torat-chesed-al-lashona:

maccesmellerbee:

jacob-the-pianist:

shomermitzvah:

Due to the Assyrian-Greeks’ attempt to destroy the menorah, they caused millions of menorahs to be lit around the world each year from now on instead.

Guys we are seriously so badass. Try to make us stop doing mitzvot? We make a new holiday with a mitzvah reminding us how we kicked your ass. Try to wipe us out? We will make a holiday about how we kicked your ass, make cookies making fun of your terrible taste in headwear, and boo your name from now until the sun blows up. We are awesomeness.

*walks under the ARch of Titus* HEY, WE’RE STILL HERE 3 GENOCIDES LATER

OK sorry I am interrupting this post now

Three weeks ago today I went on a trip to Poland for Holocaust studies. One of the first things we were told was this story.

After the Shoah, the Ponevezher Rav went to Rome to try to collect funds for his yeshiva. He left the airport, found his talmid who he was staying with, and as they got into the taxi, he said “We need to go to the Arch of Titus” (or, well, he said that in Yiddish). The talmid was incredulous: “Rebbe, it’s midnight, it’s pouring with rain, come to your rooms! Why do you need to see this Arch, anyway?” But the rabbi was insistent, so the talmid gave in. They arrived, and the rebbe got out of the taxi, looked at the Arch – this frail old man next to a towering 15 metre (~50ft) stone arch, and one to the triumphs of the Emperor Titus, no less, the man who led the siege against Jerusalem which culminated in the churban, the destruction of the Second Temple which we still mourn on Tisha B’Av.

He got out of the taxi, and roared at the top of his lungs into the night. 

“TITUS, TITUS! VU BISTU, VAYL IKH BIN DO?”

Titus, Titus! Where are you? For I am here. 

When we stood at the crematoria at Auschwitz, that’s what the rabbi did. he tipped back his head, and he screamed. Hitler, Hitler! Where are you? Because we are here.

(please forgive any Yiddish errors – though do send me corrections – this is a write-up of notes from one verbal story of many at an understandably emotional time)