Month: April 2025

My struggles the past two weeks

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

For nearly 18 months now, I have been inspired to write on a very regular basis. My passions were inflamed. There was so much to think about, the ponder, to challenge. There was so much to be angry about, to be inspired by, and to write about.

The past two weeks have been challenging to put pen to paper. It isn’t that there aren’t crazy things going on in the world. It isn’t that my passions haven’t been inflamed. I have started writing many different pieces and left them unfinished. I think in part that it has felt like talking to a brick wall. The same issues keep happening over and over again. Railing against the same people telling the same lies. The same news agencies buying into the same lies. Politicians on both sides of the aisle continuing to push an agenda based on hatred.

Take for example Kilmar Abrego Garcia who was mistakenly deported to a notorious El Salvador prison by the US Government. Abrego Garcia, living in the United States, is a citizen of El Salvador. At the age of 16, Abrego Garcia fled El Salvador and illegally entered the United States in 2011. In October, 2019, Abrego Garcia applied for asylum and withholding of removal. His request for asylum was denied, however he was granted “withholding of removal” status, preventing deportation to El Salvador due to the likelihood that of him being harmed if he was returned to El Salvador. He was approved to be deported from the United States to any other country in the world. The court also found that he was a member of the terrorist organization MS-13. He was then released from custody, ICE did not appeal, and the Department of Homeland Security granted him a work permit. He appealed and the appeals court upheld the original findings. These are the facts. No matter how the media spins things, the facts don’t change.

So let’s start with the truth. He should not have been deported to El Salvador. The courts ruled on this. The administration was wrong to do this and should be held accountable for it. The Supreme Court recently ruled that they must facilitate his return. They did not agree with the finding that they must effectuate his return. That means that should he be released by El Salvador, a sovereign nation, the administration is required to do whatever is required to return him to the United States.

To say that he shouldn’t have been deported at all is simply a lie. He had due process. The courts ruled that he could be deported, just not to El Salvador. The Free Press had a great article about this issue and the claim that the Executive Branch is defying the Supreme Court. I encourage you to read it and learn a bit more.

Some members of the U.S. Congress are outraged that he was deported and are now going there to lobby for his release and return to the United States. Should this happen, the government could detain him immediately and legally deport him anywhere else in the world. We are spending time, money, and effort on an issue that is really all about the government not following the court’s specific ruling where they should be held accountable rather than returning him to the US so he can be deported to another country.

I find myself wondering where these elected officials that are going to visit him have been since October 7, 2023, when Americans were kidnapped by Hamas and taken hostage. None of the hostages were given any due process. None of these politicians attempted to visit the hostages. None of them advocated or pressured the Red Cross to visit these American hostages or to ensure they were getting medicine or humanity. None of them attempted to pressure the leadership of Hamas to release the hostages. They currently use the term ‘disappeared’ when green card holders are detained for a deportation hearing yet fail to acknowledge that the hostages in Gaza have truly been disappeared – so much so that Hamas isn’t even sure where they are.

Edan Alexander, now 21 years old and the sole remaining living American hostage in Gaza, has been used in a propoganda video. Hamas has lost contact with whatever faction currently has him. We know from the reports of recently released hostages that Hamas is starving and torturing the hostages. Unlike Abrego Garcia, who we know where he is and people have seen him in the past week, we don’t know where Edan is. We don’t know his condition. At this point, we don’t know if he is even still alive today. Yet there is no outrage. There are no demands to the Hamas leaders who lived in luxury in Qatar without being held accountable until November, 2024, are now living in luxury in Turkey, a US ally and member of NATO. Without consequence. Without demands.

American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander

The difference between Abrego Garcia and Edan Alexander? One is a Jew. Citizenship doesn’t matter. Legal status doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that one is a Jew and one isn’t. I’m tired of having to write this and point it out, time after time after time. Too many of our leaders fail to do their duty to protect American citizens who are Jewish.

In Pennsylvania, the Governor’s mansion was lit on fire by a domestic terrorist because Governor Josh Shapiro is Jewish. While the Governor and his family slept after holding a Passover Seder, their home, the people of Pennsylvania’s home, was lit on fire in an attempt to murder them. There was minimal outrage and it quickly fell off the radar. An actual attempt on the life of the sitting Governor of Pennsylvania was minimized. Social justice warriors like Bernie Sanders, AOC, and the rest stayed silent.

My childhood friend, Rabbi Neil Zuckerman of Park Avenue Synagogue wrote a powerful piece about this. Neil and I went to Hebrew School together and hung out at the JCC. We went to different schools – his school was where the children of Governor Richard (Dick) Thornburgh attended so he spent time at the mansion playing with those friends. How far have we fallen as a society when more than 4 years later we remain fixated on the events of January 6th and yet the burning of the Governor of Pennsylvania’s house isn’t an issue a week after it happens. Once again, the difference is that one instance involved a Jew so it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t count.

The Pennsylvania Governor’s mansion after being lit on fire

We have lost the ability to talk with each other. To treat people as human beings even if they have different opinions or beliefs from our own. The nastiness that exists not just in politics but between individuals is horrifying. Families divided. Friendships ended. There is an old saying that “I would rather be happy than right. In today’s world that is no longer true. Too many people would rather be right than happy.

Almost every Friday, I join a group of 80+ year old men for lunch. At 57, I am the baby of the group. These are incredibly intelligent men who were titans of their professional lives. Doctors, lawyers, judges, money managers, journalists, and leaders of major businesses. It is a diverse group politically. I love our discussions and the topics we cover. I learn new things every single week. The perspectives they have are fascinating and the deep, respectful conversations inspire me. I find myself wondering where these conversations have gone in our public discourse. How has the old Dan Akroyd-Jane Curtain Point/Counterpoint skit on Saturday Night Live in the 1970s, designed to mock intelligent debate and discourse, actually become reality? I remember watching these and laughing because they were so absurd and rude. How did this become our reality in 2025?

I have become a bigger fan of Bill Maher in the past year. He remains one of the few comedians who actually makes fun of what is happening in the world regardless of who needs to be made fun of. He criticizes all those who should be criticized, regardless of if they are a Democrat or a Republican. He has interesting guests on his show and talks about topics that should be discussed. He isn’t afraid to hold people accountable for what they say. Recently, he was invited to dinner at the White House with President Trump and rather than reject it immediately, he chose to go have dinner and talk with him. To engage and to learn. He shared what he learned on his April 11, 2025 show. Maher is a liberal. He publicly states that without pause. He is also more moderate and believes in conversation and discourse. Watch his report on his dinner at the White House with President Trump. It is an interesting insight into what can happen when you engage rather than withdraw.

Some people think Bill Maher drank the Kool-Aid. Some people think President Trump put on an act for him. Both may be true. I think Maher discovered that there is a deeper truth to what goes on than the media reports. I think he realized that perhaps he can disagree with the policies without burning down America. It is another lesson for us all to learn about the power of conversation and listening. It is a reminder that we really should be working to understand rather than to be understood.

So instead of writing, what have I been doing the past two weeks to deal with all that is going on in the world? I chose to infuse my life with joy. I have spent most of my time with my almost 4 month old chocolate lab puppy, Charlie (full name Charlotte). She is pure joy. She is happiness. In a world filled with so much trauma, so many challenges, and so much to worry about, time with Charlie is simple love and joy. Spending so much time with her, I get to focus on being happy with her unconditional love. I thought I’d finish this by sharing a few pictures and two videos to bring some light and joy to you.

The life of a dog – Charlie sure has it rough
Fester, our cat, showing Charlie who is boss. Watch his face as he walks away from Charlie.

The past two weeks have reminded me that while I must continue to fight, I don’t have to be consumed by the negativity. I can find those who care and want to work together to find solutions. I can spend time making sure the information I am consuming is factual. Most importantly, I can find joy in daily life and make sure to invest in that joy.

Leslie Stahl, CBS, and the media should be embarrassed and ashamed

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

On their website, CBS states, “One of America’s most recognized and experienced broadcast journalists, Lesley Stahl has been a “60 Minutes” correspondent since 1991.” She should be embarrassed for her lead in to the interview she just did with Yarden Bibas for 60 minutes. Planting a false narrative to blame Israel, stating that Israel broke a ceasefire that expired when Hamas refused to move into phase 2 of the ceasefire, and holding Israel accountable for hostages being scared while kept in captivity, she showed herself to be a stooge for the media and their anti-Israel narrative.

When Yarden told her that the Hamas terrorists wouldn’t give them much food, she took the side of terrorists, trying to blame Israel by stating that perhaps they just didn’t have any food. Yarden corrected her that they did have food and would eat it front of her. That Hamas terrorists would tell them that they were giving them just enough food to keep them alive for 5 years in horrible conditions. He further told her that they learned that one of the terrorists liked massages so they would give him massages for extra food. Her response? Silence. No condemnation.

Watch the 60 minutes piece in which Yarden Bibas is interviewed.

Yarden tells her that they told him he would find a better wife and have better children after telling him that Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir were dead. Her response was “did they really say that?” and nothing more. It’s disgusting. As I watched the interview, I found her repugnant and the CBS angle an attempt to take the barbaric actions of Hamas and make them Israel’s fault.

The pain of the stories told in the piece were clear. The horrific actions of Hamas were clear. Yet Stahl and the editors at CBS were unmoved. There was no condemnation. No shock and awe at this inhumane treatment. As I watched it, I got the feeling that both Stahl and the bigwhigs at CBS believed that they deserved what they got. They seemed only sad that they had to cover it at all and shed any light on the proof of Hamas being evil and terrorists.

The piece ended and they transferred to 60 minutes Overtime, and additional online peace to extend the “conversation.” In 60 Minutes Overtime, Stahl talks with Keith and Aviva Siegel, the “Hamas militants” according to Stahl. She can’t even call them terrorists. Once again, she begins the interview and piece by framing Hamas as simply “militants”. She talks about Kibbutz Kfar Aza and shows a little bit of video from the Kibbutz but nothing that comes close to what it really looks like. I’ve been to Kfar Aza twice since October 7th and the things I saw there will never leave my mind. The brutality that occurred there is something I will never forget. The stories I heard from the IDF and from residents who lived there and had just returned are beyond horrific. Yet Stahl and CBS show none of these images. They minimize what happened that day.

The roof in one of the young people’s apartments, destroyed by grenades while she was there.
Listen to the description of what happened at this house in Kfar Aza. CBS and Lesley Stahl won’t tell you

When she reports on Keith’s release from captivity, she calls it a ‘bizarre ceremony’, quite an understatement for what it really was. Ongoing terrorism. Brutal treatment of a hostage.

The emotion from the hostages and the videos was clear. How anybody can watch and listen and not be horrified, not be offended, not believe that what happened is not just criminal but also not want to outwardly speak out against it is beyond my comprehension. Stahl and CBS show their bias throughout.

The CBS Overtime interview with Keith and Aviva Siegel

It goes beyond just CBS and Lesley Stahl. This week, Tal Shoham testified at the UN in Vienna. The UN has showed itself to hate Jews and hate Israel. There are decades of proof that they treat Israel and the Jews differently than any other group or country in the world. Read Shoham’s testimony – it’s difficult to get through. After reading it, try to defend Hamas in any way. Try to defend Hezbollah, the Houthis or Iran. It’s pure evil that must be eradicated.

Tal Shoham testifying at the UN in Viennna

“During these 50 days in isolation, shackled and starved, it was not ordinary hunger, but survival hunger, where a crumb becomes your entire world. When your body aches constantly from hunger pains.

On day 34 two human skeletons entered my room. Evyatar David and Guy Gilboa-Dalal. They told me they were beaten daily, forced to sit facing the wall, with bags over their heads, unable to move. If I thought my hunger was extreme, their was even worse. Their thirst was so intense that they would drink foul smelling salty toilet water contaminated with metals and filth.

In an act of deliberate cruelty, the terrorists forced Guy and Evyatar to watch me being released. Why, I ask you. Why would any human go to such length to inflict such torment.

During 505 days in captivity we were rarely not starving. There were many times we received just one pita bread for an entire day. We begged our captors, flattered them, even agreed to give them massages. Anything for another crumb of food. Traumatized by hunger, we collected crumb after crumb, dividing any grain of food after careful counting. Guy would sometimes spend an hour, ensuring fair distribution of every ounce.

You might assume this is the situation throughout Gaza. But the terrorists holding us always had abundant food, including fresh vegetables and fruits.

For the final 8 months of my captivity, we were held in a dungeon dozen of meter underground, with only a hole serving as a toilet. The humidity left our clothes and matrasses perpetually wet. We sweated and choked from lack of oxygen. In conditions so deplorable, no animal has ever been kept this way. We were constantly hungry and thirsty. Severe vitamin C deficiency caused Evyatar and me develop muscle inflammation.

Sadistic guards tortured us daily physically and mentally. Sometimes we were in darkness so profound, we could not see our hands in front of our faces. Meanwhile next door Hamas terrorists enjoyed a well-lit air conditioned room with plenty of food.

Hamas most dangerous weapon is not their rockets or their cruelty. It’s the fundamentalist education used to raise the next generation of terrorists. This education rejects the possibility of any state or people not governed by extreme Islamic law. In Hamas value system human life holds no worth. If we don’t recognize this, we live in illusion that will first doom Israel and then threaten the entire world. The International community must reject beliefs that foster terrorism.”

This is the reality of Hamas. They are not freedom fighters They are terrorists and pure evil. Those defending them are fools, bigots, and evil as well. Imagine being so thirsty that you would want to drink contaminated toilet water. Imagine being forced to humiliate yourself and give terrorists torturing and starving you massages for crumbs of food. Imagine living with constant hunger pains, choking from lack of oxygen…

Then imagine you are Leslie Stahl, hearing this firsthand. Talking to the parents of a current hostage who is being beaten, starved, and abused. Watch how she reacts with a flat affect. Watch and listen to how she responds. It’s as if she is a robot. No empathy. No compassion. As I watch her, I find myself thinking that she is trying to find a way to defend them, as she did earlier in the interview, and is upset that she can’t.

Watch and listen to Lesley Stahl and her lack of empathy, flat affect, and inability to condemn Hamas.

I am disgusted by Leslie Stahl and 60 minutes. How does she sleep at night? How do the higher ups at CBS keep their jobs? How do these people live with themselves?

How can the main stream media not make a major story as Hamas reduces their reported death toll by 3,400 names? They actually removed people’s names from the most recent death reports in Gaza, admitting they lied about people being killed who weren’t. For those who pay attention, this raises new concerns of inflated figures by Hamas.

This change included removing 1,000 children that had previously been reported killed in the war. Andrew Fox, associate fellow at the UK-based think tank Henry Jackson Society, was quoted stating, “If you were seeing indiscriminate killing, you would expect roughly 26% adult male deaths.” He continued, “In the 13 to 55 age group, which is Hamas’ fighter range because we know they use child soldiers, it’s 72% male in that age group.” 

“So all these things clearly point towards combatants being targeted rather than just indiscriminate killing.”

Yet the media remains silent. CBS, 60 minutes and Lesley Stahl make sure to tell their story based on lies. You won’t see this in the NY Times or Washington Post. None of the other major networks will cover this. They prefer the lies.

I know that October 7th and the aftermath has become a part of who I am. I spoke out against all hatred before October 7th. Now, I will never stop speaking out against evil and hate. There may be consequences as a result. It may impact my business and who will work with me. I don’t care. The fight against evil and hate is too important. If people like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Anwar Sadat, and Yitzak Rabin can risk, and lose, it all, then who am I to not be willing?

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Anwar Sadat, and Yitzhak Rabin (A.I. generated picture).

At the end of the day, we all have to live with ourselves and our decisions. When I close my eyes at night, I must live with my decisions and actions. How I sleep is determined by my decisions and actions. I want to be an example of morals, ethics, and values to my children and eventually my grandchildren. My children know what I have done, said, and written since October 7th. They can answer the questions my future grandchildren may ask with stories of my visits to Israel, volunteering there, and show them what I have written to stand up to hate and evil. What about yours? What do you stand for? Will you be one of those people that your grandchildren look back upon and ask where you were? What you did? Why you were silent? Only you can answer that question. Know that it is NOT too late to start now. The fight against evil and hate is nowhere close to being over. Join in the fight. Stand for something that is based on morals, ethics, and values.

Or don’t, and let the future generation judge your inaction.