King Solomon, in Proverbs (Mishlei 27:2), declares, “Y’halelcha zar v’lo picha,” which means: “Let another praise you, not your own mouth.” Some chasidim, in somewhat cute fashion, understand this pithy saying with a twist: “Let another praise you; but if not, then let it be your own mouth.”
Allow me to pat myself on my back for a moment. About a month ago, I wrote an article for the Queens Jewish Link titled “Jewphobia.” I contended that we need to use the language of today to express the hatred of Jews. To object to anything popular today is called a phobia, e.g., Transphobia or Islamophobia. The implication is that to hold anything against these protected groups must be an irrational hate-driven phobia. I proposed that for that reason we do away with the term “anti-Semitism” and instead use the word “Jewphobia.” I don’t think any self-respecting leftist would want to be known as harboring a phobia.
By the same token, I wrote that we should refer to the irrational hatred of Israel as “Israelphobia.” I was therefore very gratified to see that the great Zionist Organization of America, in a release published May 15, used the term “Israelphobia” to describe the hatred against Israel coming from Rashida Tlaib and her ilk. I don’t think that was coincidental. I am glad to know that someone is reading my articles.
Let me now jump off my pedestal to refer to more important topics. In truth, the news lately has been very depressing. The onslaught of hatred toward Israel remains unabated. In the UN, on college campuses, and during rock concerts, Israel remains an open target. In Israel and abroad, the Left knows no red lines. Politicians are called upon to be assassinated and Israeli government officials are hounded even in the halls of the Boston municipality building.
My cousin, Professor Moshe Koppel, is the founder of an organization called Kohelet, which is a think tank calling for Judicial Reform in Israel. Even he was a personal target of the “democracy-loving” Left, threatening him with death at his home. As Caroline Glick pointed out in a June 9 article on the subject, Kohelet is not a political entity but a philosophical one. This means the Left doesn’t tolerate any thought that is contrary to their way of thinking. Back to Communist Russia we go.
Despite all the depressing news (let’s not forget the indictment of a former president of the United States), a great beacon of light was shed this week, as well.
As many of you by now have likely seen on social media, a story took place that was so wonderful, it restored our faith in humanity and especially in Yiddishkeit.
On Thursday, May 25, Erev Shavuos, a young chasidish family was traveling from Staten Island to the Raleigh Hotel in South Fallsburg, New York. The father, Chesky Brecher, a talented chazan (cantor), was hired by the hotel to lead the services over the two-day holiday.
Waze routed them through a route outside of Englewood to avoid a bottleneck on the Palisades Interstate Parkway. The hour was getting late and another big delay back to the Palisades was caused by construction on the ramp leading to the highway. Pressed for time, Mr. Brecher did what many of us would do and tried skirting around the construction site. Perhaps you can get away with that in New York, but not with New Jersey cops. Sure enough, he was pulled over and ticketed.
To make matters a lot worse, the officer told Mr. Brecher that he was driving with a suspended license (due to an insurance glitch, which I know happens). He would have to have the car impounded. No matter how much Brecher pleaded with the officer, it was to no avail. The car was taken (I am sure Jewphobia played a role), leaving the desperate family literally on the roadside. Neither Uber nor Lyft had cars available. The Brechers had no choice but to leave matters in Hashem’s Hands.
Like an angel dispatched from Heaven, 56-year-old Nader Bolour, a Sephardic Jew living in Englewood, saw the forlorn family on the road wandering close to Yom Tov like nomads. He immediately pulled over his 2020 Lexus ES 350, heard their story, and insisted that the Brechers take his car and leave immediately to make it in time for the holiday. Mr. Brecher was naturally dumbfounded by this offer, especially since Mr. Bolour asked for no money or any kind of security to assure its return. “We are brothers,” he said, “I have to trust you.” And so, the Brechers made it to the hotel in the nick of time.
If you read the full story online (VIN news, June 11), you will see the video of the chazan singing beautifully in front of the Bolour home with the family proudly looking on. Bolour said that the Brechers did him a favor in giving him the opportunity to help a Jew in need.
When you first come across this story, it takes your breath away. Is it really true? Can love between two very different types of Jews be that profound that we will give up anything to help each other out?
It’s one of those “Mi k’amcha Yisroel” (“Who are like Your people, the Jews?”) stories that allows us to tolerate and live through the horrible fissure between Jew and Jew in Israel and America today.
Let’s dust ourselves off, look in the mirror, and declare: “G-d, You chose us for good reason!”
Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld is the Rabbi Emeritus of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, President of the Coalition for Jewish Values, former President of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens, and the Rabbinic Consultant for the Queens Jewish Link.
