The following is an op-ed
that I wrote, which appeared in the Philadelphia-based Jewish Exponent, in
which I discuss the impact that the budget stalemate in Pennsylvania is having
on non-public schools:
Don’t Forget Our Kids
November 6, 2015
As the longest budget impasse in Pennsylvania’s history dominates the
political debates in Harrisburg, Commonwealth citizens rightly worry that the
partisan squabbling will have serious, long-term consequences.
The reverberations of the gridlock are felt far and wide, from social
services organizations to schools.
By now, it has been exhaustively documented how the myriad of ways the budget
impasse is impacting Pennsylvania’s public schools. Approximately $3 billion in
state education aid has been withheld since the start of the new fiscal year on
July 1. As a result, school districts have been forced to borrow over $430
million in order to cover expenses and operational costs.
As painful as the budget stalemate has been for public schools, it has also
been devastating for the 254,000 children enrolled in Pennsylvania’s extensive
non-public school network.
Non-public schools are contending with how to teach their children without
having received the textbooks, instructional materials and equipment that the
state budget provides them. They have been forced to operate while lacking the
auxiliary services under “Act 89,” including reading and math remediation, and
speech and language therapy. Beyond these gaps, an even greater menace looms.
The Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program and Opportunity
Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) program provide millions of dollars each year in
scholarships for low- and middle-income families across Pennsylvania. For many
non-public schools, including Jewish day schools, this funding is indispensable
— with countless students receiving scholarships through the two tax credit
programs.
If the state budget is not passed prior to the end of the calendar year,
there is a real possibility that non-public schools will lose an entire year of
EITC and OSTC funding. With the EITC and OSTC funding levels at $100 million
and $50 million respectively, the loss of this funding stream for non-public
schools would be catastrophic. Schools may be forced to close their doors and
our students will be yet another casualty of the budget stalemate.
We recognize that there are a number of monumental issues at the center of
the budget debate, including tax increases and pension reform. However, no
matter how substantial those issues may seem, Gov. Wolf and state lawmakers
cannot believe any of those topics outweigh our children and their education.
The sad reality is that our schools and our children have become collateral
damage to a partisan budget battle. The impact on Pennsylvania’s non-public
schools and the quarter-million children who are educated in them is tangible
and terrifying. Simply put, our schools and our students cannot afford to be
deprived of these critical educational dollars.
We are extraordinarily grateful for the array of programs and services that
our state representatives have instituted over the years in recognition of the
importance of Pennsylvania’s non-public schools, and which facilitate the
quality education that they provide to so many children throughout the
Commonwealth. However, the present budget situation is unpardonable, and the
Governor and Pennsylvania General Assembly need to act now, before it is too
late.
Our schools and our students need the textbooks they have not yet gotten.
They need the remedial services they have not yet received. They desperately
need the EITC and OSTC funds they have not yet obtained. The time for talk is
over; it is now time for action.
Until the budget stalemate gets resolved and the education funding for all
of Pennsylvania’s children is restored, Harrisburg is essentially imperiling
our students’ educational opportunities.
Let’s get this done, and quickly. Our children’s futures depend on it.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and the Pennsylvania Regional Director for
the OU Advocacy Center, which is the non-partisan public policy arm of the
nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish organization, representing nearly 1,000
congregations nationwide.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
My letter in the Philadelphia Inquirer about the PA budget impasse
The following is a letter to the editor that I wrote, which
appeared in the November 2, 2015 edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer, in which
I discussed how the Pennsylvania budget impasse is hurting non-public schools:
ISSUE - BUDGET IMPASSE
Schools in jeopardy
As the longest budget impasse in Pennsylvania history drags on, the reverberations of the gridlock are widely felt. The stalemate has been devastating for the quarter-million children in nonpublic schools.
If the budget is not passed soon, nonpublic schools will lose an entire year of Educational Improvement Tax Credit and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit funding, which provides scholarships for low- and middle-income families. Losing this critical funding would be catastrophic. Schools may be forced to close their doors, and our students will be yet another casualty of the budget standoff.
Our children have become collateral damage in a partisan budget battle, and the impact on Pennsylvania’s nonpublic schools is tangible and terrifying. Our schools and students cannot afford to be deprived of these essential education dollars.
The time for talk is over; it is time for action. Let’s pass a budget, and quickly. Our children’s futures depend on it.
N. Aaron Troodler, Bala Cynwyd
ISSUE - BUDGET IMPASSE
Schools in jeopardy
As the longest budget impasse in Pennsylvania history drags on, the reverberations of the gridlock are widely felt. The stalemate has been devastating for the quarter-million children in nonpublic schools.
If the budget is not passed soon, nonpublic schools will lose an entire year of Educational Improvement Tax Credit and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit funding, which provides scholarships for low- and middle-income families. Losing this critical funding would be catastrophic. Schools may be forced to close their doors, and our students will be yet another casualty of the budget standoff.
Our children have become collateral damage in a partisan budget battle, and the impact on Pennsylvania’s nonpublic schools is tangible and terrifying. Our schools and students cannot afford to be deprived of these essential education dollars.
The time for talk is over; it is time for action. Let’s pass a budget, and quickly. Our children’s futures depend on it.
N. Aaron Troodler, Bala Cynwyd
Thursday, October 15, 2015
My letter in The New York Times about Palestinian incitement
The following is a letter to the editor
that wrote about the deadly role that Palestinian incitement plays when it
comes to acts of terror against Israel, which appeared in the October 15, 2015
edition of The New York Times:
To the Editor:
“Young Palestinians Fanning the Flames of a New Uprising” (front page, Oct. 14) does an exceptional job spotlighting the young Palestinians who have committed numerous acts of terror against Israelis over the last several weeks.
While social media certainly plays a pivotal part in inspiring the perpetrators to resort to violence, you rightly note the deadly role that incitement plays in this tragic tale of terror. By glorifying terrorism and celebrating martyrdom, the leaders in these communities essentially sanction the violence and lead these young people down a divisive and dangerous path.
Teaching an entire generation of Palestinian youths to loathe their Israeli neighbors has proved to be a deadly practice, the reverberations of which are felt every time another life is lost. Those who encourage and endorse terrorism are as culpable as the people who carry out the terrorist acts.
Before an already tenuous situation spirals further out of control, steps must be taken to curb the violence and end the incitement. This deadly tsunami of terror is not going to recede on its own.
N. AARON TROODLER
Bala Cynwyd, Pa.
To the Editor:
“Young Palestinians Fanning the Flames of a New Uprising” (front page, Oct. 14) does an exceptional job spotlighting the young Palestinians who have committed numerous acts of terror against Israelis over the last several weeks.
While social media certainly plays a pivotal part in inspiring the perpetrators to resort to violence, you rightly note the deadly role that incitement plays in this tragic tale of terror. By glorifying terrorism and celebrating martyrdom, the leaders in these communities essentially sanction the violence and lead these young people down a divisive and dangerous path.
Teaching an entire generation of Palestinian youths to loathe their Israeli neighbors has proved to be a deadly practice, the reverberations of which are felt every time another life is lost. Those who encourage and endorse terrorism are as culpable as the people who carry out the terrorist acts.
Before an already tenuous situation spirals further out of control, steps must be taken to curb the violence and end the incitement. This deadly tsunami of terror is not going to recede on its own.
N. AARON TROODLER
Bala Cynwyd, Pa.
A Tsunami of Terror
The following is my latest column in The
Jewish Link of New Jersey, in which I discuss the international community’s
relative silence about the recent wave of terror in Israel and its failure to
try and end Palestinian incitement by holding the Palestinian Authority and
Hamas responsible for their continued encouragement of violence against Israelis:
A TSUNAMI OF TERROR
By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.
It was a gruesome murder that shocked us all. The horrific image of a man and woman, a father and mother, a husband and wife being gunned down in their car by terrorists as four of their young children watched from the back seat is forever ingrained in our hearts and minds. As we learned about the brutal terrorist attack that claimed the lives of Rabbi Eitam and Naama Henkin and instantly made their six children orphans, we mourned their tragic loss and grieved for their family. Little did we know that this heinous act of terror was just the beginning.
The ghastly attack on the Henkin family was followed by a wave of terror that swept through Israel. There were multiple stabbings in the Old City of Jerusalem, including one in which two men were killed, while the wife and infant child of one of the victims were injured. There was the man who was stabbed in Petach Tikvah, the Israeli soldiers who were stabbed in Kiryat Gat and Afula, and the man who was stabbed in Hebron. There was the terrorist who attacked people with a screwdriver in Tel Aviv. There were numerous stone-throwing incidents and firebomb attacks around the country. The attacks may have varied in their execution, but they were equally vicious.
I cannot help but think that if this outbreak of terrorism occurred in a country other than Israel, we would have heard unequivocal and unqualified condemnation from the international community. Instead, the widespread calls for a cessation of the violence that should have been ubiquitous have been conspicuously muted. The international outrage that one would expect in the wake of the terror attacks against Israelis that have become all too prevalent is curiously absent.
The fact that people have become somewhat immune to the terrorist attacks that take place fairly regularly in Israel is troubling. The complacency that pervades after “yet another terrorist attack” is extremely disconcerting. It is almost as if it takes a stark reminder in the form of a particularly horrific attack that shocks the conscience, such as the Henkin murder, to jolt us and remind us of the lasting impact that each terrorist attack has on our nation’s psyche. It is akin to the unforgettable massacre in Itamar in March 2011, in which five members of the Fogel family, including three young children and their parents, were slaughtered by terrorists as they slept.
The reality is that the victims in each of these terror attacks were targeted solely because they were Jewish. I am not quite sure how and when targeting and killing Jews became an accepted practice, but it must stop. The international community, whose relative silence in the wake of the terrorist attacks has been deafening, needs to intercede and take swift action against the Palestinian Authority and Hamas in an effort to curb the violence and end the incitement. Those who encourage and endorse terrorism aimed at Jews are as culpable as the murderers who carry out the acts of terror.
As the parent of a daughter who lives in Israel, the rising tide of terrorism concerns me not just on a communal level, but on a personal level as well. When I spoke to my daughter at the end of a day that saw multiple terrorist attacks throughout Israel, I mentioned to her that she should make sure to be aware of her surroundings and to travel safely. Although she acknowledged my concern by telling me that she is always careful, she also noted that if something is going to happen, it is going to happen regardless and there is not much that can be done about it. She then proceeded to inform me that she was in Tel Aviv at the time when a 19-year-old Palestinian attacked passerby near the city’s Azrieli mall and described me how she felt when she saw the police helicopters hovering over the scene of the stabbing attack.
I yearn for the day when I no longer have to remind my daughter in Israel to travel safely. In order for that day to come, the barbaric acts of terror against Israelis must cease. Wake up world…this deadly tsunami of terror is not going to recede on its own. When it comes to halting the incitement and ending the violence, the intervention of the international community is critical and long overdue. It is time to act before an already tenuous situation spirals further out of control. The lives of innocent people and the future of the State of Israel depend on it.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. Visit him on the Web at TroodlersTake.blogspot.com, www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @troodler
A TSUNAMI OF TERROR
By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.
It was a gruesome murder that shocked us all. The horrific image of a man and woman, a father and mother, a husband and wife being gunned down in their car by terrorists as four of their young children watched from the back seat is forever ingrained in our hearts and minds. As we learned about the brutal terrorist attack that claimed the lives of Rabbi Eitam and Naama Henkin and instantly made their six children orphans, we mourned their tragic loss and grieved for their family. Little did we know that this heinous act of terror was just the beginning.
The ghastly attack on the Henkin family was followed by a wave of terror that swept through Israel. There were multiple stabbings in the Old City of Jerusalem, including one in which two men were killed, while the wife and infant child of one of the victims were injured. There was the man who was stabbed in Petach Tikvah, the Israeli soldiers who were stabbed in Kiryat Gat and Afula, and the man who was stabbed in Hebron. There was the terrorist who attacked people with a screwdriver in Tel Aviv. There were numerous stone-throwing incidents and firebomb attacks around the country. The attacks may have varied in their execution, but they were equally vicious.
I cannot help but think that if this outbreak of terrorism occurred in a country other than Israel, we would have heard unequivocal and unqualified condemnation from the international community. Instead, the widespread calls for a cessation of the violence that should have been ubiquitous have been conspicuously muted. The international outrage that one would expect in the wake of the terror attacks against Israelis that have become all too prevalent is curiously absent.
The fact that people have become somewhat immune to the terrorist attacks that take place fairly regularly in Israel is troubling. The complacency that pervades after “yet another terrorist attack” is extremely disconcerting. It is almost as if it takes a stark reminder in the form of a particularly horrific attack that shocks the conscience, such as the Henkin murder, to jolt us and remind us of the lasting impact that each terrorist attack has on our nation’s psyche. It is akin to the unforgettable massacre in Itamar in March 2011, in which five members of the Fogel family, including three young children and their parents, were slaughtered by terrorists as they slept.
The reality is that the victims in each of these terror attacks were targeted solely because they were Jewish. I am not quite sure how and when targeting and killing Jews became an accepted practice, but it must stop. The international community, whose relative silence in the wake of the terrorist attacks has been deafening, needs to intercede and take swift action against the Palestinian Authority and Hamas in an effort to curb the violence and end the incitement. Those who encourage and endorse terrorism aimed at Jews are as culpable as the murderers who carry out the acts of terror.
As the parent of a daughter who lives in Israel, the rising tide of terrorism concerns me not just on a communal level, but on a personal level as well. When I spoke to my daughter at the end of a day that saw multiple terrorist attacks throughout Israel, I mentioned to her that she should make sure to be aware of her surroundings and to travel safely. Although she acknowledged my concern by telling me that she is always careful, she also noted that if something is going to happen, it is going to happen regardless and there is not much that can be done about it. She then proceeded to inform me that she was in Tel Aviv at the time when a 19-year-old Palestinian attacked passerby near the city’s Azrieli mall and described me how she felt when she saw the police helicopters hovering over the scene of the stabbing attack.
I yearn for the day when I no longer have to remind my daughter in Israel to travel safely. In order for that day to come, the barbaric acts of terror against Israelis must cease. Wake up world…this deadly tsunami of terror is not going to recede on its own. When it comes to halting the incitement and ending the violence, the intervention of the international community is critical and long overdue. It is time to act before an already tenuous situation spirals further out of control. The lives of innocent people and the future of the State of Israel depend on it.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. Visit him on the Web at TroodlersTake.blogspot.com, www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @troodler
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Fortifying Our Faith
In the aftermath of an inspiring and
spiritually uplifting Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, during which time our faith
and belief in God play a central role, I am posting an op-ed that I wrote that
appeared in The Jewish Press in December 2010, in which I recounted a
personal familial experience that greatly enhanced and strengthened our faith
at that time.
FORTIFYING OUR FAITH
By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.
When the shrill sound of the telephone ringing shattered the silence in our home at 5:30 in the morning on Monday, October 18, I got out of bed and answered the call with great trepidation and a sense of dread. I realized that if someone was calling our house that early in the morning, it was in all likelihood not good news. The voice on the other end of the line belonged to my father-in-law, who, in a trembling voice, told me my sister-in-law had passed away suddenly. I then had to turn to my wife and gently tell her that her sister was gone.
That phone call began a whirlwind of events: planning a funeral, working out the details of the shiva, and explaining to our children that their aunt had died. Working through our grief and the shock of such a sudden loss, we somehow dealt with all the pressing issues that had to be immediately addressed.
As we were dealing with this unspeakable tragedy, we were simultaneously preparing for the birth of our fourth child. My wife, who had a Caesarian section scheduled for just eleven days after her sister passed away, spent a great deal of time during the shiva fielding questions about how she was faring with the pregnancy.
The week of shiva was utterly exhausting for all of us, especially for my wife, my father-in-law and my brother-in-law, who were mourning their loss. My wife left the shiva house late Sunday night after having received a steady stream of visitors throughout the day, and, though she was physically and emotionally drained, she went to sleep taking solace in the fact that the seemingly endless week of shiva was coming to a close the next morning.
Just a few hours later, at 1:30 in the morning, my wife’s water broke. Ironically, just as the phone call from my father-in-law exactly a week earlier had set into motion a dizzying sequence of events, so too we began our Monday with a flurry of activity. We called the doctor, who told us to go to the hospital immediately. The medical staff monitored my wife throughout the remainder of the night, and the doctor performed a C-section early Monday morning, four days earlier than originally scheduled.
My oldest child was breech, and therefore the doctor at that time was compelled to perform a Caesarian section, as opposed to opting for a natural delivery. After the first C-section, we had scheduled C-sections for each of the next two pregnancies, and both children were born on the dates their respective C-sections were slated for. There had been no reason in our minds to think things would be different with our fourth child.
At 7:22 a.m. - the same time the last minyan in the shiva house was taking place – our daughter was born. Instead of being at her brother’s house and getting up from shiva with her father and brother, my wife was in the hospital having a baby.
The proximity between the two events was particularly striking. In the span of just one week’s time we personally experienced the high and low of the life cycle and rode our own personal emotional roller coaster.
We named our new daughter Orit Netanya - “God gave us light.” One week our world was plunged into darkness, and then the next week Hashem once again brightened our world and illuminated our lives. Thankfully, God gave us light when we needed it most.
Our entire family feels especially blessed by the birth of our daughter. Though her arrival in this world can in no way cancel out my sister-in-law’s sudden departure, her birth nonetheless lifted our spirits and helped fortify our faith in Hashem during an incredibly difficult and traumatic time.
The significance of having our daughter born several days before she was “scheduled” to arrive - at the very time my wife was “supposed” to be getting up from shiva for her sister - was not lost on us. We are big believers in hashgacha pratis, divine providence. We recognize the importance of seeing the Yad Hashem, the Hand of God, in everything that occurs during the course of our lives.
That being said, we are not always capable of discerning the Hand of God in every instance. However, in this situation, we certainly recognized, and very much appreciated, the Yad Hashem that was extended to our family.
But there is one other significance to the day our daughter was born that took our breath away and ensured that we could not possibly overlook the Yad Hashem that appeared so clearly before our eyes. Orit Netanya was born on the seventeenth day of the month of Cheshvan, which not only was the day my wife got up from shiva for her sister - it is also the yahrzeit of my wife’s mother.
Exactly seventeen years to the day before our daughter came into this world, my wife’s mother passed away unexpectedly. The day we commemorate her yahrzeit each year has always been a difficult one for my wife. We are especially blessed that God saw fit to help us instantaneously transform the seventeenth of Cheshvan into a day during which we not just mourn a loss but also celebrate a birth.
In times of tragedy, people’s faith in God is tested mightily. Maintaining a strong sense of belief in Hashem during times of personal crisis is often a powerful and daunting challenge. However, when He personally reaches out His Hand, as He did in our situation, it serves to fortify our faith in the Almighty and bolster our belief that everything happens for a reason. In the midst of despair the Yad Hashem was there to lift us up, light up our lives, and remove the darkness that had enveloped our world with my sister-in-law’s passing.
God put forth His Hand, and we feel humbled and privileged that we were able to grab hold and benefit from His incredible compassion and indescribable kindness.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and a principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm.
FORTIFYING OUR FAITH
By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.
When the shrill sound of the telephone ringing shattered the silence in our home at 5:30 in the morning on Monday, October 18, I got out of bed and answered the call with great trepidation and a sense of dread. I realized that if someone was calling our house that early in the morning, it was in all likelihood not good news. The voice on the other end of the line belonged to my father-in-law, who, in a trembling voice, told me my sister-in-law had passed away suddenly. I then had to turn to my wife and gently tell her that her sister was gone.
That phone call began a whirlwind of events: planning a funeral, working out the details of the shiva, and explaining to our children that their aunt had died. Working through our grief and the shock of such a sudden loss, we somehow dealt with all the pressing issues that had to be immediately addressed.
As we were dealing with this unspeakable tragedy, we were simultaneously preparing for the birth of our fourth child. My wife, who had a Caesarian section scheduled for just eleven days after her sister passed away, spent a great deal of time during the shiva fielding questions about how she was faring with the pregnancy.
The week of shiva was utterly exhausting for all of us, especially for my wife, my father-in-law and my brother-in-law, who were mourning their loss. My wife left the shiva house late Sunday night after having received a steady stream of visitors throughout the day, and, though she was physically and emotionally drained, she went to sleep taking solace in the fact that the seemingly endless week of shiva was coming to a close the next morning.
Just a few hours later, at 1:30 in the morning, my wife’s water broke. Ironically, just as the phone call from my father-in-law exactly a week earlier had set into motion a dizzying sequence of events, so too we began our Monday with a flurry of activity. We called the doctor, who told us to go to the hospital immediately. The medical staff monitored my wife throughout the remainder of the night, and the doctor performed a C-section early Monday morning, four days earlier than originally scheduled.
My oldest child was breech, and therefore the doctor at that time was compelled to perform a Caesarian section, as opposed to opting for a natural delivery. After the first C-section, we had scheduled C-sections for each of the next two pregnancies, and both children were born on the dates their respective C-sections were slated for. There had been no reason in our minds to think things would be different with our fourth child.
At 7:22 a.m. - the same time the last minyan in the shiva house was taking place – our daughter was born. Instead of being at her brother’s house and getting up from shiva with her father and brother, my wife was in the hospital having a baby.
The proximity between the two events was particularly striking. In the span of just one week’s time we personally experienced the high and low of the life cycle and rode our own personal emotional roller coaster.
We named our new daughter Orit Netanya - “God gave us light.” One week our world was plunged into darkness, and then the next week Hashem once again brightened our world and illuminated our lives. Thankfully, God gave us light when we needed it most.
Our entire family feels especially blessed by the birth of our daughter. Though her arrival in this world can in no way cancel out my sister-in-law’s sudden departure, her birth nonetheless lifted our spirits and helped fortify our faith in Hashem during an incredibly difficult and traumatic time.
The significance of having our daughter born several days before she was “scheduled” to arrive - at the very time my wife was “supposed” to be getting up from shiva for her sister - was not lost on us. We are big believers in hashgacha pratis, divine providence. We recognize the importance of seeing the Yad Hashem, the Hand of God, in everything that occurs during the course of our lives.
That being said, we are not always capable of discerning the Hand of God in every instance. However, in this situation, we certainly recognized, and very much appreciated, the Yad Hashem that was extended to our family.
But there is one other significance to the day our daughter was born that took our breath away and ensured that we could not possibly overlook the Yad Hashem that appeared so clearly before our eyes. Orit Netanya was born on the seventeenth day of the month of Cheshvan, which not only was the day my wife got up from shiva for her sister - it is also the yahrzeit of my wife’s mother.
Exactly seventeen years to the day before our daughter came into this world, my wife’s mother passed away unexpectedly. The day we commemorate her yahrzeit each year has always been a difficult one for my wife. We are especially blessed that God saw fit to help us instantaneously transform the seventeenth of Cheshvan into a day during which we not just mourn a loss but also celebrate a birth.
In times of tragedy, people’s faith in God is tested mightily. Maintaining a strong sense of belief in Hashem during times of personal crisis is often a powerful and daunting challenge. However, when He personally reaches out His Hand, as He did in our situation, it serves to fortify our faith in the Almighty and bolster our belief that everything happens for a reason. In the midst of despair the Yad Hashem was there to lift us up, light up our lives, and remove the darkness that had enveloped our world with my sister-in-law’s passing.
God put forth His Hand, and we feel humbled and privileged that we were able to grab hold and benefit from His incredible compassion and indescribable kindness.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and a principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Make a New Civic Commitment for the New Year
The following is an op-ed that I wrote, which appeared in
The Jewish Exponent, regarding the importance of voting:
MAKE A NEW CIVIC COMMITMENT FOR THE NEW YEAR
By: N. Aaron Troodler
Jews around the world celebrate the High Holy Days as a period of introspection and reflection. Regardless of where one may be on the religious spectrum, Jews of all denominations have traditionally engaged in self-assessment on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and use this time on the Jewish calendar as an opportunity to pledge to better ourselves in the New Year.
While spiritual growth and enhancing our Jewish identity are the most critical components that warrant our attention this time of year, there are additional ways through which we can commit to enrich our community and strengthen our collective voice.
As American Jews, we are privileged to enjoy the liberties afforded us by the United States Constitution. Voting is perhaps the most fundamental right we are given as United States citizens. However, voting is also a privilege that is all too often squandered.
There are two important steps to voting, namely, registering to vote and actually casting your ballot on Election Day. Voting deserves renewed attention from the Pennsylvania Jewish community. We must abandon voter apathy that too often prevails and reaffirm our commitment to this very basic, yet absolutely critical constitutional right.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of State, there were 8,156,743 registered voters in the Commonwealth as of December 2014. That figure represents a decrease of over 60,000 registered voters since December 2013 and a reduction of more than 171,000 since December 2010. These diminishing figures raise a red flag and signal a downward trend that must be reversed. When it comes to voter registration, a decline is unacceptable.
In its 2014 report to Congress, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission analyzed data from the 2014 election cycle and ascertained that voter turnout in Pennsylvania hovers around 35%, which ranks the Commonwealth in the bottom half of the fifty states.
As a vibrant and engaged community, we must do our part to turn those figures around. The Pennsylvania Jewish community prides itself on being active in civic affairs and participating in the governmental process. We expend a tremendous amount of effort to ensure that Jewish day schools receive the government funding and services we rightfully deserve. We work diligently to make certain that our voices are heard in Harrisburg and Washington, DC on issues that impact our community. We do everything possible to promote and protect our Jewish values and lifestyle in the context of public policy. Now is the time to focus on further solidifying our engagement with the democratic processes. The way to do that is by renewing our commitment to voting.
For those who may believe that their vote does not count, let me assure you that I have been involved with several elections where the slimmest of margins separated the victor from the loser. For those who think that nobody cares whether or not they vote, I can verify that elected officials regularly look to see who votes and who does not vote. If there is a sense among our elected officials that the Jewish community does not vote, our voice is weakened considerably.
The path to increasing our voter registration numbers recently became much smoother and easier to navigate. Governor Tom Wolf recently signed a measure into law making Pennsylvania the 23rd state in the nation to offer an online voter registration system. In the several weeks since this initiative was unveiled, over 5,000 people statewide have already registered online to vote. This new Internet-based program facilitates a relatively effortless means to increase our voter registration figures and ensure that access to voting is available to everyone.
As we begin a New Year, we should use this occasion to make a collective communal and civic commitment as well. We need to resolve to re-engage in the electoral process. If you or your children that are of voting age are not registered to vote, go to www.register.votesPA.com and register online today. If you are already registered, make a pledge to set aside a little bit of time on Election Day in order to go to the polls and cast your vote.
The strength of our community’s voice is inextricably linked with our community’s voter registration and turnout figures. Now is the time for each of us to do our part and make this important commitment for the betterment of the Pennsylvania Jewish community.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and the Pennsylvania Regional Director for the OU Advocacy Center, which is the non-partisan public policy arm of the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish organization, representing nearly 1,000 congregations nationwide.
MAKE A NEW CIVIC COMMITMENT FOR THE NEW YEAR
By: N. Aaron Troodler
Jews around the world celebrate the High Holy Days as a period of introspection and reflection. Regardless of where one may be on the religious spectrum, Jews of all denominations have traditionally engaged in self-assessment on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and use this time on the Jewish calendar as an opportunity to pledge to better ourselves in the New Year.
While spiritual growth and enhancing our Jewish identity are the most critical components that warrant our attention this time of year, there are additional ways through which we can commit to enrich our community and strengthen our collective voice.
As American Jews, we are privileged to enjoy the liberties afforded us by the United States Constitution. Voting is perhaps the most fundamental right we are given as United States citizens. However, voting is also a privilege that is all too often squandered.
There are two important steps to voting, namely, registering to vote and actually casting your ballot on Election Day. Voting deserves renewed attention from the Pennsylvania Jewish community. We must abandon voter apathy that too often prevails and reaffirm our commitment to this very basic, yet absolutely critical constitutional right.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of State, there were 8,156,743 registered voters in the Commonwealth as of December 2014. That figure represents a decrease of over 60,000 registered voters since December 2013 and a reduction of more than 171,000 since December 2010. These diminishing figures raise a red flag and signal a downward trend that must be reversed. When it comes to voter registration, a decline is unacceptable.
In its 2014 report to Congress, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission analyzed data from the 2014 election cycle and ascertained that voter turnout in Pennsylvania hovers around 35%, which ranks the Commonwealth in the bottom half of the fifty states.
As a vibrant and engaged community, we must do our part to turn those figures around. The Pennsylvania Jewish community prides itself on being active in civic affairs and participating in the governmental process. We expend a tremendous amount of effort to ensure that Jewish day schools receive the government funding and services we rightfully deserve. We work diligently to make certain that our voices are heard in Harrisburg and Washington, DC on issues that impact our community. We do everything possible to promote and protect our Jewish values and lifestyle in the context of public policy. Now is the time to focus on further solidifying our engagement with the democratic processes. The way to do that is by renewing our commitment to voting.
For those who may believe that their vote does not count, let me assure you that I have been involved with several elections where the slimmest of margins separated the victor from the loser. For those who think that nobody cares whether or not they vote, I can verify that elected officials regularly look to see who votes and who does not vote. If there is a sense among our elected officials that the Jewish community does not vote, our voice is weakened considerably.
The path to increasing our voter registration numbers recently became much smoother and easier to navigate. Governor Tom Wolf recently signed a measure into law making Pennsylvania the 23rd state in the nation to offer an online voter registration system. In the several weeks since this initiative was unveiled, over 5,000 people statewide have already registered online to vote. This new Internet-based program facilitates a relatively effortless means to increase our voter registration figures and ensure that access to voting is available to everyone.
As we begin a New Year, we should use this occasion to make a collective communal and civic commitment as well. We need to resolve to re-engage in the electoral process. If you or your children that are of voting age are not registered to vote, go to www.register.votesPA.com and register online today. If you are already registered, make a pledge to set aside a little bit of time on Election Day in order to go to the polls and cast your vote.
The strength of our community’s voice is inextricably linked with our community’s voter registration and turnout figures. Now is the time for each of us to do our part and make this important commitment for the betterment of the Pennsylvania Jewish community.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and the Pennsylvania Regional Director for the OU Advocacy Center, which is the non-partisan public policy arm of the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish organization, representing nearly 1,000 congregations nationwide.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Revolutionizing Voter Registration
The
following is my latest column in The Jewish Link of New Jersey, in which I
examine Hillary Clinton’s proposal which calls for the automatic voter
registration of every United States citizen on his or her 18th birthday:
REVOLUTIONIZING VOTER REGISTRATION
By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.
With a burgeoning Democratic field vying for the 2016 presidential nomination and a crowded Republican field that is already bursting at the seams, each of the presidential hopefuls are desperately trying to stand out and distinguish themselves from their rivals.
One of the most effective ways for the candidates to differentiate themselves is through innovative and attention-grabbing policy proposals. Whether it be a novel foreign policy proposition or a unique idea affecting programs on the domestic front, the growing list of folks running for president are actively and aggressively courting the press and seeking that big headline.
Even Hillary Clinton, the presumed frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, is not immune to the never-ending pursuit of a good policy-related headline. In fact, I think it is Hillary that has put forth the one policy proposal thus far that has a great degree of substance and the opportunity to impact this country in a significant fashion.
During a recent address at Houston’s Texan Southern University, in which she discussed the dangers associated with disenfranchising voters, Hillary called for the automatic voter registration of every United States citizen on his or her 18th birthday.
“Every citizen in every state in the union, everyone, every young man or young woman, should be automatically registered to vote when they turn 18,” she declared. “I think this would have a profound impact on our elections and our democracy.”
Hillary Clinton and I are on the same page on this one. Putting aside politics for a moment, the reality is that our electoral system is in desperate need of an overhaul. Voting may be one of the fundamental privileges that we enjoy as U.S. citizens, but it has sadly become somewhat of a forgotten right that too many people fail to exercise.
Approximately one-third to one-quarter of Americans who are eligible to vote are unable to do so because they never registered. Whether they simply forgot to register or simply chose not to, the fact is that there are far too many Americans who simply do not have a voice in our democratic system of government.
In February 2012, the Pew Charitable Trusts published a report that had been commissioned by the Pew Center on the States, which found that the voter registration system in the U.S. is inaccurate, costly and inefficient, and in need of an upgrade. The report noted a number of staggering statistics, including the fact that approximately 24 million, or one of every eight, voter registrations are no longer valid or wholly inaccurate, over 1.8 million Americans who are deceased are still listed as voters, and nearly 3 million Americans have voter registrations in more than one state. In addition, at least 51 million eligible United States citizens, or more than 24 percent of the eligible population, are not registered to vote.
There is no question that we have a problem. When it comes to voter registration and ensuring the integrity of the process, we are severely lacking. While countries such as France, England, Germany, and Canada enjoy exceptionally high voter registration rates, the United States stands out for its ineptitude in this critical area. We need to do something to fix what has become an archaic and broken system.
Will Hillary Clinton’s plan of automatic voter registration completely solve the problem? The answer is probably not, although it is estimated that her proposal could lead to 50 million new registrants, which is a noteworthy figure. However, it will definitely enhance our electoral system and bring much needed reform to the process.
The concept of automatic voter registration, whereby the government would register all eligible citizens on their 18th birthday unless they exert their right to opt out, is not so different from the current practice in Oregon, where residents are automatically registered to vote when they obtain a driver’s license. It is a model that is rooted in common sense, with an eye towards encouraging and enhancing the civic participation of American citizens.
Hillary’s transformative proposal has the ability to infuse new life into our electoral system and imbue a degree of excitement into a process that has long been defined by voter apathy. If we can get the past the politics and the partisanship and come together to explore the implementation of what I believe is a sound policy proposal, we might be able to effectuate real change in an area that very much needs a makeover.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. Visit him on the Web at TroodlersTake.blogspot.com, www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @troodler
REVOLUTIONIZING VOTER REGISTRATION
By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.
With a burgeoning Democratic field vying for the 2016 presidential nomination and a crowded Republican field that is already bursting at the seams, each of the presidential hopefuls are desperately trying to stand out and distinguish themselves from their rivals.
One of the most effective ways for the candidates to differentiate themselves is through innovative and attention-grabbing policy proposals. Whether it be a novel foreign policy proposition or a unique idea affecting programs on the domestic front, the growing list of folks running for president are actively and aggressively courting the press and seeking that big headline.
Even Hillary Clinton, the presumed frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, is not immune to the never-ending pursuit of a good policy-related headline. In fact, I think it is Hillary that has put forth the one policy proposal thus far that has a great degree of substance and the opportunity to impact this country in a significant fashion.
During a recent address at Houston’s Texan Southern University, in which she discussed the dangers associated with disenfranchising voters, Hillary called for the automatic voter registration of every United States citizen on his or her 18th birthday.
“Every citizen in every state in the union, everyone, every young man or young woman, should be automatically registered to vote when they turn 18,” she declared. “I think this would have a profound impact on our elections and our democracy.”
Hillary Clinton and I are on the same page on this one. Putting aside politics for a moment, the reality is that our electoral system is in desperate need of an overhaul. Voting may be one of the fundamental privileges that we enjoy as U.S. citizens, but it has sadly become somewhat of a forgotten right that too many people fail to exercise.
Approximately one-third to one-quarter of Americans who are eligible to vote are unable to do so because they never registered. Whether they simply forgot to register or simply chose not to, the fact is that there are far too many Americans who simply do not have a voice in our democratic system of government.
In February 2012, the Pew Charitable Trusts published a report that had been commissioned by the Pew Center on the States, which found that the voter registration system in the U.S. is inaccurate, costly and inefficient, and in need of an upgrade. The report noted a number of staggering statistics, including the fact that approximately 24 million, or one of every eight, voter registrations are no longer valid or wholly inaccurate, over 1.8 million Americans who are deceased are still listed as voters, and nearly 3 million Americans have voter registrations in more than one state. In addition, at least 51 million eligible United States citizens, or more than 24 percent of the eligible population, are not registered to vote.
There is no question that we have a problem. When it comes to voter registration and ensuring the integrity of the process, we are severely lacking. While countries such as France, England, Germany, and Canada enjoy exceptionally high voter registration rates, the United States stands out for its ineptitude in this critical area. We need to do something to fix what has become an archaic and broken system.
Will Hillary Clinton’s plan of automatic voter registration completely solve the problem? The answer is probably not, although it is estimated that her proposal could lead to 50 million new registrants, which is a noteworthy figure. However, it will definitely enhance our electoral system and bring much needed reform to the process.
The concept of automatic voter registration, whereby the government would register all eligible citizens on their 18th birthday unless they exert their right to opt out, is not so different from the current practice in Oregon, where residents are automatically registered to vote when they obtain a driver’s license. It is a model that is rooted in common sense, with an eye towards encouraging and enhancing the civic participation of American citizens.
Hillary’s transformative proposal has the ability to infuse new life into our electoral system and imbue a degree of excitement into a process that has long been defined by voter apathy. If we can get the past the politics and the partisanship and come together to explore the implementation of what I believe is a sound policy proposal, we might be able to effectuate real change in an area that very much needs a makeover.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. Visit him on the Web at TroodlersTake.blogspot.com, www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @troodler
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Noam Boys Soccer Team Enjoying a Stellar Inaugural Season
The following article, which appears in the current edition of The
Jewish Link of Bergen County, marks my first foray into the wonderful world of
sports reporting:
NOAM BOYS SOCCER TEAM ENJOYING A STELLAR INAUGURAL SEASON
By: N. Aaron Troodler
It may be the first time in its history that Yeshivat Noam has fielded a boys’ soccer team, but this group of 6th, 7th and 8th graders are playing like a bunch of seasoned veterans.
Under the tutelage of Coaches Benjamin Book and Ehud Adler, both of whom are Yeshivat Noam graduates, the Noam boys’ soccer team is having an inaugural season for the ages. They began the season a perfect 6-0, with wins over Yavneh, Kushner, Ben Porat Yosef, and Hillel. After a 4-2 win over Yavneh to open the season, the Noam boys’ soccer team went on a remarkable run over the next five games, during which they outscored their opponents by a combined score of 30-0.
During that incredible stretch, they benefitted from the outstanding play of goalkeeper Avraham Kahan, who has quickly proven to be among the elite goalies in the league. Spectacular play from the starters Yonadav Rimberg, Natan Neugroschl, Dylan Breen, and Natan Rifkind, and from the second line of Yechiel Keiser, Joe Baron, Ozzie Jeselsohn, and Zachary Wolf, helped propel the team to its historic start. Key contributions were also made by Noam Troodler, Yonatan Naor, Daniel Dresdner, Eitan Weisrose, Uli Weisrose, Ehud Meir, and backup goalie Jake Rothenberg.
On Tuesday night, May 19, the Noam boys’ soccer team welcomed a formidable Moriah team into their home gym in Paramus. It was evident from the outset that it was going to be a highly competitive contest. The game was scoreless though most of the 1st period, until Moriah struck first by scoring a goal with 1:26 left in the period. Noam came back to tie the game at 1-1 when Yonadav Rimberg scored off an assist from Natan Neugroschl with just 16 seconds left in the 1st period. After a scoreless 2nd period, which featured terrific play from Noam goalie Avraham Kahan and Moriah goalie Isaac Froman, the two teams entered the locker room at halftime with the score knotted at 1 goal apiece.
The 3rd period featured some superb play from Moriah, which was led by Benny Matheson and Zali Tollinsky. With 6:34 left in the 3rd period, Moriah’s goalie got the ball to Matheson, who put it in the net with a nice header to give Moriah a 2-1 lead. Just two minutes later, with 4:37 left in the period, Moriah scored again to increase its lead to 3-1. With 2:26 left in the 3rd period, Matheson struck again and scored to extend the Moriah lead to 4-1.
Despite facing a 3-goal deficit, the Noam boys were not ready to go down without a fight. With just 18 seconds left in the 3rd period, Yechiel Keiser scored for Noam to make it a 4-2 game. Keiser scored his second goal of the game off of an assist from Joe Baron with 3:24 left in the 4th period to trim the Moriah lead to 4-3. During the final moments of the game, Noam tried to capitalize on several opportunities and tie the game, but solid play by the Moriah defense and stellar goalkeeping by Froman sealed Moriah’s 4-3 win.
Just two nights after its first loss of the season, Noam traveled to Yavneh and bounced back with a big 7-1 win. With a record of 7-1, Noam remains atop the standings in first place. With its high-powered offense, strong defense, and extraordinary goalkeeping, the Noam boys’ soccer team is going to be a force to be reckoned with as it prepares for its playoff run.
NOAM BOYS SOCCER TEAM ENJOYING A STELLAR INAUGURAL SEASON
By: N. Aaron Troodler
It may be the first time in its history that Yeshivat Noam has fielded a boys’ soccer team, but this group of 6th, 7th and 8th graders are playing like a bunch of seasoned veterans.
Under the tutelage of Coaches Benjamin Book and Ehud Adler, both of whom are Yeshivat Noam graduates, the Noam boys’ soccer team is having an inaugural season for the ages. They began the season a perfect 6-0, with wins over Yavneh, Kushner, Ben Porat Yosef, and Hillel. After a 4-2 win over Yavneh to open the season, the Noam boys’ soccer team went on a remarkable run over the next five games, during which they outscored their opponents by a combined score of 30-0.
During that incredible stretch, they benefitted from the outstanding play of goalkeeper Avraham Kahan, who has quickly proven to be among the elite goalies in the league. Spectacular play from the starters Yonadav Rimberg, Natan Neugroschl, Dylan Breen, and Natan Rifkind, and from the second line of Yechiel Keiser, Joe Baron, Ozzie Jeselsohn, and Zachary Wolf, helped propel the team to its historic start. Key contributions were also made by Noam Troodler, Yonatan Naor, Daniel Dresdner, Eitan Weisrose, Uli Weisrose, Ehud Meir, and backup goalie Jake Rothenberg.
On Tuesday night, May 19, the Noam boys’ soccer team welcomed a formidable Moriah team into their home gym in Paramus. It was evident from the outset that it was going to be a highly competitive contest. The game was scoreless though most of the 1st period, until Moriah struck first by scoring a goal with 1:26 left in the period. Noam came back to tie the game at 1-1 when Yonadav Rimberg scored off an assist from Natan Neugroschl with just 16 seconds left in the 1st period. After a scoreless 2nd period, which featured terrific play from Noam goalie Avraham Kahan and Moriah goalie Isaac Froman, the two teams entered the locker room at halftime with the score knotted at 1 goal apiece.
The 3rd period featured some superb play from Moriah, which was led by Benny Matheson and Zali Tollinsky. With 6:34 left in the 3rd period, Moriah’s goalie got the ball to Matheson, who put it in the net with a nice header to give Moriah a 2-1 lead. Just two minutes later, with 4:37 left in the period, Moriah scored again to increase its lead to 3-1. With 2:26 left in the 3rd period, Matheson struck again and scored to extend the Moriah lead to 4-1.
Despite facing a 3-goal deficit, the Noam boys were not ready to go down without a fight. With just 18 seconds left in the 3rd period, Yechiel Keiser scored for Noam to make it a 4-2 game. Keiser scored his second goal of the game off of an assist from Joe Baron with 3:24 left in the 4th period to trim the Moriah lead to 4-3. During the final moments of the game, Noam tried to capitalize on several opportunities and tie the game, but solid play by the Moriah defense and stellar goalkeeping by Froman sealed Moriah’s 4-3 win.
Just two nights after its first loss of the season, Noam traveled to Yavneh and bounced back with a big 7-1 win. With a record of 7-1, Noam remains atop the standings in first place. With its high-powered offense, strong defense, and extraordinary goalkeeping, the Noam boys’ soccer team is going to be a force to be reckoned with as it prepares for its playoff run.
Friday, May 22, 2015
The Vatican's Act of Blind Faith
The following is my latest column in The Jewish Link of New Jersey regarding the Vatican’s decision to
formally recognize a Palestinian state:
THE VATICAN'S ACT OF BLIND FAITH
By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.
Support for a Palestinian state has been slowly building in certain segments of the international community, but the latest endorsement of this questionable concept came from a highly unlikely source.
With the Vatican’s recent announcement that it has reached an agreement with the Palestinians and that it would incorporate the term “State of Palestine” into an official document for the first time, the Catholic Church made a dubious foray into a highly explosive and particularly tenuous diplomatic situation.
The determination by the Vatican to confer a degree of international legitimacy to the Palestinian Authority by recognizing a Palestinian state, while it has no tangible effect, is troubling nonetheless.
Pope Francis has made tremendous strides during his papal tenure in enhancing the historically strained relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jews, which makes the Vatican’s pronouncement about embracing a Palestinian state extraordinarily perplexing. As someone who is a true champion of human rights throughout the world, the Pope’s enigmatic decision to overlook the fallacies of the Palestinian Authority, which include its vigorous support for terrorism and proud sponsorship of those who have perpetrated heinous acts of terror that have claimed the lives of countless men, women, and children, is antithetical to the causes and ideals that he has consistently advocated for.
Before endorsing a Palestinian state, Pope Francis should have encouraged the Palestinians to eschew their ties to terrorism and insisted that a prerequisite to statehood is a clear demonstration by the Palestinian Authority that it is committed to achieving a peaceful resolution to its longstanding dispute with Israel.
The Palestinian Authority has long sought to cement its place on the world stage. Through a series of unilateral overtures over the years, the Palestinian Authority has desperately tried to circumvent the peace process with Israel in order to achieve their ultimate goal. They have proven that they are not interested in engaging in a constructive conversation about peace with their Israeli neighbors, despite Israel’s demonstrated willingness to make painful concessions so that its citizens could one day live in peace and harmony.
Yet, despite all of that, the Vatican somehow saw fit to ignore the many shortcomings of the Palestinian Authority and its cohorts in Hamas who run Gaza with an iron fist and a system of fear and belligerence that has left its citizens impoverished and filled with hatred.
If Pope Francis and the Vatican truly wanted weigh in on the enduring conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in a substantive and significant way, its one-sided approbation was not the way to do it.
With its latest move, the Vatican missed what could have been a tremendous opportunity. With the great skill and sincerity that he has exhibited since assuming the papacy, Pope Francis could have and should have used his status to help bridge the gap between the Palestinians and Israel. The Pope could have and should have made it clear to the Palestinians that recognition on the world stage is not a matter of right, and that the legitimacy that is craves has to be earned through actions and deeds.
Instead, in a display of blind faith, the Vatican inexplicably handed the Palestinians international legitimacy on a silver platter. The Vatican’s conduct in this particular situation was not just a misdeed; it was a missed opportunity as well.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. Visit him on the Web at TroodlersTake.blogspot.com, www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @troodler
THE VATICAN'S ACT OF BLIND FAITH
By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.
Support for a Palestinian state has been slowly building in certain segments of the international community, but the latest endorsement of this questionable concept came from a highly unlikely source.
With the Vatican’s recent announcement that it has reached an agreement with the Palestinians and that it would incorporate the term “State of Palestine” into an official document for the first time, the Catholic Church made a dubious foray into a highly explosive and particularly tenuous diplomatic situation.
The determination by the Vatican to confer a degree of international legitimacy to the Palestinian Authority by recognizing a Palestinian state, while it has no tangible effect, is troubling nonetheless.
Pope Francis has made tremendous strides during his papal tenure in enhancing the historically strained relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jews, which makes the Vatican’s pronouncement about embracing a Palestinian state extraordinarily perplexing. As someone who is a true champion of human rights throughout the world, the Pope’s enigmatic decision to overlook the fallacies of the Palestinian Authority, which include its vigorous support for terrorism and proud sponsorship of those who have perpetrated heinous acts of terror that have claimed the lives of countless men, women, and children, is antithetical to the causes and ideals that he has consistently advocated for.
Before endorsing a Palestinian state, Pope Francis should have encouraged the Palestinians to eschew their ties to terrorism and insisted that a prerequisite to statehood is a clear demonstration by the Palestinian Authority that it is committed to achieving a peaceful resolution to its longstanding dispute with Israel.
The Palestinian Authority has long sought to cement its place on the world stage. Through a series of unilateral overtures over the years, the Palestinian Authority has desperately tried to circumvent the peace process with Israel in order to achieve their ultimate goal. They have proven that they are not interested in engaging in a constructive conversation about peace with their Israeli neighbors, despite Israel’s demonstrated willingness to make painful concessions so that its citizens could one day live in peace and harmony.
Yet, despite all of that, the Vatican somehow saw fit to ignore the many shortcomings of the Palestinian Authority and its cohorts in Hamas who run Gaza with an iron fist and a system of fear and belligerence that has left its citizens impoverished and filled with hatred.
If Pope Francis and the Vatican truly wanted weigh in on the enduring conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in a substantive and significant way, its one-sided approbation was not the way to do it.
With its latest move, the Vatican missed what could have been a tremendous opportunity. With the great skill and sincerity that he has exhibited since assuming the papacy, Pope Francis could have and should have used his status to help bridge the gap between the Palestinians and Israel. The Pope could have and should have made it clear to the Palestinians that recognition on the world stage is not a matter of right, and that the legitimacy that is craves has to be earned through actions and deeds.
Instead, in a display of blind faith, the Vatican inexplicably handed the Palestinians international legitimacy on a silver platter. The Vatican’s conduct in this particular situation was not just a misdeed; it was a missed opportunity as well.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. Visit him on the Web at TroodlersTake.blogspot.com, www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @troodler
My letter in The New York Times about the Vatican and a Palestinian state
The following is a letter to the editor that I wrote
about the Vatican’s decision to
formally recognize a Palestinian state, which appeared in the May 19, 2015 edition of The
New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/19/opinion/the-vatican-recognizes-palestine.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&_r=0
To the Editor:
The determination by the Vatican to confer a degree of international legitimacy on the Palestinian Authority by recognizing a Palestinian state, while it has no tangible effect, is troubling nonetheless.
Pope Francis has made tremendous strides during his papal tenure in enhancing the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jews, which makes the Vatican’s pronouncement about embracing a Palestinian state extraordinarily perplexing.
The enigmatic decision of the pope, who is a true champion of human rights throughout the world, to overlook the failings of the Palestinian Authority, which include condoning terrorism by giving stipends and grants to terrorists in or released from Israeli jails, is antithetical to the causes and ideals that he has consistently advocated.
Before endorsing a Palestinian state, Pope Francis should have encouraged the Palestinians to eschew their ties to terrorism and demonstrate that they are committed to achieving a peaceful resolution to their dispute with Israel.
N. AARON TROODLER
Teaneck, N.J.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/19/opinion/the-vatican-recognizes-palestine.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&_r=0
To the Editor:
The determination by the Vatican to confer a degree of international legitimacy on the Palestinian Authority by recognizing a Palestinian state, while it has no tangible effect, is troubling nonetheless.
Pope Francis has made tremendous strides during his papal tenure in enhancing the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jews, which makes the Vatican’s pronouncement about embracing a Palestinian state extraordinarily perplexing.
The enigmatic decision of the pope, who is a true champion of human rights throughout the world, to overlook the failings of the Palestinian Authority, which include condoning terrorism by giving stipends and grants to terrorists in or released from Israeli jails, is antithetical to the causes and ideals that he has consistently advocated.
Before endorsing a Palestinian state, Pope Francis should have encouraged the Palestinians to eschew their ties to terrorism and demonstrate that they are committed to achieving a peaceful resolution to their dispute with Israel.
N. AARON TROODLER
Teaneck, N.J.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
The Uncivil War
The following is my latest column in The Jewish Link of New Jersey, in which I examine the friction that exists between some segments of the black community and law enforcement and discuss the need to put an end to the race war that is tearing our country apart:
THE UNCIVIL WAR
By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.
The issue of race is one which has torn at the very fabric of American society since the birth of this nation. Even after President Abraham Lincoln boldly issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, blacks in the United States continued to face great injustice and were forced to contend with a degree of inequality that continues to pervade American culture even today.
When Barack Obama became the first African-American president of the United States in 2008, some people hailed it as not just a historic milestone, but as a major breakthrough for the black community. However, history has proven that what could have been a giant step forward in the area of race relations has sadly proven to be a virtual non-factor. The progress that was eagerly anticipated by leaders in the black community never actually materialized.
As I watched Baltimore burn and witnessed the looting and violence that tore the city apart, I could not help but consider how we got to this point. Regrettably, we have become accustomed to viewing footage of war-torn cities around the world and seeing images of countries across the globe that have been ravaged by bloodshed. Yet, when we see an American city in that same state of devastation, it impacts us in a far different and more profound way. We find ourselves asking how a thriving and flourishing city could undergo such a violent metamorphosis in such a short amount of time. We ponder how this could have happened when it is not antagonists from a foreign nation who are waging war on our cities; rather, the people wreaking havoc and causing destruction on American soil are American citizens.
The United States is in the midst of a race war. We have seen how a level of distrust and discrimination could quickly sink our nation to new depths. We saw it in Ferguson last year. We saw it again in Baltimore last week. The reality is that we are a nation in crisis. We are a nation in need of healing and harmony. We are a nation in need of racial parity.
To be clear, the situation is spiraling out of control not because of one group or the other. We are a nation that is hurtling towards the precipice because of misgivings that exist both in the black community and among law enforcement. We are where we are today because of a deep-seated suspicion that has created a tremendous divide and, some may argue, irreparable damage.
Although I may believe in law enforcement and trust the police, I know that many of my counterparts in the black community do not feel the same way that I do. After repeatedly being the targets of racial profiling and experiencing the indignity of getting stopped by a police officer not because of any particular infraction but because of the color of their skin, I can understand why many in the black community harbor a deep sense of resentment towards the police. What I cannot understand is how that wariness of law enforcement is somehow a justification to resort to violence.
Demonstrations that lead to violence should not be deemed “protests;” they are criminal acts that further exacerbate an already tenuous situation. Engaging in an unlawful act and calling it a “protest” does a disservice to the many civil rights leaders who have dedicated their lives to improving race relations in a peaceful and proper way. Racial equality will not be achieved by torching police cars, burning buildings, and looting stores; racial equality can only be achieved by creating an environment of greater understanding and tolerance.
I have participated in numerous protest marches over the years. As a child, my parents took me to rallies in New York City on behalf of Soviet Jewry. I have marched in Washington in solidarity with Israel. I marched because I believed in a cause and wanted to call attention to the issue. The prospect of engaging in violence or criminality was never considered. They were all peaceful demonstrations that effectively spotlighted the issues we were advocating for. The slightest hint of misconduct would have turned these events into an utter embarrassment and would have been antithetical to our mission. We protested peacefully because that is the proper way to protest.
The violent demonstrations that appear to have become part and parcel of the response to deadly conflicts involving law enforcement and the black community are unhelpful and unbecoming. Instead of spotlighting the issue of race in America, the protesters’ violence becomes the story and completely dominates the news cycle. Rather than trying to find a solution, the violence aggravates the problem and causes an even greater rift.
On the other side of the equation, there are those in the law enforcement community that are equally culpable. Every time we hear about another black man who was killed at the hands of the police during an altercation, regardless of the circumstances, we cringe. Unfortunately, “white police officer shoots unarmed black man” is a headline that we have been seeing far too frequently.
Over the past several months, there is one particular phrase that we have heard quite often – “Black lives matter.” The truth is, black lives do matter, but so does every other life. There should be no racial distinctions when it comes to assessing the value of human life. The mere fact that we feel compelled to put a label on different ethnic groups is part of the problem.
The value of human life must be universal. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” said our founding fathers in 1776 when they signed the Declaration of Independence. This nation is built on the premise and understanding that parity and justice must be ubiquitous.
As they pick up the pieces in Baltimore and attempt to restore a sense of normalcy to the city, the question is what lesson, if any, was learned there. We saw another police shooting followed by riots and violence. It was a story line that we have seen before, and that we will in all probability unfortunately see again. It has become a vicious cycle of hostility that has thrown our nation into turmoil and which we desperately need to end.
When it comes to the issue of race relations, our nation needs to recalibrate its moral compass and reassess how it manages what has become a monumental societal problem. We are in the middle of a race war that is pitting the black community against the law enforcement community. Both sides need to do a far better job of containing this conflagration before it burns out of control. It is time to end this uncivil war. This has got to stop.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. Visit him on the Web at TroodlersTake.blogspot.com, www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @troodler
THE UNCIVIL WAR
By: N. Aaron Troodler, Esq.
The issue of race is one which has torn at the very fabric of American society since the birth of this nation. Even after President Abraham Lincoln boldly issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, blacks in the United States continued to face great injustice and were forced to contend with a degree of inequality that continues to pervade American culture even today.
When Barack Obama became the first African-American president of the United States in 2008, some people hailed it as not just a historic milestone, but as a major breakthrough for the black community. However, history has proven that what could have been a giant step forward in the area of race relations has sadly proven to be a virtual non-factor. The progress that was eagerly anticipated by leaders in the black community never actually materialized.
As I watched Baltimore burn and witnessed the looting and violence that tore the city apart, I could not help but consider how we got to this point. Regrettably, we have become accustomed to viewing footage of war-torn cities around the world and seeing images of countries across the globe that have been ravaged by bloodshed. Yet, when we see an American city in that same state of devastation, it impacts us in a far different and more profound way. We find ourselves asking how a thriving and flourishing city could undergo such a violent metamorphosis in such a short amount of time. We ponder how this could have happened when it is not antagonists from a foreign nation who are waging war on our cities; rather, the people wreaking havoc and causing destruction on American soil are American citizens.
The United States is in the midst of a race war. We have seen how a level of distrust and discrimination could quickly sink our nation to new depths. We saw it in Ferguson last year. We saw it again in Baltimore last week. The reality is that we are a nation in crisis. We are a nation in need of healing and harmony. We are a nation in need of racial parity.
To be clear, the situation is spiraling out of control not because of one group or the other. We are a nation that is hurtling towards the precipice because of misgivings that exist both in the black community and among law enforcement. We are where we are today because of a deep-seated suspicion that has created a tremendous divide and, some may argue, irreparable damage.
Although I may believe in law enforcement and trust the police, I know that many of my counterparts in the black community do not feel the same way that I do. After repeatedly being the targets of racial profiling and experiencing the indignity of getting stopped by a police officer not because of any particular infraction but because of the color of their skin, I can understand why many in the black community harbor a deep sense of resentment towards the police. What I cannot understand is how that wariness of law enforcement is somehow a justification to resort to violence.
Demonstrations that lead to violence should not be deemed “protests;” they are criminal acts that further exacerbate an already tenuous situation. Engaging in an unlawful act and calling it a “protest” does a disservice to the many civil rights leaders who have dedicated their lives to improving race relations in a peaceful and proper way. Racial equality will not be achieved by torching police cars, burning buildings, and looting stores; racial equality can only be achieved by creating an environment of greater understanding and tolerance.
I have participated in numerous protest marches over the years. As a child, my parents took me to rallies in New York City on behalf of Soviet Jewry. I have marched in Washington in solidarity with Israel. I marched because I believed in a cause and wanted to call attention to the issue. The prospect of engaging in violence or criminality was never considered. They were all peaceful demonstrations that effectively spotlighted the issues we were advocating for. The slightest hint of misconduct would have turned these events into an utter embarrassment and would have been antithetical to our mission. We protested peacefully because that is the proper way to protest.
The violent demonstrations that appear to have become part and parcel of the response to deadly conflicts involving law enforcement and the black community are unhelpful and unbecoming. Instead of spotlighting the issue of race in America, the protesters’ violence becomes the story and completely dominates the news cycle. Rather than trying to find a solution, the violence aggravates the problem and causes an even greater rift.
On the other side of the equation, there are those in the law enforcement community that are equally culpable. Every time we hear about another black man who was killed at the hands of the police during an altercation, regardless of the circumstances, we cringe. Unfortunately, “white police officer shoots unarmed black man” is a headline that we have been seeing far too frequently.
Over the past several months, there is one particular phrase that we have heard quite often – “Black lives matter.” The truth is, black lives do matter, but so does every other life. There should be no racial distinctions when it comes to assessing the value of human life. The mere fact that we feel compelled to put a label on different ethnic groups is part of the problem.
The value of human life must be universal. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” said our founding fathers in 1776 when they signed the Declaration of Independence. This nation is built on the premise and understanding that parity and justice must be ubiquitous.
As they pick up the pieces in Baltimore and attempt to restore a sense of normalcy to the city, the question is what lesson, if any, was learned there. We saw another police shooting followed by riots and violence. It was a story line that we have seen before, and that we will in all probability unfortunately see again. It has become a vicious cycle of hostility that has thrown our nation into turmoil and which we desperately need to end.
When it comes to the issue of race relations, our nation needs to recalibrate its moral compass and reassess how it manages what has become a monumental societal problem. We are in the middle of a race war that is pitting the black community against the law enforcement community. Both sides need to do a far better job of containing this conflagration before it burns out of control. It is time to end this uncivil war. This has got to stop.
N. Aaron Troodler is an attorney and principal of Paul Revere Public Relations, a public relations and political consulting firm. Visit him on the Web at TroodlersTake.blogspot.com, www.PaulReverePR.com, or www.JewishWorldPR.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @troodler
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