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.
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2024: One of the best years of my life, in spite of it all

It's been a tough year for America, for Israel, and for the world. Our economy feels shaky, there are still 100 hostages in Gaza, and the future feels uncertain. But in spite of it all, 2024 has been an incredible year, and not just for me.

I'll start with the personal. My wife, Julia, and I were blessed in September with the arrival of our son Rafael, our fourth child. He shares a birthday with my late mother-in-law, Rhoda Kadalie. We now have 2 girls and 2 boys, each wonderful.

My wife is as lovely as ever. On December 30 (tomorrow!) we will celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. I remain in awe of her in every way -- as a wife, a mother, an economist, a friend. A sexy, brave, dream of a woman. I'm so lucky.

My children continue to grow from strength to strength. My eldest daughter persevered and passed her lifeguard test; my elder son made the All-Star team in baseball; my younger daughter began taking ballet and is growing quickly.

My sister also had her first child -- also a boy -- and my brother announced his engagement. I completed my seven-year study of the Talmud, and started over, making a "Siyum HaShas" -- a rare achievement I never dreamed that I'd reach.

I expanded my creative work -- thanks to the encouragement of our friend and neighbor, the model and photographer Jessica Vaugn, who is teaching me to take photos, and encouraged me to put my library of work on Audible (I did).

I was blessed to be able to visit Israel four times -- once to follow Javier Milei, once during the first Iranian missile attack, once with a tour group of Christian leaders, and once at the end of the war in Lebanon. Each trip was very special.

It was amazing to watch Israel go from depressed, and embattled, a year ago to cautiously optimistic, and almost victorious, today. There is still much to do, but Israel is safe, and the common Israeli soldier has transformed the Middle East.

At home in the U.S.A., we witnessed the miracle of Donald Trump surviving an assassination attempt. He went on to win the election, and the popular vote. He will take office with a mandate, and the country seems to want him to succeed.

I experienced moments of pure beauty. Some that stand out: the waterfalls of Los Angeles after a wet winter; seeing surfers on Lake Michigan in the Chicago summer; capturing a photo of a comet in the twilight above the Pacific Ocean.

I felt I achieved a great deal of personal growth as well, at a deep and emotional level. There are things I achieved, in terms of my own routine, and in managing my emotions, that felt like genuine breakthroughs. I feel I'm moving upwards.

That said, there were some low moments, and some mistakes. Thankfully, these were setbacks from which one can recover. My weight went up, for example; I cut carbs (doctor's orders) and I've lost about 5 pounds since Thanksgiving.

There are some challenges that still remain. Some involve me, and some involve close friends. I'm trying to be the best I can be -- for myself, and for them. I may have to take some risks in the new year. There may be no better time.

So here's to 2024, and to 2025. I wrote at Breitbart that 2024 was a year of miracles -- and now we need more miracles in 2025. Maybe we need to make them happen instead of waiting for them to happen. Happy New Year to all!

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Time-lapse sunrise at Temescal Falls
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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.

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The drive home 💔
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Additional note about this week: Sabbath of Vision!

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!

Weekly Torah reading: Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1 - 3:22)

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 ...

Breitbart News Sunday: show rundown (July 27, 2025)

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 ...

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