Style & Living

President Donald Trump and his administration have long been on a path to diminish Palestinian declarations of statehood. The Trump administration recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel, and in a historic move relocated the American embassy to Yerushalayim. David Friedman, US Ambassador to Israel, is recognized for engaging the White House on such a transference, and must be commended for his painstaking efforts since assuming his position.

The recent comments by freshman Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib during a podcast have been discussed thoroughly in the Jewish, and non-Jewish, community. Tlaib, who spun an ahistorical lie that the surviving Jews of the Holocaust were welcomed with open arms by her Palestinian ancestors, has her defenders in the Democratic Party. The nefarious aspect of the defense tactics is not claiming that she is right; rather, they attack the criticizers themselves. By doing this, their goal is to silence their opponents, and this silence has a history all its own.

“Not only one has risen against us to annihilate us, but in every generation they rise against us to annihilate us.” These words, recited during the most emotional point of the Pesach Seder, still ring true, despite the incredible freedoms American Jews enjoy. Six months after the shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, last week another shooting occurred at the Chabad in Poway, California. A few days earlier, The New York Times published a cartoon of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu depicted as a big-nosed dog with a Jewish star necklace leading a yarmulke-wearing, blind President Trump. Anti-Semitism rears its ugly head in many forms, and American Jews must be knowledgeable of who our enemies are and where they come from if we are to continue to survive.

For the second year in a row, world renowned singer Ishay Ribo is scheduled to headline the premier Jewish unity concert of the year in the “world’s most famous arena,” Madison Square Garden in New York City. Building on last year’s successful late summer event, this year’s version, scheduled for Sunday, September 15, promises to be grander and all the more thrilling.

Violence by anti-Israel demonstrators outside Adas Torah Synagogue in the Pico-Robertson area of West Los Angeles destroyed any vestiges of tranquility in this predominantly Jewish neighborhood on June 23. According to local reports, a mob of Keffiyeh-wearing demonstrators managed to beat a woman in the middle of the street and many pro-Israel supporters were pepper-sprayed. These heinous acts were condemned across the board nationwide by officials.

Remember Purim, not so long ago? We celebrated Purim back in Adar. “Don’t you love the holiday of Purim? What a great time…” Definitely a highlight of the Jewish year.

What’s that got to do with Sivan? What’s it got to do with us right now?