By Raquel Markus – Finckler / @etrabajora.creativa
They say that thinking about “what ifs” is an act of pure masochism, a clumsy and distressing exercise that leads nowhere, at least not to “healthy” places.
I must undoubtedly be a bit of a masochist, a bit of a klutz, and I suppose quite a bit of a fool.
It is almost inevitable for me that, when faced with such difficult situations as those recently experienced in Israel, my mind searches for answers and alternatives. Perhaps that is why I wonder what the current reality would be like if there had been greater international solidarity with the Israeli position in its war against a terrorist group that only seeks its destruction, and if the apparent solutions to this conflict had been more fair and equitable for the side of the State and the people of Israel.
The recent release of the three young Israeli hostages raises questions about the human and political costs of these events. Why should the release of innocent civilians be accompanied by concessions that appear to reward the perpetrators? How can we build a future in which violence and kidnapping are not used as political tools?
It is important to acknowledge the suffering of all victims of violence and terrorism, regardless of their origin or religion, and at the same time it is legitimate for a society as affected as Israel to call for justice and reparation. I hope that in the future the international community will work together to find peaceful and lasting solutions to the conflicts affecting the region without asking the Jewish nation to make such an extraordinary sacrifice.
I cannot help but wonder: how is it possible that the release of three girls kidnapped by a terrorist group was only possible if Israel agreed to release several dozen murderers willing to repeatedly commit the terrible acts that led them to prison?
Many Jews are asking why international pressure has not been sufficient to secure more just and equitable solutions. The release of Israeli hostages (current and future), while a relief, raises questions about the human and political costs of these agreements.
It is difficult not to feel frustrated by the uncertainty and pain faced by the families of hostages. Violence and terrorism have a devastating impact on all communities, and it is natural for those who have suffered directly to feel deep sadness and anger.
I find it hard not to think about the price that Israeli society will have to pay for the release of so many criminals. How many more terrorist attacks will Israel have to endure? How much death and destruction will they leave in their wake? How many families will be left in mourning, mutilated and traumatized by the acts that these recently released criminals may commit?
I have not stopped crying when I see the images of the three young Israeli women kidnapped by terror returning home, to their country, to their families after months of living the worst nightmare… I would like this to happen very soon with the more than ninety hostages who remain in the hands of terror, although we do not know for sure which ones are still alive…
Unfortunately, we already know that many of them are not and none of the families waiting for their children are prepared to receive the worst news…
Throughout history, the Jewish people have had to overcome the most dire circumstances possible: exile, slavery, massacres, expulsions, pogroms, genocide, intolerance, aggression, humiliation and abuse of all kinds and, despite everything, we continue to cling to life, to faith, to traditions, to our culture and religion... and a little bit of all that is what I have tried to express in the lyrics of my new song: Flood and Faith.
I am aware that my new song is just a small drop in that vast ocean of experiences. However, as an artist, I feel the responsibility to use my voice to express the emotions that unite us as humanity. It is an immense challenge to try to encapsulate the experience of a people who have faced so many adversities throughout history. On my YouTube channel: No alcanzan las palabras, you can see and hear these lyrics turned into a song thanks to the help of Artificial Intelligence.
“Diluvio y fe” is part of a much larger Literary and Artistic Project (which includes a digital publication, twenty video poems, two short films with the participation of renowned visual artists, three songs (with their respective videos), and with the help of God, committed institutions and wonderful people, we will soon also have a physical publication and a traveling art exhibition… and we are just getting started…
The positive response I have received to the song 'Hay sueños que se pelean' fills me with hope. The fact that this work has resonated with so many people around the world, with more than thirty-two thousand views, motivates me to continue believing, creating and sharing.
By showing my poetry and music, I hope to touch the most sensitive fibers of those who seek a space for empathy and solidarity. Through the notes and lyrics, I long to build bridges that connect people of different origins and beliefs.
I invite you to join us in this day of awareness and empathy. Every like, comment and share is one more step towards building a more just and compassionate world. Together, we can raise our voices for those who suffer and demand a safer and fairer future for all. We will continue to call for the return home of each and every one of our kidnapped people.
I leave you here with the lyrics of my song and an invitation to follow the link and see how music, voice and image serve to complete the impact, the message and the emotion when words are not enough.
link: https://youtu.be/LcmmS2_Ni7I?si=DMM93OZIyOU24PkJ
Am Israel Jai!
Flood and faith
By: Raquel Markus – Finckler / @etrabajora.creativa
Above the murmurs
that rise when we pass by,
Old blood burns in the veins
of a noble people
that is renewed.
Heirs of the visions of kings and prophets,
We spread out on the tablecloth our dreams and promises
that we have always carried tied like a flag.
We are the people who persist.
We are the march that never ends.
We are seed, we are platform.
We are flood
and we are faith.
Contradictory like no other.
Part plea, part relief.
We remain planted in our land
like an olive tree that commits its identity to germination.
We sprout like honey from bees
that always fly from flower to flower,
from nest to nest,
from sunrise to sunset.
We cover our wounds,
We mourn our departures,
We overcome the storm
of every time and every place.
We are warriors seeking peace
and the guardians of the truth.
The most unwary.
The most feared.
Those who believe the most in their seeds.
We pray loudly.
We cried quietly.
We always believe.
We danced hard.
We are the homeland of the mourners.
We are the people of the brave.
Raquel Markus – Finckler
Journalist . Writer . Poet . Editor
@creative.writer