They say there are no coincidences in life. Everything happens for a reason. Tonight is the beginning of Tisha B'AV the day of mourning for the great tragedies in Jewish history including the destruction of the two temples in Jerusalem, the expulsion of Jews from Spain etc. It is also the night of the opening of the Olympic Games of 2012. The widow of the 1972 slain Olympic Athlete Andre Spitzer has asked the Olympic Comitte director Jaques Rogge for one minute of silence at the opening ceremony to remember the 40 year anniversary for those Israeli athletes who went in peace with the nations of the world to compete for their country, and were murdered. She comes with 100,000 signatures from around the world including those from the Prime Minister of Canada, Australia and Israel. The athletes were brutally targeted by Black September a Palestenian terrorist group and a botched German ambush, apparently because many of the officers walked off the job.
At the same time the Olympic committee recognizes a non existent Palestinian country and allows them to bear a flag at the opening ceremonies. Why do they not recognize the behavior of their henchman who kill athletes. No one mourns for Jewish blood, except our own people.
Is this the Olympic values and ethics?
Attached is the prayer by the Rabbi of London in honour of the 12 slain Israeli Athletes. Tisha B'Av is so real tonight.
Almighty God:
We, the members of this holy congregation,
Together with members of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth,
Join our prayers to the prayers of others throughout the world,
In remembrance of the eleven Israeli athletes
Brutally murdered in an act of terrorism,
At the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich,
Because they were Israelis,
Because they were Jews.
At this time in the Jewish year,
When we remember the destructions of our holy Temples,
And the many tragedies that have befallen our people throughout history,
We mourn their loss
And continue to protest against those who hate our people.
We pray to You, O God:
Comfort the families and friends of the Israeli athletes who continue to grieve
And grant eternal life to those so cruelly robbed of life on earth.
Just as we are united in grief,
Help us stay united in hope.
As we comfort one another under the shadow of death,
Help us strengthen one another in honouring life.
The Olympic message is one of peace, of harmony and of unity,
Teach us, Almighty God, to bring reconciliation and respect between faiths,
As we pray for the peace of Israel,
And for the peace of the world.
May this be Your will and let us say: Amen
אֲ דוֹן הָ עוֹלָמִ ים זְ כוֹר אֶ ת נִשְ מוֹת
(David Berger) דוד ברגר
(Yossef Gutfreund) יוסף גוטפרוינד
(Moshe Weinberg) משה ויינברג
(Eliezer Halfin) אליעזר חלפין
(Mark Slavin) מרק סלבין
(Yossef Romano) יוסף רומנו
(Kehat Shorr) קהת שור
(Andre Spitzer) אנדרי שפיצר
(Amitzur Shapira) עמיצור שפירא
(Yakov Springer) יעקב שּפרינגר
פרידמן זאב (Ze’ev Friedman)
שֶ הָ לְכּו לְעוֹלָמָ ם, בַ עֲבּור שֶ כֻּלָנּו מִ תְ ּפַ לְלִ ים בְ עַ ד הַ זְ כָרַ ת נִשְ מָ תָ ם. אָ נָא ַב הָ רַ חֲ מִ ים וְ הַ סְ לִיחוֹת תְ הִ י נַפְ שָ ם
צְ רּורוֹת בִ צְ רוֹר הַ חַ יִים, ּותְ הִ י מְ נּוחָ תָ ם כָבוֹד, וְ נֹאמַ ר ָמֵ ן:
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