We Built It Blog by Larry Jacob

He was a brilliant politician, diplomat, and geopolitical consultant. He played a significant role in virtually every US foreign affairs policy and issue in the past 60+ years. Despite his humble beginnings he rose to become Secretary of State and National Security Advisor to two presidents and unofficial consultant to several others.

Heinz Alfred Kissinger was born on May 27,1923 in Bavaria, Germany. His father, Louis, was a teacher. His mother, Paula, was a homemaker. He had one younger brother. According to Wikipedia Henry’s great-great-grandfather chose the surname “Kissinger” in 1817 after a Bavarian town called “Bad Kissingen.” (As some of you know, until the late Middle Ages Jews did not generally have surnames, so many Jews chose surnames based on a town, an occupation or a physical characteristic.) As a youth Henry’s favorite sport was soccer both to play and to watch. He was proficient enough to play for the youth team of SpVgg Fürth, which was one of Germany’s best clubs at the time.

When Hitler came to power 1933 the Kissinger family’s situation, like that of all other Jews in Germany, took a severe turn for the worse. Henry’s father lost his teaching job. Henry was denied admission to the Gymnasium, which was the most prestigious and advanced of German secondary schools. The family was subjected to harassment, beatings and terrorizing by Hitler youth gangs and antisemites.

Young Henry liked to push the envelope. For example, he would often sneak into stadiums to watch soccer games, which, as a Jew, was forbidden. Sometimes he would be caught by security and beaten for that transgression.

By 1938 the family could see the handwriting on the wall. It emigrated a mere days before Kristallnacht. First, it fled to England and then later to the US to escape. In later years some historians, including his biographer, Walter Isaacson, postulated that his early experiences as a youth in Nazi-dominated Germany affected his politics. Henry disagreed, but its veracity remains a matter of opinion.

In the US the family settled in the Washington Heights section of NYC where Henry attended high school. Henry readily assimilated into American culture. He worked odd jobs, such as in a toothbrush factory, and spent his spare time learning English. Oddly, however, he never lost his heavy German accent. He attributed this anomaly to shyness as a youth, which made him reluctant to speak. Henry attended college at CCNY, and then in 1943 he joined the Army.

Henry liked his army experience. He always maintained that being in the army “made me feel like an American.“ He was stationed in Germany near his hometown. I can only imagine what it felt like for Henry to return as a conquering US soldier to the very area where he had been terrorized as a youth. The US Army had a paucity of soldiers who spoke German. Consequently, Henry’s proficiency in that language was very valuable and led to various key administration billets. For example, he was assigned to the Counterintelligence Corps where one of his responsibilities was to track down Gestapo officers and saboteurs. His success there earned him a Bronze Star.

Upon his discharge in 1946 he attended Harvard University from which he graduated summa cum laude in 1950. He went on to earn his master’s and doctorate also at Harvard in 1951 and 1954, respectively.

After graduation Henry wrote several books and worked at a series of consulting and “think tank” positions. In 1960 he entered politics as a foreign policy advisor to the presidential campaigns first of Nelson Rockefeller and then in 1968 Richard Nixon.

In 1968 following his election Nixon hired Kissinger as National Security Advisor and Secretary of State. Kissinger was the only presidential appointee in history who held both offices contemporaneously. After Nixon resigned and was replaced by Gerald Ford Henry continued as Secretary of State. Nixon, who was normally suspicious by nature, trusted Kissinger implicitly. They shared many of the same geopolitical philosophies and turned out to be a perfect fit. For example, they both preferred operating in secrecy and employing back channels, which ruffled some feathers in other areas of the government particularly at the State Department.  They complimented each other perfectly. Kissinger was generally charming and worldly, which Nixon definitely was not. Furthermore, he provided the grace and intellectual-establishment respectability that Nixon lacked, disdained and aspired to.

Between 1969 and 1977 Henry played a prominent role in virtually every major aspect of US foreign policy. His objective was to seek to de-escalate tensions and mistrust between the US and adversaries such as Russia and China. For instance, he conceived and developed the policy of détente with Russia, enhanced international relations with China, pioneered what became known as shuttle diplomacy in the Middle East to end the Yom Kippur War, and negotiated the Paris Peace Accords, which ended US participation in the war in Vietnam and for which he received the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize.

Kissinger’s legacy in diplomacy and geopolitics is somewhat controversial. Although scholars and historians consider him to have been an effective Secretary of State, and they give him credit for his major achievements as described above, some have criticized him for his penchant for operating in secrecy. I leave that debate to the historians. In 2014 a poll of international relations scholars conducted by the College of William and Mary voted Henry as the most effective Secretary of State in the last 50 years. I would concur. In retrospect I believe his pluses far outweighed his minuses.

After leaving government, he formed Kissinger Associates, an international geopolitical consulting firm. Additionally, he wrote several books on the subjects of diplomatic history and international relations. He was the recipient of countless awards and honorariums, too many to list here. During this time, he was often sought out by presidents and various power brokers who valued his advice as a consultant. He always said that “diplomacy was his favorite game.” He played the “game” successfully for over seven decades.

Henry loved America. Moreover, he loved the idea of America. He was quoted as saying “in what other country could a man with my background stand next to the President?” That says it all.

Henry remained prolific and sharp until the very end. In addition to his frequent consulting gigs he authored numerous books. For example, earlier this year he went on a tour to plug his latest book. In October in one of his last interviews he warned about the dangers of Hamas. He cautioned, in part, that the Israel-Hamas War could potentially “engulf the entire Arab World.”

In his personal life Henry was somewhat of a ladies’ man. He was married four times and was reputed to have had several affairs. He was often seen in the company of high profile and beautiful female celebrities. The Village Voice dubbed him a “secret square posing as a swinger.” In some circles he was known as the “playboy of the West Wing.” In a 1971 article Womens Wear Daily labeled him “Washington’s greatest swinger.” However, his closest friends opined that image was an exaggeration fostered by the media.

CONCLUSION

Henry passed away at his home in Connecticut on November 29, 2023, at the age of 100. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, two children, David and Elizabeth, and five grandchildren.

Following his death countless tributes have come pouring in, many from former adversaries, which I find very significant. For example, Vladimir Putin called him a “wise and farsightedness statesman.” The China News Service called him a “person [who] had a sharp vision and a thorough understanding of world affairs.“ Winston Lord, a former assistant at the NSC, called Kissinger “a tireless advocate for peace.” George W. Bush stated “America has lost one of the most dependable and distinctive voices on foreign affairs.“

Rest in peace Henry. Your contributions to America were varied and vast, and you will be missed.

The Anti-Defamation League monitors and reports incidents of antisemitism. According to a recent report published by Reuters the ADL stated that since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 antisemitic incidents in the US have increased nearly 400% compared to before the attack. These included incidents primarily of harassment, vandalism and assault. The ADL report asserted that about 60% of these incidents were directly tied to the Israel-Hamas War. The numbers sound incredulous, but anyone who has been paying attention to the news would have no reason to doubt their veracity.

Every day various media outlets have reported numerous incidents. There have been way too many for me to include in this blog, but I will briefly discuss a few:

1. As published in the NY Post a few days ago “hundreds” of “radicalized” high school students at Hillcrest High School in Queens, NY “rampaged” through the school for two hours. The target of their ire was a teacher who had committed the “heinous crime” of attending a pro-Israel rally and posting a photo of herself on Facebook holding a sign proclaiming, “I Stand with Israel.” The terrified teacher, a 23-year veteran, advised she was “shaken to my core” by the violent reaction. She had to lock herself in an office. But that was not enough for the students. They tried to force their way into the locked office, and when that failed, they ran amok through the halls chanting, yelling and waiving Palestinian banners and flags, and shouting slogans such as “Free Palestine” and the teacher “needs to go.” Furthermore, they vandalized the boys’ bathroom, a water fountain and other property. Some students had the audacity to record the event and post it on social media. The NYPD responded by sending a couple dozen or so police officers to the school and directed its Counterterrorism Bureau to investigate the incident. City Councilman James Gennaro told the Post that the CB is normally called out only in a “potentially serious situation.” Eventually order was restored, and the school was placed on a “soft lockdown.” It got worse. Some students ascertained her address, personal telephone number and other personal information and have proceeded to terrorize her further. All this just for attending a pro-Israel rally and expressing support for Israel. Whatever happened to free speech and the Bill of Rights? Do these students even know what that is?
2. The very next day the police had to return to the same school to deal with another incident. A student had been issuing threats via a group chat. This student was 18, so he was arrested and charged with aggravated harassment. Summing up these two incidents Gennaro told the Post “It’s a sad commentary on the rancid hate that exists within the hearts of students – for Jews.” NYC Councilman Robert Holden characterized the entire incident as “shocking.” Furthermore, he told the Post “I don’t know why these students are so misinformed, so intolerant and so radicalized. They don’t even know the history of the Middle East.” One student went even further saying “I doubt half of them know how to spell ‘Palestine.’ ” NYC Mayor Eric Adams succinctly called the entire incident “vile.” He blustered that it was “motivated by ignorance-fueled hatred… and it will not be tolerated in any of our schools let alone anywhere else in our city.” Strong words. Let’s see if he follows through. Let’s see what actions are taken against the perpetrators. My guess would be, “not much, if anything.”
3. Over the Thanksgiving weekend. There was a wild pro-Palestinian rally at Columbus Circle in NYC. Some 300 demonstrators chanted slogans and dragged a burning Israeli flag down the street. Some samples: “[The] US government is the No. 1 funder of Israeli terrorism,” and Israeli supporters’ days are numbered.” They entered nearby stores and harassed shoppers chanting “bombs are dropping while you’re shopping.” Also, they vandalized a statue of Abraham Lincoln. What will happen to the perpetrators? Again, probably nothing.
4. Post reporter Matthew Sedacca wrote that Celia Walsh, a former Disney Channel actress, is one of several members of an anti-Israel group called Palestine Action US, that is facing felony charges for vandalizing the offices of Elbit Systems, an Israel-based defense contractor located in New Hampshire. According to Sedacca Walsh is a long-time leftist activist who has been linked to Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and far left politician Elizabeth Warren. GOP political strategist Garrett Ventry expressed an opinion held by many when he told Sedacca “this is what happens when limousine liberals who grow up with a silver spoon in their mouth are beholden to TikTok trends rather than having facts.”

CONCLUSION

In my view most, of the anti-Israel, anti-Jew “demonstrators” fall into three categories: (1) “professional agitators” who flit from place to place and have no purpose other than to destroy, steal and wreak havoc; (2) misguided youths who get their information from social media or biased educators and act out of ignorance without the foggiest notion of the facts and without any knowledge of the context of history; and (3) genuine antisemites who, for whatever reason, hate Jews. Each of these groups is dangerous in its own way. Each represents a severe threat to the principles of our Constitution and our way of life for which generations of our forebears have sacrificed.

Heretofore, whenever our country was in need strong leaders have emerged to guide us through the danger. A few examples would include George Washington during and immediately after the Revolutionary War, Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War and FDR during WWII. Where are our strong leaders now in this crucial time of need? Where is the strong leader who will put a stop to this divisiveness, which has been plaguing us for several years and bring us together? Even President Biden’s most fervent supporters have to concede he is not a strong leader. In fact, he is the antithesis of a strong leader. Half the time he hides or is unavailable for comment. Then, when he emerges, he gives us words and platitudes, not deeds. He says he stands with Israel but then he pressures it to stand down versus Hamas and advocates a two-state solution, which neither side actually wants. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is a Jew from a heavily Jewish state, has been similarly spineless and two-faced. In my opinion, they and others like them are too afraid of the far-left vocal minority to stand up and do what’s right.

Folks, we are in a downward spiral with no end in sight. We need a strong leader with the courage to stand up for America!

Below please find a list of what I consider to be significant historical events that have occurred during the month of November.

11/1 – All Hallows Day, aka All Saints Day. Many of us observe the day before this holiday as Halloween. 
11/1/1848 – The first women’s medical school opened in Boston, MA. It was founded by a Mr. Samuel Gregory and “boasted” twelve students. In 1874 it became part of the Boston University School of Medicine, becoming one of the first co-ed medical schools.  According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, today, women comprise approximately 1/2 of all medical students.
11/1/1950 – President Harry S Truman, whom many historians consider to have been one of our greatest and underrated presidents, survived an assassination attempt by two members of a Puerto Rican nationalist movement.
11/2/1962 – President Kennedy announced that all Soviet missiles in Cuba were being dismantled and their installations destroyed, thus signaling the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis. On 11/20 he announced that the dismantling of all said missile sites had been completed. Unbeknownst to the general public, that crisis was probably the closest we ever came to nuclear war.
11/3/1948 – The Chicago Tribune published its famous, or infamous, headline “Dewey Defeats Truman,” arguably, the most embarrassing headline ever.
11/4/1862 – Richard Gatling patented his first rapid-firing machine gun, which utilized rotating barrels to load, fire and extract the spent cartridges. The gun bares his name.
11/4/1942 – In the battle generally considered to be one of the turning points of WWII (along with Stalingrad and Midway) the British defeated the Germans at El Alamein (North Africa).
11/7/1811 – General (and future president) William Henry Harrison defeated the Shawnee Indians in the Battle of Tippecanoe Creek, which was located in present-day Indiana. The battle gave rise to the chief slogan of Harrison’s presidential campaign – “Tippecanoe and Tyler too.”
11/7/1885 – Canada’s first transcontinental railroad was completed, opening up the western part of the country to settlement.
11/7/1962 – Former Vice President Richard Nixon, having lost the California gubernatorial election decisively to Edmund Brown gave his famous farewell speech to reporters, telling them they “wouldn’t have Nixon to kick around anymore, because, gentlemen this is my last press conference.” As we know, Nixon made a comeback in 1968 narrowly defeating Hubert Humphrey for the presidency.
11/8/1895 – Wilhelm Roentgen discovered the electromagnetic ray, aka, X-rays.
11/8/1942 – The Allies landed successfully in North Africa (Operation Torch).
11/9&10/1938 – All over Germany Nazis terrorized Jews, burning, pillaging and vandalizing synagogues, homes and businesses in what became known infamously as Kristallnacht.
11/10/1775 – The Marine Corps was established as part of the Navy.
11/10/1871 – Explorer Henry Stanley finds Dr. Livingston after a two-year search. There is doubt that he actually uttered the attributed phrase “Dr. Livingston, I presume.”
11/11/1973 – Egypt and Israel signed a momentus cease-fire accord sponsored by the US.
11/13/1927 – The Holland Tunnel, the first underwater tunnel built in the US, which is named not for the country, but for Clifford Holland, the engineer who designed and led the construction of the project, opened connecting NYC and NJ.
11/13/1956 – The Supreme Court declared racial segregation on public buses to be unconstitutional.
11/15/1864 – Union soldiers, under the command of General William Sherman, burned much of the City of Atlanta.
11/17/1869 – The Suez Canal opened after taking 10+ years to complete.
11/19/1863 – President Abraham Lincoln delivered the famous Gettysburg Address.
11/20/1789 – NJ became the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights.
11/20/1945 – The Nuremberg War Crimes Trials began. Twenty-four former leaders of Nazi Germany were tried for various war crimes.
11/22/1963 – President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas by Lee Harvey Oswald who, in turn, was later assassinated by Jack Ruby. Hours later, Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as president while on board Air Force One.
11/28/1520 – Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan rounded the southern tip of South America, passing through what is now known as the Strait of Magellan, crossing from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans.

In addition, the following notables, who made significant contributions to society, were born during November:

Daniel Boone (frontiersman) – 11/2/1734; President James K. Polk (11th President) – 11/2/1795; Will Rogers (humorist) – 11/4/1879; Walter Cronkite (tv anchor/journalist) – 11/4/1916; John Philip Sousa (musical conductor) – 11/6/1854; James Naismith (inventor of basketball) – 11/6/1861; Marie Curie (chemist who discovered radium) – 11/7/1867; Billy Graham (evangelist) – 11/7/1918; Edmund Halley (astronomer/mathematician who discovered Halley’s Comet) – 11/8/1656; Christiaan Barnard (pioneer of heart transplant operations) – 11/8/1922; Richard Burton (actor) – 11/10/1925; George Patton (WWII General) – 11/11/1885; Auguste Rodin (sculptor of “The Thinker,” among others) – 11/12/1840; Elizabeth Cady Stanton (suffragist) – 11/12/1815; Grace Kelly (actress/princess) – 11/12/1929; Louis Brandeis (Supreme Court justice) – 11/13/1856; Robert Louis Stevenson (author) – 11/13/1850; Robert Fulton (inventor of the steamboat) – 11/14/1765; Claude Monet (pioneered impressionist painting) – 11/14/1840; Jawaharlal Nehru (India’s first Prime Minister) – 11/14/1889; Louis Daguerre (invented daguerreotype process of developing photographs) – 11/18/1789; James A. Garfield (20th President) – 11/19/1831; Indira Gandhi (Indian Prime Minister) – 11/19/1917; Edwin Hubble (astronomer for whom the Hubble Space Telescope is named) – 11/20/1889; Robert Kennedy (JFK’s brother, Attorney General and US Senator from NY) – 11/20/1925; Charles De Gaulle (French WWII hero and president of France) – 11/22/1890; Franklyn Pierce (14th President) – 11/23/1804; William (Billy the Kid) Bonney (notorious outlaw – 11/23/1859; William Henry Platt (aka Boris Karloff) (famed horror movie star) – 11/23/1887; Zachary Taylor (12th President) – 11/24/1784; Andrew Carnegie (financier and philanthropist) – 11/25/1835; John Harvard (founder of Harvard University in 1636) – 11/26/1607; Anders Celsius (invented Celsius, aka centigrade, temperature scale) – 11/27/1Mark Twain, (author) – 11/30/1835; Chaim Weizmann (Israeli statesman) – 11/27/1874; Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, (author) – 11/30/1835; Winston Churchill (British Prime Minister during WWII) – 11/30/1874.

On Thursday, November 23, we will celebrate Thanksgiving. All things considered, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love the food, the football, and the four-day weekend. What I don’t like is the traveling. Regardless of which mode of transportation one uses – roads, air or rail, one has to expect delays, cancellations and frustration. And that does not account for inclement weather, which exacerbates the situation.

Traveling by car? In my experience, regardless of which day and what time you travel, you can’t avoid the traffic snarls. You just have to hope (or pray) for the best. (I have found you can mitigate traffic delays by relying on a good GPS, such as Waze.)

Traveling by air? Be prepared for overcrowded airports, overbooked, delayed and/or cancelled flights, lost luggage, and surly people. According to AAA some 4.7 million persons will be flying over the Thanksgiving weekend, which would be aa 6.6% increase over 2022 and the most since 2005. Need a wheelchair? Expect delays there too. I have found that there is a shortage of wheelchairs and wheelchair attendants. I suspect some people are requesting them who don’t really need it in order to get priority through the long security lines. Recently, I have waited up to one hour for an attendant. Once I missed my flight, and another time I nearly did. So, while a wheelchair may be more comfortable and convenient than walking to the gate unless you really need one you might be better off walking. According to ABC News many airlines are anticipating record numbers of travelers; delays and cancellations will likely be more exacerbated on budget airlines such as Spirit or Southwest; and the best and cheapest days to fly will be Monday or Friday.

Traveling by rail or bus is not much better. Once again, one has to deal with the vagaries of the weather.

In short, any mode of travel could be problematic. With COVID in the rearview for most people AAA is predicting that some 54.6 million Americans will be traveling more than 50 miles from home over the TG weekend. This will be just about at the pre-pandemic level. People will be stressed, and tempers will be short. But, for most people the positives of the holiday outweigh these negatives.

Moreover, the weather will likely exacerbate the situation. According to the National Weather service parts of the country will get heavy rains, high winds, cold temperatures and even snow. You have to be cognizant not only of the weather in your area but also elsewhere as problems in one area often cause a ripple effect in other areas.

If you must travel, it will behoove you to follow common sense guidelines, such as:

1. Book your reservations early.
2. Avoid travelling during peak periods .
3. Arrive at the airport or train station early.
4. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

Traditionally, TG is a time when extended families gather together to celebrate in large groups. People travel to spend the holiday with relatives that they only see a few times a year. They stoically endure the abovementioned negatives. They don’t like them, but they recognize it is part of the deal. Many people have Friday, Monday and part of Wednesday off from work, and they are able to make a mini-vacation out of the holiday. In the US some of the traditional activities include parades, football (watching on tv or playing), and, of course, shopping.

Many cities and towns hold parades. The biggest and best is the Macy’s Parade in NYC, which dates back to 1924. It is televised live and streamed. Kids love the floats, and many parents and grandparents who accompany them reminisce of when they, themselves, attended as kids with their parents.

To many, the holiday is synonymous with football. Football games are played at every level, including pickup games, high school, college, and, of course, the NFL. The first TG professional football game was in 1920. For you trivia buffs, Akron beat Canton 7-0. The Detroit Lions have been hosting a TG football game since 1934. This year we will be treated to three NFL games beginning at 12:30 pm Eastern and ending around 11:30 pm. Quiz question: Which is the only NFL team that has never played in a TG football game? See answer below.

No holiday celebration would be complete without shopping. The day after TG has become known as “Black Friday.” Many merchants open extra early and offer huge discounts. Some are beneficial while others are nothing more than “come-ons.” Be prepared for long lines, frustration and rude people.

As we enjoy the holiday, few of us will stop to think of its origins and meaning. What are they? Why is it celebrated at this time of the year? Read on for the answers.

Thanksgiving is a national holiday originally celebrated to give thanks for the year’s harvest. It has strong religious and cultural roots. Most people are aware that Thanksgiving is celebrated in the US (4th Thursday in November) and Canada (2nd Monday in October), but few of us are aware that variations of it are observed in other countries as well. In these other countries the holiday has a different meaning and purpose.

For example, in Grenada it is celebrated on October 25, and it marks the date on which the US invaded the island in 1983 in response to the removal and execution of Grenada’s then Prime Minister, Maurice Bishop. Liberia celebrates the holiday on the first Thursday of November, a tradition that was originated by freed American slaves that were transported there. In the Netherlands a Thanksgiving Day service is held on the morning of the US holiday. Its purpose is to commemorate the traditions of the Pilgrims, who resided in the city of Leiden for several years prior to their emigration to the New World. Japan celebrates a “Labor Thanksgiving Day” on November 23 to commemorate labor and production. It has its roots in the period of American occupation after WWII.

Like many of our customs and traditions, Thanksgiving is rooted in English traditions. These date from the English Reformation in the 16th century and the reign of King Henry VIII. Apparently, the Protestant clergy had determined that events of misfortune or good fortune were attributable to God. Thus, unexpected disasters, such as droughts, floods or plagues, were followed by “Days of Fasting.” On the other hand, fortuitous events, such as a good harvest or the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, which actually was largely attributable to storms off the English coast, were to be celebrated by “giving thanks” to Him.

The origin of the Canadian holiday is uncertain, but it is most commonly attributed to the English explorer Martin Frobisher. He had been exploring Northern Canada seeking the infamous and elusive Northwest Passage to Asia. He wanted to give thanks for his party having survived the numerous storms and icebergs it had encountered on the long journey from England. Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated as a statutory holiday in most jurisdictions of Canada.

Most people trace the American Thanksgiving holiday to 1621 in present-day Massachusetts (although some claim that there were earlier celebrations by the Spaniards in present-day Florida circa 1565 and in the colony of Virginia circa 1610). The Pilgrims and Puritans living in MA had enjoyed a bountiful harvest that year and wanted to give thanks. Their harvest had been partly attributable to assistance from Native Americans, so they invited them to share in their celebration. Records indicate that there were 90 Native Americans and 25 colonists in attendance. The actual date is uncertain, but it is believed to have been between September 21 and November 11.

Prior to 1942, Thanksgiving was not celebrated as an official national holiday. Rather, it was celebrated periodically by proclamation. For example, during the Revolutionary War the Continental Congress established days of “prayer, humiliation and thanksgiving” each year. In 1777 George Washington proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving to celebrate the colonists’ victory at Saratoga. Following independence, various Presidents continued the practice of issuing proclamations periodically.

In 1863 President Lincoln proclaimed a national “Thanksgiving Day” to be celebrated on the last Thursday of November. Historians believe that his action was prompted by a series of editorials written by Sarah Josepha Hale, a writer and editor of some renown. (She wrote the popular nursery rhyme, “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”)

The practice of annual Presidential Proclamations continued until 1939. That year, FDR broke the tradition. November had five Thursdays that year instead of the usual four. FDR figured that if the holiday were celebrated on the 4th Thursday it would provide a much-needed boost to the economy by enabling merchants to sell more goods before Christmas. (Even then Thanksgiving had become the unofficial beginning of the Christmas holiday shopping season.) Typically, this action precipitated a spat between the GOP and Dems in Congress. GOP congressmen viewed it as an insult to President Lincoln and continued to consider the last Thursday to be the holiday, so there were two Thanksgiving celebrations in 1939, 1940 and 1941, a “Democrat” one on the 4th Thursday and a “Republican” one on the last Thursday. The individual states split the dates (only in America!).

Finally, in 1941 everyone got in sync. On December 26, 1941 FDR signed a bill into law that decreed that Thanksgiving would be celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November, a practice that has continued to this day.

Since 1947 it has been customary for the president to “pardon” a turkey or two. President Biden has continued the custom this year. The names of the lucky turkeys are “Liberty” and “Bell.”

Enjoy the holiday, and if you’re traveling stay safe!

Quiz answer: Jacksonville Jaguars

Most people knew her solely as First Lady of the US during her husband, Jimmy’s, presidency. But that did her a big disservice. As you will see, she was much more than that.

Eleanor Rosalynn Smith was born in Plains, Georgia on August 18, 1927. She was the oldest of four children. The family was poor, and both of Rosalynn’s parents had to work multiple jobs to make ends meet. Her father worked as an auto mechanic, a bus driver and a farmer. Her mother worked as a teacher, postal worker and dressmaker. Later in life Rosalynn reflected that she and her siblings were not aware of their status because although they did not have much “neither did anyone else [they knew].”

To exacerbate their dire financial situation Rosealynn’s father died when she was just 13. As she put it, this marked the “conclusion of her childhood.” As the oldest she was obligated to help raise her younger siblings and help her mom in her dressmaking business. Normally, this type of situation results in a life of poverty and struggles. However, Rosalynn was determined to graduate high school and college, which had been her father’s dream for her. She was Salutatorian of her high school class and graduated from Georgia Southwestern College in 1946. Rosalynn credited her mother for inspiring her to achieve these goals and also to become an independent person. Often, she would tell her “you can do what you have to do.”

Rosalynn and Jimmy began dating in 1945 while he was home on leave from the Naval Academy. Their families were acquainted, not so unusual in a small town like Plains. She said she had first been attracted to him when she saw him in his naval uniform. After the first date Jimmy told his mother “she’s the girl I want to marry.” They were married the next year. They had four children – three boys and one girl. Rosalynn became friendly with Jimmy’s sister who was only two years younger than her but not so much with his mother.

Jimmy commenced his political career in 1962 when he ran for and was elected to the Georgia State Senate. He became Governor of Georgia in 1966, and in 1976 he defeated Gerald Ford for the presidency. Rosalynn was there every step of the way as supporter, advisor and confidant. She was an integral part of each campaign.

Rosalynn was not a typical First Lady. For instance, she was the first First Lady to maintain her own office in the East Wing of the White House. For you trivia buffs, her Secret Service code name was “Dancer.” She combined a genteel, soft, even fragile exterior with a hard, “tough as nails” interior. Naturally, she became known affectionately as the “Steel Magnolia” or “Iron Butterfly.”

Every First Lady has a pet project or two that they focus on. She set the tone for her tenure in her very first interview as First Lady in March 1977. She announced that her focus would be on mental health issues. Her strong feeling was that “every person who needs mental health care [should be] able to receive it close to his home, and [we must\remove the stigma from mental health care so people will be free to talk about it and seek help. It’s been taboo for so long to admit you had a mental health problem.” In particular she abhorred movies and television shows that often portrayed mentally ill persons as violent and prone to crime. She denoted that they were, in fact, more likely to be victims than perpetrators.

She served as honorary chairperson on the President’s Commission on Mental Health, and in 1980 she testified before Congress in support of the Mental Health System Bill, which had been enacted in 1980. She was only the second First Lady to do so (after Eleanor Roosevelt). In addition, she was sensitive to the plight of caregivers and gave several speeches that highlighted their issues and concerns.

Rosalynn wielded a great deal of influence, more than most First Ladies. She and Jimmy often worked as a team. Jimmy valued her opinion and advice. Jimmy maintained that “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I accomplished. She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.” She would often attend Jimmy’s meetings (at his suggestion) as an observer. She would listen, learn and take notes. Later, they would discuss matters, although the president maintained that he always acted on his own decisions. Sometimes she would meet with officials, even leaders, as his representative. For example, she served as an envoy to Latin America in 1977. At one point, Time magazine described her as “the second most powerful person in the US.”

Even as First Lady Rosalynn never forgot her roots. One example of her frugality was that she wore the same gown to the presidential inaugural balls that she had worn to the Georgia governor inaugural balls six years earlier.

Rosalynn was a popular First Lady. At one point she was voted, along with Mother Teresa, as the most admired woman in the world. She maintained her favorability even as President Carter’s popularity began to wane.

CONCLUSION

Jimmy’s presidency was not very popular. In particular he was severely criticized for his handling of the Iran hostage crisis. He lost his re-election bid to Ronald Reagan in 1980. Rosalynn became bitter over Jimmy’s loss. She resented Reagan and told interviewer Mike Wallace he was “ruining the country.” Nevertheless, she offered that she had enjoyed her time in DC. Regarding DC she said, “I loved living here and being so close to the seat of power, being a part of the political system.”

Eventually, she found her niche, and she and Jimmy led a very active and productive post-presidency life. For example, she co-founded the Carter Center, a private not-for-profit enterprise based in Atlanta. The goal of the CC was to advance human rights and alleviate human suffering. For instance, the CC helped broker a peace deal in the Middle East and built homes in Chicago for the poor.

Rosalynn became an author. She wrote five books including an autobiography. In addition, she received various awards and honorariums, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which she shared with Jimmy.

In May 2023 she developed dementia and entered hospice care with Jimmy at their home. She passed away on August 18 at the age of 96. At the time of her death she was the second-longest-lived First Lady, surpassed only by Bess Truman (97). Moreover, she was the longest married First Lady (77 years).

Tributes have been pouring in. For example: President Biden called her “a champion for equal rights and opportunities for women and girls; an advocate for mental health and wellness for every person and a supporter of the often unseen and uncompensated caregivers of our children, aging loved ones and people with disabilities.” Former President George W. Bush characterized her as “a woman of dignity and strength.”

Rest in peace Rosalynn. You will be sorely missed.

Few people in history are so recognizable that with the mere mention of their initials one instantly knows about whom you are talking. Such is the case with John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. He flashed across our lives like a comet, brilliant but brief. He was only president for 1,000 days before he was assassinated, yet, even today, people remember him and recognize his name.

Wednesday, November 22, will mark the 60th anniversary of his assassination. Almost anyone over the age of 70 remembers vividly where they were and what they were doing when they first heard of it. For example, I, a freshman in college, was walking to a history class. (Yes, I did attend classes, even on a Friday afternoon.) I heard some other students talking about the President having been shot. I wasn’t sure I had heard correctly, but unfortunately, I had.

What was strange about the whole incident was the lack of reliable information. It wasn’t like today when news is known and disseminated instantaneously. It might be hard for you youngsters to believe, but there was no Facebook, no Twitter, no cell phones, no internet. Even computers were in their infancy.

Communication between New York, where, at the time, all media communications were centered, and Dallas was sketchy. Even worse, Dealey Square, the site of the assassination, was not close to the addresses of the network news’ Dallas offices. Reporters on the scene had to communicate by public telephone, when they could find one. Often, competing reporters ended up sharing telephones. Information was incomplete and contradictory.

Eventually, however, we found out the horrible news. No one will ever forget the grim look on venerable CBS anchor Walter Cronkite’s face as he removed his glasses, stared into the camera, and told a shocked, confused and scared nation that the President was dead. At the time, Cronkite was generally considered to be “the most trusted man in America.” When we heard it from “Uncle Walter,” we knew it was true.

The purpose of this blog is not to relate the details of the day’s events, nor do I wish to get bogged down in the various conspiracy theories, some of which persist to this day. Many books have been written on the subject, and I can’t possibly cover these topics in a short blog. Suffice to say, it was a surreal experience. Many emotions swirled through my head – disbelief, denial, fear and uncertainty. Who did it? Why? Was it a single gunman or a conspiracy? Was it part of a larger plot? Would we go to war? These and other questions came to mind.

Most everyone was glued to their television sets for days while events played out – Lyndon Johnson sworn in as the 36th President of the US on Airforce 1, Jackie Kennedy standing beside him still in shock and wearing the blood and brain-stained pink suit she had been wearing in the limo (which, she had refused to remove, declaring “I want them to see what they have done”), Lee Harvey Oswald arrested, Oswald shot live on national tv while under police escort (How in the world did Jack Ruby get access to that corridor, anyway?), JKF’s funeral procession, the “riderless” horse, young John Jr’s salute. The assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy followed soon after. It was a time of chaos and uncertainty, the end of innocence.

JFK had won the Presidency by the narrowest of margins over Vice President Richard Nixon. He had received 49.7% of the popular vote to Nixon’s 49.5% and won several states by the slimmest of margins. In that relatively primitive era of communications the end result was not known until the next morning. In the wee hours, the networks “called” CA for JFK which finally made him the winner. (Ironically, Nixon ended up winning CA after all the absentee ballots were counted.) Many people, including a 15-year-old girl in Berwick, Pa., caught up in the drama, stayed up all night to await the results.

JFK was young, handsome, bright, vibrant, dynamic, scion of a famous and wealthy family, and a war hero. He and his beautiful, glamorous wife, Jackie, seemed like American royalty to many Americans. He gave us hope and optimism. In the eyes of his supporters, he was the one who would transform America. During his inaugural address he uttered the famous line that symbolized the great hope that he would lead us to “A New Frontier,” as his campaign had promised (“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”). Unfortunately, today, many people espouse the opposite philosophy.

JFK got off to a rocky start with the Bay of Pigs fiasco. But he seemed to make up for it when he faced down the Russians and Premier Nikita Khrushchev in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Most of us did not realize how close we had come to nuclear war, but in the end, Kennedy won that round and showed he was learning on the job. His administration was dubbed “Camelot” after the description of the mythical King Arthur’s court.

Unfortunately, Kennedy made a lot of powerful enemies. Many Republicans thought he had “stolen” the election (shades of 2020). Indeed, there had been whispers about voting irregularities, notably in Chicago, which had long been notorious for that sort of thing and where for many years it was said, only partly facetiously, that even dead people voted. However, in the end nothing came of that – no media exposes, no court challenges. Yes, times have certainly changed.

Many conservatives thought he was too soft on communism and too aggressive on civil rights issues. He had made powerful enemies among organized crime and at the FBI and CIA, among others. Fidel Castro hated him for the Bay of Pigs attack. On the other hand, many Cuban ex-Pats thought he had betrayed them by failing to intervene militarily to support the invasion when it fell apart. All in all, he had a plethora of powerful enemies with the motive, means, opportunity and funds to plan and execute a Presidential assassination and cover-up. In retrospect, one should not have been surprised.

CONCLUSION

A favorite speculation has been how American and world history would have been different had JFK not been assassinated. Would he have pulled us out of Viet Nam as has been speculated? If so, would there have been an antiwar movement in the 1960’s with the attendant protests, turmoil and violence? Would MLK and RFK still have been assassinated? Would the civil rights movement have progressed differently, more peacefully? We will never know. There have been many books written about this topic, including one by Stephen King called “11/22/63” about a fictional time traveler who journeys back to 1963 to try to prevent the assassination, which makes fascinating “what if” reading.

Virtually the entire country became immersed in the assassination and its aftermath for weeks, if not months. My recollection is that the news networks covered it continuously. A cloud of conspiracy still hangs over the assassination 60 years later. As I said, books have been written and movies produced dealing with the conspiracy theories. Did Oswald act alone? Was he tied to the KGB or the CIA? How did Ruby get close enough to kill Oswald from point-blank range? Was there an accomplice on the grassy knoll? Why was Ruby killed in prison? What of the roles, if any, of mobsters, like Sam Giancana, Head of the Chicago mob, and Carlos Marcello, Head of the New Orleans mob, as well as the CIA, the FBI, the Russians, and/or Castro? Were the Warren Commission’s findings accurate or part of a cover-up?

At this time, as we mark the passage of another anniversary of JFK’s assassination, we are reminded that these issues, and others, have still not been resolved to many Americans’ satisfaction. As time passes, it seems they probably never will be.

For you readers of a certain age, what are your memories of the assassination and its aftermath? Where were you when you heard the awful news? I would like to know.

As most of you know, recently several universities have been exposed as hotbeds of antisemitism among both the faculty and students. One of those is Columbia University. However, not all faculty and students there are anti-Semites. Not all of them hue to the party line. One brave professor, who is not tenured, has determined to speak out and express his true feelings in an open letter, even though they run counter to the prevalent attitude at his college and may cause his termination. One of my readers sent me a copy of his letter, and I am repeating it verbatim. He deserves to be heard.

• Letter by a Columbia Professor with a conscience.
• ” I am an assistant professor at Columbia Business School.  I am a father, a husband, an uncle, and a son.  I am a forty-year-old man, and last week I found myself crying in front of a group of complete strangers. In a video that has since gone viral, I stood on Columbia University’s main campus and pleaded with my employer to protect me and help me protect the thousands of Jewish students whose lives and safety have been entrusted to us by worried parents all across the United States. I pleaded with my employer to help me protect the lives of thousands of Jewish students from pro-terror student organizations who openly laud Hamas—an internationally recognized terrorist organization.
• I pleaded with the presidents of colleges and universities all around the country to take a clear moral stance against rape and torture and the kidnapping of helpless civilians. I pleaded with colleges and universities to live up to their stated mission of humanism and enlightenment.  I pleaded—and still plead—because the silence of college presidents all across the country is deafening. I am not tenured.  I could be fired for this. But my research into behavioral psychology has taught me I can’t afford not to take a stance. Not when students’ lives are on the line. Not when my children’s lives are on the line. My children may be American citizens, but, through their mother and me, they are Israelis, too. And because they are Israelis, because they are Jews, I fear for them. I fear for my two-year-old daughter, who’s funny and brave and thinks everyone in the world is her friend. I fear for my seven-year-old son, who still asks me to sit next to his bed for a few minutes every night when I tuck him into bed. I fear, because there are student organizations on my own campus who see my beautiful children as legitimate targets.
• I fear, because the president of my university—my very own employer—refuses to speak up against such senseless violence and hatred. Let’s call this what it is. This is cowardice. .I see my son’s and daughter’s faces in the faces of the hundreds of innocent children and teenagers who were murdered, tortured, raped, brutalized, and kidnapped on October 7th. For Hamas and its supporters, those children are acceptable targets. And right now, in colleges and universities all across the country, there are hundreds of pro-terror student organizations that are celebrating these vile crimes against humanity. This is what the President of Columbia is refusing to condemn.  This is what the President of Harvard is refusing to condemn.  This is what the Presidents of Yale and NYU and UC Berkeley and many other “enlightened” institutions throughout the country are refusing to condemn. They would never allow student organizations to celebrate the senseless loss of life in the horrific attacks of 9/11. They would never allow student organizations to celebrate the horrific murder of George Floyd. They would never allow student organizations to celebrate the mass shooting of more than 100 LGBTQ+ people in an Orlando nightclub on June 12, 2016. And yet, when it comes to Jewish lives—when it comes to my own children’s lives—they could care less.
• Let me be as clear as I can: This is not about being pro-Israel or pro-Palestine. This is about making a clear distinction between legitimate resistance and unspeakable crimes against humanity. This is about human decency. You can support the rights of millions of innocent Palestinians and still take a moral stance against heinous violence and brutality. I know, because I do. You can spend your adult life advocating for the establishment of a prosperous Palestinian state next to a prosperous Israeli state and still be willing to draw the line at rape. I know, because I do. You can be a lefty and a softy who can’t fathom why we can’t just end this senseless cycle of violence yet still shout at the top of your lungs that shooting babies in their cribs and burning their corpses is just plain evil. Plain plain evil. I know, because I am, and I do. You can be pro-Israel and pro-Palestine and anti-terror. I know, because I am.
• Parents from all across the country have reached out to me in the past week asking if their kids are safe. Thousands of worried parents who have been losing sleep as they see their children’s campuses rampaged by extremist organizations that openly celebrate and encourage terrorism. Thousands of moms and dads who only want to make sure that their children are protected from harm. To all those parents, I reply: No.  Your children are not safe. Because, as a professor, I can tell you that universities across the country would rather appease pro-terror campus coalitions than care for their Jewish students. Because, as a professor, I can tell you that the presidents of universities all across the U.S. are more concerned with getting bad press than with getting your children home safely.
• What sort of education is your child getting at a place that refuses to condemn terror-sympathizing organizations and allows them to roam freely on campus? What sort of education is your child getting at a place that gives a platform and a mix to organizations that celebrate the execution of infants in their cribs? The raping of teenagers? The kidnapping of toddlers?
• The moral and intellectual bankruptcy of universities throughout the country is now undeniable. But I know that if we all work together we can make a real difference. This is not about me.  I’m not some leader.  I’m just a dad. I’m just a dad who is scared and who is willing to put EVERYTHING on the line to protect his children.
• Many of you have reached out in the past days, and your messages have brought me immense light into a very dark time. I am so extremely inspired by the stories people have been sending me. People are telling me about the committees they’ve formed and the PTAs they’ve joined and the politicians they’ve called and TV and radio shows to which they have called-in, demanding that their voice be heard. People have written to me about stopping their annual donations to their alma mater until it takes a clear stance against pure evil. Until it takes a clear stance against those who celebrate pure evil.
• If you want to get in touch and let me know about all that you have, are, and will be doing at your job, school, alma mater, neighborhood, and so forth, please email me at:shaidavidai2023@gmail.com (mailto:shaidavidai2023@gmail.com)Please help me spread this message. PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN. One more thing — If you have read thus far, I imagine that it must be because you are someone who cares deeply about this. So I have a small request: If every person who read thus far personally sent this to at least 10 of their friends RIGHT NOW and asked those friends to send this to 10 of their friends, I know that we will be able to make a big difference in the world.  I truly do. (and if I’m wrong well, hey at least we will all know that in this time of crisis we did everything that we could). I know it’s weird, but can I please ask you to email this to all your friends and post it on all your social media profiles? I really just want the message to get through. Thank you!”

Below please find my reply.

I just received a copy of your letter.  I was very touched by your commentary.  You wrote with such passion!  We are probably from different sides of the political spectrum, but on this topic I agree with you 100%.  How could any decent person not do so?  I respect you for taking such a powerful stand even though the pinheads who run your university may terminate your employment because of it. 

I am a 78-year-old Jew as well as a husband, a father and a grandfather.  I, too, am very concerned about what the future may hold for my kids and grandkids, particularly my grandkids who are 16 and 13 and will soon be attending college.  

In addition, I am a blogger. My blogs are published in The Times of Israel, but primarily I write as a hobby, not for profit.  I blog about many topics, but lately I have focused on antisemitism in the US and the world at-large.  I have written some strong language condemning antisemitism and supporting Israel.  I am too old to fight. This is how I make my contribution. I am hopeful that people reading my blogs will become cognizant of our point of view.

I am providing you with a link to my blogs in case you are interested.  I would appreciate and welcome your comments. I will include your letter in my next blog (anonymously).  In addition to the TOI they are disseminated to some 100 persons in some 20 countries. Keep up the good fight!

CONCLUSION

We need more people with the courage, conviction and conscience to speak up. Yesterday’s demonstration in Washington, DC was great, but we cannot sit back and rest. We need more of the same. This war will be won in the court of public opinion as well as on the battlefield. Israel and Jews the world over are in a fight for our very survival. Our enemies are vicious, barbaric and determined. Their oft-stated goal is not merely to defeat us, but to annihilate us. We need to continue the fight.

Yesterday, there were a few developments that lead me to believe we may have reached a significant turning point in this war. To be sure, Israel is winning on the battlefield, and there is little doubt that they WILL ultimately prevail. They have the motivation, but more importantly, they have the spine. They will not be swayed from their objective, which is to destroy Hamas, by politics, diplomacy or public opinion.

However, heretofore, Israel had been losing the battle of public opinion, which is also crucial. Heretofore, we had been inundated with a steady stream of pro-Palestinian publicity, marches and demonstrations. The pro-Palestinians have been loud, provocative, violent and seemingly omnipresent. We have seen antisemitic rallies on college campuses. We have been treated to rants by the lunatics of the Squad and others. In my view, the news coverage has been biased against Israel as it normally is. Logic told us that most clear-thinking, objective people couldn’t possibly side with Hamas, but, for the most part, they have been silent. Where were they? When would they speak up?

But, yesterday, it all changed. Yesterday, the silent majority spoke up loudly and clearly. Yesterday, according to Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations CEO William Daroff and many media outlets we witnessed some 300,000 supporters stand up and support Israel and the Jewish people in Washington, DC. These were not radicals. They were ordinary people who had been fed up and wanted to show their support. There was a plethora of banners and flags. There were no chants; there was no violence. Just ordinary, normal people standing up for what’s right. Many of them were not even Jewish. These were people who were tired of being silent. 300,000! 100,00 were expected, and 300,000 came! Many hundreds of thousands more watched on TV, U Tube and various streaming services.

Just as impressive was the fact that politicians, such as, among others, GOPers Mike Johnson and Joni Ernst and Dems Van Jones, Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, who rarely agree on anything, showed up and expressed solidarity and support of Israel. Of course, neither President Biden nor VP Kamela Harris, deigned to attend. This was disappointing, as it would have been an ideal time to show the Administration’s support, but not unexpected.

Equally significant was that yesterday the IDF finally gained entrance to al Shifa Hospital, and as many of us expected they found copious amounts of weapons inside and in tunnels under the hospital. That’s not all. They also captured hundreds, if not thousands, of fighting age males. We now have visual irrefutable evidence of what Israel has been claiming all along, that Hamas has been cowardly sheltering in tunnels underneath the hospital. Once again, the naysayers have been proven wrong. By the time you read this the IDF may even have found and rescued some or all of the hostages sequestered there.

The one downer is that Sleepy Joe Biden has released the previously-frozen $10 billion of oil money due Iran. Inexplicable. It appears that everyone, except for him, seems to realize that the quickest way to end the war is to strangle Iran economically.

CONCLUSION

In summary, the Israel-Hamas War has taken a turn for the better both on the ground and in the arena of public opinion, although we still have a long struggle ahead. Hezbollah seems to be opening a second front in the north. Iran is still a threat. There remains the specter of Russia and China. Ultimately, I believe Israel will prevail both militarily and in the arena of public opinion. It simply must.

Unfortunately, antisemitism is still very much alive and well. It has always been there, and I fear it always will be.

November 9-10 marked the 85th anniversary of one of the most horrific events in Jewish history, Kristallnacht, aka the Night of the Broken Glass. Considering the turbulent history of the Jewish people, that says a lot.

K should be very significant to Jews for two reasons. (1) We must never forget events such as this; and (2) based on current events a replication is very possible, and maybe soon. Before you scoff at the idea that such an event could occur in the US in the 21st century, read on.

For those of you who may not be familiar with Kristallnacht the following is a brief summary of what happened, why and the aftermath.

1. One might say that K was the “mother of all pogroms.” Pogroms were outbreaks of mass violence directed against a targeted group of people, such as Jews. They have occurred throughout history primarily in Russia, Poland and other parts of eastern Europe. Often, they occurred spontaneously at the slightest provocation with the tacit approval of the rulers.
2. The primary perpetrators of K were various paramilitary elements of the Nazi Party, such as the SS, SA and Hitler youth, but many regular civilians joined in.
3. Mobs of people ransacked and smashed windows of synagogues, Jewish stores, schools, homes, and other buildings. The level of violence was astounding. Some people even used sledgehammers and other tools of destruction. Over 7,000 Jewish businesses were destroyed; some 30,000 Jews were arrested and imprisoned; and some 300 synagogues were destroyed. At the time it was estimated that 91 people died, but when one takes into account post-attack deaths such as prisoner maltreatment and murders, suicides and other causes it was actually much higher. The exact number of deaths is not known definitively.
4. Law enforcement just stood by and did not interfere. The violence was preplanned and organized, although it was made to look spontaneous. In the aftermath shards of glass littered the ground, hence the name K.
5. The pretext for the violence was the assassination of a minor German diplomat named Ernst vom Rath by a 17-year-old German-born Jew living in Paris.
6. K did not occur spontaneously. The seeds were in place for years. Some historians postulate that the Nazis had been looking for an appropriate provocation to justify cracking down on the Jews, and the vom Rath assassination provided it. I subscribe to that theory. In fact, after vom Rath died of his wounds propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels gave a speech in which he encouraged” demonstrations” but specified that they should appear to be spontaneous, not preplanned or organized, and if so, they would not be “hampered” by the police.
7. It is important to note that prior to the advent of the Nazi regime Jews had been living peacefully in Germany for some 500 years. They were fully integrated into all facets of German society. All that changed when the Nazis came into power in the early 1930s. At first, the changes were subtle, and most people were not alarmed. To be sure, hundreds of thousands of people emigrated to other countries, if they could get in, but many more stayed. The prevailing assumption was that the Nazi restrictive policies toward Jews would “blow over.” But, as we know, they did not. Regarding emigration, Chaim Weismann, noted statesman and Zionist leader, denoted that “the world seemed to be divided into two parts – those places where Jews could not live and those where they could not enter.”
8. The immediate aftermath did not go as the Nazis wanted. K was covered extensively by the foreign press, which was horrified by the level of sheer brutality and wanton violence. K had laid bare the repressive nature of Nazi policies for all the world to see. For example, The Times of London reported “No foreign propagandist bent upon blackening Germany before the world could outdo the tale of burnings and beatings, of blackguardly assaults on defenseless and innocent people, which disgraced that country yesterday.” Unfortunately, despite its outrage the world did nothing to curtail the Nazis.

CONCLUSION

Based on current events I am concerned that a replication of a K situation may be in the offing. The seeds are in place. You may think I’m being extreme, but I am of the opinion that history says I am not.

Antisemitic attitudes have always existed. Recently, they had been relatively suppressed or at least under control, but now they have become very prevalent. One only has to read or watch the news. It is omnipresent – in the press, the schools, among the general citizenry, even in Congress. Attitudes that used to remain covert have now become overt. The Israel-Hamas War has become the trigger. It has emboldened antisemites and provided them with the “cover” to express their attitudes and wreak violence against Jews and Israel. The level of bias and hate has been just astounding.

Tens of thousands of people have been demonstrating against Israel and Jews without the foggiest idea of the facts. They are just parroting antisemitic sayings that they heard somewhere. They dismiss the actual facts of Hamas’ wanton brutality as Jewish propaganda. These demonstrations are becoming increasingly violent. Many Jews are afraid to leave their homes or their college dormitories, or to wear anything that identifies them as Jews. Jews have been routinely assaulted and insulted. Some have even been killed. I believe we are a small step away from widespread violence against Jews, perhaps even another K. All that’s needed is a spark, a provocation.

The Biden Administration has to step up and condemn antisemitic bias and actions forcefully and unconditionally. To date, it has not. Like in every other situation, its reaction has been vague, soft and ambiguous. You may say “it can’t happen here, not in 21st century America,” but history tells us it very well could. I would love to be wrong about this, but I don’t believe I am. Remember, as I said, before the Nazis took control Jews had been living in Germany peacefully and harmoniously for some 500 years. To put that in perspective, that’s twice as long as Jews have been in America. They were citizens with full rights. They were part of the social fabric of the country, and it all came crashing down in a few years. Nothing is forever. Many times in their history Jews had been welcome in a country, until they were not.

Postscript: A massive rally of Israeli and Jewish supporters is expected today in Washington, DC. Upwards of 100,000 persons are expected. I am gratified by this strong show of support.