Closet Non Believers

Ex-Chasid Shulem Deen: All who go do not return

The world has not really stopped. Although it sure seems like it. That said, we are not going to be living like this forever. Getting back to normal will take some time – if done right. We will need to do it slowly and carefully so that we do not spike a second round of death and disease via insufficient distancing from asymptomatic carriers.

What the return to a semblance of normalcy will look like in the near term is anybody’s guess. Equally unclear is what the world will look like even if we overcome this pandemic with effective treatments and vaccines. Businesses that once were - may not be anymore. Familiar businesses may not be able to recover and reopen. Old habits and interests might be replaced by new ones that have resulted from staying home for so long.

On that score there is hope in the news today. There has been promising results in treating COVID patients. It appears that Remdesivir, a drug used to successfully treat Ebola has shown promise in treating patients infected with the coronavirus.

There is also some encouraging news about vaccine development. Oxford university is already undergoing human testing with a vaccine they have developed. They say it may be ready for use by September.

These developments are game changers.  The President’s Operation Warp Speed project is tasked with drastically reducing the time needed to develop a coronavirus vaccine. His goal is to make enough for most Americans by year’s end. 

This is all good news. In the meantime, as indicated by my opening statement, life goes on. Many of the same issues that existed before the pandemic still exist now.

One of which caught my attention by way of a Facebook group to which I belong that connects observant Jews with formerly observant Jews that have gone OTD. A recent post from a non believer from the Charedi world laments the fact that he no longer believes - and is therefore stifled by being in the closet about it. Here is (a sanitized version of) how this fellow puts it: 

Sometimes I am so tired of the double life; it is crushing. In those moments, I fantasize about saying, (OK), you win, I'll be frum." My life is one big lie anyway. Maybe I can forget about truth and re-insert my brain into the frum injection mold. Perhaps I'll become some tired rebbe somewhere, respinning this time in my life into an inspirational kiruv story I can use to wow 10th graders. (Trust me, I tasted a life of hefker, it is all sizzle no steak.)

My co-workers, neighbors, old chavrusos, all consider me a slightly atypical Ben Torah. I hate the act.

It is not easy raising my kids frum. I do not like it when they are bored out of their brains on a rainy shabbos, and I have to stop them from coloring. Or when I cannot let them watch the Lion King because their schools will never let goyishe movies—or being worried that they will become old enough to question why I never seem to be wearing tzitzis - forcing me to don an idiotic uncomfortable piece of clothing that I hate.

What is going to happen when they get older, and I will really need to start indoctrinating them into a belief system that I so passionately reject? The entire stability of my family depends on me maintaining my frum act.

My wife will not stay married to an open heretic. Even if she will, my living authentically will destroy her - and almost certainly confuse and hurt the kids. For numerous reasons, financial and otherwise, we are stuck raising our family in the bastion of yeshivish orthodoxy. I am trapped. Quarantine doesn't help.

There is more. But I think this suffices in showing the trauma a closet nonbeliever experiences daily living a lie in a religious world. Especially one as stringent as a Charedi one.

I have some real empathy for this fellow. Although the abusive treatment he got from his Roshei Yeshiva he later mentions might help understand what precipitated going OTD (or not) this post isn’t about that. It is about wondering how people like this cope with this particular type of daily trauma. And what can be done to alleviate his pain. (I also wonder how many closet non believers there are in the Charedi world. On that last point it is probably impossible to know since they all behave the way the rest of their community does.)

I have discussed this issue before. But every time it comes up, it makes me wonder what can be done to help such individuals. As well as their families.  What advice should be given to people like this? 

If one is an observant Jew, it would be wrong to simply say come out of the closet; stop your outward observance and be true to yourself.  Religious Jews cannot be telling people to stop being observant.

On the other hand, how can anyone even suggest living a lie and staying outwardly observant? How much value does such ‘observance’ have anyway, if it isn’t real?

Even if I were to suggest that he stop living a lie, it must be extremely difficult to stop being observant and abandon the only world you’ve ever known. And to start a new life among people you don’t know or know anything about. Making it impossibly difficult to navigate.

What is such a person to do?  I have no real advice to offer. For a believer like me there is the conundrum of wanting every Jew be observant for their own spiritual welfare. But at the same living a lie is no way to live.  

What would be the best course of action for closet non believers who are struggling with these issues? I honestly don’t know. But not knowing has never stopped me before from speculating. So let me give it a shot.

I guess my off the cuff non professional advice would be to say the following. ‘Don’t rock the boat.’ As difficult as it is to live a lie at least it is a lie that you are used to living. By continuing along these lines you will be able to maintain your friends, your family and a lifestyle that you are used to. To leave all of that behind, and enter the world of the unknown has to be one of the most traumatic things I can imagine anyone doing.

Losing one’s wife and children (which often happens in cases like this) is a pretty hard thing to overcome emotionally. The disapproval of your parents, siblings, and friends isn’t easy to bear either. Even if living your life more honestly is a more personally satisfying way to live, it will still be a massive change to go from an observant lifestyle to one of complete non observance.

Change is hard under any circumstances. Especially one of this magnitude.

This is obviously not an easy choice. But once you decide to leave, coming back is almost impossible. Making any possible future regrets  futile.

Just some of my random thoughts as I sit in my home waiting to be freed from my own closet of self isolation.

Painting With Too Broad a Brush is Always Wrong

Scene in Williamsburg last night (TOI)

As I often say when I disagree with Rabbi Avi Shafran, I more often agree with him than not. On most issues we see eye to eye. And it pains me greatly when I see unwarranted, unfair, and sometimes vitriolic attacks against him from some – even religious - quarters  just because they disagree with him and his overall Hashkafos. That is just plain wrong and smacks of the kind of anti Charedi bigotry his current article in Ha’aretz deals with.

That being said, I am in disagreement with him here even though I completely understand where he is coming from. I actually do agree with him up to a point. 

Rabbi Shafran justifiably sees a current of antisemitism – or more precisely a current of anti Charedi hatred on the part of the mainstream media. Some of it coming from some segments on the Left of the Modern Orthodoxy. He correctly notes that when there are open and public misdeeds by a few misguided Charedim, the media nonetheless paints the entire Charedi community with the same broad brush. These days it is in the form of blaming Charedim for the spread of the coronavirus. Here is how he puts it: 

Judging an entire population on the basis of recalcitrant outliers is the essence of bigotry. 

He goes on to say that the truth about the Charedi community is exactly the opposite. They care more about preserving life than the rest of the world. In the case of the current pandemic, most rabbinic leaders not only adopted all of the mandated  mitigation measures but - once on board - exceeded them. This is true.

What is not true is that there are only a few outliers that have or still are violating them. The fact is that there are entire groups of Charedim that are. They are  a community within a community known as Chasidim. 

I hasten to add that it isn’t all Chasidim. Probably not even most Chasidim. But they are clearly not outliers. This was demonstrated by what happened last night in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.

Hundrerds - perhaps thousands of Chasidim ignored the COVID social distancing policy and attended the funeral of 73 year old Rav  Chaim Mertz, the Tola’as Yaakov Rebbe. (He succumbed to coronavirus.) It was a massive funeral!

This egregious break with New York’s social distancing policy - not only endangered their own lives and that of their families, but the lives of… who knows how many people they will come into contact with. They have no idea whether the individuals they were standing next to were carriers or not. (If there is anything we have learned about this virus, it is that it is being spread mostly by asymptomatic carriers.)  

Rabbi Shafran rightly complains about broad brush strokes. But he is guilty of the same thing in reverse. Painting all Charedim as generally adhering - and even going beyond the mitigation requirements. Yes, most of them do. As he demonstrated with the funeral of Rabbi Ya'akov Perlow:

(The funeral of the) Novominsker Rebbe... took place with only a handful of family members present, and well distanced from one another.

But there are groups of Charedim that don’t care. The broad brush of painting Charedim as adhering to public health policies does not apply to the Chasidim that attended that funeral in Williamsburg last night. An event that prompted New York Mayor Bill de Blasio to say the following: 

“I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period.” 

The mayor was right to be upset. This was about not only potentially harming themselves and their families, it was also about spreading the virus and prolonging the pandemic!

As was the case with the residents of Ramat Bet Shemesh B I discussed a couple of days ago, these people are ‘Nebech ignoramuses’. But as I pointed out, Nebech an ignormamus is still an ignoramus. And in this case (as is the case there) it is a large group of dangerous ones!

What about the fact that there is a double standard? One which focuses only on Charedim and ignores the same type of violation by a massive group of non Jews. As noted in a YWN headline: 

NYPD Break Up Massive Funeral But Ignore Massive Airshow Crowds. 

Is this not anti Charedi bigotry? Perhaps. But I have said this before and it is worth repeating here. Granted there might be a double standard where observant Jews are judged more harshly than other groups that do exactly the same thing. But shouldn’t there be?

Shouldn’t the people Chosen by God be judged by a higher standard than the rest of the world? Is it not our duty to set an example for the entire world to follow? …instead of complaining about being judged unfairly?

It is with all this in mind that I believe the Charedi rabbinic leadership should make a  public, unequivocal, full-throated, and pointed Macha’ah! ...a condemnation of who, what, and where! Without offering any excuses or explanations. Or complaining about double standards.

YU Rosh Yeshiva, R' Mayer Twersky

It is not enough to only do that with a Chilul Hashem that occurs outside the Charedi world. It is perhaps more important to condemn it when it happens inside of it! That may not change how those Chasidim behave. But at least it will tell the world that this kind of behavior is condemned by  leading and recognized rabbinic authorities.

Another thing. These ‘Nebech ignoramuses’ are not only ignorant about what goes on outside their world. They are ignorant of one of the most fundamental Halchos in the entire Torah: Pikuach Nefesh. From Matzav, here is how Yeshiva University Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Mayer Twersky put it his analysis of our overall handling of this issue: 

One who makes light of the mandate of pikuach nefesh is not only making light of one isolated halacha. Rather, he is guilty of distorting and perverting the entire Torah. His flippancy depicts the laws of the Torah not, r”l, as “merciful, kind and just,” but as vengeful and vicious. It goes without saying that such a distortion constitutes a chillul Hashem. 

This profoundly insightful article should be read in its entirety. I will end with the following words excerpted from that article that articulates how I feel about it: 

While nothing else compares to the gravity of chillul Hashem, we must not ignore other severe consequences of our failures on this front. The chillul Hashem stemmed from the flippant attitude adopted to an immense danger to life. Who can possibly measure the dreadful ramifications of this attitude? Only God Himself can truly know.

At this juncture, our obligation is twofold. We must mend — to the extent that such is possible — the mistakes of the past, while simultaneously, prospectively, charting a communal path which accords with the authentic Torah position.

Regarding the past mistakes, we are obligated to publicly declare our guilt in having been willingly blind and deaf to the manifest reality and being shockingly flippant about the immense danger posed by that very reality. As for the future, we must emphasize — clearly and decisively — that the Torah demands our absolute alacrity in the face of danger to life.

We must not look for pro forma loopholes or so-called solutions which –at best– may mitigate, but certainly will not eliminate, the dangers of this disease. The Torah absolutely condemns and forbids acting in a way which – under any circumstances – may allow for the death of a Jew.

To which I answer, Amen! 

Saints or Sinners - The Students of Rabbi Akiva

Guest Contribution by Rabbi Dr. Shalom Gold

Yom Hazikaron - 2020 (Israel Hayom)

In the middle of all the havoc and change going on in the world right now, some things remain constant. Despite all the turmoil, disease, and destruction - some of those constants still deserve to be recognized.

It is in this spirit that I present the words of Rabbi Dr. Shalom Gold, Rav of Kehilot Zichron Yoseph in the Har Nof section of Jerusalem. Rabbi Gold is a Religious Zionist rabbi who is passionate about his (our) country, the State of Israel.

Rabbi Gold  has posted here before on a variety of issues related to Israel - viewed through his Religious Zionist lens. Most of which I have heartily agreed with.

Today is Yom HaZikaron, (Israel’s Memorial Day) honoring Israel’s fallen soldiers who died defending the Jewish people in the Land of Israel. What follows is Rabbi Gold’s thoughtful post in the form of an original Dvar Torah relating to this day. Which coincides with the observance of the Aveilus portion of Sefira.

The following is a famous gemora in Masechet Yevamot 62b. An analysis of the text is the subject of this essay.

“They said: R’ Akiva had twelve thousand pairs of disciples extending from Gevas until Antiparis. And they all died during one period because they did not treat each other with respect. And the world was left barren of Torah until R’ Akiva came to our rabbis in the south and taught (the Torah) to them. They were R’ Meir, R’ Yehudah, R’ Yose, R’ Shimon, and R’ Elazar ben Shamua. And it was these later disciples who upheld the study of Torah at that time.”

More about this episode:

“A Tanna stated: All [the twelve thousand pairs of disciples] died between Pesach and Shavuos. Rav Chama bar Abba said, and others say that Rav Chiya bar Avin said: They all died an ugly death. What death was it? Rav Nachman said: Askerah.”

The story of the students of Rebby Akiva though very well known is, I believe, little understood. The “facts” as stated in the Talmud challenge us to believe what certainly seems to be absolutely unbelievable. R. Akiva, one of the greatest scholars in Jewish history is an abject and total failure. All, not some of his students, are “sinners,” every one of the twenty-four thousand has conducted himself in an inappropriate way towards his fellow students.

How could they learn Torah when they all behaved shamefully to one another? Their Rebby had proclaimed and preached that “Love your neighbor as yourself” is a great principle of Torah. Yet none of his students had internalized it. Their conduct is the antithesis of that noble, hallowed and eternal pronouncement. R. Akiva is a failure.

Even stranger is that all of the students commit the same sin over and over again. Not one of them is moved to be more sinfully creative.

Incidentally, where does it say that the punishment for such behavior is death? It takes a further stretch of the imagination to match the “sin” and its retribution.

Equally puzzling is that the gemora tells us the time of year that the students died, and the geographic parameters in which it all happened. Of what significance is this information?

Furthermore, why does the  gemora describe them as “twelve thousand pairs of students” and not simply “twenty-four thousand students.”

In view of the traditional understanding of the story looms the big mystery. If they are “sinners” why do we mourn for them? Why does all of Israel year after year refrain from making weddings during the period from Pesach until Shavuot (Orach Chaim, siman 493)? If the students were “sinners” our Rabbis should have let the shameful episode fade away so that it would be forgotten.

There is, I believe, another way to understand the story of the students that would change our perception radically.

There is a gemora in Bava Metzia (62a) that deals with a very serious halachik and moral dilemma. “Two people were travelling along the way and one of them had in his possession a flask of water. If they divide the water and drink they will both die because there is not sufficient water to sustain them both until they arrive at a place where water is available.

Ben Petura ruled that it is better that they should both drink and die than one should witness the death of his companion. Such was the halacha until R. Akiva came and taught the Torah states “vachay achichah imach” (Vayikra 25:36) that your brother may live with you, “chayecha kodmin lehyeh chvercha” your life takes precedence over your companion’s life. The one who has the water should keep it all for himself.

R. Akiva is saying that a person’s first responsibility is to himself. The inherent dignity of a human being is his sense of self-worth. Man has been granted life and it is his responsibility to care for, to preserve and protect his wellbeing. This can all be summed up in one word, כבוד, one must respect himself.

The students had fully internalized R. Akiva’s teaching of “chayecho kodmim, your life is first.” They also understood that there is a situation where that principle is replaced by another, and that is in wartime. An army that goes to battle with everyone thinking, “my life takes precedence” has effectively lost the war before it began. In war when everyone’s life is in grave danger, it no longer applies because everyone is equally at risk for the greater good, which is the life of the Jewish people.

In the case of the two traveling and only one has water, he is not in danger, only his friend is. In war, where all are in the same situation, the question is not about the life of the individual but the survival of a nation. That responsibility falls on all equally because it’s not כבוד – dignity of one person but of all. It calls for all to equally risk their lives.

Historically, the students fall in battle against Rome. They were R. Akiva’s army.

When the gemora says “that they (the students) did not treat each other with respect,” it does not mean that they acted disrespectfully but rather that they did not employ the halachik ruling of their rebby “Your life comes first.” They understood that in wartime a completely different imperative is operating and that is “All Jews are responsible for one another.”

Idan Amari, an Israeli actor said recently:

“When I was around 18 years old I heard that the Nazis put the words ‘every man for himself’ over the heads of those entering the Buchenwald concentration camp. This is the exact opposite of the expression that ‘all Jews are responsible for one another.’”

The students were not “every man for himself” but a willingness that every man is ready to give himself for the Jewish people. They did not conduct themselves according to their Rebbi’s dictum, “Your life comes before your fellow’s life,” because that did not apply. They did not look out for themselves but remained with their partner until they both fell.

They were saintly martyrs who died in defense of their people and that’s why we mourn for them year after year.

R. Akiva was not a failure but the greatest success to the point that his students gave their lives for the Jewish people.

“They died from Gevas until Antiparis” which was the place where they fought and died. “And they all died during one period “that was the last battle.”

The Midrash (Yakut Shimon Mishler) says that “When Rebby Akiva was executed, the Romans put his body in his prison cell… Eliyahu the Prophet came with Rebby Yehoshua Hegari to the prison and the doors were all open and all the guards and prisoners asleep. They went to Rebby Akiva’s cell and took him. Eliyahu carried him and travelled all night until they arrived at Antipiras that is Kuzrin.” This was the same place that his students fell. Eliyahu understood that RebbyAkiva wanted to be with his holy students.

In order to make it clear that they were devoted to one another, the Gemora says that “twelve thousand pairs of students died,” not twenty-four thousand. That number could have been misunderstood to mean that 24,000 separate individuals went out to battle. “Pairs” represents friendship, camaraderie, unity of purpose, study partners, hand in hand.

The story may have been written at a time when Rome still occupied Eretz Yisroel so our Rabbis used their codes to conceal the real meaning.

The cause of death that appears at the conclusion of the story, namely askerah is used elsewhere also to describe an ugly and painful death. Death on the battlefield is not pretty or painless.

Judge for yourself the merit of this interpretation.

On Yom Hazikaron 5780 we mourn for 23,816 soldiers who gave their lives in defense of their people.

Yhi Zichrom Baruch.

Nebech an Ignoramus is Still an Ignoramus

The streets of Ramat Bet Shemseh - Bet (Times of Israel)

At a time where I am really trying not to criticize fellow Jews, bending over backwards to be Dan L’Kav Zechus (judge people favorably) there is one segment that seems to makes that almost impossible. Before I elaborate, I offer the following anecdote about my Rebbe’s grandfather, R’ Chaim Soloveichik. It goes something like this.

A fellow asked him about a friend who had become an Apikores in the form of an atheist. But it was not because of rebellion. He was an honorable man who sought only Emes – truth. But, Nebech,  in his search for Emes he concluded that there was no God. Much as he wanted to believe in everything he was taught as a child and believed up until that moment, his intellectual honesty led him to that mistaken conclusion. This fellow asked R’ Chaim whether a sincere fellow like that who had no particular anti Jewish animus - but simply and honestly came to make that mistake should still be considered an Apikores.

R’ Chaim understood and had sympathy for that man’s now atheist friend . But replied, ‘Nebech an Apikores is still an Apikores’. Point being that it doesn’t matter how he got there. It matters only that he is - even if we feel bad about the circumstances that got him there. How God judges such a person is not relevant to us.

I think that’s true about any situation. None more so than under the current COVID pandemic. To paraphrase R’ Chaim,  ‘Nebech an ignoramus is still an ignoramus’.

That is the best way I can describe most of the people that populate places like Ramat Bet Shemesh – Bet (RBSB). They are Nebech ignoramuses. From the Jewish Press: 

Effective Sunday (yesterday) 6 am, selected neighborhoods in Beit Shemesh and Netivot were set to enter a lockdown for a five-day period.

The Knesset committee in charge of fighting the COVID-19 novel coronavirus announced the decision Friday to impose the lockdown after both cities showed a sharp rise in the number of COVID-19 infections.

There is a large population of haredi (strictly Orthodox) Jews in Beit Shemesh, and in the southern city of Netivot as well. The lockdown is set to end on Friday at 6 am. 

Except for emergencies, people will not be able to leave.  And no one will be permitted to enter.  Food and other essentials will be allowed continue as before

This is happening at a time when Israel is beginning to lift some of their restrictions in the rest of the country.

The reason for the lockdown is no doubt the same as it was for Bnei Brak a couple of weeks ago. RBSB has large concentration of COVID infected people. Israel wants to contain this extremely contagious virus from spreading. A spread with an exponential reach – if not contained. RBSB will remain shut until heath officials there determine the danger of spread to be reduced to ‘acceptable levels’.

There is more than a one reason the numbers are so high. The one offered by communal leaders there (who admit a higher incidence of the disease) is the density of the population in Charedi cities. There are lot more people there ‘per square inch’ than in most other cities, making it almost impossible to practice social distancing effectively.

Granted. That is certainly one reason. But it is clearly not the only one. Form the Times of Israel: 

Hundreds of extremist ultra-Orthodox residents of Beit Shemesh have held protests against the government’s coronavirus restrictions that have kept synagogues and yeshiva study halls closed, with some even donning yellow Stars of David. Footage and photos on social media of the protests held Monday showed several of the protesters wearing the badges reminiscent of Holocaust-era Jewish persecution… The protest came on the eve of Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day. 

Ignorant youthful protester in Ramat Bet Semsesh - Bet (Times of Israel)

Using Holocaust imagery - comparing Israeli authorities to Nazis has always enraged me. Still does. But I will control my anger at this moment in time and instead try to understand why they are doing this.

What motivates them? Why, one might ask, would people protest what is clearly life saving measures? So much so that even R’ Chaim Kamievsky - who is one of the most revered non Chasidic Charedi leaders in Israel today, said that anyone seen violating the government’s mitigation rules should be reported to the secular police.

I believe that it is because of the willful ignorance by which this community chooses to live. They are so opposed to the influences of the ‘outside world’ that they have virtually closed themselves off from it.  This is how they are raised - cradle to grave. ‘Do not trust  the outside world.’ ‘Nothing they say has any Torah value (except by occasional coincidence)’. 

They should therefore never listen or even attempt to find out what the outside world and their ‘illegitimate’ authorities say.  It is only their own rabbis that they should listen to. Who themselves are largely ignorant of what the outside world says. Even if they do know - they nevertheless dismiss it as being anti-Torah. Which they believe is the real agenda behind everything the government does, no matter how they ‘disguise’ it.

That is the only explanation for why hundreds of them can protest the life saving  measures required by the government. They are willfully ignorant of the facts. Which is how they are raised. they therefore go about their daily business unaware just how deadly this disease is; or how contagious it is; and how quickly it can spread. And protest any interference with their way of life.

Nebech, it’s not their fault. They actually believe they are serving God by ignoring the outside world and not trusting them for anything. That is the only explanation why otherwise fine and decent people who – among themselves (and even to outsiders) are kind and generous souls –  and yet have no problem with some of their members protesting the closing down of Shuls and schools. They just don’t understand the dangers involved. They are ignorant of vital information that can save lives.

If they were to succeed in rebuffing the lockdown they would not only be endangering their own lives, but anyone they come into contact with.

One can feel bad for these people and understand their ignorance. But sympathy will not save any lives. Being a ‘Nebech’ ignoramus is a dangerous proposition in this case. The lockdown must be enforced. Whatever it takes. Those protesters must not be allowed to succeed. They must be crushed! Even if it means arresting every single one of them and throwing them all in jail.  

It is so sad that there are people among us that are otherwise as sincere about keeping God’s laws as anyone could possibly be- sacrificing so much to live their lives the way they do. And yet because of their misplaced piety - end up doing so much harm. Unintentional though it may be.

What Will the Post Pandemic World Look Like?

By Guest Contributor

What will the new normal be like? (AVweb)

I am pleased to host this submission from someone that comments here frequently under a pseudonym. 

He learned in East Coast Yeshivos through Beis Medrash and Kollel, graduated from college with a Master of science degree in engineering, and currently works as a professional in a large consulting firm.

Although I know his identity, he has not given me permission to reveal it. But he is someone whose views I value and most often agree with. 

This thought provoking essay is a worthy vehicle for all of us all as a means to begin examining how we can improve our lives both individually and communally. There is a lot to consider here. 

As is always the case with guest contributors - the opinions expressed by the author are his own and do not necessarily reflect my views. His words follow unedited in their entirety.

Our communities are still under quarantine but some are beginning to anticipate a return to normal life as we are hopefully descending the Coronavirus curve. Thousands of Jews have been sickened; hundreds have been lost to this illness as well as much livelihood. It is our duty, both individually and collectively to take stock and make concrete, lasting changes. We have no explanation for this pandemic but we all should realize that our lives simply can't go on as they have until now.

We hope that our shuls and institutions will soon reopen and we must return to them with a renewed sense of dedication and purpose. Our tefillah betzibur must be approached with genuine reverence and joy. We must truly immerse ourselves in both Torah learning and the performance of mitzvos. Our interpersonal conduct must be based upon the basic love, respect and acceptance that every Jew deserves, regardless of their level of knowledge or station in life.

We must take this opportunity, this reset of life as we knew it, to cast off the shackles of prevailing culture and materialism that have bound us so tightly. All of us have had to learn the skills, the art and even the joy of making do with less and living simply. Let us not succumb to the desire of jumping back into lifestyles of waste and excess once we can do so again. Let us instead strive for the tasteful simplicity of previous generations regarding our homes, vehicles, clothing, accessories and leisure activities but most importantly and tellingly, in our approach to food.

This is not about singling out pizza or sushi, gelato or even steak but about our attitude and yes, our addiction, to food. What would once have been considered an elaborate feast for Yom Tov had become a weeknight supper that we quickly grew bored of. We tirelessly pursued every trendy food product as soon as it hit the market and patronized every new eatery as soon as it opened. Even once lowly cholent, eaten during the week only by the poorest of yeshiva students in Europe, had become a nightly gourmet pursuit, brimming with pricey meats, fatty kishka and exotic seasonings. In the U.S., this addiction spanned communities from Los Angeles to Lawrence and even Lakewood. What a sad irony that the town founded upon "Pas Bamelech Tochel" where Harav Aharon Kotler, zt"l forbade sit-down restaurants, developed into a mecca of gastronomic excess that surpassed most other communities. Our slavery to food began to threaten our very health, both physical and spiritual.

It goes without saying that a return to sanity in terms of food must also apply to weddings, simchos and other events. This can be done because it's now being done and there's a laudable grassroots effort to make these changes widespread and permanent. We must learn to pride ourselves on the delicious simplicity of what we serve as well as the unpretentious settings and venues we do so in but this must also apply to institutions. The ostentatious yeshiva banquets that were held to attract attendees and make them feel that their donation was worthwhile, must not continue. Fundraisers will have to find other ways of balancing the books but will also start with tens of thousands fewer dollars in expenses. All Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbis must explicitly forbid elaborate public and private events, and boycott them regardless of the host.

It is also a time for many of us to reevaluate our choices of friends, shuls, schools and communities. If your friend mocked the local health care professionals as "am haratzim with college degrees who we don't take p'sak from" then it's time to find a new friend. If your Rabbi ignored these selfless "am haratzim" (many of whom are quite learned) and paskened that miyanim continue, whether through the front door or the back door or in the parking lot, then it's time to find a new Rabbi. If your Rebbe or Rosh Yeshiva used terms like "anti-Semitism" or "shas hashmad" to describe the social distancing requirements, then it's time to run away from them as fast as you can. 

Such sad excuses for leaders are not only dangerously deficient in halachic wisdom, they are ignorant even of Jewish history and lacking in basic common sense. If your child's school had to be closed by the authorities or didn't provide an adequate means of continuing classes, either over the phone or (chas veshalom) over the internet, then it's time to find a new school. If your child's Rebbe or teacher went against the grain and made a valiant effort to stay connected and teach, then it's time to withhold the balance of annual tuition and pay that dedicated hero directly. Some communities took the health warnings very seriously and completely shut down right after Purim. Communities that didn't do so suffered much needless death and tragedy as a result. If your community was slow and disjointed in its response, then it's time to find a new community.

We won't have any real insight into the reason for this pandemic until Mashiach arrives and prophecy returns. Imbeciles do retain some measure of it, which is why they jump at every opportunity to point the finger of blame at the root causes of all tragedies, sheitels and smartphones.

When such self-promoters criticize sheitels, whether their composition, length or style, they are really criticizing the women who wear them. They are declaring that all the tragedies which have befallen us are yet again the fault of our womenfolk for not dressing modestly enough. They can't criticize their clothing length, fit or coverage which for most women complies with halacha, so instead they simply fabricate halacha. 

What's particularly disturbing is that we recently celebrated Pesach, an event directly attributed to the brave women who never lost hope in our redemption. Their steadfast faith and tireless efforts have made every subsequent Pesach a reality, most notably this year, while they also had to deal with children at home, disrupted plans and product shortages. Self-promoting fools now attempting to cast blame upon our righteous women is a travesty that we simply can't allow. 

Every woman has the right to personally decide how to be stringent in tznius, in partnership with her husband and in consultation with their chosen Rabbi. While communities can decide upon basic standards that apply to all, that can only be done with a great deal of unity and sensitivity. A community whose response to this pandemic lacked immediacy, unity and clarity has failed that litmus test and has no right to set modesty standards for individuals.

Smartphone critics are as fanatical as the conspiracy theorists now burning cell towers to stop the virus from spreading. However, no halachic prohibition against this particular construct of plastic, silicon and rare earth metals actually exists. What is being vilified is the instant, personal access to information that they provide. There's no question that these devices can be very dangerous tools which should only be used after consultation with Rabbinic and professional experts, and with proper safeguards applied. Given those mandates, that's a decision for each individual to make and not anyone else's concern or business. 

It's no coincidence that communities where smartphones are forbidden appear to have fared much worse both in hospital and at-home Coronavirus deaths, than those where smartphones aren't forbidden. This may be attributable to factors such as overcrowded conditions and the absence of a unified response in these communities but there's no question that the lack of access to timely, accurate information played a devastating role. 

These were the same communities that at first mocked the illness, keeping shuls, schools and men's mikvaos open weeks after other communities closed theirs, then allowed ad-hoc minyanim and gatherings to continue. These were also the communities whose citizens quickly overwhelmed the very health care providers they spent weeks ignoring and then died in large numbers, too often in unspeakable conditions. All who choose to live in blissful ignorance should be made to acknowledge that they could die in misery from that ignorance, as so many have. We must insist that they take out sizable life insurance policies so the rest of us aren't left with the burden of supporting their widows and orphans.

It's shocking that while the pandemic was running rampant through Lakewood, the poskim had to relax their strict "No Porch Minyanim" ruling since people simply weren't listening. It's more shocking that in a New York neighborhood where the Chassidic, Yeshivish and Modern Orthodox Rabbis had all closed their shuls three weeks earlier, one was still wide open. A very brave soul posted a video that he recorded of himself entering the shul and questioning the danger to life this presented. The Rabbi called him an "apikores and posul l'edus" for having a smartphone, which he then attempted to steal. The posted video was removed once the police arrived to lock the place up but anyone who keeps his shul open while people are dying obviously isn't praying to the same G-d as the rest of us; he's praying to himself.

When we suffer fools who fabricate halacha, the most important positive commandments of protecting life and health go out the window in favor of restrictions against things like sheitels and smartphones. These people would never accept blame for killing their own parent by transmitting the virus they caught at an illegal minyan; they'd rather blame you. They don't hesitate to shout "anti-Semitism" when such gatherings receive press attention and once again, they attempt to shift the blame. We'll never know how many religious Jews died because health care workers hesitated to treat them, convinced that we spread the virus.

The time has come to mock these false prophets and the silly fatwas they enact out of their ignorance, intolerance and impotence in dealing with contemporary life. The sane world must finally push back against their sick, prurient obsession with what men carry in their pockets and how women wear their hair. Whether their adherents number ten or ten thousand, let us relegate them to the wasteland of history to join all others who have attempted to reformulate our religion.

Perhaps we should now begin to mark the preceding years with the label "BC - Before Coronavirus". May we look back to the aftermath of this pandemic as the time when sanity once again prevailed in Orthodox Judaism.

Being Grateful for What We Have

I am so tired of talking about the coronavirus. But at the same time, never has there been a subject that so dominated the news. At least in my lifetime. It is almost as if nothing else is happening in the world. But of course a lot of other things are happening. Some related - like the state of the economy, and some not, like people dying of cancer and heart disease.

Nor has there ever been a situation in my lifetime where one tiny little thing - an invisible virus -  became the great equalizer. Rich and poor, religious or not; believer or non believer, famous or infamous, old and young...we are pretty much all doing the same thing right now: staying home. And we are all wondering when we can begin a return to normal.

With all the angst those of us who have not caught this virus feel about this situation, it is worth saying that we should in no way feel sorry for ourselves. There ought not be any self pity about what we are going through. Whether it is those of us that have escaped the virus altogether; or those that have gotten it without symptoms; or even those of that did have symptoms, but mild ones which they have overcome and have since recovered.

For the most part we are living in our homes in comparatively gilded cages. Not in prison camps.  My wife sends out a short vort she calls Chodesh Tov every Rosh Chodesh to friends and family. This month her thoughts centered on how our situation now compares to a much darker period in Jewish history: the Holocaust. Which both sets of our parents lived through.

What the Holocaust was

            1.We were forced to wear yellow stars and which made us easy targets for everyone

       2.  We were forced into ghettos and then into concentration camp 

       3.     We witnessed the holy books in a Jews home thrown into the street and together with Torah scrolls set on fire

      4.      We were lucky to have a half slice of hard black bread and a soup with not much in it

      5.      We were shoved into cattle cars for rides lasting 3 days and standing only  because there was no floor space to stretch out on

          6.      We were forbidden to celebrate anything. 

      7.      We did not know anything about our families and had no means to stay in touch.

      8.      We came to know  stories about the sick not given a chance-immediately shot into a ditch or forced into a crematorium

      9.      We saw the escalation of hate which meant our survival grew slimmer with each passing day

     10.  We had shuls and yeshivas that were burnt to the ground. Many of them filled to capacity with our own family and friends

  

What This  Pandemic Is

1.      We are asked to wear a mask over our nose and mouth to keep us safe from one another

2.      We live in the luxury of our homes

3.      We can daven and learn Torah and the seforim in our homes stand tall and prominent

4.      We can eat as much as we want and there is plenty with which to prepare the meals for Shabbos Rosh Chodesh

5.      We can travel in the comfort of our cars and use public transportation if we choose to.

6.      We celebrated Pesach, Shabbos and look forward to celebrating the other yomim tovim.

7.      We know our family is safe and we can freely visit with each other by technology

8.      We have suffered losses but comforted by the fact that we know that each patient was given a capable staff and every opportunity to live.

9.      We know that the goal- morning, noon and night- is the survival of all of us

10.  We know our shuls and yeshivas are standing empty but they will be opened and we will head there with a song  in our heart and the warm feeling of comfort will engulf us all

Something to truly think about. 

This of course does not mean that tragedies resulting from this pandemic haven’t occurred. Sadly many have - which and have touched us all. A lot of people are dying from this disease. Many are on ventilators. Others may not be on ventilators but are hospitalized and suffering for many days or even weeks. There are a  lot of us that have had some very close members of our family dying suddenly  – almost without warning. And suddenly facing an unexpected Shiva. 

There is probably not a single household that doesn’t know someone personally who died from the virus.  

There are also the many among us that have lost jobs or have had significant pay cuts - trying to support their families with money they do not have.

It is true that this makes it difficult to see things through an optimistic lens. And on that score we must do whatever we can to help those in need. But at the same time we must still place into context the inconveniences of staying home; the boredom, the claustrophobia, the loneliness... which is still a far better place to be than the place our Holocaust survivors were in back then. 

We need to be grateful for what we have and try to weather the storm with as much optimism we can. 

Everyone have a Good Shabbos and a Chodesh Tov!   

What the Charedi World is Really Like

Chaim Lebovits’ son, Nachum, donating blood (Forward)

That’s what I’m talking about!

This is an example of a major Kiddush Hashem. An example where one man is making a difference.

There are lots of stories where ordinary people have done extraordinary things. The best example of which is how some righteous gentiles risked their lives and even the lives of their families to save Jews during the Holocaust.

When stories like this happen in our day, they are often featured on daily news broadcasts where after reporting all of the negative news in the world, they want to end on a high note with a positive story.  This is that kind of story.

What makes it especially notable is who this ‘ordinary’ individual is, the community he comes from, and how it is usually portrayed in the media. Which is almost always in a negative light.  Which sometimes ends up generating an increase in antisemitism. Most recently by implying blame for the spread of the coronvirus pandemic in this country  on Charedi Jewry  - and perhaps even blaming them for spreading it to the entire world!

But this story is more than about just one individual or one community. It is about the values of observant Jewry. The people of the book who are tasked to be a light unto the nations - exemplifying the highest standards of ethics and morality. In this case they (we) have demonstrated exactly that.

The individual who is most responsible for this major Kiddush HaShem is a man named Chaim Lebovits, a shoe wholesaler from Monsey, New York. He was contacted by Dr. Shmuel Shoham, a friend of his who happens to be an expert on infectious diseases in transplant patients at Johns Hopkins University. 

Dr. Shoham realized early on that communities that had a high concentration of people infected with COVID-19 would also be a natural resource for antibody rich blood plasma, once they fully recovered. Monsey was clearly one of those places.

Mr. Lebovitz agreed to help and began looking for candidates that could donate their blood plasma way back in early March. Long before most of the world even realized the extent of this deadly disease. And before any kind of mitigation efforts were even suggested by health officials. Once they were, his business closed up and he dedicated all of his time to this one project. And he has been wildly successful – reaching out not only to his own community in Monsey, but to many Orthodox communities all over New York and New Jersey, from New Square to New Rochelle. From the Forward: 

The latest efforts have seen more than 120 Hasidic Jews from Monsey and New Square, perhaps the most insular Hasidic village in Rockland County, N.Y., take an entire day to travel to Delaware to get hooked up at the nearest blood bank that had the capacity to take them.  

The project caught on with people from all of those communities. Not only by donating their blood but by becoming active - helping him carry out this project. He has even gotten wealthy philanthropists to help finance it. And some major Charedi Poskim and community religious organizations to back up him up: 

Rabbi Yisroel Reisman and Rabbi Reuven Feinstein — have said that Jews are encouraged to donate plasma — and can even drive on Shabbat and holidays in order to do so. The Orthodox Union and Agudath Israel of America, the two largest Orthodox umbrella organizations, are sending messages to the community about the science of plasma and its use in treating Covid-19. 

How successful has he been? Through his efforts - over 3000 people have donated blood thus far: 

(He) hopes to organize more than 45,000 people from the Orthodox community around New York City to donate plasma. Dr. David Reich, president and chief operating officer of the Mount Sinai hospital system, said that more than half of the donors to their plasma collection efforts have been Orthodox…

On Sunday, the Mayo Clinic received 1,000 blood samples to test for antibodies from donors in Lakewood, N.J., a major Orthodox hub, to be tested for antibodies, according to Dr. Mike Joyner, who leads the convalescent plasma program at Mayo…

Joyner said he expects to process thousands more tests from Orthodox Jews, and that the community’s contribution to making New York a center of plasma donation could help people across the country recover from the disease faster. He said he wants New York City to become the “Saudi Arabia” of supplying plasma. 

Those who might think that Mr. Lebovitz is doing this only for his own Charedi community, or even just the wider Orthodox Jewish community alone, are wrong. Here is what he said: 

“The plasma isn’t just used for frum” — religious — “people or Jewish people, it’s for people in general,” Lebovits said. “We as observant Jews have an obligation to preserve life, and save life, and help as many people as we can.” 

In the middle of all this – on the last day of Pesach - his brother passed away from cancer. And yet he did not curtail his efforts and went ahead full steam while sitting Shiva– saying that he doesn’t have time to grieve right now. He felt it would be selfish to do so when other people’s lives are at stake! He will wait until all this passes to do that. 

What a beautiful story! What a Kiddush HaShem! And what a refreshing change from what is often reported in the media about Charedi miscreants and outliers – usually without mentioning that they are in fact outliers and not what the Charedi community is really all about. Which is Chesed. Chesed is in the DNA of all the Jewish people. A trait we inherited from our ancestor and Patriarch, Avrohom.

Although first appearing in Mishpacha Magazine in an article by Jonathan Rosenblum - I am happy to see this story reported as well in a secular Jewish newspaper often accused of Charedi bashing. Perhaps this will change how they will report on this community in the future. Without any preconceived bias. One can only hope.

Prejudice - And Recognizing the Dignity of Difference

Boro Park on March 20, 2020 (TOI)

There has been a spike in antisemitism in this country - some of which blames the spread of the coronavirus on Jews. But I do not believe for a moment that Americans have changed. The vast majority are as tolerant and accepting now as they were before. I believe  Judaism is still the most admired religion on America.

What we are witnessing instead is that more antisemties are coming out of the closet now and expressing those beliefs. Some violently. Some people need to find a scapegoat - someone to blame for their problems. For antisemites it has always been us.  And just like the ‘Black Plague’ of the 14^th century was blamed on us then so too is COVID-19, today’s ‘Black Plague’ blamed on us now.

What is interesting is where their antisemitic focus lies. It seems to be focused almost entirely on Chasidic communities like Boro Park and Monsey. Not too much antisemitism is directed to the Jews of Teaneck or Lawrence. The question is why Boro Park and Monsey and not Teaneck of Lawrence?

The obvious reason is because the number of COVID cases is proportionally greater in places like Boro Park and Monsey. Residents there are accused of not adhering to public safety policies and thereby spreading the disease.  

But I believe that prejudice is at work here, too. A prejudice based on how different they look.  Certainly the spread cannot be blamed on how people look. That is absurd. But that is how prejudice works. But the primary reason these areas have more cases is because they have a much greater population density. A highly contagious disease will cause more cases where populations are dense. 

But this hasn’t stopped antisemites from thinking the worst. Not only the non Jewish antisemites. But even the Jewish ones. And even some Orthodox Jewish ones.  

Fact is I admit to harboring a little of my own prejudices here. Not because I want to or think it’s right. It is not right. But I can't help the way I feel when I see someone walking down the street with the customary look of a Chasid. I sometimes wonder why they have to look like that? Why must they look so odd... so different from anyone else?

When these thoughts cross my mind, I immediately feel guilty. Because the Chasidim I know are some of the finest people I have ever met. People I admire. People whose Midos (character traits) I want to emulate. And have taught my children to emulate.

I actually understand why they choose to look that way. As Jews they purposely want to differentiate themselves from the non Jewish world. They want to emulate one of the things that rescued our ancestors in Egypt. Who – according to Chazal sank to 49^th level of spiritual impurity – the lowest level that still allowed them to merit redemption. One of the two merits mentioned by Chazal is that they maintained there own unique way of dress – and did not emulate the dress of their host culture.  Another reason they look that way is because by looking so different, they are less tempted to assimilate.

But that does not help the way I sometimes feel when I see them. And I suspect I am not alone among Orthodox Jews that harbor prejudice based on difference. 

I know that a lot of fellow Orthodox Jews critical of Chasidim will push back and say that it has nothing to do with how different they look. It has to do with how they act.

Granted there are some Chasidim that act in reprehensible ways. But that is true in any demographic. Religious or not. Jewish or not.

It might be true that their isolationist attitudes can be in part blamed for how badly some Chasidim behave. But at the same time I do not believe the majority are like that – even as I harbor a bit of prejudice myself.

When an entire community is painted with a broad brush, I suspect that at least subconsciously it is because of embarrassment about how odd - how different they look - even while claims will be made about ‘some of their best friends’ being Chasidim - as if to dispute the notion there is any prejudice.

I think we all have to be honest about our motives when assessing blame. I believe it is a mixed bag of truth and prejudice at the core. Based at least in part on appearances that might embarrass some of us.   

We need work on purging these feelings. And recognize the dignity that differences can make. After all, are we not all different than the rest of the world? Is it not our duty to be different? Are we not  an ‘Am Levadod Yishkon’ a people alone and apart - chosen by God to be His treasured people?

We can differ in exactly what that means. And in how we are to express those differences. But being different from other nations is what God demands of us, Isn’t it?

While it is true that this is mostly about serving God in the special ways He wants us too… and to be the most ethical people on earth. Perhaps Chasidim believe that looking different is part of that. Who is to say they are wrong? 

We all need to do our level best to rid ourselves of any prejudice that does not recognize the dignity of those differences.  

Trump, His Critics, and the Eventual New Normal

Illinois Governor, J.B. Pritzker (Wikipedia)

There was a lot of push-back against the President when he said he wanted to open America back up a while back. At the time, we had not yet reached the peak of the COVID crisis. There were projections as high as 250,000 people dying from this virus . (We seem to be over the hump now and we are nowhere near that number with about 45,000 deaths so far - as the rate of increase continues to decline. Still a lot of people, though. And a lot of bereavement!)

The media was all over the President for putting the economy - whose health had been his major achievement in office - ahead of our health.  He was accused of caring more about winning the next election than saving lives. This is what Democratic politicians and Republican Never-Trumpers typically do when this President makes even the slightest suggestion that does not fit with their preconceived notions of what he meant. They automatically assume the worst. Something the media happily goes along with and reports that way to a consuming public.

The fact is that the President was indeed concerned about the economy then. As he should have been and still is. However the assumption that the President was a sociopath willing to sacrifice lives in order to be re-elected is false. Sure he wants to be re-elected. But not at the expense of American lives. And he would never prematurely open up the country if it meant increased deaths. This was made clear when his top health adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci explained almost immediately that what will determine when and how to re-open America will be data driven. Something the President never contradicted and has thus far followed.

Add yet all anti Trump politicians and the media still characterized his comments as cynically as they could. I am sure they believed it, too. Just about everything the President says seems to be characterized as negatively as possible. 

Another example of this is when he said that the states should decided when and how to open up. This was condemned too by the all the same critics as lacking leadership. The charge (demand even) was that The President wasn't showing any leadership. That he should have just declared a national stay at home / social distancing  policy for every state until it is lifted nationally. The President countered that not all areas of the country are equally affected and may not need the same measures taken by a state like New York where the infection rate is highest by far. 

Well it seems some states are in fact starting to open things up, including Illinois, whose Democratic Governor, Jay Pritzker was one of the loudest and most frequent critics of the President.

What about the spike in infections that every one of his critics feared would happen if one state opened up too soon. After all - there is no stopping people from traveling from one highly infected state to another. And since this disease is so infectious, it could indeed spike very badly if one state lifts the restrictions prematurely.  

I guess the answer to that is when a Democratic governor makes that determination, it is a wise, well thought out one where every possible expert was consulted before making it. Whereas when the President makes it, he is an ignorant fool who defies his own advisers. Such is the nature of politics in our world today. The world of the Trump Presidency.

Which is understandable considering the nature and character of man whose narcissistic ego is bigger than the state of Texas. 

A man that hits back at his enemies harder than they hit him. A man who is ignorant of the limits of his power and whose policies go against so much of what used to pass for conventional wisdom. Policies that are anathema to the liberal mindset. A man who is as politically incorrect as could be. A man whose behavior is generally an embarrassment to this country. A man whose Jekyll and Hyde personality generates one outrageous tweet after another while governing as though he never said any of it. Tweets that are mostly designed to energize his base. Or to emphasize a point he made about the public will - as he did in a recent tweet encouraging protesters to demand their states open up so they can get back to work - even though it went against his own policy. 

His governing style is so unconventional that it defies any sense of propriety. Trump is a man so full of contradictions; his demeanor in office so un-presidential - it is easy for his critics to constantly bash him successfully. At every opportunity. Which as noted he returns in spades. This contributes mightily to his malign image. 

It is easy to see his critics as legitimate in the face of all that.

But as I repeatedly say, one has to see through all of the ‘noise’. And judge him by how successful his polices are. Not only by his character. Which is indeed important. But should not be used as the only measure by which to judge him. It is a matter mostly of style versus substance... personal character versus policy. A legitimate debate.

Until this crisis hit, his policies were working pretty well for the American pocket book. But this crisis changed everything! In my view the jury is still out on how successful his policies have been with respect to the pandemic, despite the fact that his critics have all already judged him unfavorably in this regard. It is also impossible to know whether the successful economy he had presided over will be restored.

What has also changed  is that  his desire to re-open the country is now shared by many of his critics. Even though they couldn’t wait to point out that the President's desire to do that was reckless and selfish. He was criticized for even mentioning the economy in the same breath as our health. 

But now they are all saying what the President said. The country must open up. The country needs to get back to work. People have mortgages or rent to pay, college tuition to pay for; they need to feed their families. 

There is a lot of protest all over the country in many states all over the country by people wanting to do that. Although a lot of them are MAGA (Trump) people, not all of them are. Despite accusations to the contrary by Trump critics who describe them all as ignorant gun toting, bullies, racists, idiots and  fools. Many governors (even Democrats) have nevertheless noticed them and are sensitive to those needs. They are about to implement a process of reopening their states and getting people back to work. (How ‘Trumpian’ of them!) 

They want people back into move theaters, churches, mosques, Shuls and stores. They want sporting events to begin taking place. They want to allow more people out and about - albeit perhaps wearing masks in all of cases.

On that score, there is interesting letter (published in Matzav) being circulated in Lakewood written by BMG CEO, Rabbi Aaron Kotler. Which involves an ‘approved model’ for Orthodox Jewish weddings to resume.

What about the feared spike this might generate? Which so many critics cited a a concern when the President suggested it? Obviously that is a legitimate risk. But it is a calculated risk that can be controlled if social distancing polices are implemented and scrupulously followed.

The new normal of the immediate future will not look like it did before this pandemic hit. Here is how I see things developing. 

Before this happens a robust testing program with immediate results needs to be in place. So too should a test for antibodies so that those who had the virus and now test negative can be given the green light to fully integrate without worrying that they will become infected. And to be able to harvest those antibodies and injected into those that have not been affected - so as to give them some form of immunity too. (A sort of pre-vaccine). I also believe that some treatments have been developed with promising results – helping to minimize the severity of the symptoms and save some lives.

If all these things come into play, and people are diligent. - I think we can can have some semblance of a return to normal. I do not think, however, that we will be able to return to what we had before in the near future. There won’t be any high-fiving; or hugs; or even handshakes. People will probably still be required to social distance from each other at a minimum of 6 feet. That will have to be carefully monitored.

Until a successful vaccine is developed, most people get vaccinated,  and those than can’t (for a variety of reasons) will be protected by herd immunity - we will only have this new normal. I think  a full return to what we have before is at least a year away.

One more thing. I have said this before. But it bears repeating every time I discuss this subject. I know there are a lot of anti Trumpers here that get every upset when I defend the President. They simply cannot understand how I can do that! Or why! 

I understand why they feel that way. They are all good people. Many of whom I respect and admire. People with great values who are pained at any defense of a man who seems to be the antithesis of those values. 

But as I repeatedly say, I defend only what I see as the truth. Which is sometimes hard to see through all the fog that is Donald Trump. He is the President and I truly believe he is acting in the best interests of the country as he understands it. That is what many people fail to see and are in strong disagreement with me about. They see absolutely no redeeming quality in him at all. 

I feel badly about that. But I am going to continue to try and ferret out the truth as I understand it from every situation I see. Whether it’s popular or not.