The ugly hypocrisy of a UN that supports the destruction of a Member State

Last week, Iran's Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, traveled to New York City to attend an annual UN General Assembly gathering. There, he made what many would consider a truly humanitarian announcement: Iran, he said, is "dedicated to the total elimination of all forms of racial discrimination" (here). 

No doubt, for literally tens of millions of people--perhaps even hundreds of millions--this explicit dedication to fight racism must have been inspiring. It seemed a perfectly timed  humanitarian statement to make at the Humanitarian capital of the world, the United Nations, just when the entire General Assembly was gathering.

Such a humanitarian declaration must have been especially heartwarming to amateur humanitarians everywhere because it specifically mentioned Zionism. The full statement the Iranian Foreign Minister made was this: Iran was "dedicated to the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination, including apartheid and Zionism [emphasis added]" (ibid).  

Ahh, yes, Zionism. Of course you realize that, in the 21st Century, "Zionism" does not refer to Peru or Haiti or Puerto Rico. It refers exclusively to one country: Israel. That's a fact.  

In this world, there is only one Zionist state--the Jewish State, Israel. Iran's Foreign Minister had made a very simple point. His country was openly and willfully dedicated to "eliminating" both apartheid and Zionism. To make this perfectly clear: since Israel is the only nation identified with Zionism, when the Iranian Foreign Minister says his country wants to eliminate "racial discrimination [that is, racism], apartheid and Zionism", he is openly telling us that his country seeks to eliminate the Zionist Israel.  

The inference is, Zionism is indeed racism (where have we heard that before?); Israel is Zionism itself; therefore, Israel is, by definition, both racist and apartheid; and to eliminate that racism and its stepchild, apartheid policies, Israel must be destroyed.

What a nice thought. Just after the Iranian Foreign Minister made this statement (September 24. 2021), the Jerusalem Post Magazine published a large front-page picture of a man holding up a poster containing just three words, all painted in large, bold letters saying, "ZIONISM IS RACISM".

It's a catchy phrase, eh? It's so very simple. It's so easy to read. It's so easy to understand: Zionism--that is, Israel--is racism itself. 

To present such a horrid, hateful idea at the United Nations is astonishing. Think about it: Iran's Foreign Minister stood at the UN--the world's most significant "Temple of Peace and Humanitarianism"--and declared publicly that his nation was "dedicating" itself to eradicating another UN sovereign state?  Really?

The UN Charter is opposed to that. The UN Charter dedicates the UN to declarations of peace, not to declarations of annihilating another Member State. 

This isn't a new story. It's been going on for 20 years, since the infamous Durban I Conference. What's new is, the ease with which such bigotry is spoken in the hallway of the "Holy Humanitarian" United Nations.

When Iran's Foreign Minister expresses his nation's desire to destroy another Member state, isn't that an obvious declaration of war? From the House of Peace? Really?

There must have been quite an uproar of condemnations from other Member States of the UN, yes? Well, let me ask you: did you hear the outrage? Did you hear the anger directed at Iran for desecrating the Holy walls of the "Temple" of Peace 

Neither did I. In fact, no state said anything. Apparently, Iran has normalized "Death to the Jews!" Apparently, the world accepts that as reality. The UN--that "Holy Temple of Peace"--accepts it 

The ultimate irony here is, of course, that the only nation in the Middle East that does not embrace racist or apartheid policies is Israel. Despite this truth, there still seems to be no doubt that perhaps hundreds of millions of people worldwide believe that Israel is the only apartheid state in the Middle East. No wonder Members of the UN have no complaint over the Iranian declaration. They agree with it!

The truth is, Israel is not apartheid (here). In fact, Israel is the only Democracy in the Middle East (here, p. 1452); it is the only Free country in the Middle East (Apartheid countries are not, by definition, 'Free"). This is an important point because a nation cannot at the same time be a Democracy, Free and an apartheid state. It's impossible. 

It is astounding to see so many people, including so many Jews, believing the apartheid lie they hear every day about Israel. The world certainly believes that Israel is evil, facts be damned. The world certainly makes up facts from misrepresented descriptions, the truth be damned. Clearly, the world damns Israel.

The UN is supposed to be the world's truest "Temple of Peace". It should stand up against such lies and damnations. But it doesn't. 

When it come to the subject of 'Israel', the UN will not support facts, truth or peace. Instead it supports the Irans of the world--those who hate the world's only Jewish state.

The ugly moral and legal hypocrisy of the UN is this: it proclaims itself to be the world's biggest "Temple of Peace-for-all". But in reality, every time the UN fully accepts a Member State declaring to eliminate Israel, the UN become a lying hypocrite, not a proponent of Peace.  

In the long run, how do you think that's going to works out? The short answer is, the UN's silence in the face of such hate-filled assertions will not lead to more peace. Any fool can see that. Instead, the UN's silence in the face of such hate will ultimately lead to more war.   

The UN supports the appearance of hate. It refuses to condemn ideas that certainly sound like warmongering against another Member State. Such unpeaceful behavior in a "Temple of Peace" is raw, ugly--and dangerous--hypocrisy. 

The UN should know better. It doesn't. I believe the UN will pay dearly for its ignorance. 

Can a single Tel Aviv incident teach us something about how innovation is created?

Most everyone understands the need for innovation. The reason is simple. Innovation helps us to build a better tomorrow for ourselves. 

I believe most of us realize there is a link between innovation and the future. But where does innovation come from? Do we know?

Personally, I think innovation comes from many sources. Some of these 'sources' might be called, 'triggering events'. These "triggering events" do not have to be dramatic or 'exciting'. Often, they are so mundane they are overlooked.  

For example, consider a not-so-recent incident that involved a horse and a luxury apartment building in Tel Aviv. This particular Tel Aviv incident might seem silly, perhaps even stupid. For this reason, the incident's potential for innovation might easily be overlooked.

Nevertheless, despite appearances, this incident might nonetheless also be a "triggering event" for innovation. 

Watch the video below. It is short, but instructive. The video is less than two minutes long.

Warning: there is no sound to this video; it is footage from a CCTV security camera. 

Here is the video (video comes from here; the news report comes from (here):  

Now, if you wonder what this video has to do with the process of innovation, start with a simple question: would you have been creative enough to think to lead a horse into a luxury high-rise apartment building?

Probably not. You might even think instead that this incident was closer to stupidity than 'creating a situation in order to trigger change'. You might be right.

But then, you might be wrong. You see, silly--or perhaps even stupid--behavior such as you've just seen in this video often lead to innovation. That can happen if you can see beyond the obvious silliness or the stupidity of that situation. 

For example, when this video was sent to the Tel Aviv police department by a building (no doubt irate) resident, the police promptly arrested the two men for, well, something. 

The news outlet which published this "tail" (here), did not cite any apartment-building or horse--or animal--laws as having been broken. In fact, there may have been no law or ordinance on 'the books' to break. Indeed, one of the men arrested told the police he had brought the horse into the building because he had seen no notice in the building that doing so was forbidden. 

Is it possible that this incident could provoke innovations for Tel Aviv's police? Of course that's possible: notices may now begin to appear in luxury apartment buildings to forbid horses--or any other large animal--from being brought onto the premises; and Tel Aviv's city fathers may pass a new 'no large animals in Tel Aviv high-rise' law--if only to give police the right to arrest someone for trying such a stunt--which could injure an animal.

Granted, this incident is small, perhaps even non-consequential. It may offer no proof whatsoever of a 'triggering event for innovation'. The incident may not lead to any real  innovations or changes. It may only show how stupid people can be. 

But then, this horse incident might also serve to remind us of those life situations which, sometimes, have the power to change our lives. For example, could this incident provoke a start-up company--already in the app-development business--to design a new computer application that can sense the presence of large, oddly shaped (and/or heavy) objects (like a horse) as it enters into an elevator? Of course. 

Could such a new computer app be designed to freeze an elevator door into the open position--until an oddly shaped, heavy object has been taken out of that elevator? Of course.

Could such an app make an elevator ride safer? Probably.

Innovation: it could change the laws by which we live. It could change how elevators are designed. It could make life safer.   

Innovation comes in many forms. Often, innovation begins with a "triggering" event. Is this Tel Aviv horse incident one such example? 

Yom Kippur, 2021: Twenty years after 9/11, we watch a dangerous zero-sum game

 

With one shocking swoop, US President Joe Biden may have, at the end of August, 2021, instantly changed the nature of the ongoing conflict between civilization and the ruthless. He did this by removing US troops from Afghanistan (1) before helping US citizens and Afghan US allies get out, and (2) far worse, before giving to US troops the time to remove (or destroy) some 80+ billion dollars' worth of US military hardware from Afghanistan. 

Unbelievably, the US had, essentially, gifted billions of its own military hardware to Islamic extremists. If a Western country's leadership deliberately intended to aid a mortal enemy with a single, act of foolishness (or betrayal), there is no finer way to do that than to gift so much military hardware to an enemy which has spent the last 20 years (since 9/11) perfecting its ability to fight--successfully--against the world's strongest army--all the while fielding some of the most poorly equipped fighters in the world. 

Biden had completely surrendered to this rag-tag lot. More important to America's future, he had left this anti-West terror organization far, far better equipped than it had ever been (here). Biden had given the Taliban some 80+ billion reasons to feel victoriously energized to continue its assault against the civilized.

If the Taliban has gotten this far--achieving total control of a country--with little sophisticated equipment, imagine what it can do now with 80+ billion dollars' worth of military gear. In the 20 years since 9/11, which we have just commemorated this week, the world has become  increasingly vulnerable to Jihadi attack. The thought that Jihad has just gotten an almost miraculous (from Jihad's point of view) increase in firepower should give Islamic extremists everywhere cause for joyous celebration--and Westerners cause to fear. 

Remember, "Islam" means 'submission' (here). Jihad is the war to achieve that submission. Indeed, Islamic extremists see themselves as catalytic agents in a coming apocalypse they will personally initiate. Their goal is to create their desired religious end: the complete control over everyone.  

What, exactly, do you imagine could happen to Western civilization when an unanticipated 83 billion dollars' worth of military hardware gets added to Jihad's war against that civilization?

The possible answers to this horrific question begin with the realization that the West could now, as a result of the Afghanistan debacle, see many more Islamic attacks against it. Somewhere down the road from such a start lies the realization that Islamic Jihad has good reason to believe it is now poised, prepared and equipped to take-over more countries. 

The Taliban "victory" in Afghanistan may still be fresh. But we have already seen warnings that other extremists have become "emboldened" by that victory (here). This does not bode well for the West. 

The future of the West could be bloody. Little by little, Islam could try to eat away at the edges of civilization. In time, the heart of Western civilization could become exposed.

Today, many Western nations are already ruled by an elite class which believes that Islam needs to be protected. Islam will make good use of that protection as it seeks to forward the spread of its control over others through the establishment of a universal Islamic Caliphate.   

Is Islam's strict Sharia law destined to become the law of the West?  Don't bet against it.

The West clashes with an anti-West Jihad. Put another way, the descendants of Edom (Christian Westerners) are in conflict with the descendants of Ishmael (anti-West Islamists). Right now, Islamists seem to be ahead of the West.  

Christianity weakens. Islam strengthens. With this Biden Afghan surrender, civilization has reason to worry about a coming Darkness. 

Islamic extremism follows--and sometimes leads--the spread of Islam. It is an old story come to our modern world: Edom against Ishmael. Part of our Jewish tradition suggests that, just before our Redemption, Edom and Ishmael will turn on each other. Is this what is happening now? 

What we see in the early 21st century is the ascension of Islam at the West's expense. Or, as one observer has already put it, as America dives, Islam thrives. 

This conflict between America and Islam looks like the prototypical zero-sum game: as Islam rises, America recedes.

Islam's gain (as in Afghanistan) is America's loss (as in Afghanistan). This is precisely how the zero-sum game works; and today, it is a game that favors neither America nor the West.  

Jewish High Holiday liturgy (for both Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur) says that HaShem, my G-d, Judges nations. Ultimately, He will repay nations that have brutalized, demonized and oppressed His Chosen--the Jews. He will hold nations accountable for their actions against the Jewish people.

As it has been written, so it now unfolds. Yom Kippur, just ahead (September 15-16, 2021), is the Day when HaShem's Judgments are sealed. During the year following this year's Yom Kippur, will we see how the descendants of Edom and the descendants of Ishmael are to be Judged? 

What will that mean to Edom (the Christianized West)? What will it mean to Ishmael (the followers of Islam) 

Stay tuned

Rosh Hashannah and Jewish Destiny

 

Growing up in America as an Orthodox Jew, I do not remember hearing from any Rabbi the idea that a MAJOR theme of both Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur was Redemption--the Destiny of the Jewish people. From what I can remember, I wonder if the very mention of Redemption might have been forbidden in certain American Orthodox settings.  

But the truth is, on Rosh Hashannah, when we pray for the moment when the world will recognize the power of our G-d, HaShem, we are talking, in part,  about the time of Redemption. the same thing is true when we acknowledge on Rosh Hashannah that HaShem will judge the nations: we re tlking in part about the moment of Redemption.

For example, on Rosh Hashannah, we read: which nation will experience famine, which will experience satiety, which will experience the sword, which will see peace (in the Eidut Mizrach liturgy). Yes, these statements describe how our G-d treats everyone—He is the ultimate Judge. But they also remind us of Redemption because this same kind of national Judgment will occur then, too.

There is even one opinion in our Jewish Heritage, our Talmud, that states that our Redemption will begin in the month (Tishrei) during which Rosh Hashannah occurs. That would be appropriate, given the prayers we recite on Rosh Rashannah.

Rav Kook, Israel's first Chief Ashkenaz Rabbi, strongly believed in Israel, the Jewish people—and in Redemption. He had this to say about Redemption and Rosh Hashannah (I paraphrase very freely, but I think you'll get the point) [I use the text of the speech from Rabbi Moshe Lichtman, Eretz Yisroel in the Parsha, Devora publishing, 2006, pp. 425ff]:

 

There are three types of "shofar of Moshiach" (Redemption).These three types of 'shofar of Moshiach" correspond to the three types of shofar we learn about in Jewish law (“halacha”).

 The first shofar of halacha, Rav Kook says, might be called a 'great' shofar. It is the preferred shofar--a ram's horn, beautiful. It is not easy to find.

There is a second type of shofar one can use on Rosh Hashannah. This type of shofar is not as exclusive as the first type. It is certainly kosher, but not preferred. It is found everywher.

Then there is a third type of shofar. This is a non-kosher shofar. It might come from a non-kosher animal. It might have been used for idol worship. It is clearly not kosher. However, if a community is under duress, and can find no kosher shofar anywhere, such a shofar can be used on Rosh Hashannah. Halacha says the one sounding the shofar still discharges his obligation—provided he does not recite a blessing over it.

The great shofar referred to above, Rav Kook continued, can be likened to the shofar of our ideal Redemption process. This means there is a kind of Redemption that occurs as a three-part holy awakening. It is holy because, first of all, it is an impulse based upon a strong belief in HaShem and His Torah. Second, it is based on an understanding of the sanctity of Israel and its purpose. Finally, it is an impulse based on a collective desire to fulfill G-d's will, which is to bring about Israel's complete Redemption.

This great shofar represents a Redemption based upon the Jewish nation's loftiest communal aspirations to be redeemed-- so that Israel can fulfill its destiny. This Destiny cannot be achieved when the nation is scattered, exiled and/or oppressed. The nation must be free—a freedom that begins with the sounding of great shofar.      

This is why, on Rosh Hashannah, we say in the Mussaf service: "And it will be on that day a great shofar will be blown, and those lost in the land of Assyria and those cast aside in the land of Egypt, will bow to G-d on the Holy mountain in Jerusalem...Our G-d and G-d of our fathers, blow the great shofar for our freedom, and gather in our exiled ones, and  establish for us what you promised in your Torah given to us by the hand Moshe your servant."

The second kind of shofar referred to above is also kosher. But is not preferred, for any number of reasons. This ‘second type’ refers to a second kind of Redemption process where [Jews are too comfortable to think about Redemption; they like remaining in their exile]. For such Jews, the sacred desire has deteriorated. There isn’t much collective enthusiasm for lofty or sacred ideals.

Nevertheless, human nature being what is, what these Jews might feel instead is a kind of simple, natural--or, secular--desire to become a sovereign state—to be on one’s own land, to live freely governing oneself and to be like any other nation.

This kind of Jewish Redemptive process is similar to all of the nationalist movements that spread across Europe that began in the nineteenth century and which continued into the twentieth century. It is, Rav Kook suggests, like the second shofar discussed by Jewish halacha. It is something that can be—and was--found anywhere.

But then, Rav Kook says, there is also a third kind of Redemptive process. It is a process that is not holy. It is a process that may have begun with comfort, but then leads to stress and duress. It can happen when there is no kosher process available—exactly like the third type of shofar discussed by halacha; it is not kosher; It is not preferable. But when a community is under duress, it is still useable.

Like the third shofar, this third process is, on thea surface, not valid. But it can happen when there is no holy impulse within the Jewish people. It can happen when there is no strong Jewish nationalistic feelings within the Jewish people. In this third Redemptive process, all holy and secular Jewish impulses are absent.

This sermon was given on Rosh Hashannah. What may not be obvious, however, is the year in which this particular Rosh Hashannah sermon was given: 1933.

1933 was the year Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of the German nation. By 1933, Hitler’s anti-Jew beliefs were well-known. He hated the Jew. He had already spoken about cleansing the German people of Jews. In a matter of just a few years, Hitler would begin his Holocaust against the Jew. He decimated the Jewish population of Europe.  His Germany murdered millions of innocent Jews simply because they were Jews.

Rav Kook gave this sermon less than nine months after Hitler became German Chancellor. In this sermon, was he predicting the Holocaust?

Speaking of the third, non-Kosher shofar as referring to a third Redemptive process, Rav Kook went on to say that if it was impossible to blow a kosher shofar for our Redemption—or, perhaps, if the Jewish people deafened themselves to such a call--then our enemies will come and blow the shofar of Redemption in our ears. They will force us to hear the shofar against our collective will. They will shout and make noise. They will deny us our rest.

In such an instance, the shofar of an impure animal becomes the shofar of Moshiach! If Jews refuse to awaken to the sound of the first shofar of Moshiach, and if Jews do not want to listen to the sound of the second shofar of Moshiach, they will be forced to listen to an invalid shofar of Moshiach.

Rosh Hashannah is linked to Redemption. During services for Rosh Hashannah (and Yom Kippur), please stay alert. On these Days, you're not just reading about Repentance or prayer or sin-and-forgiveness. You are reading as well about your Future--your Destiny. 

The sound of the shofar reminds us. Rosh Hashannah is about Jewish Redemption. It is the sound that awakens us to our Destiny. 

Rosh Hashannah 2021 is the time when nations are Judged in the Heavenly Court. How will America fare?

 

On the Jewish calendar, September 2, 2021 is the 25th day of the Jewish month, Elul. For Jews across the world, Elul 25 means that Rosh Hashannah is today just 6 days away. 

It is said that Rosh Hashannah celebrates the world's Creation. But Rosh Hashannah is also the time for personal reflection--because on these two Holy days, Mankind is to be Judged. Personal reflection, therefore, is appropriate.

Yes, Rosh Hashannah is indeed a Day of Awe (at the Creation that G-d wrought) and a Day of Judgment. But it is also more than that. Much more.  

According to Jewish tradition, the world was not created on Rosh Hashannah. It was created 6 days earlier--on Elul 25. It was Man who was created on Rosh Hashannah. That is important because Man has done much damage to Creation; and some say he is about to do more damage.

Also, while Mankind will be judged on Rosh Hashannah, Man is not the only subject of Judgment. The nations of the world will also be Judged. This is important because the nations have also done damage to Creation--and some believe they are about to do more damage.

On history's very first Elul 25, Creation began. It was a process that transformed the world. Indeed, by Rosh Hashannah Day, after just 6 days of this transformative Creation process, there literally began a New World Order. That is, the old world of darkness gave way to Light. The old world of chaos gave way to Order. The old way of primeval savagery gave way to Man, who appeared on the first Day of Rosh Hashannah.

Our Spiritual history began on Rosh Hashannah with the appearance of Man. This history has been characterized by struggle—the struggle to inch our way towards our true Spiritual potential. Every Rosh Hashannah, each of us gets the opportunity to commit once again to that potential.

The history of this struggle has not been easy. It has been marked by war, conquest, pestilence and slavery. It is a history filled with Man’s attempt to cleave to G-d.  But it is also a history of Man’s rebellion--and his wars--against G-d.

Man’s history has brought us brutality. It has brought to us both the Stone Age and the Dark Age.  

Modern man has been lucky. Some of us, particularly those of us in the West, live lives characterized by the benefits of, relatively speaking, great national wealth, extraordinary health care and a cornucopia of material and physical comforts. For us Westerners, life has indeed been good. The Dark Ages have been long forgotten.

Each Rosh Hashannah, we wonder what the new year will bring. In our prayers, we ask: who will die? Who will live? Who will prosper? Who will fail? Who will lose? Who will triumph?

On this Rosh Hashannah, I wonder what will the answers to these questions be for America? As America is Judged, will it prosper? Will it be at peace? I fear not.

Some in America say that the year between September 2021-October 2022 could bring to America terror attacks, gun battles in US cities and the very real possibility that, on some as-yet unknown level, life in America could collapse.

Could this really happen? Could America be Judged harshly in the Heavenly Court? 

Stay tuned. In the months following Rosh Hashannah 2021, we will all found out if America will prosper or if it will suffer a new Dark Age--or worse.