A BOX OF NEEDLES

 This is the first time that I have heard that expression. It came in the midst of a confusing search for the bad guys and all the while the good guys, deep in their efforts, find themselves adding more needles to be found before they might actually have success in their endeavors. The more needles to be found, the more complicated and difficult the reaching of a satisfactory solution or conclusion. If one has ever searched carefully for a missing needle, one knows the likelihood of the sharp end of that needle finding you before you find it. Imagine the difficulty of finding a box of needles. Ouch!!

I believe that this difficulty of finding those needles and eliminating their possible woes to the seeker is even more frustrating when the needle is spotted. You are so sure you are headed directly to it, to pick it up and place it where it needs to be placed or discarded.  And then -it seems to disappear, burying itself in a pile of clothes, and a new search must be initiated, adding to the tension.  

Imagine the frustration when you are told to call off the search. Maybe you made an error or were seeing things that were not there. But you know they are and also know well the peril they portend unless we find them and display them. A better method to keeping these misplaced needles must be found and circulated to all concerned. That is the most difficult thing to do for so often there is resistance to the truth. The obvious truth. 

It is not pleasant to be notified of past errors of needle hunts and then to be educated as to that error already committed and all that must be done and in place in order to alleviate negative complications. How that process is initiated and carried out bodes either good or bad for what is to follow. These needles must be found and removed from any position where they could cause harm, deny solutions of true consensus, and an understanding hence allowing for repairs of the fabric of the globe. Reached without force, without suppression and without censorship. Difficult and possibly long till a satisfying end of trail is seen, but it must be undertaken if we and the rest of the world are to find, to make, a future for all of us. One where these elusive needles are few and far between.

There's not a single person or a single nation that has no needles. It is either seeking or hiding them, often engaged in a false or discouraging search for them. These needles range from minor, almost totally insignificant, to needles carrying huge loads of worries and woes especially for those who are unaware or are engaged in denial. The needle drawing blood from an individual's finger is generally found and removed from play, though it might cause harm and hurt. Unfortunately, it is not that simple when a much larger needle is present.

There are many such troubles and needles in the world today, unfortunately with many here or originating here, in the United States, affecting us both internally and externally. When a president stands there boasting of money forced in payment to us from other nations, there is a very obvious needle at play. It is piracy, blackmail, whatever term you so desire, but that is the truth. Other than in size, there is no difference between that policy and the Barbary Pirates or the modern-day Somalian pirates. There is something very wrong about that, no basic difference, and bodes no good for the future, if any, of this embattled world of ours. 

 Blackmail. Pure and simple. In theory, in intent, in results, in principle. No different from the gangs demanding payment from storekeepers for "protection". Surely a huge box of needles speaking of loss of soul, of proper principles of life, and it all drips down and rolls back up again, replaying itself, reburying the needles. Second verse, same as the first. Again, and again and again.

Yet another box of huge extremely sharp needles needful of discovery, digging out and neutralization has invaded our lands and in fact the lands of an already blood-soaked Europe, of millennia duration. We have not learned a thing, and still, today, continue to try to refute, but fail to do so, the warning of Pastor Niemöller who warned the world re the persistence of these needles leaking hate and poison, for once the Jews were done, "there was no one left to speak for me".  Nor for any of the world, ever, for all are targets of these toxic needles. 

I must confess that for the first time in my life I am afraid. Despite all the history I've studied, despite all the literature read, despite the facts I always knew, of the powers of this malicious side of humanity, despite my pilgrimage to the sites of barbarity and to the former homes of my slaughtered relatives, I thought-hoped- we had learned a lesson. Evidently, I was wrong. 

Now, well, now it takes a deep breath of exhalation of the fear and a deep inhalation of courage to walk into the airport with a shirt of pro-Israel slogan or anti murderers or have my necklace of charms of Judaic context, visibly and proudly worn. To be the target of crude remarks and gestures, and I fear, not so much for me, but for the generations to come. 

But what I, and all of us, must understand and know, very deeply know, that there is a difference today. The attitudes towards our haters and their needles, the ones they continuously sow and reap, are different. We know the truth and their hate. The cut of their words. Their sword which connects the two.  We know that we must resist this ugliness in every which way, manner, form, every facet to be addressed, to be confronted, trashed, buried forever, so deep they will defy discovery and will for eternity remain dormant.    

Active confrontation, even combat, if necessary, must be waged against all the rusted, poisonous needles of mankind and its history If we do not, we are only guaranteeing their return, their rediscovery by those who would use them to regenerate all the ills and troubles of the world. To the detriment of all. We must be proactive. We must dig for those needles. Bear the pain of the stings they inflict upon the diggers, for they could deliver far worse if we abandon our duty, our "must do", if we are to negate any opportunity of a return of such barbarity, of inhumanity beyond words of proper weight to describe.  

At present, I am sad, horrified to say, we are fighting an apparently losing battle. We must do more, educate better, be proactive, and find and neutralize those damned needles. Understand that the demonization of immigrants is merely the continued demonization of any so deemed "others” so perceived, presented to the public at large, are to be the designated targets of hate. There is no difference - we were all immigrants. 

I think that what raises the most fear in me is the similarity of what happened in Germany, Italy, Hungary, basically most nations of the world, to what is happening now in this nation facing the demands and mad desires of a wannabe dictator, senile and demented as he is, as our democracy teeters under attack, especially from those within  consuming us even as our outside enemies grow stronger, angrier, more defiant. 

How many more wounds must we suffer? Are there any left among us who can resist the bloody freedom of hatred let loose? Bold enough to know that which we must do. Of courage to do so? 

Will we?

Will you?

Will I?

Many of our yesterdays we were able to do so. 

Our todays were all the better for that.

Our Tomorrows looked even better.

Until ......

Well, you can fill in the blank(s).

NO POST TODAY

 DUE TO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, THERE WILL NOT BE A POSTING TODAY. SEE YOU ON WEDNESDAY

SELL BY DATES

  Once upon a time shopping was a whole lot easier than it is today. You went to the shelves to pick up what you needed or wanted, (not necessarily the same), put it in your wagon and paid for it. Today, standing by any chosen item, one can begin to think that there is either a requirement or a custom to do this: pick up item, preferably from the back of the lot, gaze at sides, bottom and top, replace and redo with another of the item, shake head and pick up one's choice. What is this custom?

It is a sell by date comparison. It is a shopper's awareness that the fresher ones will be put in the back, hoping that people will simply come by and pick up one closest. I suppose it works often enough for the practice to be continued but those of us of a certain age can easily recall the time when sell by dates were non-existent and we had one less criterion over which we obsessed. Yet we survived. Today one can find these dates on practically everything from soup to nuts, edible and non-edible, and most mind boggling, on items which have no deterioration over time.  Yet there are those dates, front and center. The sad thing is how we buy into that and pursue that which need not be pursued. In so doing we fritter away time and effort where they are wasted rather than where there is desperate need of such input. And then we wonder why a project is late and/or of secondary quality. 

 Without a need to be cruel, sell by date usage and functioning can be applied to human beings if done properly. We wonder why, when there are so many ways in which we can differentiate the ability of one to carry out one's responsibilities without demeaning the one being evaluated.  Using such a system would allow for continued productive contributions from most, as misplacement due to physical demands or age restrictions or experience necessity would be halted. Each person would feel and work better when talents and abilities are   suitably matched. A person would not feel discarded, but rather valued and the atmosphere of the workplace and the morale of workers within would much improve and a happy comfortable workplace is conducive to more productivity and willingness to work in tandem, rather than in competition.

Some positions require knowledge, ability and desire to use tht knowledge to contribute to others, to help people, to make techniques easier to use, or to carry out and carry on. To make use of the experience, the knowledge, the insights of one's life's work, highlighting top of the line contributive value rather than emphasizing one weakened. Age, physical stamina, experience, ability and willingness to give over the benefits of one's experiences to one more capable at this moment to fulfill all necessities. 

Use rather than, discard. Value rather than demean. Thrifty rather than wasteful. Know and acknowledge sell by dates but also the longevity and flexibility of others. 

Now sit back and review your life, your experience in the workplace and in various organizations. Who, when and where could have benefited from the evaluation and the application of sell by the dates of ability to fulfill a position to the best of one's capability, to fit the needs of the entity and to allow for flexibility and transfer of knowledge to others without discarding all the positive that remains, all the too valuable to lose and so difficult to rebuild.

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

  All with much to contribute. With much to build upon, all with the provision of hope.

Maybe one day to be appreciated.

                

WHO'D A THUNK?

Who'd a thunk that today, in 2025, after years of growing awareness that there is just something, many somethings wrong, with that guy in the White House, that we can still, so easily, disconnect with reality. That we can still manage to unlink our connection to independent thought and evidence and instead adhere to the idea of controlled and repressed thinking. 

From a democratic nation to one-man authoritarian rule. That we would actually again submit to “rule" of this nation by one who has not been elected, nore was ever in position to be so chosen. It is when the president becomes visibly and/or mentally incapable of leading this nation and those duties and responsibilities are assumed by the partner. In American history it is the female hostess or First Lady of the land, who does this. Woodrow Wilson. Ronald Reagan. Joe Biden? Melania, (not even a citizen by birthright(!) and I believe there were one or two more in the same situation. In some cases, it was a well-known but denied and ignored situation while in others it was accepted as such, particularly in those administrations where the Cabinet members took over the rule and made the decisions. Not a great situation, no matter where one looks. 

We are at present right in the midst of such a problematic administration. While the eyes of the nation have been opening slowly, finally seeing what we, those of us who have seen the truth for ever so long, that we now have as our practically speaking president, a foreign-born woman whose loyalty to this nation is untested. So well indeed have we accepted her that she was emboldened enough to answer her poor befuddled husband's question. "What did she say? Even as she clued him in as to that answer, she cannot do that for what follows, for the inanities, the absurdities, the rambling round the merry go round responses that emit from his beleaguered severely misfunctioning brain. 

His henchman in the cabinet and the leadership of the Republican Party and in the houses of Congress have glommed onto this opportunity. All the while they pass off these extremely dangerous moronic proposals of policy and Constitution challenging Executive Orders, as his. But they do not always cone from his befuddled and overtaxed mind but actually from theirs, and not a great difference between them. In public, they continue their behavior as Craven Toads and take major hits to their dignity but actually they may be the ones controlling of the mighty powers that remain to us. That, my friends, that is an extremely frightening proposition, a scenario of reality which I am too afraid is actually true, and well along its way on this one-way road to Perdition. 

If we do not all wake up and smell the coffee, see the truth, read between the lines, evaluate current reality and understand what is happening and what it portends for the future, well, perhaps we need, all of us, to get on some new Mayflower and find some new land and rebuild from scratch. If you continue to deny the truth, I suggest you do this before you jump ships.  Watch as many of his pathetic conferences or meetings with the dignitaries of other states and nations. 

Clock in on how they behave towards him. Are they spaced out or paying attention? Are their eyes elsewhere other than on his face, in absolute wonderment that this is the man with whom they are negotiating, this remnant of a once upon a time thinking human being. Analyze the faces of his members of the houses of Congress and of his cabinet and other appointees who suck up to him in public, smile and chuckle on command but speak to him in baby's tone and tempo Anyone who has been a parent or a coworker or a subordinate know this is how one talks to a child or to one incapable of understanding words of more than one syllable, or the context and consequences of it.

This is our current situation. It is not the first time that this has occurred and probably will not be the last. However, it is the first time that this nation has been in such as this one. One where all the evil energies converge and create a damaging synergy which we had better shed quickly or forever we will be forced to hold our piece. 

Yes, before you take up finger and type and say I am forgetting his current support of Israel, no, I am not. This is just about his only policy which I am hoping and praying and pleading and doing whatever I can to see that he follows and acts, not just talks.

 However, I am not only a supporter, a citizen, of America or Israel, but I'm also a citizen of the world, and as goes the world, so do we. Somehow, sometime, somewhere, and very soon, we must come to some kind of accommodation and understanding. At present, we are ceding our influence and our waning power to command and possible influence. Our grip on that wheel of the ship of state is becoming less controllable even as the wild shoals and sandbars grow in number and size. We have lost our maps to the safe channels through troublesome waters, and it is proving to be of great difficulty, if not impossible, to resurrect.

Once upon a time all those yesterdays ago, we had respect and dignity. As much as we always criticized our leaders, we always had faith in their loyalty to this nation. We had a trust in this leader that is missing today, glaringly so. Be the failure on purpose or by accident, it matters not.  He needs to be removed from positions where he might cause harm irreparable and then what? No. The answer is not to elect such a person, and if that grievous error is made, then to correct it as soon as possible and rectify any damage caused in the interim.

We have legal means enough to remove this man and any other such man or women who follow in his paths. Disenchant them of any mistaken visions they have of such being the truth. Do what is needed with care and wisdom and with appropriate speed. Any dilly dallying along the way will only lead to more troubles and woes, all become enmeshed together and even Alexander the Great will not be able to slice his sword through that Gordian Knot.    

Prevention is worth an ounce of care. The problem is that we have so many ounces of care weighing upon us that we must deal with consequences before we can even begin to get at those prevention rules. The sooner, the better.

It is a great time to start.

We have lost the time of  yesterday.

We are greatly challenged today.

But the true worry is for the tomorrows to come.

THERE COMES TIME

 The title statement is one applying to most things in life Fashion trends. Book favorites. Acceptable behavior or nonacceptable. All things reach that ending, sometimes naturally, sometimes not. At times it is welcome while at other times it is most unwelcome, but we all must learn to live with those endings. Many these endings actually give birth, an impetus to new ideas, spark new questions or approaches resulting in new invention or improvements in ones we have. Research into many areas is encouraged and theories on everything are studied and expanded upon. That is science That is what our best labs in universities and research hospitals and companies should be all about Unfortunately, that is not so.

Today we have ignoramuses. Today we have people who are afraid of moving forward for they are not even at the place we are at today, but have fallen way, way behind These are the ignorant ones of anti vaxxer belief. These are the one who refuse to admit that the United States needs fresh blood, fresh brains, fresh thinking, fresh ideas. That is called immigrants Those immigrants are also called upon, and most necessary, to work in the fields of construction and tourism, hospitality and agriculture, to educate their children and see them contribute to society.

 However, once again, we are shooting ourselves in our feet by chasing them out. Stop. No, not chasing, but throwing and first imprisoning in most inhumane conditions. Families are ripped apart. A full planeload of only children is to be dumped in some strange country. Why does this country agree to this? Because Trump has threatened them with dire consequences if they refuse oblige him in this policy.   

 These types of behavior are of sheer ignorance and approaches points and charges of illegality and brutality. That's the question so, why the hell are we doing this? I have spoken out about this till my face turns blue in the face and I get the same answers and mind you - these are not my answers. These are people who are criminals or drug ridden, infested with the worst germs ever. Are after our money, our homes, our children. I want to show this out and down money our homes. This is most unfortunately, quite reminiscent, quite mirroring of the same attitudes that the Nazis held out and urged people to adopt and act upon. Frankly, I see no air visible between them, other than the fact that they have not yet approached that level and built openly acknowledged concentration camps with methodology of slaughter and murder and extermination. Give it time.

How have we forgotten the origin and the development of this nation? How have we forgotten our civics courses where we discussed the ethos of our nation and its proper course of development, including errors that it made? How have we forgotten the times when it opened its doors and gates to those in desperate need and how many times have we forgotten and beaten mea culpa   when we shut those gates in their faces?     

 How have we forgotten that we are immigrants? All of us, and if not this generation than the one before, the one before that. How have forgotten that? I ask all of you out there which generation in your family came as immigrants. And yes, I know you're going to tell me they worked hard. But most do and want the same - opportunity to make their dreams come true. Why do we think it our obligation, our right to deny this dream? Criminal - then yes, deport, but if not, make them welcome and invite them to partake in this wonderful American dream.   

All this hatred, all this animosity all this determination to hold all in the world deeply and closely to our bodies, refusing to share its bounties, Might consequently actually be harming ourselves as we shut down the doorway to the new which might actually benefit us. If someone can actually explain this to me, truthful data, I would do my best to believe, but for the life of me there is no truth here. There is only hate There is only animosity. There is only contempt. And there is a total forgetfulness in the minds of all, that pursuit and persecution eventually devolve upon everyone for Each group is fed upon in its turn and when one group is done this viral slithering hate moves to the next available group. No exemptions, no pity, no escape.  When one group is done, it merely advances its slithery slimy onto the next available meal. Yum, yum!

All the yesterdays of mankind. All of the todays built upon those yesterdays, with optimism for them and for the tomorrows - we have got to choose and quickly. The time is of finite duration.

SO. IS HE? IF SO, WHAT ELSE IS NEW? HO HUM...ZZZZZZZ

  Really? Truly? Is that the case? If so, it's all old news, for anyone with the modicum of honesty and intelligent thoughts, willing to believe what he knows is true, rather than deny it for convenience's sake, knew way back in the run for 2016, even before that, the man was nuts! Nuts in his extreme behavior, in his wording and ideas and certainly damage to intelligence blaring from his weird writing. Not to forget his imbecilic smirks and perpetual prissy mouth moue. 

All one had to do was take all of this together, one nice, neat weighed together package and the clear picture was seen. All of what he said. All of the lies he sent forth and all the contradictions he employed in order to make his way into the Oval Office. His weird posture and hair habits. His clumsy walk and body build. The very strange and illiterate writing.  The constant occasions when either reading a pre-written speech, or his wild pony rides off the path laid down before him, when he segues into long passages of totally disconnected, discombobulated rantings and ravings. 

To tell the truth it was and actually is, even more so as we have seen him double down on his insanity, in his second term in office. It was frightening enough to see a candidate in the throes of growing dementia; How much more frightening when that same weirdo is the actual elected one in the Oval Office? When that lacking person stands before the nation he supposedly leads and the nations of the Western world where he is also presumed to be a leader, the world stands aghast and realizes its survival is at a duel at noon level. Oy!! It is enough to induce insanity, great confusion even within an eminently sane and sensible person, let alone to exacerbate the already cooking and boiling insanity and present insanity within that degenerating mind.

 Even the most powerful truth avoiding mind must see the actuality, the sad reality. The danger ever growing until one day, most probably soon, the possessor of said muddied mind does something unable to be reversed or even ameliorated in some degree. The physical outward symptoms are clear as is the insane obsession with his hair, changing hairstyles, dying it, as if it obscures the truth of his dangerous deficiencies of his age.  Shuffling feet, awkward walk, clearly off balance. Bloated body. Swollen hands and feet. Body held at odd angle, severe bending over to the side to hear the voice addressed to him at conferences. Now we have his very raspy, hoarse voice and he continues to veer off topic, and lose his temper when displeased.

He needs to be constantly reinforced as to popularity and adoration by the people. - even as the polls prove that ever so wrong. Nor can he keep track of what he says, of his activities and scolds all those he deems responsible when caught in his own contradictions, and please, not to forget his constant audience who stand behind him and smile and grin on demand or who actually drop their work, as much as it is, to stand before him for an entire afternoon, their job to be front and center to praise him and smile for him. To remind him how great he is.  Ugh! All creeps and dangerous incompetents to the worst degree possible. 

Moreover, he is deeper into dementia than Biden eve was and at least there were some intelligent people in that group. Here all we have are undesirable, indigestible brownnosers possessed of errant and weird theories such as RFK Junior spouts forth. Or economists who have no clue as to what this field is and how to work it, how to make it safe for the nation. Et alia for all the more that can be said here.   

Most frightening is the way that this nation has lost its ways, its moral basis, forgotten its foundations, the principles which gave rise to the first true democracy of the world. We have lost our pride. And we have lost the respect from the other nations of the world as we do not remain true to who and what we are supposed to be. We have shed the nobility of our purpose on this earth. There is a deep loss of quality and caliber of so-called public servants as they aim to attain and amass power, who serve only themselves and their master, currently Trump. 

He is the one who wishes to turn this nation from democracy to authoritarian government and is well on the way to achieving that goal. He despises all who oppose him. He plots revenge and worse upon them. At present, he is held back only through a judiciary which is standing on its rights and its powers given to them by the Constitution, but the question remains, how long can they withstand all that he throws against them as he continues to load the decks with puppets who do his bidding. 

Under his rule, there is blatant disregard for laws. There is corruption within the government. There is imposition of federal forces upon cities and state. There are many outrageous actions taking place as he has written so many edicts, Executive Orders, an insane number of them, demands of a dictator wannabe, all of which contain nothing that bodes good for the populace. He has donned a deep enveloping cloak of inhumanity, of disrespect and disregard of the rights of people and how they should be treated. He deliberately has forgotten the dream of America and subverted it to a nightmare grown beyond all possible acceptability.  Into a deterioration clearly ugly, filthy in its activations and declarations and motivations.

In fact, there is only one area in which he has retained some connection to sanity and to righteousness of cause. He supports Israel, or claims he does, even as he takes credit upon himself for things that happen, not only by his power alone. But the question remains; the man is mercurial and his swapping of opinions and changing of minds is too often there and in play. How long till his already increasing impatience goes beyond his accepting of it and he turns? I sincerely hope not, but his trustworthiness is more apparent in its absence than in its presence. I hope that he continues on this at least one path of correct activity and opinion and support of a constantly embattled nation whose people are targets of hate throughout the millennia of the world.  I wish I were more confident that he is even capable of doing so, so deep in the throes of a growing dementia that he is.

Yesterday we had frightening times.

Today they persist in remaining.

As for tomorrow, we can only hope and pray and watch and act very carefully. 

And trust in the Lord, our G-d and His promise to us - of a homeland of our own.

Forever. 

AND THE MISBEAT GOES ON AND ON

  When I woke up this morning, I was not clear as to my exact location. It did not look like Florida nor like the plane we have been traveling in since it felt time forever and more. Nor was it one of my children's homes and so where in the name of Dickens are we? Prying my eyes open a bit more I confirm the place, giving me great happiness as well as a great big moan for it equaled up to one place both timely and welcome as well as back ache warning. All the unpacking!! 

Just then I heard confirmation as the sweet sounds of the shofar blown each and every morning in the month of Elul. Heart and soul hear the call to prayer, to atone for violations of the past year, to repent and ask for mercy and forgiveness from   Hashem and all whom we have offended during that time. How blessed it is to hear that sound every morning as those notes come wafting through my window. In the land given unto the people of Abraham, to my people all those millennia ago.    Music in my ears along with the sounds of children playing outside and the banging of hammers as indeed, 'shavu banim ligvulam' - your children have returned to their land. In which we lived, which we visited, the same land for which we prayed, the nation which provided haven for Jewish refugees, those persecuted, and those who returned in full free choice, for each one knows the call of the heart, the State of Israel. The land we have been called upon year after year to defend, for survival and for rescue of those held captive in a death in life in the caves and cells of the enemy.

We have also been called to defend ourselves politically in an extremely hostile political world. Organizations such as the United Nations and all of its subordinate branches also incorporate within their very souls an antagonism, even hatred of Israel and of Jews in general. It has supported physically, emotionally, financially and militarily those who fought against Israel, those who hate Israel, those whose final goal in life is to destroy that nation, it's people within and the related population in all the nations of the globe.

There was no shame among them as at one and the same time they claim those borders in totality, with   Jewish citizens able to remain - under their Sharia rules - and at other times they admit their true desire to be Judenrein, not a Jew to be had within those borders. Not within Israel as it was nor even among the living in the world at large, admitted by a leader of this cause, who stated clearly that "our war is not against Israelis but against all Jews."

Worst of all is when they are aided and abetted by the Anti-Semitic leaders of both the West and the East who've decided to join in the chorus of hate and shed their flimsy outer coating hiding their anti -semitic beliefs - France, England, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, country after country barely one hesitating to join that ugly choir of hate, that modern, open revelation as alive and quite well,  that this ancient and evil hatred has never been truly forsworn nor defeated, not desired to be so. 

Israel has been held to an unlivable standard of behavior, impossible to achieve, yet demanded so of Israel. They are to relinquish any formation, any format of self-defense as any other nation would have it. Lives taken by the soldiers of Israel is verboten, as Israel must fight a war where none of their enemies fall - so demanded and so criticized when naturally it does not take place. It cannot.

 The enemies themselves are violating all the rules of warfare, even as they receive the sympathy of the world once it is clear that Israel has overcome their forces, on the way to yet another victory in another war forced upon them, this one in a most vicious and war rule violating as ever has occurred, attempting to achieve Hitlerian depth of ugliness and barbarity. Even as those who invaded Israel claim justification and victimhood, and gin up false numbers and statistics and states of life that never were, and the world believes, full immersion into their falsehoods.   

Furthermore, the very fate of Israel is glommed onto by a world which hates it. France and Saudi Arabia are initiating a conference in New York State of all places, where they will discuss the solution of a two states existence in Palestine and guess who has no presence, no voice there? This has been happening for almost two years as nations other than Israel discuss its state and its dismemberment.

This cannot continue, and yet no one moves to admit that fact and instead moves on with scoldings and lectures and beliefs of impossible to believe lies. It is a condition which can not much longer exist for it is brutal and problematic as ever and unless a fair and eqitable solution with full acknowledgement of the right of Israel to exist, its legitimacy, its true nationhood, even as attested to within the political world by the Balfour Declaration (hello, England) and the United Nations - yes, that very same organization-then neither will there be a Palestine for Israel will not, cannot write itself off.

It did not do so - neither yesterday nor today. 

It will certainly not do so for the tomorrows to come.

Never. 

NEVER!

 

WHO, WHAT, HOW ARE WE? WHAT MAKES US TICK?

  And so, to continue the saga, to help one and all understand who the Jews are, what makes up our substance, what drives us, what is important to us and why is that so - to understand all that you have to take a step back from yesterday's posting. Only then can one begin to understand what those answers are and why.

We must return to the time of the Romans, the people who destroyed our second Temple, who exiled us from our homeland, who mistakenly thought they had for once and for all defeated that pesky little nation state and the people within who held off that Empire for years. Their greatest treasures were taken by Rome, and some remain  allegedly within the depths of the Vatican. Much of the population were led off into slavery, yet many remained, The simpler people, the ones who did not cause fear to Romans for they had no power, no wealth, no possibility of rebellion and would probably be destroyed by the harsh conditions of their land.  

Foolish thinking, and  history has proven so, that, despite all the oppression and persecution and bias and repression and suppression, the Judeans remaining in their conquered land remained for centuries, were joined by others, welcomed those who throughout the millennia made religious journeys to their Holy Land.  The Jews scattered around the world in Diaspora, Galut, determined to survive and not merely barely, but to build families, communities, to remain true to their faith, their G-d, to trust in His Promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to all their descendants - a homeland of their own, in perpetuity. All the while they struggled to live, even prosper, a very difficult thing to do within the strictures placed upon those of Jewish origin, but they did. Invited in by rulers who knew that Jews increased the profitability of any nation in which they resided, who lent the ruling authorities gold coin, these same rulers refused to repay and exiled the very same ones who had saved them in time of need. France, England, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and on and on, throughout the centuries, it mattered not. Used as practice targets for swords during the Crusades or burned at stakes as heretics or in the Tower of York in England, or accused of treachery as was Dreyfus, or accused of blood libel, as were many, including Mendel Beilis, accused of economic malfeasance and lack of morality, as depraved less than human creatures, and finally, the most powerful attempt to totally extinguish their light via the Holocaust. 

Ironic, as Jews were the ones who introduced a system based on morality and truth, who elevated the necessity to chase justice, vigorously, to aid the needy and the poor, to welcome the stranger in the midst, who defined the traits of a good ruler, who set up a system of justice complete with compassion and responsibility. Even when exiled from a land into which they been invited, their invitations rescinded or made null and void, and restrictions placed again upon them - forbidden to own land, to follow certain professions, survive we did, and many times were able to educate the children as well. If the world has any complaints about why it is that they were known for lending money to kings and rulers, it is because that was the only profession in many countries they were allowed to pursue.   

 When able to, the Jewish people sought better places. Made their our way to nations where   citizenship was granted, where efforts and industry were appreciated. Hard work, educating the children, and contribution to the nation. However, all the while, loyal to adopted nations and serving in their armed forces, always there was a chill down the spine, a hunching of shoulders in tension as to when the next axe would fall, for so history has taught us. Nasty remarks, employment and education quotas - it took decades and decades to erode, to overcome this and we now see that those moments, those experiences of unease, are there, remaining directed at us, for us. Simply take a look around and see what we see, hear what we hear. Know what we know

Back to the Romans. Contrary to their thinking, the Jewish people remained attached to their homeland. No matter where they were in the diaspora their prayers were in the direction of that homeland Wishes to return remained for the millennia. Many returned from the barren threatening lands of Europe and turned to rebuilding their homeland where they could work hard and prosper and where they could follow injunctions to defend themselves against those who would refuse their homeland to them, to fight within the rules of God but to know that fight for survival was of utmost importance. a ninthenameof survival. 

Unfortunately, the armed forces of Israel have Been held to a double standard fight but do not wound or kill anyone No destruction of any property or infrastructure no matter what is being hidden inside or beneath support the "civilians” of the enemy and never mind the fact that many are not so. No collateral damage at all allowed despite the fact that most of the fighters are embedded among their own civilians. The responsibility for their deaths falls upon the shoulders of those who enable that zone of safety.   

Throughout history. We have often been warred upon but have laid down roots, shoulders to the wheel, noses to the grindstone and worked hard, and took care of their own and always followed a dream where they would be free, respected. Time and time again the Jewish nation pulled themselves up, stood straight and tall, with faith in their Lord, that the promise would be kept. To be returned to that homeland, to live within, to build it up, to defend it, and to be free from hate and violence.  For millennia we waited, patient but determined and we made the land of desert and swamp into a thriving nation replete with contributions to the world, even as it took in the persecuted Jews from nations round the world, as Jews of all nations returned home. A homeland as all other nations desired and had or fought for.  

Through all the millennia the Jewish people have learned that there was no one better than themselves to themselves There is no one else who will fight to the last rock left to throw at the enemy? Other than themselves there is no one better to build their pride, to know that they are the descendants of brave and determined people and will be true to their heritage. and their responsibility to defend themselves, to be responsible for themselves no matter how hard, no matter how long.

Now, 2025 almost two years exactly from the heinous massacre of women, of children, of mass rape, of starvation, a revival of Holocaust conditions with hostages still remaining barely hanging on, with all our offers, with all our righteous demands, Hamas plays dangerous games even as the  world revives the oldest hate  - JewHatred.  

Even as we approach that two-year anniversary, we will remain strong and we will remember who we are: one nation, one people. No matter how much arguing, how much we air our disagreements to others we are one. 

We are Amcha - your nation, my nation.

The password of recognition during the Holocaust.

  Today we all need to remember Amcha.

The yesterdays and todays unfortunately have begun to resemble each other. But we will refuse to allow that to shatter the optimism of our tomorrows.

Read the history of which I have omitted much. It tells the truth.

Please note there will be no posting tomorrow, as flight again. I will return on Wednesday.

Stay safe, stay true.

AND SO IT GOES

 Thank you, Rabbi Billet, for inserting the short but unfortunately true pasuk reminding us, warning us that our worst enemies will come from within, vipers within the nest. Unfortunately, this has been true Since the beginning of time One can cite the incident of Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers, to the Arev Ra of the time of exodus. To Israelites and/or Jews who cooperated with our enemies to further their own situation. Converts to other religions who spoke ill and with great lies of their former neighbors and friends and family. Ghetto police and Jewish Kapos. Ancient Israelites who helped our enemies find ways to get into Jerusalem, destroy our Temples and exile our people from our homeland.

We have had Jews from right to extreme left outspoken against the resurrection of our homeland for religious reasons, for selfish reasons and through a fog of misunderstanding, and ignorance of history, Our history, your history, ours forever. These days, we find you immersed within, swallowed up or displayed in the front lines of people protesting the fight of Israel to survive, to defend its citizens, to create a peaceful and prosperous Middle East. You stand there and chant for your death, for the death of your families, for the death of each and every Jew upon the face of this earth. With your grossly erroneous behavior nations now feel free to tear off the fragile curtains behind which they hid their antisemitism. Now look around and see what you have done. Yes, you, perhaps mistakenly thinking you were doing the right thing, but so manifestly the wrong, and it is time for you to understand exactly what you have done.

Praised the slaughter of innocents of October 7 and before and after and ever ongoing. You have colluded with our enemies to starve and torture our own; look at the pictures of our Holocaust survivors of today and know that this is what you have done. Watch the family and the video of October 7, the two young boys seeing parents killed before their eyes, pleading for their lives and begging, shouting, they wanted to go home. See and understand what you have done and continue to do. You have turned in your dangerous misthinking and actions against the very nation which watches over you and all of us round the world, a haven over the years for persecuted Jews.

Others who know better have equally taken the wrong road. The recent letter of purportedly Modern Orthodox Rabbis condemning Israel using the words of our enemies, who would cheerfully and viciously see you and yours dead - Chilul Hashem to the nth degree. You have failed your congregations. You have failed the classes you teach, be they child or adult. You have failed your people, and you are among those false leaders in our history who did us massive, major harm. For sure there are major bones to pick with you. But I also do have a bone to pick with Michael for his comments about modern orthodox. Claiming they're lacking a great deal, bringing them down to a level of not being good Jews in observance and feeling, even perhaps one can interpolate the comments to the point of accusation of not worshipping their Lord properly with the correct mindset.

This dangerously supports the condemnation that we, as Jews, are facing today, and in particular, that the Modern Orthodox are facing today. First we have lost our own sense and definition of what it means to be modern orthodox, even and especially modern orthodox of my time, those who sang joyfully in the synagogue, where women attended synagogue every Shabbat and brought the children with them from infants in arms to pre bar mitzvah, unless the children had already gone with their father. Judaism and worship are and always have been and are meant to be a family activity where children are welcomed to learn of the joy, of the obligations, of all that it means to be Jewish, and to join in the post prayer mingling, to be of the Jewish community. These Modern Orthodox are those who delighted in observing the rituals, those who shared with their friends the joy of the keeping of the mitzvot.

That joy is missing in many of those calling themselves Modern Orthodox today, for there is less joy, almost no singing, children are almost deemed contraband, interfering with the prayers, even as the minyans, the group of worshippers these days often praise the faster one, even on the Shabbat, the special day of rest and worship. Today's modern orthodox unfortunately have begun to copy customs and rules and regulations, adopt practices, which actually have nothing to do with religion and the joys of the holiday. Observances have become too often matters of display sending wrong lessons down the line.

Those who refuse to follow that path and who try to remain as such are denigrated by those of other sects of Judaism, from yeshivish to Chassidic and back again all the way to the barely there Jew. Told they are doing too much or too little and then feeling guilty and so small, insufficient and incorrect in their observance of Judaism. And they begin to believe what they are being told. I believe that we would all be better off if we all minded our own business, do what you believe and let others do as they believe. It should be a live and let live without harm and leave all consequences, if any, to the final Judge of all.

We, all of us, from Chasid to Humanist Jew, have forgotten what it means to be a Jew. The joy and the responsibilities, the ancient long and proud history, the deep, sincere and true knowledge that we have an eternal homeland and the injunction upon us to fight the wars we must, to defend ourselves and to defeat the enemy. At times of crisis there is an injunction upon us to defeat the enemy to the last one and when we do not follow that injunction we are asking for trouble in the future. We did not listen to that command when we fought Amalek and that one survivor brought forth upon the Jewish nation horror, hate, death and destruction in every generation.

We are Jews. First, last and always, no matter what disguise we don, no matter where we live, always, no matter our accomplishments and contributions. If one forgets that fact he will surely be reminded by others. The rabbis are incorrect in their opinion, misquoting or ignoring complete injunctions Equally as many rabbis as bright, equally as erudite, can come up with all of the verses within the entire Bible, the Tanach, and refute their erroneous letter. Yes, welcome the stranger within their midst but not to welcome their enemies, not to make their enemies feel at home. Give charity, help those in need, of all denominations and ethnicity, walk in the ways of the Lord but not to commit suicide by strengthening the enemy or by ignorance of the necessity to fight all those who wish to have us gone - forever. Peace - yes but after the victory.

So it was yesterday; so it is today; let us hope it is not so tomorrow.

Am echad, Lev echad.

Hinei mah tov oohma'naim,

shevet achim gam yachad.

SO. IF...

  Yesterday I was asked a question based on the posting I did. It was thus, so if I am so questioning of war and why it happens, and seemingly so confident in the possibility of ending it, then why am I not saying the same about the war in the Middle East between Israel and the numerous Arab/Moslem nations there? Why can this war not be fixed, resolved, all the underlying issues taken into account? 

The crux of the matter is that is not a war like other wars. There have been other wars of long duration: The Hundred Years War, The Seven Years War, The Cousin's War, World War II from its official inception and even its prologue. Civil wars within many nations, including ours, also lasted through multiple years. In some cases, the causative issues have not yet been resolved, including right here in the good old USA. 

But the war in the Middle East is different. It is a war that began multiple millennia ago, when the Lord Above spoke to Abraham, the first Jew, and promised him and his descendants the Promised Land, the entirety of the land then called Canaan, to be the new homeland of His people, the Jewish nation. Forever. This is the same G-d of the Christian religions and the Muslim sects, whom they call Allah, the first two letters meaning the same - Above, incorporating the belief that G-d was above all. Both of those religions derived from or were born from the original one - Judaism.

 Abraham was then told by G-d to leave his homeland, the land of his forefathers and go to the Promised Land. Thus began a long, long journey of thousands and thousands of years. Many times, for various reasons, the majority of Jews were exiled from that land but always and forever they returned. There was never a time when two things were not true. The first is that there were always Jews residing in Israel. Always. The second is that Jews never abandoned Israel as their promised homeland, no matter how well settled in and loyal to the lands they were in which they sheltered. Always incorporated in their prayers was a desire to return. Always they prayed in the direction of that land, their homeland and in the darkness and the hell of the Holocaust in a secret synagogue they prayed to return to Zion. In the massacres and expulsions from lands of the Diaspora, their prayers remained the same.

Christians and Muslims then took the upon themselves the claim that the land was their promised land and for hundreds of years, they fought over that belief even as they knew that it was not so. It had been promised to another nation, so stated in the same Holy Book they all venerated. That original nation had no objection to their presence, to their habitation within the land, as long as the truth was always first and foremost: the land of the Israelites by word of G-d. 

Over the centuries many Jews made the holy trek to the site of the two temples, built and rebuilt on the same site of the near sacrifice of Isaac, the main sanctuary of Israel, the Mishkon, before the building of the Temples. The site of the Holy of Holies only to be entered after long and careful preparation by the Highest Priest of the land and there to commune with the Lord.    

Thousands upon thousands of archeological relics prove the presence of the Jewish nation in this land. That we built the temples. That we always were in the land. No matter how hard the Christians denied it. Or claimed we did not deserve it as we refused conversion to Christianity, and as the Moslems felt the same way. No matter how many of those pieces of evidence were and are crushed, discarded, as the Muslims continue illegal, immoral digging and discarding in the depths of their mosque, as they profane its holiness by bringing in weapons and set up ambushes from within, dishonoring the site of supreme holiness belonging to the nation of this land.  

The Jewish nation. 

The People of the Book.

The Nation of the Promised Land.

Ours yesterday-

Ours today.

Ours tomorrow.

Ours for all days to come.

So said the Lord.

So promised the Lord.

So continues the Lord to say.

 The next posting will continue to develop the reasons why there is a difference between this war and the other wars of humanity.

 

APPARENTLY

 Apparently, we have all forgotten how to break things down into parts and pieces so that we can understand the causality, the motivations, the outcomes, the issues, and the possible solutions that could stand the test of time and sense and reality. This is extremely clear when one delves into situations within the world which can possibly set off inadvertent consequences greatly hostile to a safe and secure world. 

Worse is when these consequences are meant to happen even as the instigator dons a cloak of surprise and regret - though never enough as to ameliorate the matter and bring it to a safe and mutually satisfactory conclusion which will lead to a permanent peace. This situation most often occurs when biases interfere with logical and fair thinking and a lack of understanding of the causalities and the truths of the matter. What develops then is a situation which defies resolution and the bloodshed continues without any visible paths to the end. 

There are many such situations round our small globe which defy any and all attempts to resolve the issues. The causalities are many and deep: clan and religious conflicts, apparent insults to honor, the taking of revenge, greed for land, ambition for more wealth and power, desire to return to a "better"   time, tribal differences and so many more, as many as can be ginned up by a willing advocate of war.

War can be beneficial to a nation, to its ruling class, to a politician looking to deflect blame, or one looking to climb the rungs to power. It can be for need of a suddenly precious mineral or access to a shipping lane. It can be for reasons unfathomable or buried so deep in the past that it cannot be found nor understood. War can arise when we ignore history or pick and choose pieces of history which support our points and ignore any which would prove hostile to it and then refuse to end the matter. To concede defeat is out of question and thus on the bloody matter goes. And on and on. 

Areas and regions of conflict can all be exacerbated to the point where the opposing sides are so confused and apparently it is beyond their ability to find a resolution; hence on it goes and it feeds upon itself. Those who see personal and national benefit in its continuation manage to keep it going. Unresolvable, it just gets worse and worse and drags more and more people into it. Each new character entering the stage generally does nothing to the benefit but rather adds to the harm and the exacerbation and confusion and makes resolution even more difficult.

With some effort we could solve some of the decades long, ongoing issues - Somalia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia, Armenia, Georgia, Pakistan, India, Philippines etc. for the guidelines are there. The wishes, the hopes are clear and justice can be found. For that to happen there must be compromise, at times, difficult, even painful, but it is certainly better than a constant war, a constant shedding of blood, a constant lack of a future for so many. 

However, there are conflicts which seem to defy all matter and manner of compromise and resolution. Too many within those difficult conflicts have no honesty in their words or intents and desire the whole rather than finding some hidden pathway to mutual satisfaction and a permanent realistic path to where wars will not be a seemingly natural occurrence every few years, and where peace will be possible, not merely a holding place till war seems beneficial to the instigator. 

China and Tibet. Russia and Ukraine. Multiple Arab and Moslem nations and Isreal. Turkey and Greece. These are areas where peace never breaks out in any permanent manifestation The aggressors are clear. The violations and denials of history are clear. Yet the world does not see through the fog and larger and more powerful entities enter the fray, claiming to have the answers, the key and yet all they do is exacerbate the situation. They add to this boiling pot of troubles their own personal issues, rubbing the sore spots and aggravating all the irritations already there. 

These areas become proxy wars for these powers testing themselves against each other, trying to prove to the world who should be the boss. They become testing grounds for new military equipment so much better at killing people. Any cessation of conflict is destined to be temporary for these powers need to flex their muscles, to be top dog, the alpha of the world.  They shout at each other and the world flinches and reacts. These reactions are often based on the thinking of the times, by which hands hold the reins of power and by the trends of thought sweeping the globe. 

The dogs of war are constantly unleashed, and the Horsemen of the Apocalypse are riding fast, the hooves of their steeds pounding the ground beneath, ever closer, louder, powerfully. The venom of hatred rises, ever more intense and toxic with no antidote available nor any on its way. 

Unfortunately, millions of people are caught up in these situations and are too often left to their own devices to figure out how to survive. Survival on its very basic level. Food to keep body and soul together. Access to clean water. Some kind of shelter from the elements. Dreams of a future for themselves or their children discarded, unrealistic.  Aid from those nations which can afford to send aid, who should send, is almost spastic in flow. Political affairs within those countries affect its flow. Even if actually getting to these countries, rebels or terrorists within often gain control of it, keep it for themselves or sell it on the black market. Medical aid is also severely restricted, insufficient even at the most basic level, nor necessarily what is most needed.  

Wars and areas of conflict, full blown or small, simmering away, are growing exponentially. Simply pay attention to the news, listen to the claimed issues and not understand why we cannot find another way to resolve matters, why we cannot learn to share our finite resources and lands, why we cannot work together to build rather than destroy.

Why can we not use the wisdoms of yesterdays combined with the powers and possibilities of todays and build secure, peaceful, productive tomorrows?

Answers, anyone?

 

"IT'S ALL LOVE..."

 And ain't that just a perfectly beautiful statement Imagine, a world encased in a glove of love with a golden aura, a stunning halo surrounding the Earth. A beautiful role model for all the universes yet to be found and a worthwhile urged attempt to match the dreams of Lennon's Imagine". That is until one reads the addition to the statement and the halo tarnishes, proven to be fool's gold, and it crumbles into useless pieces of disappointment and despair. Oh, what is the second part? This: ...'it's all support for Palestine".

Now the whole thing just implodes as people ask the question: Where is love when violence is urged, when old, boring, yet deadly tropes of antisemitism are revived and applied to Israel and Jews in general? When a prominent supporter of the murderous Palestinian terrorists, the same ones who planned and committed the massacres and abominations of Oct7, who manually strangled   infants, who continue to hold captives and torture and starve them to the point of death - admits that "We are not fighting Israelis; we are fighting all Jews.".   

As the world stood still, stood by, or roared against all Jews, well- where and when does this ever end? The same deeply disturbing pseudo-science of eighty years ago in dire and vivid reality again, and the core of every decent human being should be shaking in disbelief and despair that such an ugliness, a total devaluation of humanity, this deadly Deja vu, continues to be alive and well, rather than a starving despised outcast from humanity. 

So where exactly is the love? Certainly not at the concerts of the twisted, perverted hatemongering group known as the Kneecap, a very telling name, as to kneecap someone is to permanently, painfully cripple a person. Certainly, most conducive of engendering a despairing mood, a "yeh-ush" so deep, so bone tiring that there is no other word for it. It is a cry to the heavens, involving the entire being, all mental and physical faculties, mouth open wide, arms raised as high as they can go, and then some, and the heart is broken, shattered, unfixable.

Where can we turn? To whom do we turn for aid, for shade on a hot summer day that has lasted for way over two millennia. Doctors are told they are bloodsuckers. Teachers are finding insults scrawled on the boards of classrooms. Children are called names long thought to be entries in the dead word dictionary. Economic boycotts are called for and politicians are harassed until they fall in line with the haters. Jewish institutional buildings are vandalized, and Jews themselves have become targets of violence, even death. 

No, this is not all love but rather its very opposite. It is the sanctioned, even urged, violent release of all negative emotions and inclinations in a paroxysm of all that is incompatible with the claimed "love". All the while this release of hate focuses on Jews. Even those who have benefitted from time and money given by Jewish people, by Jewish organizations, which have no bias and fund all in need, have joined in with this ugliness and shout loud and clear words of threat and violent intent. Even as they are aided by the battles fought in their name and in the name and cause of all, these beneficiaries turn on those who have given of themselves to them, for them, been warriors for them in the streets and in the courts.  

Can our leaders help the matter, or do they make it worse? Are they actually actively involved? Sad to say -yes, they are, and more fall in line day by day, seeking assurance they will be reelected and maintain their little murky pond of power. Today, the very air is rank with the odor of cowardice, hypocrisy and greed. Any moral spine of the majority of the politicians and the lawmakers has been negated by the baser instincts and desires residing within these people. In fact, it appears that only the judiciary, and not all of them, have the courage to stand up against and to Trump and all he has enabled.  

Yes, all that he has enabled, for though at present he appears to be supportive of Israel, he has let loose the dogs of hate and violent prejudice. All those right-wing groups and militias whose chants spoke of hate and violent plans for Jewish people, all those who joined in with his attempted rebellion, now they appear to spin away a bit from him in his current - current - supportive position for Israel.    

There are already hints of softening, a weakening of his support for Israel. This grossly impatient man who deems himself a ruler, walks in the steps of the ancient pharaohs and in the steps of modern-day dictators - as they say, so shall it be done, so it shall happen with very little distance between the one and the other. When there is that distance and edicts do not happen in the blink of an eye, there is a withering of support. That is the current situation today, like it or not. 

He boasts of being the source of the release of all the hostages, but not so. Perhaps the shouting, his boasting and his demands and threats and flight with the Israelis actually worked for release of hostages in February but he had naught to do with what came before. He obviously has not managed to gain the release of the rest, despite the horrific videos emerging of Holocaust survivors in the form of young Israelis, just edging into adulthood, torn away from the world and thrust into a world, a Hell, of yesteryear. 

There they remain, dying, tortured, and all the hot air boastings and threats of Trump have amounted to a storm in a teacup, at present. Hamas hunkers down, ever more stubborn, for they see the threats for what they are - hot air amounting to a storm in a teacup. Deadlines of two weeks for something to occur have routinely passed by with nothing happening other than anguish and horror for the hostages and their families. 

As for the world, well, all they do is ramp up support for the murderers, the Beasts who attacked the sovereign nation, who deny the legitimacy of that nation, clearly enunciate their goal as the elimination of Israel and in fact the entire Jewish people. Each nation who has fallen like dominoes in a row into the camp of support for these murderers, has given these animals the strength and determination to continue this war. It incentivizes them to resist surrender, for the longer this situation continues, the more they are given, the more their lies are given validity as truth, the more they are treated as the victors. 

Hamas is then emboldened to continue on its road of blood, and the world goes along, gets along. All the while they claim they are combating Anti Semitism and supporting Israel's right to exist, to defend itself, however, not like this and not with our support equipment to be sold to you. Nor with any action taken to defend Jews under attack, their communities vandalized and threatened.      

This is a world in a vicious state of topsy turvy belief and action. Loyalty to truth, honor, legitimacy, and history are abandoned along the roadside of current civilization. In a world, which boasts of progress it has made, of the steps they have taken to advance civilization, all that is actually mirrored back to us is a degeneration, a turning away from truths newly uncovered and acknowledged. Back to lies and memes of ancient history and errors long overdue for internment. 

Now apparently, we have returned to a world of dictators and barbarians who wreak havoc and hell upon all. The fetid ugliness and odors of hate and corruption, the awful coppery smell of spilled blood, infuse the air until one is forced to run, escape, and spew out all that the world has become.

Led by untrustworthy weak spined leaders who shame that word, the world is in a bad spot. Frankly, I see no way out of an inevitable war. Waged in ways and methods and modalities which will bring us back to the age of barbarians, we will see and know the truth of our thinking or lack thereof, but it will be too late. The damage will have been done. I wonder. Will it be possible for humanity to rebuild in a better way, given a second chance? Wonder what G-d thinks of that!  

On the recent trips I have taken I have been carrying a new burden. Truly, knowingly, I have been more watchful, seeking for doors and exits, eyeing people, checking them for kaffiyehs or pins or shirts of hate towards me and mine. I know of two glaring ones but also know of support as found in idle conversation or by questions re the necklaces I wear.   

Is there hate? Oh yes. For sure. Are there those who are still sane and good? Yes. But are they powerful enough, determined and motivated enough to defeat the forces of evil and negativity?  Of the answers to those questions I either do not know or I hesitate to verbalize. Much too frightening.

All the yesterdays,

All the todays,

All the tomorrows

What will be?

WORLDS AND CHOICES AND US

  Good day, everyone. I'm back. I said I'd be back on Tuesday but find myself able to post today so I hope you will all reach out today or tomorrow and once again share with me the topic(s) of the day.  One of the interesting thought-provoking activities was the chance to squeeze in some pages in two books in between festivities. 

 One book I already had begun, and I've written before about the author, John Connolly, continued the rather dark, but mixed explication of life even as he tosses in some sparks of light, albeit the sparks have themselves some moments of dimming as well. His introductory quote is an oral/written representation or interpretation of his novels and the messages and warnings he telegraphs to us via his characters.

 “I prefer winter and fall - when you feel the bone structure of the landscape, the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter.

 Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show." (Andrew Wyeth) 

The next echoing words in my head, which I both deny and accept, dispute and agree with, depending upon my mood - optimism or pessimism, I find myself in a game called Uncertainty. I am uncertain as to its depth of meaning and to the possible impact of understanding, and the importance and possibility or impossibility of all that it lays out before me. In other words, is there a lesson for me I could take and run with? Help me to have a better life? Or is it merely the writings of a talented writer and really there is little to no connection to me at all? I certainly have never lived any of the lives that the characters of these books have lived so what and how could I possibly extrapolate? Nevertheless, the words of Andrew Wyeth found a home in me.

 The other thoughts which caught my eye come from a book called It's OK That You're Not OK.  It's basic topic deals with grief and loss, and how to help the grieving understand what has happened. How it is possible to go on without guilt, even with some comfort, as life continues, changed, yet there, along with the grief for the lost person or lost 'something'. Even to create or synthesize something better, positive, contributory and honoring whom or that which was lost.

Charles Dickens writes in A Tale of Two Cities a famous introductory paragraph which sticks to even the most reluctant reader. He writes a paragraph of comparison and contradiction, of a world so confused and confusing, dramatic contrast of hopes and dreams of the top and the despair of the hopeless bottom class of society, two protagonists so opposite in character, of two opposing lives and upbringing. Two cities, two worlds, at one and the same time. The best of times. The worst of times.

 That is, I believe, the message that all three of these authors wish to convey to their readers and audiences and are long lived and very successful in that ambition, regardless of the surface differences of them. It all portrays an eternal issue and question of life, no matter time or place, no matter the society. The sooner we recognize and internalize its truth, the sooner we can address it, fix it, and provide understanding and comfort to those in need.

 "There a twin paradox in being human. First, no one can live your life for you - no one can face what is yours to face or feel what is yours to feel - and no one can make it alone. Secondly, in living our one life, we are here to love and lose. No one knows why. It is just so."

Two lives, two people or more, two choices, two and two and two. To be good, or to be bad, to justify the means for the end or find another path. To choose the wrong path - always and forever or to try to do better, to reform. To love and share, to remember and honor. To love forever and forgive life's errors. Yours and one who has gone on, if necessary or to thank that one for the precious gift and joy he gifted you and shared with you. To emulate that person.  

To keep a smile on your face, as a beautiful couple marry, with G-d in their hearts, with family and friends sharing the moment, even as the tears roll down your face because one is missing, leaving a gaping hole behind. But we all take comfort in that the one who has left us has also left behind the warmth of the memories shared, the character so golden, everything so wonderful, and all that is so terribly sad in the absence.

But yesterday, all those that have passed, all the todays we continue to live with the memories in our hearts, so bright and clear, all the tomorrows forever to be a part of us, never to be gone, long and deep in our hearts, These are thetwo Yitzys the two Yitzys we hold tight, never to let go. The one eternal, watching over us with those who have gone before and the one who remains always with us as we talk of him and remember him, and laugh and cry, all at the same time.  

Lives are different, lives are unexpected in the turns they take. 

We can take advantage of the time we have and make our lives and the lives of all who love us, who we love, who have come and gone before us, or who are with us now, take that opportunity to walk in the different worlds we meet, take the best of  them, honor their purity and goodness. Do not shame their memories and turn all they have left behind for all of us, all that we hope to do good and honorable in our time on this earth, all that is so possible for the future. 

Do not shred and disrespect the values of those who watch from above. Choose the lives and the worlds we are given for our lives, and carefully and always do the best we can, even if they are hard worlds. 

We in our family and those who were blessed with the gift of knowing Yitzy, feeling his glow, his goodness - remain true to his values, what his life represented. His absolute trust in G-d, accepting the decision about his life and reassuring all that we should and must trust in the decisions decreed by He who knows best.    

In truth we do not know if we get more than one life, so we must be the best we can in the world we know. We are not meant to walk alone nor to let others be alone.

It is a better world where love and sharing and goodwill and kindness are valued traits, in words and deeds. Where people try to do their best and keep the nasty second world far away, even nonexistent.   

Love and life.

Sharing and comfort.

 Walk with others so they walk with you.

Honoring those who came before and contributed to a better world.

Remember Yitzy and keep him close even as he kept all in his world close, always kind, ready to help, modest, loved to share his jokes, to be the best boy he could be.  

This is why his loss was so deeply felt.

This is why people came to share and comfort.

To remember and honor.

Thís is why I cried at the wedding ceremony.

 So happy for the couple, but so missing Yitzy.

Unable to close the gap in the picture.

He was stronger than I, for I am still struggling with the decision which robbed us of him in this world.  

We will always love him.

 Always and forever a part of us.

In any and all worlds.

NO POSTS UNTIL TUESDAY

 No posts until Tuesday. Travel and Weddings. All good things

TO WIT

 Some readers have asked me why I continue to stress on and about Trump. Why do I constantly criticize him? After all, he is not the only power player in the world, is he? He is not the only head of government who is disappointing in their lack of leadership, their dullness and consistency in choosing the wrong path, opting for the wrong philosophy, and choosing to return to and spout loudly of an undeservedly long lived trope of hate which should long ago have been burned in the trash heap and smoldering fire of discarded aspects of humanity.   

Particularly during these rather uncertain times, it behooves the nations of the world to pick and choose wisely, carefully, for their leaders. Their very lives might be at stake. If an error in choice becomes very clear, then the people of the world need to be able and willing to discern their error and clean house, legally and as quickly as possible so as to avert possible violent consequences of inaction or delay in action, thus allowing for the wrong leader, enablers and sheep like followers to ensconce themselves deeper into seats of power,   making their rejection all the more dangerous and difficult. 

  These incompetents, ill informed, poorly thinking individuals who have become leaders in our times and at other times as well, are clever enough in a street-smart manner. They knew, know, how to appeal to the lowest common denominator among the population. They know how to rile the people up, one by one, grow these individuals into a mob and are quite clever at rabble rousing the mobs gathered and then set them loose upon the rest of the nation(s). Mob rule then prevails, grows ever stronger, and are invested with power and influence beyond, almost beyond, belief.

These mobs play a serious game of following the leader. They dance their ways through the streets of the towns and villages. Big and small. They gather up much of the refuse of the larger cities. They use the tactics of their leader: threats and blackmail; the Big Lie and its repetition; mercurial changes and shifts in position, creating confusion among opponents, for how is one to join with others, when they are not sure of exactly what it is they are opposing - at least for that hour or day! Confusion, the nacht und nebel of Hitler, always a winning tool of choice for the dictator. It joins together words and deeds in a powerful evil synergy meant to confuse and dishearten, to frighten people and in crossing of lines once thought impermeable, beyond the behavior of mankind. 

Well, we have bloodily, violently, learned otherwise - and then we go and forget it, over and over, again and again and yet again. We find ourselves back where we once were, seemingly meant to return to this vicious nasty barbed wire fenced in circle, trapped within due to our errors. Awaiting these errors are dangerous salivating wannabe dictators, drooling at the sight of their prey soon to be feasted upon as their latest dish upon which they will feast with great gluttony.  And not a one of us is immune to this fate for each and every one of us can find oneself on the receiving end of the knife, of disappearance. NO immunity - ever.  

With each successive despot the lines never to be crossed grow ever more distant. Hitler's concentration camps and sites of mass murder. The bloody violence in the war between Serbia and Kosovo. In the fate of Argentina's Desaparecidos.  The disappeared of Iran, of Pakistan, of China, of Russia. The slaughtered Tutsi. The constant warfare between the Hindu and the Moslems. The world vs the Jewish people. The specific tactics and timing and extent might differ, the targets possibly unique to a particular country. But the results are the same.

A cowed terrified despairing populace. And their own cowed, terrified leaders who imitate the stronger ones, and then generally all crowning One as Top Dog. The one with the best knowledge of application of blackmail and threats. Who has a bullying heart and a dark wizened soul. Who cares for naught other than himself, even as he pretends to. As ugly inside as out. A person with no morals, no concerns other than himself and accumulation of personal wealth, and power. Mannerisms are often crude and boorish with peculiar tastes and overgrown ego, hubris beyond that of any character in an ancient Greek play. One who deems himself worthy of any and all honors and is not shy at all in making that known to others, even demanding it of them. 

These leaders are often strange characters, often criminal in intent and actions, many times even convicted of such deeds yet managing to avoid consequences and willing to commit further misdeeds in the name of disguising more serious wrongs committed by him. There are a clear lack of morals and a generous heaping of strange personal habits and fetishes, warped in thinking and shorn of true values, they often go for the short cut, the deal, the 'bargain' with no care for an understanding of long-term effect.   

People who aspire to such a position desire to leave behind a legacy. However, due to their own vices and arrogance their legacy is negative. Their crude erroneous hunger for worship and idolization, of complete obedience by others, becomes clearer, even to the ones deluded and the truth of history will emerge, as always. No matter how intense the efforts to change it, the truth will out.   

Such a man is Donald Trump. A man whose words are not to be trusted, even when they are   ostensibly, on one's side, for that will be the side which is beneficial to him and his plans - at that moment. Should, when, the situation change, so will he if it is to his benefit. Such a moment is now with Israel. With the rest of the world indulging themselves in yet another paroxysm of hate and murderous intent towards the Jewish people, it behooves him to take up for them- to a degree. Even now, his words change often as his threats and promises are meaningless, as one day threatened to rain down hell on Hamas if they do not return the hostages immediately, yet months later, they remain, tortured, starving to death, and WHERE IS THE HELL? WHERE? WHEN?  

How long can we rely on your backup? Will you sell us out to people who invaded us, who deny our legitimacy? What is now happening with Ukraine and Russia?  

Time now for the world, for the people of America, to take this man down and place him where he belongs. Out of office. Time to call him to account for all that he has done wrong. Time to take his enablers and fellow traitors to account. Time to impeach and convict. Time for him to pay the piper for his crimes. Time to rid ourselves of a foolish yet dangerous man of orange face and newfound full head of blonde hair. Time to deny him his legacy along with those of his ignorant, incompetent crooked judges and legislators.  

I believe that Trump is the source of much that has gone wrong these past few years. He has taught others that bullying is acceptable, even to be praised. He has taught the world that selfishness is the name of the game, not brotherhood and unity for progress. He has trashed allies and befriended dictators. He has here, in the United States, along with his enablers, revived suppression and oppression, encouraged censorship and reduction of rights and aid to those who need it in one way or another - but not to the wealthy. I truly believe that his campaign against antisemitism, necessary, has an underlying purpose as well - that of repression and censorship. In going to the extreme in threats and imposition of breaking back fines, he is furthering the spread and intensity of antisemitism to JewHatred as more and more are now placing blame for all this on the Jews, exacerbating the situation and boding no good for the Jews, in fact and in truth. This could have been done in much better, calmer manner.  Done in a positive way without the negative.   

He has brought the once proud nation of the United States of America down upon its knees. No longer a role model, only a nation which has shed its glories and turned to ignorance and selfishness. We have gone from the likes of JFK and RFK to Trump and RFK Jr.   

I, and many others, want our nation back.

We want all that we gained from our yesterdays, the promises of the todays we once had, and the positive tomorrows ahead. 

Robbed from us by the thief in charge.

I want them back.

We need them back.

And that is why I write about Trump.   

EENY, MEENY, MINEY, MO ...

  There is another topic of interest related to the topic of Trump's damaged intelligence. That is the sad fact that neurodegenerative diseases be it ALS or Alzheimer's, Lewy Body, or Parkinson's, or any other syndrome within those parameters are increasing, becoming among the most common and growing diseases. That is what we and in fact, the world is facing, even as we refuse to admit this, refuse to recognize its immediacy, and we are left with a growing crisis of many fronts. Foolishly, we hide its prevalence and growth within senior citizens, let alone in early onset cases. We hide it and fail to address it. We are ashamed and whisper about our family and friends who suffer from these neurodegenerative syndromes. That exacerbates the situation for the individuals for it means delay in treatment so critically needed.

People use the excuse of the permanence of these    neurodegenerative diseases; claim it would be a case of throwing good money after bad. Treatment will neither cure nor stop it so why not spend the funds on curable diseases where there is not an inevitable death resultant from them. But that is not truly so, for there is help. Though the inevitable progression through stages cannot be halted in its tracks, it can be slowed down. It can be ameliorated and not merely in small degree. 

It may be held at bay for years, allowing for further research, for treatment, for prevention, for living with it in productive manner. To extend life itself and give hope to those who suffer from them and for their families and friends and allow for more productive years. Most important, when that extension of time is combined with deep and serious research, miracles can happen. Strong symptoms can be suppressed. New treatments can be applied to the individuals. This is what is happening now. Even extending to efforts to prevent these diseases in the first place. That would be the best news of all.   

Sadly, we are not there yet. Research grants and funding must remain in place, even extended. But   why then are we not doing so? Imagine a world where these scourges are gone. Understand the benefits of an acknowledgement of these afflictions and the importance, the necessity, to treat them. To treat them hard, aggressively and immediately upon diagnosis. Understand the benefits of an acknowledgement and the crucial need to diagnose those afflicted and to remember to continue to include them in the lives and plans of families and friends. Doing so is of great benefit to one and all. 

Do not encourage nor allow them to hide, to entomb themselves. Afraid and ashamed to venture out. It is in fact upon friends and families to make their own adjustments so as to include them in the life continuing. In a life of value with much joy awaiting them. Do not take upon yourself the old. outmoded attitude of shame and concealment. This is not a punishment for some vague sins. This is merely a biological inconvenience. Were we to treat it as such, attack it as it should be, we would be in a better place already.  

 Rather than expending effort in the wrong direction, take positive steps. Sympathy, yes, but pity - no! Instead, take these efforts and energies expended and do what we can to alleviate inevitable complications within life. We can drive people to therapy - occupational, physical, speech and cognitive when necessary. We can take them to movies. To libraries. Engage them in intelligent discourse. Make time allowances for slower feet and hands caused by stiffening muscles. Have patience. Help when asked and do not force it upon them. It is hard enough for them to know and admit they do indeed need help with everyday activities once automatic. Be gentle in your assistance so that it does not come across as an imposition forced upon you both.    

In all of these areas there is help. In all of these areas there is deep research going on. New medications, improved medications. And yet it is not enough. We could be doing so much more. We need to recognize its onset and not shout it as a curse or denigration of humanity, as the lesser for having one syndrome or another.  

On the other hand, we must recognize what is there, what is fact and what is needed? To ensure. the best life possible. To ensure proper cognitive ability to carry out jobs and tasks undertaken or assigned. And to be able physically to endure whatever strain it places on one's body. For the safety of all, know when it is time to step down. We must be able to distinguish case, causes, levels, consequences and actions called for one from the other, call it out as necessary and allow for functioning within the society without shame but also without danger for others.

And so. To real life. Unfortunately, one of the most blatant places where we allow for visible degeneration, particularly of cognitive ability and lack of physical endurance, of weaker body, mind and soul is within the government.  We have legislators with no age ceiling, known to be incompetent, unable to function on the level necessary and yet they get reelected year after year after year. Until they finally drop in the traces. But by then it is too late, the harm already done. The same case with the judges not up to the challenge of the complex issues brought before them. 

While it can be found in other areas, it is more prevalent within the government. More difficult to shift positions around where and when necessary.  Or so present in bizarre statement and actions, in rents and raves, word salad speeches, the bizarre rage always there, that it is clearly discernible, even as we refuse to admit it due to misplaced reasoning or worse, due to nefarious plans of one's own. The drain of cognitive ability from the mind is reflected with and by the deterioration of the physical aspect, particularly if one has never lived a healthy life.  

Unfortunately, one such blatant and egregious situation is to be found at the head of our nation's government, the challenged in every way possible man who would be Ruler, Trump. Even while his dementia has long been noticed, even called out, there are those who refuse to acknowledge that fact, perhaps doing so for their own nefarious reasons. They place our nation and the world in immediate jeopardy. More and more are recognizing his dementia and the danger he represents for this nation, but there are those who continue their foolish and dangerous path and they are taking us all along with them on this so very wrong road.   Truly, he is well beyond his sell by date. Observe him closely and then you too, shall see the truth.  A man trying to find his way through the fog around him. And yet we continue to allow this man to make existential decisions for us. Why is it so? 

It's because we, the people of this nation, refuse to see through our own fog to the truth waiting there for us. We have not lived up to our responsibilities, perhaps even suffering from a similar, national degenerative disease. We too seem to be suffering from some national mass degenerative syndrome, this one with shuttered eyes. Affecting us at ever faster rate. Is there some medication out there that can wake us up. Let us see what is going on, to smell the rot, to see past the lies to the truth. To the ambition of this man to be the Ruler - not the president.   

Cancel yesterday.

Wipe out today. 

Create a future bleak and hopeless. 

Or not. 

Up to you and me and all of us. 

Eeny, Meeny, Miney Mo - 

Where exactly do we go?