I AM... A Purim Poem

I am a Woman

I am a Jew

I am an Israeli

I am a hated woman

The Jews are a hated nation

Israel is a hated country.

Of course not everyone hates me, or the Jews, or Israel.

But plenty of people who can make a difference

In my world,

In our world

Do hate.

We are hated because we are a reminder of a truth that you don't want to see.

We are hated because we have been chosen for a mission.

We are hated because no matter what you do to us  

We survive and overcome.

Unlike you we are not confused.

We know who we are.  

We know that none of the lies you tell the world about us are true.

You say we are evil.

That we want power and control.

That we want to hurt you.

And you try to prove it by twisting reality.

You have always tried to weaken us to feel better about yourself.

You have tried to destroy us.

But you did not and will not succeed.

We have our own country now.

Our own identity.

And nothing you say or do can change the fact that we exist.

And that you need us.

Perhaps that is why you hate us so much.

Because you know

Deep down you really do

Need us.

We hold the truth for you.

A truth that you can not yet carry.

Some of you see us as victims.

Some see us as perpetrators.

We are neither.

We have been victimized.  

And we have been self destructive.  

We are criticized

As a woman,

A nation,

A country.

Everyone has an opinion about us that they know is

The Truth.

But that is not why you hate us.

You hate us because we are who we are.

You hate us because we can't be anyone else

You hate us because we exist.

And we will ALWAYS exist.

Because God wants us here.

And God is in charge of the world.

Not you.