This is a completed edited piece, (written by a client):

“But it’s been so long, it feels so wrong

It’s not where we belong…

Our urgent cries will pierce the skies

Tell Hashem, ad mosai - till when."

(Fried, 1999, Track 2)

While reading the chapters where it describes the details of the persecution of the Jewish people throughout many generations in France, Germany, Spain, and Portugal, I realized that I had started humming the song quoted above. In addition, I found myself thinking off all the stories and the difficult times that the Jews went through throughout the rest of the day. I was trying to understand how any religious, social, and economic reasons could have possibly been enough of an excuse for Roman Catholic Church to start up with the Jews? Although we will never truly understand why, Rabbi Schloss in his book 2000 years of Jewish History, records what has happened over the centuries. There were times where there was absolutely no reason other than the fact that Jews were killed just for being Jews, or simply vengeance for a crime believed to have been committed. There were other occasions where the Jews were targets due to the Christians wanted everyone to convert.

Throughout history the Jewish nation has suffered extensively when they lived amongst the non-Jews and Middle Ages was no exception (Schloss, 2004). During the Black Death epidemic in 1348, there were rumors that the Jews had poisoned the water. This was believed due to the fact that only a small handful of Jews became sick. This resulted in many Jewish communities, in Germany especially, were demolished. At some points during the Middle Ages, the Jewish people were given degrading jobs because the Church was afraid that the Jews would weaken their control and power, as well as the belief that they were conspiring against the church. However in later years, the new Christian rulers depended on their Jewish advisors to counsel them in political and financial matters. This bred hatred for the Jews within the peasants due to many Jews holding high ranking positions, which led to many Jews being killed.

The Jewish people in the Middle Ages suffered religiously, socially, as well as economically (Schloss, 2004). From an economic perspective it is written that over time, the clergy was not receiving as much money from the people as they felt they deserved. The Jews did not have to pay the tithe but owned much of the land, so when trying to tax them did not work, the clergy forcefully displaced the Jews from their lands. In later years, when the Jews took up a new career, they became money lenders, however there were many times were not paid back or the debts were canceled.

Not only did the Jews suffer socially back then, they also lived in fear from the Church’s desire to unite under the banner of Christianity (Schloss, 2004). This was exhibited on many occasions. One such was when the crusaders were on their way to Jerusalem, they decided it would be more practical to kill out all the infidels on their way. Their desires to eradicate the Jewish people stemmed from the distrust after Judas rejected their savior. Additionally, they believed their leader had proclaimed that “there will come a day when my children will avenge my blood” (Schloss, 2004, p. 98), and they thought now was the perfect time to fulfill that promise. Centuries later the Jews in Spain were attacked ferociously on the same premise as the crusade. Ferdinand and Isabella wished to have a kingdom where all their civilians believed in Catholicism. In contrast to how the leaders and others viewed religion in bygone ages, these days I am free to practice my Jewish religion. I do not fear walking down the street with my husband wearing his tzitit and kippa. I can pray, do mitzvot, and learn Torah without the fear of being caught and hurt, or worse killed for completing such actions that got the Jews in trouble years ago.

The freedom we now have is even more emphasized with the current election. Looking at the candidates, one can clearly see a change in the general attitude of the people nowadays. Born a Jew, Bernie Sanders is running for president, and on Facebook I’ve seen citizens of every race and religion say they will be voting for him.

How grateful I feel that I can live as a Jew in peace and practice my religion without the fear of being attacked. I hope to use every opportunity to utilize my time wisely to fulfill God’s Torah and His commandments. An overwhelming sense of pride rushed over me as I read the chapters of my history of how the Jewish people persevered during the horrific times that they went through. The incredible Jews who lived at those times are a sense of inspiration to do what needs to be done even when it is difficult.

“...Golus it’s time for you to go, good-bye

Bring down the curtain on the show, goodbye

You’re lasting much to long no one can deny

Enough is enough it’s time to say goodbye.

So open wide your prison doors, goodbye

We are your prisoners no more, goodbye

You cannot stop us now, so don’t even try

Good-bye, good-bye, it’s time to say goodbye.”

(Fried, 1999, Track 2)