The date I will remember forever

I don't know if the date, January 15, 1991 means anything to you. I, however, remember this date very well.

A short while after my 11th birthday, my whole family made our way to the community center near our home. We didn't go there to watch a magic show, a concert or the like. We went there to get masks. Though, Purim was still a bit far from us, the masks we got were not Purim masks, but masks which would protect us from the gas, which the crazy man from Bagdad might send straight to us at Vered Street 6, our home in Kiryat Motzkin.

I don’t remember another time period in my childhood, where I was constantly listening to the radio, as during that time. I learned many new Israeli songs at the same time.

From that time of constantly hearing the radio, I also learned the names of European leaders and Cabinet members in the USA. I felt that somehow their decision will be connected to me.

We were all afraid of the 15th of January. That was the date the allies had given Iraq as an ultimatum to retreat from Kuwait.

When that date came, we were forced to wear the gas masks all day.

I can’t remember the exact day, but very shortly after the above date, I was woken up in the middle of the night for the first time in my life, to the sounds of frightening sirens, which cut through the night.

It was not easy. My mother had been hospitalized a couple of days earlier for a medical treatment at the Rothschild hospital in Chaifa, so my father woke us all up, and we quickly got into the room which had to be sealed with tape and plastic. My oldest sister put my baby brother into a special basket type mask for babies.  

We were all very nervous... and then the house started to shake from the blast of the missiles which were falling not far from us.

What can I tell you… I just sat there quietly and frightened, and tried to listen to the radio.

Then I overheard a conversation between my oldest sister (17) and a younger one (8):

Younger: Why is this happening?

Older: Because America is attacking Saddam Hussein who attacked Kuwait.

Younger: And why does he want to kill us? Is Israel also fighting against him?

Older: No, we don’t have any connection to this war.

Younger: So, why do they want to hurt us?

Older: That’s because he hates us, because we are Jews.

Suddenly, there in the sealed room, while the house was shaking, I realized for the first time in my young life, what Anti-Semitism meant..

There sits a young girl, frightened, on Vered street in Kiryat Motzkin, and she feels how someone who is kilometers away, wants to hurt her just because she is Jewish.

Thank G-d, we all witnessed miracles. 39 missiles landed in Israel, and besides for one casualty and very few injured; there was almost no other damage.

However, the message which I understood then, as a child, I understand now even better, when even in Switzerland I can sometimes get anti-Semitic comments, just because I am a Jew.

Very often we host non-jewish groups of youth in our Chabad house, who come to hear about the Jewish religion. We always make sure to greet them and welcome them in the best and friendliest way possible.

At a recent meeting with youth, during the question and answer session, a young man raised his hand and wanted to know about the laws of Kosher. My wife patiently explained about the meat, the special Shechita, the separate dishes ect. Another student asked, if so, surely kosher food and especially having 2 sets of pots and dishes, is very expensive. But, she answered herself, nu, the Jews have lots of money anyways, so it’s no problem for them…

At least I appreciated her honesty :)

Let us hope to always hear only good news for us as Jews, and especially for our brothers and sisters in Israel.

Rivky and the children join me in wishing you Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Chaim