WHY CAN'T PEOPLE LIVE AND LET LIVE?
Seeing the image of a young man killed by a bomb in Israel sent chills up and down my spine. The teenager lived in the same town as my cousins.
I immediately messaged my 35-year-old cousin, the father of a young son, a note, “Thinking about you and all the family in Israel. Such trying times all over the world. Sending lots of love, prayers and hope for peace. As my mother always questioned, ‘Why can’t people live and let live?’” Amen.
My cousin Pavel’s reply from his home in Be'er-Sheva, Israel, was riveting. He wrote, “Hi Sharon. Thank you! It was horrible there were some casualties in our city. A ballistic missile was dropped not far from us, but we and our home is fine. At least, there is some hope now that there will be no nuclear weapon that can threaten our country and yours.”
The thought of my dear cousins around the world living in such tenuous times is unsettling, to say the least. Our cousins in Chudnov, Ukraine, where my family originated, and cousins from that branch of our family who emigrated to Russia, are not directly in communication with one another, yet, each of them inform me of random attacks where they live. Cousins who made aliyah are constantly forced to run to shelters.
It makes one wonder if my grandparents did the “lucky” thing by settling in America. We can’t be so sure what is right, but my mother’s adage, “Why can’t people live and let live,” is a directive for any nation to heed.
Sun, Jun 22, 2025
I asked my cousin living in Israel for a translation of notes that her uncle, my father’s cousin Masha’s son, posted on Facebook.
Cousin Masha’s granddaughter translated her uncle’s post of those ominous notes:
”I decided to publish a few more lines from 1943,” he posted.
”November 4
”Our troops took Pushcha.
”November 5
”They are stubbornly marching towards Kyiv via the Brest-Litovsk highway.
”November 6
”Our troops stormed Kiev. This news spread like wildfire throughout the city. The joy of the people is indescribable. Everyone is kissing, dancing, singing and crying in the streets. In honor of the holiday, we were given rations, a quarter of a bottle of vodka and a snack. There was a ceremonial party at the plant. Some workers were awarded. Ruvim [Cousin Masha’s husband] was awarded boots. Only three people from the workshop received awards. then an amateur concert, dinner and dancing. After dinner, we went home.
”November 8
”Our troops took Fastov and Vasilkov. There are rumors at the plant that we will move to Kyiv in the middle of winter.
”November 16.
”Zhytomyr has already been liberated.
”December 3
”I haven't written for a long time. I was very ill. I don't know what it was. I had a fever. They suspected malaria, but it wasn't confirmed. The typhoid test also wasn't confirmed. And the temperature reached 39° and higher, and they still haven't determined the cause of the high temperature.
”January 20
”Berdichev and Chudnov are already in our hands. I even wrote letters in the hope that someone will be found. We are expecting an announcement about the plant's departure to Kyiv any day now.”
While those notes were from my cousin living in Ukraine in 1943, on June 1, 2025, my cousin, currently residing in Chudnov, Ukraine, where my father was born, wrote:
”Tonight was a difficult night, the anxiety is still ongoing, rockets … flew over Chudnov, and no one ever knows how each following night will end. Thank you for being there, thank you for your support.”
July 7, 2025, the news from Chudnov remains harrowing:
“Hello. Yes, the situation is difficult, the war continues. Zhytomyr region suffers every day from martyrs and bombs. I am very pleased that you are worried about us, but I am trying to endure everything and live on my own. We are already very tired of this.”
What was that ‘60s slogan? “Make love, not war…” Amen. Nations around the world…get with the program. We’re all tired of this…