Joel Pollak
Politics • Lifestyle • News • Travel • Writing
I will share my thoughts about American politics, as well as current events in Israel and elsewhere, based on my experiences in the U.S., South Africa, and the Middle East. I will also discuss books and popular culture from the perspective of a somewhat libertarian, religiously observant conservative living in California. I will also share art and ideas that I find useful and helpful, and link to my content at Breitbart News, Amazon, and elsewhere.
Interested? Want to learn more about the community?
L.A. voting cheat sheet

These are my choices for the California Primary election on the west side of L.A. These aren't endorsements, and in some cases I'm voting for Democrats or independents, either because they are objectively the best candidates; because they have the best chance of ousting bad incumbents; or because they are running unopposed. I've done minimal research on some of the races, i.e. judge.

Voting cheat sheet

Senator 1: Mark Meuser
Senator 2: Mark Meuser
Mayor: Rick Caruso
City Attorney: Richard Kim
City Controller: Kenneth Mejia
City Council (11): Traci Park
LAUSD: Tracey Schroeder
State Senator (24): Ben Allen
State Assembly (42) Lori Mills
House (32): Aarika Rhodes
Ballot Measure BB: No
Suprevisor (3): Bob Hertzberg
Sheriff: Alex Villanueva
Assessor: Sandy Sun
Judge (3): Sherilyn Garnett
Judge (60): Abby Baron
Judge (67) Ryan Dibble
Judge (70): Renee Chang
Judge (90): Leslie Gutierrez
Judge (116): David Gelfound
Judge (118): Keith Koyano
Judge (151) Karen Brako
Judge (156): Carol Elswick
Governor: Michael Shellenberger
Lt. Governor: Angela Jacobs
Secretary of State: Rob Bernosky
State Controller: Lanhee Chen
Treasurer: Jack Guerrero
Attorney General: Nathan Hochman
Insurance Commissioner: Greg Conlon
Board of Equalization: Y. Manvel
Superintendent: Jim Gibson

Interested? Want to learn more about the community?
What else you may like…
Videos
Posts
Time-lapse sunrise at Temescal Falls
00:00:17
This is what is left of my special place in the forest

Burned, then covered in mudslides and rockslides. The river still flows through it. But we have lost so much. I have to believe the spirit still lives on.

00:00:16
The drive home 💔
00:00:46
September 11, 2025

Just want to say I loved your column in the NY Post on Charlie Kirk.

Breitbart News Sunday: show clock (September 7, 2023)

This week's show will be slightly different from the norm: we'll focus on clips and topics, rather than guests -- and that, hopefully, will mean more input from the callers (unless you are all watching football on opening weekend).

Topics:

  • The state of the economy
  • The fight against crime
  • The midterm election fight
  • The struggle for peace between Russia and Ukraine
  • The airstrike on the Venezuelan drug cartel
  • The attempt to sink Kennedy
  • The war in Gaza
  • The case against Harvard
  • The Trump presidency

Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET / 4-7 p.m. PT
Call: 866-957-2874

Weekly Torah reading: Ki Teitzei (Deuteronomy 21:10 - 25:19)

This week's Torah portion includes several laws about conduct in civic and personal life, the common theme of which is boundaries -- setting bounds to what one may do at home, at work, and even in the battlefield.

One noteworthy passage concerns Amalek, the evil nation that attacked the Children of Israel as they made their Exodus from slavery to freedom. Deuteronomy 25:17-19 commands Jews to obliterate Amalek's memory.

The South African government accused Israel of genocide on the basis of a story about Amalek in the Book of Samuel, in which King Saul was commanded to wipe out the entire evil Amalekite nation.

Because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quoted this week's portion -- "Remember what Amalek did to you" (25:17), the South African government claimed he was commanding soldiers to commit genocide.

It was an absurd and malevolent misreading of the Bible and of Jewish tradition. The commandment, as observed by Jews today, is to remember the evil of Amalek and fight ...

See More
Available on mobile and TV devices
google store google store app store app store
google store google store app tv store app tv store amazon store amazon store roku store roku store
Powered by Locals