Date: Thu, 30 Nov 1995 16:47:14 -0600
From: xxx
To: James Holliday
Subject: Letter from Israel
This is really something all of you should read. Even if it's for the
second (or third) time. So much shit happens in the world that we are able
to shelter ourselves from and ignore. When a message like this comes
around, we owe it to ourselves to stop and read it. I hope these words
stir something in you...We can't simply ignore it all. Do not let this
message die.
-J
This is not one of my usual forwards. If you haven't seen this I hope you
really get something out of it, if you have seen it I hope seeing it again
reinforces the message.
-Adrienne
This is a little long, yet very worth reading, even most of the
forwardedmessages, which is why I left them in. Please take the time to
read it.
-Jess
I thought that this may interest you. Thanks for all the mail.
-Aroop
This isn't the usual stuff I send to you guys, but I thought that it was
rather touching. Please take the time to read it.
- Matt
Subject: letter from Israel (fwd)
Something to thing about, that perhaps brings into perspective a situation
so different from our own. Read the forwards, too.
Danielle
---------- Forwarded message ----------
this is NOT the stupid, funny stuff i normally send you... but i think you
all need to read this. read the forwarded messages too, they're worth it.
Later...
Ian
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Hi everybody,
There has been a lot already said about this forward, and I have not
erased any of it. It makes things more human, doesn't it? It is so easy to
look at things as far away, people on TV are just on TV, and they don't
touch us any more or less than the fictional characters on your sitcom do.
They shouldn't really be that way though. They are real people, not the
figment of some silly author's (not that I don't like authors) imagination.
They are human beings. OK, now that I have been all stupid and sappy, just
read it. Kara
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Please,if you can just take a moment to read this unbelievable message that
I recieved.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Hello. This is a moving document written by a student who was at the peace
rally in Israel where Prime Minister Rabin was killed. I sent it to all of
you because I hope it will make you stop your daily routine for a second
and think about the many peacemakers who have been killed. Peacemaking in
Israel and in Bosnia must go forward.
If you have already received this message, thank the internet.
Renee
------- Forwarded Message
Everybody, what follows is an intriguing and touching message concerning
the assassination of Rabin. I've included all of the forwarding
information, as it would almost be a crime to erase it all. Read and
think--that's what I did.
Maria
------- Forwarded Message
I'm sorry, I would have erased all of the forwarding stuff, but I thought
that it was stuff that needs to be read. I hope all of you get out of it
what I did, and really think about what our generation needs to do to stop
this insanity that kills those who try to make and maintain peace.
Genell
PS- I'm sorry if you have already gotten this.
------- Forwarded Message
I know this is to alot of you but the message is well worth the time it
takes to skip over the addresses. This isn't the normal funny or stupid
things we send to each other. Please read it.
Love,
Helen
---------------------------------
There's not much I can say about this. It's so much more real than many
other "world tragedies" to me. Prime Minister Rabin has been in our news
so much lately, and he was going to be up here next week. It's just so
real.
--Stephen
---------- Forwarded message ----------
read this well, my friends.
love,
kevin.
(*deeply touched*)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Normally, I'll delete the beginning part (all the extraneous text before
these forwards... or, at least i try to anyway). But, I thought you might
want to read what people had to say as well as the original message. So I
just deleted all the addresses that this was sent to. If you've already
gotten it then I apologize.
It's not the usual jokes and syrupy sweet messages we normally forward to
each other.
love,
vanessa
--- Forwarded Message from Ryan ---
Dear One of Over A Hundred People,
This is a forwarded copy of an email I received from a friend of mine at
Carnegie Mellon University, who received it somehow, through some chain of
people, from Israel. I have forwarded it to every single email address I
have,and some more that I don't have, impossible as it seems. I've
forwarded it toyou because I think that this is an extraordinarily
interesting bit of history,a record of an event which may very well someday
be looked back upon as being among the most important in the shaping of the
modern Middle East. I find it rather amazing that such things as this are
possible, i.e. this kind of transfer of information literally around the
world. Among you who are reading this are about 60 people in Portland, 30
people in Texas, and people all over the U.S., Canada, Ireland, and Germany
- just to give you an idea of the truly International capabilities of
email. Well, you might forward this message on to others who you think
will appreciate it. It is good literature and good history. I certainly
enjoyed it.
Easily Amused,
Ryan Miller
--- Forwarded Message from Ashley ---
Sometimes we have to pull ourselves out of our little microcosmic worlds
and take notice of the pain and terror which ensues outside of our havens
of brick and ivy. As my friend who forwarded this to me said, this is not
the humorous banter which we usually forward...this is serious...it
deserves both our attention and our reverence. I share it with you and
hope that you will share it with others...
Lauren
^^^^^yeah folks, she's got a point. i believe this to be an impotant
piece of writing... pass it on. read this carefully -- it really touched
me. pass it on. -- ashley
------------------------------------------------------------
---------- ----------------------
---------- Forwarded Mail Begins Here ----------------------
---------- ----------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
This letter has nothing to do with magic or elves. It is only a story I
want to tell to all of you brothers and sisters of my soul. A story of
great grief I have to share, and I invite you to be the ones who share it
with me.
To makes things clear, I first want to say that the "il" in my address
stands for Israel. And just to be sure you know (though I know it was
broadcasted all over the world earlier this evening), our prime minister,
Rabin, was murdered this evening by a right-winged extremist after speaking
in a huge demonstration in support of the peace process. I want to tell
this story.
In the afternoon we went to the demonstration. It was a happy event - not
against anything, not to protest or fight, but to show support in our
government for it's efforts in building a new era of peace in this
wars-torn land. I don't know how many of you have ever been in such an
event - the sense of power is awesome. And it was huge. I estimate there
were about 150-200 thousand people there. We were filled with a wonderful
feeling of joy, of hope, seeing so many around us, great music, balloons,
dancing, meeting friends. A festival. And when the prime minister entered
the stage, he was greeted by a thunder off clapping hands. Not only because
it was such a joyous event, but also to show this man, a man that was
cursed and spit upon and called "traitor" by his adversaries time and again
during the last few months, a man that is blamed by them for every
terrorist attack (because he dares negotiate with the enemy), to show him
people do believe in him and admire what he does.
I went home after he spoke, trying to avoid traffic,thinking, the action
was nearly over. Little did I know. About an hour after I got home, we
heard the news - Rabin was shot. The first thing that rushed through my
mind (after "shit!"), was "Kennedy". I am sorry to borrow on your myth,
Americans, but
this is all I could think of. And then, "oh gods, please let it end
differently". But it didn't. I decided to send a letter to the Elven
Nation, asking you to use any healing powers you might have to help him,
but it was too late. He died on the operations table and hour later. After
a few phone calls, we went back to the same square where the demonstration
was held. People started to gather - not as many as before, but they kept
coming. Wearing black, bearing candles and torches, engulfed in smoke. And
we just sat there, watching the white candles dripping tears,the red
torches dripping blood. Crying, hugging, singing softly (you wouldn't
believe how many songs of war and peace we have), shocked to our bones. It
was warm at the demonstration, but at two in the morning, it was getting so
cold.
Every death is a tragedy. And Rabin was not an easy man. A hard man, and a
solider to the bone, which made him unpopular amongst both sides, pro and
con of the peace process. He was called "traitor" by both sides (which only
proves how well-fit he was for the job). But he lead this peace process
stubbornly, with full fait at heart. Being a soldier, he was hated by many
of the Arabs, but he also knew how much we need peace. He has brought us to
a point some of us see as a miracle in being (my father, who fought in many
wars with our neighbors, is going as a tourist to Jordan. You have no idea
how deeply he is moved by that). And for that I loved and admired him, even
though I didn't like many of the things he did in his life. The peace
process will go on. It can not be stopped, not by one murder. But this act
will definitely intensify the atmosphere of hatred that divides my country.
It is an act of violence that will lead to others. It scares the hell out
of me.
This is all. Tomorrow will probably be a day of national mourning. Now all
I have to do is takes a shower (after sitting in the middle of all that
smoke) and go to bed. But I keep seeing one picture. In the middle of the
square, someone used soul-candles (candles put on graves, usually) to form
one huge word. "Why?".
Yael
