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Kikist's avatar

Thank you as always. So much to read/study in every article. ´Love the simple truth:"How could Trump claim to be saving democracy in Gaza when he’s systematically destroying it at home? " and trying to destroy it in the EU as well. I wonder if he, Elon and Putin also dream of doing the same to conquered parts of Ukraine (or all of it?) ... Trump towers, Trump hotels, golf courses ... or maybe on Mars? That might be a better idea! No DPS ("Displaced Persons"). - Your Munich fan

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Rabbi Joshua Hammerman's avatar

Thanks - your comments are always pitch perfect. Ukraine - which is often left out of the conversation these days, might be the biggest tragedy of all.

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Kevin Fredericks's avatar

I would like to expand on one of your points. The reconstruction of Gaza has been estimated at about US$50 billion. Assuming Saudi Arabia and the Emirates pick up $30 billion, that leaves about $20 billion for Congress to approve. Marco Rubio would have rejected this proposal, but he can’t now. Other Republicans in Congress would characterize it as foreign aid and decline to support the measure.

Since security in Gaza would have to be maintained during this process, some off-budget money going to the militaries of the US or Israel would be a “hidden” cost of reconstruction.

Still worse, the US personnel may suffer an incident like the Marines in Beirut under President Reagan in the early 1980s. And finally, President Trump will probably end up blaming Israel for what goes wrong.

If the Middle East conflict were about real estate, land-for-peace would have worked long ago.

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Rabbi Joshua Hammerman's avatar

Thank you Kevin. I thought about the marines in Beirut. Americans have shown that they have no stomach for terrorism against our soldiers. Unfortunately it would happen - we know Hamas’s MO

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Pattie Abee Jenkins's avatar

Thanks, Rabbi, I pray for that every day.

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Pattie Abee Jenkins's avatar

Thank you, Rabbi, for your inspiring teachings. Although I'm not Jewish, I’ve always felt a strong spiritual connection to Judaism and its rich history and I find reading your Jewish history 'lessons' enlightening and moving.

I recently read a wonderful book called 'The Weight of Ink' by Rachel Kadish—a heartbreaking yet beautifully written book that recounts the time when Oliver Cromwell reopened Great Britain to the Jews. There's a passage in the book that I think resonates in our uncertain, frightening times just as strongly as it did in 1660s Great Britain. "Our life is a walk in the night, we know not how great the distance to the dawn that awaits us. And the path is strewn with stumbling blocks and our bodies are grown tyrannous with weeping yet we lift our feet. We lift our feet".

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Rabbi Joshua Hammerman's avatar

Thanks for that inspiring reference. Let’s hope the dawn isn’t too far off!

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Claudia Allred's avatar

Better late… This is an excellent thinker piece. Of course, ethnic cleansing is WRONG! rump as our President is wrong, and almost as evil, is mellon husk is wrong. How ever did we get here? Stay strong and healthy, folks need you here on Substack. Thanks you.

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Susan Theriault's avatar

I liked your thoughts. Thank you for sharing

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Amy Horowitch's avatar

As a non practicing Jewish American, I find all of this appalling and disgusting. Bibi is a criminal, and has attached himself to Trump, using him to stay in power and out of jail; and Trump’s imperialistic idea of owning Gaza, which we all know would be to profit the oligarchy, is not only dumb, but extremely risky, bc it would put a target upon every American.

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Rabbi Joshua Hammerman's avatar

I don't disagree with anything you say. Except for the "non-practicing part." By putting your self out there like this at a time of great peril, that's very much an example of Jewish practice at work. Thank you, Amy, for letting yourself be heard.

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Susan Raquel's avatar

Good morning Rabbi, I am really behind in my reading. Since the other posters already have said what I was thinking, how great your articles are I will just jump to Josh Johnson, a stand up comedienne that I like.

Here he talks about Musk's salute: https://www.threads.net/@joshjohnsoncomedy/post/DFc-d-yuG8s/media

Click on the black x and then the video will appear.

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Rabbi Joshua Hammerman's avatar

Love it! Thanks for sharing. And by all means, take your time catching up. None of the posts has a "sell by" date.

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