As a child, people would ask me what I wanted to do when I grow up. My answer was always the same, "I'm going to save the world". The response was also always the same idea, "Good for you", "How mature of you", "Such a noble cause", "I'm so proud of you".
Then, around the age of 17, the responses began to change. They went from being proud to giving me the "You'll grow out of it", "You can't make a difference in the world" and they're faces would give off the 'she's delusional' attitude.
I didn't care what they thought; I knew that I was going to save the world. Then one day in college, I read a quote, which I couldn't tell you if my life depended on it but generally stated that it wasn't the grand ambitions of saving the whole world that made a difference, but the small actions of helping the world around you (i.e. ripple makes a wave). I took that statement to heart.
My goal never changed. I want to make this world a better place, and I am willing to dedicate my life to this cause. What did change was my way of achieving my goal. I know that I can't get rid of nukes, stop global warming, end starvation, terrorism, hate, etc, single handedly. What I do know is that I can help to make the world around me, my little world, a better place. I also know that my actions, in effect, will make a difference in ways that I will probably never know, nor do I really care to.
I have spent my entire life trying to help in any way possible, whether with a single person, school, city state, or country. To some of my actions I have seen the fruit, to others, I haven't (not to say there wasn't, I just didn't see it). If I had listened to the overt and underlying messages of just about every person I spoke with, if I had taken them seriously, I don't know what the world I live in would be like today. What I do know is that I would be a lot less happy…and a lot more like the way that society attempted to mold me.
I'm not saying fight the power, I'm saying believe in yourself, not what others tell you that you are and should be. If not, you will never be satisfied and the world would have a very hard time being a better place (It can't do it alone, you know…).
Thursday, October 23, 2008
That feeling
I love that feeling when all of a sudden, everything is not only ok, it's great! It is a feeling that is as if a light really is shining down on you from heaven, happiness overwhelms every pore in the body. This feeling makes you want to sing, yell, laugh and cry from true joy. It is my favorite feeling in the world.
At that moment when the understanding possesses me, that I am in complete control of my life, and I look at all of my problems, own them, then show myself how to get over them; that is when this feeling often hits me.
Many people never experienced this feeling before, or at least not in their adult lives. You are probably thinking that I am crazy to, out of the blue, experience absolute joy and happiness. Well, maybe I am a little bit crazy. Along with my bit of craziness, though, is my knowledge that I create my own reality, and therefore take full responsibility for issues both good and bad in my life. When I own up to the fact that I am in charge of me, life becomes fun, not just something that we are trying to wade through until we die.
To many times I have heard people using the excuse, "I can't do this", but that's not what they really mean, what stands behind that sentence is, "I won't do this". It's too bad. When one realizes that they create their own reality, the word can't completely disappears from their vocabulary…that word, can't, no longer makes any sense whatsoever.
I recommend to everyone that you get yourself this natural euphoric feeling, and take control of your destiny…It's a lot more fun than the difficult lives that most people lead…
At that moment when the understanding possesses me, that I am in complete control of my life, and I look at all of my problems, own them, then show myself how to get over them; that is when this feeling often hits me.
Many people never experienced this feeling before, or at least not in their adult lives. You are probably thinking that I am crazy to, out of the blue, experience absolute joy and happiness. Well, maybe I am a little bit crazy. Along with my bit of craziness, though, is my knowledge that I create my own reality, and therefore take full responsibility for issues both good and bad in my life. When I own up to the fact that I am in charge of me, life becomes fun, not just something that we are trying to wade through until we die.
To many times I have heard people using the excuse, "I can't do this", but that's not what they really mean, what stands behind that sentence is, "I won't do this". It's too bad. When one realizes that they create their own reality, the word can't completely disappears from their vocabulary…that word, can't, no longer makes any sense whatsoever.
I recommend to everyone that you get yourself this natural euphoric feeling, and take control of your destiny…It's a lot more fun than the difficult lives that most people lead…
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
My GOD our GOD
So I'm having a problem.
I love my religion, and I don’t blame religion for this, but at the same time, it has caused me a huge crisis regarding my beliefs.
It is coming upon Sukkot, and for the first time since coming to Israel, I have an excellent opportunity to build a Sukkah and celebrate the Mitzvah (literally: Commandment) of the holiday.
I was stoked, I finally had the opportunity to make the best of this holiday, and I met a friend of mine at the ACE hardware store (yes, the same one as in the States) in order to buy the necessary supplies to build our Sukkah. We went to the lumber section to find the necessary products, and were kindly informed by the salesman that it will cost me about 100 dollars, MINIMUM, just to get the skeleton of the Sukkah paid for. I started to get upset, realizing that in this country, as in the US with Christmas and Easter and Valentines Day, nothing comes for free. I just couldn’t afford it.
I did the sad math, and started to get really depressed. My friend asked me to "entertain him" and go to check the price of a pre-made Sukkah. After a bit, I agreed, and the short price check that we did with them came up to the minimal price of 790 Shekels, about 250 Dollars.
In this country, 250$ is a whole lotta money. I mean A WHOLE LOTTA MONEY. What right does anyone have making me pay so much just to actualize a commandment?
So a miracle did happen, a lot later; and I found wood boards that I could get for free, as trash from the Ikea parking lot. But for me it was only a half miracle cuz I was so mad at the thievery of people just being kind enough to allow me to be to be able to express my love for Judaism.
Then I spoke to Idan, my wonderful husband, off in the military for reserve duty, and normally the last person I would expect to want me to appreciate my spirituality. He explained to me that religion is so much deeper than a couple of idiots who try to make money off religion. I tried to stay angry, as I seriously considered not fasting the one time of the year that I do (Yom Kippur- Day of Atonenment; but he's right. People don’t make religion. GOD makes religion, and it doesn’t matter what the religion is, it is way above us simple human beings to decide what GOD wants.
I'm not perfect. I never will be, but I care, and I know that that is what GOD cares about.
In Judaism we have something called KAVANAH, or meaning,. No person can tell me what I mean. GOD knows what I mean and that is what is important. So all those money makers out there can just suck on a rotten egg, cuz they forgot the real meaning of GOD and religion and KAVANAH.
God, whatever you may be, you know my KAVANAH, and if that’s not good enough, then, there is no point in me being here in the first place.
I want to be a good Jew, but more importantly, I want to be a good person, and if some stupid religion says that my intentions are wrong, well, they will just have to take it up with God, cuz I have a really big feeling that God is so much more that me buying a 1000 Shekel Sukkah, or accepting Jesus, or that Muhammad as what is right.
God is so much better than that, and God (You) only knows how hard it is to love him for who he really is…and I don’t know who you really are, but I do know that its more than a Sukkah or a baptism or a pretentious love. GOD is God, and we are all silly for not getting it.
So God, I have done the best I could to be a decent person this year. If I have not been good, then judge me. Just remember, that I care, and every day of my life, I try to make myself a better person. I don’t care what people think of me, I do
know that I have tried.
If I have done a bad job, I accept it, but if not, then I only ask that you help me to make the best of the lives of everyone I know and to make them experience the positive and loving life that everyone deserves.
Life is wonderful. May we always understand that.
Amen.
Saf
I love my religion, and I don’t blame religion for this, but at the same time, it has caused me a huge crisis regarding my beliefs.
It is coming upon Sukkot, and for the first time since coming to Israel, I have an excellent opportunity to build a Sukkah and celebrate the Mitzvah (literally: Commandment) of the holiday.
I was stoked, I finally had the opportunity to make the best of this holiday, and I met a friend of mine at the ACE hardware store (yes, the same one as in the States) in order to buy the necessary supplies to build our Sukkah. We went to the lumber section to find the necessary products, and were kindly informed by the salesman that it will cost me about 100 dollars, MINIMUM, just to get the skeleton of the Sukkah paid for. I started to get upset, realizing that in this country, as in the US with Christmas and Easter and Valentines Day, nothing comes for free. I just couldn’t afford it.
I did the sad math, and started to get really depressed. My friend asked me to "entertain him" and go to check the price of a pre-made Sukkah. After a bit, I agreed, and the short price check that we did with them came up to the minimal price of 790 Shekels, about 250 Dollars.
In this country, 250$ is a whole lotta money. I mean A WHOLE LOTTA MONEY. What right does anyone have making me pay so much just to actualize a commandment?
So a miracle did happen, a lot later; and I found wood boards that I could get for free, as trash from the Ikea parking lot. But for me it was only a half miracle cuz I was so mad at the thievery of people just being kind enough to allow me to be to be able to express my love for Judaism.
Then I spoke to Idan, my wonderful husband, off in the military for reserve duty, and normally the last person I would expect to want me to appreciate my spirituality. He explained to me that religion is so much deeper than a couple of idiots who try to make money off religion. I tried to stay angry, as I seriously considered not fasting the one time of the year that I do (Yom Kippur- Day of Atonenment; but he's right. People don’t make religion. GOD makes religion, and it doesn’t matter what the religion is, it is way above us simple human beings to decide what GOD wants.
I'm not perfect. I never will be, but I care, and I know that that is what GOD cares about.
In Judaism we have something called KAVANAH, or meaning,. No person can tell me what I mean. GOD knows what I mean and that is what is important. So all those money makers out there can just suck on a rotten egg, cuz they forgot the real meaning of GOD and religion and KAVANAH.
God, whatever you may be, you know my KAVANAH, and if that’s not good enough, then, there is no point in me being here in the first place.
I want to be a good Jew, but more importantly, I want to be a good person, and if some stupid religion says that my intentions are wrong, well, they will just have to take it up with God, cuz I have a really big feeling that God is so much more that me buying a 1000 Shekel Sukkah, or accepting Jesus, or that Muhammad as what is right.
God is so much better than that, and God (You) only knows how hard it is to love him for who he really is…and I don’t know who you really are, but I do know that its more than a Sukkah or a baptism or a pretentious love. GOD is God, and we are all silly for not getting it.
So God, I have done the best I could to be a decent person this year. If I have not been good, then judge me. Just remember, that I care, and every day of my life, I try to make myself a better person. I don’t care what people think of me, I do
know that I have tried.
If I have done a bad job, I accept it, but if not, then I only ask that you help me to make the best of the lives of everyone I know and to make them experience the positive and loving life that everyone deserves.
Life is wonderful. May we always understand that.
Amen.
Saf
Monday, September 22, 2008
Our latest reality
Just when you thought terrorism hit its scariest point, the strangers among us come out to play. We have been struck with a new reality, in my opinion even scarier than our previous one.
Since 1995, we have been plagued with regular bombings and more so with suicide bombings, AKA terrorism. Although we have had periods of more terrorism and periods of less terrorism, terrorism itself is always a reality in this country.
But now, terror had changed its form. Anything can be turned into a weapon, anyone can be a terrorist. This new trend is scary. In the past three months, we have been attacked by lone terrorists…to our knowledge not belonging to any specific terror organization, and taking orders from no one but themselves.
Two of the attacks were by ordinary workers, driving tractors. I don’t remember the number of deaths in the attacks, but how can I forget the huge tractor using its lift to turn a bus on its side, run over anything or anybody in its path, or the single baby, who was thrown from the car, just as the tractor crushed the entire vehicle and orphaned the baby?
And now, a man, driving a Mercedes Benz, saw a group of soldiers, smiled at them, and stepped on the gas. At least this time the only death was the terrorist himself. Fourteen soldiers were hospitalized.
This is a scary reality. At least with suicide terrorism, we knew to expect bombings on public transportation and in crowded areas (more or less), so we could rationalize ways to avoid these areas if we wanted. But this, this is different. This is scary. We can never know when the next person will just snap and go on a murderous rampage. Luckily for the rest of the country, so far all of the attacks have been in Jerusalem, by Palestinian Israelis from East Jerusalem.
There is no doubt in my mind that this trend is not going to stick to Jerusalem alone. We have Palestinian Israelis living all over the country. Just because it hasn’t happened yet, doesn’t mean Tel Aviv and Haifa are safe. Now ordinary people are picking up on the fact that they too can do extraordinary things…anybody can kill the Zionists these days, all they need is a weapon that will do the proper damage before they themselves get killed in defense.
Did I mention that we are celebrating today 30 years of a cold peace with Egypt? The festivities just keep on rockin’.
Since 1995, we have been plagued with regular bombings and more so with suicide bombings, AKA terrorism. Although we have had periods of more terrorism and periods of less terrorism, terrorism itself is always a reality in this country.
But now, terror had changed its form. Anything can be turned into a weapon, anyone can be a terrorist. This new trend is scary. In the past three months, we have been attacked by lone terrorists…to our knowledge not belonging to any specific terror organization, and taking orders from no one but themselves.
Two of the attacks were by ordinary workers, driving tractors. I don’t remember the number of deaths in the attacks, but how can I forget the huge tractor using its lift to turn a bus on its side, run over anything or anybody in its path, or the single baby, who was thrown from the car, just as the tractor crushed the entire vehicle and orphaned the baby?
And now, a man, driving a Mercedes Benz, saw a group of soldiers, smiled at them, and stepped on the gas. At least this time the only death was the terrorist himself. Fourteen soldiers were hospitalized.
This is a scary reality. At least with suicide terrorism, we knew to expect bombings on public transportation and in crowded areas (more or less), so we could rationalize ways to avoid these areas if we wanted. But this, this is different. This is scary. We can never know when the next person will just snap and go on a murderous rampage. Luckily for the rest of the country, so far all of the attacks have been in Jerusalem, by Palestinian Israelis from East Jerusalem.
There is no doubt in my mind that this trend is not going to stick to Jerusalem alone. We have Palestinian Israelis living all over the country. Just because it hasn’t happened yet, doesn’t mean Tel Aviv and Haifa are safe. Now ordinary people are picking up on the fact that they too can do extraordinary things…anybody can kill the Zionists these days, all they need is a weapon that will do the proper damage before they themselves get killed in defense.
Did I mention that we are celebrating today 30 years of a cold peace with Egypt? The festivities just keep on rockin’.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Home is (definitely) where the heart is
I would like to share my "awakening" for the day. As you all know, sometimes I get really annoyed with this country. Of course I love it, but who of you hasn't heard of my impatience with the corruption of the politicians or the drivers that I swear got into their cars that day in order to run a person over (we are number two in the world for killing pedestrians with cars) or the fact that I have to fight…just to keep my place in line…
Anyways, as I was driving home from a very long day at work, I started enjoying the miracle of a bright African orange sun setting against the beautiful greenery of the orchards, and a song came on the radio. This song was taken from a Hebrew prayer:
עושה שלום במרומיו
הוא יעשה שלום עלינו
ועל כל ישראל
ואימרו אמן
I cant exactly translate, but something along the lines of:
Make a high peace (ie for Him)
He will make peace upon us
And on all of Israel
And We say Amen
As the song came on, with the glorious sunset in the background, I started feeling the feelings that had overcome me for so many years. I'm home, this is my home, and these are my people. Then came the killer, right there in front of me was a bunch of Israel flags softly waving in the air. I teared up, and for a split second, forgot about the corruption, drivers, lines, hate, terror.
I thought of only one thing. I am home, this is where I belong.
Then I realized, that clearness…that is the sane Safra talking. I always know that this is the only State where Jews will always be welcome (I hope, Abba), and I always remember that I am home, but I get jaded sometimes…people are just so silly, but I am home, and there is not better feeling in the world, than to remember that. I am home.
Anyways, as I was driving home from a very long day at work, I started enjoying the miracle of a bright African orange sun setting against the beautiful greenery of the orchards, and a song came on the radio. This song was taken from a Hebrew prayer:
עושה שלום במרומיו
הוא יעשה שלום עלינו
ועל כל ישראל
ואימרו אמן
I cant exactly translate, but something along the lines of:
Make a high peace (ie for Him)
He will make peace upon us
And on all of Israel
And We say Amen
As the song came on, with the glorious sunset in the background, I started feeling the feelings that had overcome me for so many years. I'm home, this is my home, and these are my people. Then came the killer, right there in front of me was a bunch of Israel flags softly waving in the air. I teared up, and for a split second, forgot about the corruption, drivers, lines, hate, terror.
I thought of only one thing. I am home, this is where I belong.
Then I realized, that clearness…that is the sane Safra talking. I always know that this is the only State where Jews will always be welcome (I hope, Abba), and I always remember that I am home, but I get jaded sometimes…people are just so silly, but I am home, and there is not better feeling in the world, than to remember that. I am home.
Monday, September 8, 2008
My amazing husband!
I am a proud wife! My husband has reminded me of yet another reason why I love him so much, and I would like to share it with you.
Last week, Idan called me and told me that there was a domesticated rabbit living at the house that his company was working on, which the previous owners had left behind, and the new owners didn’t want. The new owners told him that he could catch it and take it.
Of course, we have absolutely no need for another animal in the house, and if anything, could do with one or two less. Nonetheless, he decided to try to catch it and bring it home. On Thursday, he couldn’t, so we returned on Friday, but I guess the owners were having a pool party (What right does anyone in Israel have to own an individual pool when we are already below the black line and the pump levels in the Sea of Galilee??!! But that’s a whole other rant, and coming from the hypocrite who enjoyed one of her rich friend’s pool a few months ago, but still...)
So, come Sunday, and I decided not to bring it up. Later in the morning he told me I had something to play with when I came home…my mind immediately jumped to…other things, and after a few minutes of messing with me, he told me that he managed to catch the rabbit. Imagine two grown men chasing a little thumper all around a yard. It makes me laugh.
And I got the pleasure of coming home yesterday to a new, though hopefully not permanent, member of our little happy family. I am the proud wife of a softie, who will not let an animal in distress suffer alone. I am so lucky! AND, now I can use it against him when I bring home the random crows, pigeons or critters…
So, I am really proud of my baby for doing what a lot of people would not do, and he didn’t even consider the other option.
Last week, Idan called me and told me that there was a domesticated rabbit living at the house that his company was working on, which the previous owners had left behind, and the new owners didn’t want. The new owners told him that he could catch it and take it.
Of course, we have absolutely no need for another animal in the house, and if anything, could do with one or two less. Nonetheless, he decided to try to catch it and bring it home. On Thursday, he couldn’t, so we returned on Friday, but I guess the owners were having a pool party (What right does anyone in Israel have to own an individual pool when we are already below the black line and the pump levels in the Sea of Galilee??!! But that’s a whole other rant, and coming from the hypocrite who enjoyed one of her rich friend’s pool a few months ago, but still...)
So, come Sunday, and I decided not to bring it up. Later in the morning he told me I had something to play with when I came home…my mind immediately jumped to…other things, and after a few minutes of messing with me, he told me that he managed to catch the rabbit. Imagine two grown men chasing a little thumper all around a yard. It makes me laugh.
And I got the pleasure of coming home yesterday to a new, though hopefully not permanent, member of our little happy family. I am the proud wife of a softie, who will not let an animal in distress suffer alone. I am so lucky! AND, now I can use it against him when I bring home the random crows, pigeons or critters…
So, I am really proud of my baby for doing what a lot of people would not do, and he didn’t even consider the other option.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
You Slackers!
One of my new favorite quotes. I started cracking up hysterically when I finished reading it…even the second and third time. Granted, you may need to have a special sense of humor to appreciate it, but for those of you Rina's out there…I know your gonna, at the very least, be attempting to cover up a smirk.
Quick background. The quote is from the Muslim Brotherhood (a huge international Muslim religious organization). In comparison to Al Qaida, they are considered pretty moderate, but believe you me, they're not, they just kill fewer people and work behind the scenes a lot. Most other Muslim terror organization use the Muslim Brotherhood's vision as their own and just add their own flair, as that vision is the lowest common denominator of religious Muslim organizations.
Kay, so this statement was taken out of the Muslim Brotherhood's strategic goal for North America. They were busted for using another organization as a front for them in the US of A; I think it was called the Holy Land Fund. And it's only the Muslim Brotherhood…can you imagine all of the Al Qaida front orgs and Hamas front org's in the USA and around the world???
Finally, before showing the statement, I want to make it perfectly clear, just in case someone who doesn't know me reads this. I have utmost respect for Islam, as much as I do for any other religion in the world; however, I have no respect for people and organizations that disrespect/ inflict harm on others, their beliefs or their religion.
Enjoy the quote, may it amuse you as much as it did me…
"The process of settlement [of Islam in the United States] is a "Civilization-Jihadist" process with all the word means. The Ikhwan must understand that all their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and "sabotaging" their miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and God's religion is made victorious over all religions. Without this level of understanding, we are not up to this challenge and have not prepared ourselves for Jihad yet. It is a Muslim's destiny to perform Jihad and work wherever he is and wherever he lands until the final hour comes, and there is no escape from that destiny except for those who choose to slack."
Quick background. The quote is from the Muslim Brotherhood (a huge international Muslim religious organization). In comparison to Al Qaida, they are considered pretty moderate, but believe you me, they're not, they just kill fewer people and work behind the scenes a lot. Most other Muslim terror organization use the Muslim Brotherhood's vision as their own and just add their own flair, as that vision is the lowest common denominator of religious Muslim organizations.
Kay, so this statement was taken out of the Muslim Brotherhood's strategic goal for North America. They were busted for using another organization as a front for them in the US of A; I think it was called the Holy Land Fund. And it's only the Muslim Brotherhood…can you imagine all of the Al Qaida front orgs and Hamas front org's in the USA and around the world???
Finally, before showing the statement, I want to make it perfectly clear, just in case someone who doesn't know me reads this. I have utmost respect for Islam, as much as I do for any other religion in the world; however, I have no respect for people and organizations that disrespect/ inflict harm on others, their beliefs or their religion.
Enjoy the quote, may it amuse you as much as it did me…
"The process of settlement [of Islam in the United States] is a "Civilization-Jihadist" process with all the word means. The Ikhwan must understand that all their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and "sabotaging" their miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and God's religion is made victorious over all religions. Without this level of understanding, we are not up to this challenge and have not prepared ourselves for Jihad yet. It is a Muslim's destiny to perform Jihad and work wherever he is and wherever he lands until the final hour comes, and there is no escape from that destiny except for those who choose to slack."
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