Just Another Day

Here in Israel, the New Year for the Gregorian calendar is not the big deal that it is in the USA or Europe.  It is not a national holiday; people go to work as usual (though this year it falls on a Friday, which is the beginning of the weekend).

December 31 is the feast day of St. Sylvester, who, as Pope, was instrumental in expelling Jews from Jerusalem and who otherwise was unfriendly to the Jews.  Accordingly, in Europe the practice has developed to call New Year's Eve "Sylvester."  That practice is followed to a large extent in Israel, which, in my opinion, is one reason why New Year's Day is not accorded such an exalted status here.  Another reason is that on New Year's Day, a Jewish boy born the previous December 25th is in his eighth day and accordingly, receives his circumcision.  On the Catholic Church calendar, then, New Year's Day is the Feast of the Circumcision. Given the long history of the often animosity-driven relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jews, many Jewish people, if they do not eschew the usual American and European-type practices regarding New Year's Day, do not avidly partake in them.

In Israel, the New Year is Rosh HaShanah.  Way back when I was employed by the US Department of Defense, we frequently did an informal munchies spread to mark the new US Government Fiscal Year on October 1st.  Though many hotels and bars and restaurants in Israel (especially in cities such as Tel Aviv and Haifa) do mark the New Year at midnight on December 31st, it generally is like a new fiscal year here, with no ball drops or similar events.

Last night, my wife and I had a quiet evening at home.

To all my friends:  Whichever way you may commemorate the passing from December 31st to January 1st, I wish you a Happy New Year, and,  in my unbounded optimism, hope and pray that it will be better than the year that has just passed.

Seasonal Affective Disorder 2015 - 2016

Nothing particularly inspiring to blog about these past 3 weeks (must be the usual seasonal affective disorder).  Everything pretty much routine for everyone here.

Last week I completed an intensive Hebrew language improvement course, which has helped me noticeably (though I still need more of it; have an appointment to discuss a possible course given in January by a local purveyor instead of having to shlep into Tel Aviv 4 days a week).  Approximately one-third of the last class were French, about one-fourth from the former Soviet Union, about one-fourth Anglos, and a few from other miscellaneous places (including Latin America, Denmark, and Italy).

Though Christmas is not my holiday, I do hope that my Christian friends had a merry one.  Back in the States, several of my neighbors had some, shall we say, very visible Christmas light decoration displays (some of which were reported in the local newspaper).  Israel being Israel, there is not too much of that to be seen here, though there is a visible Christian community in my town, most of whom are employees of American companies who have been assigned to the Israel offices, and who commute to Tel Aviv or Ramat Gan (and in the case of one I know, to the Holy City of Jerusalem).  There is a store in town that sells Christmas decorations; the owner tells me that the people who come in to buy them often remain loyal customers throughout the year.

Some potentially interesting personal and professional plans are now shaping up for me and for my wife.  Nothing to report yet, but perhaps some of the events in the offing  shall bring me past this current burn-out.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

 

This Time at Times Square

There are less than six hours to go (Eastern Standard Time) for the calendar year of 2014.  This Blog has previously weighed in on New Year's celebrations in general, and on the famed one at Times Square in particular.  This year, the Times Square event carries implications that were not there in prior years.

In prior years, everyone is there to celebrate the coming of the New Year, even if it constitutes little more than an excuse for drunken revelry.  This year, Al Sharpton's anti-cop, anti-America, anti-civilization crowd specifically plans to disrupt the Times Square ball drop festivities.

From the calm of my own desk in my own home/office, I now ponder the following imponderables:

**  Given the New York City Police's obviously concerted decrease in arrests and summonses (synonym:  labor strike), are the NYPDers really up to preserving order and decorum to the extent they have been in prior years?

**  Wishful thinking:  If Sharpton's Shitheads get too overly out of hand, might the NYPD enlist the good offices of the FDNY to borrow their fire hoses to douse the protesters, what with the colder-than-usual temperatures this year at Times Square?

**  How will the majority of revelers, who will be at Times Square with the intention of having a good time for New Years, interact with Sharpton's Shitheads?  Will they join the protesters?  Will they turn upon the protesters?  If so, to what extent will the NYPD intervene?

**  Might there be potential for an incident or event at tonight's festivities to impact the attitudes (and therefore, actions) of the NYPDers with respect to their decorum when Commissar de Blasio speaks at the upcoming funeral of Officer Wenjian Liu?

The Meaning of Christmas & New Year's Day

I, of course, do not celebrate the Christmas holidays. Nevertheless, to say the least, many of my friends and neighbors do, and this I do not begrudge them. Many of my neighbors spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on outdoor seasonal displays, which they no doubt have done with due regard for the household budgetary needs.

One of my neighbors whose outdoor accoutrements run towards the more ornate on the street has, among his several illuminated holiday themes, a Knights of Columbus "Keep Christ in Christmas" display. This I find not one bit offensive in the least, and I have told this particular neighbor as much. The more that the Christ is kept in Christmas, the more Jewish people will realize that it is not our holiday, and that we have our own holidays to celebrate.

And the more Christians will realize that Jewish people have a right to live in the so-called "West Bank" of the Jordan River. After all, more than 2000 years ago a Jewish baby was born to a Jewish family in the town of Bethlehem, which is located there. Contrary to what the Muslims and their allies and dupes would have the world believe, we Jews do in fact have a long, strong and documented connection to the territory from which our enemies now seek to exclude us.

When Christians celebrate Christmas, then, they are confirming and affirming the Jewish people's right to live in all of the land of Israel! So yes, all you Knights of Columbus, please do keep the Christ in Christmas!

And, if Christmas was the first day, then the eighth day is New Year's Day, which in fact is celebrated as the Feast of the Circumcision of a Jewish boy born to a Jewish family in the land to which the enemies of the Jews now deny we have any historic connection.

Fast Forward 2010 years (there being no Year Zero under the common era dating system):

The New Year's Eve celebration in New York at Times Square drew hundreds of thousands of people, both locals and visitors from around the country and the world.

As mentioned in a prior posting, I endeavor to avoid such crowd situations. This year, however, it was totally out of the question, because New Year's Eve fell on Friday night, which is my religious Sabbath and all that it entails.

So where do I stand on the Times Square festivities?

First of all, New Year's Day is, for me, an administrative new year because that is upon which the world operates. It means, for example, that I need to get my financial records in order so that I can do my tax returns. It has no religious significance to me (though, as mentioned above, it certainly does hold religious significance to others).

Secondly, I am saddened by the number of Jewish people out there who were desecrating the Sabbath. I would like to see more Jews observe the Sabbath, and maintain the kosher dietary laws. Unfortunately, achieving that ideal would require so many of my fellow Jews to make so many changes which they are not yet ready to make in their personal and professional lives, and in their interpersonal relationships. I can and do invite and encourage; I cannot (and do not even attempt to) compel.

Having said this, I view the Times Square events last night quite positively. For one thing, the participation in the event by many visitors from around the world provided some much needed economic stimulus for the region.

More importantly, the enemies of America, of the Jews, and of civilization do not want there to be any New Year's Eve festivities (except as targets for catastrophic high-carnage acts of terrorism). Had the celebration not come off, then it would have been a victory for the Muslim extremist elements.

It is important to continue and develop that tradition of Guy Lombardo, Dick Clark, Ryan Seacrest, and, hopefully, others to follow into the far future. And so, to all, I wish a Happy New Year!

The Nitwits at Times Square

Without going into the details, it suffices to say that many years ago, after one evening of profligate youthful indiscretion, I resolved to stay away from Times Square on New Year's Eve (unless I had a viable remunerative business motive such as selling trinkets or picking pockets). I continue to eschew such public revelry, whether at Times Square or other venues. Trust me, such situations do not abound with sound intelligent reasoning!

Over the years, the events at such gatherings have continued to validate my decision to stay away.

For example, the following article in the New York Law Journal:

"Eviction From Hotel Found Not Cause of New Year's Accident" by Daniel Wise, New York Law Journal, 22 April 2008, page 1.

The relevant facts are recited in Judge Kahn's opinion (with citations omitted to facilitate reader ergonomics):


"Plaintiff Jeffrey Dagen ("Plaintiff") made reservations and paid for two rooms at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square, New York City for the nights of December 31, 2004 and January 1, 2005 for a total cost of approximately $4,000. Plaintiff and his four guests checked into the hotel and ordered food and alcoholic beverages from room service at several points during the evening of December 31st. Room service continued delivering the orders until shortly before midnight. Following a disturbance in or around Plaintiff’s rooms involving Plaintiff and his party, Plaintiff and his guests were told to leave the hotel and Plaintiff was escorted out of the hotel by police officers. Plaintiff then proceeded to his pickup truck, parked in a parking garage about six or seven blocks away. Plaintiff did not seek alternative lodging for
the night. Plaintiff did not stop to buy coffee, and never considered stopping in a coffee shop or similar establishment to rest. Plaintiff left New York City and drove toward Latham, New York on the Taconic Parkway because he misread the signs to the Thruway, despite having traveled to New York City several times per year over the previous few years, including through the Taconic Parkway at least one or two times per year in 2003 and 2004.

Plaintiff drove approximately ninety miles on the Taconic Parkway without incident or difficulty and without stopping for coffee or rest or to seek lodging. As he approached the exit ramp for the Town of Taghkanic, Plaintiff decided to exit the Parkway to get gas for his truck. After about 100 yards on the exit ramp, Plaintiff reached a slippery part of the road, lost control of the car and skidded off the exit ramp, ultimately hitting a tree. Plaintiff admitted that he was driving at 65 miles per hour immediately before he attempted to exit the Parkway, or 10 miles over the speed limit. The New York state trooper who responded to the scene found that the roadway conditions were wet and glistening and that Plaintiff was traveling at an unsafe speed for these road conditions.

Plaintiff seeks damages from Defendants for personal injuries sustained in the collision on the theory of negligence. Defendants’ motion for partial summary judgment seeks to dismiss the negligence claim."




My take on it: This guy must really, really, be a nitwit par excellence if he was able to get himself expelled from the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel! Especially on New Year's Eve, when the general standard of decorum in the neighborhood deteriorates to a level just above lawlessness and anarchy!

The folks at the New York Times are not the only nitwits at Times Square!

L'Shanah Tova Tikatevu, 5768

Got lots to do today, in preparation for Rosh HaShanah and otherwise.

New Year greetings to everyone from me and my family. Everyone have a happy and a healthy one!