T
hey say that a Jewish fellow was riding the subway and reading an Arab newspaper. A friend of his happened to be riding in the same car and noticed this strange phenomenon. Taken aback he asked “Moshe why are you reading an Arab newspaper?”
“When I used to read the Jewish newspapers” Moshe replied “what did I find? Jews are persecuted Israel is attacked Jews are disappearing through assimilation and intermarriage Jews live in poverty. So I switched to the Arab newspaper. Now what do I find? Jews own all the banks Jews control the media Jews are all rich and powerful Jews rule the world. The news is so much better!”
Every joke has some truth to it right? Sometimes it’s hard not to feel like Moshe — especially these days when we have not only newspapers to remind us of our inadequacies but myriad forms of media: social electronic and otherwise. Exposed to so much negativity it’s truly refreshing to be reminded that for all our shortcomings we are still a great nation.
A recording that circulated recently served as just such a reminder. On the clip a young rebbi spoke about the nissim that his own family had witnessed when his sister became gravely ill and then experienced a miraculous recovery. During this short but powerful speech he described the reaction of the community to his sister’s condition remarking that when word of the young woman’s sudden and serious decline reached the community at large “Klal Yisrael did what Klal Yisrael does.” Such simple words but so profound. Of course people responded with an outpouring of tefillos chesed initiatives visits to kivrei tzaddikim and expressions of care and concern. That’s who we are.
