I am a woman born to an ancient tribe.
Mothers and grandmothers before me bore Jewish generations successful in abundant survival
a force to be reckoned with
but for a while,
lacking a steady place to go
their home sitting in the belly of the enemy
their communities pillaged, murdered, ravaged
regardless
they cultivated a space of light,
preserved a spirit of Judaism
they sustained the families
elevated the communities
fed, fought, protected, studied, prayed, cried
all for the sake of their people.
I grew up with the power of our women prevalent within my own home
loud in my Torah studies
consistent in my community.
To the Jewish women in my life,
I thank you.
I thank you for your power.
I thank you for your spirituality.
I thank you for your wisdom.
I thank you for your perseverance.
Jewish survival has perplexed many
our persistent breath an enigma
but they don’t understand
Jewish women
we are the bones of the tribe
bear the future in our wombs
bloom new generations of Jews
even amongst the chaos
even through the pain, the uncertainty, the danger
shed tears for our children
and our children’s children
and then rise back up
every Friday night saturate our homes with warm light
fill our tables with love
breathe our prayers with soul
we come equipped with this strength,
this heart
even if it doesn’t always make sense
even if the world tries to steal it from us.
We have seen recently how the world has chosen to treat our women
yet again
we have taken notice to how they see our blood cheap
our bodies unimportant
how they silence our cries
they put us on trial for the blood on our skin
even though it’s our own
and when we try to tell them this
plead of our pain
they cannot hear it.
Or more so,
they ignore it.
They fight to believe all women
but in their deplorable point of view, Jewish women are not included.
Generations we have lived through their intolerance
have survived through this hurt they force onto us
and generations from now we will outlive it
and we will outlive them.
But for now,
we hurt.
For now,
it hurts.
Jewish women –
you are strength. You are appreciated.
You are the backbone of this tribe.
Your blood is not cheap. You are more than important.
And the failure of the rest of the world to recognize this does not take away its validity.
The tribe sees and needs you.
Thank you for your strength.
Thank you for your survival.
