Israelis in the Thousands Took to the Streets

The pictures I was witnessing was not my Israel, it was not the country so many have given the utmost sacrifice for.

 The first steps to converting Israel from a Jewish democratic state to a dictatorship passed in the Knesset on Monday night.

The following day, tens of thousands of  Israelis took to the streets.

At the airport and corners of every kind to let their voices of disapproval be heard.

I knew my fellow Israelis would not stay quiet, their core values for equal rights and democracy would not give into silence.

However, my optimism and hope were dwindling to a faraway place, something I was not accustomed to.

Police were not very kind as they had been given the approval of the terrorist and right wing extremist government minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir to use a force for those that speak up against the government.

I stayed up all night watching on Israeli T.V. how this day of sadness, anger and worry was unfolding.

The pictures I was witnessing was not my Israel, it was not the country so many have given the utmost sacrifice for.

We stood in front of the Israeli Consulate, chanting words of democracy, equality and persistence.

 On Tuesday, I joined my fellow New Yorkers at a demonstration, as I have done for the last number of months.

We stood in front of the Israeli Consulate, chanting words of democracy, equality and persistence.

Israelis, New Yorkers and others sang songs of hope, spoke words of inspiration and cried tears of sadness.

I looked at the Israeli flag holders around me, a man around my age with bright white hair and a trimmed beard caught my eye.

Holding the Israeli flag, he stood quietly, with his head lowered and eyes closed.

I don’t know what his exact thoughts were, but I felt a salty drop of water flow down my cheek.

 I held gratitude closely knowing that for now we can still have our voices heard.

On Wednesday morning I woke up with a new sense of energy.

Gratitude was clearly present in my moment.

Like a fresh breath of air for my soul.

I held gratitude closely knowing that for now we can still have our voices heard.

I will not give up, nor give in to the evil powers of dictatorship seekers.

In a few hours, across Israel, Israelis will once again gather in the thousands to have their voices be heard.

We here in NYC and across the United States will join them simultaneously.

” Those who refuse to obey dictatorship are not deserters – they are heroes!” Yuval Noah Harari

I will be traveling next week to Tel-Aviv.

My plane will land at the same time my Israeli friends and family will be attending yet another protest to save democracy.

I know I may be a bit tired; I am sure I will want to drive home and shower.

But I will choose to join them.

My love for my heritage and homeland won’t let me stay away.

Yuval Noah Harari, a well known Israeli public intellectual explains it quite well in his speech at last week’s fight for democracy protest in Tel-Aviv.

His ending words carry the message of these challenging times.

” Those who refuse to obey dictatorship are not deserters – they are heroes!

We are standing here. We cannot do otherwise.”

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