

If I am “self hating” what does “Jew” add?

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