Norman Podhoretz, 1930-2025

The peripatetic podcaster John Podhoretz writes about the death of his father last night in Commentary here. I must correct my tardiness in reading more of the Senior Pod’s writing.

I write instead out of affection for J-Pod, born of familiarity with his voice, first on the monthly GLoP and then frequently (not daily, for goodness' sake) on the Commentary podcast. I realize that many of our members have written him off, from his general antipathy for our president or his unapologetic Zionism (as Harvey Korman says in Blazing Saddles: “Too Jewish”). As a son who has lost a father, I know this is tough, no matter the age of the father at his passing. (In this case, 95 going on 96.)

For me, the legacy of the Senior Pod lies in his family, described by J-Pod thusly: “Through his nine-plus decades journeying from Brooklyn poverty to Manhattan comfort, he fathered and raised four children, 13 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.” This calls to mind Proverbs 127: 3-5: ”Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.”

As grandfather to two grandsons, 29 grandchildren and great-grandchildren is quite a quiver-ful indeed. May his memory be a blessing to his many descendants.