The Land Doesn’t Lie

Fifty-four years ago, Jerusalem was placed back in our hands. It is time, good heavens, it is time for us to make it crystal clear. If Jews are prevented from Har HaBayit, then so too will it be closed to Arabs. If Jews are under attack in this country, the Arabs will also know no rest.

Seeing beyond the Colors of Har Meron

Sadly, the blame game for what happened late Thursday evening at Har Meron began almost as early as the first reports hit the news and long before what we pray was the final death toll. Today, days later, it continues. Perhaps mentioning some facts will help. Maybe, an important concept …

Not Knowing an Alef from a Beis

  One of my serious passions in life is genealogy. I’ve been very interested in family history for most of my 50 plus years and working on my family history and genealogy for well over two decades. Since the advent of the worldwide web, genealogists, like myself have found treasures …

Part 4: Rules to Remember

People are not entitled to their own reality. Individuals need to enforce boundaries, including personal boundaries. That stops abusers from causing harm. Sensible people accept unpleasant realities and cope with them.  Lockdowns happen. That’s a fact of life. You can prepare for them by shopping in person, ahead of time, …

Part 2: Defining Terms and Issues  

Let’s look at some definitions to better understand the challenge of dealing with conspiracy theories and theorists. A conspiracy theory is a set of ideas that support a dangerous conclusion: that a particular influential person or business is behaving covertly in order to cause a purportedly harmful circumstance or event …

How to Deal with Conspiracy Theories and Theorists – Part 1 of 4

The Coronavirus COVID-19 reality has changed life in too many ways to count. We’ve been affected by unprecedented situations without having prepared coping mechanisms or expectations about what could, would, or should happen with this medical problem. Responses to brand new complications are unscripted, unpracticed, and ad lib. It’s not unlike the experiences of newborns thrust into a world with ever-changing and inexplicable temperatures, tastes, aches, pains, colors, smells, sounds, textures, and so on, and lacking the physical strength, motor skills, or awareness for best dealing with all that.

 

The Learning Curve

 t takes time and practice to develop all sorts of physical and inner strengths, comprehension, and an awareness of choices, at any age. People have learning curves to master.

Like newborns, we’re feeling, thinking, and finding our ways in the new world around us. We are learning from errors and developing coping mechanisms, expectations, and either a sense of acceptance, resignation, or adventure. In worst-case scenarios however, some people express dismissiveness.

Dismissiveness can translate into conspiracy theories such as those about “Plandemics.” The theories are based on fear, doubt, a desire for credible, comprehensible information, and a lack of control over personal life or life in general. Medical experts are still learning critically important information about the COVID-19 infection, vaccines for preventing it, and then informing the public of new learned information. That’s not preventing anti-vaccine conspiracy theories from being concocted, though. The problem is pervasive worldwide.

Social Media Undermines Good sense and Clear Thinking

“The Social Dilemma” Netflix documentary points out that much of today’s conspiracy theory problems developed on social media that became forums for anti-social behavior. Mental health experts are speaking up and writing articles about the problem. A Wall Street Journal Social-Media Algorithms Rule How We See the World. Good Luck Trying to Stop Them article also points out how the problem evolved. If the above information overwhelms you, here’s a simple explanation: “Boil the frog slowly” has long been a folksy metaphor for gradually developing problems that entrap unsuspecting people. Anti-social media apparently succeeded with that project.

 Cyclical Arguments as Intimidation Tactics

Despite the above realities, conspiracy theorists are conning people into believing that public and non-public figures want to harm, enslave, and/or do medical experiments on the public at large – with or without vaccines. Cyclical arguments based on a few intentionally misconstrued facts and frightening predictions are a conspiracy theorist’s recipe for foisting guilt trips on their believers. Empty your suitcase. You’re not going for the ride or the fear fest no matter which conspiracy you learn of, not even the 5G thing.

 

Watch this space for Part 2: Defining Terms and Issues

Esther – Don’t Ever Forget Her

So what can we do when a woman like Esther Hurgan is butchered not far from her home? When her children are left to mourn, her husband left to finish alone the job he never imagined he wouldn’t share in the home he and his beloved wife built?

The Menorah as Experienced by Theodore Herzl

When there is but one light, all is still dark, and the solitary light looks melancholy. Soon, it finds one companion, then another, and another. The darkness must retreat. The light comes first to the young and the poor – then others join them who love Justice, Truth, Liberty, Progress, Humanity, and Beauty. When all the candles burn, then we must all stand and rejoice over the achievements. And no office can be more blessed than that of a Servant of the Light.

A Tale Of Two Pictures

Two pictures of a group of Jews, many who were smiling with joy and pride. Jews who were young and old, males and females, frozen in a moment of time. When I see this, it’s hard not to get emotional. It’s hard not to feel dread and hope at the same time. It’s hard not to feel joy and anger. In one picture I see the past disappear in a dark abyss of hopelessness and deep despair and in the other I see a joyous future so full of unlimited hope and incredible brightness.