Tikkun Olam
Life is cyclical. We paid tribute last week, on
Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Day), to the loss of 6 million innocent Jews and next week on
Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day), we honor the lost lives of nearly 30,000 IDF military and terror victims. But as our mourning and remembrance is vital, it is our appreciation of life which is celebrated and emphasized. The recognition of
Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel Independence Day) was established to directly follow our sorrow (on Yom HaZikaron) so it can lead into the importance of our future hopefulness. This is also symbolized at Yad VaShem (Israel's Holocaust Museum); as you end the tour, you are led to a large window viewing the glories of the vibrant growing Jewish homeland. Happy 69th birthday to the modern
State of Israel. As one of the infants of new nations, your contributions have excelled despite your size, youth and hostile neighborhood. You've claimed
12 Nobel Prizes, aided in most
global disasters, invented numerous technological and medical devices and treatments and pridely respect
democracy and human rights (to the contrary of many critics who don't appreciate facts). Are you perfect...Is any nation...? After centuries of persecution, pogroms, isolation, expulsions, genocide...the Jewish nation of people have every right to Statehood on Jewish land dating back to the biblical era. Not only is it our right but sadly it is our necessity for protection. As proud Zionists, we must help combat the lies and hate lopsidedly spewed against our tiny homeland so Jews can live safely and Israel can continue to
Tikkun Olam for many centuries to come.
I love that
Christine Lavin loves the term Tikkun Olam. I assume some of you know who she is and have even seen her at the Ann Arbor Ark music venue. She is a wonderful folk singer/songwriter was a great sense of humor. Back in January of this year, Christine was shocked and frustrated just like the rest of us with the prospect of our new POTUS so with her talent and wit, she wrote this song about our new "Ship Captain" to ease our pain of reality. Hope you enjoy:
First One Hundred
Let's take a look at POTUS' First 100 Days...
- He has the
lowest approval rating than any other president (in their first 100) but conversely, 95% of those who voted for him think he's doing a great job. Love is blind.
- He's delinquent in
nominating staff to 90% of the top executive jobs.
- He flaunts his dozens of
executive orders as major accomplishment however most are benign and meaningless and they are a "Face Slap" to his repeated criticism of Exec. Orders during the Obama years.
- His
lies are legendary from false claims of Trump Tower wiretapping, to millions of illegal voters, to his excuse not to release his tax returns, to his involvement with Russia.
- He could set a record as the first president to
shut down the government in the 1st 100 with his requirement to include his idiotic Wall in the budget, though he says he will sign a budget even without Wall $$. But if they can't agree on governmental spending now, wait till they have much less money after the proposed Tax Reform.
- Of the 15 weekends during the 1st 100, he has played
golf 20 times.
- His
travel price tag has accumulated to over $20 Million for these 1st 100 and will likely surpass Obama's 8 year travel budget in Trump first year. If he makes it through a full first year.
- He was the only president ever to initiate his
re-election campaign on his first day in office. He has already raised over $13 million for the 2020 election.
- He's rolled back
environmental protections since who needs clean water, air or land.
Our ammunition is 557 days away.
Nov. 6, 2018 election.
Lovefest
Havoc breaks out almost every weekend in Palm Beach when the Trump entourage arrives. All planes must be diverted, roads are closed and the locals dread the disruption. Atlanta beware, as The Donald will be the 1st POTUS since Reagan to speak at the NRA convention where a lovefest will occur. Gun lovers love Trump for his vocal support of their 2nd Amendment rights and his appointment of Gorsuch to the SCOTUS. The 2nd Amendment should be protected but so should many innocent gun victims by simply implementing sensible regulations that keep guns away from those who shouldn't have them and keep military style guns out of our society. Not to mention that 50% of all suicides are committed with a gun and 66% of all gun deaths are suicide. We could drastically reduce those number with brave legislation. Bravo to Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly on their efforts to help bring gun sensibility to our country.
https://americansforresponsiblesolutions.org/
Delayed Justice
Speaking of violence, good riddance to terrorist, Rasmea Odeh, who can never wipe the Israeli blood from her hands even as she lied about her involvement in organizing the bombing that killed students,
Edward Joffe z"l and Leon Kanner z"l back in 1969, when she arrived in the US in 1995 and then again when she applied for citizenship in 2004. How did she get here... She was caught and convicted (in a fair trial that was observed by the Red Cross) in Israel when she admitted to her involvement in the terrorist attack and sentenced to life in prison. But she was freed 10 years later in a large prison swap for an Israeli soldier. She's been in the US for too long and many have made her a martyr for women's rights. She is No Hero to anyone, just a murderer. Thankfully she will now be deported from the US and most likely sent back to Jordan or another country.
Hand On Humanity
From hate to humanity, here are two examples of how the diversity in Israel is actually working side by side to help foster coexistence and harmony. Check out these two Israeli (1 Jewish and 1 Christian) Patch Adam hospital clowns as they aid the in care of Syrian war victims.
https://goo.gl/YeGWjA
And for the first time the NBA will bring
Basketball without Borders to Israel for a Summer camp with Jews, Christians, Muslims and Druzes.
Music
Ella Fitzgerald would have been 100 years old this week. She was the first African American woman to win a Grammy. To honor her talent and contribution, please enjoy one of her classic tunes. Here's hoping all our weekend skies are blue:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epRXoS_P0lk
This last music selection has no segue or connection to anything in this week's message. I just liked this vintage song by
TLC from 1999 and thought maybe some of you do too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7fe2T_NVNY
I hope you have no "scrubs" in your life.