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If Mazi Melesa Pilip gets elected on Tuesday, February 13, in a special election to fill the George Santos vacancy, she will achieve many firsts. She will be the first Black Jew ever to be elected to Congress. She will be the first American-Israeli woman ever to be elected to Congress. She will be the first Black of Ethiopian extraction to be elected to Congress. If elected, she will be the only Black Republican woman in Congress. There are presently five Black Republican men in both houses: Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida, Burgess Owens of Utah, Wesley Hunt of Texas, and John James of Michigan.

The October 7 massacre of innocent Jews has shaken the world. The depth and breadth of the killing, rape, torture, and mutilation is unparalleled in the history of mankind, according to archeologists who have made it their life’s work to study such things.

Sometimes a country has to hit rock bottom before it wakes up. I believe that is the case with America. There is hope America can be fixed. The recent resignations of President Liz Magill of the University of Pennsylvania on December 9 and President Claudine Gay of Harvard on January 2 is a strong indication that America is in a state of transformation.

Israel’s Independence War of 1948, unbeknownst to many, took close to 10 months. The war against Hamas, which has been dubbed Israel’s Second War of Independence, is now in its third month. Most military analysts believe it will take at least three more months to do the job. Israel did not start the war of 1948 and it did not start the war of 2023.

Israel is leading the fight against barbarism, terrorism, and evil. Israel is in its own existential battle, but it is exposing the fault lines and fissures that face society today.

The depraved and barbaric murder and kidnapping of innocent men, women, and children by Hamas on October 7 will remain a blot on humanity for an eternity. There have been many failures of civilized society since. There have been a few bright spots. The overwhelming global response has been troubling, disheartening, and simply dreadful.