My Trip To Touro Synagogue

 
This Rosh Hashanah my wife and I planned a trip to Touro Synagogue in Newport Rhode Island.  Touro is the oldest synagogue building in North America and the only one dating back to the colonial era.

Jews started settling in Newport in the late 1600's. Issac Touro arrived later, and the Newport building was dedidcated during Chanukah in 1763.  In August of 1790, George Washington visited Newport for a public appearance to rally support for the new Bill of Rights. As part of the welcoming ceremonies for the president, the Newport temple's President Moses Mendes Seixas, was one of the community leaders honored to address George Washington. Washington's subsequent response letter to Moses Seixas and the Temple, quoting his thoughts on religious liberties and the seperation of church and state, is a remarkable example of both our first President's and our new government's support of First Amendment Rights.  Each year Touro Synagogue holds a public reading of Washington's letter as a celebration and pronouncement of religious freedom.

This bit of history provides the context for my trip to Touro Synagogue, but not the reason I chose to do my Rosh Hashanah prayers there. I went to Touro with a particular goal and a personal question. With all the partison political strife in America today, I wanted to be in this setting for the traditional prayer that is given for the United States, and the Armed Forces of the USA and Israel.  

There were other special moments.  I was touched by Rabbi Mandel's thoughts about Sarah and Issac as they relate to the meaning of a name, and how to view laughter.  I was honored to be invited to the Rabbi's home for Rosh Hashanah dinner. During Taschlich by the ocean I was delighted to meet and speak with a special individual, named Simcha, who dreams of being a rabbi. Last but not least, hearing the Shofar sounded on Rosh Hashanah at Touro Synagogue is a quintessential Jewish American experience.

Touro Synagogue is a blessing.  Our journey to and prayers at Touro was a wonderful way to start 5778.  I hope this story inspires readers to make the trip to Newport and take in Shabbat at Touro Synagogue.  Shana Tova u’metuka!

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Further explanation for my reasons for going to Touro. 

The Left Mocks. I Pray.

This New Year, Rosh Hashana, I am praying for President Trump and America in a VERY SPECIAL PLACE.  Here is why.

Have you noticed the pattern with Trump and the Left and elite in the media and Entertainment industry?

- Mocked for running for President .... Now even Democrats are embarrassed by Hillary.

- Mocked for warning about voter fraud ... he was right.

- Mocked for saying the IRS targeted Conservatives ... they did.

- Mocked over how he would get the economy to pick up by reducing regulation and creating a pro business climate .... we are breaking out of malaise big time.

- Mocked for wanting to saying he would bring back American manufacters, trillions in overseas profits, and attack our trade imbalances ... he is making progress.

- Mocked for criticizing NATO allies for underpaying  ... he was right and they are starting to pay up!

- Mocked for recognizing threats of refugees from certain countries ... look at the horrible problems in Europe.

- Mocked about Russia and collusion ... nearly 9 months and still no evidence.

- Mocked about claims that his Tower and campaign were wire tapped by Obama and the FBI ... it was just exposed that it happened and Clapper lied under oath about, and Comey failed to disclose.

- Mocked that he said the Democrats rigged the Primary ... they did.

- Mocked about his boasts about dealing with ISIS ... his efforts have turned the tide and taken the caliphate.

- Mocked for his position on the failures of the United Nations ... his choice for UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley is rocking their world!

- Mocked for saying there were had guys on both sides at Charlottesville ... now we are seeing Antifa for the anti-American Anarchists they are, and that Obama was warned by the FB I years ago.

- Mocked about his trip to and approach on the Middle East ... Saudi Arabia and Israel are talking!  Wow

- And yesterday, mocked for his speech criticizing the failures of the United Nations ... he couldn't be more right.

- Mocked for his handling of North Korea ... China just implemented along with the US and others the toughest sanctions on North Korea in history.  It is amazing that China was willing to cripple it's ally financially and it never would have happened if not for Trump.

I could go on. And the list will grow.  Because Trump will get needed tax reform done. He will get a better immigration plan in place and improve border security.  He will address the failure of Obama care. He will improve the quality and readiness of our national defense. He will deal with threats from North Korea and Iran which have expanded under prior presidents.

Trump is getting things done in spite of a completely obstructionist Democratic party and the mainstream media and entertainment industry, basically the Washington establishment and the Left, thwarting his every move.

Trump beat ALL the odds and all the pundits/pollsters to get elected the 45th President. Imagine if the media and others started to take him seriously and stopped mocking him for wanting to make America greater?  Imagine what would happen if rather than wanting to undermine and impeach him, more Democrats wanted to work with him in the spirit of the common good? Imagine how much could be accomplished if we prayed for our President?

I am going to do just that. For the first time in my life I chose to make my Rosh Hashanah dedicated to praying for our President and America.  I can not stand the disgusting treatment he is receiving.  If G-d had a hand in the creation of America, which I believe, then G-d's hand is on 45.  It is a miracle he got elected, he beat ALL the odds to accomplish something no other person has - as the oldest first term president and the first without either any military or political service. He didn't even have the strong support of his political party.

So today, for erev Rosh Hashanah, Mary and I are heading to a Temple with a rich Jewish American history.  A temple I have always wanted to learn more about. The Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, that is the oldest surviving Jewish synagogue building in North America, and the only surviving synagogue building in the U.S. dating to the colonial era, founded in 1763. (National Historic site since 1946!)

And when I pray there at this Temple with such a rich American history, I will be praying that my fellow Jews and all Americans will want their President to succeed, rather than fail. Praying that he be given greater wisdom and understanding rather than being mocked for his stupidity. Praying that he will continue to keep us safe rather than being challenged for his best intentions to keep terrorists out of America.

Touro Synagogue had a special relationship with the President of the United States. One that drew a very special and famous letter from George Washington with the following extraordinary expression,

In 1790, the synagogue's warden, Moses Seixas, wrote to George Washington, expressing his support for Washington's administration and good wishes for him. Washington sent a letter in response, which read in part:

"... the Government of the United States ... gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance. ... May the children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid. May the father of all mercies scatter light and not darkness in our paths, and make us all in our several vocations useful here, and in his own due time and way everlastingly happy."

Letter of George Washington to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island

Link to Touro website 

About my Trip

When Did Altruism Trump Self-interest?

When did altruism trump Self-interest's?  "America first," is emblematic of Trump's "winning" message because it appeals to the "self" in all of us.  Many Americans are weary of always worrying about and feeling responsible for taking care of others with our tax dollars, entitlement programs, and the lives of our soldiers.

The larger the "safety net" the democrats create, the more people they bring under their umbrella for entitlements and goodies from Uncle Sam, the more votes they believe they gain.  But Democrats are having a big problem because the message of altruism is not winning them elections like it used to. Altruism, this notion that we support our government, so our government can help all the needy people, is wearing thin.  As our government debt explodes, people are smart enough today to know that it is near impossible for government to keep all the promises and obligations it has already!  So folks are thinking about making more money themselves and keeping more of it.  In fact, as the economy picks us, the Democrat's message of altruism becomes even less appealing.

Ironically, it is Trump's "winning" message and all the benefits that come from a faster pace of economic growth, more profits, and higher wages, that will ultimately produce the greatest results in terms of creating better paying jobs, tax revenue, and opportunities for the needy.

This is the beauty of Capitalism.  Rather than taking away from others in an effort to redistribute what people have, as a socialist system does, capitalism recognizes that an economy is not a zero sum game. And that it is better to expand wealth rather than focus on sharing it! That is why Capitalism is so successful and Socialism is a flawed and often failed economic system.  The vision of success over altruism is winning hearts, minds, and elections.

Capitalism is a blessing, not a curse.  Capitalism is what made America great.  That is one reason why Trump's campaign slogan "Make AMERICA Great" is so powerful.  His short punchy slogans tap into the very essence of the American spirit.  Which turns out to also be an America that is better for EVERYONE.

Another reason for why capitalism and America is so successful and powerful is that Americans are also very generous.  Philanthropy, the likes of which no other nation on the planet has ever witnessed is going to take place in the coming decades. As BILLIONAIRES like Gates, Buffet, Jobs, and Bezos and many others pass on their wealth to family, as well as causes, they will complete the circle that is inherent in the design of Capitalism.  Because ultimately, nobody can "take it with them."

The fundamental difference between capitalism and socialism is that people know better what to do with their money than the government does.  The government takes the $1 through taxes and fees, but then it spends $3, two of them wastefully with some lost to fraud and abuse.  An entreprenuer will save or borrow a dollar, and turn that into $3, and in the process they will help untold others through job creation, wages, investment, etc.  Plus, the business person will still manage to do so despite the fact that local, state and federal government will take more than half of it away.  In the end, no matter how many billions of dollars that business person amasses, ALL of it, 100%, is passed on to future generations!  Government, on the other hand, passes on DEBT -- and we don't even have good infrastructure to show for it!

In conclusion, to the question, "When Did Altruism Trump Self-interest?"  The answer is, IT DIDN'T!  Which is one of the many reasons that Capitalism is still the best economic model human beings have ever designed. And why the entrepreneurial spirit flourishes where Capitalism is most efficient and prevalent.

ADVICE FOR DEMOCRATS

The country is divided between sore losers and sore winners. Losers of a competition experience a wide array of emotions: distraught, depressed, angry, resentful, sad, anxious, like a failure, frustrated, inadequate, cheated, or sometimes, even satisfied and successful.  When the loss is to a "sore winner" some of the losers feelings are elevated.

There is too much at stake for our Nation, and even the world. We must find a way to reconcile our differences. But how?  Ultimately, there will be a rematch, but that is not a solution. It is simply a chance to even the score, and seek revenge.

I do not believe the answer is by present means the losers are using either.  The winner deserves respect for their accomplishment. The loser must find the character to acknowledge the Victor. Taunting and discrediting the Victor, especially a sore winner, only brings out the worst in everyone. That's where we are today with politics -- both parties are so out to win.

From the very start of the Republican's presidential campaign he hit the nail on the head with his three slogans: "Make America Great" and "America is going to start winning again," and "America First."  And ever since, the Democrats have been running against THAT MESSAGE!  Don't you see the problem?  (And they call him an stupid. Stupid like a FOX he is!)

While the Republicans are focused on "America Winning," on the road to future political victories, the Democrats want the Victor's policies to fail, to help justify their future victory.  Metaphorically speaking, the sore loser is smashing the game pieces. But those game pieces are things that are valuable to ALL Americans.  Do the math and you must be able to see how that works against the Democrats! It's the same equation that cost Democrats the Presidency.

It seems me that the answer is the losers need new coaching. They need new leadership. They need a new attitude.  If the Democrats want to win, they have to get in the game. And they have to realize that the competition is not the Republicans after all. The "enemy" is the problems we have in America.

The Republicans are winning everywhere you look because they are in the game. And they have identified the enemies to America's success, and whether you like their solutions or not, they are at least out to win for OUR country.  Until the Democrats recognize this, they will continue to be the losers. AS it stands today, many Democrats won't even acknowledge they have a President.  And so, Republicans will keep winning.

4th of July Thought ... The Pursuit of Justice

4th of July thought ...

What is a Nation?  Is it not a people's pursuit of justice?  Think about it.  Whether founded in search for a better life, or fought for through revolution, a country is born from the passionate pursuit of our inalienable rights. Rights that we are born with. Rights that in America are protected, not given, by our Founding Fathers.

In Deuteronomy 16:20 it says, "Justice, justice shall you pursue!"

According to one Midrash the Torah begins and ends with an act of loving kindness. According to another the whole Torah rests on justice; and with justice it will end: Not until just judgment has come, on the one hand, for the poor and the meek, and on the other, for the wicked, will it be possible for the wolf to dwell with the lamb. (Isa. 11:4-6)"

"All need love in justice since justice alone would destroy them."

The following verse, from the Rabbinical text Pirkei Avot, the Teachings of the Sages, encapsulates Judaism’s attitude toward pursuing social justice and change in our world.

Lo alecha hamlachah ligmor, v’lo ata ben chorin l’hibateil mimenah.
You are not obliged to finish the task, neither are you free to neglect it.

While we are not expected to single-handedly solve the problems of society, we are responsible for contributing in some way.  Our Torah, Talmud and other Jewish texts provide a litany of exact instructions relating to prayer, food preparation and other tasks that are core to the Jewish tradition. Yet we have very few directives on social justice, other than that we should pursue it. How, then, do we respond to our "task"?

The answer, in my opinion, is embodied in the text from Deuteronomy, that is the basis for this post -- by the never-ending pursuit of justice, with love.  But this begs the question, what is love?  Is a judge to love the defendant?  Is a victim to love their assailant?

YES, I say.  Love is the ability to empathize, to understand, to be compassionate.  I do not want to live in a world that decides on justice without love. When I think of America, I think of Nation with a giant loving heart BORN out of the passionate pursuit of Justice.  SO, happy birthday America ... and have a Happy 4th of July everyone!!

Could Trump Have Saved The Press?

COULD PRESIDENT TRUMP HAVE SAVED THE NATION FROM THE PRESS AND THE PRESS FROM ITSELF?

Let me make a general statement which is not universally true, in order to highlight a serious problem for our Nation...

We live in a Nation in which the media cares less about the facts than they do about getting the perfect sound byte to get clicks. That's because the press is not "free" -- it is paid for by advertising.  The media is in competition for eyeballs. Which raises the stakes on the value of a "sound byte" and lowers the importance of the facts. And since the dominance of the Left biased news (CNN, NYT, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NPR,) is 10x the Right biased news (Fox), the pressure within Left biased news rooms is most fierce, which in turn results in organizations that sacrifice journalistic standards, Ala CNN.

The larger problem is that the media doesn't just "report the news." They make the news. They decide what will be the news.  As well as how to tell the story. In the process, they are shaping the narrative.

It becomes particularly worrisome and dangerous for our country when you start to think about who this power matters most too. The obvious example is marketers - businesses.  They have long been open in their attempt to co-opt the visibility and audience that the media has.  We accept that and it is called advertising.  But there are darker, hidden forces that seek to exploit the power and influence that the media has to shape opinion.  The establishment - the deep state - including the military industrial complex. The people in power in Washington.  It is naive not to think that there are efforts by these forces to use sophisticated propaganda methods. It is naive not to believe that the Clinton political machine and the last eight years under Obama political operatives, cronies, and those whose living depends on his policies, have not infiltrated the media at all levels.

Trump deserves credit for starting the expression "Fake news." He has exposed the issue like no other President has ever managed to do.  The characteristics that make Trump the most unlikable individual, his thin-skin, narcissism, reflex to punch back in nasty ways, his incessant use of Tweeter to speak directly in an unfiltered and unedited manner to his audience, are the very same ones that made him the first one to stand up to the media the way he has. We can hate him for it. Most do!  But there is a flip side. He may just be saving the Nation by exposing just how UN-FREE the press truly is.  In the process, maybe we all will start to THINK more.  And as a result, maybe the professional journalists and editors who truly care about the important role that the press has will stand-up for greater integrity and standards and objective and balanced reporting.

FOR A SO CALLED IDIOT, HE IS A GENIUS

Have you noticed how often Trump uses the phrase "love my . . ." , or "love our . . . " or some other variation on the expression of love?  Without explaining why, I think that is a brilliant aspect of Trump's style and communication technique.

The haters just love to make fun of him. From his skin color, his hands, his hair, and the way he speaks.  How many 70+ yr old folks do you know who get up before crowds of tens of thousands of people in stadiums, time and again, and thrill the audience with their vision for leading and changing America?

Straight off the last "White House Tech Meeting" there is another with 25 business leaders to discuss the potential impact of emerging technologies on industrial workers in the U.S.. This time it is featuring firms specializing in 5G wireless and drone-related technologies. Do you have any idea how transformative 5G is and how far ahead of the world 5G will put America and what it can mean for innovation and our lives??

The OLDEST ever elected President has been going non-stop speaking to the people, expressing himself to his social media audience, calling together business leaders, visiting businesses and factories, meeting with Veterans, and police, and labor, and traveling all over the country to get his vision out and lift the confidence of Americans and businesses. He conferred an unprecedented group of Arab nations to condemn terror and isolate Iran.  He has gotten China to put real pressure on North Korea. And much more!! In just 6 months!!   How can anyone not see the unique leadership talents and energy this person has???

In just six months, Trump had rocked the United States and the World! He has gotten everyone thinking how to grow, compete, operate more efficiently, invest and do better!  He has put the attention on security, pro-business, tearing down bloated government, red tape and people living off taxpayers. And he has gotten other countries leaders, some pro and some con on Trump, to rethink the consequences of losing their national identity and values. Everyone is stepping up their game because of Trump. Even the anti-Trump leaders are doing things that positive for the world because of Trump!

I can just here what the Trump haters think about that.  To those I say, you just don't get it!

FOR A SO CALLED IDIOT, HE IS A GENIUS.