8 | JULY 1 • 2021 

PURELY COMMENTARY

bor, has already advertised the 
T-shirts to our Kibbutz and 
everyone is asking for one. 
War or no war, we will be 
wearing these T-shirts on many 
occasions. No matter what gov-
ernment is in power, and what 
terrorist organization it seems 
to be playing into the hands 
of, there are thousands and 
thousands of Jews and Arabs in 
Israel who are and will be work-
ing together for peace in the 
Middle East.

PROTESTS MISDIRECTED
This is something the British 
media has not been reporting. 
The hundreds of thousands 
of protestors marching for 
Palestine are marching against 
Israel, when in fact they should 
be marching against Hamas. 
It is Hamas who is oppressing 
Palestine. If we could get rid of 
them, we could start working 
toward peace in Palestine and 
a two-state solution, where 
equality is paramount, terrorism 
is totally stopped and the two 
states live peacefully side by side. 
I find myself wondering 
how many of the protestors in 
England have been to Israel or 
been to Palestine. I find myself 
wondering if they know the dif-
ference between Gaza and the 
West Bank, between the South 
and North of Israel.
I find myself wondering if 
they know how Jew, Muslim 
and Christian work together 
with mutual respect and equal 
rights in so many areas of Israel. 

I find myself wondering wheth-
er they know that many Israeli 
Arabs do not even want to live 
in Palestine; they are proud of 
being Israeli. 
Please do not misunderstand 
me. I know Israel has a long way 
to go in order to give every Arab 
citizen of Israel and Palestine 
equal rights, but I also know 
how many thousands of us are 
working in peace movements 
every hour of every day to make 
the situation better here.

A SAD IRONY
I find it sad and ironic how 
the British people who believe 
they are siding with Palestine, 
by opposing Israel, are actually 
doing no such thing. They are 
only siding with the extremists. 
In this country, the majority 
of all people want to live peace-
fully, side by side. We are happy 
together. There are Arab doctors, 
lawyers, teachers, judges, nurses, 
ambassadors … you name it. 
There is no apartheid here.
There is just a beautiful coun-
try living in a very fragile state, 
under an old moon with silver- 
laced clouds … waiting for the 
terrorists to stop launching their 
rockets, giving the rest of the 
world something to misunder-
stand. 

Shoshana Lavan is a published author, 
high school teacher of English literature 
and language, teacher of English as a 
foreign language and most importantly, 
a very proud mother of her gorgeous 
toddler. She has recently made Aliyah 
and is an aspiring peace activist. 

ARABS AND JEWS continued from page 6

“IN ISRAEL, THE MAJORITY 
OF ALL PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE 
PEACEFULLY, SIDE BY SIDE. 

WE ARE HAPPY TOGETHER.”

— SHOSHANA LAVAN

Shtikale Pie!

Mir gayen nisht in shul, I’ll soon tell you why.
It’s a yontef for alle, it’s the Fourth of July.
 Franks and the rest, they all taste azay got
 Ich hob azay lib all the barbecue food.
In farges nisht tzu essn a shtikale pie.

Mir gayen nisht — We do not go
in shul — to synagogue
a yontef for alle — a holiday for all
azay got — so good
Ich hob azay lib — I love so
In farges nisht — And don’t forget
tzu essn — to eat
a shtikale — a little piece of

— By Rachel Kapen

Yiddish Limerick

CORRECTION
In the book review of The Fight for Free Speech (June 17, 
page 30) the author of the book should have been identified 
as Ian Rosenberg.

