Shavua Tov, The Open Forum 01.01.23

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1,099 thoughts on “Shavua Tov, The Open Forum 01.01.23”

      1. John Gillis

        Happy New Year, Rivka! I wish you and your family much health, happiness and wealth this year!

  4. Sapper 9

    McConnell is going to host BIDET in Kentucky to celebrate the infrastructure PORK BILL the day that the GOP takes the house Majority; he is SCUM and since his wife’s family owns a major Chinese shipping company with a $100,000,000.00 debt to the Chinese government, him and BIDET are both in bed with China.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/01/face-mcconnell-host-biden-infrastructure-bill-celebration-kentucky-day-gop-takes-house-majority/

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9f317eab683e44b11a61700266740fe1c8b6cad5b263ab73d031c62a5e894391.jpg

  6. Proud Conservative Mom

    hundred years.

    Indeed, in contemporary America there is little religious content or expression to New Year’s Day. Few would classify it as a religious holiday, as there is a clear secular method and reason to celebrate New Year’s day, and thus it has lost its status as a Christian Holiday. Rabbi Feinstein notes this directly himself in Iggerot Moshe (Even Haezer 2:13). He writes with regard to New Year’s:

    The first day of the year for them [January 1] . . . is not prohibited according to law, but pious people [baalei nefesh] should be strict.

    This insight, written in 1963, is even more true nowadays. The Christian origins of New Year’s is even more cloaked now than a half century ago.

    Modes of Celebration

    My own sense is that the central question here is “what do we really mean by celebrating” and that this is a good tool to use to determine how we ought to conduct ourselves as a matter of halacha. Since New Year’s Day clearly has a pagan origin, the basic rule that we ought to follow is found in the Rama YD 178:1, who seems to rule that in order to permit engaging in conduct that might have pagan origins, one must show one of four things.

    The debated activity has a secular origin or value.
    The conduct the individuals engage in can be rationally explained independent of the gentile holiday or event.
    The pagan origins are so deeply hidden that they have disappeared, and the celebrations can be attributed to some secular source or reason.
    The activities memorialized are actually consistent with the Jewish tradition.
    This method of analysis seems applicable to New Year’s as well, which clearly has a Christian origin. Each of the various activities of the day need to measure against that test. So, for example, I think that one can schedule davening on New Year’s Day on a Sunday schedule even as that “celebrates” the day in some way, as later davening time can be explained since people do not work on January 1, and sleeping later is a rational activity and thus that is permitted. So too, I think an employer who own a business is much better off as a matter of halacha giving New Year’s bonuses to workers than giving Christmas bonuses. So too, I think that one can go to an office New Year’s Eve party when one feels that such conduct is needed and part of the culture of the office one works. Assuming other aspects of Jewish law can be observed, I think that Rav Moshe’s assertion that avoiding such a party is the conduct of the pious is correct, and technical Jewish law permits such.

    Conclusion

    Jewish law has a clear method for analyzing whether secular holidays are religious, such as Christmas, and thus prohibited in celebration at all, or completely secular in origins (such as July 4th or Thanksgiving Day) and thus permitted in celebration. There is as well a middle category of holidays which have Christian origins but which are now celebrated secularly, and in such a case, halacha asks whether the mode of secular celebration can be rationally explained or the religious origins are fully hidden and have been replaced with a secular source or reason.

    ****************************************

    My comment:

    Orthodox Jews do not celebrate New Year’s Day.
    Even though it became more benign so to speak of a holiday, its roots are from paganism and was adopted by Christianity as well.

    This link talks about all of the gentile holidays.
    I just copied the part relevant to New Year’s Day.

    It’s not considered on the level of a Jew Heaven forbid celebrating Christmas, which is absolutely idolatry for a Jew.

    That being said, pious Jews (as Rabbi Moshe Feinstein ZTL ruled, don’t celebrate it).

    (The RAMA (Rabbi Moshe Isserles ZTL lived four hundred years ago.)

    @sapper9:disqus
    @anthonyquest:disqus

    Personally, I have no issue with wishing any gentile a Happy New Year. It doesn’t compare to Easter and Christmas both regarding idolatry and the fact that those two days were days where Christians sought to slaughter Jews as part of the “celebration.”

    .

  7. Proud Conservative Mom

    Celebrating January 1st and Jewish Law

    January 1st as New Years day has a clearly pagan origin. As Wikipedia notes (link):

    The Romans dedicated this day to Janus, the god of gates, doors, and beginnings. The month of January was named after Janus, who had two faces, one looking forward and the other looking backward. This suggests that New Year’s celebrations are founded on pagan traditions. Some have suggested this occurred in 153 BC, when it was stipulated that the two annual consuls (after whose names the years were identified) entered into office on that day, though no consensus exists on the matter. Dates in March, coinciding with the spring equinox, or commemorating the Annunciation of Jesus, along with a variety of Christian feast dates were used throughout the Middle Ages, though calendars often continued to display the months in columns running from January to December.

    It is quite clear that on a historical level that Catholic Europe celebrated New Years day religiously for centuries. Indeed, consider the simple remarks of the Rama writing in the Darchei Moshe YD 148 quoting the Terumat Hadeshen. He states:

    It is written in the Terumat Hadeshen 195 that even nowadays one who wants to send [gifts] on the eighth day after Christmas which is called New Years should send such [gifts] during the day before [December 31st] and not on the day of the holiday, itself. And if the day before the holiday falls out on Shabbat, one may send on the day of the holiday, itself as there is a matter of hatred [eiva] if one sends later than that or more before then.

    While the Rama in the Shulchan Aruch (YD 148:12) does not quote this formulation exactly, it is clear to me that this is function of censorship within the Rama and not because the matter is in dispute. According to Rama, New Year’s day is a Christian Holiday (indeed the formulation in the Terumat Hadeshen makes it clear that we are discussing the eighth day of Christmas as much as New Year’s day) whose celebration must be avoided and can only be marked when long term life threatening hatred to our community will result if gifts are not given.

    On the other hand, the reality seems to have completely changed. New Year’s Day – like Valentine’s Day and unlike Christmas – seems to have completely lost its Christian overtones.[4]

    Even in the deep Christian South where I live there are no indicia that connect New Years Day to Christianity. The “first generation” Hindu and Muslim communities in Atlanta – who would never celebrate Christmas – have New Year’s Eve parties. It is obvious that the status of New Year’s Day has changed in the last three hundred years.

    Indeed, in contemporary America there is little religious content or expression to New Year’s Day. Few would classify it as a religious holiday, as there is a clear secular method and reason to celebrate New Year’s day, and thus it has lost its status as a Christian Holiday. Rabbi Feinstein notes this directly himself in Iggerot Moshe (Even Haezer 2:13). He writes with regard to New Year’s:

    The first day of the year for them [January 1] . . . is not prohibited according to law, but pious people [baalei nefesh] should be strict.

    This insight, written in 1963, is even more true nowadays. The Christian origins of New Year’s is even more cloaked now than a half century ago.

    Modes of Celebration

    My own sense is that the central question here is “what do we really mean by celebrating” and that this is a good tool to use to determine how we ought to conduct ourselves as a matter of halacha. Since New Year’s Day clearly has a pagan origin, the basic rule that we ought to follow is found in the Rama YD 178:1, who seems to rule that in order to permit engaging in conduct that might have pagan origins, one must show one of four things.

    The debated activity has a secular origin or value.
    The conduct the individuals engage in can be rationally explained independent of the gentile holiday or event.
    The pagan origins are so deeply hidden that they have disappeared, and the celebrations can be attributed to some secular source or reason.
    The activities memorialized are actually consistent with the Jewish tradition.
    This method of analysis seems applicable to New Year’s as well, which clearly has a Christian origin. Each of the various activities of the day need to measure against that test. So, for example, I think that one can schedule davening on New Year’s Day on a Sunday schedule even as that “celebrates” the day in some way, as later davening time can be explained since people do not work on January 1, and sleeping later is a rational activity and thus that is permitted. So too, I think an employer who own a business is much better off as a matter of halacha giving New Year’s bonuses to workers than giving Christmas bonuses. So too, I think that one can go to an office New Year’s Eve party when one feels that such conduct is needed and part of the culture of the office one works. Assuming other aspects of Jewish law can be observed, I think that Rav Moshe’s assertion that avoiding such a party is the conduct of the pious is correct, and technical Jewish law permits such.

    Conclusion

    Jewish law has a clear method for analyzing whether secular holidays are religious, such as Christmas, and thus prohibited in celebration at all, or completely secular in origins (such as July 4th or Thanksgiving Day) and thus permitted in celebration. There is as well a middle category of holidays which have Christian origins but which are now celebrated secularly, and in such a case, halacha asks whether the mode of secular celebration can be rationally explained or the religious origins are fully hidden and have been replaced with a secular source or reason.

    ***************************************

    My comment:

    Orthodox Jews do not celebrate New Year’s Day.
    Even though it became more benign so to speak of a holiday, its roots are from paganism and was adopted by Christianity as well.

    This link talks about all of the gentile holidays.
    I just copied the part relevant to New Year’s Day.

    It’s not considered on the level of a Jew Heaven forbid celebrating Christmas, which is absolutely idolatry for a Jew.

    That being said, pious Jews (as Rabbi Moshe Feinstein ZTL ruled, don’t celebrate it).

    (The RAMA (Rabbi Moshe Isserles ZTL lived four hundred years ago.)

    @sapper9:disqus
    @anthonyquest:disqus

    Personally, I have no issue with wishing any gentile a Happy New Year. It doesn’t compare to Easter and Christmas both regarding idolatry and the fact that those two days were days where Christians sought to slaughter Jews as part of the “celebration.”

    https://www.torahmusings.com/2011/12/is-new-years-kosher/

    .

    2. Weary Traveler

      Tomorrow will be interesting now that all the festivities are over. For me, New Years is kind of like the myth of Sisyphus, and the boulder just rolled down the other side of the mountain. That always becomes most apparent to me on January 2nd, and there’s a little bit of the blues associated with it.

      1. Proud Conservative Mom

        That would stand to reason, because January 2nd gives you nothing to look forward to as far as holidays to celebrate in the near future.

        I’m making that statement based on what you wrote.

        1. Weary Traveler

          It’s not just that, but it is the whole idea of one process coming to an end, and having to start another one all over again.

          I don’t know if you ever read Camus’ take on Sisyphus, but he compared it to the daily grind of life, where you spend each and every day completing tasks only to have them waiting for you to do all over again tomorrow = the drudgery of repetition.

          1. Proud Conservative Mom

            I never read Camus’ take on Sisyphus.

            I CAN tell you that Judaism is not like that.
            Every single day is a new chance to shine, to climb mountain peaks that you never imagined doing, to train and learn to be better than who you were the day before.

            Life is always purposeful.
            That’s why Orthodox Jews live very beautiful and content lives.

          2. Weary Traveler

            I would characterize it as the difference between living and existing.

            Unfortunately, our more materialist system has put people in a repetitious cycle that is solely focused on survival, and designed to make sure you never get ahead.

            That kind of dovetails in to an article I posted on the previous page about why men are dropping out of the workforce, or as I would argue, are being pushed out.

  8. Proud Conservative Mom

    Sylvester Day

    By: Aish.com

    @nicetomeetyou2:disqus

    Question: I understand that in Israel the secular New Year is referred to as “Yom Sylvester.” Where does this name come from?

    The Aish Rabbi Replies
    In 46 BCE the Roman emperor Julius Caesar made adjustments to the Roman calendar, including beginning the new year on January 1 rather than in March. (He egocentrically decreed that the calendar should henceforth be called the “Julian” calendar.)

    In practical terms, all cultures celebrate the new year according to their particular calendar and the Romans were no different. When the Roman Empire became the Holy Roman Empire under Constantine, at his mother Helena’s behest, the Christian world carried on the custom of celebrating the Roman new year.

    In many European countries this day was named after Saint Sylvester. There have been three popes named Sylvester (who later became Saints), but the one after whom the day is named is Sylvester I (314-335). Christianity grew under his rule and it is believed that he died on December 31. In addition, during his rule it was believed that he had been swallowed by the Leviathan sea monster and that the monster would return in the year 1000 to destroy and kill. When it did not, people were relieved and they celebrated.

    As you see, there is nothing remotely Jewish about “Sylvester Day.” So why is it celebrated in Israel?

    Israeli society flows according to the Jewish calendar. Schools and businesses are closed on Shabbat, and the whole country shuts down on Jewish holidays like Yom Kippur. For that reason the secular/Christian new year has little significance. Yet when some ultra-secularists discovered that most of the world holds a “New Years party,” they didn’t want to feel left out.

    Yet they couldn’t call it “New Years” because that title was already taken by Rosh Hashana. So the name Sylvester was adopted in its stead.

        1. Weary Traveler

          Some streets were flooded in my area, but we are okay. Santa Cruz County, and some other places had evacuation notices from what I heard on the local news yesterday.

          It was wild. Yesterday we got over 5.8 inches of rain in my area alone, and cleared up in time for NYE fireworks. LOL

          1. Proud Conservative Mom

            Good Heavens!
            That’s WILD.

            I’m so very grateful that all is okay and that you enjoyed the fireworks.

            On another note, can you please repost the Rabbi Lapin video here on this page so that I can readily view it and comment on it as well?

            Thank you most kindly!

          4. Weary Traveler

            Being part Hispanic and Italian/Sicilian, rolling Rs is an ability that comes very naturally to me. LOL

          6. Weary Traveler

            Now that is very interesting. I’m trying to imagine you rolling R’s now. Now I have to hear it for myself. LOL

          12. Proud Conservative Mom

            Just a moment.
            I would love to know what he means that he gives speeches in Churches.

            It is ABSOLUTELY 💯 PERCENT FORBIDDEN for any Jew to go into a Church for any reason whatsoever.

            I’m praying that this is not the case for so many reasons.

            Perhaps it’s a building owned by the Church without any Church symbols and not a Church proper.

          13. Weary Traveler

            I know there are rabbi’s who have debated ministers. I would be curious to know what kind of churches. I am wondering if it is the more fundamental that want to learn more “old testament” as they like to call it?

          14. Proud Conservative Mom

            No Orthodox Jewish Rabbi would ever step into a Church.
            It is absolutely FORBIDDEN.
            It would have had to be in a more neutral building; NEVER a Church.
            Trust me on this.

            Rabbi Tovia Singer, can readily confirm that and has NEVER held any of his plethora amount of debates in a Church.

          15. Weary Traveler

            As you know, I can only take your word for it. You would have to ask him directly. I know his biggest claim to fame was talking about finance from a biblical perspective, and how that tied in to other areas of life. So maybe that was the subject? I’ve heard him on the radio, and it was on a news talk station.

          17. Weary Traveler

            I don’t doubt what you are saying. You are one of the people that I trust as far as accurate information regarding Judaism.

            I just know what I don’t know, if that makes sense.

          19. Weary Traveler

            I have actually book marked a few of Rabbi Singer’s debates. I’ve been meaning to watch them.

            He has a good way of explaining many things.

          23. Weary Traveler

            Seems like good old common sense to me. Part of developing immunity growing up was catching the bugs. Schools were a good place to be for that, because as I am sure you know, schools are petri dishes.

          26. Proud Conservative Mom

            WOW! The Amish were completely back to normal in MAY of 2020!

            YES! Patients not being isolated and having loved ones around them makes a HUGE difference.

            We’re not meant to be hermits!
            Moreover, the ill are even far more vulnerable.

          27. Weary Traveler

            Yup. And this is where he says that “it is not good for man to be alone” wasn’t only referring to ‘relations’.

          28. Proud Conservative Mom

            I concur absolutely.

            Moreover, it’s not just about physical intimacy.
            It’s about emotional intimacy as well.

            The Niddah Laws are a tremendous gift from Hashem.

            They ensure that an Orthodox Jewish marriage has a healthy dose of BOTH.

            BOTH parts of the relationship are equally critical.

          29. Weary Traveler

            Exactly. We are social creatures. We can’t just be put away like an overcoat when summer arrives.

          31. Weary Traveler

            Yes, I know that whenever I felt like, uh, let’s just say, sweet honey iced tea, I always recovered quicker with loved ones around.

          38. Proud Conservative Mom

            Very fascinating point about the peanut allergies.

            I don’t remember the phenomena in my day.

            That being said, one my cousins has always been insanely allergic to ALL nuts.
            She can easily go into anaphylactic shock just being near any nuts.

          39. Weary Traveler

            I never heard of it either until fairy recently. There seem to be far more allergies lately, and I somehow have none.

            I thought it was just genes, but I now that I think about it, I am sure that it has something to do with how my mom went ballistic on the school when they wanted me vaxxed for something or other, I think it was TB, and she told them were to stick it.

          40. Proud Conservative Mom

            Good for your mother!

            BH, no one in my family had any adverse effects to regular vaccines.

            I am allergic not to foods, but things like pollen, dust, mildew, mold, and Spring, in a nutshell.
            I’m also allergic to a few different medications.

          43. Proud Conservative Mom

            He’s raising alot of interesting queries.

            My pediatrician and those of my children really spread out the vaccines.

            It wasn’t given all at once; not even close.
            He didn’t believe it was safe.

          44. Weary Traveler

            I remember Savage would talk a lot about vaccines, and why he never inoculted his own children, but instead put them on very strict vitamin regements.

            My grandma did that with me. She used to be a Shaklee distributor for many years, and made sure I took a lot of vitamins. One of the things I am so thankful for about the “new agey/hippi’ish aspects of my family. LOL

          47. Weary Traveler

            Yep. I remember well. Got in to more than my own fair share of pissing contests with people over that nonsense.

          53. Proud Conservative Mom

            Ah yes…
            The pictures in the Washington Compost of the Orthodox Jews were all Jews who were domiciled in Brooklyn, NY.

            Meanwhile, it was an article about an uptick of the measles and chicken pox in Columbus, Ohio.
            It was DESPICABLE.
            😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡

          55. Weary Traveler

            Unfortunately, that is very true.

            I got a good dose of that reality the time I lived in Sacramento.

          56. Proud Conservative Mom

            Absolutely, crime is horrific in Democrat run cities.
            Most definitely Soros D.A.’s are a catalyst of it.
            It’s a collapse of law and order.

            Asians and Jews are very easy victims.

            It’s true.
            We’re not built like Sumo wrestlers! 😂😂😂

          60. Weary Traveler

            Now that I can also attest to, and have seen in practice in Nevada. But Nevada is also an open carry state. It’s not uncommon to see a regular person with a firearm strapped to their side.

          62. Weary Traveler

            Even the mob knew to keep their noses clean in Vegas, and make sure the crimes stayed indoors, and attracted zero attention.

          64. Weary Traveler

            Nevada locals are very, VERY, protective of their home turf.

            It made sense from the mob’s vantage point as well, as the casinos are so dependent on tourism. High crime is not good for tourism = bad for business.

          66. Proud Conservative Mom

            The masks were indeed virtually useless and if one wasn’t wearing a mask, they were portrayed as the aggressor and threat to everyone else’s health.
            It is beyond dastardly!

            People behaved completely irrationally and insanely because they were led to believe that via the government.

          72. Proud Conservative Mom

            Oh sure. 🤦

            The government is concerned about protecting national health.
            Only one who is a member of the sheeple would believe such malarkey!

            It’s indeed very dangerous to have people under control like that.

            Branch Covidians, is an excellent depiction, @dr_darko:disqus!

          73. Weary Traveler

            If this is how our government treats us because they care so much about us, I would hate to see what they would do to us if they hated us.

          79. Proud Conservative Mom

            Yup!
            The Bible has absolutely played a tremendous role in human society.
            Every intelligent person should know something about it!

            YES! KNOWING BIBLICAL HEBREW IS IMPERATIVE TO TRULY UNDERSTANDING TANACH.
            Otherwise, one is at the mercy of the intents and opinions of the “translator!!”
            💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

          82. Proud Conservative Mom

            The paragraph by Professor Lewinton, is sheer brilliance and completely spot on!

            I opine that we all need to use the brains that Hashem gifted to us and USE THEM.
            We must be critical thinkers!

            Judaism greatly encourages this!

          83. Proud Conservative Mom

            The paragraph by Professor Lewinton, is sheer brilliance and completely spot on!

            I opine that we all need to USE the brains that Hashem gifted to us.
            We must be critical thinkers!

            Judaism greatly encourages this!

          85. Proud Conservative Mom

            YES. The existence of Jews makes it impossible to ignore the Bible.
            That makes the Left insane.

            Very well stated!

            (Voltaire was a rabid antisemite.)

            There is a desperate urge to reaffirm materialism and physical only.
            INDUBITABLY.

          87. Proud Conservative Mom

            Very much so.
            I love to be intellectually stimulated.

            It’s a fabulous podcast and excellent distraction.

            I really appreciate it.

            Please feel free to post more of these.

            They’re springboards to great discussions.

          90. Chief Mac

            I remember flying rescue on the Russian River during the 1980s. Big water shed, narrow river valley – didn’t take much to cause a flood

          91. Weary Traveler

            Drainage control is awful out here. Most of the flooding in this area is totally avoidable.

  18. Proud Conservative Mom

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/42b469fbc7ca941cee6a4caba55bcc6c6a12c987de2b0aa3f70a7cdac803d481.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d29e8ea7b186c180f06a50c9fcafbacc8a0ca7e68652a1a4adca4c01d6438543.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/47a808e71a0df13212a9cfbfce67300c1137b6fda89bb6796119505126f3503d.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fb36f6d91fc44a3c0de125e74b0609a15c919406bcfdfac784e4d30a2f05a2b0.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a7ac07be614c53e00c25496acf1a5ff2300889d4de1a614298404a12e2a13389.jpg

    It starts with the dehumanization…

    NEVER FORGET.
    NEVER FORGIVE.

        1. Weary Traveler

          Pretty much every skinhead wannabe I ever encountered is a cellar dweller with no personality, and is an incel that couldn’t even get a date with a calendar, let alone even a Rosie O’Donnel look-alike. LOL

          4. Weary Traveler

            “Probably form the east.” Translation = He’ll be ordering an Asian mail order bride after his mom dies. LOL

  22. bill smith

    It happened right at the ‘stroke’ of midnight.

    Hezzy chief terrorist Nastyrallah rumored to have suffered stroke
    Reports claim Hezzy leader has been hospitalized after suffering a stroke, while the terror group claims he just has the flu.

      1. Tony

        I am watching Wikipedia. it begins…..”Hassan Nasrallah is a Lebanese cleric…”.
        I am waiting for “is” to change to “was”.

    2. Tony

      Hey, that’s illegal! Corrupting the youth. An incitement to violence, Watch out for the knock on the door!

      1. Chief Mac

        My greeter for the front door is a 12 gauge pump loaded with 3″ magnum slugs and 3″ magnum 00 buck rounds. Hope they bring their own body bags

          2. Tony

            Must be a long time ago, but we had adverts like that over here. “Join the Army and See the World”.
            They wouldn’t have me. I was too skinny.

          3. Chief Mac

            I too was under weight, but the regulations were waved because of prior service and my entry scores. They feed me 9 meals a day until I gained 25 lbs during basic training

          4. Sapper 9

            We the unwilling, led by the unknowing, have done so much, with so little, for so long, that now we can do anything with nothing.

          5. Weary Traveler

            Our military used that same slogan for recruitment. Oddly enough, truck driving schools have a similar hook, but it’s something like “get paid to see the country.” LOL.

            I have a friend who did OTR = Over The Road for 2 years. Even when he had to take a load to a place like NYC, he didn’t get to hang out in Manhattan. More like doing his 30 hour reset in some industrial wasteland in New Jersey with very limited access to the city proper, if any at all.

          6. Sapper 9

            I remember the first time I heard the Navy’s new commercial : ” a world force for good”, then it made them look like they were the Red Cross.

            Now they are all in on the TRANNY agenda and our military has been turned into a transitioning camp , where the real soldiers have to carry the load for the freaks.

          11. Weary Traveler

            Just being in the presence of people like that is punishment enough. I hate saying this as someone who is single, but I honestly can’t stand being around most other single men. Not all, but most. It’s too obvious why many of them still are, even if you consider all else working against people in our screwed up society.

            I remember years ago when I was renting a room from my cousin, our other roommate was a good example of an expression one friend of mine has which is, “if you can’t be a good example, at least you can serve as a terrible warning..

            This guy was much older, divorced three times, half drunk most times, bitter and single of course. Granted, I didn’t mess up my life near as bad as this guy, but just being around him felt so toxic that I swore to God that if I ended up in his situation at his age, that I will eat a bullet and just end it = doing both myself and the world a around me a huge favor.

            Thankfully, I still have a lot of time, and more going for me.

          2. Weary Traveler

            Best to keep the grave site away from the homestead. The mob had an unmarked “pet cemetery” just outside of Henderson where they dropped off the card cheats. LOL

          4. Sapper 9

            Remember to use a SOD CUT, so you can put the original grass back over the hole, SAPPER tip of the day.

          6. Chief Mac

            What they going to do? The people where I live have been hunting government agents so long that they are an endangered species

          8. Sapper 9

            Most certainly, I have a few investment properties around the state, which I picked up cheap at auction and they all connect with the Mark Twain National forest.

    3. Sapper 9

      My mother had a childhood photo of me that looked almost exactly like that, at first I thought that was child me. lol

    4. bill smith

      Leftists are getting wise to terms like “beta-make” and others; so, I’ve resorted to telling them that they need to drastically up their Luteinizing Hormone levels.
      Mostly they nod and agree with no suspicion that I am actually insulting them with contempt.

      1. Sapper 9

        In my opinion , it has looked like a game from the beginning, a game of control, manipulation and corruption.

          1. Proud Conservative Mom

            Amen is from the Hebrew word אמן, which is pronounced “Uh-Main.”
            It is an affirmation to Hashem.
            It’s an abbreviation for Hashem, the faithful King.
            It also means, may it be so.

            When a Jew says אמן, it brings tremendous blessings to the world.

            When I hear a Jew make a blessing, I always say אמן. It is also a Mitzvah (Commandment) to do so.

            It is a win-win situation on every single level.
            I always try to find someone to listen to me recite my blessings on food for example, out loud, so an אמן can be said.

            It also strengthens the blessing and gives my family or friends extra merits.

            Who cannot use more of those?!

            FYI, gentiles can say אמן in response to a Jewish blessing, and receive partial credit for doing so.

          5. Proud Conservative Mom

            The reason for the partial credit is the following: CHAZAL (an acronym for our Sages of blessed memory) taught “Greater is the one who is commanded and accomplishes (via doing the Commandment) from one who isn’t commanded to do so (and accomplishes it).”

            Here’s why.
            The Yetzer Horah (Evil Inclination) is hellbent on preventing and thwarting us from doing our job and keeping the Torah.
            That is NOT the case with those gentiles who want to take on voluntarily more Mitzvos to keep.
            The Yetzer Horah doesn’t bother trying to stop you.

            Since Hashem is just, as a result he will reward a gentile (Hashem doesn’t withhold reward from any of His creations), but will righteously only give partial credit.

            A gentile can rack up alot of extra merits and keep any Commandment sans Shabbos.

            This is because Shabbos was given as a special gift and covenant to the Jewish People, ALONE.

            The consequence for a gentile keeping Shabbos according to Halacha (Jewish law) receives the death penalty from the Heavenly Court.

            This is because that one who partakes of a gift that doesn’t belong to them is stealing.
            We all know how Hashem feels about stealing.
            It was one of the reasons for The Great Flood (Mabul).

            I’m going to have a rant right now.
            😁😁😁
            What can I say AuntiE?
            You inspire me.

            It takes alot to offend me.
            I look at life through the lense of Torah.
            Realize that not ONE SINGLE LETTER in the Torah is superfluous.

            The Torah contains several verses in Exodus alone, that talks about this special covenant between Hashem and the Jewish People called Shabbos.

            Exodus 31:13″And you, speak to the children of Israel and say: ‘Only keep My Sabbaths! For it is a sign between Me and you for your generations, to know that I, the L-rd, make you holy.”

            Exodus 31:16-17 “Thus shall the children of Israel observe the Sabbath, to make the Sabbath throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant.”
            “Between Me and the children of Israel, it is forever a sign that [in] six days The Lord created the heaven and the earth, and on the seventh day He ceased and rested.””

            The Oral Torah (Talmud), also describes how Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses, our Teacher), that He had a special gift from His treasure house to give to the Jewish People and Shabbos was its name.

            Therefore, it really perturbs me when gentiles wish each other a Shabbat Shalom or say Shabbat Shalom to “everyone.”

            NO!
            NO!
            NO!

            HASHEM SAID NO.
            Gentiles have no place in our special gift from Hashem.

            Anyone who has a problem with it, has to speak to Hashem directly about it.

            I didn’t author the Torah.
            I just very lovingly keep it.

            So to all of you marvelous people who only wish a good Shabbos or Shabbat Shalom to Jews EXCLUSIVELY, know that it is extremely appreciated.

            It really gets under my skin.

            (End of rant. PHEW. 🧐🤓)

          6. AuntiE*TFL

            Oh dear me. I am guilty of your mentioned transgression. My apologies to all. I did not know what I thought was a polite thing was verboten.😔😞😟

            As you did a most excellent rant, I may have to create a ranting stool for your use.

          11. Proud Conservative Mom

            It was in the low fifties today and misting.

            It’s supposed to hit 61 on Wednesday, but rain.
            I believe it will be in the fifties tomorrow as well.

            I’m so very grateful that you had such lovely weather!

            I’m exceedingly grateful that it’s temporarily warm.

            I have butterflies in my stomach for Wednesday.
            I haven’t performed in a choir for an audience since before Covid.
            For some reason, I have stage fright.
            🤦🙈😳

            I have a duet in the opening song.
            We’re performing for Jewish female residents in addition to other female guests from 3-4.

            My butterflies are having butterflies.

            I haven’t been this nervous since I sang a solo in my high school production.
            😱😱😱

            On the plus side, it’s distracting me from being pulled down from grieving.

            I have been trying to compartmentalize it and not have it take me over completely.
            It will take time.
            That’s the reality of the situation.

            My youngest saw me in tears Friday morning.
            He gave me a huge hug and said that Moshiach is imminently coming.
            Along with him coming, will be the resurrection of the dead.
            He added that I will hardly know that Tzippora was ever gone.
            It’s extremely temporary.
            🥹🥹🥹❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

            AMAIN VE’AMAIN!
            May it be Hashem’s Will!

          12. AuntiE*TFL

            My answer to your nervousness comes from the CJB;

            Psalm 91:2 who say to ADONAI, “My refuge! My fortress! My God, in whom I trust!”

            For all people of faith (Jew or Gentile), it is the most difficult thing to do ie. letting go and trusting God.

          13. John Gillis

            Yes! I wholly agree. When I give these wishes, it’s exclusively to Jewish friends, particularly my NtJP friends.

          14. Proud Conservative Mom

            That’s terrific to know.
            It was never clear to me, to be honest.

            That’s why I post a separate greeting for my Jewish brethren and gentile friends on Fridays.

            When one says Shabbat Shalom everyone, for example, it totally blurs the distinction.

          17. Proud Conservative Mom

            Good morning.
            You wouldn’t know, so I am putting you and everyone on notice: אמן is a very holy word and shouldn’t be the subject of a joke.

            No offense taken whatsoever, and no apology necessary.
            We all learn something new constantly. 😁😁😁

          19. Proud Conservative Mom

            Sephardic Jews say Ah-Men.

            Chabad says “eh-man?”
            (Sometimes I cannot tell if you are in earnest or not. It’s a tad problematic for me at times. 🤦🤦🤦)

            I don’t change my dialect unless I choose to do so.
            Unless I am speaking Ivrit (Modern Hebrew) to an Israeli, I will always use the Ashkenazi dialect.

          22. AuntiE*TFL

            Ready, I was sitting there when he said that. I was on campus for something else. The person I had to deliver the documents to had me meet them there and invited me to stay for the presentation.

      2. AuntiE*TFL

        It was nothing short of one of the world’s largest psychological scare games. It continues to be a way to learn exactly how much control people will give up.

    2. george linker

      This was a known side effect of mrna vaccines that was well published for decades. Seems that someone doesn’t care.

        1. John Gillis

          LOLOLOL! I can’t imagine people buying into this tranny nonsense.

          And to think I was considering a nip and a tuck.

          1. Weary Traveler

            I can’t either. Of course it’s being pushed, not because they care about these people, but for depopulation.

        1. AlgorithmicAnalyst

          Thanks, I feel better, clearing my sinuses seems to have reduced the incidence of my headaches, although I have had 3 dreadful headaches since I started that, of unknown causes, which I have been trying to determine.

  42. John Gillis

    Good morning NtJP!

    I’m having a bad start to the New Year with this wretched flu. It’s so bad that I butchered a Simon and Garfunkel song:

    Slow down, you hurl too fast,
    You’ve got to make the chunder last,
    You’re puking on the cobblestones,
    Everybody knows you’re feelin’ oogy!

    1. Weary Traveler

      I had a few symptoms, but nothing full on. A slightly sore throat for 24 hours I was able to combat with some raw honey, and a runny nose yesterday. So far I am seem normal again.

        1. Weary Traveler

          UGH… That’s the only bad thing about this time of year. I hope you have a lot of vitamins.

  43. bill smith

    Fast of the Tenth of Tevet

    Dozens of women gathered at the Havruta Beit Midrash in Oz ve Gaon for shiurim in honor of the Tenth of Tevet – in anticipation of redemption.

    Rabbi Baruch Efrati gave the first lesson on the Laws of Teshuva (Repentance) and said, among other things: “Applying sovereignty to the Land of Israel is repentance for the sin of Galut (exile).”

  47. Proud Conservative Mom

    Former senior IDF intelligence officer Raphael Jerusalmy says that new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apparently got the greenlight from Russian President Vladimir Putin to strike the Damascus Airport.

    — JewishNews24

  48. Proud Conservative Mom

    The Tenth of Teves

    By: Rabbi Berel Wein

    One day commemorates a variety of Jewish tragedies.

    The Tenth of Tevet is one of the four fast days that commemorate dark times in Jewish history. The others are Tisha B’Av (the day of the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem), the 17th of Tammuz (the day of the breaching of the defensive wall of Jerusalem by Titus and the Roman legions in 70 CE), and the third of Tishrei (the day that marks the assassination of the Babylonian-appointed Jewish governor of Judah, Gedaliah ben Achikam. He was actually killed on Rosh Hashanah but the fast day was advanced to the day after Rosh Hashanah because of the holiday).

    The Tenth of Tevet marks the onset of the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylonia, and the beginning of the battle that ultimately destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple of Solomon, and sent the Jews into the 70-year Babylonian Exile. The date of the Tenth of Tevet is recorded for us by the prophet Yechezkel, who himself was already in Babylonia as part of the first group of Jews exiled there by Nebuchadnezzar, 11 years earlier than the actual destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem itself.

    The Tenth of Tevet is viewed as such a severe and important fast day that it is observed even if it falls on a Friday (erev Shabbat), while our other fast days are so arranged by calendar adjustments as to never fall on a Friday, so as not to interfere with Shabbat preparations.

    GREEK TRANSLATION
    However, there are other commemorative days that fall immediately before the Tenth of Tevet and their memory has been silently incorporated in the fast day of the Tenth of Tevet as well. On the eighth of Tevet, King Ptolemy of Egypt forced 70 Jewish scholars to gather and translate the Hebrew Bible into Greek (only the Pentateuch). Even though the Talmud relates to us that this project was blessed with a miracle — the 70 scholars were all placed in separate cubicles and yet they all came up with the same translation — the general view of the rabbis of the time towards this project was decidedly negative. The Talmud records that when this translation became public “darkness descended on the world.”

    1. Proud Conservative Mom

      Tevet: Lost in Translation

      By: Rebbetzin Tzippora (Heller) Gottlieb

      Tevet is a time of return and redefinition.

      Changes took place in the Hebrew month of Tevet that have cast a shadow throughout the course of Jewish history.

      On the eighth of Tevet, the Torah’s translation into Greek, ordered by Ptolemy, was completed. The Egyptian monarch was fully aware of how complicated the job would be. Ptolemy gathered 70 scholars to compose a translation using only the written text. He hoped that it would not only give the Greeks a literal understanding of the Five Books of Moses, but a vicarious peek at what God actually communicated to the Jews at Mount Sinai.

      The resulting translation was considered a tragedy. Why? Is this inherent to all translations? Why should the truth of the Torah be inaccessible? In modern times the plethora of translations have been stupendous. The overwhelming ignorance of Jewish tradition and liturgy that I grew up with has been just about eliminated by ArtScroll prayer books and Stone chumashim (five books of Moses).

      What’s the difference between the Septuagint (the 70-man translation) and ArtScroll?
      (Artscroll is one of the publishing companies that have the Hebrew Bible translated by Orthodox Jews, alone.)

      Ptolemy wanted to Hellenize the Torah. He wanted it in his library along with the other classics of his time. To him it was inconceivable that a God-given document and one written by man should be treated differently.

      The goal of Torah is to present us with a way of life; one that will change us and take us to parts unknown — Gods infinity. The purpose of other works is to give us greater insight into ourselves and into the world. One deals with human beings and their world, while the other deals with a world far beyond the limitations of human observation. The authors of today’s translations want to let everyone experience Torah by making them bigger. Ptolemy wanted to give everyone access to Torah by dwarfing its scope to fit the limitations of the human mind.

      It was a tragedy. In fact, our sages compared it to the sin of the Golden Calf. The Jews, who found the encounter at Sinai with an unknowable God to be overwhelming, made a god of their own once they thought Moses was no longer with them. It was a god that fit their already existent repertoire of religious symbolism. They made God small just when they had the opportunity to walk forward into the unknown with pure faith and transform themselves into a far greater people than they could have at any other time.

      The ninth of Tevet marks the day of the death of Ezra and Nechemia, the spiritual leaders who brought the Jews back from the Babylonian exile to begin the process of rejuvenating the Jewish people. The Babylonian exile was the forced expulsion of the Jews from the homeland that they inhabited for 850 years to Babylon. They remained there for 70 years. During the course of this time, Persians conquered the Babylonians, and the Greeks, in turn, conquered the Persians.

      It seemed from the outside that the trauma of expulsion plus the subtle forces of assimilation to the conqueror that represents success and victory doomed us to becoming an anonymous non-nation. Ezra and Nechemia reversed the process, and virtually breathed new life into our sense of nationhood. They were successful beyond anyone’s wildest imagination. With the political help of Cyrus of Persia, the dream of return became a reality.

      Unlike the present return to Israel, the return was not scarred by spiritual ambiguity. Ezra achieved what no leader (even Moses) had achieved in our entire history. He inspired his people to not only return to their land, but simultaneously to return to God. It was a new era indeed. But with their death, the era came to an end, and the next step forward was far more hesitant than it was in their lifetimes. The entire Second Temple period was one in which slow erosion of our identity took place. There were golden moments and unforgettable personalities. Nonetheless, something was missing: the absolute clarity of purpose that Ezra brought us.

      The cliche is that no one is irreplaceable. It’s a lie. In fact, the opposite is true: No one is at all replaceable. Nothing brings that fact home more than the decline that took place so soon after the death of the leaders.

      On the tenth of Tevet, we had the dubious distinction of a “new beginning” that still has an imprint on our national identity. It was the day in which the forces that lead to exile began to concretize, leading to diaspora after diaspora. So many Jews define their relationship to their Judaism through the continuum of tragedies that culminated with the Holocaust. We visit the concentration camps, as we close our eyes after reading or watching still another unspeakable horror. Some of us have seen their sterile remains in Europe.

      The saga of persecution began on the tenth of Tevet. What exactly happened? Jerusalem was surrounded by the Babylonian forces (that we discussed previously in reference to the ninth of Tevet) surrounded Jerusalem and began a three-year siege that ended with the destruction of the Temple and the beginning of the exile that has never quite ended. Even during the time of Ezra, which was the closest we came to national redemption, the majority of Jews never quite made it back home. We found life in Babylon, Persia, Greece et al to be comfortable, acceptable and worst of all, normal.

      The sages instituted a fast on the tenth of Tevet. The fast is meant to be a time to question whether we should ride through history as passive travelers looking out the window as we are driven to parts unknown, or whether we should do something to determine which way we are headed. Today, more than ever, all the doors are open. We can chose the path of letting others define who we are and then force feed it back to us. For many people liberalism and Judaism have become synonymous. The reason for this turn of events is that some parts of the Torah fit into the Neo-Grecian pattern of Western thought better than others. Judaism has been “translated” again and again since the Septuagint to mean whatever is easiest and most acceptable to Ptolemy’s successors.

      Another path we can choose is one of moral decay that narrows the dividing line between us and those who wish to destroy us. This path led to the destruction of both Temples, the expulsion from our land, and the irrational hatred that we experience when the nations turn against us when we become too much of what they are.

      There is a third possibility. We can choose to renew our commitment to our own heritage and follow the path set by Ezra and Nechemia.

      Tevet is a time of return and redefinition. May we use the power of the month to discover who we really are and who we really want to be. This is the key to personal redemption, which is in turn the key to national redemption.

    1. Proud Conservative Mom

      Siege of Jerusalem

      By: Rabbi Noach Weinberg ZTL

      The Tenth of Tevet marks Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Jerusalem 2,500 years ago. What is the message for us today?

      In Jewish consciousness, a fast day is a time of reckoning, a time to correct a previous mistake. What happened on the Tenth of Tevet that we have to correct?

      On the Tenth of Tevet, 2,500 years ago, Nebuchadnezzar began his siege of Jerusalem. Actually, there was little damage on that first day and no Jews were killed. So why is this day so tragic? Because the siege was a message, to get the Jewish people to wake up and fix their problems. They failed, and the siege led to the destruction of the King Solomon’s Temple.

      Today we are also under siege. Much of the Jewish world is ignorant of our precious heritage. Children whose Jewish education ended at age 13 now carry that perception through adulthood. The results are catastrophic: assimilation in the diaspora, and a blurring of our national goals in Israel.

      So what’s the message for us? Wake up and understand. What does the Almighty want? If there’s a siege, hear the message now. Don’t wait for the destruction.

  52. Proud Conservative Mom

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not, in the end, fly to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates next week as he had originally planned, Channel 12 reported on Tuesday.

    The announcement that the visit would not take place came hours after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Temple Mount, drawing wall-to-wall international condemnations, including from the UAE.

    — JewishNews24

    1. Sapper 9

      I consider Israeli government ministers that don’t support Israel to be the same as US government officials that don’t support our constitution and citizens.

      1. Sapper 9

        Apologies, I can’t keep up with who is and isn’t an antisemite, I will need to do a little research on his background; however, the quote is spot on.

          1. Sapper 9

            Most of what I have read were his statements against foreign aid to Israel; however, he also seems to oppose all foreign aid.

            I could not find anything necessarily anti-semitic; but, to be honest, my research has been fairly limited and I can not guarantee that it does not exist.

    2. Tony

      Look up how much “Foreign Aid” the United States gives to Pakistan, who have their own space program and are planning to put a man on the moon.

      1. Sapper 9

        The USAID website infuriates me, we even give foreign aid to CHINA, there are only a couple of countries that do not get a piece; after we left $95,000,000,000.00 worth of equipment and PALLETS of $100 bills in Afghanistan, we have sent them another $5,000,000.00.

        1. John Gillis

          That it is. It will take a national calamity before Americans at least try to be normal again.

          1. Weary Traveler

            How many more of those do we have to go through? I am a bit sick to death of these wild turbulent waves. Find me a nice placid lake.

          2. John Gillis

            When I find my next telecommuting job, I’m going to get a place in Vermont. On a nice placid lake! But seriously, yes, I believe we have had way too many upheavals recently.

  58. Weary Traveler

    The more woke, the more corrupt, doesn’t only apply in the business world.

    Woke Milley proves my point that although there is honor in service, service does not make a person honorable.

  60. AuntiE*TFL

    I understand the site is focused on things Jewish; however, nary a one of you can tell me the following is not a horror in a Christian church, especially considering who the church is.

    Meet the Church of England’s first “non-binary” priest, who has a wife and three kids, but claims to have been led by God “to the truth about” gender identity 🤡

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ae0d91f73590e1a3ea9df573d945c8251bf4f095301310e97060e718e12b7b0a.jpg

    A man who goes by “they/them” pronouns and thinks that Jesus loves sparkly eyeshadow is now a Christian priest in one of the most preeminent church denominations in the world.

    1. Weary Traveler

      Isn’t this the Anglican/Episcopal church?

      They have been shifting left for the longest time, and according to trends, due to their shrinking membership, are due to no longer exist by 2050.

      I posted an article somewhere on the last page, about why Christianity and the church is shrinking, and interestingly enough, even more so in the age of COVID.

      1. AuntiE*TFL

        It is the Church of England, and, yes, Anglican.

        The denominational churches are shrinking. There has been a growth among non-denominational churches as they tend to be less about denominational dogma and more about Biblical teaching.

        1. Weary Traveler

          You just touched on something I mentioned when I posted the article I was referring to.

          One of the points raised was that normally in times of calamity, churches grow. But COVID was the exception. But I pointed out that was not the first time in world history, calamity actually drove people from the church. The 30 years war that followed the council of Trent is another good example.

          It was why Europe became more secular during the Enlightenment period, and took a much different direction than America as America didn’t have all that baggage.

          3. Weary Traveler

            I’m, feeling fairly okay today. Thanks.

            Yes, we did talk about this, and those are more of the conversations that need to be had.

          4. John Gillis

            Hey, hope all is well. Fever broke a while ago. Muscles and joints still ache, but my head has cleared up some.

    2. Proud Conservative Mom

      Greetings AuntiE! 💗💗💗

      I can certainly see how it is extremely disturbing. 😳😳😳😱😱😱

      On top of that you have a “woke” Pope.
      Every single Christian friend of mine, loathes him for just cause.

      Bottom line: If you don’t stand for something, then you stand for NOTHING.

      1. AuntiE*TFL

        The only people who like the Pope are socialist and globalist.

        To my slim knowledge, only the Southern Baptist Conference is sticking to their standards.

    1. Weary Traveler

      Way for Twinkle Toes Trudy to give further confirmation to the idea that Fidel Castro is his real biological father.

  64. John Gillis

    Good evening my NtJP friends!

    My fever broke 30 minutes ago and I’m feeling a bit better. Still with the achy joints, and the hacking cough, but my brain isn’t fried like it was earlier.

        1. Sapper 9

          Thank you for all of the kindness and interesting conversations that you bring to this board.

  65. Sapper 9

    https://twitchy.com/brettt-3136/2023/01/03/historic-first-woman-to-be-executed-by-the-state-of-missouri-tuesday-evening/

    The left is going nuts over the state of Missouri executing the first “woman” since 1976, no the state isn’t executing a woman, it is putting a man dressed as a woman to death for him raping and murdering a woman.

    Good riddance to the trash.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/40c12c9c66762b5c691318d48f6685621db3df81e08d26a1ebc7ef19dd8a88d2.jpg

    1. John Gillis

      Mclaughlin made a very hideous “trans-woman”. But this individual was hideous for the crimes he committed.

      Society is better off with this trash pushing daisies.

      1. Sapper 9

        The governor should have made a statement about being “inclusive ” and to “treat her differently would be TRANSPHOBIC”; use leftist nonsense and language against them.

    1. Lorraine

      Sleep in heavenly peace little guys!
      That’s one thing we can learn from these amazing creatures. If you’re loved and give love in return, you’ve got life’s most important gift.

  73. bill smith

    In a landmark move, Switzerland’s government has rejected gender ideology by ruling that sex is binary and people must be referred to as either male or female, with no exceptions.

  75. Weary Traveler

    I hope no one minds me sharing this silly little clip from Married With Children, but… This reminded me of the times in life where someone wanted to try to get me in to their group of losers, and the way Al responds here is usually how I find myself responding in those situations.

    Or to put in a way some here might grasp, Al’s technique is how I would do anti-missionary work if I became a Jew, and especially how I would handle Jehovah’s Witnesses. LOL

    Maybe PCM could use this as a template to come up with zingers of her own when dealing with JW’s, and report the results back to us? LOLOLOLOL!!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R1REaJsykY

    3. John Gillis

      I forgot how funny this show was. And I think this would be a fantastic anti-proselytizing template!

    4. Proud Conservative Mom

      😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣!!!!!

      The expressions on Al’s face, at times would be on mine when combatting missionaries.

      Many of them are just as Looney Tunes as the bald guys.

      I have alot of great lines. 😁😁😁

      I love making them combust.
      😃😃😃

      1. Weary Traveler

        “When I look at you human flashlights, I realize two things; 1.) I really miss shooting pool.” LOL

        That’s the way to do it.

        Those expressions on Al’s face… When the actor who played Al, Ed O’Neil, auditioned for that role, he imitated an uncle of his that was kind of like the character, Al. Just like when the comedian, Foster Brooks, did his famous drunk guy routine, he was imitating a few family members, including his dad that like telling tall tales.

        If we can get you to do your own Al Bundy type response where you ad insult to injury as you are roasting missionaries, I would love to film it and send it to Rabbi Singer.

        I wonder if that video would go viral? LOLOLOLOL

        1. Proud Conservative Mom

          I wouldn’t ever want to be famous.
          😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

          I CAN tell you, that there were always a bunch of missionaries strategically located throughout Port Authority.

          I used to roast them when they approached me.
          It was quite entertaining for me, I assure you.

          Sometimes after they realized that I was never going to be bested, a dirty look from me was enough to make them nervous.
          Their expressions were so very priceless and telling.

          I wonder if they crossed themselves after they saw me and wore garlic around their necks for good measure!

          LOLOLOL!

        2. Proud Conservative Mom

          I wouldn’t ever want to be famous.
          😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

          I CAN tell you, that there were always a bunch of missionaries strategically located throughout Port Authority.

          I used to roast them when they approached me.
          It was quite entertaining for me, I assure you.

          Sometimes after they realized that I was never going to be bested, a dirty look from me was enough to make them nervous.
          Their expressions were so very priceless and telling.

          I wonder if they crossed themselves after they saw me and wore garlic around their necks for good measure!

          LOLOLOL!

      2. IsraelReader

        Think about our forefather, Abraham, as he single-handedly battled the idolaters and pagans of his day.
        Abraham was the only person in his entire SOCIETY that believed in monotheism, and he wasn’t shy about sharing his thoughts about how silly his neighbor’s beliefs were.
        As descendants of Abraham, we should be inspired to unabashedly speak up, and call out fake religions for their BS, when they try to missionize us.

        1. Proud Conservative Mom

          Oh, absolutely!
          One of my favorite things that I remember learning for the first time as a young girl, was how Abraham wrecked all of the idols in his father’s store, put the ax in the one tall idol left standing, and told his father how there was a big fight that erupted and the biggest idol destroyed all of the smaller idols.
          😂😂😂

          In all seriousness, it’s incredible how Abraham as an individual, went against everyone else in his time and insisted on monotheism.

          No matter how much we study his life, we have no comprehension of his tremendous greatness.

          I most definitely take a page out of Abraham’s “book” as well as Elijah the Prophet’s when he scoffed and mocked the priests of Ba’al on Mt. Carmel.
          That was so very epic, as well.

  78. AuntiE*TFL

    Britain’s NHS will allow male staff who identify as trans to treat women, even if a “same-sex” healthcare worker is requested.

    A report issued by the non-partisan group Policy Exchange details the degradation of women’s rights within Britain’s National Health System, as they are now refusing to honor “same-sex” requests from women in their facilities in the name of trans rights.

    Coming to a US hospital near you soon.

    3. george linker

      Evil is as evil does. There is no such thing as trans and government is just pushing insanity.

      1. AuntiE*TFL

        Can you imagine requesting a female health care professional and having one of those show up?🤔😳😮😫

        1. Proud Conservative Mom

          I’m so beyond grateful to hear that!

          We had a packed audience.
          They loved us.

          I was worried that my voice would shake a bit from nerves.
          That didn’t happen.

          It was videoed and apparently I absolutely NAILED it, BH.

          The same went with the rest of my choir.

          So many came over to me to thank me after we performed.
          My choir sisters had a similar experience.

          I posted the videos on my sisters chat.

          Of course, they’re very “objective.” 😂😂😂

          They were extremely impressed and said it was very professional.
          😃😃😃

          1. AuntiE*TFL

            I thought of you through the day.

            If you cannot rely on your sisters to say good things who,can you rely on?🤔🤓😎

          3. AuntiE*TFL

            Bragging issuing forth. I was late sending some gifts. Then, the USPS messed up delivery by two days. Having said that, I was a smashing success.🤓 Thé teenager loves the necklace and has outfits it will go with. My non-blood niece is thrilled with her purse. Her husband is pleased with the Sherpa lined sweatshirt. He is often out in the weather. Yay me!🤓😎😂

    2. george linker

      They aren’t looking for big writeoffs they are looking for the little guy and the middle guy, the real taxpayers.

    1. Weary Traveler

      She said the quiet part out loud. It was never about public health, it was always just a power grab hoax.

      2. John Gillis

        I’m sure her other squad members said, “Ssssshhhh! Nobody is supposed to hear that!”

    2. Sapper 9

      Once the governors opened up, then they called allowing people to go back to work job creation.

      Using this “logic”, If I kink a hose , then release my hand allowing water to flow, I have created water.

    1. Sapper 9

      That is not funny. sarc

      I had a girlfriend that tried to shoot me with my own gun; however, she could not rack the slide, so, I took it from her, racked the slide and gave it back to her.

        1. Sapper 9

          No, not gutsy, youthful STUPIDITY , this happened after my first combat tour, so people trying to kill me was nothing new. lol

    2. IsraelReader

      NUTS!!!
      WATCH: Want to save the planet? Marry a short person, NY Times advises
      “There has never been a better time to be short,” says a New York Times essay, arguing that “lowering the height minimum for prospective partners on your dating profile is a step toward a greener planet.”
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-xvCeGFgOk

      1. Proud Conservative Mom

        You just cannot make this up.
        🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

        SMH.

        The world has lost its mind.

        It says alot about these alarmists, that they feel that Hashem is so very limited!

        BH, the Torah says differently!

        1. John Gillis

          I’m feeling better. Still achy, but my head is clearing up. So appetite yet, but hopefully soon.

          How are you doing? I wish you much health and happiness!

      2. Sapper 9

        Just cart it down to Mexico and you will have a cheap pair of boots in nothing flat.

        I always get mine made at a place in Camdenton Mo called JP’s custom boots, they have made boots for many famous people and my crazy self.

  84. Tony

    PPE Medpro: UK government alleges firm supplied defective gowns to NHS

    https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jan/04/ppe-medpro-uk-government-alleges-firm-supplied-defective-gowns-nhs

    This is the first big corruption case over here arising out of COVID. (I mentioned it here a while back).It will probably
    take a while as all these cases usually do),
    But the main thing is how many politician big names were involved in them getting the contracts.
    I would not be surprised if all that was hidden under the counter.

    1. Chief Mac

      Representative Kevin McCarthy was the Minority Leader of the Republicans in the House of Representative during the last Congress, He is extremely disliked by most Republican voters for his spine being about as rigid as an octopus. He was always surrendering to the Democrats. Now a majority of Republican representatives are just as cowardly as McCarthy, but there is a large enough more conservative Republicans to not give him the number of votes to become the Speaker of the House (218). No Democrats will vote for McCarthy and he will never get enough Republicans to get into that office

        1. Weary Traveler

          There in lies the rub. The GOP establishment is calling the Freedom caucus “selfish”, and saying it is all about the good of the country and the party. When in reality, the selfish ones are the establishment shills like McCarthy.

          If he really cared so much about the good if either the country, or even the party, he would see how disliked he is, and how he doesn’t have enough support to be speaker, and withdraw his own nomination to stop the friction, but you don’t see him doing that, do you?

          1. Sapper 9

            Over a half of Republican VOTERS oppose McCarthy as speaker, so, I would say the establishment ignoring the VOTERS is selfish.

            Enough of the “IT’S THEIR TURN ” crap, which is the nonsense that got us into this mess.

            McCarthy has rarely failed to cave and I can’t name a single thing that he has accomplished for us the voters.

        1. Chief Mac

          You are welcome. The nuances of national politics (with the emphasis on ticks) is very hard for natives and nearly impossible for foreigners to understand

    2. Sapper 9

      It is the establishment ,cave to the Democrats side of the party vs. the populist America First side of the party.

  86. bill smith

    Chazak veEmatz! Be strong and courageous!

    The Sovereignty Movement congratulates Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister, Yariv Levin for the report of the steps he is spearheading to reform the judicial system and restore the balance between the branches of government in Israel and likewise, congratulates the Prime Minister for his support of these steps.

    These steps are the fulfillment of the will of the Israeli voter as expressed in the election results and a foundation and basis for restoring trust in the judicial system.

    The Sovereignty Movement considers this a return to the path of bolstering security, settlement and sovereignty, and the vibrant relationship between the people of Israel and the Land of Israel.

    Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar
    The Sovereignty Movement

  88. Sapper 9

    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/01/04/report-pete-buttigieg-took-military-aircraft-to-attend-sporting-event-with-husband/

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7b9c5e9287f9fd931510a03ea61b61cdd9d5be6970ffe2f87a20beaeccd7fdb5.jpg

    Oh the climate hypocrisy as some of the government fruits and lawmakers go on a taxpayer funded military flight to the INVICTA games, a prince Harry special.

    I guarantee that they are not on a per diem rate and instead have a government credit card to pay for fancy hotels, room service and fine dining.

  90. Weary Traveler

    LOL… So far 10 votes and no Speaker selected.

    And the best the RINOs can come up with is “if we don’t elect a speaker, a Democrat gets the gavel.” Uh, no. Yet another prime example of how when one has to lay down an ultimatum = “Do …., or ….. will happen”, is an admission of failure, and a loss of trust between the two parties involved.

    The RINOs can make all the “for good of the party/country” arguments they want. Because all they are doing is showing their true collectivist colors = that they really are Democrats in Republican drag.

      1. Chief Mac

        Yes any American citizen that meets the standard to be a Representative. That is the only requirement.

        1. Weary Traveler

          Which, judging by those who have served as “representatives”, means any American citizen with a pulse.

          How is that any different from qualifying for a job at the local Burger King? LOL

          1. Chief Mac

            May thinking that Representative Thomas Massie. LeftTwat heads would explode on a daily basis. He is a strict constitutionalist

          2. AuntiE*TFL

            So, I take it you are not casting a vote for me.🤔😮🙀😞 Meanie!

            An excellent choice; however, I like Tucker’s idea better. He suggested Massie chair a new Church Committee to investigate the Felonious Benighted Ignominious agency and its multiple violations of multiple laws.

          3. Chief Mac

            Want some cheese ;)? I wouldn’t want the job because I would need a shower every five minutes dealing with those slime balls

          4. Weary Traveler

            I wouldn’t want the job either. You can get censured, and even expelled from congress for cussing on the floor like George Carlin, and I wouldn’t have a voice anymore after screaming like Sam Kinison every day, multiple times per day.

          6. Weary Traveler

            I will be the first to admit that I do not have the temperament to be anywhere near any public office.

          15. AuntiE*TFL

            See, the temperature is going to drop back to the Lo 40s with heavy clouds. I was hoping he would do my shopping for me so I could attend to household chores. 🤔🤓

          17. AuntiE*TFL

            UncleE is wondrous for such chores; however, this is one he is not adept at. It is my thinking Chef, not liking bleu cheese, would consult someone for a recommendation.

          18. Proud Conservative Mom

            LOL!

            Bill, once masqueraded as a member of the Dem Party. He pretended to be a telemarketer.

            I was having an issue with Caller. I.D. that day.
            He was pretty convincing.

            I usually tell these people where to go and give them a huge earful.

            He was spared, lucky for him!
            😂😂😂

          20. Weary Traveler

            Can you drop us a hint at you would like to be speaker? You are being so ambiguous. LOL

          21. AuntiE*TFL

            First thing. I would revert to the previously established rules of order.

            There would be no proxy voting, except under extreme circumstances. If you are elected, you can show up to vote.

            I would push for single pieces of legislation for individual departments..not this sling everything together at the last minute.

          22. Sapper 9

            Omnibus spending packages are a bunch of lazy and corrupt BS; each department should defend to the penny how their last budget was spent and exactly how they plan on spending their current request.

          26. "Divergent" sgthwjack ✯

            “… Every law, or resolution having the force of law, shall relate to but one subject, and that shall be expressed in the title.”

            This!

      2. Weary Traveler

        Yes. All that is required is for the majority party to nominate someone, and that person can run for Speaker. Does not have to be a member of congress.

        Technically, I could be Speaker of The House.

        1. IsraelReader

          So why don’t the Republicans in the House stick it to everyone, and nominate and elect Donald Trump?
          A lot of heads would be gloriously exploding!

          1. Weary Traveler

            One major difference between the Republican and Democratic parties; There are more dissenters in the GOP.

            My guess is that there are just enough RINOS in the GOP, and by default, RINOS suffer from TDS, to not allow Trump the votes in the house either.

            What we are really witnessing here is an internal struggle within the party that has been going on for a log time finally coming to surface. This is but a tiny component of it.

          7. Weary Traveler

            The further left, the more collectivist. Collectivism never allows for any dissent, because everything is about the group, and never the individual. Hence why the dems have always been more lockstep with anything. Their only problems with the progressive wing, is that the progressives keep saying the quiet parts out loud, and want to fast track it all.

          9. Weary Traveler

            I can’t remember who I was listening to very recently that made a point about how so many doctors and nurses went so bad in the days leading up to the holocaust, and became the greatest war criminals.

            But the point was, when it was no longer about treating the patient for their individual ailment, and the focus was more on treating/curing society = the collective, which lead to the eugenics, and the sterilizing of the handicapped, which is where it all started.

          11. Weary Traveler

            Exactly. This is why “For The Greater Good” is the most evil phrase man ever came up with.

          1. Weary Traveler

            Yeah, but think about how much my security detail would end up costing the taxpayers. LOL

          7. Weary Traveler

            It would also be a much needed release valve for rest of us who are sick and tired of these idiots. That, and he would actually make the rest wonder why they complained so much about Trump’s demeanor. LOL

    3. AuntiE*TFL

      Let to toss this out there. Go third party, ex-House member. He said he would do it….Justin Amash.

        1. AuntiE*TFL

          Actually, he is a Libertarian. On some issues, I disagree with him; however, Libertarians tend to be fiscally conservative, which we desperately need. The one thing one cannot find fault with is he tends to speak his mind. I would rather have that than jellyfish McCarthy who lies minute by minute.

          1. Proud Conservative Mom

            I cannot point off the top of my head to specific things that he voted for.
            I remember at one point reading his record, and it wasn’t one to be proud of.

            His votes got worse after he made the decision to leave office.

            Talk is cheap on his end.

            I’m not convinced that he’s better than McCarthy.
            A traitor is still a traitor!

          2. AuntiE*TFL

            I am so disappointed Lee Zeldin did not throw his hat in the ring. I think he would have been elected by the second day.

          4. AuntiE*TFL

            I know this will make some shudder; however, I suggested Johnathan Turley. Yes, I know he is a Democrat; however, he has proven himself to be deeply committed to the Constitution. He has found fault, often, with the current group of Democrats and their antics.

            Mark Levin would be another Constitutionalist; however, threads would NEVER vote for him.

          6. AuntiE*TFL

            In the past three years, Turley has spent more time finding fault with Democrats and their spurious allegations of wrong doing by Trump than has McCarthy or McConnell.

            He is considered one of the preeminent Constitutional scholars in the nation.

          7. Proud Conservative Mom

            I know that about Turley.
            I was following what he was presenting because I always enjoy reading and/or listening to a very sound legal argument.

            That being said, ask yourself why he hasn’t switched parties.
            To me, that’s very disturbing.

          8. AuntiE*TFL

            It is likely he does not see it as relevant as his outspoken opinions speak for him.

            I remember poor Jim Webb attempting to run against Hillary though many of his positions were anything but liberal. Again, believing his statements were what he stood for as opposed to party.

            I am less likely to trust a party flipper. We have seen multiple examples of that. In most cases, little changed.

          9. Proud Conservative Mom

            I understand what you’re saying, but these things really matter.

            There is plenty of garbage that needs to be removed from the Republican Party.
            Absolutely.

            That being said, I will NEVER trust a DemonRAT.

            Turley should know better.
            Since he apparently doesn’t, I have a huge problem with him.

            There are plenty of other attorneys who are Constitutional Originalists that are not part of the DemonRAT Communist Party.

  94. Proud Conservative Mom

    Seven years ago today, Rabbi Reuven Birmajer, a father of seven and a rebbi at Yeshiva Aish HaTorah, was stabbed to death by an Arab terrorist while walking home outside Jaffa Gate in Yerushalayim.

    This afternoon, students from Yeshivat Aish HaTorah visited the spot where Rabbi Birmajer’s life was taken, paying tribute to a special rebbi and pledging to carry on his legacy, his inspiration living on at the yeshiva to which he was so devoted.

    -Sparks of a Nation

    2. Sapper 9

      Freedom “activists” conducting “mostly peaceful” rocket attacks in the name of “tolerance and diversity “.

  102. Proud Conservative Mom

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/940109c2139d617489c60f19adefc718d486d24eb67430fd16e40c22a942b3f1.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5008a3495c32a7f054731d845404db30f6989c2b72584f6556dfcfadb639af8a.jpg

    One of my best friends, oldest daughter got engaged.
    I missed the celebration because it was on Sunday night.

    I thought the flowers were so magnificent, I took pictures of them yesterday.

    My friend gifted me with these two arrangements: https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/48bf4d1c1ffa01b6e9fbfe5599995884cac5eec695362933a9c6dc7571a57e06.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7548749ee97465e532c410da0782ce5783550b9ae191193cac2c4400d749a209.jpg

    I learned several times that Hashem created flowers to make people happy.
    They really do!
    BH! 🥰🥰🥰

  103. Proud Conservative Mom

    Yosef and Dealing with Trauma

    By: Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Schiffman

    Parshas Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26)

    There is no one “right” way to respond to a traumatic event and most people deal with trauma in slightly different ways. Yet, there is research that indicates that certain environments, perspectives and behaviors lead to more adaptive responses that create the opportunity for healing. Yosef, a survivor of several traumatic events, serves as a paradigm of resilience. By analyzing Yosef’s mindset and behavior as presented in the verses and midrashim at the end of the Book of Genesis, we can identify several strategies that serve as protective factors for healthy resolutions of traumatic events.

    The natural response to trauma is to try and avoid the painfulness of the experience. Yet, research indicates that the more one tries to avoid either by trying to not think about the traumatic event or by distancing oneself from anything that reminds one of the event, the greater likelihood one has of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

    Consequently, besides for being able to talk about the painful experience, one of the strategies in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) is to revisit the site of the trauma. One of the reasons why this is helpful is because it helps the person develop a “then versus now” perspective, allowing the event to feel more in the past, rather than something that is continuing to be experienced in the present.

    There is a fascinating group of midrashim that suggest that on the way back from burying Yaakov, Yosef took a detour to revisit the scene of his original trauma – the infamous pit where his brothers left him to die. Standing over the pit, gazing into the abyss, he confronts the site of the trauma. At that moment, he recites a blessing: “Blessed is God (‘HaMakom’) Who performed a miracle for me in this place (‘bamakom hazeh’). This blessing reflects and reveals two important mindsets. First, as is indicated by the past grammatical tense, the blessing presupposes a break from the past. By being able to acknowledge being saved in the past, Yosef solidifies a “then versus now” perspective.

    1. Weary Traveler

      Yet, research indicates that the more one tries to avoid either by trying to not think about the traumatic event or by distancing oneself
      from anything that reminds one of the event, the greater likelihood one has of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

      This is very true. Marty and I were talking about this, when I brought up the actor Tony Danza, and Marty mentioned how Danza was bullied as a child growing up in a rough neighborhood, and then his dad taught him how to fight, and Marty used that example to ask why bullying causes trauma and some, but not others.

      Tony Danza’s case was because there was resolution, where he was able to take control from a situation and no longer be victimized by it.

      Trauma is not just the event, but being victimized by it, with no resolution. It is the result of unfinished business, and worse, does get internalized.

      1. Proud Conservative Mom

        I didn’t know about what happened to Tony Danza.

        This is why it’s extremely CRITICAL for trauma to be addressed appropriately.

        I can attest to that from my own personal experience.

        I’ve had alot of unexpected trauma in my life.

        If trauma that one experiences is never dealt with, it can potentially destroy a person.

        1. Weary Traveler

          Correct. One way or other, it has to be resolved. This was the crux of a book I read years ago called “The Drama if The Gifted Child,” which is about how and why childhood trauma carries in to adulthood.

          The author, Dr. Alice Miller, addresses how there are varying degrees of trauma from the worst, such as sexual and/or physical abuse, to trauma that results not so much from cruelty, but thoughtlessness.

          Dealing with each is obviously going to require different remedies, however, what they all share in common, is that all are from the victim being treated unfairly, and there never being a resolution/justice to the situation. Especially when such mattered most.

          Using the example of Tony Danza, it wasn’t just that he was taught how to fight, and therefore defend himself, but also that the action of learning how to fight = resolution, was not delayed = it was dealt with when it needed to be dealt with.

          1. Proud Conservative Mom

            “The author, Dr. Alice Miller, addresses how there are varying degrees of trauma from the worst, such as sexual and/or physical abuse, to trauma that results not so much from cruelty, but thoughtlessness.”

            I totally agree with that statement!

            Indeed the victim is treated unfairly and it’s critical to have a resolution.

            On a different note, most of my trauma was health related.

            There’s a phenomenal book called “The Body Keeps The Score.”

            I also very highly recommend “Childhood Disrupted”, and “Waking the Tiger.” https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a09f32f1cd936596478096a81ccbd62836b373aa582483347d1c7ef6308a3896.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b9f0231a923bcce3efd851a8a88172ffe5b9247a822ab42e77486f8dada548c8.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/aed6a33896737e3ea5d186105feedec56fda2a613e6726103be4eafa51d352b4.jpg

            (That was part of my homework.)

      2. Sapper 9

        I learned that music would trigger negative thoughts and if I dealt with them while I am awake, I can control them.

        Music works as a trigger, so I use it as a trigger at a time of my choosing.

  104. Proud Conservative Mom

    The Blessing of Fulfilling One’s Potential

    By: Rabbi Dr. Avraham Twerski ZTL

    Parshas Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26)

    Jacob called for his sons and said, “Assemble yourselves … Gather yourselves and listen, O sons of Jacob, and listen to Israel your father” (49:1-2) This is what their father spoke to them and he blessed them, each according to his appropriate blessing (49:28)

    The Talmud says that the only vessel that can contain blessings is shalom (peace). Prior to giving them his blessings, Jacob twice indicated the importance of togetherness: assemble and gather. Fragmentation and divisiveness can undo even the greatest blessings.

    It is significant that in blessing them, Jacob referred to both his names, Jacob and Israel. He was named Jacob (Yaakov) because when he was born he held onto the heel (ekev) of Esau. The name, Jacob, thus represents the person at birth, the genetic endowments and the potential. The name, Israel, was given to him after he wrestled with an angel and triumphed; Israel meaning, “You have striven with the Divine and with man and have overcome” (Genesis 32:29). Israel, therefore, represents Jacob’s achievements, his ability to be master over both human and superhuman forces.

    It is of interest that we do not find manifest blessings in Jacob’s words. He seems, rather, to be describing the character traits of each of his sons. The Torah tells us that indeed, “He blessed them, each according to his appropriate blessing.”

    Jacob knew his children. He instructed them to each fulfill his unique potential, maximizing the particular talents, skills and character strengths with which he was created. This is the greatest blessing of all. Jacob did not bless them with wealth or other external acquisitions. The latter may not be a blessing at all. The true blessing is for a person to become everything that he can be.

  106. Proud Conservative Mom

    Deaf to the World

    By: Rabbi Eli Scheller

    Parshas Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26)

    His sons carried him (Yaakov) to the land of Canaan and they buried him in the cave of Machpelah. (Gen. 29:13)

    Eisav interfered with the burial of Yaakov in Me’aras Hamachpelah, saying that the remaining space in the cave was reserved for him. Yaakov’s sons sent Naftali, who was fleet-footed, to Egypt to fetch the contract which stated that Eisav had sold his spot to Yaakov. Meanwhile, the burial was delayed. When Chushim, the deaf son of Dan, realized what was happening, he became infuriated and shouted, “Shall my grandfather lie here in disgrace until Naftali returns from Egypt!?” Chushim took a club and struck Eisav so hard that he knocked his head off his shoulders.(1) Why didn’t Yaakov’s sons stand up for their father’s honor? Was Chushim the only one who truly cared?

    When Eisav interfered the brothers assumed that they would resolve the argument quickly and have Yaakov buried in no time. Then it started dragging out, and in the interim Yaakov was just lying there in disgrace. The brothers soon got used to that, and they did not see it as ignominious anymore. However, Chushim was deaf; he was impervious to outside influences and always saw reality as it was: Eisav was preventing his grandfather from being buried. He did not hear any argument from Eisav that could have made him see things differently, and so he could not get used to the situation as it was. The only way to end this was to kill Eisav.

    Rooted inside everyone is the ability to adapt to different situations. Adaptability helps a person get used to difficult and uncomfortable circumstances. The first day at school you may feel out of place and you just want to go home, but a few days later you already feel like you are home! On the other hand, adaptability may weaken a person’s motivation to do good. You walk out from a lecture inspired, you’re on fire, excited to achieve great things, and then someone tells you, “You have to be realistic” or “You’re dreaming.” You then procrastinate and second-guess yourself, until the fire gets smaller and smaller until it goes out. One must act immediately and be deaf to the world, ignoring everyone’s negative and discouraging remarks.(2)

    1. Sota 13a.

    2. R’ Chaim Shmuelevitz.

  107. Proud Conservative Mom

    The Selfish Benefit of Selflessness

    By: Rabbi Benji Levy

    Parshas Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26)

    As Jacob’s life draws to a close, his son Joseph decides to seize the opportunity of a blessing for his children from their holy grandfather. Jacob’s eyesight has clearly deteriorated as he cannot recognise his grandsons (Gen. 48:8). Despite his father’s decline in health, Joseph’s admiration and respect for the elderly patriarch never vacillates, as expressed when he ‘prostrated with his face toward the ground’ (48:12). However, given that we have already learned that Jacob’s sight is wavering, with the Torah explicitly stating that his eyes ‘were heavy with age and he was unable to see’ (48:10) this seems like a strange way for Joseph to display respect. Surely, a basic premise of showing respect is the other party’s ability to recognize and appreciate it? If a simple reading of the text suggests that Jacob cannot see the actions of his son, what is the point in Joseph lowering his head?

    There are several approaches that may be offered. Perhaps Jacob’s immense spirituality allows him to sense the respect he is receiving. An alternative approach could be that Joseph is acutely aware of the searing impact of experiential education, and his action of lowering his head before Jacob is simply to teach his children. While both these answers may be true, there is a third element relating to commandments in general, that is often overlooked and may help explain Joseph’s actions.

    Many later commentators divide the commandments into three main categories; relating to God, relating to one’s fellow and relating to oneself. This final intrapersonal element of bettering oneself can be independently garnered from every commandment, and underscores the very ethos of religious observance. In a number of places in the Torah, the Jewish people are commanded to emulate God. The Talmud teaches that one should: ‘clothe the naked…visit the sick…comfort the mourner’ (Sota 14a) because God does so and therefore one should: ‘Be like Him! Just as He is gracious and compassionate, you shall be gracious and compassionate’ (Shabbat 133b). These imperatives point to the intended transformative and self-reflective nature of the commandments. On the surface, their purpose is for people to strengthen their relationships with God and with others, but in essence they are indicative of the ultimate objective of self-refinement.

    While Jacob can no longer see clearly and this may have nullified his need for visual respect from his son, Joseph is still nonetheless required to be a respectful human being, which he expresses through the visible act of lowering his head. In this manner, it seems that not only does sensitivity impact the beneficiary of an act, but it simultaneously sensitizes the one who bestows it. While the beneficiary of a good deed should, of course, be the focus of that good deed, the reflective nature of the act justifies it even if the recipient cannot appreciate it. This is proven by the Talmudic law that one is commanded to respect one’s parents whether they are alive or dead (Kiddushin 31b). Similarly, we are taught that the greatest act of kindness one can perform is for the dead (Gen. Rabba 91:5). As the dead can never reciprocate or acknowledge the act, this is considered the yardstick of whether or not the individual has truly internalised the essence of and the value behind the command. This deed highlights the thread that is woven throughout the interpersonal commandments and teaches us the underlying message that every selfless act performed contains incredible benefit for the performer.

    Perhaps this is one of the reasons that the parasha and indeed the entire book of Genesis concludes with Joseph demanding that his descendants look after his bones after he dies, ensuring that this message which he represents is carried through as a legacy for the next generation. As the book of Exodus begins, the seeds of compassion and character development are planted even before Jacob’s family become a great nation. For in order to build a great nation and to truly fulfil the Torah, one needs to first focus on others and, as we have learned from Joseph, this begins with reflecting internally and focusing on improving ourselves.

    This concept that we learn from Joseph, of focusing first on oneself in order to ultimately impact our family, nation and the wider world, is taught through a profound statement of Rabbi Israel Salanter – the founder of the Modern Mussar Movement that focuses on Jewish Ethical Mindfulness:

    When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. But I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my country. When I found I couldn’t change my country, I began to focus on my town. However, I discovered that I couldn’t change the town, and so as I grew older, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, but I’ve come to recognize that if long ago I had started with myself, then I could have made an impact on my family. And, my family and I could have made an impact on our town. And that, in turn, could have changed the country and we could all indeed have changed the world.

  108. Proud Conservative Mom

    Wisdom

    By: Aish.com

    Question:

    I am approaching college graduation and my friends and I did an exercise: We made a “bucket list” of all the things we want to try and achieve during our lifetime. One friend who I respect a lot, put “acquire wisdom” at the top of her list. Does Judaism have a concept of wisdom, and if so, what is it?

    The Aish Rabbi Replies
    Funny you should ask. Judaism also puts “wisdom” at the top of the list!

    What is wisdom? It is tools for living that you can apply to any pursuit – business, relationships, sports, whatever. Wisdom is therefore the most important quality for a successful life, the building block of all else.

    To be wise, you can’t casually absorb wisdom; you have to actively pursue it. More wisdom equals more life, more pleasure, and more meaning. It is the ultimate value.

    Most people would rather learn from their own mistakes than learn from others. We imagine we’ll just “figure it all out” as we go along.

    But life is too short for this. Why make mistakes that we could otherwise prevent? As the saying goes: “A fool learns from his own mistakes, a wise person learns from the mistakes of others.”

    So what is the key to obtaining as much wisdom in life as possible? The Sages say: “Who is the wise person? He who learns from all people.”

    The Talmud (Avot 5:24) says that age 60 marks the arrival of maturity. Now that can’t mean physical maturity, so it is explained that it refers to wisdom. The word Zaken (literally “old”) is an acronym for Ze Kana Chachma = He has acquired wisdom.

    The key to a successful life is to choose a goal, and then attain it. Of course, it’s important to choose the right goal, to know what pleasure you’re really going after. Otherwise you could end up a millionaire – and miserable.

  112. Proud Conservative Mom

    New – DeSantis Administration Looks Into Banning China From Purchasing Any Florida Property

    DeSantis has previously spoken out against China purchasing land.

    “From a national security perspective, is that something that we wanna see? And a lot of times, there’ll be companies that will put themselves out as private, but if you peel back the onion a little bit, they’re basically controlled by the [CCP],” DeSantis said.

    In September, the DeSantis Administration previously signed an executive order and proposed legislation in an effort to limit regimes like the Chinese Communist Party from obtaining Floridians’ private information.

    – Raw And Unfiltered News

  113. Proud Conservative Mom

    New – US to send Ukraine dozens of Bradleys in $2.85B aid package

    The U.S. will send Ukraine nearly $3 billion in military aid, in a massive new package that will for the first time include several dozen Bradley fighting vehicles, U.S. officials said Thursday, in the Biden administration’s latest step to send increasingly lethal and powerful weapons to help Ukraine beat back Russian forces.

    The aid — totaling about $2.85 billion — is the largest in a series of packages of military equipment that the Pentagon has pulled from its stockpiles to send to Ukraine. It is aimed at getting as much to the Ukrainian forces as possible during the winter months, before spring sets in and an expected increase in fighting begins.

    An announcement is expected Friday, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the package have not been publicly announced.

    – Raw And Unfiltered News

  115. Proud Conservative Mom

    Biden says migration to America “is a human right if your family is being persecuted” and compares it to Jews escaping from Germany during the Holocaust.

    (Wait, what?)

    – Raw And Unfiltered News

  116. Weary Traveler

    Wow… Just got these picture from my uncle in Santa Cruz. I know last week, much of the state was under flood advisory with the heavy rains. We just had another “Atmospheric River” land here last night. I even saw some thunder and lightning here last night.

    A portion of the Capitola Wharf got taken out.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f2f4f1340948632047da50df710daf3ab27b09e9761a43b62cb4ef9c7dce06d3.png

    This is inside of Zelda’s = Formerly The Edgewater, in Capitola Village.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/93550d48b75e35a54535c99126b2a8a9d0e4e335bfa9c9fd7ac57753b4883936.jpg

      1. Weary Traveler

        I am very curious as to when that section of the wharf got taken out.

        I am guessing they would have closed it off beforehand.

        My mom just sent me picture she got of a house in Felton = which is where my dad lives, that was floating down a rushing river. Thankfully, my dad is up the hill from the San Lorenzo River, so he should be okay unless there is a huge landslide.

      2. Weary Traveler

        Update. I just got an email back from my Uncle, and he conformed that the police shut down the wharf and the businesses on the wharf when the weather got hairy.

  117. Proud Conservative Mom

    Biden administration is unlikely to back possible UN resolution on the recent visit of Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to the #TempleMount

    Owen Alterman explains why the incident won’t have a critical effect on the trajectory of the U.S.- Israel relations

    – Raw And Unfiltered News

  118. Proud Conservative Mom

    Prince Harry accuses brother William of 2019 physical attack

    Britain’s Prince Harry recounts in his new book how he was physically “attacked” by his older brother Prince William during an argument in 2019, the Guardian reported Wednesday.

    According to the newspaper, the story of the incident appears in Harry new memoir “Spare,” which is due to be released later this month amid an ongoing row within the British royal family.

    Harry, 38, writes that during a disagreement in the kitchen of his London home, William called his wife Meghan Markle “difficult,” “rude” and “abrasive,” before tackling him to the ground as the pair continued to argue, the Guardian said.

    “He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me,” the Guardian quotes Harry’s book as saying.

    (Harry is such a liar!)

    – Real And Unfiltered News

          5. Sapper 9

            Probably, there are many bizarre classes and degrees since the Universities are not held accountable for employment results.

          6. Weary Traveler

            I made that up, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a real thing. It wouldn’t be the first time I said something as a joke, and it turned out to be true. LOL

          8. Weary Traveler

            I can’t fault you for asking.

            Maybe this is why they feel such a need to “fact check” the Babylon Bee. LOL

      1. Sapper 9

        Do you remember Buttiget’s staged bike ride to work for a photo op?, he took his bike out of the limousine a block away .

          4. Weary Traveler

            Many, many years ago, I was able to overhear the conversations for myself.

            If any Republican said it, they would be canceled. But since Democrats say it, they don’t care as long as they “fight the good fight.”

            Obviously, they are not in the least bit bothered by hypocrisy. Otherwise, they couldn’t be leftists.

      1. Sapper 9

        Yes , this is real and I know it is hard to tell nowadays.

        This has happened a few times, but, the recent one was in Ecuador and I haven’t found a report of it in the US.

    1. Weary Traveler

      They act like they know everything when they know nothing, and when called out, they pretend not to know. They are so much like abusive spouses.

    1. Sapper 9

      That looks like a big carbon footprint, and that isn’t even looking at the other two; will he allow a pack of illegals to crawl through his windows and live there at his expense?

      1. Sapper 9

        On the servant’s shack , not pictured; it doesn’t matter if they have lights at night, that way they are well rested at daybreak.

    1. Sapper 9

      This isn’t a second amendment issue, this is an issue of a community that idealizes the criminal element and has normalized violence.

      Fatherless households and the poverty that comes with that, children raised by the street thugs.

      I watch many videos from the scene , not a single white person with the exception of one or two police officers.

      The firearm got into this child’s hands most likely from his home.

      1. Weary Traveler

        ^^^This is absolutely correct.^^^

        Taking guns away from the law abiding is not the answer. By definition, this little six year old prick is not a law abiding citizen. I would actually give this little a-hole the death penalty, since he is only going to grow up to be an even bigger a-hole.

        1. Sapper 9

          Where I live, I might get the Sheriff’s office to respond to a 911 call in around 20-30 minutes , but, it could be more; I am a reserve Deputy for my county and I know that it is important to be able to protect yourself and your family.

          I would wager that there are gang members living in his own home , he probably took , or was given this gun by an older sibling.

          1. Weary Traveler

            It’s important, and a fundamental human right.

            The only people who don’t see that, are the ones that want to oppress us. For our own good of course.

    1. Sapper 9

      I would wager that the paintings that Hunter sells were made in China, shipped to the US, then sold to the highest BRIBER.

      1. Sapper 9

        I am putting my black face on right now, “show me the money “💰.

        Then I expect my Native American check.

      2. Weary Traveler

        I had a boss that once told me that I have an “inner black woman.” Does that count? LOL

    2. george linker

      There is no legal basis for reparations. This is a racial scam of vast proportion. Race is not a basis for free money.

      1. bill smith

        That fine, the damages caused to every Black person in CA is estimates at 1 million…. but, I estimate the advantages to being a Black person in California, to be about 10 million. I’d agree that they each receive 1 million in compensation, but first pay back all the benefits they have received as a result.

        1. george linker

          There is no way to reimburse those who actually were slaves they are long dead. It is just greed that pushing for one race to pay when all races have held slaves. It is just racism itself. The racist are demanding payment for something that never happened to them.

          1. Weary Traveler

            And holding on to any excuse to be racists. They are no better than Neo-Nazis, all the MGTOW fags who want to blame the Jews for their inceldom.

          2. george linker

            That is probably the nail on the head. They are haters that use other people as their focus for hate.

      1. Sapper 9

        I already have a language warning , which advises that the f bomb it dropped a few times, but, i will take you advise and add to it.

        1. Weary Traveler

          I might have seen the post before you added it.

          Unfortunately, Disqus pages do not refresh in real time.

          1. Sapper 9

            I added it around 5 seconds after I posted it, there was a little time, so it is possible. lol

            I checked the link before I added the warning, but, thank you for double checking me, I never want to offend here.

  146. bill smith

    The Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s plan is to “let those who are destined to be infected get infected,” according to an official who viewed an internal document.

    The official told the Chinese-language Epoch Times that the internal document has been circulating within the top echelons of the CCP, requesting that all regions should “let those who are destined to be infected get infected” and let this wave of infections reach and pass its peak before the CCP’s two sessions in 2023, which is usually held in March.

    It indicates that the CCP’s plan is to have the entire population reach herd immunity on a full scale in two months, so that people will go back to work and production will resume at normal levels.

    To this end, local governments and enterprises in China have issued new regulations requiring employees who test positive to go to work and not to take sick leave, or else their wages will be deducted.

    The official asked to remain anonymous to protect his safety.

    The Chinese-language Epoch Times was able to verify the existence of the internal document independently with two other sources.

    1. Weary Traveler

      Somehow, I think there is even more to the story than that. COVID makes a convenient excuse for “house cleaning”, if you catch my drift. And it seems to have circulated among CCP officials. Xi unaffected of course.

          1. Sapper 9

            My chihuahua wakes me at 0430 every morning, squeak, squeak, squeak; I fear that one morning I will find that someone strangled it. lol

  154. Weary Traveler

    Imagine if a Republican Governor had done this…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lUrPJ0Z2vc

    I am actually being serious here; what if a Republican governor in a red state, made a speech like Kathy Hochul’s last August, and told Dem voters to “take a hike” and “get on a bus to [insert name of any liberal bastion here]?

    I’m not so much asking how the media would react, I think we all know that they would have a hissy fit. That goes without saying. I am asking, what would happen? Would enough Dems feel alienated and actually leave? And what if they did?

    I am willing to bet that if a GOP governor in a red state made such a speech, and just a few months later, a bunch of Dem voters left said red state, suddenly life in said red state would improve even further, and would attract more Conservatives and Independents who are normal, work for a living and raise families to that governor’s state, which would more than make up for the loss.

    Now… Which GOP governor can we possibly convince to give this a shot?

    1. Weary Traveler

      I disagree about Florida having “beautiful weather” though. That is one of the main reasons you couldn’t even pay me to live there. I would sooner undergo John Gillis’ patented “Liquid Nitrogen Enema” than live in a tropical climate.

      1. John Gillis

        I’ll admit, during the summer, Florida has steaming, miserable weather. Louisiana is even worse, particularly the Lake Charles area. I think I’d rather get the crystal butt treatment myself! 😄

        1. Weary Traveler

          It just goes from bad to worse weather-wise in places like that. Any place that has shorts and t shirt weather in the winter, only to go to sweltering in the summer is a place I want nothing to do with.

          My friend, Carolyn, was somewhere in Arizona for a wedding last weekend, and she told me it was t shirt weather. In January.

          Punk that. I would much sooner be dealing with the cold and heavy rains we were getting.

          3. Sapper 9

            I learned this in the Army having lived around the world , from Alaska to Africa; the heat is uncomfortable, but, the cold is painful; however, each person deals with temperature extremes differently.

            I live in a mid zone. lol

          4. Weary Traveler

            I have the opposite issue myself. Extreme cold can be uncomfortable for me, but heat is painful = nausea, and migraines.

            Needless to say, if I have to choose between one or the other, I will take cold and grey over warm and sunny any day.

    2. bill smith

      She is very happy that they are leaving. She might pretend to not like it now, and will put on some sort of show investigation. It’s the greedy liberal mind, it he first and foremost, never mind anyone else…. never mind how terrible her policies are…. just let her and her friends and relatives sell influence and access until they can all afford a house as big as bernie sanders and 25k$ fridges like pelowsi. They are all greedy and shameless.

      1. Weary Traveler

        The only issue with that is that they need a source of income to do all of their money laundering. That’s where the taxpayers come in. They still also need the workers, again where, for the most part, the GOP voters come in.

        The Dem voters will get sick of it when they have to make up the difference.

        We were here in late 2020 with her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo, remember? He was urging residents who left to come back also. As Newsom has been running ads in Florida to make up for his own exodus.

        The city of Detroit is proof people will only put up with so much.

        But again, if a Republican governor were to send all the Dem voters away in the same manner, I highly doubt that the effects would be nearly as deleterious.

        1. Coolercoleman

          I do admit dogs are more sensitive, but you can sleep safely at night. A cat keeps you awake wondering what they are up to.

  167. Weary Traveler

    “Doctor of Sociology and Feminist studies” should have been the first clue to ignore the guy, and not pay attention to anything he it said.

    And they tell us to ‘listen to the experts.’

    COVID Psy-Op Exposed: ‘Network’ of Doctors Who Pushed Masking, Lockdowns on Twitter During Pandemic DON’T EXIST

    https://www.infowars.com/posts/covid-psy-op-exposed-network-of-doctors-who-pushed-masking-lockdowns-on-twitter-during-pandemic-dont-exist/

    “The report noted that it’s “unclear” who created these accounts and others like it, but given the presence of other virtual-signaling symbols on their profiles like the trans and Ukrainian flags, the accounts likely were geared to influence liberals scared of COVID.

    Because liberals are stupid, and will fall for anything. And no one knows that better than the deep state apparatchiks they worship.

    1. george linker

      On other sites not twitter I had cdc files deleted to control the conversation. Seems that no one wanted to hear cdc claims that were not pushing covid.

  169. bill smith

    I have no idea how earthquakes can be predicted, but supposedly there is one coming to the Bay Area imminently.

    1. bill smith

      Between San Francisco Bay to Coalinga areas, and within the next 30 hours, supposedly to measure 7.5

      1. Weary Traveler

        That sounds like they are predicting activity along the San Andreas?

        At least they kept it under an 8. That would be the ultimate give away that their prediction is total BS.

    2. Weary Traveler

      They can’t. I happen to know a lot about this topic, not just because I live in Earthquake country, but because my dad made me learn everything one can learn about Earthquakes without being a geologist or a seismologist.

      The simple fact is that they are random, and can happen anytime. It could happen tomorrow, or a hundred years from now.

      Our local media have been predicting the next “big one” since the Loma Prietta Earthquake of 1989. None of their “experts” know what they are talking about.

    3. Weary Traveler

      LOL… This is all was able to find. A story re-sharing videos from October of last year after a tremor was detected east of San Jose.

      https://abc7news.com/myshake-earthquake-app-san-jose-quake-next-big-bay-area-calaveras-fault/12378376/

      It’s one thing to predict by mere seconds from seismograph readings, which is all the app does that is featured in the story. But to predict any magnitude, especially over a day out is science fiction.

      And they can’t even narrow it down in under 100 miles either.

    4. Weary Traveler

      The further I dig, the funnier this gets. Seems this exact prediction was making the rounds late last year, predicting it for December.

      1. george linker

        Sooner or later they are bound to be right and then they will tell everyone how good science is.

        1. Weary Traveler

          I was just watching a video recently with Jordan Peterson where he, and another guy were discussing the origin of COVID, and they were discussing how science became as dogmatic and totalitarian as Christendom had before it.

      1. Weary Traveler

        Depends on the kind of landfill. Reinforced bedrock, and you are okay. The Marina liquefied in 1989 because they just used debris from 1906 as they were in a hurry to rebuild the city for the 1908 World’s Fair, and found themselves behind schedule to due to usual government bureaucracy.

    6. AuntiE*TFL

      Like you, I have seen these predictions. They seem to become more prevalent immediately after there has been an earthquake.

          1. Weary Traveler

            Nor will I.

            Our media out here has been capitalizing on it since. They find the dumbest paid shill “experts” they can find to tell us how we are “overdue” to drop in to the ocean any day now. LOL

    1. Weary Traveler

      Why would it be a problem if Ali was Jewish?

      Because the man is a bald faced liar. That proves just how Muslim he actually is.

      1. Sapper 9

        Since he was a Muslim, it is highly likely that he has had conjugal visits in the goat cage.

          10. John Gillis

            It’s because one form of prayer is completely humiliating and looks sexually unsafe in front of other Islamic men.

            Standing in prayer on the other hand is dignified to both God and man.

    1. Proud Conservative Mom

      “Does this mean that Israel has stopped pretending that Palestinians are not enemies ?”

      Not the meshuganah (crazy) Leftists.
      They’re still convinced that they can make peace with these people.

      As I have said for all time: “ONE CANNOT MAKE PEACE WITH THOSE WHO SEEK TO DESTROY YOU.”

    2. Sapper 9

      It would work great for illegals, spay a few back over the border and it will discourage others.

    3. John Gillis

      Definitely more economical than liquid nitrogen enemas. But not quite as fun to administer!

      1. diaspora

        Good Afternoon Mom.
        “An excellent letter from Governor Abbott.” – Fully agree Mom. Governor Abbott hand-delivered the letter regarding border security to President Joe Biden!

  188. bill smith

    Israel on Sunday transferred 138.8 million shekels ($39.5 million) of revenues collected for the Palestinian Authority to the victims of terrorism and their families.
    At a press conference yesterday Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said, “We promised to fix this, and today we are correcting an injustice. This is an important day for morality, for justice and for the fight against terrorism.”

    The P.A. pays monthly stipends to Palestinians, and/or their families, for carrying out terrorist attacks against Israel. In 2021, the P.A. paid out an estimated 512 million shekels ($157 million) as part of this “pay for slay” policy.

    The “pay for slay” program is just one terrorist tactic the PA employs. While no amount of money can reverse the injuries, damages, and loss of life to Israelis, we are glad to see Smotrich take steps to correct this horrible injustice. The PA encourages and commits terrorism against Israel and wants her wiped off the map. Until they can conduct themselves in a serious manner befitting the human race, no help for them, no negotiation, nothing.

    2. Chief Mac

      I think that all the rest of the money collected should be used to defend Israel from the Islamofascist invaders

      2. Weary Traveler

        The whole conflict could end in an afternoon if all the funding for Hamas was cut off. Then wipe them out. They’re the ones, and the only ones keeping the conflict alive.

        The only one to do this was Trump, which was how he was able to broker a peace deal without the Fakestinians.

          1. Weary Traveler

            Also by the so-called “Iran Nuclear Deal” originally drafted by Obama. It funneled our money in to Hamas.

            Under that deal, we are literally financing their rocket attacks on Israel. And the CIA hates Trump? That should tell you everything we need to know about our Intelligence Community.

          2. Proud Conservative Mom

            CORRECT.

            This is why I cannot understand how any Jew could be a Dem.

            Our Intelligence Community has been weaponized in more ways than one against We the People for quite some time already.

          3. Weary Traveler