THOUGHTS OF THE DAY

      Today I read that Moshe Kantor, president of the European Jewish Congress, has warned Europe and the world that there are rough roads ahead unless something is done immediately to counter the rising and violent wave of anti-Semitism in Europe and Britain. He warns of the consequences of at least one million of the three million Jews of Europe and England pulling up stakes, taking with them their ideas, their vigor, their population at a time when European countries are aging, their finances, their very lives.
     There is only so much that people can take before they say to hell with it all, look back at history, distant and recent, and realize that the endpoint has comes for a segment of their lives. It is already happening in France and has been happening for years there and all one has to do is walk the streets of Israeli cities and hear the increased use of French. British Jews are worried about the rising and violent tide of hatred they, too, are facing,
     The question arises - what about us, here in the USA? Well, personally, I believe we are a bit better off but I hold no illusions of permanent safety or immunity. Nasty remarks can be seen all over, including, my friends, right here in the Village. So we must all be vigilant, alert and aware of our surroundings. What scared me the most yesterday was the article in a NY paper about the attempt to enter two famous synagogues, thriving ones, always busy, situated in the heart of the Jewish community in Brooklyn - the Safra synagogue and Beth Torah. Driven off by a security guard at one and police at the other, this struck a note in my heart. These are synagogues that I have attended, been to lectures there, gone to celebratory dinners, especially of my students and now there was a visceral threat? Very hard to take in.
     Hatred is as hatred does and it takes all forms. It even takes the form of one who cannot seem to get over things, who takes opposition personally and who cannot do anything but copy words out of context in an effort to gain pity for himself and engender hatred for me. Well, so be it. I am sorry for that person who needs help but will not agree to that. Hatred tends to burn up the one who has it , who acts on it, so beware one's espousal of this base emotion.
      Please read the new addition to the daily questions asked of David Israel, president of UCO. There will be an additional feature as of today - each question will have the number of days the question has been posed and waiting for an answer.