The RJC leadership conference is always an incredible event. It is hosted at the Venetian in Las Vegas -- this year, without the late proprietor and RJC benefactor Sheldon Adelson for the first time -- and features an all-star cast of political guests. It was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic; President Trump was to have addressed the conference for the second year in a row.
The lineup this year is impressive, and the mood will be festive, given the wave of Republican victories in this past week's off-year election. There will be tributes to Adelson, and discussions about how best to head off the Biden agenda, especially as the administration appears to be doubling down on its bad policies, rather than dialing them back in response to the poor election results.
One focus of the RJC may be efforts to stop Biden from declaring a separate U.S. consulate in Jerusalem for the Palestinians -- a move that Israel opposes, because it would effectively divide Jerusalem diplomatically, and which would violate both U.S. and international law. The RJC was instrumental in pushing for the U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem; it is going to defend that historic win.
I should have noted in my message about the weekly Torah portion that this week is Shabbat Chazon, the Sabbath of Vision. We are about to mourn -- but see through that pain to something better that lies beyond, on the other side.
Wishing you the best vision -- and an incredible reality to follow. It happens!
We begin the final speech of Moses to the people of Israel before they enter the Promised Land. He relates the ups and downs of the years of wandering in the desert, before, finally, the people have the merit to enter the land itself.
This Sabbath always precedes Tisha B'Av, the Ninth of Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. It is the anniversary of the destruction of both of the Holy Temples, and a catch-all for many calamities that befell the Jewish people.
A word on Tisha B'Av. This year I am leaving for an overseas trip during the afternoon of the holiday -- in the middle of a fast day. Not idea, but there was no other choice. But my flight is in the afternoon, which is significant.
We relax some of the harsh, mournful customs of the day in the afternoon. We start to pray normally; we sit on regular chairs; we start to have hope again in the redemption that will, one day, lead us all back from exile to our home.
I'll be taking a trip to a land where an important part of ...
President Trump is in Scotland, playing golf and making big trade deals -- a major deal with the EU, in fact. Meanwhile, there is a global outcry about humanitarian aid to Palestinians (not about the Israeli hostages, mind you).
On top of that, Democrats are at their lowest polling numbers ever -- so they are trying to win control of the House by redistricting in the middle of a 10-year Census cycle. Oh, economic optimism is up, so they have a tough road.
And Tulsi Gabbard's revelations about the Russia collusion investigation make it clear that Obama's lieutenants lied to Congress. How deeply was he himself involved? The media continue to ignore the evidence, but we certainly won't.
Special guests:
Nick Gilbertson - Breitbart News White House correspondent, on EU deal
Frances Martel - Breitbart News foreign editor, on Trump abroad and Russia
John Spencer - urban warfare expert, on humanitarian aid and war in Gaza
Bradley Jaye - Breitbart News congressional correspondent, on the ...
