Gershon Wolf Poet Narrative

Three Brave Young Men

Pinchas, Yosef and Reuven
  Three brave young men
Fleeing a war-ravaged land
  Came to a country of sand

Ethiopian Jews driven out
  by a Soviet-backed Eritrean rout
Separated from their loved ones
  Parents, wives, daughters and sons

Flown to Israel with no language or money
  They'd heard it was the land of milk and honey
Now that they'd made it, they'd give it their best
  A foreign language and culture, their very first test

Shepherds before, lacking formal education
  Never saw electricity, plumbing, or a filling station
But they'd read the Torah in their native tongue
  Faith, Hope and Love, the melody their hearts sung

In just two months they could make conversation
  Adjusting fast to their new-old nation
Six weeks later they could read a line of the Torah
  Tears of joy they did cry; then we all danced the hora

I am privileged to say 'we' because without bragging or preaching
  I was the lucky fellow who did these newcomers' language teaching


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This narrative is 100% true.  In 1977 Soviet-backed Eritrean troops
invaded neighboring Ethiopia, uprooting many families, including those
of Pinchas, Yosef, and Reuven, three young men in their mid-20's, 
married, two of them with children.  As far as I know, they never heard
from their families again... Miracles do happen. These three great fellows
were part of a group of the first 120 Jews Israel ever airlifted out of 
Ethiopia -- in the dead of night, at tremendous risk ~ gw

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Krish Radhakrishna January 19, 2021 at 1:33 PM Great story and such a noble deed you did Hope they get to find their family again! what hardships people have to suffer! Gershon Wolf January 19, 2021 at 7:40 PM Yes, you are so right, Krish. Thank you for your sensitive read of these three fellows' tragi-heroic quest. They buried their pain. Sooner or later, it will surface. Gosh, life is hard!! Thanks again, Gershon

Lindsay Laurie January 17, 2021 at 3:02 PM Hello Gershon … it’s marvelous what can be achieved if given a chance and your verse and you are true indications of this - thanks Gershon - Lindsay Gershon Wolf January 17, 2021 at 6:43 PM Really nice of you to post a comment like this. Deeply appreciated, Lindsay. With gratitude, Gershon

Quoth Theraven January 16, 2021 at 9:41 PM Gershon, Where a life is worthy of saving, there is hope. -Richard Gershon Wolf January 17, 2021 at 5:24 PM Don't all lives matter?! 'O, reason not the need! Our basest beggars are in the poorest thing superfluous' ~ lol, King Lear, I fear