Moving from a large home to an apartment is certainly a traumatic event.This is certainly true when you have lived in the home for close to 33 years.However despite a tension filled closing in Monsey,we are starting to see the daylight` as we unpack.
Last Thursday,I joined a number of old classmates as we celebrated the 50th anniversary of our graduation from Yeshiva College.Some of the guys were in great shape,others were shuffling.and a few had unfortunately passed away .Of course some were out of town or in Israel and could not join us.
Each of us received a lapel in the form of the Torah Umadda emblem.The fundraisers who ran the show,walked around with the silly YU flame in their lapels like good soldiers.What was missing was either a guest speaker or President Richard Joel to place Yeshiva into a modern context-vis -a- vis the threats we face from Right and Left.
In essence both our move and the 50 year milestone reinforce the reality that time marches on.There are new realities in our lives as our children and grandchildren mature.Communities likewise change and what was once vibrant often becomes stale,even as new communities arise with a new vibrancy.
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The battle over "appeasement" has not abated.One of a series of questions that will come up again and again for Obama is:
If you were Pres. 1n 1939 would you have negotiated with Hitler? If no-Why?After all he was Chancellor of a country.
Had Japan not attacked us,would you as Pres have ecouraged Great Britan to keep negotiating with Hitler?
As Hitler was overrunning Europe,would you as Pres. have joined in the Allied eforts,absent a Japanese attack?
Pres. Bush asaid Roosevelt was wrong not to bomb the tracks to the Concentration Camps,what would you have done? If you would have bombed,Why? what stratyegic benefit would it have been to the US?
If Hezbollah runs the govt. of Lebanon,would you negotiate with them? (EVEN AFTRER THEY KILLED 240 AMERICANS)If no-Why?
Same questioin if Hamas wins the next election?
Finally under WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD YOU GO TO WAR?When American-Israeli and European intelligence believed that Saddam had WMD, what was missing for you to commit troops?
When the US found out about the concentration camps,Would you then have negotiated without pre-conditions with Hitler If no-then Why ?
If you negotiate with Ahmedinijian what "carrot"or goodies would you offer him? Nuclear weapons? leave Israel without US support?
These and the Rev. Wright issue will haunt him until after the election.
