This Year's Visit of "The Spies"

my father and the "spies"

For over twenty years already, our humble abode has been on the "must see" list for United States Consular officials aka "the spies."  A couple of years ago, when my very elderly father was living with us, he couldn't understand why they davka came to our house to ask us questions.  Maybe it was because his first job as an accountant was auditing businesses for New York State, his philosophy has always been to do one's best to keep officials from "getting too friendly."  Considering that we're veteran ex-pats, it did seem suspicious to him that consular officials are in touch with my husband.

They've been coming to Shiloh to visit us for over twenty years.  Sometimes I try to hide out and not play my role as the straight shooter talker.  Twenty years ago I almost threw the official out and probably would have if my husband hadn't been there to stop me.  But the trigger to the unpleasantness actually came as a result of his question.

"Why don't you invite Jewish Israelis to your events, like the Independence Day Reception?"
"We're even-handed.  We don't invite the terrorist Hamas either."

I immediately reacted:

"Are you comparing us to the Arab terrorists who just murdered my friend Rachella Druk, who's now buried just down here?" And I pointed in the direction of the Shiloh Cemetery.

The guy had nothing to say in response.  postscript: For quite a few years after that, we were invited to the Jerusalem Consulate Independence Day Reception.  I even attended a few, but never when the date was during the "Three Weeks" when attending festive events is forbidden.

Yesterday was one of those visits.  The usual routine is that my husband shows them around and then they come to the house for coffee/tea.  I sit with them for a bit, then go to wash dishes or otherwise disappear, since "silently acting dumb and agreeable" just isn't my specialty.

Honestly, I just don't know how I got started, but I guess the Dershowitz talk at the Begin Center must have still been influencing me, because I began telling them that it was immoral and against all criteria of human/civil rights for the United States Government to promote a policy that would forbid Jews to live here, or anywhere.  I reminded them that in the United States it is illegal for someone to be banned from living in a building for religion or race.  Racial and religious discrimination is immoral and they shouldn't be trying to enforce it here.

Then, as they couldn't really answer me, I considered it the perfect time to wash the dishes.  There's no wall between the kitchen and diningroom, so I couldn't avoid listening...

After that I decided that they must hear the source of their mistaken policy.  They (not personal, just the American policy-makers) don't know history.  It seems that the American State Department and even President Barack Hussein Obama don't know history.  They have the mistaken belief that there had been a country called Palestine before the establishment of the State of Israel.  The truth is, as I explained it, that there had never been such a country, society, culture or people.  They should just check old history books.  Palestine was the name given to the land the British Mandate was supposed to turn into a Jewish State.

The only people that had ever had an independent country/kingdom here was the Jewish People, and we are the same People.  So, of course, they tried to correct me by saying that there were other ancient nations.  We reminded them that the other nations are all dead and gone, but we're the same Jewish People.  Jews have always, continuously lived here, even if not in great numbers and not ruling. The Jewish People never deserted the Land of Israel.

Did my "arguments" make any dent, influence them in any way?  I don't know.  Will they include what I said in their reports?  I don't know that either. 

One thing I do know is that it's very important to keep telling the truth and not be wimpily diplomatic or afraid.

And now a Dvar Torah on this week's Torah Portion is Vayishlach (Genesis 32:4-36:43.)  It tells of Jacob's return to the HolyLand and his reunion with his family, especially his feared twin brother, Essau.  Why was Jacob so afraid of Essau, even after G-d had promised him protection?  Why did Jacob bow to Essau and speak to him as if Essau was his master?  It was a very critical mistake on the part of Jacob.  It showed his family weakness and may very well be the reason his sons Shimon and Levi didn't trust him to properly punish Shechem and family after Shechem raped Dina.