אני קושית יפה/I’m a Cute Black Girl Pg 111

I remember when I first learnt that song. It was my first  …December 2000. Wow was that a summer that changed my life. Since that summer I have held onto that Anthem. Kinda funny how that Anthem means more to me than the Anthem of the Country I was actually born in.
I think that may be because Israel lives by that anthem and actually follows through on it. Can’t say the same for

Anywho this entry isn’t about or or or .

Through many of my past entries and probably many more to come I go on about winning the lottery and the dream house and everything that I want and wish to have if only I had the capital for it… Well in Jewish Studies last week, my Rabbi talked about something that made me question my behaviour. Whenever I light the and make the and I slip in a request for the house and kids and winning of the lotto so I can do things for my Shul and my family and self, but Shabbat isn’t about asking for things. It is about being thankful and grateful and rejoicing. My Rabbi went on to talk about how on Mondays and Thursdays; the market days in the Biblical Times many would use that time to go to Shul and read the as they were not able to on Shabbat due to the lack of light and not having a Torah in their homes. Now I have light and a and and other in my home so what is my excuse for not devoting time to Hashem besides on Erev Shabbat and when I go for Saturday Shabbat services or any other Chaggim? I honestly don’t have one and even if I could come up with something it wouldn’t be valid.

And so maybe I could devote some time on a Monday and Thursday to read the week’s Parasha (the weekly portion of the Torah read in Jewish services on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays) and learn more from Hashem than just when I go to Shul or pay attention to the Rabbi during my Jewish Studies lesson.

Now back to the Hatikvah. I am learning to read Hebrew again and hoping to one day be able to understand what I am reading and saying and possibly have a conversation with an Israeli…but towards the end of my Hebrew lesson when I was reciting the Hatikvah, The Ha Motsi and Kiddush I kept wondering if I was really reading it or just saying it all off the top of my head because I know it so well? Okay I did turn to read the transliteration for the Kiddush.

With the drastic rise in antisemitism across the globe and on the very city I live in, I have often felt fear when I have seen the change in facial expressions on people’s face after they see my or . When I have come across a large group of Muslims I have sometimes felt scared when I noticed them see me wearing my yellow ribbon and Magen David. So I thought it would be good to join my Shul’s Security Team and to eventually learn how to defend myself and be able to defend my Shul and community and whoever else may be around me. Every week I am hearing about some Pro Palestinian 🇵🇸 parade and ISIS flags been waved around…just the other day I read how the IEC turned down a new Political Party that called it self The Islamic State of Africa, because the name sounded too similar to ISIS never mind the fact that they are affiliated with ISIS. I mean can you just imagine if that party had to be allowed? And if they had to become the South African Government? I don’t even want to imagine what would happen.

https://www.elections.org.za/pw/News-And-Media/News-List/News/News-Article/Electoral-Commission-confirms-non-registration-of-Islamic-State-of-Africa-as-a-political-party?a=AISDGvpz75ps1usOfX7oik2iQF7W+L3/yKhyV3EaQ/w=

I fear of how much worse things could get and where my Country stands and what will become of us all?

I was always told from a young age that ‘History Repeats Itself’…