V'nahafoch hu! It's all backwards!

I had been hoping to post more (and I have a few other items in the works), but I wanted to leave you with some Purim thoughts.

Purim is the holiday when the tables turned – v’nahafoch hu, and Haman’s plans were thwarted. The Jews finally/actually caught a break. Having recently attended the AIPAC Policy Conference, I was thinking about how backwards the world is when it comes to Israel. I am not saying Israel is perfect, but take a look around the Middle East. Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, and the list goes on. Which other country comes close to Israel when it comes to democracy, freedom of the press, women’s rights, gay rights and others? NONE.

For a few great articles on this double standard, see here for a recent article by Daniel Gordis. A highlight: “To this day, no Palestinian leader will look at their people and say “The Jews, too, are indigenous here. They, too, have a right to a homeland here, so let’s share.’”

See here for what it is like to be a Jew visiting Saudi Arabia.

Wake up world! It’s time for a modern v’nahafoch hu!

Happy Purim!