Recently, I was getting back into the car with my kid after a breakfast outing, and she said something like, “Hey Mom, I got into my car seat all by myself!” Being the wiseacre I am, I said, “Mazeltov!” She asked me why I always say that (I do tend to say it often). As I buckled her in, I told her it’s because I’m Jewish.

She got that stern look on her face like she does when she’s about to “educate” me about something, scoffed and said, “Mom, everyone is Jewish.”

Oh, what a small bubble my four-year-old lives in…

This happened like two weeks or so ago and I’ve told the story several times, because I’d found it funny. I share it here on the blog now because, in light of recent events in Israel, I find myself wondering what the world would be like if we lived according to her perspective.

No, I’m not saying everyone should be Jewish. But identifiers like Jewishness should be no cause for a different response to anything in life. If any other minority group were to get hit with a horrific terrorist attack that causes more casualties in a single day than have been seen since the Holocaust, there would be global outrage; instead, because it happened/happens/is happening to Israel, there are far too many people who either stay silent or who speak up in defense of the terrorists, arguing that the violence is justifiable. This violence is being called Israel’s 9/11; when 9/11 happened in the U.S., no one called the perpetrators militants. No one blamed the victims. No one said it was what we deserved. The perpetrators were identified as terrorists, the victims were honored and mourned, and the world came together to support the U.S. in various ways.

(For the record, in case this needs to be said for some reason — Palestinians are not terrorists. Hamas are terrorists.)

If you are a person who wants to claim that gunning down, assaulting, beating, kidnapping, and degrading the bodies of innocent civilians, including children and the elderly, is in any way justifiable, you should seek mental health support. If you are a person who wants to claim that doing those things to innocent civilians is justifiable because they’re Israeli, or even worse, because they’re Jewish…you’re a prejudiced asshole and I’m not sure why you’re reading my blog but you’re welcome to stop anytime now, you’re definitely in the wrong place.

If you are neither of the above people, please read on for a transliteration (Hebrew language using the English alphabet), in red, and then translation into English, in blue, of the prayer for the state of Israel, which we recite every week during Shabbat services.

PRAYER FOR THE STATE OF ISRAEL

SHAALU shilom Yrushalayim, yishlayu ohavayich.

PRAY for the peace of Jerusalem; may those who love you prosper.

AVINU SHEBASHAMAYIM, tzur Yisrael v’go-alo, bareich et m’dinat Yisrael, reishit tz michat g’ ulateinu.

Hagein aleha b’evrat chasdecha, ufros aleha sukat sh’lomecha.

Ush’lach orcha vaamit cha I’rasheha, sareha v’ yo-atzeha, v’takneim b’eitzah tovah milfanecha.

V’natata shalom baaretz, v’simchat olam l’yoshveha.

V’nomar: Amen.

O HEAVENLY ONE, Protector and Redeemer of Israel,

Bless the State of Israel which marks the dawning of hope for all who seek peace.

Shield it beneath the wings of Your love; spread over it the canopy of Your peace; send Your light and truth to all who lead and advise, guiding them with Your good counsel.

Establish peace in the land and fullness of joy for all who dwell there.

Amen.

Read the above closely.

Note that it does not pray only for Jews. It does not have any provisos detailing the Jewish right to a homeland of their own. It simply prays for peace, for ALL who dwell there. Peace for ALL. The word peace is used four times.

We do not want, nor do we actively seek, the demise of Palestinians (or anyone else for that matter). All we want is peace, for everyone. We ask G-d for it every single week. And we will continue to do so, for as long as we live, in spite of all those who actively seek our demise, and in spite of all those who are offering up justifications for our demise, and in spite of all those who are standing by and saying nothing. Just know, we see you all…and we pray for peace for you too.

Check on your Jewish friends and neighbors, we are not okay. Now more than ever, we could use your support. My daughter, bless her heart, has apparently been under the impression that everyone is Jewish — she’ll face the reality of our world soon enough. In the meantime, I can only hope to nourish the implication that whether there are differences among people or not, everyone deserves love, and care, and peace.