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Hanukkah at Mt. Vernon
For Jews on Christmas there are really only two options: a movie and Chinese food. Relatively new to the D.C. area, we learned this year that there’s a third available to us here: George Washington’s home, Mt. Vernon. His home is a major tourist attraction, and is opened 365 days a year, whereas every other attraction is (justifiably) closed on Christmas. We have four very young kids, and decided a day spent outdoors at Mt. Vernon in 50 degrees was a better idea than the traditional Jewish tradition at the movies.
While we were there, everyone wished us a Happy Hanukkah, and went out of their way to do so. As we sat along the Potomac, I broke out my favorite Hanukkah read-aloud, Hanukkah at Valley Forge, about how the General learned about the story of Hanukkah while spending a long, cold winter mired in conflict and miserable conditions at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War.
Hanukkah at Valley Forge @ Mt. Vernon. Read aloud game on point. #HappyHanukkah #stillphoneless #IMissInstagram #BabyToes pic.twitter.com/FYp7Ffc1ID
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) December 25, 2019
The book sparked a conversation about religious freedom and why people came to this country, and how different it would be for Jews if General Washington hadn’t brought us freedom from England. Would we be lighting menorah in secret? Would we dare to walk around with my husband wearing a yarmeluke? It’s not just a thought exercise, just consider life for Jews in England at present. I said a prayer of thanks for two things: That England narrowly escaped electing an anti-Semitic Prime Minister, and that for me here in America, my safety didn’t hinge on that election.
Boris Johnson @BorisJohnson special #Hanukkah blessing to the Jews of Britain and all over the world. Thanks God and to the people of England, it was not @jeremycorbyn pic.twitter.com/cHgWZycaXp
— Adam Milstein (@AdamMilstein) December 22, 2019
But things here in the U.S. are not perfect; yesterday we saw not one, not two, but three anti-Semitic attacks on Jews in the tristate area. When he can’t get himself booked on Morning Joe, Mayor Bill DeBlasio does nothing (though he at least tweeted this time); there have and likely will not be any solidarity marches scheduled through Brooklyn’s Jewish community. DeBlasio and his progressive brethren represent the Corbynization of American politics.
America is unique in the safety its government promises its Jews. But with Jew-haters scattered throughout the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, that promise is not guaranteed in perpetuity. Yesterday was a reminder of that scary fact.
Published in General
I advise every Diaspora Jew, including those in the US, to buy real estate in Israel. Do whatever you need to do to raise the necessary funds. You don’t want to be caught without a place of your own if and when. By the way, Bethany, you and your family are welcome to stay with me when you arrive here until you get settled. It’s not cheap to live in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, I know. But you can live in Judea or Samaria in a large house for a reasonable sum and there are plenty of towns in the Galilee and the Negev where housing is quite affordable.
How are the gun laws in Israel? Can I bring mine?
It is amazing how accepted antisemitism is these days.
So glad you and your family could enjoy Mt. Vernon yesterday. The ladies who run it have done a wonderful job ‘keeping up with the times’ but not veering into political correctness. I will have to look up the book for our grandchildren.
A Jewish family celebrating Hanukkah on Christmas at the home of one of our Founding Fathers. Only in America . . .
Happy Hanukkah from our family to yours!
I don’t think they would let you bring it on the plane! If you are not a citizen, you can still receive a license if you are over 45 years old, have been a permanent resident for 3 years, and can speak and write basic Hebrew. What follows are preconditions for obtaining a firearm license. I will add details of eligibility requirements in the post that follows this one.
I should add that every firearm license is Israel is open carry.
Preconditions for obtaining a personal firearm license in Israel:
Eligibility criteria for obtaining a personal firearm license in Israel:
Is there a limit to the number of weapons that can be owned?
Yes. The limit is one.
So, Israel does not recognize my basic right to keep and bear arms. I’ll stay here in the US, thank you very much.
Can non-citizens in the US get gun licenses? And would you want that?
In Jerusalem, Israel’s largest city, single women walk alone at night without guns and without fear. Name one city in the US where this is possible.
Marietta, GA where I live
Kennesaw, GA
Times Square, NYC
There are lots of places where you can do that in the USA.
None of which matters: A right is a right is a right. The government should not limit the number of firearms I own.
I love Israel, but in no way would I want to live there. Of course, I am not a Jew either, so there is no pull there at all for me.
But here’s the point, Bryan, if you grew up with a basic sense of security regarding your immediate surroundings, as Israelis do — despite threats at their borders — you might feel differently. And, incidentally, the open carry policy that attaches to every gun license issued here has a significant effect on deterring terrorism.
Aside from being a somewhat interesting fact, I’m not sure how this is germane. Premise rejected. :-)
I’m sure I can answer for Bryan, and for myself: no, we wouldn’t. Because, for me at least, I did grow up with that basic sense of security and still enjoy it. Yet I still have a safe full of guns. Why? Because a: I like guns and b: the US, more or less, recognizes and protects my basic right to keep and bare arms.
No. I would not. And I am not a fan of socialsim that your nation is either.
The gov had no right to limit my guns when I have done nothing wrong. Period. Immutable right from God.
If you want to start playing byhr game of which country is better, let’s do that in another thred.
It’s my fault, I asked.
We also saw an Israeli student file the first Title VI lawsuit against his college (Columbia) for discrimination because of his nationality.
President Trump signed the EO directing the inclusion of Jewish Americans to the protections afforded by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (barring discrimination based on national origin, among other things).
It is very appropriate for Mt Vernon to do this as it is consistent with Washington’s views as expressed in his letter of July 1790 to the Jewish community of Newport, Rhode Island. In that letter Washington rejected the notion then prevalent in the rest of the Christian world, and still prevalent in Islam, that tolerance was something to be bestowed by the dominant religion and therefore revocable at its discretion, and instead set forth the idea that tolerance was not something bestowed, but rather what we owed to each other as citizens.
This was not a new notion to our first President. In 1775, shortly after the Continental Congress named him as commander of its military forces, he approved a plan to invade Canada. The civilian population of Canada, which the British had taken from France only twelve years prior, was almost exclusively Catholic, a religion detested by most American Protestants at that time. On September 14, 1775, Washington sent instructions to Benedict Arnold, commanding the American expedition about to start its epic campaign through the backwoods of Maine to Quebec, in which he directed Arnold to respect the religious beliefs of the Canadians. This, in and of itself, was not remarkable – doing so was wise strategy when the Americans were trying to get the Canadians to join them in the revolt against Britain. It was the way Washington expresses himself that was striking:
https://www.friendsofariel.org/about/about-ariel/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Nachman
Mayor Nachman, the founder of Ariel, Israel, prior to passing in 2013 had spoken to our church three or four times in person. Pastor Ray would fly his team over to give updates to the development of Ariel and let us meet the leaders of the city we support financially and prayerfully. The best understanding of the scripture is from the Jewish perspective. For one instance, https://outreachjudaism.org/crucifixion-psalm/ is one clarification found within the original text.
Anyway Ariel, which I understand means the “Lioness of Judah”, may be a consideration for those inclined to buy real estate in Israel.
Finally, ironically and humorously, a mom writes about something beautiful and the boys turn it into guns, my country is better than yours. Hilarious!