Grief, Outrage and Hope

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the February 27, 2025, editions of the Washington Jewish Week, Philadelphia Jewish Exponent and Baltimore Jewish Times:

Posters featuring Ariel and Kfir Bibas at Ben Gurion Airport, where people placed stuffed animals and toys next to the photos of the children. Photo credit: Aaron Troodler

I had flaming red hair as a young child. In fact, my hair didn’t look all that different from Ariel Bibas’ hair when I was that age.

That being said, it wasn’t our shared hair color that forged a bond between us. Our connection was much more profound. Our bond was formed the moment Ariel, his younger brother, Kfir, his mother, Shiri, and his father, Yarden, were kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

For over 500 days, we prayed for the Bibas family. The heart-wrenching images of them being forcibly dragged from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz by terrorists is forever seared into our hearts and minds. Yarden being led away by Hamas, his head bloodied after being struck with a hammer. Shiri, with a terrified look on her face as she desperately clutched her two children — Ariel, who was just 4 years old at the time, and Kfir, who was only 9 months old — while Hamas terrorists whisked them away to Gaza. Those indelible and indescribable images can never be unseen or forgotten.

We held our collective breath for the past year and a half as their fate remained unknown, clinging to the hope that they would somehow survive their ordeal in hellish and inhumane conditions under Hamas’ diabolical control and ultimately return home safely.

Our hopes were shattered last week when the bodies of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir, along with the body of 84-year-old Oded Lifshitz, were returned to Israel in coffins. Yarden Bibas, who was released by Hamas on Feb. 1, was left to somehow process the fact that his wife and two young children are tragically never coming home.

And as we grieved their loss and tried to understand how and why a mother and her two beautiful, young children could have befallen such a terrible fate, we felt another emotion as well: outrage.

Outrage at the fact that Hamas barbarians ripped these innocent souls from their home and brutally murdered two young children. Outrage at the fact that when Hamas released the bodies last week, it choreographed a sickening spectacle that saw the promotion of terrorist propaganda right behind the coffins and armed Hamas terrorists and crowds of Palestinians who gathered to take part in what disgustingly became a communitywide event and a twisted and sadistic celebration. Outrage that Hamas initially returned a body that was purportedly Shiri Bibas but turned out to be someone else. Outrage at the fact that far too many people around the world continue to vilify Israel while inexplicably giving Hamas a free pass for their depravity and the unimaginable pain and suffering that ensued as a result of their heinous acts.

The Bibas family deserved better. Oded Lifshitz deserved better. Every single one of the hostages deserved better. In some way, it feels like we failed them, and that failure hurts.

The photos of the two young Bibas children that we have seen from the past, whether it be baby Kfir, his face lit up by his beautiful smile, or Ariel wearing his Batman pajamas, are a painful reminder of the lives they should have had, but that were tragically cut short. Ariel and Kfir could have been my children, your children, our children. It is hard to fathom how something like this could happen.

We must hold the photos of the Bibas family that we have seen close to our hearts and use those images as motivation to keep their memories alive. Ariel and Kfir Bibas were our children too. And every one of the hostages is our mother, father, sibling or child too.

No one should ever forget what happened to Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas. There are no words to adequately describe the grief and outrage we all feel. Yet despite our pain and anger, we cannot falter in our efforts to bring every single one of the remaining hostages home and we cannot forsake the hope that we must hold on to in order for us to persevere despite the immense challenges that we face.

We should channel our emotions into action, and they should fuel our enduring efforts to make sure the world never forgets what happened on Oct. 7. Despite the widespread indifference and deafening silence in the wake of Hamas’ savagery, we cannot lose hope that all of our hostages will soon be reunited with their families.

As we grieve for Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, and Oded Lifshitz, and in the face of Hamas’ abject evil and wanton disregard for human life, we must let the world know that the spirit and resilience of the Jewish people will never be broken.

Rabbi David Stav: Working to Bridge the Divides in Israeli Society

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the February 20, 2025, editions of the Washington Jewish Week, Philadelphia Jewish Exponent and Baltimore Jewish Times:

Rabbi David Stav (Courtesy of Tzohar)

The schisms in Israeli society are an age-old problem. Whether it be political, societal or religious in nature, there is inherent tension between different segments of Israeli citizens, and many perceive the enduring conflict to be a regular part of Israeli life, despite the damage that these divides cause.

Yet there is one person who has made it his mission to do whatever he can to bridge the divides that tear at the fabric of Israeli society.

Rabbi David Stav is a very busy man. A renowned Torah scholar and rabbinic leader who was considered as a candidate for chief rabbi of Israel, Stav has served as the chief rabbi of the town of Shoham in central Israel for the past 28 years.

Stav was born in Jerusalem and grew up in the Rechavia neighborhood. Although he attended Netiv Meir Yeshiva High School in Jerusalem, Stav did spend one year during high school at Ner Israel in Baltimore, Maryland. He also attended Mercaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem where he received rabbinic ordination and was authorized to be a rabbinic judge.

A leading voice in the Religious Zionist community, Stav is also co-founder and chairman of Tzohar, an organization that is dedicated to fostering stronger Jewish identity through inclusivity and inspiration and making religious life more accessible to Israelis from an array of backgrounds.

Tzohar was founded in 1995 shortly after the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin, and according to Stav, the timing was not coincidental.

Citing the friction between religious and secular Israelis in the wake of Rabin’s murder, Stav said in an interview that he knew something had to be done to stem the tide of discord that was essentially tearing the country apart.

“We gathered a group of rabbis and asked ourselves, what should we or can we do in order to try to bridge the gap that has been created between observant and nonobservant [Jews],” Stav said. “And when we started to look at the points of conflicts that upset the secular Israelis, one of the issues that we thought about was the issue of church and state, and especially the marriage issue.”

Stav noted that in Israel there is no civil marriage, and people must get married through the rabbinate, regardless of their level of religious observance.

“Now, for those who are traditional and they are religious, it’s not a problem. For many of those who are secular, it creates a problem for many reasons. A few of them are not satisfied with the essence of the idea of getting married halachically [in accordance with Jewish law]. … So, for many reasons, people had a lot of antagonism against the religious establishment. And therefore, we felt that this could be an area where we have an opportunity to inspire instead of turning the couples away,” Stav said.

Once Stav and his colleagues identified the problem, they immediately put forth a solution to address it. They established a group of Zionist rabbis that would voluntarily perform halachic weddings for secular couples. There was no charge for this service, and Stav said it began spreading “like wildfire.” Today, rabbis affiliated with Tzohar perform more than 5,000 weddings a year and have officiated at over 143,000 weddings since beginning this program.

Rabbi David Stav officiating at the wedding of Elinor Yosefin and Uri Mintzer, who got married in October 2023 before they reported for reserve duty in the IDF. (Photo credit: Avi Friedman via Tzohar)

Under Stav’s leadership, Tzohar has helped foster meaningful connections to Judaism for countless Israelis, many of whom are experiencing a sense of religious life for the first time.

Tzohar’s religious programs and services reach over 100,000 Israelis each year and touch upon virtually every aspect of Judaism as it relates to religious lifecycle events. For example, in addition to weddings, Stav’s organization has helped thousands of Israelis with bereavement guidance, provided kashrut supervision to numerous food establishments and imparted religious guidance to thousands of couples. Another area that Tzohar focuses on is its Shorashim project, which helps immigrants prove their Jewish roots, which is a legal requirement to get married in Israel.

Tzohar, which has grown exponentially as an organization, has over 100 employees and thousands of volunteers. Its annual budget is around $14 million, and Stav noted with pride that over 60% of those funds are raised in Israel, “which means that the Israeli society has a lot of trust, faith and confidence in the activities that Tzohar is doing.”

Stav is the father of nine children, five boys and four girls, and his children’s service in the Israel Defense Forces is a particular point of pride.

“I’m proud to say that all of my boys and all of my sons-in-law served in the army in the last year and a half that we have been under terrorist attack and in a war. I’m proud to introduce myself this way because I believe that this is one of the toughest issues that Israeli society has to deal with, and that’s the issue of service in the army. I believe that every Jew — it doesn’t matter where he lives, it doesn’t matter what his beliefs are and it doesn’t matter whether he’s studying Torah or not studying Torah — should serve in the army. That’s a fundamental demand in the halacha and it’s a fundamental demand, I think, based on the moral values of carrying together the burden with your friend.”

The subject of Israel’s Haredi community serving in the IDF has long been a contentious issue, and since Israel’s Supreme Court ruled in June 2024 that there is no legal justification for Israel’s longstanding military exemption given to ultra-Orthodox religious students and the military was ordered to begin drafting Haredi men, the controversy has been front and center. As far as Stav is concerned, this is a clear-cut issue and there should be no debate on this subject. He believes strongly that Haredim should serve in the army.

“We haven’t arrived to the point where we negotiate about the conditions that the army has to provide to the Haredi soldiers in order to make them draft and keep their beliefs and keep their lifestyle. … There isn’t even one statement that was made by any Haredi rabbi and Haredi distinguished leader that would say, under this and this conditions, we will be ready to be a part of Klal Yisrael [the whole Jewish community] and to share responsibility and solidarity in this war. … You have to show even one, serious, good intention to say, ‘Well, I’m ready under this and this and this to be a part [of the army].’ … They don’t even try to pretend that it’s because of Torah studies. … It’s not about Torah, it’s about keeping their community under their control, and keeping people under your control is not something that a democratic society could accept,” Stav said.

Stav added that when it comes to the issue of ultra-Orthodox Jews and Israeli army service, he believes the government is culpable as well.

“I’m criticizing … the government. The government that cooperates with this lie and with this behavior, that discriminates between blood to blood, is not less responsible than the Haredim themselves,” he said.

The efforts of Stav and Tzohar have positioned the organization as somewhat of an alternative to the chief rabbinate when it comes religious life in Israel. From Stav’s perspective, an alternative is what Israelis need, and he cites to three specific areas to prove his point.

“Unfortunately, the chief rabbinate in the last decades was not relevant to most Israelis, and it’s actually still not relevant. They have certain authority regarding kashrut [Jewish dietary laws] in which they failed in managing the kashrut in Israel. And I think that most people that care about kashrut know that they could not take for granted a certificate of kashrut that is supervised by the rabbinate. And the second area where they’re supposed to take responsibility, and that’s the conversion issue, is also not something that they could be proud of. … And the third mission, which is to reach out to the secular society and to expose them to Judaism in a nice and proper way was also not one of their biggest achievements. So unfortunately, the chief rabbinate is not relevant to the vast majority of the Israelis,” he said.

Stav expressed hope that the new chief rabbis will be able to improve the situation. “They started well … I hope that it will continue.”

While discussing the multitude of challenges facing the Jewish community in Israel and around the world, Stav emphasized the need to continue strengthening Jewish unity.

“I think that today, more than ever, Jewish unity is fundamental. Unfortunately, the political leadership in Israel … is creating barriers and fences between societies. By doing this, they believe that they will strengthen their political power, but they are weakening the solidarity of the Israelis. … So far, the vast majority of Israeli society was mature enough to understand that, and they show their seriousness and their maturity by drafting to the army, by helping the soldiers, by helping the reserves, by understanding that the unity between the different tribes is essential and is a fundamental demand for us in order to survive,” Stav said.

“I think that that our duty at Tzohar is to strengthen that common Jewish denominator that exists between us and to strengthen the voices that speak out for unity,” he added.

Since Oct. 7, Stav, along with all Israelis, has faced an array of challenges. Following the Hamas attacks, Stav was busy answering complex questions pertaining to Jewish law, which dealt with a range of issues relating to IDF soldiers and families who were directly impacted by Oct. 7 and the ensuing war. In addition, Stav’s organization quickly sprang into action to try and help those in need.

“Tzohar’s first mission was to take care of all the families that lost their loved ones and were not observant and didn’t want to see a rabbi. … We knew that our reputation allows us to send our rabbis, our volunteers, to make shiva visits to every family, despite the fact that the vast majority of those who live in the areas surrounding Gaza were kibbutznikim from the left wing, most of them not religious, and sometimes even anti-religious. We sent our volunteers, and they were so warmly received, that we felt that this mission is the most important one — to bring the voice of Judaism, of Jewish mourning, to those who were suffering the loss of their loved ones,” Stav said.

Rabbi David Stav visiting the Western Wall in Jerusalem. (Photo credit: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90 via JNS)

Stav spoke about the profound impact that the events of Oct. 7 and its aftermath has had on Jewish identity.

“I think that what we have seen in Israel, and I think that I hear it in the United States as well, is that since Oct. 7, the Jewish awakeness is rising up. … All of a sudden, many, many Jews … realized that the conflict between us and the Palestinians is not a political conflict. It’s not a conflict about territories. It’s not about the economy. It’s not about sources of water. It’s about something which is much more fundamental. It’s a battle between good and evil. It’s a battle between those who want to be a source of blessing … versus those who wants to be a source of brutality, of cruelty, of evil. And I think that for many Israelis, it was kind of revealing that people hate us … because we are Jewish, and that woke up a lot of Israelis.”

Stav noted that this sense of awakening post-Oct. 7 leads to another factor as well, which he said is the need to better understand our Judaism.

“What does it mean to be Jewish? Now, I’m not talking about the religious way to implement that, but to understand what Judaism is about. Why do certain people hate Judaism? What is it about us that causes that hatred, that leads to that hatred, and what does it require from us? And I think that for many Jews in America and in Israel, it was something that … opened their eyes and maybe sent them to start learning what is our story, and I think that’s amazing,” he said.

The plight of the hostages weighs on Stav. And after seeing the photos of recently released hostages Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami and Or Levy in a malnourished state, it is yet another reminder of the dire need to bring all the hostages home immediately. Yet the situation is extremely complex, with many debating the decision to release hundreds and hundreds of Palestinian terrorists, some of whom murdered Israelis in cold blood, as part of the hostage deal. According to Stav, this is a political issue, not a halachic one.

“It’s the government or the prime minister who have to make their decisions based on a broader view of what will be the effect of not ransoming the hostages, what will be the effect on the society and on the army. And on the other hand, they have to look [at the fact] that we want our enemies to be deterred, and we want our enemies to understand that it doesn’t pay to take soldiers into captivity. … That’s a political decision that has to be taken by the government. And I hope and I pray that Hashem will give them good advice,” he said.

As we experience a frightening rise in antisemitism around the world, Stav spoke about the need to recognize and embrace our Judaism as a means of combating the Jew-hatred that we are facing on a global scale.

“Prior to any other thing, we need to try to understand what Judaism is about. And once we understand what Judaism is about, we understand what our identity is. If we understand what our identity is, our neighbors and our friends will understand what we care about and what our mission is. … After all, you cannot create identity based on something which is negative. People have to understand what is positive about Judaism. … A person has to be defined by what is my story, and what is our common story? What is our Jewish story? … I think once people understand that our mission as a nation … is to be a big family that cares about human values, first of all, it defines for us what we are and what we stand for. And once we will be convinced of that, I’m sure that others will be influenced by that.”

Stav addressed the American Jewish community’s support of Israel and the vital role it plays in the wellbeing of the Jewish state, noting that, “for many Israelis, it was a discovery to see how the entire Jewish community in America was so supportive to the state of Israel” after Oct. 7.

“Sometimes I felt even ashamed, embarrassed, that we have to get support of helmets and vests, or dry meat, or whatever things that I would expect my government to provide and not to be depending on foreign support,” Stav said, referring to the basic needs of IDF soldiers during the Israel-Hamas war.

Stav pointed to two areas where the support of American Jewry is essential.

“One is to come to visit … not only because it strengthens the Israeli economy, but because it strengthens the Israeli spirit. And when people see how many American Jews come and support them and give them a hug and embrace them, it strengthens, it encourages the Israeli society.”

He added that he would like to see the support “coming to the areas where it can strengthen the unity and weaken the disputes,” recommending that American Jews should “strengthen all the organizations that deal with strengthening unity among the Israel society, versus those who try to build on our divisions.”

Despite all the various projects in which he is involved, for Stav it always comes back to the need for unity.

“I think that the biggest challenge of Tzohar today is to raise the voice of tolerance, to raise the voice of solidarity and to strengthen the voice of us being Jews,” he said.

My letter in The New York Times about antisemitism and the Holocaust

The following is a letter to the editor that I wrote, which appeared in The New York Times, about antisemitism, the Holocaust and the danger of downplaying Germany’s Nazi past:

January 30, 2025

To the Editor:

Re “On Auschwitz Anniversary, ‘Great Sorrow’ for Rising Nationalism” (front page, Jan. 28) and “Musk Urges End to Guilt for Nazi Past of Germany” (news article, Jan. 28):

As we mark 80 years since the liberation of the Nazi death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau and remember the unspeakable horrors that were perpetrated there against Jews, it is disconcerting that this significant and solemn anniversary is marred by a tsunami of antisemitism both in Germany and throughout the world.

When Holocaust survivors, who endured barbarism and torture, feel compelled to stand up eight decades later to sound the alarm of bigotry and rising Jew hatred, it is a stark reminder of the challenges we still face on a global scale. Efforts to normalize and legitimize the propagation of antisemitism are repugnant and have no place in a civilized society.

No one should be rolling out the red carpet for extremism, xenophobia and hate-mongering. And attempts to minimize or move past the Nazis’ crimes against humanity are an affront to all of us. We cannot and should not wipe away the memory of the atrocities that occurred during the Holocaust, nor should we turn a blind eye to the tidal wave of antisemitism that is sweeping across the globe.

N. Aaron Troodler
Bala Cynwyd, Pa.

A Dizzying Emotional Roller Coaster

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the January 9, 2025, editions of the Washington Jewish Week, Philadelphia Jewish Exponent and Baltimore Jewish Times:

Hostage posters line the streets in Israel. (Photo credit: Aaron Troodler)

It is extremely difficult to sleep through a siren. During my recent trip to Israel, I was awakened in the middle of the night on three different occasions by the wail of a siren that has become all too familiar to Israelis. After the warning of an incoming missile fired by the Houthis in Yemen roused me from my slumber shortly after 2 a.m. and I ran to the shelter in the Jerusalem building where I was staying, I looked around the safe room at the other people who gathered there in their pajamas, which included a family with two young children and another family who tried to keep their dog calm amid the tension that permeated the air. It was a stark reminder of what Israelis must contend with daily, trying to go about their lives even as enemies from near and far actively seek to destroy the Jewish state.

The next morning, while still feeling the aftereffects of having been woken up at an ungodly hour and then having to struggle to fall back asleep as I waited for the adrenaline to abate, I walked to the synagogue for Shabbat services. It only took a short while before the beautiful tefillot helped me forget the previous night’s siren, and as the entire congregation sung the various prayers, including a beautiful rendition of the prayer for the soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces, I felt spiritually uplifted and experienced a sense that everything was once again normal.

Shortly thereafter, as I walked to my daughter’s apartment for Shabbat lunch, my family and I came across a vigil for the hostages still being held in Gaza. As we passed through the large crowd, which included Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin, the parents of murdered American Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, I was immediately reminded that things in Israel are not yet OK. The exuberance I had felt earlier that day in the synagogue was replaced by a sense of unease and a disconcerting feeling that life in Israel is anything but normal in our post-Oct. 7 world.

Reminders of the hostages’ horrific ordeal are everywhere. The all-too-familiar hostage posters are still ubiquitous — in the airport when you arrive in Israel and on city streets throughout the country. One sign, which was particularly powerful, had photos of two male hostages and a question in large, red Hebrew letters: What if this was your father? The message was clear: We need to do everything in our power to bring the hostages home.

At a concert that I attended in Tel Aviv featuring Ishay Ribo, the famous Israeli singer-songwriter, the largest ovation of the night came when Ribo welcomed to the stage Moran Stella Yanai, who was abducted by Hamas on Oct. 7 and held hostage for 54 days. Watching them light the second Chanukah candle together was an emotional moment which I will not easily forget.

As I contemplated the current situation and ruminated on the fact that too many of our brothers and sisters have been held captive for approximately 450 days, it was impossible not to think of the brave men and women of the IDF who put their lives on the line every day to protect Israel and its citizens. It is the IDF soldiers who are literally on the front lines and making tremendous sacrifices on behalf of Jews both in Israel and around the world. It is our soldiers who are selflessly risking everything for others.

One of the highlights of my trip took place in an unlikely location: the Ofer Prison, where terror suspects in Israeli custody are detained. My family, together with my daughter-in-law’s family and some others, helped sponsor and organize a barbecue for the soldiers housed at the base located on the prison grounds. The goal was to not only thank the soldiers for their incredible service but also to provide a bit of respite from the countless challenges they face in the course of their military duties.

As several hundred soldiers gathered on the first night of Chanukah in the large tent that serves as their dining hall, I had the privilege of lighting the first Chanukah candle and leading them in the brachot, which was followed by festive singing in conjunction with the holiday. My children helped give out cards to the soldiers that were prepared by the middle school students at my wife’s school, which were thank you cards and messages wishing the soldiers a happy Chanukah. Aside from the cards, we also distributed chocolate Chanukah gelt, a staple of the holiday.

In addition to the sumptuous feast that volunteers prepared for the soldiers, which included fresh sufganiyot, the traditional doughnuts that are consumed on Chanukah, which were fried on site, we also brought in a DJ to augment the celebratory atmosphere and enable the soldiers to further enjoy themselves. As upbeat Israeli music filled the air, we danced together with the soldiers, all of whom thoroughly enjoyed the impromptu dance party.

At the end of the evening, numerous soldiers came up to us to express their thanks for what had been a magical night. At the same time, we thanked the soldiers and offered them our deepest gratitude for everything they have done and continue to do for our people and our Jewish homeland. We exchanged hugs and heartfelt thanks and left that night feeling fortunate that we were able to give the soldiers a Chanukah gift that they truly relished.

My trip was essentially a dizzying emotional roller coaster, with the moments between concern and contemplation and pleasure and positivity waxing and waning at a seemingly frenetic pace. The fact is that witnessing the resolve of the Israeli people — whether it be soldiers, civilians or families of the hostages — was inspiring. Yes, we are still facing incredible challenges on multiple fronts. Yet the reality is that through our faith and fortitude we will ultimately prevail.

As He Prepares to Bid Farewell, Sen. Ben Cardin Reflects on Over a Half-Century of Public Service

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the December 19, 2024, editions of the Washington Jewish Week, Philadelphia Jewish Exponent and Baltimore Jewish Times:

Sen. Ben Cardin
(Courtesy of Office of Sen. Ben Cardin)

There are noticeable signs that change is in the air. Moving boxes are visible and there are empty spaces on some of the walls where photos had been hung. Yet the mood in Sen. Ben Cardin’s office is anything but glum. In fact, there’s a sense of buoyancy even though Cardin’s time as a U.S. senator from Maryland is coming to an end.

The sense of optimism comes right from the top — from Cardin himself. The longtime senator’s warm smile and gregarious demeanor set the tone and infuses his office with the feeling that anything is possible. And as one of the highest-ranking Jewish lawmakers in the nation, Cardin proudly wears his Judaism on his sleeve and embraces it at every turn.

For Cardin, a Baltimore native and graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law who has served in elected office for 58 years, including tenures in the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives and Maryland House of Delegates, public service and helping others is ingrained in his DNA.

Even before seeking elected office, Cardin was engaged in student government and fraternity life and was deeply involved in politics at the University of Pittsburgh as an undergraduate student in the early 1960s.

Noting that his family always has Shabbat dinners together, Cardin remarked that “there are interesting conversations that take place at our Shabbat dinners, and politics was very much part of it growing up.”

Cardin’s decision to pursue a career in politics largely stemmed from a family legacy of public service. His father and uncle were members of the Maryland state legislature and his father was also a Circuit Court judge. “I worked polling places from the time I can remember and attended political meetings with my father from a very young age,” he said.

In addition to political involvement, Cardin’s parents were both involved in Jewish communal activities. His mother was very active in Hadassah and his father was involved in Jewish National Fund, Israel Bonds and the Zionist Organization of America.

As he sets to depart the Senate after 18 years, Cardin ruminated on how the Senate has evolved as an institution during his tenure.

“The collegial atmosphere among senators has remained strong,” he said. “I’ve always had close relations with almost all the members of the United States Senate — not all, but most — and that includes Republicans and Democrats, and have had working relations with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get major bills enacted. But the partisan division of our nation has also been reflected in the way that the Senate operates. So more and more of the agenda is set on a partisan basis, rather than on a collegial basis, on a collaborative basis, and that’s unfortunate.”

Cardin lamented the fact that there are less opportunities to bring issues to the Senate floor for a vote, vigorously debate those issues, and then vote on them accordingly.

Referring to that “great tradition of the United States Senate when I started,” Cardin said he finds the “actions … by both parties to restrict the opportunities for votes on the floor of the United States Senate … to be regrettable.”

He pointed to the use of the filibuster as something that has become an obstacle to advancing legislation in the Senate.

“The use of the filibuster has been abused by both Democrats and Republicans, and it now becomes almost a foregone conclusion that you need 60 votes on every issue,” Cardin said. “It shouldn’t be that way. The routine business of the United States Senate should be done by majority vote. It should not require 60 votes.”

Despite his concerns about several of the changes in the Senate’s parliamentary procedures, Cardin was quick to reiterate that notwithstanding the political divisions that exist, bipartisanship remains an integral part of his work, even telling a story about his bar mitzvah to illustrate his family’s history of working across the political aisle.

“Maryland has a proud history of Democratic and Republican leadership. … Theodore McKeldin [former governor of Maryland and former mayor of Baltimore], a Republican, was a dear friend of our family and actually helped my father politically. He attended my bar mitzvah. It was the only time that Rabbi [Samuel] Rosenblatt at Beth Tfiloh allowed the doors to be opened in the middle of his sermon so the governor could walk in. I’ll never forget that moment.”

Sen. Ben Cardin during an official visit to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria, on July 6, 2021. (Photo credit: wikicommons/IAEA Imagebank)

On Dec. 10, Cardin took to the Senate floor to deliver a farewell speech to his Senate colleagues, Marylanders and the American public.

“I come to the floor today to say ‘goodbye,’ as difficult as this may be,” he said. “Let me thank Marylanders for giving me your trust to represent you in this august body. You have supported me in 18 elections. The Hebrew letter for 18 is ‘chai,’ which also means life. Fifty-eight years of my life.

“In my family, I was taught from a young age that it’s our responsibility to make the world a better place — tikkun olam, repair the world — and help those who are less fortunate and are in need — tzedakah, charity,” Cardin said in his Senate address. “These principles were demonstrated to me by the communal activities of my parents. Their principles, these values, have been my North Star that have guided my public service as a legislator.”

Cardin’s speech touched on some of his proudest accomplishments as an elected official, including legislation focusing on seniors, health care and the Chesapeake Bay.

In an interview, Cardin expanded on his legislative achievements and spoke about some additional monumental moments in his storied career, citing the enactment of the first ethics bill that he led as speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates and his work in the House of Representatives on behalf of Soviet Jewry and human rights globally. He also spoke with pride about his work to fight antisemitism and representing the U.S. at the Berlin Conference on Anti-Semitism in 2004, as well as his efforts to counter the BDS movement, which he noted was “started by those who are very much anti-Israel and antisemitic.”

Jewish values play an integral role in Cardin’s life and truly define who he is as a person and how he and his wife Myrna raised their family. Referring to the importance of giving to others, Cardin said his family “always talked about tzedakah — not only what we could do to help, but also giving money.”

“It was expected that part of our money as I grew up was going to go into a tzedakah box, and we talked about where we wanted that money to go,” he said. “To this day, every Friday night, we give money to tzedakah, and we talk about, as a family, where we would like that money to go. So, tzedakah was always part of our family. … This is a crazy world, we recognize that, but we have a lot to be thankful for, and we know that others are not as fortunate, and we can help them.”

One of Cardin’s passions is foreign policy and he has been at the center of a multitude of foreign policy issues in his capacity as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, including those concerning Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and Syria. Cardin spoke about the need to counter autocratic countries that govern through the use of force, calling the U.S. “the beacon of that opportunity” to counter rogue nations and noting that the U.S. must consider “how do we promote our values with reliable alliances?”

Among the issues on which he been especially active and vocal is Israel and the importance of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship.

Cardin expressed his profound disappointment with recent efforts by some lawmakers to condition aid to Israel, and even withhold aid to Israel, while Israel is facing battles against several enemies on multiple fronts simultaneously.

“I think those efforts are misguided. I strongly oppose them,” Cardin declared emphatically. “As chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I led successful efforts on the floor of the United States Senate to oppose those types of efforts, and we won by overwhelming majorities. … It’s misguided because it misses the point that Israel is a strong, democratic country that has a special relationship with the United States because of those values … because it’s the only democratic state in the Middle East. It’s a country that we can rely upon for intelligence information, for sharing military strategies, technology. So, that special relationship benefits not just Israel but the United States.

“I don’t agree with everything that the prime minister of Israel is doing,” Cardin said. “I think the prime minister needed to be more strategic in dealing with the use of his military force as it relates to civilian casualties. And I think that we all, including Israel and the United States, need to do more for humanitarian assistance for innocent people who have been hurt by the military campaign. But it does not at all affect my strong belief that the United States has to stand side by side with Israel and has to make sure they have everything they need to defend themselves, and that the villain in this is not the prime minister or Israel — it’s Hamas and Iran — and that we have to focus that spotlight and can’t be distracted. These votes had nothing to do with Israel or with the plight of the Palestinians; it had everything to do with Israel’s ability to defend itself moving forward. And that’s why I say it was misplaced. And I just think it was the wrong message. And I’m glad that the overwhelming majority, including the majority of both parties, opposed those resolutions.”

Sen. Ben Cardin at the groundbreaking of Red Run Overlook, a mixed-income residential community in Owings Mills, Maryland, on Nov. 1, 2018. (Photo credit: wikicommons/Baltimore County Government)

When it comes to addressing the rise of antisemitism and the isolation of Israel globally, Cardin has consistently been at the forefront of these issues.

“People really do not have a good grip of history,” he said. “They don’t know the circumstances. They don’t recognize the risk factors that Israelis confront every day. They lose sight of the fact that Hamas took hostages, which is outrageous to start off with, and has not released them, which is even more outrageous, executing some. It’s horrible what Hamas has done. And yet they put a focus on Israel. The focus should be on Hamas and should be on the terrorists.”

“Take a look at the United Nations Human Rights Council prior to Oct. 7,” Cardin added. “The only standing issue they have is Israel? There is such international bias against Israel, a lot of it rooted in antisemitism. I find that good people fall prey to disinformation and follow these individuals who are just trying to promote antisemitism and isolation of Israel, and that’s frustrating. So yes, I’ll speak out against those efforts.”

Cardin is a student of history who believes in the power of government to help people and he wants to use his extensive experience to help new and future elected officials understand what government service is all about and what their primary areas of focus should be.

“First, I would tell them to be learned,” he said. “What I mean by that is to understand history, to try to be as knowledgeable as you possibly can about issues, to guard against disinformation. Secondly, I would urge them to listen, particularly to people who may have different views, because we all can learn from that type of participation. And third, I would suggest that we always practice civility.

“Understand how the system works,” he added. “Know how you can participate in it, be knowledgeable, but always act with civility, and then be willing to compromise, not your principles or your values, but compromise in order to get results done. … We can come up with better solutions when we listen to each other and take the best information available, and those solutions will be more long-lasting if we have broader consensus in developing them.”

(Photo credit: wikicommons/MDGovpics)

As for his postretirement plans, Cardin indicated that he is still working on figuring that out, despite the impending conclusion of his Senate term.

“My colleagues who have gone through this, the one consistent advice I get from every one of those colleagues is not to make commitments for a period of time … take a little bit of time before you make those judgments. But I want to follow my passion, and I want to stay active. … And my passion, quite frankly, deals with foreign policy, it deals with the environment, it deals with good governance. So, those are the areas that I would like to be able to pursue and I hope I’ll have the opportunity to do that.”

As Cardin prepares to leave the Senate and step away from elected office after well over a half-century, he has no regrets.

“Certainly, there are mountains I’ve yet to conquer that I would like to have conquered. … But generally, I am extremely proud of what I’ve been able to get done and have no regrets about leaving the United States Senate from the point of view of leaving unfinished business that I think I could have done more to accomplish.”

The WJW Podcast: A Conversation With Ambassador John Bolton (12/19/24)

Ambassador John Bolton, a former national security advisor and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has spent many years in public service and served in high-level positions for several U.S. presidents.

Bolton, who has written several books, is a well-known and well-respected commentator who offers insightful and informative perspectives on some of the complex issues facing our nation and our world. 

On the WJW Podcast, Bolton spoke about the U.S.-Israel relationship, Syria, Iran, the hostages in Gaza, the U.N., and President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks.

Star Power in Philly in Support of Israel’s National Emergency Medical Response Organization

The following is an article that I wrote, which appeared in the November 28, 2024, edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent:

Lior Raz of the hit Netflix series “Fauda” speaks with Emily Austin in Philadelphia on Nov. 21.
(Photo credit: Jack Hartzman/Washington Talent)

The hit Netflix series “Fauda” drew widespread acclaim when it debuted nearly a decade ago. The action-packed show, which has aired four thrill-filled seasons thus far, chronicles the adventures of an elite Israeli counterterrorism unit that conducts covert missions that often keep viewers at the edge of their seats. Fauda’s leading star, Lior Raz, not only plays the main character, Doron Kabilio, he also co-wrote and co-produced the popular series.

Raz was one of the headliners at a Nov. 21 event in Philadelphia to benefit American Friends of Magen Adom, the American arm of Israel’s national emergency services organization. A crowd of approximately 225 came to pay tribute to several well-deserved honorees — Hilary Sennett, Jim Showers and Gershon Trimpol — and support an organization whose sole mission is saving lives.

The event was emceed by Emily Austin, a TV personality who has extensive experience interviewing athletes and stars in the entertainment industry. With a social media following of over two million, Austin has become a well-known influencer who often speaks about her strong support for Israel and the importance of combatting antisemitism.

In an interview with the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, Austin, who became an Israeli citizen the week before Oct. 7, 2023, talked about why she feels it’s so important to be outspoken in support of the Jewish state.

“I consider myself an advocate for the truth and for what’s right … I always take the moral high ground,” Austin said. “And I find it really unfortunate that everyone’s on the same page, except when it comes to the Jews. Christians can have a country. Muslims can have a country … But when it comes to the Jewish people, after enduring a massacre, the world turns a blind eye, or even worse, sides with evil. So, I’m just trying to open people’s eyes.

“I go by a saying — don’t tell people they’re wrong but show them why you’re right. And I believe Israel has so many ‘rights’ to show the world that we have, and if I can be the one to show them the truth, then what an honor,” she added.

As for her huge social media following, Austin doesn’t shy away from using her platform to voice her pro-Israel views.

“I’m very blessed to have a platform that’s not preaching to the echo chamber of Jewish people who already support Israel. I work in sports. I work in entertainment. And I would even argue that my audience is mostly non-Jews. And … I don’t want to be proselytizing. I don’t want to shove Israel down your throat to the point that it’s nauseating, like the pro-Palestinians do. They shut down bridges and tunnels and they make you almost nauseated by the cause. I try to show a positive light and the truth without completely overwhelming my [social media] feed with it — like I know you follow me for sports, and you’re still going to get it. But I also love Israel, and I’m going to show you why I love Israel. And I think I try to balance the two.”

American Friends of Magen David Adom CEO Catherine Reed introduced one of the evening’s honorees, Gershon Trimpol, noting that Trimpol, who serves as chairman of the International Magen David Adom Committee and vice president of American Friends of Magen David Adom, has 26 years of experience working with the organization.

As he addressed the crowd, Trimpol, a resident of Southampton, quoted the famous Talmudic passage “Kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh” (All Jews are responsible for each other), noting that “few organizations embody that principle more than Magen David Adom.”

In addition to Magen David Adom’s efforts to supply blood to the Israel Defense Forces and Israeli hospitals, Trimpol underscored the Herculean efforts of the organization’s first responders.

“The heart and soul of Magen David Adom are its paramedics,” he said. “On Oct. 7, while others were running from the danger, the brave paramedics of Magen David Adom ran into the danger to help others.”

Attendees watched an emotional video that spotlighted the bravery of Magen David Adom paramedics as they responded to various terrorist attacks, including Oct. 7 and in July 2024, when a rocket hit a soccer field in Majdal Shams, a city in northern Israel, which left 12 children dead.

During the event, Sue and Bruce Epstein of Margate City, New Jersey, stood up and pledged to make a sizable donation that Magen David Adom could use to buy a new ambulance for its fleet in Israel, drawing applause from the crowd.

Ambassador Gilad Erdan, left, Emily Austin, center, and Gershon Trimpol, right, at an event for American Friends of Magen David Adom on Nov. 21. (Photo credit: Jack Hartzman/Washington Talent)

The evening’s keynote speaker was Ambassador Gilad Erdan, who assumed the role of global president of Magen David Adom in September 2024. Prior to his new role, Erdan served for four years as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, where he vigorously defended Israel on the world stage. Erdan also served as a member of Knesset for 17 years and had a tenure as Israel’s ambassador to the United States.

In an interview with the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, Erdan spoke about the challenges currently facing Israel and the heightened role that Magen David Adom plays post-Oct. 7.

“Our enemies know that they cannot defeat the IDF. You see what’s happening in Gaza and Lebanon — we are destroying them. So, what’s their strategy? It’s a twofold strategy. They are focused on attacking our civilians … They want to terrorize our kids, frighten them, make sure that they maybe drive us out of our homeland in fear for the long term,” Erdan said. “And then the other part, how do they plan to survive? They are trying to exploit my last battlefield, the U.N., to pressure us to a cease-fire, to tie our hands, to portray us as baby killers. So, this is why it’s twofold. Now focusing on the civilian side, they’re attacking the home front. As [there are] many more people that they will be able to kill there, it most likely will succeed to terrorize our citizens.”

Erdan cited those challenges to make the case that Magen David Adom is indispensable.

“The Israeli resilience, it is dependent on us [Magen David Adom]. So yes, I believe that the Jewish world came to the understanding that of course the IDF is the most important organization, but other than the IDF, when it comes to the first responders like Magen David Adom … we cannot afford for Magen David Adom not to be the No. 1 emergency medical service in the world. I feel that the Jewish communities really came to this understanding, and they’re behind us.

“There’s only one national organization in Israel, which is Magen David Adom — this is the emergency national organization that is obligated to supply services everywhere, be it rural areas, Judea and Samaria, the Golan Heights. We are the ones that the resilience of Israel is dependent upon,” Erdan added.

Erdan had much to say about what sort of strategies could be employed to try and counter the anti-Israel animus that is prevalent at international bodies such as the United Nations and the International Criminal Court, which recently issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of “crimes against humanity” relating to the war in Gaza.

“Always be on the offensive. That’s what I did at the U.N. — never be apologetic. I knew I represented the most moral military and country in the world, so I exposed their lies, their hypocrisy,” Erdan said. “I need to preserve our allies’ support for us, and that’s what we’re doing by always being there on the offensive, fighting and exposing the lies.”

In his remarks to the audience, Erdan focused on the threat posed by the U.N. to Israel, opening with a line that drew laughs from the Philly crowd.

“It’s really great for me to be here in Philadelphia, a city that cherishes so much both liberty and loyalty, though I must confess that being here during Eagles’ season without being an Eagles fan feels almost as lonely as defending Israel at the U.N.,” he said.

“Today, dear friends, the U.N. is not just biased, it’s a weapon in the terrorist arsenal to help them survive,” Erdan said. “What would the U.N.’s founders say if they saw their creation today, an institution founded after the Holocaust to prevent genocide has been hijacked by those who plot it?”

Erdan noted that although Israel represents less than one-tenth of 1% of the world’s population, it receives 70% of the U.N.’s condemnations every year. “We receive more condemnations than Syria, Russia, North Korea, and Iran combined,” he said.

After declaring that the “U.N. has become a stain on humanity,” citing the U.N.’s $75 billion annual budget and noting that the United States, as the biggest funder of the U.N., is “literally financing an institution controlled by dictators that works against our values,” Erdan emphatically declared that “the time has come for us to understand that the U.N. is lost” and stated that, “The U.N. must be defunded. Completely defunded,” which drew rousing applause from the crowd.

Referring to Magen David Adom, Erdan painted a far more positive and promising picture than he did when speaking about the U.N.

“We are in the life-saving business. It’s sometimes very hard, very sad, very challenging, but the future is bright, I promise you … Our sages, as you know, teach us that whoever saves even one life, it is as if they saved an entire world. So many lives have been saved, thanks to you. So many worlds have been saved, thanks to you … I thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Erdan said, asserting that “a stronger Magen David Adom means a stronger Israel.”

The crowd watched excitedly as Raz and Austin engaged in an armchair conversation, in which Austin interviewed the “Fauda” star about his upbringing and the hit series.

Noting that his father was born in Iraq and his mother was born in Algeria, Raz said that Arabic was frequently spoken in his home. Raz’s father served in Shin Bet, Israel’s security agency, and Raz’s military service consisted of service in Duvdevan, an elite counterterrorism unit.

“What you’ve seen in ‘Fauda’ is what I used to do,” Raz said, referring to his time in the IDF.

After his army service, Raz said he went to the United States, where he served as a bodyguard to Arnold Schwarzenegger and actress Nastassja Kinski. He then returned to Israel and began pursuing an acting career. Raz, who was experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder following his IDF service, eventually met journalist Avi Issacharoff. Together, Raz and Issacharoff began writing the script that ultimately became “Fauda.”

“So many things that you see in ‘Fauda’ are from our real lives,” Raz said, referring to Issacharoff and himself.

Event organizers said it was a successful evening for Magen David Adom, which Erdan proudly referred to as “the backbone of Israel’s resilience.”