Many Jewish people have spent the last several days feeling very alone. It seems, in moments of crisis, that the world is against us, or indifferent to the suffering of Jews, especially in "strong" Israel.
But as of Monday evening, support is pouring in from around the world. First and foremost from the Abraham Accords allies -- the UAE and Bahrain. Then from -- of all people -- Barack Obama.
Obama's support was very important because it wasn't just about peace, or mourning the loss of life. Obama explicitly endorsed the idea of "dismantl[ing]" Hamas. That's a big change for him.
It also guarantees victory. It means that there will be bipartisan support for Israel in the U.S., and little space between U.S. and Israeli policy. The alliance, in spite of everything, has come through.
Trump gets credit for setting the example: stand with Israel, and our shared enemies fall. Support Israel in war, and reap the benefits of peace. Biden has belatedly come around (as in other areas).
Many people are attending mournful prayers -- and there is much to mourn. But after crying off and on for the past few days, I feel that victory is certain, and peace inevitable. It will be hard, but it will BE.
On Sunday, I left my desk to go back to the synagogue to participate in the hakafot -- the parades in which we carry the Torah scrolls to celebrate completing Deuteronomy and starting anew in Genesis.
One of the parades traditionally leaves the synagogue and heads outside -- in our community, to the beach. I usually love that one; one year, I carried a Torah scroll half a mile away, down the sand.
Side note: I actually found some Jews way down there, who did not know it was the holiday of Simchat Torah. They asked to hold the Torah; they kissed it. It was a little miracle that I found them there.
This year, I did not feel like singing, or dancing, or even carrying a Torah. But I brought an Israeli flag and unfurled it at the side of the Pacific Coast Highway. I held it up, tears streaming down my face.
And the cars honked. And the people waved. And the motorcycle engines revved and roared in approval. And the people of liberal Los Angeles California showed their love and their support for Israel.
And the people of our little congregation, who felt so embattled, carried the Torah scrolls back to our synagogue with pride, because they felt loved. And so we witnessed another little miracle. Onward.
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 ...
