Why I am a Jew

By T. Hamid

Posted Jan 3 2005

To be a Jew means to belong to the nation that wrote the greatest story in history.
To be a Jew means to belong to the nation that sanctified the name of G-d with no idols beside him for thousands of years.
To be a Jew means to belong to the nation that suffered under Pharaoh, the injustice of the Romans and the oppression of the rest of the world……yet………they survived.
The pharaohs disappeared, the Romans vanished, and the Nazi has gone but the Jews are still there……building and creating.
When I remember the Jews I remember the meaning of integrity and strong principles. I remember the nation that refused to convert to other religions that worship other Gods, idols and humans…..the Jews could have converted to relief their suffering in many areas of the world….but they did not and they set the best example in history of what it means to keeping ones principles………………..
When I am in pain I always remember the pains of the Jews and how they did not change their principles while under the most oppressive systems in history………….
From the time of Pharaohs till now they kept their G-d, their principles, and their wonderful identity…….Does that tell us something. Yes it certainly tells a lot……it tells that G-d, Hashem, wants to say something to the whole world via the Jews…..he wants to say it is not by human power that nations survive but it is by his power….. The Jews are telling us something and we should hear it.
He wants to say…. it is My will and My desire to support the weak who loved me and kept my covenant
He wants to say to the whole world that ….I am G-d……I am the G-d of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob……..I am the G-d of Moses …..And I am the G-d of those who loves me from their hearts……………….. he wants to say I am here……caring for my people …..making their dreams real…….and proving to the whole world that …..I am G-d
The story of Judaism is the greatest story in history……it started thousands of years ago by torturing and suffering of the oppressed Jews who refused to bow to the idols of the pharaohs and preferred to suffer than compromise their principles and values …..
It is the story of integrity that should be taught to the whole world……the story of a special bond to G-d ….a story of hope and dreams…….
When I remember the words “hope and dreams”, I remember a story that I wrote long time ago about an old Jew who lived under the unimaginable oppression during the dark ages in Europe…..The old Cohen insisted to keep his identity as a Jew….Every year the old Cohen used to celebrate the Hanukah with his wife and young daughters……after they lighten the candles…..he used to say to his daughters….
”Next year in Jerusalem”…..time passes and the old Cohen repeated it every year “Next year in Jerusalem”……the old Cohen was dreaming to go back to his home land…..the land of his fore fathers…..the old Cohen dreamed and dreamed….his daughter asked him one day “When the next year is going to come my father”….the eyes of the old Cohen were immediately filled with tears and he said to her “soon….my daughter”….and in the last moments of his life his daughters asked him what shall we say to our kids …our father……(he said to them “tell them in every Hanukah that… Next year in Jerusalem”)
This story that was written with tears and blood should not stop……You are the ones who will make it continue
….you are the ones who will not only write the story of Judaism….but will also inscribe it in stones and in the top of every mountain
….you are not part of the story ….you are the story itself………….
So, from now on if people asked you who are you?
Tell them I am the Jew who…….carried the stones during the time of Pharaohs
Tell them I am the Jew who…….crossed the sea with Moses
Tell them I am the Jew who…….received the words and covenant of G-d on Sinai
Tell them I am the Jew who…….entered the Holy land and built the great kingdom of Israel
Tell them I am the Jew who…….built the kingdom Israel
Tell them I am the Jew who…….was a captive in Babylon
Tell them I am the Jew who…….returned back to his home land
Tell them I am the Jew who…….lived every where in the world and suffered for thousands of years
Tell them I am the Jew who…….was burnt in the ovens of Hitler
Tell them I am the Jew who…….built Israel again
Tell them I am the Jew who…….dreamed and made my dreams real
Tell them I am the Jew
Finally, even though I am not a Jew but It is my greatest honor and privilege to stand in front of the whole world and say it loudly that……Yes……I am a Jew.
So Please……continue the story that was written by the blood and tears of your ancestors…..continue the greatest story ever…….the story of Judaism.

T.hamid
Mr. Hamid was born and raised as a Muslim in the Arab World
11-Nov-2004