AGUDATH ISRAEL STATEMENT ON THE US SUSPENSION OF FUNDING TO UNRWA


Agudath Israel of America hails the United States' bold decision to suspend funding to UNRWA over allegations that employees were involved in the brutal massacre of October 7.  

These charges must be fully investigated and a full legal and criminal accounting must be made, in regard to both the employees and the agency itself.

UNRWA’s anti-Israel bias has long been evident. The agency’s unlawfully exceeding its mandate has also been a well-founded concern. These realities have already undermined UNRWA’s credibility in the Israel-Palestinian crisis. But the idea of agency employees actually partnering with Hamas and being complicit in the bloodthirsty torture, murder and kidnapping of innocents, staggers the imagination.

If the charges turn out to be accurate, the world must finally recognize unequivocally that UNRWA has been a dangerous and destabilizing force in the region, and can play no productive part in its future.


                                   MY DADDY IS A TANK COMMANDER

By SHMUEL SACKETT

I recently visited a kindergarten in northern Israel. The reason I traveled there was to see the “ganenet” (kindergarten teacher) in action, who happens to be my daughter, Tova. For the past 8 years, Tova has been a shining example for 32 kids each year (minimum) and my wife and I went to see her “home-away-from-home”. Knowing that I have lots of experience speaking before crowds, Tova asked me to teach them a few things about Yitzchak and Rivka – the topic she had been focusing on for several weeks… and I happily agreed.

I sat on one of those mini-chairs and looked at the beautiful neshamot (souls) sitting around me. I immediately thought of the tremendous joy and “nachat” I had, knowing that my daughter teaches these future leaders. These kids – yes, the ones with the running noses and hacking coughs (all 32 of them, by the way…) are Am Yisrael’s next generation of mothers, fathers, educators, farmers, builders, politicians (well, at least the crazy ones…), nurses, computer techies and everything else you can think of. What a privilege to educate these young minds.

Naturally, I made my d’var Torah very “kid-friendly” and even got a few laughs. When I finished, Tova asked them; “Does anyone have something to say to my Abba?” The first girl asked; “Why did you come here?” and the next one asked, “When are you leaving?” (I guess I wasn’t such a big hit, after all…) but it was the 3rd child – a 4 year old boy – who brought tears to my eyes. “My daddy is a tank commander in Gaza.” That’s it. That was his statement. I couldn’t believe what I just heard. I immediately told him that his father is a hero and how proud we all are of him. I told him that we all pray to HaShem for his daddy to be safe and the little boy gave a big smile. If there ever was an “only in Israel” moment – THAT was it! I highly doubt you’d hear that from a kid in a Jewish kindergarten in Australia, Antwerp, Argentina or America. It really hit me… a 4 year old cute-as-pie boy with a kippa bigger than his head, standing proud that his father is fighting the enemy of HaShem.

That little kid’s comment gave me so much energy, I’m still flying high. Some people might interpret it as; “poor kid, his father is away from home, in great danger and the child probably has nightmares”, but I understood it differently.

The mood in Israel – from 4 to 94 – is one of pride, strength, positive motivation and tremendous energy. The people want to win! They want victory and are willing pay the very heavy price to achieve it. We all know what happens in war but the feeling in Israel is similar to how Americans felt in WWII (as compared to Vietnam). My father z”l, who fought for America for over 3 years in WWII, told me that people ran to the war and even covered up physical defects. They wanted to be part of fighting Hitler. Families sent their sons to the war with great pride and conviction and were tremendously proud of them.

Here in Israel, we are experiencing the same feelings and even more! The people want to destroy Hamas. They want to punish those involved in the Oct 7th massacre and they are proud to be HaShem’s messengers in the fierce battle against the modern-day Amalek.

May HaShem give our soldiers strength to defeat the enemy. May He give our leaders the courage to stand against world opinion and may He reunite the 4 year old boy in Tova’s kindergarten with his heroic, tank-commander father.
Am Yisrael Chai!


By Shmuel Sackett

    EDITORIAL MASTHEAD


Apple, Rabbi Dr. Raymond, Jerusalem, Israel, contributing columnist

Burg, Rabbi Steven, contributing columnist

Mollette, Glenn, Washington, D.C., contributing columnist

Reuben, Liz  editor

Sackett, Shmuel, contributing columnist

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DISCLAIMER

The Jewish Observer Los Angeles holds itself harmless from any and all representations made in this opinion/editorial section.  The paper does not necessarily agree with all or any opinions or editorials published.  Freedom of speech is a Constitutional right which entitles every voice to be heard in a civil manner. This paper does not publish language of bigotry, hatred, racism and any other vile aspects of English language to defame, hurt or harm another person via publication. It aims to abide by the tenants of Judaism. Anytime the paper falls short of this goal, the public is welcome to call our attention to it so that any misprint(s) can be rectified 

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CAN YOU DO ANYTHING ABOUT AMERICA'S PROBLEMS? NOT REALLY, BUT ONE THING


Dr. GLENN MOLLETTE

We are saturated with news in America. We know about the legal troubles of former President Donald Trump. Every day we are updated about the latest court proceedings and what is still to come. What can you do about it? Nothing. You didn’t loan Trump the money and he doesn’t owe you.  Loan officers from lending institutions worked these deals with Trump. It’s between Trump and them it seems to me. Every day you are bombarded with every detail of Trump’s legal issues from a woman he reportedly assaulted to a porn star who is dissatisfied with the hundred thousand dollars plus hush payment she reportedly received. What can you do about it? Nothing. Is all of this supposed to make you hate Trump and vote for someone else? It must be or we wouldn’t hear so much about what he has been accused of doing.

Almost every day we are reminded by some about the cognitive decline of President Joe Biden. Just like any President he is derided on a daily basis for his handling of our Southern border crisis, the economy, the decline of our military and much more. We care because it all impacts us, but what can you do about it? Nothing really. You can be mad and frustrated but that’s about all.

Minneapolis police officers were killed over the weekend. People were shot and one killed at at a Kansas City Chief’s citywide Superbowl party. Numerous people were shot. It makes us sick. We hurt for those whose lives were taken. We hurt for those families who lost loved ones.

We hurt every day and week in America as more and more mass shootings occur. So what? What can you do about it? Nothing really.  We vote. Of course, that’s the one thing we can do, but that’s about all. We can protest, march and scream and holler but Congress doesn’t pay any attention to that. Marches in Washington, D.C. are common and seemingly ignored.

Every day we hear about the border crisis. It seems to be a commonsense fix but what are you going to do? Many of us would go to the Southern border and volunteer to complete the wall and fix the holes but our government would probably put us in jail for trying to protect America. Thousands are illegally pouring into our country and we hear about it every day, but what are you going to do about it? Nothing really.

Every day we hear about the crisis of the Middle East. Israel, Gaza, Russia, and Ukraine. We hear a lot about Ukraine needing more and more money. It doesn’t matter if you think they need more or less money, it’s out of your hands. What can you do about it? Call your Congressman? Call the President? Do you think they care about what you think? They care about one thing and that’s doing whatever it takes to be reelected.

All you can do is what you must do and that is vote and you already know almost for sure who your options are for this upcoming election. That’s the one thing we can do. Since you and I can’t really do anything about all of this mess we had better elect someone who will do something.

            _________________________________________________________                                   EDITORIAL MASTHEAD

Apple, Rabbi Dr. Raymond, Jerusalem, Israel, contributing columnist
Burg, Rabbi Steven, contributing columnist
Mollette, Glenn, Washington, D.C., contributing columnist
Reuben, Liz  editor
Sackett, Shmuel, contributing columnist
        ___________________________________________________
                                         DISCLAIMER


The Jewish Observer Los Angeles holds itself harmless from any and all representations made in this opinion/editorial section.  The paper does not necessarily agree with all or any opinions or editorials published.  Freedom of speech is a Constitutional right which entitles every voice to be heard in a civil manner. This paper does not publish language of bigotry, hatred, racism and any other vile aspects of English language to defame, hurt or harm another person via publication. It aims to abide by the tenants of Judaism. Anytime the paper falls short of this goal, the public is welcome to call our attention to it so that any misprint(s) can be rectified

                     ______________________________________

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