Please note: This week's message was completed Wednesday evening (prior to our Thursday flight) so if any big news occurred after that, I'll cover it in next week's message.
Dark Clouds
Darkness has prevailed during this election. I'm bewildered, frustrated and saddened with the outcome and have deep concerns for our future. So many in our country could be in serious disrepair if commitments of eliminating ObamaCare, appointing extremely conservative Supreme Court Justices and alienating the world community come true. And with Congress on his side, he can do damage to the fibers of this Great Nation. I feel like this is a fictional movie. I just can't believe it! Honestly, how did this happen? Its disheartening to know there are so many Americans (though she, like Al Gore, did win the popular vote
*
) who are discontent with their lives and our government that they would vote for the promise of extreme change. It seems the Democrats lost all over the map. For the first time in nearly 30 years, Michigan went Republicans (by a minuscule 13,000 votes). And sadly, there won't be Metro Detroit public transportation in the foreseeable future. Once the shock, disbelief and mourning subsides, it will be time for like minded people and organizations to continue the efforts for equality and humanitarian values. But in order to get anything done, our Nation, Legislators and Citizens need counseling with an expert Therapist and a long Meditation Session so we can have a healthier "Marriage" with those on the "other side".
Thank You
Today is Veteran's Day and gratitude is due to all current military personnel and veterans for devoting their precious time and lives to serve and protect our freedom and rights. We live in an (already) Great Country due in part to those who step up to serve. Thank you to veteran friends like Ryan Friedrichs, Gary Peters, Rick Krosnick and many of the fathers of my friends including my own father who served in WWII.
Black and White
Los Angeles is this weekend's destination to spend time with good friends and
"An Old Fashioned Love Song" of
3 Dog Night. May this Shabbat bring
"Joy to the World" as our country works to reconnect with both
"Black and White". Though
"One" (is the loneliest number), let's hope we won't be alone in healing the campaign wounds and the deep schism in our democracy. Maybe Jeremiah can bring us some Joy:
Whisker Mission
As we departed October with a focus on Women's Health and our Pink Ribbons, we enter November to promote the concerns of Men's reproductive regions and Mental Health. If you see mustaches sprouting, it must be
Movember
. While the Mo Bros are sporting their whiskers, they must also get their gentlemen parts checked for cancer as well as keep tabs on their mental health. Movember started in Australia with only 30 mustaches in 2003 and has grown to over 5 million Crumb Catchers worldwide with Hundreds of Millions of dollars raised to support Men's health projects.
RIP
She was the first woman to hold the position of US Attorney General as she presided over the famous cases of the Waco Siege, the Unabomber, the Oklahoma City Bombing and the heart wrenching saga of Cuban 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez. Sadly,
Janet Reno lost her battle to Parkinson Disease this week at the age of 78. She never married and had no children but had lots of friends and family.
Shout Out...
Bravo to Rabbi Daniel Syme and Keith Famie. Tonight at 8:00pm, Detroit Public TV will be airing their acclaimed documentary called
"Death is NOT the Answer". May this film help those families touched by depression and suicide.
Bravo to Detroit Friends Potato Chip on being picked by Oprah as one of her "favorites". These delicious chips are well deserving of the honor as the potatoes come from a vacant lot in a distressed area of Detroit. But once the potatoes were grown, they had a hard time selling them till someone suggested making them into chips.
Bravo to the 99th anniversary this month of the
Balfour Declaration (dated Nov. 2, 1917) which declared Great Britain's "Blessing" of a Jewish State. Here are the exact words in the letter from UK Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Jewish Community leader Walter Rothschild:
"His Majesty's government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country"
Parting Thoughts
There are many people, places and things in our country that deserve a
Bravo Shout-Out
. We must seek them out in our quest to Tikkun our Nation. Just because we are thrown a curveball, doesn't mean the game is over. We have respected, admirable legislators on the front lines who need our help. Let's continue the Right Fight to keep our country progressing on the right track.
Lastly, this year of 2016 will go down in history with the most unexpected events: Brits voting for
Brexit, the
Cubs winning the World Series and the
Trump Presidency. What more could possibly happen in the next two months?