DANG IT! THERE IT GOES AGAIN

 Yep. There it goes again. All the verities of the world today flying by with madly flapping wings, anxious to get away from a crazed atmosphere wherein truths are denoted as lies and then applauded, with the spewers of the falsehoods ever so proud of their forked tongue speech and their expertise at doing so.  Today is August 13, 2024. It is chockfull with noise and news impossible to ignore or avoid. However, first a more personal note from our sponsor - that would be me. 

Today is the birthday of my son. That alone is enough for me to take note of the day and to wish him "ad meah v'esrim", a traditional Jewish wish for a long life. A good one. Surely, he deserves it as   the past two years have been difficult. Very difficult as he, my daughter in law, our entire family has been shattered and we live today, for us, in a world missing a most vital pierce, that piece being Yitzy. Still, today is his birthday, a day to commemorate the celebrant, and there is much to celebrate within my son's faith, his life rife with good deeds, within a community which treasures him as he does them, and a family beautiful and loving. So Happy Birthday to you, my son.

On the other hand, within the Jewish tradition and history today is Tisha B'Av. the 9th day of the month of Av. It is a day fraught with sadness. and fearful anticipation of what might yet be forthcoming on this most accursed day. It is a day    on which we fast and pray and study, hoping that all this will forestall any further tragedies of this day. We ask that yet another day of terror be withheld.

What is this day that brings with it genetic trauma of so much that has befallen the Jewish nation? Worse, it was engendered with needless, thoughtless behavior by the spies sent into the land of Canaan to do recon, to evaluate the situation and prepare to do their part in the fulfillment of the Lord's Promise to Abraham and his descendants - a land eternally to be the land of the nation of Israel. Instead of singing the glories of the land, these spies, of the most prominent people of the nation, wept - in fear and doubt as the tasks seemed impossible. They forgot that alongside them was the Lord, who had been with them all along. This Lord disrespected and offended by the very ones who were to be models for the nation in belief and trust, violated the tenets of their positions, and wept and spoke thoughtlessly and dangerously.         

For that egregious offense there were both an immediate consequence and a long term one.        These spies, other than the two who did not weep, and the doubters of the nation who wept with them, were denied the privilege of entering the land.  Furthermore, long term, this day of Tisha B'Av was to remain a day of tragedy and loss, of death, to the Jewish nation. Harm and terror would befall the people. the nation. On this day there would be reason to weep. On this day our two Temples were destroyed. On this day the Jews were expelled by Eddward II from England in 1290. The Jews were expelled from Spain on this day in 1492. The first mass transport out of the Ghetto Warsaw to the newly operating death facilities of Treblinka began. All on the same date, albeit different centuries. That day was the date of today - Tisha B'Av.

We were warned that just as those spies. doubting of the Lord's power wept uselessly and offensively, so too will the people of Israel weep until they come to a full recognition and acceptance and respect of the power of the Lord and of the truth of His promise to us. 

That prediction of a day meant for mourning and weeping has been so throughout history. Even so, despite our disrespect, despite our doubt, we did receive the land of Israel. However, it was with a condition which has meant constant war, betrayal by those who are presumed to be allies. And constant miracles that we have survived and thrived. Despite the best efforts of the world. to negate us and wipe us off the maps of the world.

However, there remains a cloud of threat hanging. over us, seemingly in perpetuity. Today, Tisha B'Av Av, that cloud has grown with a multitude of swords. poised ready for slaughter. The people of Israel are besieged and surrounded by circles of enemies and cowards. The nation itself is fraught with cracks within.  The entire world hangs in the balance on this Tisha B'AV.         

The eternal question remains. Have we not yet convinced the Lord that we do indeed know His powers and that we trust in His loyalty to us, even as we must display our loyalty to Him. The Rockets and missiles and drones and planes and soldiers and tanks and cars are poised to enter into the land of Israel. and create yet another Tisha B'Av of horrid memory in our history. Or will there be a miracle.  As the hard heart of Pharaoh weakened for one moment and agreed to the Exodus, will the hard hearts of Iran, of Hezbollah, of Hamas, of Islamic Jihad, the Houthis, the 'innocent" civilians also soften for that one critical moment?   

What is the answer to these questions? Don't look at me for that. Actually, look to the Lord above. Perhaps He is even not sure. The day is not over yet. The week is not over yet. Have we learned yet to think before speaking?  Can we follow the thread to    its culmination, rethink again and again.   

 Today it is status quo. Fast and pray and think.      A day fraught. with horror and sadness for that Jewish nation, reminding us that the next month is Elul, a time to repent and atone. Today is a good day to start the process. In so doing perhaps we can change the day to one of gratitude and life, of joy and trust. Perhaps. 

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"DO NOT CRY"

 "These are the times that try men's souls." Indeed, it is, at present, a state of mind, of physicality. At this point in time everything we touch, everything we think, everything we do or say reflects the truth of that statement. At times it feels as if everything we once believed in or professed to do so is now at risk facing challenges never before faced with such   existential import. One might argue that we have been here before during the history of mankind. We have had prior moments of danger, natural or manmade; today we even have amalgams of the two. 

However, there is a distinguishing factor at this time. That is that we now have the capability to destroy all that has come before, all that is, and all that might have been. Worse is the fact that we now have minds so twisted, so perverted that they actually have the desire to do just that - to destroy all in the name of whatever twisted emotions that rack the tormented workings of mind and soul.  Adding to the complexity of the problem is the fact that those demented and deranged enough to push that button or give that order, claim that inspiration and justification arises from their religion, that the act of Hell is actually a manifestation of Heaven. Never!!       

Scientists, philosophers, social analysts all have written and spoken about the 6th Extinction, that of the human race. To me and others, the current situation is so grave, so dire, that it gives rise to a school of thought that we will blow right past #6 and go directly to the 7th Extinction, the cleansing of the entire planet, of all life forms. Perhaps at some time in the future, way in the future, a new beginning? But be that as it may, as it might, we will be gone. 

"Do not stand
          By my grave, and weep.
     I am not there,
          I do not sleep—
I am the thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints in snow
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle, autumn rain.
As you awake with morning’s hush,
I am the swift, up-flinging rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight,
I am the day transcending night.
     Do not stand
          By my grave, and cry—
     I am not there,
          I did not die".

The title is borrowed from a famous popular funeral poem, actual authorship up for debate. However, for our interests, that does not matter. What does, is the meaning of the words within that poem. They proffer hope, inspire inner peace as they offer a balm of sorts to the souls of the bereaved, an assurance that despite all, we, the essence of us, the continuation of life of and for us, is there, within the beauty of Nature. Beautifully reassuring, but will the actualizations of those words actually be there, should we actually achieve(?) descend (?)        to the depths of Hell in a Seventh Extinction? Suddenly, the comfort of those words fades.

Today, we stand at the edge of a crumbling precipice of such height and instability, with huge boulders below, and should we fall there is no return. Certainly not to a world such as we know it today, as faulty and lacking as it is. Certainly, better though than oblivion. Surely better that we are given yet another chance to do better, to choose better. But first we must take a step or two or three back from the edge and indicate our willingness to do so, even eager.  How in the name of all that's holy? We are to be honest and question ourselves. Acknowledge our errors and do better. Much better. Have we allowed the quality of our leaders to fall below any possible level of acceptance? We have leaders who are crazed by religion rather than soothed. We have leaders who are demented of mind and soul. Yet there are those who follow them even as they acknowledge their deficits. We have leaders who have lost the sharp and crucial, critical, ability to function and decide on a dime. When and how have our judgement skills, our critical thinking processes become so atrophied and corrupted? Worse, welcomed it and encouraged it for the benefit of personal gain over societal needs.

The world is enmeshed in such a fog of dark black clouds portending only violent and malevolent weather. Huge pieces of hail. Slashing rain.  Whirling tornadoes and typhoons. A Nature gone mad even as man has gone mad. Shakespeare wrote of that juxtaposition centuries ago, knowing that when Nature is at war   so is mankind. How right he was, how prescient, and historically accurate as most 'tragedies' and 'punishments' of mankind came through a Nature most hostile and destructive rather than constructive and harmonious. 

All we need to do these days is simply open our eyes and ears. See and hear what is going on. We are injecting human genes into mice. Why? For what demented purpose? We are sequencing the genome of a T-Rex - why? To de-extinct them? For what purpose? Why do we play God when we are so not so! Are there not enough nooks and crannies, huge gyms, of mankind requiring repair? We ignore the critical and play with the devil.  We harness the awesome powers and gifts of nature and then expend them on the wrong projects. We evaluate them incorrectly and harm ourselves, rather than improve ourselves. We have removed the traditional boundaries between species and are now infected by their viruses and bacteria foreign to us and have no place within our strata. Much to our detriment. We just never learn. We refuse to.  

Look around. We can see the best and the worst of us. The tears of a rescued Brittny Griner, the bravery of Tom Cruise and the amazing Olympic athletes, sharing the tears and glory, hugging their foes or calling them names. The ongoing Sudan wars and the hatred targeted at Israel by Arabia.   The kindness of strangers and the cruelty of friends.   

We claim to be an advanced society. We claim to have progressed in the granting of rights to all and the recognition of the equality of all. And yet we still have war. We still have hunger. We still have cruelty, even slavery. We have the jingoism of dangerous leadership, and we have the true public servant as well. There are always choices to be made. Always the possibility of landing on the right side of the equation with assets rather than debits. So why therefore are so many accounts red inked. 

I wish I knew the answers. I wish I knew the explanations. I do not. If we are to look forward to better times, to avoid destruction of our world, we had better set our minds and efforts to be attuned towards improvement. Better leaders, wiser leaders. We must eschew the accumulation of personal and selfish wealth and power and understand that if we are to play God, we had better emulate God in all the positive aspects rather than tampering with what we should not. We need to unravel the mystery that is mankind and do so rather quickly and competently. Else, well for that please return to the beginning of the posting and reread.  

Do not cry. Better to laugh, to appreciate, to positively enhance.

That was, and remains, the essence of Yitzy.

Always and forever. Always and forever.

NOT AS IT SHOULD BE

 Nor as I imagined it would be at this time of my life. Actually, in everyone's time of life. That is when the shorter end of the stick is where one is. Time to think, to look back, to evaluate. Has one's life made a difference - somewhere, anywhere, anyplace, anytime?  What is the bottom-line accounting of one's life?   How will that account measure up to the rather more permanent heavenly one? Shall we be taking the elevator up or down or remain in place, await a further examination.  

How does one even begin to measure the impact of one's life unless one is a noted person of extremely visible influence. How do we determine the value of influence for good or for bad, for positive or for negative, for inspiration or desperation?  In fact, how can we even discern influence, for most often   the consequences of that influence are unknown or take years to be realized. 

Hence, I have given up that task and concentrate more on how I feel life has influenced me and/or in my thinking. Is it what I thought it would be, and comfortable with it? Or has it become something other? If so, what is that other? Am I pleased, concerned, satisfied or feel gut punched? Most important, what value, if any, does it carry or is it simply part of a human's life and natural instincts to take stock at this time of life?

Whatever the answer is or is not, this posting will carry some of my concern at the inevitable ever ongoing stupidity of the human race. It has maintained an almost perfect record in choosing the wrong path, making the erroneous decisions, ever     ignoring or denying the lessons of history clearly laid out before us. Bottom line, I am angry, so very angry. Its partner, worry, follows right along. 

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

That is the last line of Gatsby. Truthfully, I detested that book and read it only under duress, but I have come to value some of its meaning as it appeals to me. That line says it all for me, at least in the current state of thought. I can see no way out, ever. Never. Not unless member nations of this globe turn themselves inside out and adopt new ways of thought, adapt to realities and go fishing in the pond of possibilities and pull up the winner and use the prize carefully. Honestly, do you, does anyone, expect such a thing to happen? Doubt it.

Too many times I now find myself filled with anger, which has no place to go. Where I am angry at people whose thoughts and deeds are of evil. They seek power and profit and the proliferation of hate and war towards those ends. Humanity refuses to understand and value the gift we have been given - this planet. The only one we know of at this point in time that allows for a viable life. Yet we continue to trash it, to value deception and duplicity and reward those most successful in the display and use of these traits. We complain of what is wrong and demand correction, yet we refuse to compromise, to concede, to sacrifice, to work hard towards those goals. We speak always of a better future yet always, if we look ahead, that future is apocalyptic. 

Douglas Preston, in his new book Extinction, most readable, writes of Man going too far, challenging the gods and attempting to be one. Without spoiling the story, the point of the novel and  that which follows, is that our history is one of constant combat and competition, of domination. From the beginning of time, we have engendered constant repetitions of the Tower of Babel where our languages are not the same and we cannot understand, nor want to understand the Other. We   refuse to share. We refuse to live wih each other. And so, we kill each other, only to find that the more powerful in that first conflict finds itself the weaker in the next, and on and on and on it goes. We never learn until it is too late. The consequences are severe and the outlook bleak. 

The one thing we can predict is the recurrence of conflict, of war large and small, whose results are temporary. As the results often are the first step in an ever-ongoing accumulation of perceived wrongs until the temperature of the mountain of them, heats up under its own weight, and it blows. Off to the deadly inevitable races again.

Righteous complaints are drowned out, denied, and countered with other claimed wrongs. No one hears anymore; no one is interested in listening. That would only get in the way of those who will profit from the devastation of war and those who will promise new ways, new victories, spout new prophecies, only to lead the nations to war again. And again. And again.  To refight the already fought and to ensure future refighting. 

Peruse the tomes of history. Study and acknowledge that each war is but a replay of the prior war, and that one a replay of the prior one and that one replaying the prior one. We can follow that tragic tale right back to the beginning of time. Forms of governments may change, as do leaders.  However, what does not change, what is immutable, is the fact that until we find other ways to settle grievances, other ways to discern right and truth from wrong and lies, we will continue to engage in the awful futility of war until  the inevitable death of Mankind. 

The world today? Write a list of current conflicts, large and small, within and without nations. Between random groups and people. For land. For resources. For power. For Hate. Then go back some years and do the same and again and again. Again and again. Compare. 

What the hell is the matter with us?

Will we never learn?

Yes, I am angry. 

Yes, I hate those who perpetuate war.

Yes. I resent those who have built up anger and hate in this world, so much, so always there.

I hate those who have made me hate them.

Most definitely not what I thought I would be thinking at this time of life. Certainly not the 'influencers' we should choose for ourselves.

Not as it should be.  

NOTHING

 I think we are now at a stage of “Nothingness".  What does that mean? Nothing. That is what we now have, in a most ugly state of permanence. We believe changes have occurred throughout the world, but essentially, we are fooling ourselves. Governments change hands - mostly via violence.   The Middle East is, as ever, in a state of violence, the pot boiling over from time to time, of varying duration, some pressure is relieved, but well, as is most true - here we go again. In fact, as one blindly jams a finger down on an atlas map, or on a spinning globe, it is a most sure bet that the finger will find an area of perpetual, ever reoccurring state of war, declared or not. Depressing. discouraging.

Hark back to the fake war pre and early WWII Europe. The integrity of nations was ignored and violated: Czechoslovakia, Sudetenland, Poland, Austria. Italy engaged in its own attempt to grow its empire and Ethiopia suffered. Barely a whisper from the Western nations. Even when an official state of war was declared, it became that fake war period. Sputtering of offense and warnings, dangerous flimsy excuses to deny reality and a dire future inevitable, policies of appeasement and denial remained soup de jour. 

 Agonies of those captive populations, particularly the Jews within and the upper levels of society, the intelligentsia, the leaders, the ones capable of resistance, and sundry other rather awfully targeted groups began to disappear. Russia deserted its 'allies' and signed a not thought through peace treaty with Nazi Germany and the world - tensely quiet. The nations of the West on tiptoe foolishly dangerously hoping to avoid the unavoidable - open warfare. 

The nothingness state of being dissolved and 'real war' began for the world at large. Neutrality was observed in the breech and 'neutral' nations - not so much, were they?  Anything ring a bell? Remind you of another reality - that of today? Yes? No? If no, think again.  

Apparently, humanity finds a comforting sense of familiarity within states of war, declared or not. The economies grow by leaps and bounds for war is a definite economic incentive. Patriotism becomes a holy must as accusations of  non-patriotism are rampant, allowing for bias and prejudice to adopt false covers.  Social mores change, become more liberal. And so life goes on, even improves in many ways, other than of course the deaths of thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands and millions of thousands. Generations are destroyed and nothing changes. In a few years, if even that long, the same old returns, disguised, barely, with differing names and supposed complaints; nevertheless, the same. Nothingness strikes again.

Are we at peace today? Are the nations of the world free from warfare? Have varying   populations of and within nations resolved their differences? Stopped killing each other? Made peace? I think not. Furthermore, leaders of nations continue to act as if all their subterfuges are unseen, unable to be recognized as such, and if seen, approved. Nothing. Again. 

Nothingness wins and we all lose - even supposed victors lose, for war has no winners, only perhaps one side with fewer losses, less damage, but is that enough? Was it worth it all? Why can we not find another path out of this anomic world rife with danger and hate? Before I hear the indignant shouts of those claiming wars are at times justified and legitimate tools of national and international interactions, yes, there are times where war is the only path open. But why must we allow, even desire, situations to boil over so, leaving only the path to waging of war the only viable path remaining. Why? 

Humanity is so advanced in so many ways in so many streams of life. On the other hand, we retain some of the most primitive emotions and actions, those promoting violence and hate and toxic activated hatred. Some of the “Protesters” who carried signs stating threatening “Whatever is necessary” are demanding approval of waging war. People who look and behave and desire and need as we do are now dehumanized, thought of as legitimate targets, all justified via tarnished primitive emotions, incentives and motivation.  Hate those who are not us. Hate those who do not agree with us. Hate those who stand in our way, who thwart our national ambitions. 

All the above is the dark side of humanity. But if we can see through that darkness, that overlay of the worst of humanity, perhaps we can perceive the truth beyond. Perhaps we can tear down and away that darkness, that which has consumed too much of the history of humanity, too much of the humanness of humanity. All allowing for the states of nothingness within the history of humanity. 

We must seek change, positive, hopeful change. Only thus will we ever be able to light that "just one candle" and keep it lit. To be able and desirous of sharing its flame of liberty, of life, of rights, for a better world - for all the people in the world. I know it sounds like a Pollyanna. I know I also sound like a Cassandra. What I am, however, is a realist. 

Even knowing all the negative emotions that are out there, I must continue to hope, even as I despair, continue to see the deterioration of humankind.   However, within that darkness remains sparks of light, wavering flames of hope. We need to discard the most powerful negatives of our narratives and replace them with narratives of understanding and acceptance.  

 To do that we must shut down the voices of hate. Shut down the politicians who feed into hate, who live upon that hate.  Reinvigorate our capabilities of empathy and understanding, along with the knowing deep within that somewhere along the line there must be a time of talk and sharing. Of   understanding, along with compromise and acceptance. If we do otherwise we must be prepared. We must know that we are playing around with weapons of war so deadly they can wipe out the world's population. Understand that we are playing deadly games of chicken, unknowing if and who will turn aside or not. The inevitable result: welcome to apocalyptic times.

To change now is difficult, yes, but to not change, to not shift gears, we are opening ourselves up to inevitably worse times. Think. Make choices. And hope. 

Dear G-d. Please hope!

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Yitzy, nothing to say other than we love you. This ugliness down here is not for you nor for the other innocents taken before their time. Nor for the good people who did the best they could to improve the world in which they lived.  

Miss you, sweet boy.

Always and forever. Always and forever.

WHAT'S IT ALL AB0UT?

   Honestly, for the life of me, I cannot figure that out. What is everything all about? A mighty, powerful example of confusion on so many fronts is the election looming over all, less than100 days remaining. At that point, possibly earlier, we'll all   have to make a decision. A very personal one, and on each side of the decision are lines dividing and running through families and friends. Within the topics of concern are explosive ones, challenging the picture of our future, the future of the world and the questioning of its validity in fact. 

In the short time remaining one must imagine a clean, blank slate.  Upon that slate draw a list of concerns and pros and cons for each topic. Think honestly, objectively as possible and be honest.   Rank them, consider the melding of them, the interplay, and what is best for the nation as well as for oneself. How much weight is to be assigned to each area? Decide if one topic of grave concern is weighty enough to outweigh all others. Based on the bottom line - vote and prepare to live with the decision and the national results. This is America, despite recent attempts to dismember it. Should we forget that fact or fight against it, we have gone catastrophically awry. 

Full disclosure, while there are many policies and issues which concern me, there are two overriding ones though when one thinks about them, the two and the other areas are generally part and parcel of a whole. The concerns, the fears, the hopes, are tied together via philosophy and ideas. As an American, as a Jew, I seek the whole which most agrees with me. It is the only way I can retain a semblance of sanity in this most crazed world. 

Therein is posed the dilemma. Humans are endowed with emotions, that which makes life a bit more like a rollercoaster with it ups and downs,   sudden drops and steep climbs. In the mix that we call life it is more often than not extremely difficult to totally separate emotions from rationality. In the midst of a decision make or break time, the cells of the brain shout one thing all the while the cells of the heart are shouting another. This dilemma is the crux of the issue and is, truthfully, often impossible to resolve with any certainty of right or wrong or is worthwhile or useless- and according to what guide or perceived necessity. Add to that the need at times to make a 'useless' gesture for that too carries weight and can serve as a prod to others, to perhaps to serve as a direly needed wake up call. 

And so here we are in the fine mess we have generated, not only within the past few years, for the rot was setting in long before. We walked ourselves into the situation, with eyes open or closed, it matters not; only the reality of it and an existential need to resolve and clean it up, ending the sources which feed into it. 

I do not know why, only that years ago we began to declare defunct the idea of a melting pot, soured on the idea of a mixing bowl, a salad, and instead, we began to dredge up the differences once thought nonexistent or of little value or even relevance, for we were all - American. It is precisely then that America began to consume herself from within and enabled others to attack us from without. We lost body. We lost spine. We lost heart. We lost soul. We lost ourselves. Every shout of that useless. empty U. S. A., U. S. A. accompanied by up raised fist, pounded on the foundations of our nation. We rationalized and justified it as patriotism, as progress, all for a better America, and we resolutely persisted in hammering away at any intact foundation remaining. 

2024. An incredible election now banging on our doors demanding entry. Whether we like it or not, it is now incumbent upon ourselves to decide who are we? What is the true concept of America? Is it relevant any longer? Are we to follow in the nasty footsteps of those nations who have accepted, enabled, the rule of the mailed fist of the dictator or are we going to hitch our pants up and do what we must if we are to retain, to be, America?

 Finally, to the crux of my personal situation and the situation of many others. For years a growing uncertainty of acceptance - even rejection - has caused us to increasingly check over our shoulders, eye the side views and step carefully forward. Once clear paths are no longer. The hyphenated American has gone away, subsumed by those who have taken it further - American - and Others.  Who defines that American? From whence their authority to do so? Or have they simply usurped it, given themselves the power to do so and to draw other broken souls within. The Kool Aid gulped. 

The election. Am I Jewish with precedence over American or am I American with precedence over my Jewish identity? Why is this choice so necessitated - or is it, in fact? I am 5th generation American and myriad generations of Jewish. Why are these two identities deemed no longer compatible? Is that the truth? Or is it simply yet another web of lies thrown over our increasingly confused society? 

Do I look at the election choices with stress on policies and attitudes towards Israel, who supports this Jewish nation, or do I evaluate only as to whether Israel is good for America? Why now am I faced with this dichotomy? Why have we allowed hate speech? Violence inciting words and chants? The proliferation of that toxicity?  How have we allowed this situation? Universities overtaken by those with agendas diametrically opposed to true American ethos.  Wishy-washy authorities unable/or not wishing to carry out their duties, their responsibility to ALL students and members of the university population. These troubled campuses along with the increasingly violent, defiant hate filled 'demonstrations' are representative of a nation ridden with foundational cracks, with a growing deepening of skies and the negation of the best of humankind.   

How to connect all our values no matter the differences? How to find, uncover the commonalities?  How do we expose the use of faith as cover for hate? How do we manage the concepts delineated, stated so boldly, so bravely, in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States?  

We must forcefully reject that bubbling toxic swamp, fill in the growing chasms, build bridges rather than fortifications. Resist the easy way of violence and the abdication of self to the rule of others. We must give up on the idea of a perfect candidate. There are none. We need to prioritize our values, vet candidates carefully and discard the filth and lies of social media. Seek and recognize the truth but know the world is as is, not as we wish it to be, but as we can strive to engender.   

At present, looking forward I see bad fruit gone rotten. Erroneous decisions. Our inner environment falling into disrepair even as the physical environment of the planet is severely challenged.     We must do better. There are no magic pills or fairy dust. There are no perfect candidates. Inevitably there will be lies and disappointments.  Together we can make a difference. Think. Evaluate. Choose for a better world, a better America, a safer world and certainly a secure Israel. Choose one who speaks the truth, at least most of the time, who reaches up, not down. One is, if not the best, at least the better choice. Find it. Vote.   

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Sweet boy, I, we, miss you so. As we get closer and closer to your special weekend tears and choked voices increase. Suppressed emotions break through barriers of control and your absence deepens within our hearts.    

Love you. 

Always and forever. Always and forever. 

OH, THE GLORIES OF FLYING

    Good morning, folks. Sorry for the late posting. However, I have a truly legitimate excuse. Once upon a time, to fly was to engage in the romance of life, to be able to soar into the skies, albeit within a metal tube and look down. To gaze through the windows as one flies through brilliant white cotton puffs or ones streaked through with gray. To see the curve of the Earth, the geometry of the fields, the rivers and the highways. To overfly the glories of continents and marvel at it all. Even the process of preflight was part of it all - until this all changed -for the worst and has become an experience worthy of its own survivor show. 

True, amidst all that took place yesterday around the world, in comparison to my own tale of woe, mine ranks in as a distant second. Still, one has a right to whine, even just a tad, or more than that and today is my day. As we were driven to the airport, we knew already that our destination was to face some storms. Thus, we expected some delays. However, as we checked in well in time for boarding, we asked one of the agents about the latest news re the flight's timing and were told all was copacetic. And so we smiled and proceeded to security - a breeze - and on to our gate, quite a trek, and purchased the NYT and WSJ and a snack each along the way. I wrestled with the large size papers, was winning the battle, and had one eye on the information board ticking off the minutes to boarding, takeoff. and approximate time we would reach our destination.  A total breeze.   

Waiting, boarding. All great. Standard speech of do's and don'ts. And we all settle in until one hour delay announced. Not too bad these days. Now a further two hour delay. But we could remain on the plane. Unfortunately, yet another delay and the necessity to deboard, taking all our personal items with us. There arose an undertone of disappointment, even a tad of anger that we were not told why or the length of the delay. Back on the plane and now to sit there for hours. Delay after delay with no answers as to why the flight was not canceled. Flights scheduled after ours had already been canceled so why were we not in the same situation. It would have freed us to go and do what we had to. No answers and we were warned that to leave the plane as some desired, meant to forfeit their ticket and their luggage would be unretrievable at this point in time. Some sat back down while others left the plane and over the next few hours more followed.  

The only constant aside from delay was the quality, the humanness of the fight crew, as they shared jokes, walked among us, equally as frustrated as we were at the lack of explanation. Constant notification of more than hour after hour after hour, and so there we sat. Most of us had been in the airport between 9:30 and 10 boarded the plane on time. We did not get off that plane until somewhere around 7:15 PM despite one small deplaning. The arrows had clicked away, and we had gone nowhere, sentenced to sit in boredom and anticipation of more aggravation, hope for a flight dissipating. Frustrating!  

We managed to rebook via our computer, a better choice than waiting on long lines to speak with an agent.  Sky high prices but it was imperative that we get home, even as we were told that flights would probably be canceled the next day or two. and so we booked for Sunday. Still on the plane.   

Finally, after 7:00 PM, closer to 7:15, a new announcement as phones were pinging away. Flight Cancel.  Flights scheduled after us had long ago been canceled. Finally, we were freed to leave and get our luggage. Mired in ignorance and refusal of an airline to explain exactly what was happening, to sit there befuddled and confused, we thought there was finally light at the end of this tunnel. 

We breathed easy too soon for the aggravation did not end as we exited the door of the jet. Told to get our luggage at Carousel Six, we met with a carousel overloaded with luggage from at least two other flights, but of course not ours. Nowhere in sight. As we all milled around, seeking answers, a rather annoyed recalcitrant employee of American Airlines told us to get online for the ticket agent even as we did not need tickets.  

 When reached, we were told two to three hours more as they did not know where our luggage was. Parents of babies, children, old codgers like me who were exhausted, at the end of our ropes, needing medications and privacy for that - we struggled, and I had two major crises impending. 

 No supervisor, no manager, no explanation. Refuting the evidence of their own eyes as air tags   were shown to them, indicating location, locating their luggage, but still no responses, no luggage. Then yet again back online, this time to tell the agent that we actually did want our luggage. Only then would somebody be dispatched to go find that luggage wherever it was hidden, awaiting rescue   and put on the carousel.      

Home was reached at night, 9:41 PM. Over 12 hours from the time we had set out until the time we came home. Needless to say, I, along with many others, are not happy with our experience with American Airlines at O'Hare. Information and explanation is good. Being held hostage on planes - not so good.     

Now anyone who knows me knows that I really do not tolerate stupidity or foolishness or not thinking thoughts. Yet all day I was so good, shocking my kids, shocking my husband, even shocking myself. I read, I snacked - and waited. Sitting and standing became quite uncomfortable, and the need for an end was clearly needed. First aid for medical situations were imperative yet very difficult to act upon given the location.      

And so, I broke, worn out, tired. Precariously medicated and thank G-d I had taken extra doses with me. Luckily for us our daughter and granddaughter came to the airport to be with us and were able to tolerate my grumpiness and aggravation and feeling ill and totally out of sorts.  

American Airlines fell down on the job. In so many ways. We will talk.

        

   

     

 

SAY WHAT?

  Is there any wonder at all re the rarity or possibility of a rational conversation? When was the last time you actually partook of such, or witnessed it? Difficult, correct? That is because conversation requires a common language with understanding of the meanings of words and we proceed from there. However, what happens when that shared understanding is missing, unavailable.  Suddenly we find ourselves not talking, but shouting, hoping, mistakenly, that the louder we speak, the more and better the communication. Well, that does not work well either. 

Within moments we find ourselves in a state of hostility and frustration. What is the matter with that person?! Why does he/she not speak English (whatever the chosen language is)? Hostility ensues and it becomes even more difficult, nigh unto impossible, to converse with each other. Certainty that our fellow conversationalist is actually an enemy, with aims and goals, grows by leaps and bounds. Suddenly, rather than words we hear the clash of swords and the. boom of bombs. and new rivers of blood flood the land. Sound familiar? Sound inevitable? 

I believe this is the state of the world today. Even the word 'word' is misunderstood. It can now mean one speaks the truth or a brazen lie. Fat, spelled phat, takes on new meaning, as does sick, crispy, and myriad words, forever growing and shifting in connotations and denotations. Words have become undecipherable, meanings occluded and changing from day to day.  Hence the rarity of any conversation of sense and sensibility for how can it be? 

We might believe we are making one point and actually we are saying the complete opposite. Rather than the gradual growth and changes to language, over time, we have overnight shifts which preclude any progress re shared and meaningful, productive conversation. In rising frustration and attempts to make ourselves understood, to communicate, we give up. We then resort to threats and force, frayed tempers grow apace, and well, take a look around.

Supposed negotiations are a sad joke as the very words meant to convey terms, desires. and goals are misunderstood. Languages assumed to be common, accepted as such, are so not as they are assumed to be. Hence, negotiations are doomed to failure, a foregone result. That which was intended to be a conveyance and possibility of peace now becomes a tool of war, or a cause of war. 

A particular pet peeve of mine is the word 'woke' in any of its formations, formats or permutations. Woke used to be a verb as in 'I woke up". People were woken up, roused from bed, from daydreams, to reality. Suddenly it became a noun. Or an adjective. Whatever worked. At one point it was a positive term. It meant one became more sensitive to the errors of the past and the need to make amends, to seek out truth, even uncomfortable ones. However, as with most new movements throughout history, the positivity began to wither, opposition grew and intensified. Suddenly, the term meant otherwise.

 To be woke now became a pejorative adjective. It meant one was not forward thinking, but rather a regressive one. It was a viewpoint which did not see nor acknowledge any of the goodness, the richness, the traditions of the past, and threw it all out with the dirty bathwaters of the past. It reversed the meaning and implication of the word "progressive" as the progressiveness grew, morphed, into an ever more petrified viewpoint with an inability to accommodate differences. In fact, in truth, the 'woke' movement became regressive, perverted, as had happened to many historical new movements.

To be opposed to the woke movement was to worship all that was past, be it good or even evil. Many advancements, progress and progressive movements and achievements of the past were denigrated, downplayed and downright denied. It was a movement. of rigid construction. To vary an inch outside of those fortifications was to be deemed a traitor, a leper to the movement. In its opposition to the woke movement and all that accompanied it, it too engaged in the discarding of the old used bathwater sprinkled as it was with the truth and the richness to be found within some of the beliefs and activities of that woke movement.  

As the movements grew and intensified, the divisions between became chasms. Unable to be plumbed. Unable to be spanned. It has become a situation at present of never the twain shall meet. As a result, our nation has become almost irretrievably irreparably broken. Our conversations have become useless and even causative of further division and invective for we no longer speak the same language. We no longer hear the same words. We see different pictures in our head. We have different views of the past and conflicting views of the future.

Conversation. How? With whom? How do we find the shared language? How do we find our commonalities as people, as Americans, as human beings. It is nigh unto impossible at this point. We are harming this once great nation as we present a weak, confused personality to the world at large. We engage in the wholesale division of the nation, from friends to families, trampling on all that was once sacred. We refuse to see the good to be found within other viewpoints and instead discard all, growing ever more rigid, ever more unapproachable, all differences nonnegotiable.

  Robin Williams told us long ago what we must do."Good morning, America." Let us wake up and join a new 'woke" movement, a good, positive thinking, understanding, flexible movement hewing to our traditions of the past and the hopes and dreams for the future.

 But then again, perhaps I dream too much. Perhaps. Perhaps we all need to dream again and   awake to a better world, a better day.  

"One day, one day".... sings Matisyahu. As we all should sing. As we all wake up to new understandings, fresh conversation and renewed American traditions.  

 

  

 

    

ANAND SO ....

 ...it goes? Remember "How Now, Brown Cow?" Well, we can now print our own version with the questions rather existential in nature and not so incidentally, rather quite more than frightening. In fact, they are downright scary to the nth degree.  How in the name of all that's holy, or perhaps more befitting - devilish, ever more insane, have we managed to bollix things up so that we have reached this point yet again. 

  WWI - The war to end all wars. Not so much. WWII - Huge numbers of civilian and soldiers killed, global infrastructure shattered and the map of the world, the countries redrawn time and again and again and again. Not to forget the horrors of the Holocaust and the ominous use of the atomic bomb, ever more to hang over us as a tool of Armageddon. One giant step closer to self-immolation.  

Peace. Peace, an illusion akin to the Emperor's new clothing. An idea, a concept, more honored in the breach than in the keeping. The status of the world was more of a constantly boiling obnoxious stew.  Complaints. Ambitions. Civil and religious warfare. Larger regional wars. Major power involvement. Proxy wars. Just a few of the noxious ingredients poured aplenty into that ever-boiling pot. 

It was, is, more of a wobbly understated under acknowledged state of war rather than a solid sure peace. In our infinite stupidity we exacerbated the situation by harnessing the power of our brains, the enormous wealth of the world, into advancing the weaponry of war rather than into those projects which would have benefitted humanity. But of course. Why do otherwise? Far better to achieve MAD - mutual assured destruction, correct?

DefCon 5 is our present situation. We are that close to the worst of the worst. We have allowed our arrogance, our chosen ignorance and defiance of truths to bring us to this point. We rather stupidly or purposely engaged in a constant reiteration of failed politics and policies of appeasement and wishful thinking. We thought we would be able to stir that ever-threatening pot, control it, and remain immune to the severe burns of the emergent steam. 

And so here we are. Appeasement has failed. Empty threats have been blown away in the wind. Eternal discussions and 'negotiations' have failed as we knew they would, based as they were on premises faulty and inadequate from the outset.  And - here we are. A knife at our throat. A sword at our belly. Held by crazed leaders of a demented nation deeply immersed in the extremes of an ambition soaked with religious extremism, a poisonous fervor to die in the name of jihad.  Anathema to humanity, yet there it is - over and over again. Empowered by our own cowardice and denial of history:  appeasement and surrender to madmen does not work. Ever. Never. 

And here we are again. Iran, a piddling nation enriched and empowered by oil and religion has raised the dial beneath the stew and its contents are boiling over. Destroy Israel. Kill the Yahud (Jew). An eternal cry of the beasts of hate and the perpetration of savagery. All brought to us by the sponsorship of cowardly nations of the West and Arabia whose reluctance to do what must be done, actually enhanced its possibility of actuality and again - here we are.

It does take a brave person to do what is ugly but necessary. At times steps hateful to oneself must be taken if we are to stop enemies from advancing on their beastly path. It need not be to an extreme but the longer we delay and deny, the more extreme the cure. As an example, straight out of history - Harry Truman who hated what he had to do but knew the necessity. And acted. Horrid, awful, but hopefully to prevent greater losses and never to be repeated - if we all took note of lesson. I fear we have not.

These are his words, and we need to read them carefully and think on their import for us. 

"The only language they seem to understand is the one we have been using to bombard them. When you have to deal with a beast, you have to treat him as a beast. ...For myself I certainly regret the necessity of wiping out whole populations because of the "pigheadedness" of the leaders of a nation." 

Truman never offered an apology for doing what he thought a horrible necessity, for acting as a leader and accepting its burdens. Years later he said, “He would do the exact same thing, given the same circumstances."

Here are some wise words from brighter heads and minds than mine.

"The real problem of humanity is the following: We have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and godlike technology. And it is terrifically dangerous." Edward O. Wilson.

"Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception." Carl Sagan. 

I can recognize their prescience and appreciate their warnings. I can take note of their words and hope that others will as well. If I could, I would wish away the ugliness, the woes and ills of this world, but for that act there is a precondition - a new world is awaiting. One we humans would not sully with the nastiness of the present one. Can we?  Grave doubt, even as this world is now on a very dangerous precipice.

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Please note I have left Yitzy out of these postings. I believe this ugliness of this world should not sully or besmirch the purity of his soul.  But he's ever present within my heart.     

Always and forever. Always and forever.  

 

.

WHAT IF, JUST WHAT IF

  What if things were different? What if somewhere along the line we had made different decisions? What if the American public and the individuals that make up that public had come to their senses sooner, or better yet, wouldn't have lost those senses? When did we all begin our trek to anger, confusion and anomie? Where and when did we turn at the wrong place, in the wrong direction and end up at the state of mind so hurtful and pessimistic, so unhearing of or to anything other than we wished to hear? 

What if we had chosen not to heed the loudest voices, their pandering to violence and hate, to the worst of humanity? What if we had rejected these voices, prevented their drowning out of the voices of unity and common sense, of compromise and acceptance of others? When did we become so stiff, so unbending and arrogant, so demanding of our needs as opposed to the common, shared needs of all? To the exclusion of others, placed their needs as diametrically opposed to ours? When and why did we do a deep dive into unplumbed waters, ignoring inevitable consequences, and choose to remain in murky waters, ruining the present, denying the past, good and bad, and endangering the positive future, in fact any future at all. And why? I simply cannot figure it out, make any sense of it at all. 

It boggles the mind. As I seek answers, explanations, something, anything to provide understanding, even just a clue as to how we make our way out of this mess, I came across some interesting statements. If not providing answers, then perhaps advice or a bit more comprehension of the peril of our present situation and the extreme fright of consequences, too real, too possible, or even more likely than not.

"It is my firm belief that the infinite and uncontrollable fury of nuclear weapons should never be held in the hands of any mere mortal ever again for any reason.” (Mikhail Gorbachev)

Think about that statement and relate it to our current situation. Most everyone I speak with, of many different lifestyles, backgrounds, even their politics, are finding themselves facing a rather revolting, dismaying choice in a most consequential election. There is a deep and obvious lack of enthusiastic support. We find ourselves with a negative choice, between the lesser evil or the better of the weak choice. 

Pay attention to the quote above and ask yourself who exactly is the better choice to control that uncontrollable power that once unleashed signals the end of it all. Certainly, as we know it.  As we hoped it would be. Undeniably, both mainstream political parties, if there any mainstream as such any longer, contain within crazed extreme individuals. As always, extremes are dangerous. When bought into by the public their danger is exponentially, geometrically increased. Yet we must choose. Most important is that we choose a leader, or one proposed as such, who acts with more sense, more sanity, less jingoism and appeal to the lowest common denominator of the electorate. 

It comes down to an ugly and unsatisfactory choice. One candidate for the office of President   is a woman who has served as a State Attorney General and as a Senator, performing well in both positions. She is the current vice president and has proven her ability to be loyal, even to the downplaying of her own value and talent. She has also shown herself capable of reacting quickly to sudden need, powering up and carrying along others with her. Is she perfect? Absolutely not. But then again, is anyone? 

One of my most serious objections refers to Israel. Though her past record and statements, a two time speaker at AIPAC indicate strong support of and for Israel, more recent statements re the “humanitarian crisis” within Gaza, raise some concern. There is a lack of stress in reminding all that such current "crisis" was begun, instigated and inevitable via the vicious barbaric attack upon Israel by Hamas and their allies, and their purposeful tactic of waging war within civilians, (not so innocent civilians) and the inevitable deaths celebrated by Hamas for the political edge it feels they gain from it.

To be fair, the opposing candidate has not mentioned this crisis, certainly not in specificity, only announcing that he would never have allowed it! What bosh!! This from the man who condemns all Jews who do not vote for him. This from the man who accepts support from those "nice people" of the White Power groups, the same groups now   emboldened by his campaign and possibility of future office. A man who engages in name calling, as a child, who throws tantrums a toddler would admire, who rages and curses and insults, who is a convicted felon, a convicted fraud, who awaits other trials, who has done his best to totally corrupt the Supreme Court, who openly speaks of his desires and plans for revenge, for no need of future elections, who is demented, immoral and an unhealthy man at 78, physically and cognitively, emotionally - no,  not the best choice. 

His finger on that button? No way! His finger, his mind, such as it is, on the button of the "infinite and uncontrollable fury" - NO!!!!!  His opponent unless come to a doomsday moment would not push that button in the midst of a temper tantrum.  I trust his opponent more than I trust him. It is the only sane choice. And our allies agree. This isolationist if in office, will prove to be the undoing of America in so many ways. Even existential. 

In victory or defeat he poses a danger to this country, to the world. He has already engaged in open treason on January 6th, 2020, and has already planned for and readied the ground for a future revolt should he lose. This is not the leader we need. While his opponent is not the best choice in an ideal world, we live in an imperfect world and must live within the reality, face reality, like it or not. It is the only way.

 Perhaps via a sane period of time within this country we will be able to deal with the madness within, with the rising antisemitism, with the toxic hatred and poisonous environment on campuses. Perhaps we'll be able to reverse the vocal  global trend towards the support of fascism. However, most emphatically this will not be possible with a patently demented raging man at the helm. 

Thomas Jefferson said “In matters of style, swim with the current. In matters of principle stand like a rock."  

Time for principles. Time to be brave. Time to be decisive. Time to reckon with truth as it is and how we can better enforce and enliven our principles.

There is no other way. We already, at some time, erred, massively. Time to change, to redirect, to cancel the wrong culture, the wrong elements found in all philosophies. Time to be the best humans we can be. We have been our own worst enemies. Perhaps we can now strive to be our best friends. Perhaps we can even like ourselves better, trust each other more. Wouldn't that be a nice turn of events.

    

   

    

  

I'M HII'M HOME! NO KING DEEP ROOTS

  America, America whither thou goeth? Have you merely strayed from the past with the opportunity to return or are you totally lost with no hope of exit from the jungle of negativity and hate. It is very difficult at times of late to truly parse the structure of our nation. All the adverbs and adjectives, all the verbs, are confusing, misapplied. Students are asked to parse sentences in order to understand the structure of the language and how to use it correctly. We must do the same here in America, from the citizen in the street to the men or women in Congress, or sitting on Court benches. We must learn to properly parse this nation and understand its structure. Only then will we be able to recognize our errors and correct them. 

We pride ourselves in the ability and the right to pound out patriotic songs, for our voices to resound, be it in the still air of the Prairie of the High Desert, or the Wetlands, or the cacophony of urban life. We sing. We ask for God to.“ shed His grace.”  to complete the picture with "Brotherhood, from sea to shining sea". We appeal for divine help when we sing, asking God to bless America. to "guide her, with the light from above".   

However, apparently, we are a bunch of hypocrites. Even as we ask for guidance from divine sources, we use religion to inflict pain on others. We use religion as a battering ram, a weapon of war. We deny the rights of some to follow the religion of their ancestors. Unfortunately, for me and mine, during these tumultuous times to be a Jew, to be openly a Jew, is to invite trouble in your door. Greatly aggravating is that when Anti Semitism is called out, rightfully so as statistics of increased JewHatred so sadly prove, inevitably, so wrongly, Islamophobia is tied to it. It is a constant cry of "wolf" even as such incidents are very few and far between. Even as the loudest proponents of JewHatred are the ones crying wolf!  We ignore hate and repression and continuously give voice to the primitive hate which has survived through all the millennia. Idol versus idol. Catholic versus Protestant. Hindu versus Buddhism. Political ism versus religion. It just never seems to go away.

Yesterday - an amazing, complicated prisoner/ hostage release trade involving numerous nations, about 20 individuals from multiple countries took place. It required fine tuning, delicate negotiations, cooperation between enemies. Evan Gershkovich was able to say, “I'm home.”. Andy Whalen was able to salute his commander in chief as he alit on American soil. A wife and mother, a journalist, was reunited with husband and daughters.  Beautiful. Heartwarming. However,...  

However, as I viewed these joyous moments the other side of my brain was weeping. Why? Because I think of other hostages. Kidnapped brutally from their lives, seeing their loved ones slaughtered, butchered, before their eyes. Their friends slaughtered, raped, shot. The elderly, infants and children, carried off to horror. 44 Americans were killed that day. Eight dual American Israeli citizens were kidnapped and only five, if five remain alive. Numerous hostages kidnapped were dual citizens of multiple foreign lands. Nary a whisper heard to demand their citizens be returned, released from the horror of their captivity. Silence. Efforts visible in their absence. Barely a whisper. from these countries who should beshouting to the skies to release their citizens. 

No, what we got was dense thick, overwhelming suffocating silence. Ten months gone by, more deaths as the captives die in captivity, murdered, starved, but no IRC, no Embassy representatives. Nothing. Ten months. No end in sight. No nation aroar for their citizens in horrendous captivity, dying in the interim. No anguished shouts and demands from Argentina for that terrified mother and her two beautiful boys. None.

Hence, I see and read the rejoicing in America, rightly so, but to the contrary I see Americans withering, dying, ignored in their imprisonment. And the only reason for that, the ugly reason which explains it, is that these hostages are Jewish.  End of discussion. Yes, Gershkovich is Jewish but he had the Wall Street Journal calling for his release. He was part of a multinational trade. On the other hand, Daniel Pearl was left to die as he too was taken prisoner.  And today our American Israeli captives remain under threat, as do the thousands of dual citizens living in Israel. Jews. What the hell. Next!  

Even as we celebrated Pilgrims and Puritans as bold seekers of religious freedom, only later did we learn that they denied it to others. However, there were those who fought that bigotry and ignorance and over time we improved, tried to correct errors. Trial and error, numerous times, and slowly we improved, but the roots of hate grow deep and strong and their extirpation difficult, at times seeming impossible to do so.  

Slowly, at a steep price, the country developed a better toleration, even an appreciation of and gratitude to those who are “different” from the "typical American". Physical violence, verbal abuse, threats, were never totally erased but we had hopes of progress. Immigrants were recognized for their contributions, their necessity and were able to thrive and prosper and to become integral parts of the structure of this nation. Merely watching the Olympics, viewing the Heinz 57 variety of Americans gave voice of our progress.      

So why is it that we cannot extirpate these deep ugly roots of hatred which benefit none of us? Not the hated and not the haters. I wish I could find a wise person who could answer these questions and explain the inexplicable. We need to stop tiptoeing around this issue. We need to confront the hate still endemic in our nation. We need to reeducate people of our nation, turn them away from the primitiveness of hate and towards the progress and benefits of acceptance and appreciation, of the gifts of new talent and ideas. 

We need to address and eliminate all bias and bigotry, admit its ugliness and harm in every manifestation. We need to remove approval of hate, particularly for the hate as old as time and seemingly impervious to all attempts to extinguish it.  Here is the truth of it today, here in America. 

 "These Progressives don’t want a Jew. Let’s say it out loud. Imagine if moderate Dems said they didn’t want a certain minority. The condemnations would be deafening. Yet now we hear much silence."

Along with condemnation and criticism of the Jewish organizations attempting to repair and improve the situation, they are accused of conspiracy, their efforts denied and demeaned. Prejudice wears its ugliness in many different manners, and we must be alert to each and every one of them and to new permutations of them. We must acknowledge truths, as shameful as they are. We must acknowledge the practice of bigotry. and double, triple our efforts to cancel it out. We must   acknowledge its practice, it's rampant wild growth over the past few years.  

Finally, the topic of no king. George Washington refused the crown offered to him, stating that we had not fought England only to return to the monarchy. We fought for freedom, and we are to continue to fight for that freedom. Today we are falling short, allowing some to put themselves    above the law. However, that principle of no king, of no man above the law, became an integral part of the structure of this nation, often violated and ignored, yet always there and believed in. So it has been and so it must remain, ever stronger until never will there be anyone who can place themselves and their acolytes above the law. There will be no need for a bill in Congress called the No King Act. In 2024.  

America. Yes, America. We beseech God to watch us, to help us, to guide us. Yet we spurn that advice, turn on the guidance and return too often to antiquated hateful rules and tropes and reinvent them putting a glass of modernity on them, claiming that they are not what they are. This must end. We need to. pay attention to ourselves and what emanates from our mouth. We need to look within. Diagnose the problems and the improvement necessary. We need to prioritize those repairs. 

We none of us are perfect. We have all violated the rules of civility. We have allowed ourselves to become mired at times in swamps of hate. And I do not exempt myself on that. But again, folks, we've got to do better. 

We must enable the joyous cry of "I'm home" to echo as it bursts forth from the throats of so many who will be allowed to contribute to this nation as our ancestors did, as we ourselves do. We need to hear that sound, that statement. emerging from the hearts of those who have been told they are not at home. Not here. Never. We need to find within our America of today room for the America of yesterday and filter out the negatives. and then truly become. as it was in many cultures deemed      the "Goldena Medina. The Golden State. The country where the streets were paved with gold, with gold opportunities. and the possibilities of dreams coming true. 

If we could all only sit down together and unpack our ugly suitcases together, examine the contents together. Then perhaps we might see the stupidity    we consistently renew and reinforce. Beneath the surface most humans are the same. Those who refuse to understand must be taught to rethink.  To continue on, as we are today, will only result in tragedy. That end must be avoided.

----------------------------------------------------------- Yesterday I wrote about a little boy. My family's little boy who was in his brief lifetime exactly what was needed. Unfortunately. this was not to be as he was taken back into the home, into the arms of the “Light from above”

I forgot to include the web. site which you can type in. and go slightly less than 9 minutes into the "Sutofsky" segment. There you'll see the actual event honoring Yitzy, his uniqueness, his inner beauty.  So many loved him and miss him.

https://youtu.be/7MoUydLEVaU?si=ETG3XLzILHcgas8K

Always and forever. Always and forever.

A LITTLE BOY

Once upon a time a family awaited the birth of a new baby. The gender mattered not for this baby was to be welcomed be it girl or boy. And in a timely manner we came to meet a beautiful little baby boy who immediately stole everyone's heart. Stunning blue eyes, a head of blonde hair which quickly grew into a mop of soft blonde curls and from his first moments he won everyone's heart. Resistance was futile for certainly from the first early smile there was no resistance possible and the harshest frown, the darkest mood transformed. Sounds impossible, merely the babbling of a besotted grandmother, but it truly was not.

Always there was a mischievous streak, not mean, merely another vehicle for laughter and smiles.     At about two and a half years of age at a family celebration, able to wander freely, and as a true lover of chocolate, (my grandson after all), he was in seventh heaven. Despite being told by his mom not a lot of candy, he went to show his mom his treasures. Pockets jammed with candy, mouth as well, hands full with yet more, and a face smeared with already consumed chocolate.

Gently reminded by his mom about too much candy, he simply grinned, looked up at me (a willing accomplice) as he opined in his defense, rather indignantly, falsely accused of a crime, "Chocolate not 'kendy'. Wight!?" To my credit? shame?  I instantaneously responded "Wight!". The result was hearty laughter from all who had witnessed the scene and a family story to be held dear, repeated many times when we needed that laughter. 

This little adorable shining. boy was blessed as well with keen intelligence. He was able, to my shame and amazement, to beat me at games, particularly those requiring understanding of patterns of repetition. Upon playing the first game, I asked his sisters should I let him win so he wouldn't cry, the response was don't worry. He doesn't need help - you do. I needed it. 

Whatever Yitzy took on as a new interest he explored to the fullest. An amazing depth of curiosity allowed him to range far and wide, to delve deep within, and to be exceptional in every endeavor - other than the one which mattered the most. (More on that later.) 

His achievements were many with some generally contradicting each other, not found in one little boy, but in him not so.  An excellent eager achieving student, he loved science, math, Hebrew studies. He wrote well and even had an article of his re birdwatching published. His knowledge and love of birds was mammoth and shared with all. He had serious cameras and binoculars, game cameras, bird houses and feeding stations galore and noted many bird varieties. 

 He flew drones like a pro and walked the paths of Nature in and around Pittsburgh with a willing best buddy - his dad. For hours on end, they explored, touched Nature, admired G-d's creations, for his faith was pure, unsullied, trusting and deep. Yitzy eagerly and generously shared his knowledge, helped fellow students, asked good questions in his drive to know and understand. 

Yet with all those amazing aspects he was a little boy with little boy needs, with other little boys to share in play moments, especially in sports. A natural at any sport he took up, baseball was his love. An amazing left-handed pitcher, a powerful batter, a fast runner with a love of base stealing, he could not understand why others shook his hand as he was merely playing baseball and being the best he could at it. Always kind to all, with none of the ugliness which could accompany sports.

Yitzy. Son, brother, grandson, friend, student, athlete and so much more. A true synergy of all aspects of Yitzy. As he grew, he was developing into a promising young man with much to give to the world. Adored by his sisters and his brother,  cherished by his parents, looking forward to high school, to bar mitzvah and suddenly the world turned to gray ash.  

Disaster struck. He was diagnosed with embryonic myorabdosarcoma. A monster.  A shock through the heart to all. An entire community came together in an outpouring of grief, and a wanting to help in any way they could. All came together.  Yitzy was their friend too, and we were amazed at the power of Yitzy to create positive relationships with so many.     After a year of fighting, Yitzy could fight no longer. All the love of his family, his friends, his many worlds were not enough to keep him safe. The wonderful staffs of CHOP and Pittsburgh Children's Hospital, who adopted him, could not forestall the end. And in December, on Chanukah, Yitzy went to a better place, leaving behind so many bereft, unable to be comforted, a loss so deep its depths could never be plumbed. His last wishes- a Torah to be written in his name and to not be forgotten. As if. 

The Torah was written and will be dedicated on September 1, 2024, on Yitzy's Day, so designated by the City of Pittsburgh, an action initiated by those of the baseball world along with a dedication and naming of the school campus for Yitzy, a street by the baseball field named for him and next year a retirement of his #2 jersey. The heart overflows as do the tears. And the love, the gap in our lives and the lives of so many will never be lost.

Please read the following and you will see that this is not merely the words of a grieving grandmother but the words and feelings of so many.

Yitzy was taken way before his time. 

A wound never to be healed. An argument with G-d still  ongoing.

That was a very touching tribute to a very loved and accomplished young man. Thank you for sharing, 

What an amazing soul

What kiddushei Hashem he accomplished

What wonderful olam haba he has earned 

Kivi and Chan must also be recognized for their zchusim in bringing Yitzie into this world and for  raising him to be what he was

I wish I had known him when he was with us and even now it's clear his goodness is with us in the people he inspired

Yehi zichro baruch

 

On Wed, Jul 31, 2024 at 1:12 AM Mails Received  wrote:

Thanks for sharing.  Brought tears to our eyes.  On a happy note, made us feel good that that special boy is being honored. Again, thanks for sharing this news. S&E

 

Very touching and honorable.  May the memory of Itzi be blessed

What a beautiful honor to perpetuate his name and memory in a מקום תורה. May his neshama have an Aliyah.

So meaningful.

His Neshama should have an Aliya and the family should have a nechama.

your grandson is continuing to give you naches from his place in Gan Eden. May his neshama have an Aliyah and may your family find Nechama from this beautiful tribute. Gitty and Avrom.

Amazing. Someone so young made such an imoression on everyone

Kol hakavod may yitzys neshama have aliya and he made a kiddush Hashem

I’m responding with tears in my eyes. What a beautiful gesture on behalf of the city council and what a beautiful boy Yitzi was.

We watched the video and once again were so impressed for all the accolades Yitzy z”l received. Hoping all these little pieces of joy start to help you all heal. Sending love and warm hugs! Marilyn and Armin

        

DOG DAYS

Yes, we are quickly approaching the dog days of summer.  Those are the last moments of the freedom of the relaxation of summer. We walk with a slower pace. Our heels hit the pavement with a softer touch, less of the staccato tempo of the work environment and its pressures.  Our thoughts are more attuned to the remaining moments, those to come, which contain the soft winds and even the heat of summer. Whether one is working or on vacation, or even taking a moment or two after work, summer is just different.

However, today, in early morning hours, I write of different dog days, those which fulfill the meaning of the maxim "every dog has its day".  Today is one of those days, a follower of many such days throughout history, the lifetime of the Jewish nation. From time immemorial every villain of history who chose to wage war against Jews, desirous of their death and extermination, has met his due and just desserts. Each and every one of them has met an awful and or untimely death, a life replete with fear and/or constantly looking over one's shoulder for the chasing Angel of Death.   

 Leaders of ancient tribes who led them to warfare against the tribe of Abraham and his sons, who raided them in the desert, the Pharaohs who enslaved them, the one who refused to heed the warnings of Moses. The nations great and small, from the Plishtim to Egypt again, through the empires of the Greeks, the Romans, Persians, Medes, and Babylonians, all had their ambitions fearfully ended. Haman and his sons who plotted against Mordechai, Esther, and the Jews of the kingdom died at the end of a rope.  

Viciously antisemitic nations of Eastern and Central Europe met their own unpleasant times.    Neither the Pale of Settlement nor the vicious anti-Jewish laws enacted and carried out, the raids of the Cossacks to the beast known as Hitler and his entire coterie could put an end to a nation with a most powerful backer, the Head of the Board, so to speak.

 The barbarians cloaked in thin human skins who perpetrated assaults and atrocities upon Jews in Israel in futile attempts to end it, through the murderers of the Israeli athletes of the 1972 Munich Olympics, the centuries old tradition of antisemitic leaders of nations, including Western Europe and in America, Iran who blew up the Jewish Center in Argentina,  those who killed, slaughtered, 11 Jews at prayers in the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, to the animals of Hamas and Oct7 and their abettors in Gaza and elsewhere, well, Haniyeh, good riddance to you as you meet your maker and face your eternal judgment, as did all of your ilk who preceded you and all who will follow, more fools they. Hopefully to be followed in your court date, quickly, by Sinwar and his abettors of evil, of slaughter of infants, murder of elderly, rape of women and instigators and cause of the deaths of fellow Gazans as you hid amongst them so as to ensure their deaths and blame it on Israel. Your war crime and so you will face the consequences in a rather more eternal day of judgement.  

Every dog has its day, so it has been stated and so it has been true. Those who bark against us will meet a stronger pack, one capable of defeating human beasts desirous of slaughter of all Jews, no matter where they live along with the destruction of the nation of Israel. Well, here is a bit of information and education, just for you and those who would follow in your stinking footsteps. 

We are here. To stay. To defeat all who plot against us. So history has proven, and so history will continue. Perhaps one day we can put an end to this ugliness, these persistent crazed and futile attempts to destroy a nation which has always and only been good for this globe and its population thereof.  

Tomorrow, along with the posting, some beautiful heartwarming news re recognition and celebration of the uniqueness of my grandson, Yitzy, may he rest in eternal peace. Organized and planned and to be carried out by those who knew him and cannot forget him and the gift he was to all. 

We so miss him and love him -

Always and forever. Always and forever.