Gaza - Gazze

 

“Local goods are the nation’s goods… Everyone should use them…”

Doesn’t this sound very familiar to you as well?

Every year, the week following December 11 used to be celebrated as Local Goods Week. Neriman Hanım was preparing for her son Ömer’s contribution to the Local Goods event. The class representative had prepared a list, and Ömer was assigned to bring a birthday cake. Muttering to herself as she headed to the market for cake ingredients, she said, “It’s called local goods, but what we consume is foreign-made.” Suddenly, something Ömer had said earlier flashed through her mind.

“Mom, today at school, as part of the social aid and solidarity club, our friends organized an event. I enjoyed it so much! We’re collecting aid for our brothers and sisters in Palestine. This month’s theme is generosity and compassion. I even put some money into the collection box. There were Israeli and Palestinian flags on the box, and a picture of a tearful child.”

Neriman Hanım could only say, “What do you mean?”

“When our brothers and sisters right next to us are being killed… when babies have barely opened their eyes to the world only to close them again… how can we call ourselves brothers and sisters?” She glanced around the market. “There are so many boycott products. Or rather, there’s hardly anything Turkish-made!” she said, leaving the market in tears. “How did I not notice? How did I harm my brothers and sisters with the food I ate?” she couldn’t help but think.

On her way home, she bought 2 kilograms of mandarins, and the next day Ömer would bring mandarins and hazelnuts for the Local Goods event.

“What wonderful days those were…” she thought. “When we were in elementary school, we’d eat hazelnuts, walnuts, fruit, and happily celebrate Local Goods Week. Now children end up with indigestion and keep soda close at hand while eating.” She sighed, “One side cries out from hunger, while the other eats until they vomit.” She then headed to the school for the Local Goods event. Mothers were assigned to serve at the event. So much food was brought… trays of pastries, stuffed vegetables, raw meatballs, cookies, cakes, birthday cakes… The table was overflowing. Everyone wore gloves, and the students lined up at the table. The mothers asked each child, “What would you like to eat?” and filled their plates.

Neriman Hanım took a moment to observe her surroundings. The children were laughing, playing, eating, drinking, and having fun. She thought to herself: “Isn’t eating, drinking, and having fun the right of all children? How are the children in Gaza any different from the children here?! They too should be able to eat, drink, laugh, and play. They shouldn’t be the target of bullets. They shouldn’t live waiting for the moment a bomb will fall on them.”

When did we start thinking only of ourselves?

When did we become so selfish?

“My child should eat.”

“My child should wear nice clothes.”

“My child should study.”

“My child should have the best.”

“Me, me, me, me…”

When did we forget to say “we”?

Really, when was the last time we said “we”?

What did “we” mean?

It was such an important question.

What was “we”?

If we truly were “we,” would our brothers and sisters in Gaza be in this state?

The boycott products she had seen at the market came to her mind, like a film reel. The soap she used, the detergent she washed clothes with by hand, the detergent for the washing machine, the toothpaste, the food and drinks they consumed… “In truth, I’ve sent all of them as bullets to Gaza.” Suddenly, her friends calling “Mrs. Neriman” snapped her out of her thoughts. She had been lost in them.

So what should she do?

Or rather, what could be done from now on?

Everyone could do something. Even a little contribution from each person would make a difference. When Ömer came home from school, he told his mother what had happened. His teachers explained in detail during class: “Why should we help? What should we pay attention to when consuming?” Ömer would share it all with his mother. Whenever they went shopping, he would check what they were buying first. Neriman Hanım was very pleased about this. “When we convey the truth to our children and show them the right way, they will follow it. The real challenge is doing this together. It’s about being ‘we,’ not ‘me’…”

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