Deep Thoughts
Jack Handey and Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live) worked together from 1991- 1998 when SNL brought Jack’s one-liners to thousands of Americans. Lorne’s decision to feature Handey’s humor through interstitial segments made Handey a household name. For those unfamiliar with the work of Jack Handey, this was a typical SNL skit of his: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EigfHLZHQkE or this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ne650xD6bc. It got me thinking about this absolutely insane environment we are living in. A business associate of mine, that is not on this mailing list, lives in California. He is a Christian, and he sent me an email last night. This is what he wrote: “……the scale of atrocities by the Palestinian leadership is only matched by their incompetence and lack of concern for their own people as they pursue corruption and inhumane zealotry. I have been astonished by the anti-Israel and antisemitic response to the Palestinian invasion. Ignorance seems to have taken hold of a large part of our culture and politics but, even given that, a large part of the world has no basic common sense or decency. No doubt you have given this more thought than me as the consequences are so much more personal. I can only wish you the best.” Quite frankly, I think he summarized the situation very well. Hamas and their supporters invaded Israel over 100 days ago bringing a level of barbarity to this country we have never seen. Sure, we live in the Middle East. However, name one other country that – after 18 years of having missiles fired at their civilian population and practicing “restraint” – would have their women raped, their children slaughtered, heads chopped off bodies, grandmothers kidnapped and bodies burned alive would respond by saying, “Yes, you are right. There are 58 Islamic nations in the world and 22 Arab nations in the world, but we have seen the light and would like to divide our one, tiny Jewish country in half thus creating 59 Islamic nations and ensuring even more missiles on our head. Yes, by raping our women and taking senior citizens hostage on golf carts you have shown us kindness and compassion!” The Koran says: “And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.” (2:195). Is this such an example? Then after all of this is over, Jewish people all over the world are attacked, maligned and harassed through physical violence and public harassment. Friends of mine in Europe have been turned away from restaurants that refused to serve them, Jews have been beaten on the streets of Los Angeles and even putting a poster up of a kidnapped baby is considered “incitement” and ripped down so nobody will see it. Chants of “Gas the Jews” being heard in Australia and subway cars in New York filled with Palestinian sympathizers denying an elderly Jewish couple from getting on the train as they scream pro-Palestinian chants between stops in the tunnels of New York. Some say, “It is not anti-Semitic, it is anti-Israel.” Yet there are millions of Jews all over the world (people like my 100-year-old father) that have never set foot in Israel. Why are they subjected to this treatment? I also know I have friends that tell me I am looking at the glass half-full and only seeing the negative. Perhaps. However, it is hard to live in this alternate universe where air raid sirens continue to go off, people in Israel continue to get shot at and are victim of “hit and runs,” and so many of my associates and acquaintances living around the world tell me they must hide their Jewish necklace or yarmulke for safety reasons. What is going on? My friend in California and I have never spoken of antisemitism and if he is noticing it (he lives in a very rural part of northern California where there are no synagogues), perhaps I am not crazy. At a moment such as this, I turn to Jack Handey as my inspiration. These are just a few of my Deep Thoughts from this alternate universe.
- When I was a child I used to go to the City by the Bay. Those are memories I cherish as I recall their progressive ways of welcoming people to their beautiful city: https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/2024-01-15/ty-article/.premium/fliers-calling-for-boycott-of-israeli-and-jewish-restaurants-posted-around-san-francisco/0000018d-0cb5-daa5-a7cf-def753d30000?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=Content&utm_campaign=haaretz-today&utm_content=0335eec647
- When reflecting upon the next generation, it must give us comfort that we can alter ideology and genealogy simultaneously kind of like eating a cheeseburger with vegan cheese: https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-781991?utm_source=jpost.app.android&utm_medium=share
- Pediatric Cardiologists are only special if their world view echoes mine. Having someone operate on your child that doesn’t believe the same as you could impact the results: https://zoa.org/2024/01/10449146-zoa-urges-johns-hopkins-reinstate-suspended-doctor-who-exercised-his-free-speech-rights-to-condemn-hamas/
- Tulips are grown in Holland. Compassion is not: https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-781710?utm_source=jpost.app.android&utm_medium=share
- Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel said on January 18th, “This is a victory that we must achieve for the security of Israel, for our future and for true peace in our region. I promise here before our soldiers, I promise before the bereaved families who have lost what is dearer to them than anything, and I promise before the families of the hostages – we will not stop.” In Pig Latin, this means, “It is time to retreat!” https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/16/middleeast/israel-military-withdrawl-gaza-rift-intl
- When I visited my friend’s home in Maine, he had a deer head on the wall. I can hardly wait to see what my friends in Gazza City have on theirs: https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-782655?utm_source=jpost.app.android&utm_medium=share
- According to Numbeo, five of the twenty most dangerous cities are in South Africa but Israel is my real fear: https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-782655?utm_source=jpost.app.android&utm_medium=share
- Judaism is the world’s oldest, monotheistic religion. Jesus was a Jew. Yet in Chile, we know what it really is: Chilean mayor says being Jewish is a ‘supremacist conception’ – The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com)
- Things don’t really happen unless Hamas admits that they happen: Islamic Jihad terrorist admits to rape, NYT probes Hamas sexual violence – The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com)
That is enough. It is almost Shabbat. I have a cold bottle of Chardonnay chilling in the fridge. It is from Odem Mountain Winery. It is my reward for getting through another week of insanity. In the last 24 hours we have shipped out 380 meals and four duffles of supplies. Many say we need to prepare for the coming war with Lebanon, Yemen, Iran. I can’t think that far ahead. It’s a tough neighborhood, but I grew up in downtown Boston and cut my teeth in New York. We can handle it, but right now my focus is on Odem Mountain. After the Sabbath we will figure out a plan for next week. Requests are already coming in.
Of course, we will ask the Lord in heaven to bless us, to keep us safe and to watch over us. I will also ask him to bless you, my dear friends and our supporters for your prayers, your love and your notes. They mean so much and if you’re in the neighborhood, I’ll even share my Odem Mountain with you. L’chaim!
Meanwhile, I’ll leave you with a deep thought:
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David
David at People for Israel
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david@peopleforisrael.com
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Since October 7, 2023
