And I Thought Last Week Was Bad

Never think that things can't get crazier

Last Friday I wrote a summary of a crazy and awful week in which the government of Israel, after bribing Arab MKs for their cooperation, threw the IDF soldiers and reservists under a bus for the sake of political power. This week, the US President and Vice-President, encouraged by a bribe from Qatar, threw all Israel (and 80 million Iranians) under a bus for the sake of political power. It seems tragically providential and poetic.

Then last night, four precious soldiers gave their lives in Lebanon, leaving widows and orphans, and several others were wounded. Meanwhile, today’s Mishpacha magazine bemoans the terrible suffering and “persecution” that charedim are undergoing as a result of their blanket refusal to help relieve the burden on the reservists. Cry me a river.

It’s all so depressing. But I don’t want to wrap up the week on that note. Here’s a graduation photo from today of the baby sister of one of my son’s friends in yeshiva/IDF.

Here’s the text of her graduation certificate in close-up:

And here it is in translation:

To our student who is so dear to us!

As the year comes to an end, and after another year in which the people of Israel were in a state of war for an extended period, and during which you and your family were forced (again...) to bravely deal with the difficult reality of a family member serving in the security forces, we would like to express our deep appreciation to you and your family for your steadfastness, for being part of the fighting force, and for maintaining resilience and good spirits throughout this period.

We greatly appreciate and thank you on behalf of the entire People of Israel!

There are good people in all this. May Hashem reward them.