A Misguided Attack

Agudah's Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zweibel (VIN)

I am disappointed. Rabbi Yaakov Homnick is one of the most intelligent, articulate, and Jewishly knowledgeable people I have even known. (We are actually distantly related through marriage.) He is also firmly in the Charedi camp.  And yet he took pen to hand to attack Agudah, an organization he once worked for which can easily be described as the Charedi world’s flagship institution. As a staunch conservative Republican, he called their defense of Democrats ‘misguided’. A description he said he used ‘charitably’ considering what he really thought. 

He then went about smearing the work Agudah had done over the  years - insinuating that their modus operandi was to sell the Orthodox vote for money: 

(T)he late Rabbi Moshe Sherer of Agudath Israel had promised President Jimmy Carter the Orthodox vote. We can only speculate what he got in return for choosing the spendthrift candidate over the moral candidate. 

What was their ‘sin’ this time? It was an intelligent article by their spokesman, Rabbi Avi Shafran who in his weekly column, defended Senator Kamala Harris from the unfair attacks by the right. One can disagree with his take. But it was surely not an unreasonable one. Which he supported by the many facts about her actual views he brought as evidence. 

I have certainly had my disagreements with Agudah on some of its positions and public pronouncements. But in this case, I completely agree with them. Agudah’s Executive Vice President, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zweibel, took the unusual step of responding to Rabbi Homnick - accusing him of a blatant smear based on a lie. One that should have been obvious to anyone let alone someone as intelligent as Rabbi Homnick. 

I have to agree with Rabbi Zweibel. It is shocking to see a Charedi Rabbi smear the very institution that represents his Hashkafa by lying to make his point. To lie about what Rabbi Shafran said and then to attribute that view to Agudah is the height of Chutzpah. 

Anyone that read Rabbi Shafran’s column understands that it was in no way an endorsement of Harris. He said so in the title of his piece and repeated it throughout the article. All he was saying was that when criticizing a political candidate one opposes, they should never lie or mislead people about their actual views in that cause. 

He’s right about that. First because it is extremely unethical to say the least. And secondly it is counterproductive to bash somebody with lies, half-truths and innuendos since they are often easy to disprove. Which then makes any legitimate criticism suspect. 

And another thing Rabbi Zweibel correctly noted was the fact that Rabbi Shafran is not the human appendage of Agudah. He works for them and is their spokesmen. But he also has a mind of his own and is entitled to express his own views on a variety of subjects – unrelated to his job at Agudah. He is also a registered Republican to boot. To accuse him and by association Agudah as a shill for Democrats is clearly a smear tactic that is unbecoming of someone like Rabbi Hominick. I am shocked and dismayed. 

I know Rabbi Homnick is passionate about his support for the President. I get why he supports him and why he thinks Orthodox Jews should vote for him. He didn’t have to spell it out. But what he did was unethical and unbecoming. Plain and simple. Rabbi Shafran on the other hand did the right thing. 

Rabbi Zweibel excerpted ta couple of key paragraphs in Rabbi Shafran’s article that clearly and unequivocally demonstrates his intent. I repeat them here:  

“None of the above is intended as a call to support Mr. Biden. There is ample and understandable enthusiasm in our community for President Trump, who has taken a number of steps to show support for Israel. And there are other issues where our stances resonate with the Republican ones. Personally, I am a registered Republican, and have, over decades, most often voted for Republican candidates.

 “I’m suggesting only one thing: that we refrain from demonizing either of our country’s major political parties.” 

Rabbi Zweibel described what Rabbi Homnick did as worse than Lashon Hara  which uses the truth to smear someone. He called it Motzie Shem Ra which uses lies to do that. He’s right.

Racism and Anarchy

The police at a burning building in Kenosha (NewYork Post)

The political divide cannot be greater - the polarization clearer. The country is divided like at no other time in its history. Or at least in my lifetime.It is the liberal left versus the conservative right. The focus of each side could not be further apart it seems. It is as though each side doesn’t see the other. The issues of one side practically do not exist on the other side. 

I have never seen anything like it. At least not since the  height of the Viet Nam War. Where protests were pretty violent. Maybe time has compromised my memory of how violent they were. But the protests going on now seem even worse than they were then. Despite the fact that issues of life and death were far more significant back then when over 40,000 Americans were killed  in a controversial foreign war. 

If you are on the left, all you can see is systemic racism that permeates police departments all over the country. Many voices on the left are calling for defunding police departments all across the country - replacing them with social workers that will deal with what they say is the underlying cause of all the looting and violence taking place right now. As if replacing the police with social workers will do a better job of protecting the American people than the police did. Although not every protester believes that police department ought to be defunded, the fact is that some major cities (e.g. Minneapolis) are doing exactly that – or at least reducing the funds allocated to their police departments (e.g. New York) .  

On the other side people are scared. They see cities burning every night on the  nightly news. They see looting and rioting. With the police in those situations being portrayed as storm troopers by the media.  Thus becoming increasingly impotent in their response to the violence. 

I cannot get over the fact that so many people refuse to see what the other side is talking about. I do not understand why so many cannot walk and chew gum. It is not an either or situation. Both sides are expressing legitimate concerns. And yet listening to one side you would think their issue is the only thing that matters. 

I don’t know how many times I need to say it. The grievances expressed by the left are real. Racism still exists in this country and the black community suffers the consequences of it. 

Despite the fact that the black community is now more integrated into the vast middle class, are better off financially, and experiencing unprecedented access to opportunity, there is still unfortunately racial bias even against law abiding middle class black people in certain situations. And if a black man is from the ghetto, that prejudice is multiplied in cases where the police are involved. 

So the vastly improved lives of black people in socioeconomic terms has not brought with it the equality they deserve. Far too many people see a black man in questionable circumstances as guilty unless proven innocent. 

While the left sees only racism, the right sees only violent protest. It is as if there are two different realities. The problem is exacerbated by the mainstream media that gives a lot more attention to the left then they do to the right. Add to that left wing entertainers and sports figures… and that lends the left’s argument a lot more apparent credence. The media might briefly mention the story of a cop getting shot. As was the case last night in Chicago where two cops were shot. But the focus of almost every news story is on the ‘peaceful’ protests against systemic racism. That ‘sometimes’ turn violent even though most protesters are peaceful. 

The net result is a media fueled bias against law enforcement. 

I believe that the media bias will backfire in this case. The mob rule that seems to be on display every night does not go unnoticed by the vast majority of Americans despite the best efforts of the media to minimize it by focusing more on the racism issue.  

The only question is whether there will be a backlash at the polls this November by voters who at the core want to see their world restored to a peaceful and orderly one where the law is enforced; crime is reduced; people are protected, and racism is eliminated. 

If these protests continue the President will get reelected. And the left will have only themselves to blame.

Media Bias and Political Partisanship

Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (JTA)

After watching the President’s acceptance speech last night, I predicted exactly what the media response would be. They would focus only on what he did wrong that night as well as what he  has done wrong under his presidency - rather than on the  substance of his speech.

I am not going to say much about the substance other than that I agreed with some parts of it and disagreed with other parts. The greater point to be made is that this was yet again an instance of unbridled bias by a media that can’t wait to get rid of him - grateful for the chance to able facilitate it in this way.  More than ever, media reactions like this show that the they have completely lost their credibility.

It is just about impossible to find unbiased reporting. That has always been true. What has changed is that we now know it. I suppose that is a good thing. Because biased reporting that is well hidden – disguised as being balanced - can easily lead to the same bias on the part of the reader (or listener… or watcher) of the news.

I therefore urge voters to look at the issues that concern them the most and evaluate what each candidate has done – or promised to do, and judge for themselves without regard as to how the media deals with those candidates.

On a separate note  JTA features some interesting comments from Lord  Rabbi Jonathan Sacks about about the political partisanship of the Orthodox Jewish leadership with respect to politics: 

American Jewish rabbis are erring by endorsing — and opposing — President Donald Trump.

Although he has been close to many political leaders of all persuasions in his country, he never officially endorsed anyone.  I think that’s wise. And yet as he notes that here, it is becoming more common to do so.  Which happened most recently when Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky endorsed President Trump’s re-election.  

I think he’s right about that. Especially now when the country is so polarized. Our leadership should not be taking sides. Because which ever side one takes will be seen by the other side as an immoral choice. In the case of this President that should be more obvious than ever. 

When a religious leader endorses either a man that is seen by half the country as a scoundrel with no redeeming value and whose polices are seen as detrimental to our health and welfare - or endorses his opponent that the other half of the country sees as being manipulated by the far left which will result in the destruction of America as we know it -  it places that leader in a box. 

If your candidate loses, the winner who was vilified by the man to which you were connected cannot help but taint you in his eyes. And by association the people you lead. That will not serve the Jewish community well at all. BesideS all that Lord Rabbi Sacks says the following:

“You mix religion and politics, you get terrible politics and even worse religion,” he said, adding later, “I’m afraid I have absolutely not the slightest shred of sympathy for anyone who, as a rabbi, tells people how to vote.” 

Pretty strong words. Which should be taken seriously. One might ask, if I agree with Lord Sacks, how could I have ever endorsed any political candidate in the past? Which I did in the last 5 elections - Gore, Bush, McCain, Romney, and Clinton successively.) And what am I going to do about the 2020 election? 

Good questions. The answer to the first one is that I am not a rabbinic leader. Although I have Semicha, I never used it in any official (of even unofficial) capacity. And even though my endorsements are based on my values which are informed by my religious beliefs, my views are personal and not to be taken as representative of my people. 

In the past, it really didn’t hurt us that much to endorse the Republican or the Democrat.We could be forgiven for being 'mistaken'. But this year is a horse fo an entirely different color The last thing I want to do is to endorse half the country sees as an existential threat to the country. (Which both sides have said about the other.) 

Endorsing a candidate this year has far reaching consequences. You cannot endorse one candidate without just about alienating significant numbers of  people. some of whom will equate my endorsement with my religion no matter how much I deny it.

That being the case, I’m not sure I will be endorsing anybody this year. Need to think about it.

Videos, Protests, Violence and Julia Jackson

Jacob Blakes's mother, Julia Jackson (Raw Story)

The vast number of images and videos available to the public about the events of the day because of the ubiquity of the smartphone cameras is yet another amazing advantage of Apple’s great achievement. Which, I suppose, is why it is the richest company on earth. Deservedly so. 

No, this is not an advertisement for Apple. Just stating an obvious fact.  But this particular feature of smartphones is a double edged sword. 

On the plus side, the harassment of black Americans by a racist cop like Derek Chauvin which in his case ended up being deadly has been exposed to the entire world. There is almost always someone around with a smart-phone to record the incident. The world needs to know that so that we can learn how to prevent that from ever happening again. The urgency is real.  

We need to do what is necessary to root out the all too frequent inequality of treatment between black and white people by police. There is little doubt in my mind that this is the case. In some cases it is overt racism. But in other cases it is a subliminal racism that many cops act upon without even realizing they are doing it. That has to end. Driving while black should never be considered a crime. That is not how this country is supposed to work. 

That being said, I will repeat what I believe to be the case. The vast majority of police are not inherently racist. They are heroes who wake up every day, put on their uniforms, and go to work not knowing whether they will return home that evening. Law enforcement is a dangerous job. Keeping the peace often involves a cop putting himself in harm’s way. 

Back to smartphones. The fact that these images have contributed to justice a good thing. But then there is the other edge of that sword that is responsible for an upheaval invioleice across the land. The public reaction of good people that protest those killings has givenrise to a degree of lawlessness and violence not seen since in decades. It has unleashed a fury among many protester that has resulted in criminality which has included looting and destroying public and private property. 

I understand the anger. But these kinds of protests undermine the very cause they are supposedly fighting for. Because even though the media is painting these protest as justified and minimizing the rioting and looting by referring to them as outsiders taking advantage of these protests. It is getting increasingly hard to see protests like this that way since they end up with violence in almost every case where some of hosee protesters can be heard justifying it all.

If the President ever wanted to have an issue he could rally American support for, he could not have asked for a better gift. Despite the media’s positive spin of images on the nightly news, images of looting and destruction in  a city seeming to be going up in flames send a different image to viewers. Demands for radical change such as eliminating law enforcement is not a message that resonates with mainstream America. Most of whom want to see law and order restored and a peaceful reslotution to this real  issue. They are probably frightened by what they see on the nightly news.

I mention all of this now again because of what happened to Jacob Blake.  A video was taken of Kenosha police pursuing him where upon entering his car, one of those cops shot him 7 times in the back under murky circumstances. Fortunately Jacob Blake survived. Unfortunately, however, he may very well be paralyzed for life. 

That video has generated yet another series of violent protests. Which is being reported by the media every single day since the very first one. These protesters are angry and destroying their city. This is what is being broadcast every single night... a scary thing to watch! This is why I say that the law and order approach taken by the President will resonate with the majority of Americans now more than ever.

This is not a black and white issue. This is a right and wrong issue. There is a right side to this that includes rectifying the long delayed justice for black America as well as keeping an orderly society where people feel safe; protected;  and where criminals are punished. It is for this reason that I want to recognize the courage of Julia Jackson, Jacob Blake’s mother. Her attitude is amazing considering what happened to her son. She understands what should be obvious to all good people who care about this country. Which is that the kind of protests going on right now in Kenosha are destructive and counter-prodcutive to their justifiable goals of equality.  Here is what she said: 

"As I was riding through here, this city, I noticed a lot of damage and it doesn't reflect my son," Jackson said. "So I'm really asking, and encouraging everyone in Wisconsin and abroad to take a moment and examine your heart. As I pray for my son's healing ... I also have been praying even before this for the healing of our country." 

This black mother whose son was shot by a cop and possibly paralyzed for life is a woman that needs to be heard.  Mainstream white America needs to know that their abhorrence of violent protest are shared by mainstream black America, too. . But more importantly it is the protesters themselves that need to hear it. And heed it. 

What better person to make this point than Julia Jackson at this moment in time. 

I know black people are angry. I don’t blame them a bit. I am too. But to get what they seek – what all good people seek, they need to stop those among them that loot stores and destroy private or public property and in the process ruin lives. If cooler heads prevail, a lot more can be done. 

Unfortunately I think her words will fall on deaf ears.

Selfishness and Arrogance

Bnei Ruven

After decades of participating in the 6:00 AM Minyan at Chabad’s flagship Shul, Bnei Ruven, I have switched to another Shul. As did a good friend and neighbor who is one of their premier members. He was advised to do so by his physician. Why did we do that?  It was because of the selfish arrogance of some other members who Daven there without masks.  For some reason they think they can impose their skepticism about the pandemic upon those of us who fear catching a life threatening disease. 

This is not the only place it happened nor is it the first time I experienced something like this. What is upsetting though is that it is happening with more frequency. Sometimes from people I respect and admire. I guess that some people are just tired of wearing masks and are starting to get lax about it. And even among those that still do - I see a few of them pulling it down below their nose in Shul during Davening. 

I know masks are not comfortable. But it will be a lot less comfortable for someone that gets the virus from a carrier who transmitted it without realizing he had it – having had no symptoms. 

Why do they do it? I don't really know. In some cases it might be because they don’t really believe it. Or they think that it is all overblown by politicians with an agenda,  They may falsely conclude that since the religious neighborhoods have had so few cases over the last couple of months that there is little to worry about. That health officials are over-reacting. They might even say that they have been ignoring these precautions outside of Shul for weeks without getting infected – or infecting anyone else. And that they don’t know of a single person infected in months! 

It’s nice to have that kind of confidence. I will even grant that they probably will be spared. Most people are. In Illinois, only 4 percent of the people tested – test positive. That means that 96% of those tested are disease free. Those numbers might be representative of the entire population. So that the overall chances of getting sick are relatively small. 

Small - that is - except for the 4 percent that actually get it. They are 100% sick. Many will experience minor symptoms, But some of them may end up in hospitals; some on ventilators;  and some may die. And of the more serious cases that survive, many of them will have permanent damage. 

Which brings me back to those who do not seem to be taking this seriously. There is little doubt in my mind that their true character of selfishness has surfaced. As kind and giving as they might otherwise be, at the end of the day, they are doing what they want. What about those of us that believe that the dangers are still very real? I guess they don’t care what we think. Because they know better. 

How then do they explain what happened to Orthodox Jews in other locations? From JTA: 

Over the past week, the reports have come fast and furious.

One overnight sports camp for boys in Pennsylvania had an outbreak of COVID-19, sending eight boys back to their home communities on Long Island and several more to Baltimore, where others had contracted the virus after attending weddings or coming into contact with those who did.

Bungalow colonies in the Catskill Mountains saw an outbreak among families, many of whom were summering there away from their homes in Brooklyn.

And New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday that 16 new cases were found in the Brooklyn Hasidic neighborhood of Borough Park, with some traced back to a large wedding there. 

I don’t know what it is about some Orthodox Jews that makes them so sure of themselves - even when the evidence is to the contrary. In some cases they are so arrogant that they will skirt or even break the law in the belief that it is wrong or stupid – if they think they can get away with it. As was the case in Israel this week: From the Jewish Press:

Israeli authorities at Ben Gurion Airport stopped two male Hasidic yeshiva students from entering the country on Sunday, according to a report published by the Kikar HaShabbat news outlet. 

Instead, barely an hour after the two young men had landed at the airport, they were both placed on another flight and sent on their way back to London, their city of origin.

The reason for the rejection had to do with their lack of appropriate documents certifying their health and freedom from the novel coronavirus, according to a relative of one of the young men who spoke with Kikar HaShabbat. 

The two students had obtained their airline tickets through a well-known London businessperson who had promised they would receive the required approvals by Sunday. Assuming the red tape was completed, the students boarded the flight even though they had not received their documents. 

Lest anyone think that this is just another attack by an anti religious Israel bureaucracy consider that 17,000 student have arrived this month for their year of study in Israeli Yeshivos and seminaries. 

The coronavirus pandemic has brought out the worst in us it seems. Although this cavalier attitude about the pandemic exists among all Orthodox Jews, it seems that those with the most extreme attitude are the most religious – or religious looking among us. This surely does not speak well of us when it happens. And let us not get hung up on the fact that there are so many more non Jews that are reacting this way – or much worse. This isn’t about them. It is about us! 

Not that we are all that way, God forbid. I still believe that the vast majority of Orthodox Jews across all Hashkafic lines are fine and decent people. People that follow the rules meticulously even if they don’t like them or agree with them. But still... in some cases selfishness and arrogance has come to the surface in people from whom I would have least expected it. And that can cause physical damage to themselves and to others. Not to mention what it does to our reputation as a wise and caring people. 

This is not the first time I am talking about this. Nor will it likely be the last. But it is so frustrating to see this happening practically before my eyes.  And published for all to see in the Jewish and non Jewish  media. 

When will we ever learn?

The Republican Convention and the Media

 

Nikki Haley last night - I would vote for her in a heat beat (National Review)

Most people know and hopefully understand my ambivalence about the President. I have stated here often my simultaneous disgust for his behavior in his role as President while at the same time – even though he is not really conservative himself - lauding him for implementing polices that mostly reflect my conservative leanings. Last night, I saw a lot of Trump supporters reflecting on those policies. Many of which have been ignored or spun by the media in extremely negative ways . 

I saw many black speakers show evidence that he is not racist having had a relationship with him for may years long before he ever became President. Even taking offense that they would have a relationship with a racist President.

There were also a lot of stories told by people who experienced kindness and compassion form the President. A side we never see. They were not lying.

It was therefore almost comical watching the mainstream media spin on what happened last night. I don’t think it is arguable anymore. The mainstream media bias against the President is extreme. I will cite one example of the many I could choose from. 

In reporting the sordid sex scandal about Evangelical preacher, Jerry Falwell Jr. the media could not resist saying that he was a Trump supporter,Which of course has absolutely nothing to do with the accusations being made against Falwell. Why did they do that? I think the answer is obvious. Guilt by association. They want to show what kind of people support the President are hypocrites. 

By contrast when the speaking about terrorist regime of Iran, they never mention that Joe Biden is their favorite candidate.   

After watching the media spin on the Republican convention last night, I could have sworn that we were watching 2 different events. 

Here in some of what I saw last night 

There were several speakers who spoke about a personal side of the President we never hear about. The quiet kindness and compassion he showed them without any media attention. Some of those speakers were black.

In fact there more than a few black people that spoke about what the President's polices have done for their community. Economic opportunities have been created by Trump administration that did not exist before – even under a black President. Prior to COVID these polices resulted in the lowest unemployment numbers for black people - and the highest average income in history. 

They talked about the soft bigotry of forcing children in poor black neighborhoods to attend the local sub par schools because of where they lived instead of offering them choices outside of their own zip-code. Which is opposed by the powerful teachers unions – who despite protestations to the contrary are more interested in the welfare of their member teachers than they are of their students. The Democratic Party seems to feel the same way.

Then there was the law and order issue. There was acknowledgement that we have a long way to go to eliminate racism from our midst. Some of which has raised its ugly head in some police departmants in deadly ways. But as was pointed out, that does not mean that police are the enemy. They are the heroes that stand in the way of lawlessness, that has caused pain and suffering to innocent people that whose businesses have been looted and destroyed.  Arguments by the left that these demonstrations are peaceful and only become violent when infiltrators show up - are beginning to wear thin. I have heard some of the prostesters actually justify the looting as a form of reparations for slavery! 

There is no Republican that would deny peaceful protest. But unlike the Democratic approach of tolerating months of lawlessness in cities like Portland, Rep8blicans would pursue law and order by virtue of law enforcement. As Nikky Haley said,  lawlessness only begets more lawlessness.

Supporting the police does not make one racist. Although the way the media is reporting the police interaction with protesters makes it seem that way.You can oppose racism in all of its ugly forms and still support the police - the vast majority of which are fine people that risk their lives to protect us all. 

Other speakers spoke of the President’s success in implementing prison reform, something his predecessor did not do. 

They spoke about the failure of the media to credit the President for accelerating vaccine development and production - instead of the constant harangue about he hasn't done. Or his lack of leadership -.blaming him for the enormous death toll at the hands of COVID.

Thye spoke about his pre-covid economic achievements – implementing policies that accelerated the longest peacetime expansion of the economy in American history. 

They talked about keeping or trying to keep his campaign promises. One of which involved keeping a promise made but never kept by every single President when they were candidate: Moving the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. 

Theytalked about the 2 conservative judges he palced on the Supreme Court.

They talked about polices implemented by the president that protect freedom of religion from those who see religion as an impediment to equality.

\But the media could not resist tearing every one of those accomplishments down – spinning them all in negative ways.

During the Democratic convention Biden was treated like he was going to save the world… mimicking Biden’s supporters at the convention said he would. Painting 4 more years of Trump like the end of the world. 

I know that a lot of people to my left agree with the media spin. They will see this post as some sort of misguided endorsement of the President’s re-election. 

It is not. I am still ambivalent about him. What I am not ambivalent about is the media bias against him. It is dripping with animus – thinly disguised as 'matter of fact' balanced reporting. 

If you are a 'Never Trumper'. you will agree with the media and wonder what the heck I am talking about. But if you are open minded you will recognize that there are good things and bad things about him. 

What is sad about all this is that mainstream media influence is very powerful. for those that pay any attention to them - it isn’t about the story they are reporting. It is about the way they report it. there are too many people without any real depth about understanding about the issues of our day. They will vote based on the media characterization rather than on any real understanding of those issues. And that is no way to choose a President.

What’s Up with This Mentality?

Adina Bar-Shalom founder of Haredi College of Jerusalem

One of the many  ‘I don’t get its’ in life I have is the stridency and extreme lengths by which some Charedi leaders in Israel reject a college education. 

Even though I don’t agree, I can nevertheless understand why they oppose attending a secular college. They fear both the content being taught and the influences of an atmosphere that is often anathema to Torah values. What I do not understand is their opposition to attending a program designed for the Charedi world that avoids those pitfalls.  But beyond understanding it - I am shocked by what has just been reported by Rabbi Natan Slifkin: 

Rav Baruch Shapira introduced the program by relating a conversation that he had with Rav Steinman about the event. Rav Steinman said, "Charedi academic programs?! It's like a pig in a shtreimel!" (See my post about the event, which summarizes the messages from the speakers.)

Well, now there is a new campaign against the pigs in shtreimels. A prominent Rosh Yeshivah, Rav Yigal Rosen, declared that he has launched an initiative in his yeshivah, which he hopes will be emulated by others. If a student marries a girl who is enrolled in a charedi academic program, then neither the rabbis nor the students are allowed to attend the wedding. 

I assume that Rav Yigal Rosen is not some fanatic fringe outlier. But rather mainstream albeit on the extreme right wing of the Charedi world.

First let me say that I strongly disagree with Rav Steinman on this issue. But I understand that he is against it and is simply exaggerating to make his point. (If that quote is indeed accurate and not taken out of context.) 

The problem with the kind of comment made by Rav Steinman is that lesser rabbis take it to another level that I doubt he ever intended.

It’s kind of like what happened to Rabbi Slifkin. Although I strongly disagreed with Rav Elyashiv too when  he decided to ban Rabbi Slifkin’s books reconciling  Torah and science - declaring them to contain heresy - lesser rabbis declared Rabbi Slifkin himself to be a heretic. 

Which was never R’ Elyashiv’s intent. And he indicated as much in a later clarification. He just did not want Charedi students in Israel to read those kinds of books. Probably because he feared those books might make them heretics. Not a too unreasonable proposition considering none of those students had any kind of secular education to prepare them for the way Rabbi Slifkin dealt with it. 

But I digress. The point here is that R’ Steinman probably never intended a boycott against weddings of a Charedi couple where the husband would spend full time in a Kollel with a wife that attended one of those schools. 

Rabbi Slifkin makes a very good point about the need for the women in the Charedi world needing decent paying jobs so that they can support their large families while their husbands learn full time. I agree that opposing that kind of education is by itself problematic even if you buy into their paradigm. 

How are they going to support their families if they don’t get the education in a program designed to do exactly that? These programs do not have a single heretical thought taught in them. And the environment is entirely Charedi since that is who it is designed for. What could possibly be the problem? And then to boycott a Charedi couple that took advantage of that?!

Like I said. Yet another ‘I don’t get it’ in life. It makes absolutely no sense to boycott them whatsoever even if you disagree with what his wife has done educationally. 

One can debate the issue... but I have always been of the opinion that the educational paradigm of the Charedi world in Israel must change if they are to survive. Still am. For reasons – far too numerous to mention here. But even if I am wrong and it doesn’t need to change… to add a prohibition against a Charedi college program designed to enhance and perpetuate that lifestyle - and then to boycott those that take advantage of it - is inexplicable! And downright stupid if you ask me.

About Eulogies...

R' Adin Steinsaltz (Wiki)

I have been asked – or perhaps more accurately criticized - by both the right and the left for not mentioning the Petirah (passing) of two prominent religious figures. Both of whom deserve to be eulogized properly. They are Rav Adin Steinsaltz and more recently Rav Chaim Dov Keller. Perhaps my critics are right. 

Both of these great rabbis contributed much to the Jewish world each in their own way. Although I have an explanation for why I didn't eulogize them (which I will share shortly) it is really no excuse.to all who feel that I have somehow slighted these two greats. It was not because I had disagreements with them on some issues. It has nothing to do with that. It is rare if not impossible to agree with everything a great Rav has said or done, no matter how much one admires them. 

I did not eulogize them for one very simple reason.  I do not do eulogies for even great religious figures - unless I knew them personally or they had somehow impacted me personally in some significant way. There are for example some very prominent Chasidic Rebbes that have died recently that should be eulogized too. 

Just recently (for example) the Sadigerer Rebbe passed away. He was the head of a dynasty that stemmed from the Mezritcher  Magid, the Baal Shem Tov’s greatest disciple – and traces his lineage directly to him. I’m sure that his many Chasidim believed that he was among the greatest religious leaders of our time – if not the greatest. 

However, I did not eulogize him and many others for the reasons I just stated. That is my policy and in the future I will basically adhere to it. This blog is not really a source for news. It is an opinion blog.

That being said, as long I am talking about them I will say a few words about both R’ Steinsaltz and R’ Keller. 

Rav Steinsaltz is a Baal Teshuva extraordinaire! He was raised on an anti religious Kibbutz and with his brilliant mind found the truth of Judaism fairly early in life. He then proceeded to educate himself about it. 

He succeeded well beyond even the most optimistic expectations that anyone can imagine. He mastered Talmud Bavli better than the vast majority of students born into a lifetime of Torah study. He then published a Bavli Shas with punctuation and his own notes in Hebrew making it easier for students to study. 

That was later taken to the next level when his elucidated shas was published in English which many illustration  and brief biographies of the Talmudic figures mentioned therein. He was also respected by the wider Jewish community and would often accept sepakinh engagements in secular or heterodox environments.   

R' Chaim Dov Keller (TMA)

R’ Keller was involved early in the building of Telshe Yeshiva in Chicago. He joined them early (at the request of his brother in law, R’ Avrohom Chaim Levin, the founding Rosh HaYeshiva). 

R’ Keller began his advanced Talmud study at Yeshiva University (YU) and for a short while was a student of Rav Soloveitchik. He left YU  to join the more traditonal Yeshiva, Telshe in Wickliffe, Ohio. Together they built ‘Sniff Chicago’ (as they called this branch of Telshe) into a powerhouse Yeshiva that in my view outdid it’s parent Yeshiva in Wickliffe.

Unfortunately he lost his first wife, Rebbetzin Debbie Keller (R’ Levin’s sister) to cancer at a relatively young age (in her 50s if I recall correctly.) She was an iconic 1st grade teacher in Arie Crown Hebrew Day School whom 3 of my 4 children had. 

(On a personal note… when Arie Crown decided to separate the boys from the girls starting in 1^st grade instead of 5^th grade - she told me that she objected. Even though Torah u’Mesorah of which it was a member did not require it, Arie Crown was pressured do to it. But Rebbetzin Keller believed believed it a bad decision because the girls were a calming influence on the otherwise rowdy boys at that age.) 

R’ Keller’s forte was  in the written word (in English).  He was a frequent contributor to the Jewish ObservorJ on a variety of subjects. He was erudite, articulate, and critical of Orthodox movements  he believed were veering off his view of the  ‘straight and narrow’ path of Judaism. I recall one of his earlier pieces (dating back over 50 years ago) rejecting the arguments for ordaining women made by Orthodox Jewish feminist movements (which at the time was called ‘Women’s Liberation’). 

At the time I wrote a rebuttal to that which was published in the Sentinel (a local weekly Jewish news magazine - long since defunct). Yes, in my youth I once believed that female rabbis were OK and made an argument for it. But I have since realized I was wrong and am now firmly opposed for reasons beyond the scope of this post. 

There were other critical pieces. 

One was against the views expressed by R’ Aryeh Kaplan who defended the view of an aged universe as being on concert with both science and the Torah using sources from Torah, the sages of the Talmud, Rishonim, Achronim, and Kabbalah. 

He wrote a critical piece against the Theory of Evolution

He also wrote a crtical piece about some of Aish HaTorah’s Kiruv methods. 

Perhaps his most severe criticism was against Lubavitch’s obsession with their Rebbe. I recall one essay was titled something along the lines of ‘God Centered – Not Rebbe Centered’. 

He also strongly encouraged Rabbi David Berger in his crusade against Lubavitch Messianism.

The last of the great rabbinic figures of the 20^th century are slowly disappearing. They are being replaced by rabbis that prove the ancient adage of Niskatnu HaDoros - that each successive generation since the revelation at Sinai is of lesser stature than the previous one. This does not mean we don’t have leaders. What it does mean is that they do not measure up to the last generation. The era of the Rav, R’ Moshe is soon coming to en end.  Which is a sad realization for me.

Rav Zalman Nechemya Goldberg, ZTL

R' Rav Zalman Nechemya Goldberg, ZTL (VIN)

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of this giant in Torah at age 89. I do not use the word ‘giant’ lightly. His Torah knowledge was  encyclopedic. Which is demonstrated by the fact that he was the Chief Editor of the Talmudic encyclopedia.

The apple doesn’t fall that far the tree. That expression is usually applied to someone that is praised for the same qualities that their father had. Although not his actual son but son in law, it can certainly apply to Rav Zalman Nechemya Goldberg. I suppose that had something to do with why his father in law, Rav Shlomo Zaman Auerbach chose him for his daughter. (In the yeshiva world the Gedolim usually choose the most suitable Talmid Chacham they can find, Rav Sholomo Zaman chose well.)

 When the Yeshiva world speaks about ‘the Gedolim’ His name is not the first one that comes to mind. I believe that is because of his great humility. He was a person that did great things without any fanfare. He stayed out of the limelight. And was accessible to the public as was his father in law. And yet he was the ‘go to’ Posek for much of the Charedi world as well as the Centrist and even religious Zionist world, same as his father in law.

To show what kind of humility he had, when my son received Semicha from R’  Zalman Nechemya, he told my son that he should get a better Semicha since he didn’t think his was recognized enough. 

I rarely do eulogies for great people unless I had a personal connection to them or I was is some way inspired  by them. The truth is that I do not know that much more about him than what I just said. But his greatness in Torah and humility demanded that I should publicly mourn his loss. I will therefore end with an letter I got from a modern Orthodox admirer who had actually met him. 

History will record his gadlus be'Torah.  Beyond the world of Askanim, he maintained relationships across the Orthodox spectrum giving Shiurim at Chasidic institutions and Hesder yeshivot.  I had the zechut to be invited to a Shiur he attended on the dateline; his Hadras Pannim was an offshoot of his FIL.  A classic posek explaining reality to a Rosh Yeshivah. 

He ultimately is responsible for the RCA prenup.  Like his FIL, he worked hard to understand medicine and technology.

 Baruch Dayan HaEmes

Painful Choices for the Fall

Former President Obama addressing the convention last night (Newsday)

For someone like me that leans politically conservative and is a strong supporter of Israel, it is hard not to appreciate and support what the current occupant of the White House has accomplished in those areas. And yet, last night as I watched former President Barack Obama address the (virtual) Democratic convention, I found myself missing that type of leadership. 

Even though I disagreed with some of what he said, I actually agreed with him about many of the failings he described in the current President (although not all of them). I miss Obama’s demeanor, his eloquence, his sense of duty to country, and his devotion to his ideals. Even though my ideals are not exactly the same as his, many of them do overlap. 

One does not have to be an Obama supporter to see that. I long for a return to a time when the Oval Office was treated with the due reverence it deserves.

Although one certainly should not vote for someone who they disagree with, to not recognize the essential decency of the previous President in contrast to the apparent lack of any in the current one - one would have to be willfully ignorant of reality! 

What is even more distressing to someone who wants to see the President’s economic polices continue as well as his policy towards Israel - is the fact that so many of the people that worked for him since he became President and then left have said pretty much said the same terribly negative things about him. With not  a single positive word.  In some cases it was from people who are more politically conservative than I am – and just as pro Israel. Like John Bolton. 

It cannot be that every single one of them that say pretty much the same things are just disgruntled former employees. These were all people who entered public service with the noblest of intentions. Believing that they were there to serve their country. They quickly found out that they were serving an egotistical narcissist, whose primary concern was getting reelected without any compunction about how to achieve that. Whether ethical or not.

I believe that the President is consumed with getting reelected. To that end, he lies, vilifies, ridicules and panders to base instincts (even as he might not realize he is doing it). 

I also have to wonder about his intelligence and his education (or better put - the seeming lack of any). How hard is it to pronounce the word Yosemite? Instead making it sound like the word ‘Semite’! How can anyone beyond the 3rd grade not know that injecting disinfectant into your veins is a deadly proposition? Having a man like that as the face of America is a major embarrsament. And a  terrible thing to contemplate having in office for 4 more years. 

That said,  I strongly disagree with those who dismiss his accomplishments as insignificant or even detrimental. And while a lot of people are blaming him for mishandling the pandemic, my personal belief is that it wouldn’t matter who was in office. The pandemic is spread by people that couldn’t care less who the President is or what he says. Unless he declares some sort of martial law - they are going to do whatever they want. All of the stupid and ignorant rhetoric coming out of his mouth has nothing to do with huge Chasidic weddings and funerals, crowded bars, sunbathers on beaches, parties on college campuses, or crowded hallways in high schools that opened up with all the planned protocols almost immediately ignored. 

On the plus side, one must give the President credit for operation Warp Speed. A government program that is currently paying for the accelerated production of millions of doses of several potential vaccines currently undergoing phase 3 clinical trials. So that in the likelihood that they will be proven effective, they will be ready to be distributed right away. Which NIH infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci is very encouraged about becoming a reality by the end of this year! 

I also do not believe that there is no humanity in the man. I think there is. I believe that he does possess a sense of compassion and has at times in his life demonstrated it. But that is a side of him rarely seen these days. One might instead point to the opposite. Like his outrageous and unfeeling directive to border police to separate children from parents caught entering the country illegally with them - as a means of discouraging it..  

Bottom line for people like me is that we have to face the fact that the policies we like come at a very heavy price. One that may not be worth paying. 

The Cancel Culture Must be Defeated

Former New York Times columnist, Bari Weiss (NYT)

Cancel Culture. That is a is new phrase used to describe a phenomenon taking place in America that makes a mockery of the First Amendment. 

The first time I encountered that phrase is when it was used about what happened to former New York Times columnist Bari Weiss. After being hired to show some balance  - she was quickly smeared by colleagues that didn't like her views. Long story short she felt very uncomfortable and resigned in a letter explaining why she could not work under those conditions anymore. 

The idea behind the phrase ‘Cancel Culture’ is that if someone expresses a view that counters the current politically correct ones they are ‘canceled’ meaning they are fired (or if they are TV commentators they are terminated and their shows canceled.) usually with an explanation that describes those views as bigoted or racist. 

To cite what might be an example of a politically incorrect view worthy of termination - criticizing the violence that took place at many of ‘black lives matter’ protests. But does not make someone racist. Supporting the police does not make someone racist. It might just make them a supporter of law and order. And opposed to the kind of violence that can ruin the lives of  innocent  people. Not to mention physically injure them.  

One can disagree with that view. But to see it as automatically racist and a reason to be fired is not only unfair, but as I indicated – a slap in the face of the 1^st amendment. I would even go a step further and see it a step towards a totalitarian government where only ‘Big Brother’ defines what is right and wrong. Where free speech is censored when it contradicts ‘Big Brother’. If this is the America of the future, it is not a country I would want to live in. 

Unfortunately ‘Cancel Culture’ is now used by the left against those that disagree with their liberal orthodoxy - accusing the right of being  racists and bigots! Which is clearly not true. 

It is with that in mind that I agree with Rabbi Gil Student. Where on his website today he links to the Philadelphia Statement. Which repudiates that kind of thinking and reinforces the principles of free speech guaranteed by the constitution.  He signed it and urges his readers to sign it. I did. And if you believe in the constitution, you should too. Here is the link..

Biden, Harris, and Israel

Democrats are in the middle of their Presidential nominating convention. Better described this year as one very long political commercial. Much of it pre-recorded. (As was Michelle Obama’s speech last night. It was recorded prior to Biden’s selection of Harris as his running mate.) 

Not that there is anything wrong with that. One could argue that every nominating convention since the days of JFK was like that. But without hoopla and controlled chaos – along with reporters randomly picking up interviews with prominent Democratic attendees, the spontaneity is gone. Any possible surprises are practically eliminated. This leaves the viewer with little more that a series of long boring speakers with the predictable dual message of their candidate being the next Messiah while describing his opponent is  the reigning devil who will destroy the country - if not the entire planet - if given  4 more years. 

I’m pretty sure that the Republican convention will be pretty much along these same lines. – in reverse.  Given that the Democrats are ‘up to bat’ right now, I thought I would express a few thoughts about the presumptive Democratic nominees for President and Vice President. For purposes of this post I will focus mostly on his support for Israel. 

Let me dispense with Senator Kamala Harris first. She has an excellent record of support for the Jewish state that actually includes the following. From VIN: 

(Harris) was one of the sponsors of a resolution in the Senate to oppose former President Barack Obama’s initiative to get the U.N. Security Council to pass Resolution 2334 that claimed Israeli settlements were illegal. 

In June 2017, Harris also signed a call to U.S. President Donald Trump to implement the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. 

In her address to AIPAC in 2016, Harris spoke about donating to the Jewish National Fund as a child and seeing the “fruits” of those efforts when she later visited as an adult. Harris also visited Israel as a senator in 2017 and met with Netanyahu. And in 2019, she said that “support for Israel is central to who she is.” 

However, it is troubling that her new Chief of staff is on record being far more critical of the Jewish state.

And now -  Joe Biden. Let me first say that there is not a question in my mind that he is a decent and honorable man (as far as politicians go) who will restore the dignity to the Oval Office that has been absent for the last 4 years. He is not the wide eyed liberal that the President and some  on the far right of the Republican Party have painted him. 

His record on Israel is pretty good albeit typical of the kind of support the Democratic Party has always given the Jewish State. Which was highly supportive of Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish country and protect itself. In that regard Israel has been assured to have a qualitative military edge over other states in the region. 

Biden will almost certainly continue all the military, intelligence, and financial aid it has always received under all administrations – which actually increased under Obama.  Obama always made clear that US support of Israel  is unshakable… and that the US will always ‘have their back!’ I’m sure that will be as true with Biden as it was with Obama. 

But that support is not the same as the current US policy. It comes with a lot of criticism and demands that if not honored may have negative consequences. Demands that have always been honored by Israel in the past. And will likley be honored under a Biden Presidency as well.  

Criticism sgainst some of Israel’s defensive actions. Demands that included an unreasonable version of anti settlement activity that - forbidding construction of even a room addition in cities that will probably become part of Israel proper in any kind of future peace agreement (in exchange for land swaps). 

There is also a possibility that Biden will continue Obama’s policy of abstaining from UN Security Council condemnations of Israel, allowing them to pass.  (Blaming Netanyahu for this is both naive and overly simplistic in my view.) 

Then there is Iran. Biden has already promised that he will rejoin that horrible nuclear peace deal and remove all the sanctions imposed by the current President. I don’t see how that serves the cause of peace in the Middle East at all. Nor do Saudi Arabia and any of the Arab Gulf states. But that discussion is beyond the scope of this post. 

Although Biden is what I would call a centrist democrat whose values include support for Israel, the same cannot be said for the so called progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Which includes Sanders, Omar and Tlaib.  They would be much harder on the Jewish state The latter two are actually BDS supporters! They are clearly influential well beyond their small numbers.  The media has seen to that – giving them much more coverage than they deserve. 

It’s true that they are not in charge. But if Biden wants their constituency to vote for him – he has to throw them a pretty big bone. It is not that far-fetched to believe that one or more of them they will be given high positions in the cabinet. One of which might be UN Ambassador. or maybe eve Secretry of State1 Can anyone imagine Tlaib or Omar in either of those positions?! Let us just say that neither of them are a ‘Nikky Haley’! 

Of course they cannot make their own policies. But they can surely do a lot of PR damage to the state. And that concerns me.

These are clearly things to consider when voting for the next President On the one hand, Israel will still enjoy US support. But it will surely not be as robust as it is now.  Just some of my quick thoughts on what the future holds if ( or more likely when) Biden wins the election.

The Problem with Modern Orthodoxy

There is no greater anti smoking zealot than a reformed smoker. I therefore have to take what Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld wrote in the Jewish Link with a grain of salt. 

How does my opening statement apply to him? It is because of his claim to know the 2 worlds of Charedim and Modern Orthodoxy (MO). I am sure he does. But the implication is that he is a sort of hybrid of those two worlds - having lived in them both. He has lived in a modern Orhtodox environment and was educated in a number of Modern Orthodox schools. He then moved on to Lakewood and the Agudah. 

The Hashkfaos of the last environment and school one attends are the Hashkfos that tend to define you. So his views should be taken with that in mind. The criticism he  levels at the Modern Orthodox world might be akin to the zealous anti smoking campaign of a former smoker. I say this not as a pejorative. Only as a matter of describing from what place his thoughts stem. 

That being said. I do not disagree with him that much. My observations more or less match his. Although he didn’t say so in so many words, I think the implication is that as a rule (and there are of course many exceptions) the typical MO educated individual will not be as focused on their Judaism as is the typical Charedi educated person. The anecdotal evidence he brings testifies to that – even as it obviously doesn’t prove it. 

Among his observations are the following. In the MO community he serves, he noted a phenomenon taking place as Shuls were beginning to reopen both indoors and outdoors - after the COVID lock-down. 

(T)he young married generation does not come to shul. Period. I have no reports of them on the lawns and I know that very few if any are in shuls. Our shul has the participation of some singles, some people in their 40s or so, some joining their parents, and some in their 80s! But I can’t think of any young married person who joins us with any regularity…  I was stunned by the number of answers that I received from rabbis in many parts of the country, with the exact same observation. 

He also noted that there is also no apparent connection to Torah study by younger children:

Rabbi Ari Schonfeld, (His son) conducted his Zoom-based Night Seder America (NSA) for boys during the height of the crisis, beginning a few weeks before Pesach and continuing into the first weeks of the summer. It was a free program in which the boys learned Gemara…

 An amazing 1,500 boys plus other family members from across the country – and the globe – tuned in nightly… There were no boys on the program from Modern Orthodox yeshivos. I am not exaggerating. None… not one boy attended from the modern community… Yet, the more chareidi kids in the same neighborhoods were well represented… 

There is also apparently no recognition of great rabbinic figures of both the recent past or of our own time... or even the pioneers that established the modern state of Israel:

Ask the average 8th grade boy in these day schools who was, say, the Chasam Sofer? Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch? Sarah Schenirer? The Chazon Ish? Rebbetzin Kanievsky? Rav Moshe Feinstein? Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik? What years did they flourish? Where did they live? Have they ever met the Novominsker Rebbe zt”l? Rav Hershel Schachter shlita? 

Better yet, ask them: Who was Chaim Weitzman? David Ben Gurion? Golda Meir? Moshe Dayan? Vladimir Jabotinsky? Menachem Begin? My bet is most of them will not know.

Now ask them: Who was Babe Ruth? Hank Aaron? Michael Jordan? Lebron James? Would they like to meet the latter two? 

Like I said there are exceptions. Which he acknowledged. But I think he is basically right. There is nothing wrong with knowing who the popular cultural icons are. But there is something wrong with not knowing who Rav Moshe,  Rav Solovietchik, or Rav Schacther is.

I’d love for Rabbi Schonfeld to to be proven wrong. But I have a feeling that he is right about this. 

Making matters worse is the fact that when Judaism becomes secondary in one’s life, it is a lot easier to abandon it because of outside influences. Such as those found in universities  – even when starting out as fully observant. That being said. I’m sure that the vast majority of people raised in MO homes and educated in MO schools do remain observant – even as many of them are woefully undereducated both religiously and spiritually. But that still leaves a lot of MO students at risk. 

Where I part company with Rabbi Schonefeld somewhat is in the reasons for this sad phenomenon. He seems to blame the schools: 

My point is, kids are not taught their history – even recent history. If they are, it is not absorbed. It’s not lived. They are not taught to love and admire g’dolei Torah. They are not taught what great spiritual heights our people can reach. They are not taught that these are our real heroes to emulate. The enthusiasm in learning Torah is absent. 

Those things are no doubt factors. But I believe that the influences at home are far more relevant.  The most important role models for any child is their parents. If there is little enthusiasm for one’s Judaism in the home, it will rarely be achieved by children in the school. Even under the most positive role modeling by a teacher. 

Although sometimes it does happen, it is s rare to find the kind of teacher that can be so inspiring that it will overcome the lack of enthusiasm in the home. Even where a teacher like that is found, I am sure that it is still relatively few that are inspired to view their Judaism significantly more positive than what they see in their homes on a daily basis.

It helps to spend the ‘gap year’ in Israel. A lot of young people get inspired there.Sometimes to the point of becoming Charedi depending on the type of school they go to there. But my guess is that in most cases, while being a positive experience, once they come back from that year and enter one of the top universities, that enthusiasm will wane if not disappear entirely. Without any reinforcement back home, I don’t see how it can last. 

This is not to say that Rabbi Schonfeld’s suggestions about how to improve MO schools are not good ones. I think they are. I agree with most of them. But schools at best can usually only reinforce what is seen in the home. That is where Jewish education should start.

The devil – as always - is in the details. How do we educate MO parents to take their Judaism more seriously and with more enthusiasm so that they can pass that on to their children? 

The answer to that is beyond my pay grade.

Why Are Good People Ignoring the Pandemic?

Nissim Black and R' Chaim Kanievsky (YWN)

I hate to keep repeating myself but I can’t help it. Lives are at stake. 

I don’t get it. Every evening  when I watch the nationally broadcast news I see a pandemic that is only getting worse. More people are testing positive for COVID-19 than ever. More people are dying. Every day one individual is featured on those broadcasts that recently and unexpectedly got the virus and eventually died. A very slow and painful  death. Alone with no family member by his side.  

Many schools that have already begun in person classes with carefully thought out safety precautions basically ignored those precautions once those schools actually reopened. That resulted in multiple cases of COVID. 

Are things any different for observant Jews? Consider this.  Just yesterday I read the story of Nissim Black in Mishpacha Magazine. He contracted the virus in July which lasted for three weeks and didn’t recover until Tisha B’Av. He lives in Ramat Bet Shemesh which is over 90% observant. He survived. But not without an excruciating experience where at one point he thought he wouldn’t make it! 

It’s true that there are states that are hot-spots in the US that are rampant with COVID infections (like Georgia, Florida, and California) and states where COVID infections are currently relatively low (like New York and Illinois). But even  in those states the number of infections are going up from the lows of just a few weeks ago. 

The point of all this is that we are still in the middle of a serious and sometimes deadly pandemic. The fact some places are better off then others is no guarantee that one will not become infected –  if they are not careful.  Or even if they are. However it is incumbent upon us all to do what is necessary to reduce those chances. The more precautions we take, the less illness and death there will be. That should be obvious. But...

In spite of all this negative news, public opinion seems to be going in the opposite direction - if measured by how most people are behaving. 

Instead of everyone hunkering down and following safety precautions proven to effectively reduce illness and death, the public seems to be increasingly ignoring them. And by ‘public’ I mean all of us. Charedi, modern Orthodox, observant, not observant, Jew and non Jew. All of us. 

I see it every day when I do my 20 mile bike ride wearing a mask. The vast majority of people I pass - whether biking, running, or walking – are not wearing masks. People are congregating without any social distancing. 

In my own community things seem to be falling apart as well. Looking out of my window yesterday the vast majority of people passing by were not wearing masks. It didn’t matter whether they were Chasidic Yeshiva ‘black hat’ types,  modern Orthodox, secular, or non Jews. Many of them were walking with others that I doubt were living under the same roof - schmoozing with each other as though there was no such thing as COVID. 

Shuls that have been pretty strict about following health guidelines are now experiencing people taking liberties with those rules. Yesterday a fellow walked into our Shul with his young son - both without a mask. He sat  down and started Davening fervently. That we have rules did not concern him. He ‘decided’ that he was going to do what he felt like regardless of the rules. regardless of the fact that everyone else was wearing a mask. (I guess he doesn’t believe we are in the middle of a pandemic.) He was asked to wear  a mask or leave. He chose the latter. 

This morning something similar happened when an individual I know came into Shul and  sat down right next to me! I suppose he did that because all the socially distanced seats were taken and he felt had no choice. 

No choice?! If you can’t find a proper seat, you leave! You don’t throw caution to the wind because you want to say Yehei Shmey Rabbah! That should surely not take precedence over following rules designed to protect people as much as possible from a deadly disease. 

What is interesting about this is that these are not evil people. Most of those I know that are acting this way are among the most ethical people I know. They are kind and considerate and will give you the shirt off their backs if they thought you needed it. These are people that are generally vary particular about doing all the Mitzvos properly – whether Bein Adam L’Mkaom (ritual) or Bein Adam L’Chaveiro (social).  And yet when it comes to this pandemic, they seem to be something less than ethical and caring. 

I just don’t get it. But let me speculate.

I know that a lot of people have just about  had it from this pandemic. They cannot handle these restrictions anymore. Many are suffering some serious economic  pain because of this. Some unable to earn a living - perhaps believing they are a month or two away from becoming homeless. Or becoming unable to feed their families. I cannot imagine what that must feel like. Especially when there seems to be no end to this pandemic. And these are people that have not contracted the virus. Yet. (Hopefully they won’t.) 

Even those that are able to manage financially are climbing the walls with all these restrictions. They worry about how their children will resume in person classes in school this fall. Going to Shul is still not a normal experience. Rosh Hashanna is almost upon us. Followed quickly by Yom Kippur. 

How will Shuls function under these circumstances? Health experts are predicting the worst fall with respect to illnesses in a very long time. There are a lot of unanswered questions on peoples minds that add to their anxiety.  

I suppose that when a virus is invisible and you don't know anyone personally that has died or gotten sick (lately) you tend to think the whole thing is a hoax. Or over. Or at best way overblown. Denial sets in and you start acting as though all is OK. Even at the expanse of others (like me) that do not feel that way. 

With all of these rules matter of factly being broken – it gives lie to the notion that a national policy requiring these rules be observed will work. It will not. Unless it includes real consequences. Any President implementing such a policy would be seen as a dictator. So if religious people that are normally moral and ethical and tend to follow rules - don’t pay attention to guidelines implemented by their own Shuls, I doubt they would pay attention to some national mandate that has no teeth. 

The human psyche is a complicated ‘animal’. Under certain circumstances it can make perfectly rational, ethical, and moral people - irrational and unethical while not even realizing it. That is the only explanation I can think of. And that ain’t good.

Some Good News in a Year of Bad News

Netanyahu, Trump, and Zayed (Arab News)

For those who believe that the President has not done anything significant for Israel, I’m pretty sure they will say the same thing about his recent coup with respect to what happened yesterday. From the Jewish Press: 

President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi closed the deal — to be known as the “Abraham Accords” — Thursday in a phone conversation. A joint statement issued by the three nations said the three leaders had “agreed to the full normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.”

“This historic diplomatic breakthrough will advance peace in the Middle East region and is a testament to the bold diplomacy and vision of the three leaders and the courage of the United Arab Emirates and Israel to chart a new path that will unlock the great potential in the region,” the statement said.

Delegations from Israel and the United Arab Emirates will meet in the coming weeks to sign bilateral agreements regarding investment, tourism, direct flights, security, telecommunications and other issues, the statement said…

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and Middle East envoy Avi Berkowitz have been deeply involved in the negotiations for the agreement, as well as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien.

One of the most important benefits to emerge from this agreement will be the expansion and accelerated cooperation between Israel and the UAE on COVID-19 treatment and vaccine development, which is to take place immediately.

“Israel for the foreseeable future will be focused on building this relationship and pursuing all the advantages that can come from having this new relationship with this country, and we also breaks the ice for doing more normalizations and peace agreements with other regional players as well,” a White House official told Reuters.

The missing player in this achievement is Iran. They are probably as much responsibe for this achievement as the US is. But it is the US that closed the deal. 

Why Iran? There is an ancient saying in the Arab world that in various ways goes something like this: ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend’.  Many Arab nations have changed their tune about Israel when they started seeing Iran as an existential threat. Some of them started saying virtually the same thing about the dangers Iran Israel did. 

When the Obama administration began making noises about that horrible nuclear deal Arab news outlets started publishing editorials that sounded like Netanyahu was writing them. I recall one editorial (I think it was in Al Jazeera) saying that then US President Obama should listen to Netanyahu about that deal. The UAE is clearly on board with that thinking.  Their relationship with Israel started warming about that time and has since become pretty friendly. But they couldn’t take that final leap to normalize relations. Kushner and his team apparently convinced them to do it. 

It’s true that the UAE is a small country. But it is also a rich country with financial resources that could serve Israel (and the entire world) very well. What is more significant than this normalization with Israel is that it may be the catalyst for additional Arab states doing it. It is no secret that Barain and Saudi Arabia have warmed up relations with Israel too. I believe (or at least hope) it is just a matter of time.  

Israel had to make some concession too. They have agreed to postpone annexation of any of their large cities that  straddle or are just beyond the pre 67 borders. But that is a small price to pay. I’m not so sure they were going to do it anyway. And even though it was not taken off the table for a future annexation, Israel has agreed that it would not do so without US approval. 

The big losers here - are the Palestinians. But only if they choose to be. More about that later.

It is interesting to note that all of laughter and derision expressed by so many so-called Middle East experts with lots of experience - said the the Trump administration’s Israeli/Palestinian Peace Plan is step backwards. That Palestinians would never accept it. And that the Middle East is now a more dangerous place than ever because of it. But that has not materialized. Just as it didn't when they predicted the same thing after the US embassy was moved to Jerusalem. 

More importantly the American peace proposal is still on the table. I would not be surprised at all if the the more rational elements among Palestinians actually considered it - considering how much it would benefit them in material terms  - as well as give them an actual state that Israel could live with. 

The more Arab states that make peace with Israel, the less support Palestinians will get for holding on to their unrealistic version of a state. Some Arab states have already said that the Palestinians should give that plan a serious look instead of rejecting out of hand. Unfortunately, for the moment, the irrational rejectionist elements are still in control.

All in all, I think this is a tremendous achievement for the President and his ‘inept’ son in law. Although I am 100% convinced that Kushner will not lose that appellation from those that believe it no matter what. His detractors have ‘massive  anecdotal evidence’ of ' his ineptitude. They will surely find ways to not give him any credit for this – or – more likely describe this as no achievement at all. 

Too bad that there is so much anti Trump bias on the part of some people. They are unable recognize a successful achievement that is right in front of them. One does not have to like the President nor vote for him in the next election to give him and his son in law credit when it is due. But I for one give them credit for this. Lots of it!