Shiva Call

Arutz Sheva ^ | 5-17-04 | Naomi Ragen

[SJackson]

This morning, I paid a shiva call to Sara and Michael Newman's house, the parents who lost their wonderful son Eitan when his tank went over a bomb in the Gaza Strip last week. They buried him last Thursday, after his comrades, under constant fire from terrorists, combed the dangerous streets to bring his holy remains and those of his comrades home.

As I neared the Newman home, I saw army men standing in small circles, talking quietly. Some wore beards and knitted skullcaps. Friends, religious and non-religious, came and went in and out of the Newman home, fulfilling one of Judaism's most honored rituals of comforting mourners for seven days after the funeral.

Sara and her husband sat on low chairs, as is the custom, surrounded by friends. I introduced myself.

"I want to talk to you..." Sara said softly.

I pulled up a chair.

"I understand that you write to many people around the world. And this is what I would like you to please tell them for me. Many people have asked what they can do, how can they help. Please tell them to go out and buy something that was made in Israel. That's all. Just help us, we are going through such hard times. Everybody can do that."

I felt quick tears come to my eyes, wondering at this woman who sat clear-eyed and full of courage and faith, her mind focused on what else she could do to help the country she loved, a woman who had just given her country and her people her handsome, bright, intelligent, wonderful young son.

Who had given her son.

I nodded, wordlessly.

I told her about a conversation I had just had with my own son, who is being drafted in November.

"Maybe you could go into anti-aircraft," I urged him. "Your brother did that, and your father."

There was a slight pause at the other end of the line. "Look Mom," he said patiently, "I might as well tell you the truth. I'm not going into the army to strike a pose. I'm going because I want to do something, protect people from getting killed by terrorists. And the only way to do that is to be a foot soldier." He wanted to go into Givati, he said. The same unit as Eitan Newman.

"This is how we brought them up," I told Sara Newman. "I'm very proud of him. And I'm terrified."

She put her hand over mine. "When my son died, he was surrounded by people he loved and respected and trusted. He was on his way back from a mission he'd successfully completed. He died instantly, with no pain. I would rather he went that way then stabbed in the back by some skinhead far away from home."

Would I please, she urged me, send out her message?

When I left the Newman home, I walked up the winding stone staircase that one finds in Jerusalem's hilly neighborhoods. A cool wind was blowing, and the sky seemed strangely cloudy for spring. As I reached the top, I saw a friend coming down the road. She too was on her way to the Newmans. I hugged her, and both of us wept.

And now I am home at my computer, doing what Sara Newman asked me to do. I'm asking you to please go out a buy something from Israel. If you can't find it in your stores, you can find it on-line, I'm sure.

And if you'd like to send Sara and Michael some words of comfort, please send it to msnewman@netvision.net.il.

Thank you.

[justanotherday]

"If saying that I would not want to adopt Christian traditions and leave my Jewish traditions is somehow disrespectful, then you are in for a nasty shock, because most people do not want to leave their religious traditions."

Nice redirection. You dissed the Baptists. Had you done that to Jews, you would have been banned.

[Bella_Bru]

Like I said before, you come off as a re-tread, probably banned numerous times. If you are, the mods will sniff you out before long and then bye bye troll.

For your info, there have been numerous threads about people trying to convince Jews to leave their traditions.

I suggest you stay away from the Catholic vs. Protestant threads. You'll probably spend the day crying if you are that sensitive.

[justanotherday]

"Like I said before, you come off as a re-tread, probably banned numerous times. If you are, the mods will sniff you out before long and then bye bye troll."

-I'm not sure where you're coming from, Bella. You attacked Baptists, now you attack me? What have I done, beside responding to your attack post?

"For your info, there have been numerous threads about people trying to convince Jews to leave their traditions."

I'm not aware of any religions that are seeking to convert the likes of you. (insert smiley face here.)

I suggest you stay away from the Catholic vs. Protestant threads. You'll probably spend the day crying if you are that sensitive.

Yeah, I'm a sensitive guy. I weep when I hear "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", and its variations.

Does that make me a bad person?

Btw: I'll bet you aren't seeing any Mel Gibson flicks, are you?

[Bella_Bru]

Actually I did go and see Mel's film. I watched it as a Jew though, and was not that impressed. The acting was terrible.

I am sure Christians enjoyed it for it's message to them, but it doesn't faze me at all.

FR is not a 'nice' place. People are harsh here, especially about causes and beliefs they hold dear.

That said, you seem to be the only who took anything negative from my post.

And I'll say it again:

I would never give up my religous traditions (Jewish) for any Christian traditions.

In addition, I have no interest in Islam or Hindu traditions either.

I'm not backing down from what I said. You don't like, go cry to a mod.

[justanotherday]

"And feel free to hit abuse. But those that try to lecture about posting rules are usually re-treads. A re-tread is someone who has been banned and decided they were coming back anyway."

Since there's no "Clueless" button, I'm afaraid I'm at a loss for your posts.

It's not my intention to cause a pointless discussion on an other-wise wortht thread, but take a moment Bela about your statements about Baptists. That's all I'm asking.

[Bella_Bru]

Even better:

I will never give up my Jewish traditions for any Baptist(any subset of), Catholic (both RCC and SSPX), Lutheran (including Missouri synod), Presbyterian, Episcopal, Methodist, and all the other 'non denominational' sects of Christianity.

[justanotherday]

"And because you are so quick to point out that someone is 'attacking' another religion, I expect you'll be on the Islam threads wagging your finger, right?"

Whoa, Whoa, Brunhila, I'm a Lutheran. I'm former US Navy, having protected your rights. Isn't there a cozy little Mosque you can snuggle up in?

[justanotherday]

"FR is not a 'nice' place. People are harsh here, especially about causes and beliefs they hold dear. "

What a statement to make. It's folks like you that make it this way, sadly.

"That said, you seem to be the only who took anything negative from my post. And I'll say it again: I would never give up my religous traditions (Jewish) for any Christian traditions."

You said Baptist. I said who'd want you?

In addition, I have no interest in Islam or Hindu traditions either.

See above. "I'm not backing down from what I said. You don't like, go cry to a mod."

I accept your apology.

[justanotherday]

"I am sure Christians enjoyed it for it's message to them, but it doesn't faze me at all."

I'm sure that the 1 billion dollars the movie is about to pull in impresses someone. Who cares what you think? Really?

[Bella_Bru]

I never apologized and don't plan to.

I owe you nothing.

AnAs for 'who'd want you', I have plenty of friends around here, thanks.

You are the one that is starting your time on FR on the wrong foot by being paranoid.

[krunkygirl]

thanks for the explanation--I have some jewish friends and have heard the terminology but never really knew what was expected or how it was done

a sad, sweet and very poignant post

[Bella_Bru]

I'm sure that the 1 billion dollars the movie is about to pull in impresses someone. Who cares what you think? Really?

You mentioned me not seeing any Gibson films.

Not everyone was bowled over by it. That's life.

[justanotherday]

There's no point in making an issue out of this, Bella. I believe we both can agree that there are more important things in life to argue about. At the end of the day (cliche time), we're on the same side.