Opinion

I’m one of those Jews who gets bothered by the small stuff. I’m living in Baltimore for about two and a half years now, and I take note of a lot of little oddities. Yet these oddities may define the town. My kids think that I am annoyed by these issues, but I am really amused, not annoyed. Peri and I very much miss the wonderful community of Kew Gardens Hills, but we have adjusted well to things here, baruch Hashem.

I don’t know if it was prescient of me writing about Jimmy Carter last week, but the news of his death at 100 has just been announced. I have lots to say on Jimmy Carter, especially how negatively consequential his presidency has been for Jews. But it is better left for another time.

Attention university students, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, AOC, Jerrold Nadler, Gregory Meeks (both of the latter did not vote with the majority to sanction the ICC for criminalizing Israel), Bernie Sanders, Code Pink, Jewish Voices for Peace, assorted liberal Democrats, the Pope, Candace Owens, Ireland, Australia, Brazil, the ICC, and of course the United Nations:

The phrase quoted in the title is taken from T’hilim (Psalms) 117:1. It sounds familiar because we recite it in every Hallel. It concludes with, “because his kindness to us was overwhelming…”

A Russian prince once asked Rav Yitzchak of Volozhin to explain why non-Jews are expected to express praise to Hashem for his kindness to Israel.

Last week, I wrote about the year in review, as for who were the good guys and who were the bad guys when it came to supporting Israel. This week, I would like to dabble in my wishes and realities for the new secular year.

Back in 1938, actor/producer Orson Welles produced a live radio program called The War of the Worlds. In it, Welles – in a very convincing manner – reports on aliens from Mars invading Earth as they land in Grovers Mill, New Jersey. Although not intended, people listening to the program thought it was real, and that Martians were actually invading our country. A major panic ensued, for which Welles was later forced to apologize to the public.