Photo prompt © Roger Bultot
“We used to go in through that side door,” Mama said.
I stared at the narrow wooden portal. “Because you are a girl?” I knew that Jewish traditions relegated women to a separate area in the synagogue, sometimes a designated entrance.
“No,” Mama’s voice shook and I reached for her hand. Her tears surprised me.
She seemed reluctant to cross the street. I couldn’t blame her. The building looked forbiddingly cold, sealed shut.
“No,” she repeated, a note of defiance in her eyes. “So no one knew services were held. They’d have come for us if we were found out.”
For Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers
Na'ama Yehuda 
Very powerful, that “defiance in her eyes”.
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Thank you, Trent! It takes defiance to stand up to any kind of tyranny. Even in hindsight.
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Stunning, Na’ama.
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Thank you, John! Humbled by your praise! 🙂
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How well you capture the horror of the time. Inhumane.
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Thank you! Of that time and of many other times, and of some of the times for some other religious minorities in the now, as well, alas.
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True. We like to think we have progressed, but there is a long way to go,
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I think we HAVE progressed, but that doesn’t mean progress is equally spread or equally accepted and not still fought against in too many places and among those who prefer the status quo of oppression, hate, and division, to freedom, peace, and tolerance.
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Yes. Well said
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Excellent work, well done.
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Thank you, Iain! 🙂
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Persecution is always ugly. It always needs to be met with defiance. Good one, Na’ama.
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Yes and yes and yes! Thank you, Linda!
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Beautifully told, Na’ama. You imply a whole world of persecution and resistance with your story. Super writing.
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Thank you, Penny! You are always so generous with your comments! 🙂
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Clever title! 💚🤗💚
Adele Ryan McDowell, Ph.D.
AdeleRyanMcDowell.com Adeleandthepenguin.com MakingPeacewithSuicide.com Channeledgrace.com
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I do love me a bit of word play … 😉
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I have to agree. Wonderful title and excellent story. For some strange reason, it made me think of “Reading Lolita in Tehran” where women hold a book club in secret, reading banned books….
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I think that it would ‘qualify’ for the same kind of secret, the need to worship or have one’s community or needs met in hiding, because for whatever insane reason, one is persecuted: for their religion, for their gender, for their nationality, for their whatever. I’m glad this brought this up for you, because the comment adds another dimension to this piece. Thank YOU!
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Wonderful! Isn’t that the greatest thing about reading and writing? Interpretations or how something is triggered, memories brought up…
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Totally! Why I love communication so much, including, of course, reading and writing — it literally transports us in time and space and feeling. 🙂
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Yes!
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🙂
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And still, and still… when will it end? Has there ever been universal freedom?
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Not yet, no, there had not been. Women have long been possessions, children have been possessions, all manner of persons have been possessions … Humanity has plenty to work on to make freedom TRUE freedom for all, no matter who they are or where they are. Work in progress, even in so-called ‘free’ countries, and certainly in those lagging woefully behind.
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Yea. I sigh.
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Na’ama Y’Karah,
A story after my own heart. Perfect title. Chilling and all too accurate story. Beautifully written.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you, Rochelle. I was thinking that it might – alas in some way – resonate with many people, some of them for the exact nature of the history depicted, and some for variations on the theme in other kinds of persecutions too many had faced and some still do face. I’m glad it rang true!
Na’ama
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such an unexpected twist. great story.
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Thank you! I’m glad it spoke to you! 🙂
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Nice read
Strange
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Glad you enjoyed it.
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A tale too many can relate too I’m sure. Beautifully written Na’ama.
Here’s are my story!
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Thank you, Keith! Indeed the story of too many. I’m so glad you are pointing it out, too!
Na’ama
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Will the prosecution never end.
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I hope one day soon it will. We’ll need saner heads to prevail than are currently at the helm, and saner followers than are willing to be stoke by hate, but it is possible to have more peace and most people are good … so … I have hope.
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Sorry, I meant ‘Persecution’. Predictable text syndrome at fault here. I suspect you knew what I should have said. Thanks.
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Totally did know this was what you’d meant! Am fluent in Typoese … and have had my many many ‘auto-correct’ mishaps … No worries. 🙂
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“Wherever two or more are gathered, there, He will be also”… not sure which verse it is, but this came to mind instantly as I read this. Brings to mind the Christians around the world who must worship/pray in secret or face death. Such a terrible world we live in.
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And the places where Muslims or Sikh or Jews or any religious group or sect within a religion must worship in secret or risk harm or death … The world has had religious persecution for centuries, in crusades and inquisitions and witchhunts and anti-semitism and harm of infidels or heretic or however and whatever one group chose to call another group’s faith and religious practices. Forcing (or attempting to force) one’s own religious form or beliefs on everyone, is an old practice. More are awakening to how wrong it is to do, and the high costs of hate. Hopefully it will help change it so tolerance, acceptance, and freedom of religion (including the freedom to practice no faith), will indeed become the norm.
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