Visit included trip to the site of the former death camp

 In late August 2019, I had the opportunity to visit Poland as a guest of the Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation. Together, our delegation of federal government employees spent one week diving into graduate level coursework on the heart-wrenching history of atrocities perpetrated against mankind, and atrocity prevention strategies so that we may better identify, counteract and prevent future acts of violence against humanity. Genocide has been perpetrated over the centuries all over the world, but the scope of the Holocaust is unparalleled. Two-thirds of the Jews in Europe were exterminated during this time. 

Joe Lieberman was almost U.S. vice president. But his real distinction was as a politician who stuck to his principles and showed how to be a faithful Jew in the public square.

(March 28, 2024 / JNS) In a life full of accomplishments, Joe Lieberman will almost certainly be best remembered as the answer to a trivia question. Even more significant was his role as a supporting player in one of the most intense political controversies as well as one of the great “what ifs” in American history. But as much as the 2000 presidential election—during which he became Al Gore’s running mate and the first Jew ever to achieve such a distinction—and its denouement over recounts in Florida was his moment in the sun, his life should be recalled with honor and affection for much more than that.

CNN came under fire this week when two of their employees were exposed for vile, anti-Semitic tweets back in 2011. Although there has been one resignation so far, anyone familiar with CNN’s history should not be surprised that their vetting process did not catch this, prior to hiring these employees. They have long since turned a blind eye to a certain type of bigotry, namely bigotry towards Jews.

Last week, we celebrated the anniversary of one of the greatest miracles of modern times, the rebirth of the State of Israel. First and foremost, we give thanks to Hashem. But we also need to remember and show our gratitude to the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces for defending the Jewish people and the Land of Israel. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l said that when he feels the need to pray at the graves of the tzadikim, he goes to Mt. Herzl, where the soldiers of the IDF who fell al kiddush Hashem – for the sanctification of G-d’s name – are buried.