MicroBalrog,
By this posting you have cost me money!
I clicked on the pics of the IDF soldiers, with their M16s slung from their shoulders, with APCs and tanks emblazoned with Jewish Stars behind them -- eating pizza and smiling out at us.
I am old enough to remember my mother weeping over the photos of her parents and brothers and sisters and uncles and aunts and cousins -- all murdered by the Nazis -- with the (almost always) willing and even eager complicity of the peoples they had conquered.
These are the very same countries that today call Israel Fascist for defending herself and hold her up to standards they themselves never have and never will adhere to. They haven't really changed. And their guilt and shame is wearing off, now.
And I remember the joy that swept the world, Jewish and gentile alike, at the incredible victories, on all fronts, of the Israelis, surrounded, outmanned and outgunned by the Arab armies of 3 countries, armed to the teeth by the Soviets -- who thought that surely this time they would drive Israel into the sea. Well it was all over in six days.
Now the world wants the Israellis to "give back" the territories won in a war the Jews begged to avoid and finally took at great cost in Jewish blood.
So I got out my credit card and I sent pizza to the brave young men (and women) who defend Israel (and Jews everywhere) against a people who revere Hitler and aim to complete his mission.
Make no mistake, MicroBalrog. Ultimately, we are alone.
The world likes to tsk, tsk over cremated Jews. But they are not so comfortable with Jews who built a Jewel of a country surrounded by a swamp of dictaterships. Jews who possess a mighty military, at least the equal of the Americans -- Jews like that make the world uneasy and they condemn us.
So to those who understand and support us -- THANK YOU.
As for the rest -- to hell with you.
We may be alone, but if we maintain our pride and our identity, we cannot fail.
And now MicroBalrog, I read that you are going into the army.
May you do your duty well, and be safe. And the same to all who defend Israel.
The holocaust and then Israel's glorious history played out before you and the rest of today's IDF soldiers were born.
But there are still many of us who remember.
I append below something that may be of interest:
Matis
This is why I LOVE being JEWISH
> WE HAVE NEVER BEEN BETTER OFF!!!!
> It's only TV and the media
> That make people think
> That the end of the world is coming.
>
> Only 60 years ago,
> They were leading Jews to their death
> Like sheep to the slaughter!
> No Country, No Army. 55 years ago!!
>
> Seven Arab countries declared war
> On the small Jewish State,
> Only a few hours old!!
>
> We were then 650,000 Jews!
> Against the rest of the Arab world!
> No IDF [Israel Defense Force].
> No mighty Air Force,
> Just tough people
> With nowhere to go.
> Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt,
> Libya, Saudi Arabia, attacked all at once.
>
> The country the UN "gave us"
> Was 65% desert.
> The country started from scratch!
>
> 35 years ago!! We fought
> The three strongest armies in the Middle East,
> And wiped them out in six days.
>
> We fought against
> Different coalitions of Arab countries,
> With modern armies,
> And masses of Soviet Russian weapons,
> And we still won!!!
>
> We have today
> A country,
> An army,
> A strong Air Force,
> A Hi-Tech Economy, exporting millions.
>
> Intel - Microsoft - IBM develop their stuff here.
>
> Our doctors win world prizes for medical developments.
>
> We made the desert flourish,
> Selling oranges and vegetables to the world.
>
> Israel has sent its own satellite into Space!!
> Three satellites all together!!.
> We sit proudly,
> With the US, with 250 million people,
> With Russia, with 200 million people,
> With China, with 1.1 billion people,
> With the Europeans -- France, England, Germany, with
> 350 million people,
>
> The only countries in the world
> To shoot something into space!!
>
> Israel is today in the world nuclear power family
> With the US, Russia, China, India, France, and England.
> [We don't admit it, but every one knows...]
>
> To think that only 60 years ago,
> We were led,
> Shameful,
> With no hope,
> To our death!
>
> We crawled out of the burning ashes of Europe,
> We won our wars here with less than nothing
> We built an "empire" out of nothing.
>
>
> Who the hell is Mr. Arafat
> To make me Scared?
> To make me be Terrified?
> You make me laugh!
>
> Passover was celebrated;
> Let's not forget what the story is all about.
> We overcame Pharaoh,
> We overcame the Greeks,
> We overcame the Romans,
> We overcame the Inquisition in Spain,
> We overcame the Pogroms in Russia,
> We overcame Hitler,
> We overcame the Germans,
> We overcame the Holocaust,
> We overcame the armies of the seven Arab countries,
> We overcame Saddam.
>
> Take it easy, folks,
> We will overcome
> The present enemies too.
>
> No matter
> Which part of human history you try!
> Think of it,
> For us,
> The Jewish people,
> Our situation has never been better!!!
> So,
> Let's Lift our Heads High,
> Let's Remember:
>
> Any nation or culture
> That tried to mess around with us
> Was destroyed -- while we kept going!!!
>
> Egypt?
> Anyone know where their empire disappeared to?
> Greeks?
> Alexander of Macedonia?
> The Romans?
> Does anyone today speak Latin?
> The Third Reich?
> Anyone heard any news about it lately?
>
>
> And look at us,
> The Nation from the Bible,
> >From Slavery in Egypt,
> We are still here,
> Speaking the same language!!
> Right here, right now.
>
> The Arabs don't know it yet,
> But, they will learn that there is one God.
>
> As long as we keep our identity,
> We are eternal.
>
> So, sorry for not worrying,
> Not crying,
> Not being scared.
> Things are O.K. here.
> They surely can be better,
>
> But still:
> Don't fall for the media junk,
> They won't tell you
> That there are festivals going on,
> That people keep on living,
> That people are going out,
> That people are seeing friends.
>
> Yes, our morale is low,
> So what?
>
> It's only because we weep for our dead
> While they enjoy the blood.
>
> This is the same reason why,
> We will win, after all.
>
>
>
> Forward this e- mail to the whole Jewish community,
> And to people throughout the world.
> They are part of our strength.
> It might help some of them to keep their heads up high.
>
> Tell them that there is nothing to worry about.
> Tell them to think BIG, and
> To see the whole picture.
>
> "See You Next Year in Jerusalem."
>
Matis