No adequate words...

... on September 11th, I was in eighth grade, I had just come out of my math class and was ushered into the shul where Rabbi Weiss announced to the middle and high school that America appeared to be under attack and that planes had crashed into the Two Towers and Pentagon.  I will never forget the feeling of the blood leaving my face and the strong pins and needles that went down my spine.

That day is etched in my memory, down to sitting on the couch that evening and for the first time seeing Osama Bin Laden's picture on the television.

And now, I will never forget the pins and needles and tears that welled up in my eyes when I heard President Obama announce, last night, that 9 years, 7 months, and 20 days after 9/11 Osama Bin Laden was dead.

Facebook erupted, to say the least, I saw friend's statuses that they were high tailing it down to the White House, other friends were at the Phillies game where the stadium and players erupted into shouts of "USA"

It goes without saying that last night was momentous.  But, there is a little part of me that didn't want to  celebrate fully. The Torah tells us to not celebrate at the downfall of your enemies and on Pesach we take away from our full cups of wine because the Egyptians suffered too.

But.

It goes without saying this man was evil, so evil.  He has orchestrated the mass murder or thousands of men, women, children.  Americans and people from other nations.  Jews, Christians, Muslims.  His demise is a victory, a victory in the face of the terror he rained down on the world.

So isn't it okay, to celebrate, just a little?
I see it as celebrating the end of an evil man's rule of terror...
...the celebration of the bravery of those Navy Seals...
...the celebration of the leadership of our President and intelligence leaders...
...the celebration of all the armed forces have done for this country in the past 9 and a half years...
...and the celebration of the legacies and memories of all the innocent people who died at Bin Laden's hand.

This morning, I am very proud to be an American, and am rejoicing that an evil part of our world was silenced last night.

May this land, under your providence, be an influence for good throughout the world, uniting all people in peace and freedom - helping them to fulfill the vision of your prophet: 'Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they experience war any more.' (Isaiah 2:4)