HFD. Pray for Peace....

Good morning fellow Bakers. Many years ago when I was a young undergraduate I remember the words of my father and all the other men at the Thanksgiving table. The naive optimism of my youth, and my hopeful vision of mankind, was severely rebuked. When the angel of death passes you, but takes so many others, it must be difficult to listen to the protestations of the idealist. The world has turned once again to hating the Jew just as those good fathers said it would. I refused to believe them, living safely in stupor, immersed in American culture. That stuff could never happen here.

Today, while relatives and friends are sleeping in bomb shelters in Israel, we see the threat from both the far left and far right. Thankfully, they each hate their own adversaries more than they hate the Jews. If they ever find common cause to join forces anything can happen. How far are we from a political world that seeks to end the relationship between America and Israel. How far are we from the litmus test of loyalty to the Anerican flag or love for our God and Israel. This heaviness is a burden that some of us carry and some do not. Most Jews would rather be golfing or playing with their grandkids than worrying about the future and the safety of those beautiful children.

But those children are sleeping in bomb shelters tonight because they are Jews. All we ever asked of any culture is that they leave us alone so we can live in peace. We know how to live life to the fullest. We are not lazy and we know we are here for a purpose. That is to serve our creator by obeying the commandments. That takes hard work and we are certainly capable of honoring that legacy. The first five are a covenant between man and god. Those covenants are the most sacred. Thou shall honor thy father and mother is the fourth commandment.

No matter how horrible a parent may be, a child has to honor and remember the source of his life force. Your mom and dad gave you the gift of light and now you can bring light to this world. We hold this obligation as a higher value than our contracts with our fellow man. Thou shall not steal, lie, covet, kill or commit adultery are important values, but unless you are able to honor and obey the first five, it is doubtful you will honor the last five.

This morning will bring more difficult news to bear. This war will not end shortly and there will be more suffering. Please remember that one side is chanting Death to Israel, Death to Jews and Death to America. Israel always remains the canary in the coal mine. All we can do is pray for peace, and if that means marching David out to meet Goliath, so be it.. Perhaps, we will be rewarded with one hundred years of peace, and that is the most we can hope for.

Peace to Everyone…

Happy Father’s Day to the light of my world Max Kaufman and to my sons Eric and Jeremy. Teach your children well and do not be afraid to teach them the truth, when they are old enough to understand the truth.

Pray for Peace Jacob Allen.

Underground days and Underground nights, darkness and fear surround my soul.

Steel and armor, guns and war; Playing with toy soldiers not many years ago

I look to my mother, I look to my father, I pray to God

We will walk out of that cold steel door.

Underground days and Underground nights, babies cry and bubbie screams

Steel and armor, flesh and bones, we all knew peace many years before

I look to my mother, I look to my father, I pray to God

Do not let the chains of hate enter my soul.

Look at me, Cry for me. I can’t cry anymore; Look at me, Cry for me, We must bang the drums of war

Song: Can’t Find my Way Home: Blind Faith. Live from Here by Chris Thile (Punch Brothers) Rachael Price on vocals. ( Lake Street Dive)