Where Are Our Fellow Jews

Almost every week Makedah and I are bombarded with mailings for donations, requests to pay for tickets to attend this or that conference, gala event, Jewish summer camps, hungry Jewish children and seniors in Israel and political or other social causes.  The problem is we do not fit the typical Jewish profile.  Yes, we both have a college education, but never had a job; yes, we are both physically disabled.  But, it is also true we do not have well paying employment, so we cannot afford temple or synagogue membership dues. In fact, we have never had jobs in our fields of study. If it were not for the good graces of Adonai, including guidance and miracles we could not live in this town.  Our mere existence in this semi-rural community irritates our Christian White Euro-American neighbors and many businesses in our "red neck" community. One of the most uncomfortable questions we are asked is " Do you two go to synagogue or temple?" Another question is, "Where do you go to temple?" When we say no, and our Rabbi is in Florida, people doubt we are real Jews.

 

These are difficult questions to answer because we have never step foot in a synagogue or temple. We have never been invited and even if we were invited, we can never save the forty-eight thousand dollars to purchase a handicapped equipped van to drive the one hundred miles to get to Minneapolis or St. Paul Minnesota area temples or synagogue. None of these Jewish communities or houses of worship has sought out us or addressed any of our needs.  We must beg and play the "pity game" just to get our lawn cut every two weeks. I had to suffer being marginalized by these Euro-American men and their sexual advances towards Makedah. If I ask for help, it hits deaf ears. When Makedah ask, it is usually done for free, but at cost for me.

 

Where are our fellow Jews? Large sums are spent sending young people and young adults to Israel to experience our history first hand. Yet, who has offered a free trip, free meals and tour for disabled Jews, Jews over forty?  Our rabbi asked us to take an oath to defend a country we may never see, at the time when we converted. We have only one Jewish friend.  He is from Canada.  He has helped us financially, come to our home and shared a meal.  We speak to him almost weekly over the Internet. We are so thankful to him.  This Jew made us feel not only Jewish but included with world Jewry.

 

Our dreams are to afford a Jewish Internet Radio Station. It would provide a call in so people can share ideas with other Jews and get feedback. Story time for children and adults.  It would play all types of music including Jewish artists who speak English as we and most isolated Jews do not speak, write or understand Hebrew.  Also discussing weekly parasha on the open Internet, which will compete with Israel National Radio, which does not speak for non-Orthodox Jews.  We would like to get a large Braille Embosser Printer to provide free of charge prayers and celebrations, for the blind Jewish communities. Instead of requesting money from us, how about sending us money so we are not dependent on pity or the not so good will of strangers.