“Handwriting on the Wall” by Mort Laitner
Published as an op-ed piece in the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel Jewish Journal on November 14, 2018
Driving down Pittsburgh’s urban streets and alleys, I looked for signs.
Not the printed words found on placards.
I wanted to see the graffiti of the lost souls–the homeless prophets of the street.
Scrawled on one wall, “Steelers Say Never Again!”
Another read, “Jewish Lives Matter! Don’t they?”
As I approached Squirrel Hill a wall read,”This Passover two bitter herbs—one red and one white—one for slavery and one for anti-Semitism.”
Scrawled across an abandoned red brick wall,” On the last night of Hanukkah light an additional four yellow candles honoring the Pittsburgh 11″
Scrawled across the burnt white boards of an old Mississippi Baptist Church, I saw the
handwriting on the wall.
Had I seen these words before?
Yes, I saw them on an old cathode ray tube, on an old black and white Zenith.
In September of ’63, the Klan murdered four young Black girls at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama.
Fifteen sticks of dynamite blew these girls to bits.
Blasting the words of love, kindness and G-d off of the churches’ walls.
Twenty-two survivors huddled together clothed in a shroud made of slivers and shards of yellow, blue, red, green and orange stained glass.
Kristallnacht had reached America.
Just as it had in Charlottesville.
When torch-bearing American Nazis marched down the city streets chanting, “Jews Will Not Replace Us” and “Blood and Soil.”
And as the counter protestors fought with the Nazis, local law enforcement stood by and watched.
All to reminiscent of what the German police did during Kristallnacht—stood and watched as temple walls covered in the commandments burnt to the ground.
These emboldened Neo-Nazis had written on the walls of the University of Virginia, “Jewish Blood will cover the soil of this White Nation.”
And so it has!
How could we honestly say, “We didn’t see it coming!”
Splattered across the trunk of the “Tree of Life,” eleven red-stained Sefarad-fonted
names appeared on the I-didn’t-see-it-coming-wall.
Had I seen these Jewish names before?
Yes, I had—long ago.
On the civil-rights branch of the “Tree of Life” appeared the names of Chaney, Goodman and Scherner.
These three men, abducted in 1964, and shot at close range by the Mississippi White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan as law enforcement watched.
The Pittsburgh 11 were not the first Jews to die in the States because of their religion.
They were only the latest .
And the writing on the wall cried out, “They won’t be the last.”
The media proclaimed a new record had been set—11 dead Jews, killed on their Sabbath in their house of worship.
Remember what happened in our schools— the numbers of student deaths kept growing—bigger and bigger and bigger.
The writing on the wall screamed, “The next white supremacist murderer will try to break that record.”
On our Jewish wailing wall, I also saw a black and white photo of limp body hanging from an oak.
It was the body of a white male—blind-folded with his hands bound.
I examined the rope that snapped the neck of Leo Max Frank—the only known Jew to be lynched in America.
Thank G-d a record that has not been broken.
During “Tree-of-Life-week,” blood also spilled across Kroger aisles—warm Black blood soaked into the Kroger walls leaving what some exclaimed, “That looks like handwriting!”
The bigoted gun-toting assailant tried to bust down the doors of a black congregational church.
When he failed, he marched over to Kroger, shot and murdered his two Black victims.
Their splattered blood appeared in the form of warnings, “Vigilance, preparation,
lock your doors tight and buy protection.”
Driving in our South Florida neighborhoods his signs of madness were plastered to the bumpers and doors of an white 1990’s Dodge Ram van.
The insignia horns of the Ram blasted out three notes, “Driver is nuts!”
The pipe bomber created a moving wall. A shrine to the god of crazy.
Inside the Dodge, he built 14 pipe bombs in a room papered with swastikas.
Who let these canines out?
Why are they being allowed to desecrate our sacred American vessel?
Where are the wise men to interpret these hateful sanguine scribbles?
Where is Daniel—when he Is needed:
To translate these nationalistic messages written in cold-blooded lead;
To weigh these hateful acts on the scales of silver or gold;
To tell us too much has already been written on too many walls
and to tell us what to do about it.
Mort Laitner is the son of Holocaust survivors.
He has written three books, “A Hebraic Obsession”, “The Greatest Gift” and “The Hanukkah Bunny.”
Mort has also produced a movie about his father, “The Stairs.”
The film has been accepted and shown in 26 film festivals, and has been seen in eight nations including Israel.
“The Stairs” has won three awards—best movie, best director and best historical drama.
For the past five years, Mort has lectured for free to numerous Jewish groups across South Florida.
He discusses his books, his life and shows his movie.
Visit mortlaitner.com for more information or contact him at mortlaitner@bellsouth.net.
What the readers are saying:
When I read this again, it just gives me goosebumps. How horrible what some can do to others. I believe that the majority of the people just would like to live in peace, but there are some, who do not!!
We have a peaceful life and I cannot even comprehend what my parents and your have gone through.
Be kind and have respect for each other.
I just felt the need to share this with you.
L’Chayim,—-Marianne
Very well written and very well said. Thanks for sending it to me. I enjoyed reading it.—Ruth
Such frightening times.—Holly
Thanks for sending. A very poignant piece and unfortunately one that is becoming all to common.—Etta
Well said, Mort.—Martha
A powerful and meaningful piece.—Aimee
Sad but true.— Joanne
Excellent.—Bonnie
Could you please tell all your friends to light Shabbat candles Friday night???? So maybe we can spread the light? We are living in very scary times…the moment the Pittsburg tragedy was heard over here, the fear of the other forces has unfortunately spread thru our souls reminding us of our perished ones taken by the Nazis …..Hamas is trying to pick a fight with us now and the danger is eminent….please pray for us and we’ll pray for you…Love from here, —Susie
Well said. But sad it had to be said.—Elaine
Thanks for sending this.—Doris
Well done Mort! The UM English Department would be proud!!!—Jean
Sad—Perry
Amazing article. Kudos!—BH
Sad.—Steve
Great!— Shirley
surpassed my goal. Writer’s Digest considers a 100 reviews a major success. I am getting there.