I’m quite happy to be where I am, doing what I’m doing. I don’t want anyone to think (as some have done, mistakenly, before) that I wrote what I do because of some other personal ambition.
But I do have some ideas about how things ought to be done. And I’ve learned the hard way that in America, it’s best to be clear about what you want to achieve, rather than hoping people will notice.
So, with that… if I were in the Trump 2.0 administration, what would I want to do, and why?
1. U.S. ambassador to Israel - There is no shortage of good candidates, but what I would bring to the job is a record of thinking about how to achieve peace between Israelis and Palestinians. With a president committed to the “deal of the century,” I think it would be possible to lay the foundations.
2. White House press secretary - Generally, I do think it’s better handled by a woman than a man, as Trump seems to believe. But I enjoy the cut and thrust of daily debate, and I would challenge the assumptions behind many of the questions. I’d also introduce a prayer to the briefings (see below).
3. White House faith director - they will probably give this to a pastor, and appropriately so. But I would like to introduce a moment of quiet reflection to the White House briefings, as an example for the rest of the country. I’d also arrange for a rotation of faith leaders to offer a weekly national sermon.
4. Antisemitism czar - I’ve been engaged in the fight against antisemitism my whole life, and I think I’d bring some fresh ideas to the role. I’d focus on the importance of George Washington’s promise to the Jews of early America that they would never have to live in fear in their new country, as they did before.
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 ...
