Keith has been a nonprofit leader for 25 years before moving into the consulting world in 2023. He focuses on three major areas:
(1) Fundraising - All aspects from creating development plans, solicitations, annual, capital, endowment and special campaigns, as well as feasibility studies.
(2) Organizational development - This includes reviewing and creating the business structure, coaching and mentoring employees, board and staff training, job description review and creation, and creating organizational structure and charts.
(3) Family philanthropy.- Focusing on the goals of the family/individual to determine where to give and how to measure impact and ROI. This also includes the best vehicles to use for philanthropy and compliance for these vehicles.
Keith is a proud Zionist, having visited Israel 25 times. He has spent time meeting with leaders of Palestinian Civil Society as well as Israeli-Arabs, and lots of time with Jewish Israelis.
He is a huge sports fan. Favorite teams are the NY Yankees, Penn State Nittany Lions, Philadelphia 76ers and whatever team his oldest son is coaching.
The opinions in this blog are entirely Keith’s.
To contact him, you can email keithdvorchik@gmail.com
In Australia they tried to burn Jews alive this week. That isn’t a typo. It’s not a quote from the 1930s or early 1940s. This was last week.
The world likes to pretend that antisemitism isn’t on the rise. They like to pretend that Jews aren’t being targeted. Leaders exclude Jews from those protected like other minorities. Yet this week they tried to burn Jews alive.
This wasn’t about Zionism. This wasn’t about Israel. This was about murdering Jews. They attacked a synagogue. Filled with Jews. The image is powerful and frightening. Read the words out loud and realize what just happened.
People will say, “That’s Australia. That type of hate could never happen in the U.S.” Then the results of a shocking study by the ADL is released. Want a job in America? If you’re Jewish, you’ll need to send 24% more applications than others to get the same response. If you’re Israeli? 39% more. Systematic hiring discrimination is real. Jew hatred exposed in a different venue. Those who espouse their Jew-hatred, their antisemitism, get upset that there is an impact on their future or current employment based on their actions. Yet there is no outrage at blatent discrimination against Jews in the hiring process simply because they are Jews. Or Israeli. The world continues to lose its mind.
That’s horribly antisemitic and highlights the growth of Jew hatred. Yet it gets even worse. At UCLA, Jewish students were put on a ‘no hire’ list. UCLA’s Cultural Affairs Commissioner, Alicia Verdugo, also texted her colleagues to be on the lookout for “zionists.” UCLA gets federal funding. This is a blatent Title VI violation and their federal funding should be stripped. This type of behavior with any other minority would not only result in Verdugo’s firing, the University itself would have leadership change and the federal funding would be at risk. Yet nothing is happening to UCLA or Verdugo. It is bad enough that we have this type of Jew hatred at UCLA however the fact that there is no consequence for it is even worse.
We also get to have our Jewish leaders invest in antisemitism. Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff not only voted for a resolution to stop sending weapons to Israel, he publicly spoke about his reasons, using Hamas and Hezbollah propoganda as his facts. When he got backlash from the Jewish community and those in Georgia who support Israel, he came out plublicly defending his vote, stating, “This is who I am.” It’s good to know he is a Jewish antisemite. It’s good to see so many people in Georgia being so upset with him and Senator Warnock for their votes. Ossoff’s up for election in 2 years and there are already efforts to ensure he loses in the primary. Maybe we really are beginning to return to some normalcy. We can only hope.
Speaking of hope, there was one piece of news that gives hope, a smile, and a good chuckle. BYU’s Jewish Quarterback, Jake Retzlaff, just got a “Name, Image, and Likeness” (NIL) deal with Manischewitz! The irony is great. A Jewish quarterback, at a Mormon school, where alcohol is prohibited, gets a marketing deal for kosher wine (and matzo and latke mix). I know few people who really love Manischewitz wine – it’s what you drink because you have to. Maybe Jake Retzlaff will make it the kosher version of Boone’s Farm. I can imagine a whole bunch of teens, sitting in the woods, passing the bottle of Manischewitz blackberry or cream wine amongst themselves. Will they call it the Manny? The Schew? The Witz? I’m sure there will be some creative name they come up with for the 2025 version of Boone’s Farm! Maybe this can bring some Jewish love instead of Jewish hate.
Many of us were pleasantly shocked when President Donald Trump posted this statement on Monday. The power behind it was shocking. I heard from many people that this is what they expected when they voted for Trump. I heard from others that they hate it when they agree with something Trump said. The most common theme I have heard is, “what if President Biden had said this on October 8th?” It’s something many of us will wonder about and we will never know because he didn’t. He was supportive of Israel, visited Israel, and has ensure Israel has the weapons they need despite lots of controversy and delays with some weapons. Despite the good President Biden has done for Israel since October 7th, he has never come out this strongly about the hostages and demanding their release. Now that we know that Omer Neutra was actually murdered on October 7th and Hamas stole his body and took it into Gaza, there remain 6 American hostages alive plus Omer’s body in Gaza. The words that we use matter. Who says them matter. It is why we need to advocate to our leaders so that they speak out. So that they get educated. It is why we fight those who use words to delegitimize and lie.
My favorite line in President Trump’s post is the end where he states, “RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW”. It’s different than “Bring them home now” and puts the responsibility where it belongs – on Hamas to release them and on Iran to force Hamas to release them. Words matter.
A perfect example of this was when President Biden went to a bookstore in Nantucket and purchased The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine, written by the Palestinian-American historian Rashid Khalidi, an anti-Israel academic who recently retired from Columbia University. The author describes it as “a history of settler colonialism and resistance from 1917 to 2017.” Once again, attempts to spread the lies that Israel is a colonial state and that despite rejecting multiple oppotunities for peace and state of their own over the past 76 years, the Palestinians are ‘resisting’. There are many options to learn about the history of the region. There are many academic books that provide unbiased and factual information. The fact that President Biden chose this book is a problem. The fact that he publicly walked out with it for the media to see is yet another problem. Actions make statements. Intentional or not, President Biden’s actions made a statement providing support for the lies about Israel.
I don’t know why I am shocked or surprised at the antisemitism that happens throughout the world. The violence no longer shocks or suprises me, it simply disgusts and saddens me. What does suprise and shock me is when Jewish academics blatently lie and spread falsehoods. This is where truth is supposed to be sought. This is where it is ok to debate issues however facts are facts. It is ok to debate opinions and interpretations but you don’t get to create your own facts.
Except at Yale University where the Center for Jewish Studies completely changes the Talmud from being Jewish to being Palestinian. They have completely removed Judaism and Jews from the Talmud, making them Palestinians instead. I find it beyond offensive. It is another reminder about how important it is to do research on Universities before sending your child there for an education. My oldest already has his master’s degree and my youngest graduates college in May. I would never send them to Yale or any of the schools that have shown themselves to be antisemitic. Columbia? No thank you. Penn? Not a chance. Harvard? Are you crazy?
When we see things like this, it’s critical to not just call them out but also to make sure the Department of Education knows about it. All Universities receive federal funding and are held to standards. Title VI violations have been reported and lawsuits filed. It’s critical we hold these Universities, their Presidents and their faculty accountable for their actions and their inactions. If we allow them to get away with it then we are just as responsible as they are.
When our leaders speak up, we see what happens. On Monday night, the UJA-Federation of NY held their Wall Street dinner. This year it raised $55 million dollars, an all time record. The focus of the diner was on the hostages and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin (z’l) spoke. In her keynote address, she urged them to use their voice and power to make a difference, stating, “I know that there are many in this room that have the ability to make this happen. It might be that the only reason you do it is because it is righteous, it is holy. It is the singular most godly act you will ever do in your life to help these innocent and beloved souls who are languishing in Gaza.”
At the event, UJA-Federation Board Chair Marc Rowan, who last year made headlines for stopping his significant donations to his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, in response to its handling of campus antisemitism went even further, calling on these Wall Street leaders to use the power of their organizations’ voices and their hiring power to fight antisemitism. “It is our responsibility, it’s our job, it’s our challenge, to secure the future of the Jews and the future of Israel. Fundamentally, we need to pivot,” he said. “The Wall Street community is a very fortunate community. Many of you in this room are leaders. Raise your voices, charitable boards, school boards, boards of civic organizations. Remind those around you that antisemitism will not be tolerated.”
The more our leaders speak out, the more power we have. The more we can fight antisemitism and protect Jews. The family of Hersh Goldberg-Polin (z’l) has made sure that his memory is a powerful tool for remembering the hostages and doing everything they can to get them freed. Visuals matter. Words matter. Actions matter.
What are you going to say? What are you going to do? How are you going to make sure you are seen? The days of being silent and hidden are long gone.
What exactly are friends? It’s a term we use a lot, often when we mean acquaintences. What does it mean to be a friend? What does it mean to have friends? As a kid, friends meant popularity. Friends meant a good social life. Friends meant status. The older I get, the more that definition changes. As a kid, the more friends you had, the better. As an adult, having friends is an obligation, one that requires work and effort, and I no longer want more, I want better. A good friend of mine used to say that since he was in his late 50s (he’s now 73), he didn’t need any more friends, so he was just going to say things. To be his friend meant something and still does. That’s how I feel.
The past few days are good examples of what friendship really means to me. Let me explain. On Sunday, I got a call from a friend out of the blue. He told me about a friend of his in Baltimore who is on the autism spectrum. His friend has a job (he is a phlebotomist) but is struggling to make ends meet and needs some help. He has a cash problem and needs help accessing a kosher food bank. I jumped into action, reaching out to friends in Baltimore who were able to connect him with the Kosher Food Bank at Jewish Family Services in Baltimore, a Chabad program in Baltimore that helps Jews in need, a synagogue that has a program to help those in need, and a social service program that can help him as well. Within 15 minutes, we had assembled the information needed to help his friend.
My friend kept thanking me and I kept telling him that he didn’t need to. I told him, “This is what we do.” and I meant it. When a friend reaches out for help, we jump into action. We don’t sit back passively, we jump in actively. Thanks aren’t needed between real friends.
Another friend called me on Sunday because we hadn’t spoken in too long. We chatted about life and then began to discuss career choices, options, where he is in his career and where he wants to be. We talked about how to get there and steps he needs to take now so that in a year or two, he will be ready to move out of what he is currently doing and begin the adventure he wants to undertake. We talked about a potential client of mine that is doing something really amazing (more will be revealed in future posts) and how exciting it is and if there is a way for him to join in with it. I made the time to talk with him because he matters to me. He made the effort to call me because I matter to him. Friendship takes work and we both value each other and spent the time that shows it.
Today a friend called me to share some personal news. We have been talking on the phone but haven’t seen each other in over a month due to busy schedules and some health issues he has. He said, “I wanted to share this with you because I consider you a very close friend.” I made sure he knew that I also consider him a very close friend. He took a risk confiding in me. I took on the responsibility of not just keeping his confidence but also of being there for him. I shared some of my own personal health issues with him as he has shared his with me. We are there to support each other. That’s what friends do – they are there for each other all the time, not just when it is convenient.
I have three friends that I talk with almost every single day. We make time for each other via text or phone. We check in on each other, ask about our days, how life is going, share our challenges. It is just a part of what I do every day. It is a part of what they do every day. Friendship is a two way street and takes effort, takes work. Friendship is not a popularity contest like in high school or college. It isn’t who has the most or who has the coolest friends. It’s not about name dropping or being seen with a certain crowd. Friendship is about much more than that.
A friend of mine has been struggling finding a job. She’s been looking for a long time and has been frustated with interviews that offer way too low compensation, interviewers who don’t follow up, who don’t close the loop, and jobs with 20-30 applicants in the first days of them being posted. I’ve been working to help her find the right type of opportunity and shared different options with her through this search. About a month ago, I saw a friend of mine was hiring for somebody in her field and let her know. I reached out to my friend to let me know she was applying and asking to give her special attention (not to hire her, that’s his decision, but to really look at her candidacy). Last week she let me know that she got the job! I was so happy for her. Then my friend who was hiring reached out to let me know he was hiring her. I was so happy for him. In this case, friendship because a three way street with everybody winning.
As I am writing this, I scrolled through Facebook and saw a shocking post. An old friend from my BBYO (Jewish youth group) days died today. We were friendly rather than friends. We had lost touch for decades before connecting again on Facebook in the past few years. I knew he had some ups and downs but didn’t realize his health condition until reading the notice of his passing. It makes me sad to know that I missed out. That’s the other lesson of friendship. If you don’t work at it, if you don’t put in the effort, you miss out.
I had a life changing experience in October 2023. During this time, I learned who my real friends were. I saw those who showed up and those who didn’t. I saw those who stood by me and those who didn’t. I was surprised by people in both groups. It was an incredible life lesson. When a friend had a similar experience just over a month ago, I made sure to reach out. I made sure that he knew I was in his corner and he wasn’t alone. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to show up and real friends do it. Today I am gratetful that I learned who my real friends are and who showed up. I’m also grateful to know who didn’t show up. Life is too short to waste time on people. I want to invest my time and energy on people that I value and that value me.
I consider myself very lucky. I have a true best friend. I have a friend so close that he is like my brother. I have two friends that I consider sisters. I have a close friend that is my mentor. I have a group of friends that I would do anything for and they would do anything for me. That’s special. It doesn’t have to be unique. It is all about the effort you put into friendship. If you want acquaintances that you call friends, you don’t have to do much. If you want true friends, you have to do a lot. I choose to do a lot. And boy do I get a lot in return.
It amazes me how the world chooses to forget and ignore the 101 hostages remaining in Gaza. When Iran held 52 American hostages for over a year, the world paid attention every single day. The TV show Nightline was created specifically for nightly updates on the hostage crisis. As a child, I remember the daily concern and stayed home from school as Ronald Reagan was inaugurated and the hostages were released, just to watch it happen and get the updates.
The 101 hostages, including 7 Americans, have been held for 422 days, close to them being held as long as Iran held the hostages from 1979 to 1981 (444 days). Yet the world remains largely silent. In August 2024, six of the hostages were brutally murdered by Hamas. None of the American hostages Iran took in 1979 were murdered. The world was outraged then and is quiet now.
Yesterday, Hamas released a video of Edan Alexander, one of the 7 Americans still being held hostage. It’s hard to watch. What is harder for me is the realization that for the 420 days that he has been held, America has largely forgotten him and the other 6 Americans. Other countries demanded Hamas release their hostages over a year ago and Hamas complied. America has not. It’s an embarassment. It’s horrifying. They have been allowed by our leaders to remain hostages simply because they are Jews.
Recently I wrote and posted the video of released hostage Mia Schem talking at the UN. She urged people to look at her and realize it isn’t too late to save the current hostages. The sign below in a neighborhood in Jerusalem uses the memory of Hersch Goldberg-Polin (z’l) to remind us of the same thing. We cannot forget the hostages. We cannot allow them to remain brutalized and in captivity by Hamas. We must ensure they are released and returned to Israel – all of them, alive or dead. I urge you to do something and say something about the hostages every day. Remind yourself and others of their plight. I say the Achenu prayer daily to remind myself. I wear my yellow ribbon pin. I wear my dogtags. We owe it to them.
In Israel, the reminder of the hostages is daily. It’s everywhere. It is overwhelming, as it should be. Released hostages Raz Ben Ami and Gabriela Leimberg (left); Michel Illouz, father of the late Guy Illouz whose body is held in Gaza; released hostage Danielle Aloni; and Yifat Zailer, cousin of hostage Shiri Bibas, spoke yesterday at an event marking one year since the first and only hostage deal took place. It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since that deal happened. I remember watching it closely as the cousins of my friends were scheduled to be released. I remember sitting on pins and needs as I waited for confirmation that they had been released and then for reports on their health and safety. This should be the headline on the news. This should be above the fold in our newspapers. Because the hostages are mostly Jewish (note they are not all Jewish), the world doesn’t care. If you really wonder about the rise of antisemitism and if the past could happen again, simply watch the hostage situation as it is happening again.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum headquartered in Tel Aviv is dedicated entirely to the hostages and their families. I’ve been there twice. It is referred to as ‘the saddest place on earth’ and I have to agree that is certainly is one of them. The Kibbutzim that were attacked on October 7th and the site of the Nova festival are two others that could claim that title. Yet visiting there and hostage square, just around the corner, is something that I feel compelled to do on each visit since October 7th. As long as thre are hostages remaining, I must remember them. I must speak out for them. It’s an obligation I think we all have. Every day, I still sing Achenu, praying for their safe return. It’s an easy thing to do so I’ll post it again here in case anybody wants to join me in this daily ritual. Hebrew or English it doesn’t matter.
My friend Lou’s daughter wrote this powerful piece about what studying at Stanford has been like as a Jewish student. She dropped out of her Ph.D. program there as a result. The stories are heartbreaking. We aren’t physical hostages but we are hostages to hate. I was talking to a friend of mine who lives in the northern United States last week. He was telling me about how scary it is to walk around publicly Jewish. I was telling him that I don’t care. I won’t surrender my identity. I won’t pretend to be something that I am not. Then again, I don’t wear a kippah and most people think I am Italian, not Jewish. My tattoos on my forearms are visible but most people don’t think of them as something Jewish unless they are Jewish.
Unlike the hostages in Gaza, we have a choice. We can choose to act like hostages, to hide our Jewish identities. Or we can choose to be proud of our intentities and fight back. I choose to fight back. I choose to stand up against the hate. I choose to not let them win. They can try to physically assault me. They can yell and scream at me. They do their damnest to make me intimidated to be Jewish. It won’t work. I am part of a 3,000 year old tribe and won’t disappear. Listen to the powerful words of my friend Andrew Lustig who writes powerful poetry. I am Jewish.
Hamas invaded Israel on October 7, 2023. They murdered 1,200 people. Kidnapped over 250 and still have 101 hostages. They fired rockets towards civilian areas, not only trying to kill Israeli citizens but on misfires, destroying the people of Gaza’s homes and killing them. Hezbollah has been firing missiles into Israel since October 7, 2023, also targeting civilians. Iran, on two occasions, has fired hundreds of rockets, including over 200 ballistic missiles on one occasion, also at Israeli civilians. Yet it is Israel that is held accountable by the world and the ICC for the death of civilians. Despite the fact that this is one of the lowest civilian to combatant mortality rates in history. Despite Israel begging Egypt to open Sinai to allow civilians to move there and be safe from attacks against Hamas. Despite Hamas using homes, hospitals, mosques, and schools as military bases and creating human shields. The hypocrisy is unbelievable and shows the blatent antisemitism in the world.
Just last week, 19 US Senators voted in favor of limiting military aid to Israel as they try to defeat the evil of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. This was led by “Jewish” Senator Bernie Sanders and one of the vocal proponents of limiting this aid was Jewish Senator Jon Ossoff.
The same day that Bernie Sanders brought his bill to the Senate floor, allowed by “Jewish” Senator Chuck Schumer (who has not brough the Antisemitism Awareness Act to the Senate Floor), Rabbi Zvi Kogan (z’l) was reported missing from the UAE. It was suspected at the time that he was kidnapped by Iran.
Today we learned that the intelligence and security authorities in the United Arab Emirates located the body of Rabbi Kogan (z’l). He was murdered because he fought back against his kidnappers. Rather than let him go because the kidnapping wasn’t going well, they chose to murder him. The murder of Rabbi Kogan is a criminal antisemitic terrorist incident. The State of Israel has already publicly stated that they will act by all means and bring justice to the criminals responsible for his death. The UAE has already announced the arrest of three suspects. The power of the Abraham Accords is real. Yet despite all that Iran continues to do, there are no charges pending at the ICC against Iran. The Hamas leader charged by the ICC was already dead when they charged him. The IC didn’t charge the leaders of Hamas who recently left Qatar for Turkey. The ICC didn’t charge Turkish President Erdogan for housing these murders and terrorists.
Once again, it is only the Jews who are targeted.
I am exhausted from the hypocrisy and the lies. Today we saw rockets fired at civilians in Israel once again. We saw the attempted kidnapping and murder of Rabbi Kogan (z’l) in UAE simply because he is Jewish. And as countries around the world publicly state they will the ICC arrest warrants if Netanyahu or Gallant should visit the country (and the EU attempt to mandate every EU country do it), the realities are beyond absurd. Prosecutor Karim Kahn is far from a man of honor. He is presently under investigation for sexual misconduct. He brazenly accused Netanyahu and Gallant of “war crimes”, “deliberately depriving Gaza’s civilian population of essential goods, including food, water, electricity and medical supplies” as part of a “widespread and systematic attack against civilians.”
The absurdity of these claims should be enough for them to be invalid, yet because they are Jews, the fact that Israel delivers an average of 3,729 food trucks per month into Gaza with an average of 3,374 calories per person per day: almost double the needs of an average adult human, doesn’t matter. The food truck delivery and calorie amounts are documented in a detailed study by the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Anybody who doesn’t want to believe it simply because it is an Israeli university study can easily verify the data using public informatio. Similar data is available regarding fuel, water, medical supplies, and all other forms of humanitarian aid, yet the lies grow and get spread by American politicians and celebrities, European governments, and world media.
Israel and the World Health Organization (WHO) just coordinated a massive polio vaccination campaign for children in Gaza. It is important to note that the children who did not get vaccinated and in fact were not even seen by the employees of WHO are the Israel child hostages. In the midst of this massive campaign, the only children deemed ineligible to receive the vaccines were the Israeli hostages. It’s clear that these are not the acts of a country attempting to harm, starve or kill civilians—in fact, it is exactly the opposite.
On top of everythign else, it is well documented, including by UN sources, that the terrorist organization Hamas and other crime affiliates habitually steal much of the humanitarian aid that enters Gaza, as well as torture and kill civilians who attempt to take aid for themselves. It is also well documented that many UNRWA employees are actually Hamas members and are intentionally diverting the aid to Hamas instead of the people. There are no sanctions against UNRWA. In fact, just after failing to stop military aid to Israel, it was “Jewish” Senator Bernie Sanders trying to have the United States return to funding UNRWA despite their clear and documented ties to Hamas, terrorism, and the theft of humanitarian aid.
And then, today, after some of the leadership of the United States and those in the incoming administration were vocal about sanctions against the ICC, their spokesperson at the United Nations came out with a public statement that the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Galant could be revoked if Israel demonstrates a credible and thorough national investigation into the allegations. Since we already have the facts needed to disprove the allegations, what investigation is needed? It shows the power of standing up to Jew hatred. It shows that antisemitism can die in the light and when people stand up and speak out. It shows the power of peace through strength. It also shows the ICC is illegitimate
Talking about Jew hatred and antisemitism, two Israeli tourists in Townsville, Australia, were insulted and threatened by the owner of this store simply because they were Jewish. “Get the fuck out of my store! I don’t give a fuck about Israel but I do care about the fact that you’re a dirty, filthy Jew.” At least she didn’t try to hide it behind Israel and openly showed her bigotry and hatred. This video shows everybody what we face. I think the people who need to see it the most are the Jews who pretend it isn’t real and doesn’t happen. The Jews who excuse the behavior and try to blame it on us.
It’s why we must fight. It’s why we can’t stay silent. It’s why we can’t allow the lies to continue to be told unchallenged. The lies are what people believe. The lies are what ensure our destruction. Our fighting against it is what saves us. Don’t sit back and allow the hypocrisy of Jew hatred to win. Your voice matters. Your circle of influence matters. You matter. Take action now.
Two weeks ago I attended the General Assembly (GA) of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). Bari Weiss, one of my favorite journalists, spoke there. Bari’s publication, The Free Press, is amazing and I am proudly a paid subscriber. It’s some of the best money I have spent as the content is balanced, fair, interesting, compelling, and diverse.
Bari talked about a number of things that resonated with me and that I have spoken and written about at length. Here are a few of them
“If you see what just happened in the Netherlands and think, That can never happen here, I urge you to take a very hard look at our history.
We need to get serious about who our allies really are. And to be able to say that some of the best defenders of our community, like New York Rep. Ritchie Torres and Free Press columnist Douglas Murray, are not Jews. And some of the biggest sellouts are.”
In my last blog I took to task Bernie Sanders, Jon Ossoff, and Chuck Schumer – three Jews who have sold out the Jewish people. I highlighted John Fetterman, President Biden, and Marco Rubio – three non-Jews who defend the Jewish people. I’ve written about Douglas Murray and Ritchie Torres, more non-Jews, who actively defend the Jewish people. I couldn’t agree with Bari more – we need to recognize our allies and realize that they are often not Jewish while the Jewish ones are often not our allies. As Bernie Sanders tried this week to both limit weapon sales to Israel and to have the U.S. begin funding UNRWA, tied closely to Hamas, once again, we need to realize that being Jewish doesn’t make you an ally.
“We need to talk about a legacy press that our community still reads religiously, but which lies about the things we know to be true. The mainstream press would have you believe that the hunt in Amsterdam was a scuffle between football hooligans. It is no less a lie than insisting Sieg heil! merely means Hail Victory!”
The legacy press continues to spread lies. They continue to tell the story they want to tell rather than the truth. Watch any mainstream media (MSM) news program. It’s not news, it’s their narrative. There is a reason these are no longer in the news department and are now in the entertainment department. It’s about getting viewers, not telling the truth. It is about telling the story that they think the most people will want to see and hear, not the facts. When I watched Senator Jon Ossoff’s statement about why he voted to limit military aid to Israel, the amount of lies and falsehoods he presented as facts was astonishing. He is a smart man, well educated, and as a U.S. Senator, you would think he is knowledgable. Yet he presented the lies of Hamas, told through the MSM. He reiterated the lies of Bernie Sanders. As long as we continue to allow the MSM to outright lie to us, not only will they lie, the Jewish people and Israel will be at risk.
“History is back. The Old World is not coming back. It is on us to build the new one—and to ensure that it is free.“
I have been talking about this for a decade. The rise of antisemitism. When I was in Seattle we began getting swastikas painted on buildings. It was excused by many in the Jewish community and most of the non-Jewish community as outliers. One offs. Not a systemic problem. We now see that isn’t true. As Bari says, History is back. The question is what are we going to do about it? Are we going to stand up and fight? Are we going to defend ourselves or hide? Are we going to fall into the old trap of history and try to just ‘go along to get along’, which we know doesn’t work? I choose to fight. I choose to build a new one. What will you choose.
Watch and listen to Bari’s full talk below. It is outstanding and worth your time.
In May, I went to Israel with a bunch of guys on a Momentum trip. It was a small group of about 25 guys and we bonded both because of the intimacy of the group size as well as being in Israel during the war, seeing Kfar Aza and the Nova site together, listening to parents of hostages and those who were attacked on October 7th.
One of the guys on our trip, Mikey, does a video on Instagram and it’s always outstanding. Yesterday, he talked about how 37% of Jewish kids sympathize with Hamas. Not with the Palestinians. Not with the people of Gaza. But with the terrorist group Hamas. He addresses, in a different way, what I have been talking about for a while. We have failed with our youth and with our leadership. We have not taught them what they need to know. We have not ensured they understand what it means to be Jewish, the value of being Jewish, or what it means to be a Jewish leader. They don’t understand the importance of Israel to the Jewish people nor do they understand that Israel is 3,000 years old, not only since 1948.
If we choose to do nothing, we will continue to fade away. It’s up to us to make different choices. It’s up to us to decide that real leadership training and development is worth the investment. It’s up to use to decide that real Jewish education is something we value and will invest our time and money into. Listen to Mikey and hear his passion and the power of his words. I hope they inspire you like they inspired me.
My friend Ari Shabat just returned from Israel. It was his first time back since October 7th and he got to see, feel, and experience the devastation of Kfar Aza, Nova, and visit Kibbut Alumim. As I have written, it is a powerful experience and something that cannot be adequately explained. It must be experienced and felt individually. Before I went for the first time, I was told that it would be like going to Auschwitz a few months after it was liberated. I didn’t really understand that analogy until I experienced it. Nova felt like visiting a memorial to my children and their friends. Standing in a circle, singing Jewish songs, at the Nova site, was incredibly healing. It is why I urge people to go to Israel and truly see and feel what it is like. To understand how the Israelis are coping with life after October 7th, 13 months into a brutal war.
Ari also does a weekly video and this week he talks about how as Jews, we experience loss and sadness. How we push forward while we process grief. We know there is life to live and missions to accomplish and we can’t let our grief stop us. Israelis have been doing that for 13+ months. The families of the hostages have been doing that for 414 days. We as Jews in the United States can’t afford not to be doing this as well. One of the things I love about Ari is how he ties life today to the Torah. In this week’s video, he uses the Torah portion and Abraham as the inspiration. It’s well worth the 3+ minute watch. If you like it, you can subscribe to the WhatsApp group.
Then there is New York and Montreal. This video was in Times Square. The mob is chanting Gaza, supporting Hamas, Iran, and terrorism. This is what we face in America today. Think about what Bari Weiss. Think about ‘it can’t happen here’. It is happening here.
This is Montreal last night. This isn’t Gaza. This isn’t Europe. This is Montreal. This is today’s Canada. We can choose to pretend that the world is safe for Jews or we can open our eyes and see what is happening around us. I have friends who were just a few blocks away as this was happening. Do we really want to put our heads in the sand and pretend it isn’t happening? Do we want to be like Senator Jon Ossoff and defend those that want to murder us because we think it isn’t happening? Do we want to be like Senator Bernie Sanders and take our personal dislike for a single person, in his case Prime Minister Netanyahu, to risk the safety of Jews everywhere?
As Bari Weiss said, history is back. We have seen pogroms. We have have seen genocidal attacks from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. What will it take to open your eyes? When will you realize that we are facing an existential threat because we are Jews? Will it take one of your loved ones being harmed, kidnapped, or murdered? Will it take you being attacked personally? Or will you wait until the very end? I hope today is the day you wake up. I hope today is the day you take action. Don’t wait until it is too late.
On Wednesday November 20th, Senator Bernie Sanders brought to the floor of the U.S. Senate a vote to block the sale of tank rounds to Israel. Senator Sanders actually had the gall to stand on the Senate floor and blatently tell lies to the American people. He said Israel is intentionally starving civilians in Gaza, pointing to the picture behind him — promoted by Hamas propaganda outlet Al Jazeera — as evidence. The truth?? The boy in the picture, Fadi, has cystic fibrosis and requires advanced medical support. Israel facilitated his exit from Gaza to a US hospital where he received the care he needed. Israel is surging more aid into Gaza than international organizations are able to handle. There is currently a backlog of approximately 850 trucks worth of aid inside Gaza waiting to be distributed. Sanders also accused Israel of preventing a ceasefire/hostage deal when the U.S. has reiterated time and time again that it is Hamas, not Israel, that has rejected offer after offer after offer. Why should anybody be surprised that Bernie would lie to Americans. It’s what he does best.
His efforts failed miserably, once again. This time the vote was 79-19, overwhelming suppport for Israel. Now that his effort to abandon American hostages and support terrorists have failed, let’s talk about Senator Sanders and a few other Senators who either voted for this antisemitic, anti-American, anti-American hostages in Gaza attempt to harm our ally, Israel, or those who allowed it to happen. Let’s also look at some Senators who took very vocal stands against this horrible idea so we can compare and contrast.
Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VM)
Bernie Sanders has made a career of ‘public service’. From 1981 through today, that has been his only job. From Mayor of Burlington to a member of U.S. House of Representatives, to the U.S. Senate, government jobs have been his career. A noble effort many might say. Yet somehow he managed to own three homes, a row house in Capitol Hill, a house in Burlington’s New North End neighborhood, and a lakefront summer home in North Hero. Not too shabby on a public servant’s salary. He has a reported net worth of over $3 million dollars, one of the 1% he rails against. He gets the special health insurance offered only to members of Congress while pushing medicare for all for the rest. He speaks one thing and acts personally another way. The definition of a hypocrite.
In addition, he has a personal hate for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Rather than the war being one of Israel’s survival, he calls it “Netanyahu’s savage war”. Instead of focusing on the hostages in Gaza including Americans, he repeats the Hamas/Iranian lies and overstates what it happening. He defends those who followed the terrorists on October 7th to loot and steal, calling them innocent. He defended the rioters and looters after George Floyd’s murder, comparing them to the uprising in China after Tianamen Square in 1989 yet doesn’t see any justice with Israel fighting back after 1200 people were murdered in a violent invasion on October 7th and more than 250 people taken hostage, with 101 remaining hostages 400+ days later.
Bernie Sanders pretends to be one of the people and for the people but has shown he is really all for himself, all for his ego, all for gaining and keeping his own power. If he cared about people he would have spent the last 400 days fighting for the release of the hostages. Fighting for the surrender of Hamas to end military action. Fighting for justice. Instead, he fights for his hate of Netanyahu and his “Jewish” upbringing which resents. History will remember him for his hatred, hypocrisy, and not kindly.
Senator John Fetterman (D-PA)
Senator Fetterman has been one of the most vocal supporters of Israel and the Jewish people. He understands the fight against evil that is ongoing. He understands you must defeat evil, you cannot negotiate with it nor can you allow it to fester as it only returns stronger.
In his office, he keeps posters of the hostages held in Gaza as a permanent reminder of what matters to him, people. He advocates on behalf of the hostages, their families, and all of those harmed by the actions of Hamas on October 7th. He never forgets that it is Iran who is behind this and that they are the core threat, a threat to not just Israel but to America.
Senator Fetterman has taken on Bernie Sanders directly and publicly disagreeing with him. He calls him out. After the pager attack which devastated Hezbollah and is directly leading to an opportunity for a lasting peace today, Bernie Sanders once again lies and blames Netanyahu for blocking peace when it has been proven over and over again that it has been Hamas and Hezbollah. When asked if there is anything at all he agrees with his colleague on in this regard, Senator Fetterman is crystal clear on what he thinks, believes, and stands for.
Senator Fetterman shows morals, ethics, and values. He stands clearly for what he believes. There is a moral clarity he exudes that is missing from people like…..
Senator Reverend Raphael Wernock (D-GA)
Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock is a man of God. He has dedicated his life improving the world. This makes both his vote and his silence about his vote even more disappointing and troubling. As a man of God, Senator Warnock knows the difference between good and evil. As an American he knows how important getting back American hostages are yet has been silent on those still held in Gaza. He has been on the wrong side of issues like going into Rafa, where the leadership of Hamas was hiding and where tunnels into Egypt were discovered. These tunnels were how rockets and weapons were getting into Gaza to attack Israel. He called going into Rafah “morally unjustifiable” when the facts now show it was the only moral thing to do.
As a man of faith, Senator Reverend Warnock is about love, kindness, and peace, except when it comes to Israel. The rest of the world deserves to live in peace but not Israel. The citizens of the world deserve safety and security, but not Israel. On Wednesday he voted in favor of withholding the weapons needed to defeat evil and worst of all, he has remained silent about his vote. He hasn’t come out with a statement explaining his vote. He hasn’t spoken publicly about his position and rationale behind it. Perhaps the fact that he just won a new 6 year term to the Senate makes him think he doesn’t need to be accountable. As a man of God, he knows better. He knows he is always held accountable for his actions. It saddens me to see somebody who has spent his life devoted to preaching the gospel, to sharing about love and kindness, act in such a different manner publicly and then hide from his actions. Perhaps he thinks this new 6 year term means he isn’t accountable. The rest of us know differently.
Georgia State Representative Esther Panitch (D)
In order to be honest and fair, I must disclose that Representative Panitch is married to a childhood friend, I am childhood friends with her brother-in-law, and I took her sister-in-law to my high school senior prom. Representative Panitch is the only Jewish member of the Georgia House of Representatives. She is outspoken in her support of protecting Jews, fighting antisemitism, and support of Israel. She also speaks out against all hatred and bigotry and is somebody who isn’t afraid to speak her mind and live by her core values, morals, and ethics. Before the vote, Representative Panitch publicly urged both of her Georgia Senators to vote no on the bill. When they both voted in favor of it, she had no problem speaking out publicly about her disappointment. Unlike Senator Warnock, who still remains silent about his vote, Representative Panitch issued this powerful and impressive statement.
She shows that it isn’t impossible to be an elected official and hold true to your morals, ethics, and values. It does take courage and I salute her for doing so.
Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA)
Sen. Ossoff's remarks on resolutions of disapproval with respect to two U.S.-Israel weapons sales: pic.twitter.com/CcNZOpkPVU
Senator Ossoff, who ran on his Jewish credentials, voted against what most of his constituents wanted and in favor of terrorists. In his explanation, he chooses to cited what President Reagan did in 1982. He neglects the changes that Israel was invaded, 1200 people murdered, over 250 people taken hostage, 101 remaining hostages for over 400 days including Americans. He neglects the nonstop bombing of Israel from Gaza and Lebanon, the two missile attacks from Iran including the second comprised of over 300 ballistic missiles. He cites the Hamas (Iranian) propoganda about massive civilian deaths even when the facts show the UN/Red Cross acceptable ratio is 9 civilians for every 1 combatant in urban warfare and Israel is close to a 1 civilian for every 1 combatant ratio. He pretends that Israel is not in a fight for her life, for her existance, against a genocidal Iranian regime. He becomes the latest in line to be willing to sacrifice the Jewish people on behalf of his masters. He thinks that somehow, his efforts will keep him safe when they come for all the Jews, forgetting the lessons throughout history that they come for all of us, even those who thought we were one of them.
Senator Ossoff talks about violent uprising but doesn’t mention Turkey and the Kurds. He doesn’t mention Syria. He doesn’t mention China. He conveniently forgets what happened in Minneapolis, Seattle, Portland and other cities after the George Floyd murder. The riots. The violence. The destruction. He chooses to continue the blood libel against the Jews by targeting Israel.
In all honesty, I have never been a fan of his. After seeing his vote and listening to this speech, the only word that comes to mind is disgrace.
President Joe Biden
There has been a lot of criticism of President Biden when it comes to his support of Israel. This week, President Biden was clear where he stood. His staff advocated against the anti-Israel Senate resolutions, and held firm to his proposed weapons sales to Israel even as 19 of Democrats took a stand against him. He ensure the United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that called for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” yet didn’t say anything about the release of all hostages in Gaza. On a day when 19 Democratic Senators voted to halt sales of certain arms to Israel, President Biden stood firm, not only against them but in support of Israel on the world State. Ambassador Robert Wood, the U.S. alternate permanent representative to the U.N. told the UN Security council, “Simply put, this resolution would’ve sent a dangerous message to Hamas: There’s no need to come back to the negotiating table.” My only question for President Biden is where was this 400 days ago? 350 days ago? 300 days ago? This show of leadership makes a statement to the world that the United States stands against evil, against terrorism, and demands the freeing of the hostages.
Senator Chuck Schumer
Senator Chuck Schumer likes to cloak himself in his Jewish identity and pretend to be a force for supporting Israel and the Jewish people. That’s the image he has of himself and that he tries to portray. The truth is showing itself to be just the opposite.
Last month, a House of Representatives report was released that showed Chuck Schumer quietly advised Columbia leaders to ignore criticism of campus antisemitism. Unlike Representative Elise Stefanik who chose to take on the Jew hatred from the Ivy leagues schools like Columbia and other campuses around the country, Senator Schumer enabled the leadership of Columbia to continue their antisemitic behavior.
That hasn’t been enough for Senator Schumer. He refused to bring the Antisemitism Awareness Act to floor of the U.S. Senate for a vote after it passed the U.S. House of Representatives. He continues to block it from a vote, which would pass, and protect Jewish students on college campuses from rising antisemitism. This has been Senator Schumer’s decision and his alone. He has the power to bring it to a vote yet refuses to do so. Every day, as antisemitism rages on college campuses, it is Senator Schumer who bears the responsibility for failing to take action.
Yesterday, Senator Schumer did allow a bill to come to the floor of the U.S. Senate. This was the bill by Senator Bernie Sanders to block arms sales to Israel. This self-created icon of the Jewish people, this self proclaimed defender of Israel, chooses not to protect Jewish students on American campuses while encouraging America to stop providing vital military aid to Israel. You may argue that he voted against the bill and it was his job to allow it on the Senate floor, however that falls flat when you consider he chose not to bring the Antisemitism Awareness Act to the floor. He picks and chooses what comes to the floor, as every leader of the Senate does. These two choices show us who he really is and what he really stands for. It’s not for the Jewish people and it’s not for Israel. It is for Chuck Schumer.
So, is anybody surprised that hours after more than 30% of the Democrats in the Senate voted to suspend weapon sales to Israel that the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued the arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant? The world watches America to see where we lean. Do we exhibit strength or weakness. Do we defend our allies or do we let them hang alone? Our current leaders won’t bring the Antisemitism Awareness Act to the floor but will bring a bill to stop arms sales to Israel to the floor. That sent a clear message to the ICC that if they are going to issue the arrest warrants, they better do it while this government is still in charge.
The same thought process is happening with the leadership of Hezbollah and Hamas. Reports today came out that Hezbollah is willing to agree to the US peace proposal “with comments”. We don’t know what those comments are yet, but they know that any chance they have of getting what they want only exists with this weak leadership in place. Details of the potential ceasefire arrangement are emerging: The Lebanese Army would take primary responsibility for preventing Hezbollah’s return to southern Lebanon. If Israel detects Hezbollah attempting to rebuild infrastructure, it would notify the Lebanese Army through U.S. channels to take action. Should the Lebanese Army fail to respond, Israel would retain the right to act directly, particularly against immediate threats such as attack preparations or weapons shipments.
The proposed agreement would allow Lebanese civilians to return to their damaged villages, with Israel forgoing a formal security zone in southern Lebanon. While UNIFIL peacekeepers would maintain a presence, Israeli officials don’t view them as crucial to enforcing Hezbollah’s removal. Instead, Israel plans to maintain operational flexibility to counter any Hezbollah presence through direct action or coordination with Lebanese forces via U.S. mediation.
Hezbollah knows this is the best it will get and are scrambling while a weak U.S. government is in place to keep as much as they can.
Hamas reportedly wants to advance a hostage deal, and no longer demands an IDF withdrawal from Gaza . Instead they seek a temporary truce that would be followed by renewed military operations. This isn’t because diplomacy has worked. This is because they have seen the strength of Israel. They know that a new government is coming in January that won’t tolerate their lies. They are grasping at whatever they can. Imagine if our government would have exuded strength 400 days ago. 300 days ago. 200 days ago. We could have been at this point then. The hostages could all be home. Thousands of lives could have been saved.
This is the price we pay for letting the lies of Bernie Sanders, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, AOC, Cori Bush, and Jamaal Bowman grow and spread. This is the price we pay for allowing the lies of Hamas and Hezbollah to be reported as fact. This is the price we pay for not living up to our values and morals. Strong support for Israel from the beginning and throughout could have brought this to a close hundreds of days ago with thousands of lives saved. Instead, we allowed the hatred of small minded leaders to overwhelm us. I thank Senator Fetterman, President Biden (at times), GA Representative Panitch, and all those who won’t tolerate the lies.
I have intentionally focused only on Democrats in this piece because it was 19 Democrates who voted for the bill with 32 voting against it. There are nearly twice as many Democrats who stood for good over evil. The 19 who chose evil need to be called out. There are many others that are not Democrats that join with the 32 who chose good over evil. I want to end with my second favorite Marco Rubio video of all time (my favorite is him wishing my son Evan a happy Bar Mitzvah and giving him a charge to be a responsible and good adult). We need more people to speak up like Senator Fetterman does and like Senator Rubio does here. It’s not that hard. It takes morals, ethics, and courage. We need to demand more from all of our leaders. We have some that show us we can get it. Let’s not settle for less.
Last night I went to see the Jewish musical star Pink in concert. I bought tickets a long time ago and heard that she was a tremendous performer. I like her music, although I’m far from a rabid fan. With Sheryl Crow opening, I was excited for the show.
Sheryl Crow was awesome. She brought me back in time with her classic songs and while the show was in a stadium, I wish she was in a smokey crowded bar where you could really feel and appreciate her music. I enjoyed her performance as it brought me back to simpler times.
Then it was time for the main event. Pink was electric from the very beginning. Her energy and joy filled the stadium with positivity. Since October 7th, over a year ago, I’ve had a hard time truly letting go and embracing joy. Last night, Pink unlocked that for me. What a performer. She exuded happiness. Love flew from every song and every time she talked to us. Her very first song set the tone – watch and listen as she bounces with joy and flies effortlessly.
Her flying early in the show was beautiful. The music was great and she added elegance and beauty. The past 12 plus months have been filled with so much ugliness. October 7th and those images never leave me. I’m glad that I saw the Hamas 47 minute video but it altered who I am. I am glad that I have been to the Nova site twice, heard from survivors, and those involved with rescuing people that day, but the horror is now a part of me. I’m glad that I went to Kfar Aza twice, heard the stories from the IDF and from somebody who was there that day and recently returned to their home. I’m glad that I saw what the Hamas terrorists did but those images are burned into my soul. Last night, as she performed, it was the first time since October 7th that the only thing in my mind, heart, and soul was beauty and love.
Her cover of Pat Benatar’s “Heartbreaker” got us up, singing and dancing. I was transformed to the early 80s and my high school days. To simpler times. A time when hate didn’t dominate the world. When we didn’t see daily antisemitism and Jew hatred. Violence against Jews wasn’t happening on the streets of Amsterdam, Paris, New York, Chicago, and so many other places. I thought of my diverse group of friends from that time – we didn’t think about identity politics or our differences – we focused on the people we liked. So many of them are still friends today. Jewish, Christian, Mormon, Black, White, Gay, and Straight. We played sports together, went to parties together, hung out on the streets together, went to concerts together, and got in trouble together. I miss the simpleness of those times. The moral clarity that existed for us in high school and then college. Enjoy the song and performance, I sure did.
I wish that I recorded Pink as she talked to, and about, her mother and their relationship. Her mom was in the front row and it was a classic Jewish mother moment. We all laughed but I think those of us who have Jewish mothers laughed a little deeper as she talked about her mom telling her what to do and then watching her mom actually do it from the audience and Pink listening to her and then begging her to stop. When she talked about her late father, it hit home deeply for me. It brought me right back to my dad and the relationship we had. It made me sad and joyous at the same time. While I don’t know her, never met her, and have no personal relationship, I know we bonded over the loss of our fathers. Then she brought her daughter on stage to sing part of a song with her. What a highlight. I enjoyed watching Pink’s face more than anything else as she listened and watched her daughter Willow sing. As a father, there is nothing better than seeing my children succeed. Their joy and success is so much better and more powerful than my own. I could see that on Pink’s face and it reinforced my committment to do whatever I can to make this world a better place for my children and eventual grandchildren. There is no excuse for us to sit back and not do the work. Not put in the effort. We are not responsible for the outcome but we are each responsible for doing the work. That’s a summary from Pirkei Avot, the Ethics of our Fathers. It shows that anybody can learn and even teach a little Torah.
The show ended with an incredible encore where Pink literally flies across the stadium. The freedom in the song and as she flies is so clear. It’s a reminder that we control how we feel. We control whether we want to be tied down, locked up, bitter and angry, or if we want to be free, flying through the air, looking for the beauty and enjoying what the world offers. It takes effort to do it, but the power to live meaningful and beautiful lives is entirely in our own hands. The question is are you willing to do the work? Watch Pink fly and sing – see and feel the freedom. As the movie version of Wicked is about to be released, watch Pink defy gravity. Sorry I lose her for a bit but you get to see the audience during that time and feel the energy.
Pink inspired me last night It shows that you don’t have to truly be a torah scholar to inspire people with Torah values. It also shows how learning some Torah can help you see Jewish wisdom in every day life.
My friend Yocheved Ruttenberg is another real example of this. Founder of the Sword of Iron Facebook group with 40,000 members all interested in volunteering in Israel, her story as a 23 year old changing the world is inspiring. She recently won the Z3 Bridge Builder award. Her speech highlights her story and what she has done and what she is doing. It is inspiring.
The joy Yocheved brings to the 40,000 members of Sword of Iron is incredible. I read the posts of people volunteering in Israel and sharing their pictures doing it. I read about all the amazing volunteer opportunities and am astounded and inspired. It makes me wish I was independently wealthy and could just go and volunteer full time in Israel. From picking fruits and vegetables to helping rebuild in the south. Preparing BBQs for IDF soldiers to making tzizit for them. Helping those in need in every aspect of society. All done with gratitude. All done with grace. All done from the heart. All for our Jewish brothers and sisters who are fighting for the survival of the Jewish people. If you really want to experience the joy of Yocheved and her work, watch this Shabbat Shalom video. I can’t get enough of it. I dare you to only watch it once. It’s infectious.
There are so many ways to change the world and the world needs changing. You can do it through music. You can do it with volunteering. You can do it by helping others. A friend of mine who made aliyah years ago reached out today. He and his family will be in the United States to get away for a much needed respite in December. They will be in Florida for part of their trip and like my family, love sports and wanted to go to the Orlando Magic game for Jewish Heritage Night. They were having trouble getting tickets and asked for my help. Quickly, I was able to secure tickets for him in the block at an affordable price. I then reached out to a friend to see if they can help with some VIP experiences for their children. After the year that they have experienced, the least I can do is try to help them have some peace and joy. Just like Pink gave me last night, I can help them have a few moments of joy where they aren’t worried about sirens, they aren’t worried about rockets, they aren’t worried about friends in the IDF and if they are alive or not. They can be kids, enjoying a basketball game and maybe getting some special access. It didn’t take much for me to help. A little research. A few text messages. It did take effort but not much. Often times we don’t realize how easy it can be to make a difference in the lives of others. How we can give a little bit of life and levity to those in need.
I work with Dror Israel, and amazing organization that helps children with schools, youth groups, and summer camps. Their ZIONIST youth movement is in all the Druze villages and in 55 Arab villages with more than 20,000 Arabs involved. They do amazing work. In this same context, they are creating restorative trips for children and families to get away from areas with sirens, to go to Mitzpe Ramon (Israel’s version of the Grand Canyon). This short video highlights what they do and what the effect and impact is. They are changing the lives of these children and families and changing the world.
We have the ability to change the world with our own actions. Pink gave me a few hours of pure joy like I haven’t had since October 7th. Here is the question I pose to you. What are you going to do to find your joy. To find your stress relief? And what are you going to do to help others who are in need and can’t do it themselves? We all have that responsibility. It is Kol Yisrael Arevim zeh Bazeh(All of Israel is responsible for each other). Jewish or not, we can be inspired by this lesson. Each of us can change the world, one person at a time, one action at a time.
Let’s all choose to be like Pink, who electrified and inspired 75,000 people last night. Who sent a message of love, inclusion, support, family, and values. The movie The Waterboy puts it best. You can do it!
I was talking to my friend Tal in Israel the other day. Tal is a Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) in the IDF and we hav been discussing a project together. He told me that we’d have to wait a few weeks to continue our conversation because he had been called back for milium (reserve duty) once again and had to report the next day. He then sighed and told me how tired he was of this. It’s been a year already and his life has been turned upside down. He then said something remarkable. He told me that he’d continuing showing up because “we have to win”. Having been to Israel in May, July, and September, I understood both the fatigue and the desire to keep showing up because there is no alternative to winning this war. It’s an existential war. Iran, through their proxies Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, won’t stop until Israel is eliminated. Until the Jews are eliminated. It’s easy to sit in the United States and criticize Israel for doing what they have to do to survive. Go to Israel and see the devastation from October 7th in the kibbutzim on the Gaza border. Kfar Aza, Nir Oz, Be’eri. Visit the site of the Nova music festival and listen to survivors and those who rescued people from the terrorists. Listen to the story of Rami Davidian, a farmer who saved 750 people on October 7th from the terrorists and the horrors he saw on October 8th when he returned to the Nova site to clean up and provide dignity to the people who had been murdered.
Israel and the survival of the Jewish people are miracles. There is no other way to describe how we have lasted for thousands of years, outliving every other society throughout history. How more than 3,000 years after we first entered the land of Israel, we are living there today. In May and July it was driven home to me multiple times how if 2,000 years ago, as the Romans were taking the Jews into slavery, the Temple was in flames, Jerusalem destroyed, you had told our ancestors that we’d be back here, in our homeland, in 2,000 years, they would have laughed at the concept. Yet here we are.
The Holocaust was an effort to send us to the history books. Hitler’s goal was to create a museum of the Jewish people that people could visit to see who we were because we no longer existed. I read a story told by Rabbi Yitz Greenberg to Rabbi Daniel Gordis about Adolf Eichmann, who had disappeared, running away in 1946, to Argentina. He was hiding with Ferenc Szálasi, the facist leader of Hungary who was his partner in wiping out Hungarian Jewry.
Adolph EichmannFerenc Szálasi
Szalasi said in his last conversation with Eichmann, “you know, if they catch us, they will put us to death. We committed this incredible crime.” So, Eichmann says to him, “if they catch me and they execute me, I will leap into my grave laughing. Why? Because he said, I didn’t kill every last Jew, but they’ll never recover. It hit such a destructive blow to the heartland of Jewry, the Eastern European Jewry was the biological heartland. They’ll never recover. I feel I succeeded even if I didn’t get all the way.” Yet the Jewish people did recover. The biological heartland was not, has never been, and never will be Eastern Europe. It has been and will always be the land of Israel.
The reason we have outlasted ancient Egypt and the Pharoahs, the Philistines, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantine empire, the Crusaders, the Spanish Empire, the Nazis and the Soviet Union is because even when we are tired; no make that especially when we are tired, we do not give up. We have never given up. This is why we will outlast Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and the Iranian regime. We value life too much. We value the future too much.
I am tired. I’ve been consumed since October 7th with doing my part, whatever that may be, to fight. Putting on a rally the day after October 7th. Going to be with 300,000 people on the National Mall in Washington, DC to join together in support of the Jewish people and Israel. Writing this blog for over a year, often times multiple times a week. Going to Israel in May, July, and September. Volunteering in Israel cleaning lemon trees, picking apples, making tzizit for the IDF, making sandwiches for those in need, making care packages for IDF soldiers, bringing supplies to IDF units with me in my luggage, getting my new tattoos, wearing my dogtags, my Jewish star, my yellow ribbon pin for the hostages, helping Israeli NGOs to serve the people in need, and working to help the Israeli economy any way that I can. It’s not serving in the IDF but it’s doing my part. Just like Tal, I’m tired of this. And just like Tal, I won’t give up either. Because we have to win. We have no other choice. Golda Meir put it best.
So fight we do. We fight the antisemites. We fight on college campuses. Columbia, Penn, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, UC Berkely, Stanford, USLA, CUNY and Rutgers are a few of the major hotstpots where Jews are targeted. We fight against politicians like Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, AOC, and Summer Lee along with ensure that people like Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman lose their Congressional seats and can’t spew their hatred. We fight against corrupt, Jew hating organizations like the United Nations, UNRWA, UNIFIL, UNICEF, and Amnesty International. We call out leaders like UN Secretary General António Guterres and UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese who tell lies about Israel and feed antisemitism. We don’t allow celebrities with a public forum like Susan Sarandan, Mark Ruffalo, John Cusack, Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa, John Oliver, Cynthia Nixon, Rachel Zegler, or adult film star Mia Khalifa to spread lies to those who listen to them only because of their celebrity status, not because they know anything.
One of my favorite speeches of all time is by Jim Valvano when he won the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the first ESPY awards. In it, he makes the famous quote, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.” That’s the motto of the Jewish people.
So even though we are tired, even though Israelis are tired, even though the IDF soldiers and reservists are tired, even though Israeli families are tired, we won’t stop fighting. We won’t give up. And because of that motto, the people of Israel live. Am Yisrael Chai
This has been a challenging week for many people. For some it’s the results of the election. For others it is the pogrom in Amsterdam and watching Jew hatred go to another level. Today is the 400th day of the hostages being in captivity. Two Jewish students were assaulted at Chicago’s DePaul University for the crime of being Jewish. In the past months, Jewish students have been attacked at The University of Michigan and The University of Pittsburgh for being Jewish. Rockets continue to be fired every single day by Hezbollah from Lebanon into Israel.
We live in arguably the most divided time in the United States since the Civil War. The world may not be this divided since World War II. It is easy to feel sad and depressed. It is easy to lose hope and think the world is ending. Concern over the next few weeks, months, and years is a common refrain heard regularly.
And yet there are examples of hope all around us. There are examples that show when we decide to be the answer, the solution; when we decide that we are no longer going to wait for others to solve the problem and challengs of the world, that we create change.
We are a college football family. For years, our Shabbat has involved being together as a family, either watching college football on TV or in person. When our older son was playing High School football, Shabbat dinner was at the football field. When he was coaching High School football, we spent Friday nights watching him coach and as he coaches college football, we are watching on TV or in person once again. This morning, as I was watching ESPN Gameday, a beautiful and inspiring story was shown.
Malachi Moore, a star player for Alabama, befriend a young girl, Henrietta Murray, who had a terminal illness. Their relationship and his relationship with her family, is a beautiful thing to see. Once again, it shows the power one person has to change the world. Malachi changed not only Henrietta’s life but the lives of her parents and his own life. Listening to him talk about what his friendship with Henrietta not only meant to him but how it changed his outlook on life is powerful. We all have th ability to be like Malachi. We all have the power to change lives with our actions. Watch, listen, and feel the love.
Watch Malachi and Henrietta’s story
Then there is the story of Melhem Asad. A Druze fan of Maccabi Tel Aviv football/soccer, Melhaem was at the game in Amsterdam. As he watched the attacks begin against Israelis by criminal antisemites with law enforcement not helping, he thought quickly on his feet. As an Arab speaker, he ran to groups of Israeli fans, speaking loudly in Arabic to them, creating the impression that everyone in his group was Arab rather than Jewish. By doing this, he successfully misled the attackers, who left these groups alone as they searched for Jews to attack. He didn’t just do this once or two. He spent several hours using this strategy to shield Jewish Maccabi fans who were under attack in restaurants and bars, unable to safely reach their hotels. When people call Israel an apartheid state, when people say that Jews, Arabs, and Druze can never get along and never exist together, this is more proof that these are lies.
Thank you Melhem for showing that humanity isn’t about being Jewish, Druze, or Arab. It’s about being a good person, caring about your fellow human beings, and combatting hate. You are an example to everybody of what the future can look like when we choose to take action ourselves. When we don’t wait for somebody else to do something. When we don’t tolerate the status quo and do what we can to make the world a better place.
Melhem Asad, who’s quick thinking and speaking Arabic saved many from being beaten.
Kirk Herbstreit is the cornerstone of ESPN Gameday. He is well known, popular, and one of the people fans want to hear from. Recently, the focus has been on the relationship with him and his dog Ben. Ben became a travel companion for Herbstreit, with him on the road, on the field, and on the set. In many ways, he became America’s dog. Recently he got very ill and in the past week he died. His loss was felt not just by Kirk but by fans and dog lovers all over the world. ESPN chose to show a tribute to Ben today. It was beautiful and powerful. It shows the power of love. I have always felt that dogs are pure love in a living being. We lost our beautiful chocolate lab, Bella, earlier this year. I miss her every day, and ask Kirk publicly mourned the loss of Ben, I could relate and understand the loss.
Our sweet girl Bella, enjoying the back yard, the sun, the grass, and being with me.
We can have this type of unconditional love with a dog. Why can’t we have this type of love for our fellow human beings? Before the election and after the election, the vitriol expressed against those supporting a different candidate was horrific. You might be branded a racist, a bigot, a Jew hater, an antisemite, an islamaphobe, transphobic, anti-LGBTQ, anti-woman, anti-American, and many other terms. It’s ok to to support different candidates for many reasons. Understanding why people make the choices they make gives us a chance to build bridges, work together towards the type of society we want to live in. Most people don’t support every position that the candidate they supported stood for. Yet we simplify people and live in hatred and disgust rather than love and understanding.
Dogs aren’t like that. They love you no matter what. It is as if they understand that people are fallible and love is what helps us deal with our imperfections. Dogs really are perfect love. I miss having Bella climb in my lap to cuddle no matter what was going on. I miss her giving me kisses and laying down at my feet to be close to me. I miss taking her out to the backyard to walk and lay in the grass, appreciating the beauty of nature, the warmth of the sun, the smell of fresh air.
It’s pure love. Watch the tribute to Ben and let Ben inspire all of us to treat people better.
Speaking of Kirk Herbstreit, every week when I watch him on ESPN Gameday with Lee Corso, their interaction is one of the sweetest things in today’s world. It’s clear that they have a father-son relationship. As Corso has gotten older, Herbstreit openly provides him with more help and more support. It is a beautiful thing to watch.
Today, it was the opposite. As the tribute to Kirk’s dog, Ben, began, he was visibly crying and emotional. You could feel his pain and loss. And who was there to support him? Lee Corso of course. It was a public display of love and support. No worries about what it looked like or what anybody though. It was two close friends being together, even with millions of people watching.
We can use the example of the relationship between these two men as a teaching lesson for each of us. Every day we have an opportunity to be there for somebody else. Every day we have a chance to build these special relationships. I am lucky. Along with my brother and sister, I have two people that I consider brothers and two people I consider sisters. That’s how close we are. While biologically I have two siblings, in reality I have six. I choose to invest in relationships with people. The quality of friends is so much more important than the quantity. Many years ago, an older friend of mine (he was my age now back then) used to say, “I don’t need more friends at my age.” I heard him but didn’t really understand at that time. Now I do.
The example of Corso and Herbstreit shows us what we can do for other people if we want. It shows how we change the world, one person, one relationship at a time. It takes so little to improve the day and the life of another person. It also can take so little to suck the energy out of somebody’s day, making their life more challenging. The question is which type of person do you want to be. Do you want to be somebody who spends every day working to make the world a little bit better or do you want to live in negativity and make the world a little bit worse every day?
I choose to change the world every day with kindness.
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