Happy Purim?

Sometimes it's a struggle

I'm often something of a Purim grinch, but this Purim I'm feeling particularly depressed. Israel is neither getting our hostages away from Hamas or at active war with them. The explosion of left-wing antisemitism in academia and the streets of America is about to be matched by an explosion of right-wing antisemitism led by people such as Tucker Carlson and facilitated by people such as Joe Rogan. Qatar, sitting behind much of the anti-Israel campaigning worldwide, is untouchable; Trump won't utter a word of criticism, just like he won't criticize Putin.

Meanwhile, due to the situation with Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and the pressure-cooker of the West Bank, there is an enormous shortage of soldiers. But the "security-strong" government of Israel is paying off a huge sector of the nation to avoid serving; last night, our so-called “Minister of Defense” announced that he won’t be “harming the Torah world” by enlisting them. Instead, the government is instead continually increasing the insane pressure on the reservists, attempting to soothe them by offering hotel coupons (!).

Anyway, my wife insists that I get into the spirit of Purim, so I joined my family in this year's dress-up theme. And then maybe I'll get drunk enough to not be able to distinguish between those who want Israel to be destroyed but aren't yet strong enough to overcome it, and those who don't want Israel to be destroyed but are determinedly weakening it economically and militarily until its destruction will be inevitable.

Happy Purim!