I cannot imagine that I am the only Jew watching the Olympics. Also, I cannot imagine that I am the only Jew keeping track of our own country and also the State of Israel. Keeping track of Israel’s Olympic exploits is not easy, which is why we invented the Internet . . . or was that Al Gore?
This year, Israel has 46 Olympic athletes competing, the largest Israeli contingency ever. It does not look as though Israel will take home any medals. However, the fashion world did unanimously state that the Israeli uniform was easily the second best of the entire games. After this, though, we enter the world of flashbacks.
The Lebanese contingent would not allow the Israeli team to board the bus they were riding on.
The Olympic Book listed all competing groups in alphabetical order. Israel was listed last, right after Zimbabwe.
Also, the Israeli flag was omitted from the book and not included until there were complaints. At that point, the flag of the Israeli Olympic Committee was put in – not the flag of the State of Israel.
Saudi judo wrestler Joud Fahmy forfeited her match so that she would not have to wrestle Israeli Gili Cohen.
Al Qaida called for an attack on Israelis at the Olympics.
Forty-four years after the massacre in Munich, the Olympics finally acknowledged what happened with a brief ceremony – BEFORE the games began – not as part of the games.
I do not understand why anyone would be surprised or indignant about these affronts – as wrong and as hurtful as they are. We are part of the nations of the world – almost. Our history is one of being welcomed until we are no longer needed or appreciated.
And our response should be simple. We are Jews – People of the Book – a Light to the Nations. We do “Our Jewish Thing”, and we do it well – generation after generation. This is who we are. This is what we do.
B’Shalom
Rabbi Stanley Halpern