Jew, Run to Palestine!

One day as I walked on our street some other children walked by - one of them yelled at me: "[sialady zsido Palestinaba]" or, in English, "Jew, run to Palestine"! Deeply hurt, unwillingly recognizing the sad truth behind the degrading words directed at me, I decided right then and there that I did not wish to live in a land where I was so unwanted. I did not know much about Palestine, but as soon as I saw my father I begged him to move there - I do not want to stay in a land that shames me because I am a Jew. My father answered that there is a Pogrom going on in Palestine, but that after the war we would move there. But I continued to heatedly insist that we leave this land.

I soon told him that we should move to America, which has many different nations and religions. Even if someone teases me there I would not mind, because everyone in America has an immigrant background and I could humiliate them back. My father just said no stubbornly.

Then I inquired about England. Did the people there also hate us, or are they more tolerant toward the Jewish religion. Without waiting for his answer I begged him to leave Hungary. My father, much as he loved, became speechless and had no answer for me. Many years later, I realized that the angels put those words in my mouth as a forewarning suggesting that we try to escape the great catastrophe looming over our heads in Europe.

© David Muskal, 2001