Dear Readers,

I am on a brief hiatus. The following article was published three years ago in my early days as a WWW regular. I believe that the thoughts expressed are still timely and relevant. I look forward to a fresh article in the next edition. May we hear better news from Eretz Yisrael very soon, iy”H. Please keep all of the hostages in your davening – especially Doniel Shimon Ben Sharon and Mayan Ben Anat.

Ivan Lerner

 ?After observing the reprehensible lack of moral clarity on display when the presidents of three prestigious universities – Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, and MIT – were  recently called to testify before Congress, it is evident that decades of brainwashing by leftist woke radicals has succeeded. The DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) policies, beloved by woke liberals, which use race and gender as weapons to enforce intellectual conformity, have succeeded in destroying honesty, justice, and morality – so much so that these presidents were simply unable to condemn the antisemitism rampant in their schools. Kudos to Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik for exposing the moral turpitude in the leadership of our Ivy League universities.

“…It shall be that when Hashem your G-d gives you rest from all of your enemies – all around – in the land that Hashem your G-d gives you as an inheritance to possess it, you shall wipe out the memory of Amalek from under the heaven – you shall not forget!” (Devarim 25:19).

“Joshua weakened Amalek and its people with the sword’s blade.” (Shemos 17:13) 

Over a half century ago, The Rav, J.B. Soloveitchik, zt”l, speaking about evil, said, “At times, man must not forgive evil but must fight and try to eradicate it. In particular, organized evil must be wiped off the face of the earth. As an example, consider the commandment of destroying Amalek. Amalek represents not a race but a group that is committed to an immoral life, holding that deeds that increase human misery are moral. The Nazi movement was and still is identical with Amalek. In dealing with people so monstrous, gevurah (divine wrath) overrides chesed (loving kindness).”

Last week, in early September, I had an opportunity to attend an event in the House of Lords, in the Palace of Westminster, in London. The Palace serves as the British equivalent of our U.S. Capitol building, although it has a considerably longer history. Originally built in 1016, the Palace was partially rebuilt in 1840 due to a fire that started in the basement, underneath the House of Lords. The British Parliament and the High Courts of Justice have been based in the Palace since the 13^th century. The impressive building and its inner courtyards cover eight acres overlooking the Thames River.

?The Yomim Nora’im (High Holidays) are an emotional time. In addition to being serious days of judgment and an opportunity to examine ourselves and our behavior, for me it is also a time to remember my parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts, who have moved on to the next world.

When I was a child, my family was fortunate to live in close proximity to each other, allowing us to conveniently gather together for chagim (holidays). Before Rosh Hashanah, my grandpa (my mom’s dad) used to buy two rows of men’s seats and one row of women’s to accommodate our family at Mishkan Israel (Rabbi Yechiel Shoham’s shul) on Madison Avenue just above North Avenue. In those days, that was a safe neighborhood, and lots of people walked to shul. On the High Holidays even the Jews who weren’t shomer Shabbos walked. Everyone dressed in their nicest clothes, and both men and women wore hats.

?I am writing this article a few days after my recent return from the Czech Republic. I had the privilege of accompanying a group of Jewish Learning Exchange (JLE London) donors on a four-day trip to Prague. My rabbinic colleagues, from London, were Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tatz, Rabbi Aubrey Hirsh, and Rabbi Ben Morgan. We visited many special places, and because Rabbi Hirsh, who is an expert in the history of Prague, was our primary tour guide, we learned an enormous amount.