The Evolving Jew

http://evolvingjew.blogspot.com/2015/07/a-lesson-of-tisha-bav.html

New York Times, January 8th, 2020 ( link ): China Identifies New Virus Causing Pneumonialike Illness While a great deal of blame can go around for how COVID-19 was handled and the subsequent deaths and upending of our lives, no one can be blamed for not being aware of this virus strain before January. The same can't be said of the other (social) pandemic roiling our country. Racism and police brutality didn't first appear in a New York Times article 6 months ago. It's been with us for a long, long, long time, hundreds of years. There are no excuses. Enough.

BLACK LIVES MATTER Things need to change in this country. Now. I say this despite the fact that I have deep reservations about the lack of social distancing at the protests. And am deeply frustrated, even angry, at the hypocrisy of public officials and politicians who look the other way at the crowds gathering in a time of pandemic while still keeping our kids home from school and out of the playgrounds. It's a mockery of those of us who have meticulously socially distanced for months at the expense of our children's emotional health and development. But none of that should obscure the fact that the cause is deeply just. George Floyd's death (and the death of far, far too many black men and women) should not be in vain. I hope that this moment in America brings about real and lasting change.

With everything that's going on, it seemed inappropriate for the top post on my blog to have been about the Israeli election results (and that post was out-of-date anyway). Like everyone else, we are surviving, dealing with the challenge that everyone has right now, of having the kids home from preschool 24/7. But thank G-d we are healthy. May Hashem heal all who are sick and may this pass swiftly.

I'm deeply disappointed by yesterday's election results. I'm not a fan of Netanyahu (to put it mildly) nor of the right wing in Israel. But the people have spoken. There have been enough elections already. Some party or faction on the center or left should just swallow their pride and join a coalition led by Bibi. Israel needs a functioning government and maybe a center-left element might moderate it slightly. Enough elections. Update Mar 8: The above was written when it looked like the right-wing bloc had 60 seats. With only 58, it's anyone's guess what will be.

United Torah Judaism's Rabbi Yaakov Litzman ( protector of child abusers ) said, regarding Lapid: “I have never seen such a campaign of hatred against the ultra-Orthodox. If you, Mr. President, saw a campaign ad on the street of one of the candidates saying he was boycotting Ethiopians or Druze, you would be enraged: We do not know why we and the citizens of this state are punished like this.” Disingenuous, to say the least. Charedim aren't an ethnic group. They are people who have chosen a certain lifestyle. A million people (including myself) share some elements of that lifestyle, such as halachic observance. But the draft avoidance? The lack of educating children for jobs? The erasure of women? The dependence on welfare without giving anything in return? Those are choices, and choices, whether by individuals or groups are valid targets for criticism. Shame on Litzman for comparing Charedim to ethnic groups who have encountered deep discrimination just because of what et...

18 years ago The towers came down Thousands died The sky rained paper in Brooklyn. https://evolvingjew.blogspot.com/2016/09/my-9-11-story.html