If you listen to the criticism of the Biden administration by many supporters of Israel as to its recent Israel policy in Gaza, you would expect that the other (pro-Palestinian) side would be happy with Biden. Apparently, not necessarily. You just needed to hear the monologue of Ramy Youssef on Saturday Night Live on March 30 to learn otherwise. He spent most of his time making fun of the President and saying that Biden wants him to help win over the Arab community in Michigan, which is the most important community in the most important state in the country. Youssef said he does not like either candidate for president.
If the other side is critical of him, then maybe Biden is not as bad for Israel as we think. For example, the Biden administration is continuing to provide weapons to Israel without any conditions, knowing that they most likely will be used in Gaza. It might not be as good as we want, but clearly the pro-Palestinian side is upset, even with the new policy.
What is also missing from many of the Trumpians is a response to comments by Trump in an interview with Israel Hayom, which many supporters of Israel are not happy with, including his failure to mention anything about the hostages. Trump said that “You have to finish up your war. To finish it up. You gotta get it done. And, I am sure you will do that. And we gotta get to peace, we can’t have this going on. And I will say, Israel has to be very careful, because you’re losing a lot of the world, you’re losing a lot of support, you have to finish up, you have to get the job done. And you have to get on to peace, to get on to a normal life for Israel, and for everybody else.”
Now on to my main topic. Since I am in the year mourning for my mother, I am limited as to what I can do. One of the limitations involves going to a wedding. I cannot stay in the choson’s tisch, nor stay in the same room during the meal and dancing. So basically, I am there for the ceremony. Under such circumstances, I have not gone to any weddings, with one exception: There was one I could not skip because I had some involvement in the choson’s parents meeting.
Over 35 years ago, I went with a friend of mine to a singles Shabbaton. On Shabbos, I saw a girl that I had seen at a prior Shabbaton who I was interested in meeting. I was with my friend and the girl was with her friend, whom I knew. I decided that this would be the time to go over. My friend came with me. I started talking with the girl, and he ended up talking with the other girl - who became his wife. I remember when he asked her out in the coatroom, and someone joked that it was the yichud room. The Hebrew date of when he asked her out is the same as his son’s wedding, which I just went to. He is their last child to be married. Life comes full circle.
We have remained friends, and his wife is still friends with the other girl. She was also at the wedding. It is written in the Talmud that G-d makes shidduchim. Although it is possible that through my actions they ended up speaking, I don’t think I should take any credit, since this was not my intent. I went over for my own benefit. This is in contrast to those who spend time and effort trying to set up singles, divorcees, and widow/widowers and are successful. They can take credit for the marriages they set up and future generations, since they did it for the right reasons.
I, more than most people, have been the beneficiary of someone who went beyond the call of duty. My wife and I were set up by the rabbi of her shul. My connection was as a result of coming to his shiur, which I had found out about in the Jewish Press. If Rabbi Krauss had not set us up, who knows if we would be married. Unbeknownst to me for many years, I found out that my wife and I had been at the same singles Shabbaton prior to us being set up.
Hashem has a plan for two people to meet. Yet, for assorted reasons, it did not happen like with my wife and I. Other times, the initial introduction does not go so well, so Hashem sets it up so they have another chance. It can be through a third party or meeting at another event. There are numerous couples who may have seen each other at singles events or even dated briefly and did not hit it off and later on began dating seriously.
The question is, then: Why are there still singles and divorcees? I would propose a few answers. As related to singles, Hashem can create the conditions so that there is a possibility of success. However, man has free will, and either one or both can decide that they are not interested. Another possibility is that the single picks another person before they meet their bashert. As to divorced couples, it could be due to making the wrong choice in not seeing red flags. It could be a result of people changing during the marriage. These are only some of many different possibilities.
After reading this, you may think that Goldie Krantz highjacked my column in the middle, but it just proves I can write about other things besides politics.
Hatzlachah to you all.
Warren S. Hecht is a local attorney. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
