Have you thanked a Vet?

Celebrating Shabbat with Veterans
Bene Shalom honors our men and women in uniform

Friday night was a special evening at Temple Bene Shalom in Skokie. That evening our Shul held a special Shabbat service in honor of the men and women who have served in our armed forces, protecting the freedoms too many of us take for granted everyday. It was a Veterans Day Shabbat.

Rabbi Douglas Goldhammer praised our men and women in uniform, asking God to bless and protect them as well as their families who often suffer great worry and hardship when their loved ones are in harms way. Our congregation honored Veterans who attended and enjoyed an inspiring speech by CPT Adam Greenberg, AN (ret). Greenberg who I am proud to call my friend, was the brainchild behind this blessed event.

The evening was very special for your brilliant blogger. My father who goes to synagogue services as often as the Pope, felt it was necessary to attend the evenings prayers. Even though my father never saw combat, he did serve in the army and was a reservist throughout most of Vietnam. He felt a personal obligation to attend this special Shabbat service. Like all the Veterans in attendance, my father joined his brothers and sisters on the Bimah and received a special blessing from the Rabbi.

Over the past year I have been proud to call myself a member of Bene Shalom. I am grateful that my children are receiving a religious education from great teachers under the guidance of two superb Rabbis. I was humbled when Rabbi Goldhammer called me when I was Washington D.C. to congratulate and express how proud he was of me and my family for being invited to the White House. However I have never been more proud to call myself a member of the Temple as I was Friday night.

God Bless our Veterans.

America collapse under Clinton
Flags fall during press conference; great symbolism

When I learned about Hillary Clinton's Veterans Day press conference mishap, I couldn't stop laughing. In what has been a terrible for week for the New York Senator, it certainly ended just as badly as it began.

After giving a Veterans Day press conference in Waterloo, Iowa, American flags on poles began falling down. Clinton and her staff tried to catch the flags, but had limited success. I can't think of a more appropriate moment to be the symbol of Hillary Clinton and her life as first lady, Senator and Presidential candidate then this moment on Veterans Day.

I'm sure there is a logical explanation of why the flags came tumbling down. However if hypocrisy had a soul you can be sure it had something to do with the falling Stars and Stripes.

After decimating the military during his two terms as President, Hillary often uses her husband as an example of a more secure America. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact inside sources have aways claimed that Hillary has great animosity for the military. The fact that during Democratic debate she sounds the most pro-military is frightening, but it is also an act.

Clinton giving a speech to honor Veterans on the day that honors them is the very definition of hypocrisy. The fact that American flags fell apart behind her after the press conference may be an accident, but you can't run away from the honest symbolism of the moment.

During a week when she had a terrible debate performance, she didn't tip a waitress in an Iowa coffee shop and it was revealed her campaign has been planting people to ask her preapproved questions at town hall meetings, the last thing she needed was to have old glory falling down behind her. However when you are dishonest and insincere, your world will come tumbling down.

Paulie