Why I Never Wanted to be an Ostrich
In 1967 there were 394,000 people in Gaza. In 1990 there were 776,000 people in Gaza. Most estimates hold there are approximately 2,000,000 people there today. For those crazies yelling that Israel wants genocide in Gaza, the numbers tell a different story. Israel is doing its utmost to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza, at the cost of its own young men. The easy way out is to skip the ground operation and let the air force do the job. However, Israel will continue to do everything it can to avoid the killing of innocents. The IDF continues to drop leaflets to warn families in Gaza when a bombing is to take place while providing humanitarian corridors for people to escape. Yet, those same corridors are used for Hamas to shoot missiles back at Israel. People today toss the word “genocide” around like a Caesar salad. However, there is only one side that wants to see a genocide in the Middle East, and I can assure you it is not the Israelis.
I’ll say what needs to be said. We’re less than 30 miles from Gaza but it is where east meets west. When terrorists strike Israel, Israel’s people respond with music and art. This one was filmed in Israel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkKF7Hjt8C0 . This one was filmed in Israel and around the world: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0Q0KXapopI. If you go to what has become known as “Hostage Square” outside of the Museum Complex in Tel Aviv, all you see are art projects and musical trios finding ways to turn pain into “achdut.” (Achdut is Hebrew for “solidarity” or “unity.”) An earlier edition of this Journal focused on some of these projects.
When the hostages were kidnapped and taken into Gaza, there were no choirs or art exhibitions. No, there were fireworks and candies being given out in the streets while Israeli women were being raped in the south of Israel and in buildings all over Gaza. It is difficult to understand the horror of it all: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-rape-of-the-israeli-women-october-7-hamas-gaza-progressives-c2a4cd38. David Schwimmer of “Friends” had a take on this as well: https://www.jpost.com/j-spot/article-780077. Allow me to share something with you. Some of these women that survived (most did not) came back to Israel pregnant. I cannot imagine a more devastating way of inflicting punishment. It is a situation I cannot fathom.
Perhaps the most stark societal contrast is found through AI (Artificial Intelligence). If we want to genuinely understand what is going on around the world, within the Ivy League and in educational institutions around the globe….as demographics change and populations move…..if we want to look through a different lens at how the world is changing, look no further than the illustrations below (under Today’s Photos). To summarize it quickly, AI will tell a Jewish joke but a Muslim joke? Not so fast. You may say this is just humor. Believe me, I get it. Nobody laughs louder at Jewish jokes than I do. Yet we tried this ourselves on ChatGPT because we could not believe it. The results were shocking. We are programming our machines to mirror our “fear” of insulting Muslims, yet Jews are open targets. What does this tell you? My point is this…..I don’t mind the Jewish jokes, but why are they the only ones allowed? Something is incredibly wrong here. See below.
When James Carville – advisor to former President Bill Clinton – comments on national TV that : “Christian nationalism is a greater threat to America than al-Qaida”, I think the cultural void is more than scary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVi82XuKeX4. I truly want to shake him. James, are you crazy? I don’t care if you are a Democrat or a Republican. However, to suggest that Christian nationalism is more dangerous than Al-Qaida (he was referring to Speaker Mike Johnson) is truly an outrageous claim. I can only imagine how offended my many Christian friends must have been by this statement, but it is truly delusional and offensive.
I think the cultural void is greater than we realize. It took Iran more than a generation to shift the minds of their young people. How times change: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-4148684/Stunning-photos-reveal-life-Iran-revolution.html. The question becomes can it happen elsewhere? Hamas is succeeding at playing the West for fools (msn.com).
Meanwhile, back here in the Holy Land we continue our work. We went to Kibbutz Ein Ha Shlosha on Friday where we delivered more than 200 meals and lots of blankets. Four people were killed on the kibbutz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnJwpsJlpfM. It is minutes from Be’eri. I cannot bring myself to enter Be’eri. It is too much and the pain is too great: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSqeYpat7qw.
If you’re reading this, if you subscribed to our YouTube channel (pretty please) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCif40j-GEupVqzbBi_ZnCg, or our FB page, if you volunteer for us, if you’ve made a donation, or if you pray for us, please know it is so very much appreciated. I cannot put into words what it means to me and to those we deliver to every week. Your notes, your e-mails and your support give us strength and courage. I am personally incredibly grateful.
I never wanted to be an ostrich. Beautiful birds but it’s time to take our heads out of the sand.
Today’s Photos/Videos:
At People for Israel, we are helping people across the Holy Land. By providing transportation to those in need, helping to enhance security in our most vulnerable communities, providing food and supplies to those in need – we are trying to do our part. When a donation is received, we utilize these funds generally within 24 – 48 hours and respond to requests we have received from across the country. Please consider giving a donation here: https://secure.cardknox.com/peopleforisrael, or asking us to speak to your church, synagogue or civic group allows us to share what is really going on here. Signing up for our journal at www.peopleforisrael.com or subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCif40j-GEupVqzbBi_ZnCg
David
David at People for Israel
USA: +1.201.801.6440
Israel: +972.52.705.6300
david@peopleforisrael.com
www.peopleforisrael.com
Since October 7, 2023
