Thursday, March 28, 2024

The Anti Israel UN Resolution - A Victory for Hamas

UN Ambassador voting to abstain on the cease fire resolution (Mountaineer)
To support my contention (in an earlier post) that Republicans are now far more supportive of Israel than Democrats, I am going to do something I rarely do. Which is to excerpt almost the entire JNS article that illustrates that quite vividly It follows:

Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle slammed the decision of the Biden administration to abstain rather than veto a U.N. Security Council vote on a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire to the fighting between Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza, and the release of hostages being held captive there.

“It’s appalling the United States allowed passage of a resolution that fails to condemn Hamas,” wrote Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.). “The U.N. has always been unwilling to condemn this group of terrorists, cowards and rapists.”

“We must stand with Israel and stop pandering to the political fringe or Hamas apologists,” he added.

“Today’s resolution is a capitulation to and victory for Hamas. It reverses what the Biden administration said was its policy linking a ceasefire to the release of hostages, even while Hamas is still holding hostages, including American hostages,” stated Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). 

“It does not acknowledge let alone condemn the atrocities of Oct. 7, the worst one-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. It includes vague pro forma language calling for a release of hostages, which is designed to be ignored by Hamas and will be ignored,” the Texas senator stated. “Indeed, today’s resolution will further entrench Hamas.”

He added that it “will have devastating costs to American national security and the U.S.-Israel relationship. I call on administration officials, including and especially State Department officials, to reverse these reckless and catastrophic policies. I will continue to hold them accountable until they do.”

U.S. President Joe Biden’s “lack of leadership and inaction at the U.N. are a disgrace,” wrote Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.). “Instead of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our great ally, the Biden administration has undermined Israel and emboldened Hamas terrorists at every turn.”

“Joe Biden continues to appease the pro-Hamas wing of his party by undermining Israel on the battlefield and at the U.N.,” wrote Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.). “The way this war ends is with the hostages returned home and Hamas wiped from the face of the earth.”

“The U.N. Security Council just passed a resolution demanding Israel not defeat Hamas,” wrote Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). “To appease far-left antisemitic/pro-Hamas activists, Biden decided not to veto it.”

Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) called it “outrageous” that the Biden administration did not veto the “extremely biased” resolution.

Washington’s abstention was another example of the Biden administration’s “hostility to our great ally, Israel,” wrote Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas). “This morning’s action solidifies the moral rot at the United Nations and why it doesn’t deserve a dime of taxpayer dollars.”

“The Biden administration continues to undermine our closest ally in the Middle East,” wrote Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.).  “Hamas must immediately release all hostages and surrender, or be destroyed. That should be the position of the United States.”

“Joe Biden is more concerned about his political future than backing our greatest ally, Israel, in its fight for survival,” wrote Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.).

Without mentioning the vote specifically, Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) wrote: “The only winner of a public falling-out between the United States and Israel is Hamas.”

‘Rightly demanded’

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) praised the passage of the resolution.

“The U.N. Security Council just passed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages and full humanitarian access,” Sanders wrote. “The U.S. must push all parties to honor this ceasefire and rush massive humanitarian aid into Gaza to feed starving people.”

“This resolution must be implemented in full to end the suffering and bloodshed,” Omar wrote. “The U.N. has rightly demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages. The escalating violence and civilian casualties, including many children, is unacceptable.”

Mike Pence, the former U.S. vice president, called the resolution a “disgrace.”

“After the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Israel must be allowed to wage war until Hamas is destroyed once and for all,” he said, adding: “America Stands With Israel.”

AIPAC said it is “disappointed” that the Biden administration didn’t veto the vote, and the Republican Jewish Coalition wrote that the “Biden administration continues to undermine Israel as it fights for its very survival.”

“Russia and China just outmaneuvered the U.S. at the United Nations, getting their way on an immoral Security Council resolution on Gaza, wrote David Friedman, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel. “No condemnation of Hamas for its brutal initiation of the conflict, and no conditioning a ceasefire on the release of the hostages. Just a naked demand for Israel to hand Hamas an ill-deserved victory.”

“Hamas is celebrating the result,” he added. “That tells you all you need to know. I am deeply embarrassed for the Biden administration and our country.”

After reading the JNS story about congressional reaction to the US abstention of  an anti Israel UN resolution - I don’t see how anyone can dispute the new reality of strong Republican support for Israel compared to the weak support of Israel by Democrats (...and outright hostility from some of them). 

The notable Democratic exceptions are  Senator John Fetterman and House Minority Leader, Ritchie Torres. They are truly clear eyed about Israel's just response to the Hamas massacre of  October 7th.  At best the rest of the Democrats in congress have been silent about the president facilitating passage of that resolution - or downright supportive of it (as was Sanders and Omar). 

In light of this current reality, I don’t see how anyone who truly cares about US support for the Jewish state can ever vote for a Democrat again. (Other than Fetterman and Torres). Even a Jewish Democrat.

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

The Lost Boys

Charedi Yeshiva students defer the draft at enlistment center (VIN)
I don’t see a resolution. At least not until a common sense compromise prevails over the divisive issue of exempting Charedim in Israel from the military.

This is an issue that will not only NOT go away, it has increased in intensity on both sides since the war with Hamas began. Charedi politicians insist that those exemptions be maintained while the rest of the country is increasingly agitated by it. 

Secular and non Charedi religious Jews are risking and sacrificing their lives while Charedim sit out the war in relative peace and security. This has caused immeasurable damage to the relationship between Charedim and the rest of Israel. The anger and frustration of families whose sons and daughters serving their country in a time of war while others sit and watch from a distance cannot be overstated. If things remain as they are now,  I fear there will never be a reconciliation between Charedim and the rest of Israel. That would be tragic. 

I have long ago argued in favor of eliminating wholesale exemptions from army service. There is no way to justify that. Despite the best efforts of Charedi politicians and leaders to do so. How strong is their opposition? To cite just one example of that:

Chief Sephardic Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef warned Saturday that ultra-Orthodox Jews will leave Israel en masse if the government ends exemptions of mandatory military enlistment enjoyed by the community.

“If they force us to go to the army, we’ll all move abroad,” Yosef said during a weekly lecture. “We’ll buy a ticket… We’ll go there.”

But all is not lost. There has been a bit of a thaw in Charedi opposition to army service as noted in several of my posts. For example see here and here.  But not without fierce opposition to those views. Which is why there is a stalemate in how to resolve this issue. 

There is however a fairly large segment of Charedim that the Charedi leaders might agree should be required to serve in some capacity. As reported recently in the Forward: 

There are chairs in the stacks and in quiet corners of this city’s libraries where some young Haredi men spend days on end, skipping out on their required Torah study with access to free Wi-Fi and little chance that anyone they know will spot them…

The Jerusalem-based Haredi Institute for Public Affairs says those “lost boys,” as they’re sometimes called, make up at 15% to 20% of the estimated 66,000 Haredi Jewish men of draft age (between 18 and 26). The Israel Democracy Institute, a research group that has spent years studying the Haredi exemption, puts the number between 30% and 40%, or more than 20,000.

There are apparently a lot of Charedim exempt that shouldn’t be. If I  recall correctly the most venerated Charedi sage of his time, Rav Eliezar Mann Shach, was quoted saying that if a Charedi student wastes his time in the Yeshiva, he should sent to IDF. I don’t know... maybe this was just an empty threat in order to get the lackadaisical students to stop wasting their time. But I think he probably meant it. If they weren’t learning he did not want to see them taking up space in his Bies HaMedrash.

I have also spoken to a respcted Charedi Magid Shiur and Posek who confided in me that he too believes that there were many Yeshiva students wasting their time that shouldn’t be there.

Let us combine the above 2 ‘Lost Boy’ estimates and say that 25% of them are in that category. That would mean that the IDF could in theory get a boost of about 16,500 new  recruits that would be immediately available for army service.

It’s true that they couldn’t possibly trained quickly enough to serve in combat. But they would surely lighten the burden of all those being forced to serve in non combat capacity for longer and in greater number than usual because of the war.

25% may not be as equitable a solution as I would like. I think that more than 25% of the Charedi student body should be required to serve.  Determined by their level of Torah study. Those whose Torah study is mediocre should also be subject to the draft. That would be more equitable. But even if  it is only 25% that would be a major improvement that would ease the burden on the rest of Israelis that are currently serving at a time of war..

Sad to say that this option doesn’t seem to be considered by Charedi politicians. Which makes them their own worst enemy. They may ‘win this battle but lose the war’. If they quit the government, it is highly unlikely they will get anywhere near the kind of power they have now. As noted at VIN:

Even though the war in Israel has done little to threaten Netanyahu’s government (which was even strengthened by the entry of some opposition leaders), the fiasco regarding the new draft law could spell the end of the current government… 

A nocturnal meeting on Tuesday night between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and representatives of United Torah Judaism and Shas, the coalition’s two charedi parties, over the terms of the new law ended without any operative agreement... 

UTJ reportedly threatened to leave the Netanyahu-led coalition should the proposal include annual recruitment targets for yeshiva students and financial penalties for charedi educational institutions that don’t meet those quotas…

This week, dozens of commanders in the IDF reserves sent a letter to Netanyahu, Gallant and other senior officials warning that the current proposal for the draft bill will deepen inequality and harm national security… 

The commanders also warned that beyond the feeling of inequality, there were concerns that under the new proposal, “the reserve system will not be able to meet its requirements, to the point of difficulty in manning operations.” 

All this while Charedi Yeshiva and Kollel students sit an watch this from the safety of the Beis HaMedrash.

The common sense compromise would be to draft these ‘Lost Boys’. That would give both sides what they want. Or at east what they need. The IDF would have an influx of recruits to lighten the burden of those currently serving. and the Charedi world would maintain exemptions for 75% of their students while being true to the words of Rav Shach who basically OK’d this compromise in spirit if not in actuality.

It’s not to late for common sense to prevail. But it seems that common sense has left the building a long time ago.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

It’s Not Antisemitism

Image from Mishpacha for illustration purposes
Is it over for the Jewish people in this country? There are some people that think our better days here are behind us - as noted by Jonathan Rosenblum’s reference to  Franklin Foer’s Atlantic article, The Golden Age of American Jews Is Ending. True, there are statistics that seem to bear this out. But I don’t think that’s right – despite the dramatic increase in antisemitic acts and rhetoric over the last few years. Especially since October 7th. More about that later.

On the surface one would think that the slippage of our standing in this country is obvious. But as is often the case the surface does not always tell you what’s underneath. And as always, it’s complicated. 

The war against Hamas has brought out all the latent antisemitism that has always been here but not expressed by those who harbored those sentiments. Israel’s war against Hamas and all the pro Hamas protests has allowed them to express those true sentiments overtly.

I am still convinced, though, that those who feel that way are a tiny but loud minority of the American people. There was an outpouring of sympathy expressed for the Jewish people by vast majority of Americans (on both sides of the political aisle) in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas massacre. As was the case after the Tree of Life Synagogue massacre a few years ago. 

To the extent that Americans might now feel (mistakenly in my view) that Israel is not paying sufficient attention to civilian casualties does not mean they have suddenly become antisemites. It only means that they are instinctively responding to reports of massive civilian casualties in Gaza. At the same time, however, a recent poll indicated that 80% of the American people still support Israel in its war with Hamas. You can’t be an antisemite and support Israel at the same time.

There is something else going on here. I don’t think it is antisemitsm. But first let me try to dispel the notion that White Supremacists and other fringe antisemitic groups have significantly increased their numbers. I find that hard to believe.  I don’t know how many Americans there are like that these days. But  my guess is that they are still a very tiny minority of the American people. Although a very dangerous one since it is from their ranks that atrocit8es like the attack on Tree of Life happened.

The majority of antagonism against us these days is by the Hamas supporting Palestinians living in this country - joined by the progressive left that supports them. They might deny they are antisemitic. Just anti Zionist or anti colonialist.. 

I would put a lot of misguided secular/left Jews in that category, too. These are the kinds of Jews that have no issue renouncing their Judaism. As did Oscar winning director Jonathan Glazer at the Academy Awards ceremony a few weeks ago. Glazer - who is Jewish - is obviously not antisemitic. 

What I would say instead is that secular progressive Jews like Glazer are anti Judaism. (They would of course vehemently deny that - claiming that Jewish values are what motivates them.) It may not be their fault since they were raised without the benefit of an authentic Jewish education. But that does not make them any less anti Judaism.

Far left progressives reject the foundational document of the Jewish people, the Torah. They consider it to be an archaic document that contradicts their core values.  Which they epitomize as truly moral. Biblical values are the ones that are immoral. To just cite a few examples one will hear about Judaism in their circles. 

One is  the ‘folly’ of the biblical prohibition against gay sex. What, they might ask, could possibly be immoral about sex between 2 consenting adults? Denying their right to engage in it is what they consider immoral. 

Another is the biblical requirement of the death penalty to blasphemers or Sabbath violators. They laugh at those things. And deride those of us that value a document so immoral by their ‘enlightened’ standards. The idea that an archaic document like gives us the right to colonize a land and subjugate its indigenous people (neither of which is true) is abhorrent to them. They consider the events of October 7th to be a justifiable response to that oppression – even if it was an ‘over-reation’. 75 years of pent up frustration will do that to some people, they will say.

Bearing this in mind might help to explain why the left half the country (including many Jews) might feel the way Jonathan Glazer does. It should not be surprising that the majority of people in the entertainment industry whose values are depicted in the increasing number films that contain full frontal nudity and vivid depictions of sexual intercourse - feel this way. Often placed in a film gratuitously when the storyline does not require it at all. All to the acclaim of their peers. 

It should not surprise anyone that people like this see our foundational document  to be irrelevant and immoral. I believe that the majority of celebrities that populate Hollywood feel this way. They are the  people that applauded Glazer after he denounced his Judaism and blamed October 7th on Israel’s dehumanization of Palestinians over its decades long history. Even though the truth is the opposite of that and lies in the generational cradle to grave indoctrination that dehumanizes the Jewish people

I think this is what is really going on here. These people don’t hate Jews. They just hate Judaism. And you don’t have to be non Jews to feel that way.

I believe this explains why there has been such an uptick in campus antisemitism. It is why for example those three progressive university presidents gave such poor answers to questions about it. Jews are presumed by many progressives Yeah, right now to be immoral using Nazi like tactics to slaughter tens of thousands of innocent Palestinian in Gaza.. 

Top tier schools that used to be about academics and apolitical have become politicized bastions of progressivism that are intolerant of the diversity they claim to hold so dear. People that believe that biblical values are so immoral - they will not be tolerated under their watch.    

There are of course exceptions. But I do believe that is what’s happening. The extent that Jews are being persecuted in America these days can be blamed directly on the extreme anti Judaism of the progressive left. 

What to do about that is a question for which I have no answer.

Monday, March 25, 2024

Who are Israel's Real Friends?

Screenshot 
*Back in 2016 during the heat of the race for the Republican nomination for president, I had expressed my strong preference for Florida Senator Marco Rubio. A conservative Republican whose support for Israel was at the time unmatched. As we all know he lost to the man who would eventually become the 45th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump.

Rubio was of course not alone in supporting Israel then. Most republicans expressed unequivocal support for Israel. Unlike Democrats whose support for Israel was tempered  by their dislike of its prime minister, Republicans had no such reservations. They actually embraced Prime Minister Netanyahu as they would anyone else elected Israel’s leader. But Rubio was a cut above the rest. Right up there with Nikky Haley

Democrats never forgave Netanyahu for lecturing President Obama about Israel in his first White House meetings with him. And later accepting an invitation from then House Speaker John Bohener to address congress without being invited by the president. And that at that address he stridently rejected Obama's nuclear deal with Iran.  A deal he believed to be disastrous for Israel, the US and the civilized world. Republicans listened to Netanyahu and agreed with him. Democrats to this day think the Iran deal was just great.

Turns out Netanyahu was right. That deal allowed Iran to arm terrorist groups throughout the Middle East with impunity. We are now suffering the result of that policy. Had sanctions been increased instead of loosened, its unlikely that Hamas would have hade the means and capability to massacre 1200 Jews and kidnap over 200 hostages on October 7th.  

What was true in 2016 is even truer today. Democrats are far more critical of Israel than are Republicans. Republicans fully support Israel’s right to defend itself without any reservation - in ways it sees fit. They hold that if Israel's military intelligence experts believe the only way they protect their people is by finishing off the remaining Hamas battalions on Rafah, they should not hesitate. Who are we to tell Israel how to defend themselves?! 

On the other hand Democrats (including many - but not all - Jewish Democrats) - starting with the president - believe the casualty levels that would be sustained by Palestinians in such an operation is too high. And have not so subtly hinted that if Israel tries attack Hamas in Rafah, there may be consequences. They also reject Israel’s plan to re-locate Palestinians civilians believing it to be untenable.  

Republicans lay the blame for all Palestinians casualties at the feet of Hamas. No one expressed that better then Senator Rubio yesterday on ABC’s This Week. No matter how much he was pressured to blame Israel for all the Palestinian casualties, he doubled down on blaming the people that are really responsible for that - Hamas. 

Rubio is not the only Republican that supports Israel’s war against Hamas so strongly and blaming Hamas for the casualties, Many other Republicans have said the same thing. 

Democrats? Not so much. They just love blaming the hated Netanyahu - accusing his every decision to be a calculated ploy to remain in power. Even if it means killing 32,000 innocent civilians.

Rubio is unafraid to speak the truth.to the liberal/left mainstream media. A truth that I and many Republicans  have stated. A truth that cannot be denied. If Hamas truly wanted to stop Palestinian casualties, all they have to do is release the hostages and surrender. That would end the war instantly. There would not be a single additional Palestinians casualty. And everyone could go home. 

But instead they are doing this

“Right now, Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists are barricading themselves inside Shifa hospital wards. Hamas is destroying Shifa Hospital,” IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in an English-language video statement. “Hamas is firing from inside the Shifa emergency room and maternity ward and throwing explosive devices from the Shifa burn ward. Terrorists hiding around the hospital fired mortars at our forces, causing extensive damage to the hospital buildings.” 

As if the Democrats have the moral high ground here. The moral high ground is to support  Israel’s right to defend itself. and to trust that they have no interest in killing Palestinians. Republicans seem to instinctively know that. Democrats don’t seem to care. They prefer to blame Israel entirely. They could care less about the hostages (although they play a good game pretending they do as an afterthought.

The era of bi-partisan support for Israel seems to be over. They seem to by listening to all the Hamas supporting protestors in Michigan and Minnesota  who are calling for the genocide of the Jews and the restoration of Palestine from the river to the sea. Democrats may say they are our friends; that they support Israel; and that they only disagree with Netanyahu.

What they choose to ignore is they are not just disagreeing with Netanyahu. They are disagreeing the Israel military-intelligence establishment and the vast majority of the Israeli people. (Both on the right and the left.)

Democrats are our friends??? Well, with friends like these…

*This may seem like a  highly partisan post. But I’m just calling it as I see it. And this is what I see now.

Sunday, March 24, 2024

The 8 Categories of Shelach Manos

Me - in my Purim costume

T
hose who keep Cholov Yisrael           And those who don't

Those who keep Yoshon                        And those who don't

Those who eat Geborkits                      And those who don't

Those who eat Chassidisha Schechita  And those who don't

Those who eat in my house                   And those who don't

Those who have allergies                     And those who don't  

Those who are dairy intolerant             And those who aren't
       
                                               Those who are gluten intolerant           And those who are not

HT: Annie Maryles


Additional Categories (D'Rabbonon):

Those who trust the OU                                                    And those who don't

Those who trust the Eida Hachredis more than God        And those who think they are Reshoim

HT: Harry Maryles

Friday, March 22, 2024

Is Supporting Israel and a Cease Fire Compatible Views?

Ambassador David Friedman (Wikipedia)
Ben Shapiro has re-tweeted former US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman’s tweet. Which reads as follows:

Not alone. Israel still has most Americans, a unified population with high morale and deep conviction, and . . . . God! 

I think that’s right. Even though Israelis are divided on many issues they are unified in two very important ways. One is their support of the war against Hamas. The other is in their opposition to a Palestinian state. The latter of which was once a point of contention between right and left. But has changed ever since the Hamas massacre on October 7th. There is no longer any support for that by any substantial segment of Israel. And I obviously believe that Israel still has God on its side. However, does Israel still have the support of the American people suggested by Friedman?

I think it depends on what that means. On the one hand I understand why Americans might prefer a cease fire of some kind. Daily images of human suffering on a such a massive scale cannot but evoke the greatest sympathy in the Malchus Shel Chesed – the ‘kingdom’ of kindness so labeled by Rav Moshe Feinstein. Americans are simply living up to their reputation in that regard.

On the other hand I recall a poll recently that said the vast majority of Americans support Israel in their war against Hamas. This is where I think Friedman was going with that tweet.

Question is, how does one reconcile these two seemingly opposite feelings?  I don’t think that is too difficult to do. They want Israel to defeat Hamas without killing so many civilians. An understandable if unachievable goal.

Unachievable when the people you are trying to defeat are determined to have as many of their own people killed as possible. This is how Hamas ‘defends’ itself. Making it virtually impossible to avoid high casualty numbers reported daily by the Hamas Health Ministry. Numbers that do not distinguish between civilians and Hamas terrorists. So if Israel and the US wants Israel to win this war, Israel can do littel to prevent those high civilian casualty numbers.

The question then becomes, is it worth it? Is defeating Hamas worth the tens of thousands of ‘innocent’ civilian casualties it has thus far cost them? And is it even possible to win the war in the sense of permanently eliminating the Hamas threat?  

This is where American support might be wavering. Will the Biden administration’s pressure to not enter the city of Rafah in southern Gaza - thereby forcing Israel to concede and stop the war? What will happen to Israel if proceeds with its plan? What will happen if they don’t? How do the Israeli people feel about that? How do the American people feel about it? Does it matter? What about the strong support the Biden administration had for Israel’s war against Hamas at its outset? Is that gone?

These are complicated questions that do not have an easy answer. But here’s what I know. (Or at least I think I know.)

I know that Israel has no choice but to destroy the capability of Hamas to ever massacre Jews again. Which Hamas has promised to do over and over again until they succeed in eradicating our presence in ‘their river to the sea land of Palestine’. 

I know that the Israeli people are unified in supporting the war. 

I know that Israel absolutely does not target innocent civilians. It is Hamas that targets them by using them a human shields. And I know the American people are aware of this.  

I know that most Americans support Israel in the war with Hamas. Although they are concerned about the massive number of civilian casualties.

What about the contradiction between Biden’s support for Israel and his demands not to enter Rafah because of the ‘unacceptable number of civilian casualties that will surely result? And now demanding a cease fire?

In my view this is an irreconcilable position to have. You cannot support Israel’s war with Hamas and at the same time demand a cease fire. True, supporting Israel means that Hamas will assure that as many of their people as possible become ‘martyrs’. While supporting a cease fire means that Israel will not achieve its objective of destroying Hamas’s ability to ever massacre Jews again. And with the help of their benefactors, Iran, they will surely attempt to keep their nefarious promises as many times as they can.  

Prime Minister Netanyahu and his war cabinet have decided to proceed with the war and enter Rafah.  Protecting the people of Israel is their primary obligation. Trying to do so with as few civilian causalities as possible - despite the best efforts of Hamas to use their woman and children as cannon fodder.

That has upset the Biden administration. They do not want Israel to enter Rafah unless they have a detailed plan to evacuate civilians. Netanyahu has said that his war cabinet has approved a plan to evacuate Palestinians from Rafah to safe zones. The US is not happy with that declaration since they have not been provided with a detailed plan that would accomplish that. The US sees evacuating over a million civilians from Rafah as a virtual impossibility.  

At a recent  press conference Secretary of State Antony Blinken showed visible anger at Israel’s determination to enter Gaza with all those civilaisn lives a stake.  And yet - in practically the same breath he insisted that Israel has  a right to defend itself against Hamas. How is that possible without entering Rafah? He claimed that there are other ways for Israel to achieve victory over Hamas.

That’s nice.  Does he really believe that Israel would be attacking the remaining Hamas strongholds in Rafah if there was another way to do that? Israel has no interest in killing innocent civilians. And even less interest in the casualties its own army will suffer in such an action. I have to assume that Israel took an exhaustive look at all available options to complete their mission and have determined that this is the only one that has any chance of succeeding.

But OK. If Blinken really thinks there is another way, why doesn’t he come right out and enlighten Israel’s war cabinet what that would be? My guess is that he doesn’t really have another way. It doesn’t exist. How sad that this son of Holocaust survivors  has forgotten what happed to his parents at the hands of people just like Hamas. 

Thursday, March 21, 2024

2 Big Questions, One Resolved...

Image for illustration purposes (BESA)
I received the following letter from an Orthodox Jewish reader whom I would place in the broad category of Centrism. He is someone that I admire greatly for all the work he does for the Jewish people.  

The letter was written to a prominent Rav who identifies as Charedi. He wanted my input as well. I asked if I could post it and he agreed - but he wishes to remain anonymous. I believe he asks some very valid questions. His name has been changed and identifying information left out. Otherwise the letter follows in its entirety.

Hi Rav

  A Big Question. A Simple Resolution.

 I was brought-up in apartheid South Africa. White and privileged.  Nevertheless, with both my parents academics, I was always aware of the gross injustice around me, and so too, the disproportionately high number of Jewish South Africans who led the “struggle” in so many ways - politically, socially, academically and legally. (the bitter irony of today) 

As I became more engaged in my Judaism, I started going to Orthodox families for Shabbos. But I found it difficult, if not impossible at the time, to reconcile how that some of the families I went to, while extremely warm, hospitable and embracing so many of the middot and virtues I sought to develop in myself  – were derogatory and racist in their language used at the table and in their general political outlook.

It was not until a few years later while studying full-time at Ohr Somayach in Ma’alot Dafna that in a meeting with the incredible, warm and personal Rav Nachman Bulman zt”l – that he provided the answer, “Avi,” the Rav said, and embracing my hand, “not every Jew who looks the part is a walking Torah scroll.”

Question answered and reconciliation.

 A Big Question. Looking for Answer…

While I went to “black-hat” type yeshivas as I became frum, my life hashkafically today is more nuanced. I have family who are (and I hate to use these terms) - Hareidi, Dati Leumi, Chardal and secular– the whole gamut.

What I find especially difficult right now, not least having had our only son on the front lines, is a new reconciliation in need…

How do I reconcile that the “Torah World” that I am blessed to be part of – also has such a very significant element, and arguably a very core element, that embraces a hashkafic/almost halachic outlook that I find so growingly repugnant.

Yes, I understand the context, the complex post WW2 history etc. but that does not excuse my reality.

That is, that while I am a card-carrying member today of “Torah Jewry,” at least to the best of ability, and with all my failings, that within our accepted membership, we have a most malignant character trait. 

A trait that never mind being self-destructive, is so acutely destructive to the people of Eretz Yisrael and to the Jewish people worldwide - most notably to the majority of Jews, those less affiliated.

By just by one example:

To Israelis: As all aware the bitter and imploding divide in not only not serving in the IDF in any significant number, but neither even doing sheirut leumi. For all the reasons of ‘their’ argument.

To Jews worldwide, especially non-religious: Arguably a terrible חילול השם, only driving more away from even looking at/investigating their Judaism. The issue so profound, the damage in the understanding of Judaism, so alienating.

And even more importantly, personally, as a Torah Jew who of course believes in the coming of משיח and the need to resolutely focus on eliminating hatred and nurturing unity – how can I reconcile – that as part of the Klal that (to me) – we really can’t get anywhere right now with such a mountainous impediment.

Why? 

Because when within our core composition at this time in history is a huge “Torah community” that embraces certain “values” that (to me) - works so profoundly against the very foundation to nurture greater achdus and unity – what is the point?

 Leadership and Disability

I have been privileged to work for many years professionally in the field of developmental and mental disability.

One of the challenges I found reconciling professionally and personally, was that while we as Torah Jews and as a Torah community have been and are so many lightyears ahead in morality, ethics etc. - in so much in what we have “given the world” – but that that we as a community - lagged so far behind by the stigma of disability.

Whether developmental or mental health disability – the non-Jewish world had decades before long left the station.

They were confronting disability, building acceptance, nurturing integration etc. – while we generally – were still deciding the merits of even building a train. Whether builders as leaders, individuals or as communities.

When surely we, we of all people as Torah Jews - should have been at the forefront of this change?

How does this relate to the above? 

Well, we can provide many “excuses” why this was  – a deep historical context, the uniqueness of the Torah world and priority of focus, the stigma in shidduchim etc. – but to me – that does not provide an excuse.

It provides a reality that we as Torah Jews can get things grossly wrong at times. Individually, communally and as leaders.

I guess in closing – if but simplistically speaking – I wish we as the “Torah World” could see ourselves at times as admittedly being “perfectly imperfect.” 

But (to me) I find we live increasing in a Torah World – especially in leadership – where the thinking, where the belief is – we simply have no imperfections.

Warm regards,

Avi

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Blaming the Wrong People

The people Hamas doesn’t really care about (Reuters)
It’s all Israel’s fault. That is who the left blames for all the devastation and carnage in Gaza. A left that has been clamoring for Israel to cease fire so that Palestinians will no longer be killed, maimed and starved to death. 

With respect to that last item, Israel is accused of preventing  humanitarian aid from getting through despite Israel’s strong denials to the contrary. 

That Israel is at fault for it all has been the mantra of just about every leftist sympathetic to the Palestinian cause: Palestinian journalists reporting from Gaza; Palestinian doctors in Gaza hospitals;  ‘Doctors Without Borders’ volunteering there; UN officials... all of them are either saying it directly or more often implying it. All of which sounds very believable based on the daily images coming out of there. Bolstered by sympathetic mainstream media reporters stationed in Israel who rubberstamp those reporting it from inside Gaza. With news anchors nodding in sympathy. 

Hamas claiming over 32,000 deaths of mostly women and children is never seriously questioned by the media. Not the numbers. Not who is actually being killed., And not what percentage of the casualties are actually Hamas terrorists. It is just reported matter of factly.

The message is that Israel must cease fire so that the humanitarian aid can get through and Palestinian suffering can end. And a not so subtle secondary message is that Jews are immoral and don’t care about human life

Well here’s a question for all of my friends on the left. Why has there not been anyone on the left demanding that Hamas stop the war? Which they could easily and quickly do by releasing all the hostages they kidnapped on October 7th and laying down arms? Why hasn’t the President suggested that? Or Schumer? Or anyone in the Biden administration? Or any of the Jewish Democrats in congress? 

Why  are they focusing all their attention and blame on Israel? Or more specifically Israel’s prime minister?  Why have they not directed their blame where it belongs? Hamas could end their people’s suffering in a flash if they chose to. I have heard very few on the left say a word about that. Not the president. Not Schumer. Not Blinken. Not Austin. Not Sullivan. Not even the Jewish Democrats in congress.  I have however heard more than a few Republicans make that comment. The only administration official I recall making it is Defense Department spokesman, Admiral John Kirby who suggested it a few times. Nope. For the left, it’s all Israel’s fault. Or more specifically Netanyahu’s fault. If only he were gone.... all would be right with the world.

Hamas is loving all this devastation. They could not have asked for a better scenario. World sympathy is directed at the Palestinians while Hamas, their chosen leaders, are practically ignored. And the hostages only mentioned these days as an after thought by the media – if at all.

Why is Hamas and the antisemitic UN believed about Israel preventing food from getting in over Israel's denial? Israel claims that Hamas commandeers the food trucks and takes the food for themselves. And then sells the rest of it to starving refugees at outlandishly high prices. Food that was supposed to be given to them for free. I heard one desperate Gaza Palestinian say he paid $1000 for a bag of flour. Does anyone want to guess who is selling it to him? 

It is so much easier to blame Israel and believe UN officials who have been given undeserved credibility despite a history of anti Israel bias.   

Exposing the truth about what is going on there is long overdue. But better late than never. 

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

No... I do Not Hate Israel or My Religion

Shocking is not a word I can use anymore when it comes to comments made by our former president. But still, Trump’s latest description of Jews who vote for Democrats comes pretty darn close: 

“Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion, they hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed,” 

Well, I have voted for Democrats and I can assure everyone that I neither hate my religion nor everything about Israel. Quite the contrary.

To be fair, Trump was obviously talking about now and specifically about the next election. But even though his comments are way over the top, there is a grain of truth to them. For example there are unfortunately a lot of secular Jews that could not care less about Israel. Especially younger secular Jews. In some cases they could not care less even about their own Judaism.

The good news is that a lot of Democrats do support Israel. Some very strongly – such as the US senator from Pennsylvania, John Fetterman.  And he is not alone. 

Then there are Democrats that strongly support Israel but despise its freely elected leader – such as the current president and and the senate Majority leader. And of course there is the progressive wing of the party led by Jew haters Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar.

The plain truth is that the vast majority of American Jews do vote for Democrats and probably despise Netanyahu as much as Biden and Schumer do. And the vast majority of those are either secular or heterodox Jews. (There are still a lot of Orthodox Jews that vote for Democrats, but that has been  changing dramatically over the past few years. Only a relatively small minority of Orthodox Jews vote for Democrats these days.)

Support for Israel by mainstream Democrats is still pretty strong. But there is one major difference between them and the Israeli populace. Democrats as a whole support the 2-state solution. They believe (naively in m view) that this will end the hostilities. I believe it will very likely increase them. And yet the 2-state solution is a cornerstone of  Democratic foreign  policy with respect to the Arab-Israeli conflict.  A policy that would be suicidal if Israel were to accept it now or at anytime in the foreseeable future.

It is also true that the disastrous ‘Iran nuclear deal’ essentially greenlighted Iran’s export of terror to nations and groups dedicated to - not only the destruction of Israel, but to the destruction of the US  and all of Western civilization. That contributed mightily to the terrorist attack by their proxy, Hamas, on October 7th 

It is mostly Democratic members of congress that have been suggesting that the US use its leverage with Israel to get them to cease fire in Gaza. Thus allowing Hamas to survive.

And it is the Democrats that despise Israel's freely elected leader. Which ironically is a feeling currently shared by a large segment (majority?) of the Israeli electorate.

True - Trump’s comments were a gross exaggeration. But when Trump says that Jews voting for Democrats would mean Israel would be destroyed - is not all that far off. I have myself said that the above-mentioned Democratic policies can easily have a negative impact on Israel’s existence.

On the other hand  - it should not be lost on anyone that Republican support for Israel is not contingent on who their leader is. Nor is their support contingent on how Israel is prosecuting its war against Hamas. 

It was on the former president’s watch that the US embassy was moved to Israel’s capital, Jerusalem. Recognized as such by him too.  And that stated the ball rolling in a few other countries.

It was on his watch that the Abraham Accords took place where  there are now diplomatic relations and an exchange of commerce with a few Arab countries who dropped their demands for a Palestinian state before exchanging ambassadors. 

It was on Trump’s watch where the 2 state solution was determined to be a pipe dream and abandoned.  

What about all the antisemitism he raked up while in office? What about all the antisemitic hate groups that consider Trump their leader? Yes. All true.  But the above-mentioned facts with respect to Israel  cannot be denied.

What about Trump’s accusation that Jews who vote for Democrats hate their religion? That too is both  absurd and outrageous. But there is even an element of truth there too. If one looks at the demographics of Democratic Jewish voters versus Republican Jewish voters one will  find that the vast majority of the former are secular or heterodox while the vast majority of the latter are Orthodox. 

The reason is that secular and heterodox Jewish Democrats  place a much higher value on modern day interpretations of social justice in the mistaken belief that this is what Judaism demands in all circumstances. It’s not that they hate Judaism. it’s just that they don’t understand it.

Orthodox Jewish Republicans place a much higher values on Halacha and considers religious freedom to be paramount.  Far outweighing any socials justice policies that would  contradict it. When the two conflict, Orthodox Jews favor religious freedom over social justice. Secular and heterodox Jews will favor social justice over religious freedom.

When justices of the Supreme court are chosen by Democrats they will choose social justice warriors. When they are chosen by Republicans they will choose religious freedom warriors. Trump chose the latter.

So what Trump said is indeed outrageous but somewhat understandable in this light. 

Please do not misunderstand. I am in no way endorsing the former president’s reelection. There is more wrong with him than there is right. The litany of what’s wrong is way too long to list. (Besides, I’ve already done that more than a few times.) 

But neither would I endorse the current president’s reelection. Much as I appreciate his support for Israel up to this point, I’m not at all happy with what he’s been saying lately. To say the least. 

The lesser of two evils is still evil.

Monday, March 18, 2024

Ignorant Comments that are Gospel to the Left

New York Times columnist, Tom Friedman (Ha'aretz)  
I can’t think of a more damaging Jewish ignoramus than New York Times columnist, Tom Friedman. And I don’t use the word ignoramus lightly.

That he is an ignoramus is plainly evident by his complete lack of Mitzvah observance. Unless the lack of observance is intentional. Which makes it even worse

As is the case with senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, other then Tikun Olam he wouldn’t know an authentic Jewish value if it hit him in the face. 

What is so troubling about Friedman is that his open identity as a Jew gives his left leaning opinions on Israel - Jewish gravitas. Thus giving him immunity from being called an antisemite. 

His ‘keen perceptions’ of the realities of the Middle East is, however, done with a jaundiced eye. And taken as gospel by the left leaning media, the left leaning Democratic party. And the current president of the United States.

It is no small wonder therefore, that he is called the Biden whisperer. It also helps to explain why the president and Senate majority leader have been talking about a two state solution as the only viable option for the two peoples to live in peace. Which anybody with a half a brain would realize is a complete absurdity at this point in time. And probably for generations to come as things stand now.

A particularly ugly comment is what he said about Israel’s current leaders: 

'I would not let this Israeli cabinet be waiters at my grandson's bar mitzvah,' 

As if he has a clue about what becoming a Bar Mitzvah really means. My guess is that his grandson’s ‘Bar Mitzvah’ will have little if anything to do with actually observing Mitzvos - if it is anything like they typical Conservative Jewish Bar Mitzvah party But I digress. 

Friedman is about as much of a Jew of Chuck Schumer. Their views should not necessarily be considered valid expressions of Jewish values. 

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t care what some ignorant Jewish journalist says about Israel. But Friedman has been given near icon status with respect to his views on Israel. He is seen as a font of wisdom on the subject. So when he expresses an opinion, it is considered near gospel by the left. A left that includes the President. As noted in Haaretz - Friedman has been called the Biden Whisperer.

It’s not that everything he says is wrong. On the contrary. In many ways he makes some salient points: Such as the following:

(If) Israel was to partner with the Palestinian Authority "to form two states for two nations, it could solve three of its current problems: changing the narrative, changing the Gaza options, and cementing a regional alliance with its Arab allies.

That is very true. But it would be suicide if they were to create a Palestinian state in partnership with the PA. What happened in Gaza will almost certainly happen in the new Palestinian state. They will overrun  by Jihadist groups with the same agenda as Hamas. With Iran right beside them leading the charge.  

This is why Friedman’s constant refrain about a 2 state solution is so stupid. He ought to know better – if he is the ‘expert’ he thinks he is… that the left thinks he is… that the mainstream media thinks he is... that the President Biden thinks he is.

Friedman says that Netanyahu is the worst leader in Israel’s history. Maybe even in all of Jewish history. I know a lot of  my friends on the left strongly agree with him. 

While I agree that the coalition Netanyahu formed with right wing extremists was not good for the country, to say he is the worst leader in Israel’s history casts Israeli voters into being the worst electorate in Israel’s history. And Israel as the worst country in the developed world. 

It’s not like Netanyahu is a one term prime minister. He is the longest serving prime minister in Israel’s history. If he is so terrible, how could that have possibly happened? How could he have possibly become the prime mister for so long?

The answer is that he was elected and re-elected because he did a lot for his country. Changing it from a socialist economy into a free-market economy. Israel’s economy has boomed as a result. It is one of he most stable economies in the world. All of which happened under Netanyahu’s watch. If that’s that's  worst, I’ll take it..

Of course if you are a leftist you will say that all that is overridden by his arrogance, his egregious conduct of the war, his disagreement with the current administration and by what happened on October 7th under his watch. But I would strongly disagree. Israel would not have the strong economy it has today if not for Netanyahu.

Fortunately the Friedmans of the world will likely disappear.in a few short generations. While it is a terrible tragedy to see what is happening to the bulk of American Jewry, with respect to this guy, I say good riddance.