Happy Independence Day!

amother

Sat, Jul 04 2020, 10:35 pm

Today I am grateful to this great country for welcoming and providing a safe haven for my grandparents post war.

You are the most generous county in the world, not perfect but one that tries to always do the right thing. You are a place that almost everyone in the world dreams to come for good reason. You are a true Medinah shel Chessed and I'm very proud to be an American.

I thank you tonight! May G-D continue to bless America.

PinkFridge

Sun, Jul 05 2020, 9:19 am

This is a tremendous malchus shel chessed. I don't think a day passes when I'm glad that if I couldn't be in EY this is good place for us to have landed.

I will say I was thinking about white privilege - the idea that even if our ancestors had nothing to do with slavery, when they came, they were able to seamlessly move into the white culture so they were still part of the problem. So many of us have relatives who couldn't withstand the tremendous challenge shemiras Shabbos posed. BH my grandparents did but they also were very clear that yes, they were determined but it was with siyata dShmaya, and that we can't judge those who didn't make it.

So I've been mellow and thinking, America, you've done a number on us. But then again, where have been through this long galus that hasn't, in one way or another....

amother

Olive

Sun, Jul 05 2020, 9:33 am

Don’t want to divert this beautiful thread but must correct the record: “white privilege?!” My parents second generation Americans well remember not being allowed as Jews to rent or buy in certain buildings or towns, not get job due to antisemitism, not get Into law school etc due to quotas...Hint: they are ashkenazi Jews and their skin color did not prevent blatant antisemitism B”H like many discriminatory laws those have since been discontinued legally though yes forms of antisemitism are never fully eradicated As is true throughout the world.

amother

Lilac

Sun, Jul 05 2020, 9:40 am

I used to be pretty patriotic. We flew the flag on independence day every year. But this year I'm just not feeling it. This country is a total and complete disaster nowadays and do hard to be proud of

freilich

Sun, Jul 05 2020, 9:44 am

amother [ Lilac ] wrote:

I believe we need to see patriotism now more than ever. Please fly your flag. It will gladden my heart so much.

We truly live in a malchus shel chesed. However, things have gone pretty awry these days

malki2

Sun, Jul 05 2020, 9:51 am

PinkFridge wrote:

With regards to Jews being complicit in the guilt of "white privilege", there was a great deal of anti-semitism in the early to mid- 20th century that the Jews faced. If I recall correctly, the signs said “No Blacks or Jews Allowed.”

amother

Olive

Sun, Jul 05 2020, 9:58 am

Correct Malki

Helps to know our history! And not go along with some media agenda pushed incorrect narrative...

not to mention almost every frum Jew was fired for taking off Shabbos and Yom tov...

B"H that is not the case in this country now # very grateful

side note: that pushed many Jews into striving to develop independent jobs, kosher butchers, grocers, landlords, entrepreneurs of every stripe where some did very well or at least well enough to support our families B"H

Cannot imagine how horrid that must have been to struggle like that to support oneself and family in the face of such odds.

exaustedmom

Sun, Jul 05 2020, 10:33 am

We davka hung up this year 2 big flags. While it may not be perfect (not one country is) I'm proud to be American and this year its more importand than ever to show it.

To all those feeling down this year, I get you, I really do. But we americans are a resilient people. Better times will come.

exaustedmom

Sun, Jul 05 2020, 10:35 am

amother [ Olive ] wrote:

I think that's why many immigrants are very successful. BECAUSE they have a harder time, they work harder and are more successful. Hard work breeds success.

PinkFridge

Sun, Jul 05 2020, 11:53 am

[quote="amother [ Olive ]"]Don’t want to divert this beautiful thread but must correct the record: “white privilege?!” My parents second generation Americans well remember not being allowed as Jews to rent or buy in certain buildings or towns, not get job due to antisemitism, not get Into law school etc due to quotas...Hint: they are ashkenazi Jews and their skin color did not prevent blatant antisemitism B”H like many discriminatory laws those have since been discontinued legally though yes forms of antisemitism are never fully eradicated As is true throughout the world.[/quote

Believe me, you're preaching to the choir. And I don't want this to get political. Just some not so random thoughts.
I'm still grateful for this malchus shel chesed. And davening, davening, davening, because anything could change on a dime.

PinkFridge

Sun, Jul 05 2020, 11:55 am

amother [ Olive ] wrote:

It was so difficult. And then, because there were children without structure and supervision on Shabbos while the parents were working, there were missionaries prowling.
BH so many times over that this is not our struggle now, and bH to this nation that gives us so much freedom. Not from anything but to. To serve Hashem.