Rabbi's Blog

Join the new OZ Israel WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/IdGUqTpy2nQE5Tvngwh0tn

Dear OZ family,

It is nothing short of astonishing that it took the UN 8 weeks to recognize what was obvious to everyone in the world, about what took place on Oct. 7. It’s business as usual in that cesspool to treat Israel differently than every other country. The hypocrisy is equally astonishing on college campuses, where presidents of elite universities cannot clearly articulate that calls for violence against Jews is not protected speech. We don’t expect anything different from the New York Times, but at least they allow sponsors to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to take out full page ads to say what The Times should be reporting. Everything else they report about Gaza sounds like advocacy, but almost always for one side. I refer to two full page ads that appeared this past Sunday, one taken out by Brandeis University, and one taken out by Israel365, which is dedicated to setting the record straight about Israel, and stopping the spread of Anti-Semitism. This latter ad makes a series of sharp accusations against many leaders in the academic world, in the media and in politics. These Ads have been posted in the OZ Israel WhatsApp (link at the top of this email).

The landscape ahead is dark, and ours is to shed as much light as we can, especially as Chanukah approaches. Alisa and I are planning a trip to Beit Elazraki, in Netanya, two weeks from today. This is the children’s home at which we have been spending time the past several summers. The home is an Emunah facility, and is known to many of our members. Beit Elazraki has been taking in children from all over Israel, and their staff is sorely depleted. This Saturday night at 8pm, I will be playing piano at our annual musical presentation. A number of local musicians will be joining, and BODI will be playing as well. This Chanukah Melave Malke is a fundraiser for the home and we can make a real difference in the lives of many children in the support of Beit Elazraki. I hope you can make it - rsvp at www.OZNY.org/Music.

Stay well and healthy.

Rabbi Allen Schwartz    

Rabbi Allen Schwartz

Congregation Ohab Zedek

118 West 95^th Street | New York, NY  10025-6604

Phone 212.749-5150, ext 200 | Fax 212.663-3635

E-mail ras@ozny.org

Website:  www.ozny.org