Bare Witness - On Women and Jews

Dawn Cohen

Like women have been expected to kow tow to men, Jews are expected to be politely greatful for beingallowed to exist. Women have long discovered that excessive politeness is wearying. Repressing the truthis wearying. The truth not spoken: Our legends and mystical texts have been stollen by the culturalimperialism of Christianity and Islam, co-opted and then rewritten as if they were theirs. The “old testament” is not an “old testament”. It is the Christian theft of our Torah. Remodelled slightly to make us look bad. Our very name “Israel” struck from our texts and songs by some “ progressive” churches when they sing our hymns. And made a slur by Islam.

Antizionists libel us most days. They trivialise our concerns and needs, burn our synagogues, our ambulances, our businesses. They slander us, restrict our voices, make our children walk past guns to go to school, make us walk past guns to pray. All the time mournfully fearing for their freedom of speech while they strangle ours.

And still we are expected to be polite, greatful, non-complaining.

We Jews are the Women of the Nations. We were tortured, raped, kidnapped and slaughtered. and while we were still reeling from horror and shock, Penny Wong patronisingly demanded that we keep our response “proportional”. Please tell me: what is a “proportional” response to murder rape torture, horror beyond imagining except it was indeed imagined, manifest, inflicted on Jews and friends by Gazans. I see the wince when you read that. We are not meant to name the perpetrators.

And yet I do. And the Great Horror was gleefully filmed by those same Gazans.

What is a “ proportional response” to an enemy who promised again and again to do it again and again? I still don’t know, and yet I am expected to apologise for our response by people who have not apologised for their lack thereof.

We Australian Jews ventured a few tentative “boos” at a prime minister who failed to protect us and the extreme left, (who never hold back their own displeasure at unfavoured leaders), were sorrowful, shocked, confused. Shocked that we think we feel Australian enough, believe we belong enough to have a right to voice displeasure. And after all Albanese is moderate compared to some. We should be greatful for the Good Bloke’s platitudes.

Where have I heard that before?

We diaspora Jews are the Women of the World, Endlessly trying to please; to fit in. Filled with shame when Israel is imperfect, like mothers with daughters who refuse to sit with legs closed.

We are like Women having to do better than everyone else just to be vaguely equal. To take up space. A space called Israel. Great advocates, we are uncomfortable advocating for our selves. We are earnest in our peace work, and deeply embarrassed by our uncouth cousins who do not Kow Tow. The Sabras. The Wild Sabras.

And I know at this juncture I am expected to chant their crimes like an earnest and outraged catechism toshow I am “ one of the Good ones”.

And yet, I do not.

We shiver at our own names: our powerful names: Zionist, Israelite, Hebrew. “Whore, Harlot, Dyke”.

But like Women, Jews are learning. Learning to speak for our selves. Zionists, Israelites, Hebrews, peacenics, rabbis, aithiests, right wing, left wing, fully winged. In Blogs and on Facebook, at the commission and in rallies. In speeches to thousands and at coffee with one friend. We are mouthing off. Careful and dignified, in stumbling torrents, and in crystal clear eddies.

We are bearing Witness.

I am so damned proud of us.