Shavuot, the Lonesome Holiday

by Jerry Waxman

I wonder how many people in the world knew that yesterday was Shavuot. I wonder how many people in the world -- including Jewish people -- have never heard of Shavuot. How many Jewish people in the world - whether they've heard of Shavuot or not - have any idea what the holiday is all about?

I'm happy to say that here in Sderot, the town and the people did the holiday proud - more than I remember ever seeing before. The town sponsored a celebration two days before the holiday (on Erev Erev Shavuot). The supermarkets had special displays. And of course there was a run on cheese and milk products.

At night just about all the synagogues in town kept their lights on so men could learn all night. And a nice, quiet night it was, too.

Why Shavuot is my favorite holiday:I like all the holidays. Everyone has a favorite, though, don't they? Ask them and they'll tell you, "Pesach," or "Succoth." My favorite, as a kid, used to be Chanuka. But nobody says "Shavuot." Why? Because there is nothing special for kids on this holiday?

Shavuot should not be lonesome anymore. I call it my favorite holiday, not because of the food, or the cheese, or even the custom of staying up all night. I like the message of Shavuot.

The whole world seems to be in a state of advanced confusion. Look at what's happening in Bangkok -- there's no reason for all the harm and destruction. Look at what's happening in America's gulf coast. Again -- no good reason for all the damage from the oil leaks. Take another look at America and tell me if you aren't at least a little bit ashamed at how people of different political parties relate to each other?

Right in the middle of all the confusion and chaos comes this quiet little holiday that -- unbeknownst to most of the world -- ties everything together. You see, Shavuot is so named because we are told to count 7 weeks from Pesach. 7 weeks and a day after Moses and the Israelites left Egypt, they received the Torah, including the Ten Commandments.

The world may not want to accept that the Torah has solutions to all the problems in the world. Even most of us - Jewish people - find it hard to believe that the Torah contains all the answers. Even religious Jews get tempted to look to other sources for knowledge and inspiration. And that's probably a good thing; people were put on the world to think and use their minds. But maybe we've depended too much on our own minds and that's what's gotten us into trouble.

People make mistakes. Little mistakes lead to financial disasters and environmental catastrophes. The Torah has no mistakes. My grandmother used to say everyone should follow the Ten Commandments.

If everyone did as my grandmother said and respected and honored the Ten Commandments, then Shavuot might be the favorite holiday for a lot of people. Chances are that if everyone did as my grandmother said and respected the Ten Commandments, we wouldn't see so much confusion in the world today.

Make this life an Adventure.

The Truth in Rainbows and Funerals

by Jerry Waxman

It’s easy to not like Sderot. Wow, what a thing to say about this town that I chose to live in. The sad truth is I haven’t met anyone who is in love with the town. People here have shown me reasons to believe that there are better places.

The most pungent reason is that Sderot literally smells bad. The original sewer system was not meant to service more than a few thousand residents. Sderot has an estimated 20,000 people who live and work here. The trouble with sewage often expresses itself in little streams of water crossing the streets. It more often expresses itself with an odor that pervades the air particularly in my neighborhood.

Another thing about Sderot is the people. On the whole you’d have to say they are a friendly bunch. However, when you see them in action everyday, facades of friendliness somehow disappear, and people let their stress out on one another.

Enough said about the negatives. More than enough.

The real point is, I have been trying to find a way to stay here and am failing to find even a good reason. Nobody answers my applications to work. The only reason that comes to mind is they only hire people they know, regardless of qualifications.

Reminds me of last year’s political campaigns, when I went to Davidi’s campaign headquarters twice to get involved. Nobody even approached me to ask me to vote for Davidi. When I approached them, the attitude was, “I don’t know you. Not gonna talk to you.”

Okay, enough with the negatives. My mind has been plagued lately with thoughts of leaving Sderot. Even of leaving the country if I get a decent job offer.

This last Shabbat was Parashat Noach, the story of the ark, the animals, and the flood that destroyed the world. It was also a yahrzeit weekend for me, which is always a reminder of my obligations to those who came before me. Even before the Shabbat, I was in a supermarket buying, amongst other things, a memorial candle. And it crossed my mind, “Only in Israel will you find a supermarket like this.”

I went to the Bukhari synagogue and they gave me the fifth aliya to the Torah. It was kind of a short passage. I noticed it mentioned a rainbow, G-d’s sign to Noah. And I thought, “What a beautiful way to remember those who have passed on.”

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Torah Insights at Israel Mag.Net

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After the service my friends taught me that the rainbow is not a good sign at all. It is beautiful to look at. But a complete rainbow is a reminder of the flood that destroyed the world. We’re not supposed to stare and marvel at it.

A hard truth. But truth is truth, whether you like it or don’t. Besides, it never rains in Sderot. I haven’t seen a rainbow since I’ve been here.

Yesterday, a funeral was held a block away from my apartment. I went because the deceased was somebody from the Parsi (Iranian) synagogue, where I often go. I didn’t know the man. But in Israel, when someone dies, it’s family, no matter who you are. In this case, he was a well respected man who came from Iran, and kept all the Jewish traditions, and went to synagogue every day.

During the funeral, which was attended by a couple hundred men and women, including several Torah scholars and rabbis, I sat on a nearby bench and observed. While eulogies were spoken, I could see comic-strip-like balloons over everybody’s head. They all had the same words, “When my time comes, what will they say about me?”

Will they say I left Israel to find a job? Will they say I left Sderot because it smells bad?

Truth is truth, and we live with it in Israel perhaps more than any other place in the world. Where else would we find people leaving their workplaces in the middle of the day to attend a funeral. Where else would a neighborhood build a tent in a parking lot and lead a procession down the middle of the street to honor one of its elders?

The truth is, a rainbow is a beautiful thing to behold, but it has a horrible episode behind it. Sderot may have its outward ugliness, but it has some beautiful lives and stories inside of it.

I don’t know if I’ll end up staying here or not. One thing is for sure, though. No regrets about being here. There are more positive things about Sderot than negative; just that the positive things tend to stay quiet.