Opinion

The advantage of having the fast days of the 17th of Tamuz (Shivah Asar b’Tammuz) and the 9th of Av (Tishah b’Av) on a Sunday is that you do not lose any days of work. The downside is that I am unable to ride a bike. I missed the Gold Coast Ride on July 13.

I like to take long bike rides on Sundays – not only for the exercise, but because during that time I can think about what I want to write in my column. Once in a while, the ride itself becomes part of the column. This is one of those times.

We live in a country where conspiracy theories run rampant. The underlying cause is a distrust in government. This past week, the case of Jeffrey Epstein has reemerged with results unsatisfactory to many – especially those in the MAGA movement. It is important to understand where they are coming from.

By the time this column is published, we should know who the Democratic Party candidate will be - and most likely the next mayor of New York City. It remains unclear what will happen, which is stressful to many. Will it be the antisemite, anti-Israel Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, or former Governor Andrew Cuomo? It comes down to turnout.

A troubling new Quinnipiac poll reveals a seismic shift in American voter attitudes since the beginning of the Israel–Gaza war in October 2023. Respondents were asked: “From what you know about the situation in the Middle East, do your sympathies lie more with the Israelis or more with the Palestinians?” A poll taken on October 17, 2023, showed 61% favored Israel and 13% favored the Palestinians. By June 11, 2024, only 37% favored Israel, while 32% expressed support for “Palestine.”

There is so much going on in this country that I probably would have written about, including the Washington Army Anniversary/Trump Birthday Parade and the No Kings nationwide protests. However, with the situation in Israel, it is hard to focus on anything else. We are reminded what a miracle it was last year when Iran shot 300 projectiles at Israel in response to an Israeli attack on Iran—and there were no fatalities in Israel. What we are seeing now is what usually happens when ballistic missiles and other weapons are fired from an enemy country. Unfortunately, no missile defense system is foolproof. As of the writing of this column, 25 people are confirmed dead as a result of the missile fire from Iran.