During the 50’s, in the public schools of the city of Pittsburgh, we had two special drills, each begun by the ringing of a bell. The first was a fire drill, which always came as a surprise, and for some reason never really happened when it was bitterly cold outside. The second was something called the Retention Drill. This drill was never a surprise, but something taken with as much concern as our Pledge Allegiance to the Flag and our folding of our hands as we recited the Lords Prayer. The Fire Drill siren was a kinder sort of noise, it had an urgency, but it blurted, beeped, stopped for a few minutes then blurted and beeped, again with a pause and did so repeating this cadence for a third time. We all had rehearsed our orderly exit from the building, keeping one hand on the wall, and back in the day one hand on the person in front of us until we safely found ourselves outside of the hopefully never ever burning building (Well one could wish it was burning just a little on the day of a test). The Retention siren was a bell of a different sort. This bell was an alarm, a no holds barred blast of noise that would keep on busting your ear drums for what seemed an eternity. This drill was a real matter of concern, it was the fore warning that the Russians were about to drop the Atomic Bomb, and all of us needed to duck and cover all at the same moment, or we might perish. There was great fun with the Fire Drill as you knew you could spend at least 20 minutes outside, but with the Retention Drill, all you could do as a young kid was hope you covered your head adequately enough, and that your family was doing the same thing somewhere else. This was true fear, wondering if this was just a test or the real thing!
As an Executive Director working at Jewish Community Centers, I had first hand experience, wondering about if this was the real thing or not. Notifications of warnings and alarms would come my way first, I was like the principal. I remember walking into the Senior Adult wing of the building helping this population exit, trying to explain that everything would be okay. I recall having to find my way to the Early Childhood Center moving our infants, trying to calm down the Toddlers who liked surprises but knew this one was not a good gift. Then I had to assist with the patients in our Dementia Center, already confused, this disruption causing great consternation. After the chaos, the confusion I would sit at my desk, staring out the window, all of this because we are Jewish?
So, as I just read about the dozen JCC’s throughout this nation who recently received threats to their population and property,I hear about a March on Jews of Whitefish Montana, and I witness a rise in the American Neo-Nazi movement, I have to wonder why the jews of this nation who have the power and prestige are so, so silent. I have to ask Rabbi Marvin Heir, why would you not first request the Trump camping to make a public statement against those who have supported him who target the Jews. To Jared and Ivanka Kushner, you both can whisper great ideas to your father and father-in-law, where is your outrage that Trump has at least not Tweeted against these anti-Semites? To the members of the Jewish Country Club angry that President Obama may join or play golf because of his policies in the Middle East, why so silent about the Storm Troopers harassment of the Jews of Whitefish? And you Sheldon Adelson, your money funnels through almost every Republican politician, your money has a loud voice as a lobbyist, what about talking about anti-Semitism? I remember the fear of what if, and i am still afraid.
