Tag Archives: October 7th

September 10, 2025

As we remember 9/11, where do we find optimism as society declines?

By davidgroen1

From 9/11 until the murder of Charlie Kirk on September 19, 2025, there are far too many examples of a steady decline of the morals within our global society over the past quarter of a century. Many of us back then hoped that what we saw back then would be the worst thing we would ever see in our lifetime. We hoped that it would be the beginning of a positive progression towards a better world. We hoped society might wake up. And yet, if we are to be honest, evil is not diminishing at all. On the contrary. It is growing at an alarming pace.

As a proud Jew and son of Holocaust survivors, I have always been deeply connected to the horrors the Jewish people have endured. Because of my upbringing, I have known that true evil exists for as long as I can remember, and while it creates a burden in one’s life to spend a lifetime with this realization, like any other disease, acknowledging it and confronting it is the only viable approach. After October 7th I was devastated and furious at the same time. But I held hope, as I always do, that there will be better days ahead. Sadly, evil is not only increasing at a frightening rate, because of technology, specifically social media, it is more on display than ever before.

As I have been every year since 2001, I am very aware as September 11th approaches. Coming into the 24th anniversary of a day I will never forget, I planned to acknowledge it, as I do every year, with respect and reverence. But unfortunately, what I have seen in just a matter of a few days has crystallized not only the significance of the day—it has also magnified the fact that, as a global society, we may be in bigger trouble today than we were 24 years ago.

The first incident was the murder of six innocent civilians—five men and one woman—all of whom were Orthodox Jews, shot at a bus stop in Jerusalem. As has been the case long before I was born, and for as long as I can remember, these were people killed for what many perpetrators of evil see as the ultimate crime: the crime of being Jewish. I have no doubt there were even more evil people out there celebrating the death of what they would refer to as “occupiers” and “colonizers.”

The second incident was the vicious murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska. Although this happened on August 22, the footage surfaced only this week. The attack took place in Charlotte, NC, on mass transit, and the video showed a deranged and evil psychopath stabbing the young woman in the neck. The attack itself was horrifying enough, but what you see afterward only compounds the focus on our society’s demise. People did nothing to help her. The attack happened very quickly, and the perpetrator looked terrifying, so I understand why no one tried to intervene. But as Iryna lay bleeding to death, and the attacker had fled, people sitting near her simply got off the train. Not one lifted a hand to help her. Hard to fathom, but it is there for everyone to see.

The third incident was the assassination today of Conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Regardless of your political views, having a high-profile husband and father of two—someone who welcomed and encouraged debate with people who differed from him on political and religious ideologies—assassinated while doing nothing other than speaking to a willing crowd, is one more black mark on our society. Charlie Kirk was a 31-year-old man who openly welcomed people with opinions he disagreed with. Regardless of anyone’s political opinions, even if you disliked him for how he thought, if you believe he deserved what happened to him today, you need to take a good look at yourself and wonder which direction you are going on the scale of good and evil.

Optimism might be the last thing anyone would feel after a week like this on the eve of the anniversary of the worst attacks ever on American soil. Well then, let me show you where we can indeed find a way forward that makes our future look brighter. One of the things I felt more clearly than ever before, after seeing reactions to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, is that our battles are not about politics or even ideologies. This was evident in the number of people who condemned his murder and expressed condolences and prayers for his family. The biggest battle our society faces is not a battle between two sides that disagree on the best course of action. The biggest battle is the same one it has always been: the battle of good against evil. And if we look at history, evil and the devastation it causes have always made far more noise—but good has ultimately, always been victorious.

As important as these, and other awful incidents may be, in many ways the reaction of the populace is equally important. After October 7th, proud Jews and Zionists like myself witnessed masses of people siding with terrorists over murdered, raped, and tortured innocent men, women, and children. But we also saw supporters in places we never expected, and non-Jewish voices shouting at least as loudly as Jewish ones. True evil attracts evil, while true good will never be altered by evil. All of these incidents make the battle lines between good and evil more clear—something we need to see if evil is ever to be wiped from the earth.

As we remember 9/11 and all other victims of evil, if we all use whatever tools we have at our disposal to be forces of good, I believe good will do what it has done since the beginning of time: win.

Am Yisrael Chai

Never Again is Now!

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August 10, 2025

How Dare you Germany!

By davidgroen1

While I’ve had a problem from the start with the nations of the world that have pressured Israel regarding their response to October 7th, I have, for the most part, kept quiet. However, as someone who has committed, and intends to continue committing, much of my life to telling the story of the Holocaust, I must address the following. Everything I do—everything I believe in as a Jew and the son of Holocaust survivors—is put to the test when a German government has the unmitigated gall to take a stand against the Jewish state.

I will share two important points with you, not because I am being apologetic, but merely because they are part of the calculus that brought me to think as I do today. My first point is that while there should never, ever be forgiveness for what the German Nazi Party did to the Jewish people, until recently I at least tepidly gave post-war Germany some credit. Nothing can make up for what was done, and nothing can ever truly be enough to make amends for atrocities so recent that there are still Jews alive today who lived through that horrific time. But where I took a somewhat moderate approach was in recognizing that German laws and actions since 1945 did not ignore accountability and responsibility for the actions of the country. Simply put, I felt there was little more a people and its government could have done to express remorse and apply preventative laws against this ever happening again.

My second point is that many of these countries taking a stance against Israel are doing so because they are frightened by the dynamics created by certain elements within the Muslim populations in their own country. Their policies are rooted in neither common sense nor decency. They are rooted in a cowardice that overshadows any moral clarity. To go after every country guilty of this would be a futile waste of anyone’s time.

But Germany is a different story. Germany, of all countries, should not get away with its recent actions. This is more than a matter of taking a hardline approach toward the war in Gaza. This is about the timing and the message it sends. Above you see two pictures: one is taken from a bunker in the concentration camp Buchenwald, showing the conditions of the prisoners; the second is a recent picture of Israeli hostage Evyatar David, taken on October 7th, looking hauntingly similar to the prisoners in Buchenwald.

In response to numerous attempts to have a ceasefire contingent mainly on the release of all hostages, Hamas has repeatedly put roadblocks in the path of peace—not surprising when you understand that they do not want peace; they want the death of every Jew on the planet. After the release of the video and the continuing collapse of peace talks, Israel’s government declared its intention to occupy Gaza.

Backing up momentarily, I do not live in Israel, and although much of my heart is there, I do not have to live with the actual consequences of the ongoing war. Therefore, I do not believe I have the right—certainly not publicly—to express criticism toward those protesting against the government, demanding an end to the war and the return of the hostages. If anything, it breaks my heart. I do not disagree with either of those demands. But perhaps being on the outside allows me to see that the sad part is that everything happening today is exactly what Hamas hoped for when they started this on October 7th: the anti-Israel sentiment, the rise in global antisemitism, and any internal strife in Israel are all things they see as a victory.

Hamas knows that if they released the hostages, the war would end. But that does not align with their ultimate goal. Israel’s statement about occupying Gaza has been called a serious escalation by much of the world, while those same voices stayed mostly quiet after the release of a video designed to entice escalation. It was after Israel’s recent declaration that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced a halt to German military equipment that could be used in an occupation of Gaza. Barely a week after the release of a video showing a Jewish hostage in Gaza looking like a prisoner in one of the many concentration camps that killed millions of Jews, rather than seeing the picture and acknowledging the historical irony, the reaction of Merz and his government, in many ways, rewards Hamas for its continuous evil actions. How dare you, Germany!

Tolerance does not exist in a vacuum. It is measured against the views of others. But here’s the deal: if I seem intolerant right now toward a country that committed atrocities against millions of Jews so recently that they are the reason I never knew a grandparent, so be it. Jews have shown tolerance for centuries, and we find ourselves made out to be the aggressor just because we were the victim. Makes no sense? That is because everything taking place in Israel regarding wars and terrorist attacks—and every display of anti-Israel or antisemitic sentiment around the globe—is not rooted in anything that makes sense. It is all about one thing: Jew hatred. This time, more than at any other time, the country responsible for translating Jew hatred into action more successfully than any other country in history has a moral obligation to show support. Instead, it is holding its tools for Israel’s self-defense hostage.

How dare you, Germany!

Am Yisrael Chai

Never Again is Now!

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October 23, 2024

My message to the Jew Haters of the world

By davidgroen1

Dear Jew Haters,

You know who you are. You masquerade as humanitarians, social justice warriors, educators and public servants. Some of you whose job is to act or make music think that you have a better understanding of right and wrong than the rest of us. You opine and preach about how much you care about your fellow man and the injustices committed against women and children but pick and choose which women and children to protect. You are ignorant hypocrites at best, evil servants of the devil at worst. Your shortsightedness blinds you from seeing how on the wrong side of history your stances have placed you. But you will not come out ahead, and this is why.

You are merely an insignificant speck of dust in the global scheme. You have made the choice to pick the chosen people as the target of your hatred. Last year in Israel, on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, the holiday coinciding with October 7th in the Gregorian calendar, you watched and learned of a massacre unparalleled in recent history. One would have thought that your credibility would have been unquestioned after learning of 1200 people being slaughtered, babies being purposely murdered, and young women being raped. But rather than seeing this as the horror that it was, your hatred of the Jewish people combined in many cases with personal financial gain, caused you to support the perpetrator, and chastise the victim. You jumped at the opportunity to attack Israel for protecting its people and conveniently ignored the acts of terror committed against them, in favor of those who committed or supported these atrocities. And you did this for one reason above all others. You hate the Jewish people.

Jews have been persecuted, expelled and murdered more than any other people throughout history. Empires and mighty nations have found themselves obsessed with our very existence. They have made their attacks on Jews more than just a policy, they have made it a priority. You feebleminded, hypocritical, self-serving pieces of garbage have spent the last year criticizing every action Israel has taken in the name of their safety and that of the Jewish people. You have chosen to ignore the restraint Israel has shown, the caution it has taken, and the well thought out methods it has chosen to prosecute a war they did not start. You refuse to admit that there is not another country on the planet that would have shown the mercy Israel has shown over this past year.

But when all is said and done, you will lose. This is not a warning or a threat. This is very simply a reference to the past and an understanding of reality. Before so many evil nations or empires crumbled, one of the last things they did was persecute, expel, or kill their Jewish population. The Spanish Inquisition, Russian pogroms and Nazi Germany all lead to defeat of evil governments, to a large part because they were consumed by their hatred for the Jews, but to an even greater part because they picked the wrong people to mess with. They may have had the power and military might to inflict devastation on Jewish communities, but ultimately they could not and never would have overcome the spiritual power of the Jewish people. That is why, and read this carefully all you determined to see us wiped off the planet, they are gone and we remain standing.

So to all of you Jew haters who are ignoring history, know this. No one has been able to extinguish our light till now, and no one ever will. You are on the wrong side of history, a side that sees darkness, chaos, death and destruction, every thing the Jewish people are not. If you choose to remain on that wrong side of history, your world will ultimately crumble around you like so many worlds before you.

I have never been more proud or more happy to be a Jew than I am today. In the past year the Jewish people have rallied militarily, thanks to the amazing IDF, financially, thanks to donors both large and small, and last, but not least, spiritually. The prayers of Jew and non-Jew alike for the safety and continued existence of the Jewish people has never been stronger. So to those of you who still choose to hate us, do so at your own peril, because ultimately it will be your demise, not ours.

May God Bless the souls of those murdered last Simchat Torah, October 7th, and all the amazingly heroic members of the IDF who have made the ultimate sacrifice. And may strength and peace be the blessing bestowed on all those who have suffered pain and anguish from the events of a year ago. This year on Simchat Torah, while the Jew haters will drown in their evil desires, we will dance for all those who can not, and for all those whose souls we hope to uplift. That is how we as Jews spend our time. You might want to learn from that.

Sincerely and proudly,

David Groen

Am Yisrael Chai

Never Again is Now!

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October 7, 2024

The light that shines through the darkness

By davidgroen1

There are 2 impending anniversaries that weigh heavy on the hearts of Jews across the world.  One is today October 7th, and the other is October 24th.  A year ago, October 7th coincided with the celebration of the holiday of Simchat Torah in the State of Israel.  As we know, the events of that day were devastating.  This year October 24th is the day that coincides with Simchat Torah in Israel.  The mention of these 2 days is important and relevant in the discussion when we not only look back, but maybe more importantly, we look forward.

Remembering is part of the core values for every Jew with any degree of connection to the faith.  As Jews, we remember because we mourn, we remember because we honor, but maybe most importantly, we remember because we have no choice.  The joy of being Jewish goes hand in hand with the burden of being persecuted, often hunted, and far too often in history, expelled or killed.  And yet what might very well be the most amazing thing about our people, is that while empires have crumbled around us, often shortly after they came after us, we have endured for centuries. If we do not remember, we risk not seeing the signs of impending doom, and ultimate preventing devastation striking within our midst all over again.  On the surface it seems ominous and gloomy.  So why is it that I have never been more happy or proud to be Jewish than any other time in my life?

Last year on Simchat Torah in my synagogue here in America, we celebrated the holiday knowing part of what had taken place the day before in Israel.  Most of us were either deeply saddened, angrier than ever before, or both.  And yet in following the leadership, we danced.  We did so with heavy hearts, and at least speaking for myself I can say, I forced myself to do so, but we did so, nonetheless.  At that moment I not only did not know the reason why it was important, I had very little desire to do so whatsoever.  However, when I look back, and think of the months that followed, and the recovery of our collective psyche, I realize that reacting in one way above all, a Jewish way, was the one thing that would restore our optimism, and for those who may have lost it, our faith.

It is my belief that the root cause of anti-Semitism is the fact that as the Chosen People, Jews are the light of the world.  This by no means that every Jew is good, and it certainly does not mean that you have be Jewish to be good, but it means that the light that brightens and strengthens mankind, emanates from the Jewish people.  Those who wish to share in the light are welcome, and subsequently live in peace and friendship with Jews around the world. Those who do not wish to share in this light are mired in darkness.  A darkness that breeds hate, violence and destruction. It would explain why the empires that have fallen have done so without wiping the Jewish people off the planet.  Simply put, you can diminish the light to some degree, but when all is said and done, nothing can distinguish the flame that was lit by the Almighty.

So, this year when October 7th arrives, it might be most appropriate to remember with solemnity the horrors and tragedies that took place on that day, and then, 17 days later, when Simchat Torah falls, to celebrate with hope and promise. “Simchat Torah” is the “Joy of the Torah”, and it is meant to be celebrated with happiness and enthusiasm.  We see our brave soldiers as fighting and sacrificing for all the Jewish people around the world, and we have faith in their ultimate victory.  It will be our job to fight and win the spiritual battle.  By praying and atoning on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, and celebrating on Simchat Torah, we do our part in ensuring the enemy never achieves its goal of wiping us out.  We do our part in keeping that flame lit and using our light to illuminate the world.

Wishing all of you a good and sweet year.

Am Yisrael Chai

Never Again is Now!

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July 3, 2024

How honoring your loved one brings connection, and how connection eases the pain

By davidgroen1

Today, as I commemorate the 17th anniversary of the passing of my father according to the Hebrew calendar, otherwise known as the Yahrtzeit, I find myself enlightened in a way I have not been in past years. The Yahrtzeit for a departed loved one is believed to be an opportunity to raise that individuals soul in heaven. It is believed that all we do in their honor, and specifically remembering the day of their passing, is a way to facilitate that ascent to higher levels. But this year I suddenly came to the realization that what this process has done for me in this life, is very possibly equally or even more important.

My father, Rabbi Nardus Groen, was a great man. And while many people judge greatness differently, my father’s life covered so many different aspects that one would be hard pressed not to see his greatness. Nardus Groen was a husband, a parent, a scholar, and a fighter. I have written much about my perceptions and understandings of who he was, and feel tremendously blessed to have had him as a father. I find myself motivated to write this today not merely because this is his Yahrtzeit, but because of the impact this Yahrtzeit has had on me, and the lesson it’s taught me. One that is equally valuable for everyone when it comes to the matter of loss.

As I sat in synagogue last night, preparing to say the Kaddish prayer in sanctification of his memory, I realized how close I felt to him. It was then that I realized that even for the more skeptical amongst us who question the concept of the raising of a departed soul to a higher level, the Yahrtzeit offers us an incredibly valuable and meaningful opportunity to stay connected with those we have lost.

The Jewish world has seen loss over this past year with a devastation not seen since the Holocaust. The October 7th terrorist attack and subsequent war in Israel has made families mourn in a way beyond the normal circle of life. My father passed away at 87. As sad as it was for me, his death was not tragic. But too many of our Jewish brothers and sisters are not only mourning, they are dealing with a tragedy most never have to experience. I hope the lesson I learned this year in honoring my father helps some of them and others who have experienced tragic loss beyond the situation in Israel to move forward in their lives. That lesson is, that in honoring the memory of those we love and have lost, whether we believe in their ascent in heaven or not, we stay connected to them. While so many suffering loss want to get past the pain, the one thing everyone remembering a loved one never wants to do is to forget them. By honoring them we stay connected, and in staying connected we ultimately ease the pain caused by their vacuum, and we never forget them.

In honor and memory of my father, Rabbi Nardus Groen, I wish all of you suffering the pain caused by loss, the good fortune of staying connected with them, and having that connection ultimately replace the pain.

This is also written in memory of Adina Openden Zehavi. May her soul be raised to the highest of levels and may God ease the pain of those feeling the devastation of her loss.

Am Yisrael Chai

Never Again is Now!

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May 2, 2024

When looking at the Crisis on College campuses, we need to be honest about how we got here

By davidgroen1

I am not going to lie. I hate every last one of the pro Hamas protestors on every American campus. But unless we identify those responsible for getting us here, it will be over for Jews in the United States, and after that happens the United States as we know it may ultimately be well on its way to a collapse.

I first started identifying a disturbing trend after 9/11. There were those on the right that blamed what they called failed policies by Bill Clinton. There were those on the left that attacked then president George W. Bush for not publicly showing alarm in front of kindergarteners when he first heard of the attack. Those that did that seemed too afraid or too political to go after those responsible for the attack, namely Al Qaeda and their leader Osama Bin-Laden. Why? Maybe because it felt safer to them to react in the manner. Do I hold young adults protesting on behalf of murdering terrorists accountable for their actions? Of course I do. But that can not let any one of us stay silent about those that either planted the seeds or fertilized the ground. We need to speak openly and honestly about how we got here.

First and foremost, let me be perfectly clear. Anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. You do not have to like Israel’s current government, a large percentage of Israelis do not. But Israel is a strong and functioning democracy that can work it out for itself, and standing against it in what may be the most perilous time in the history of the Jewish state is ultimately calling for the death of Jews.

If you are a proud Jew and Zionist such as myself, one who makes every attempt to learn from history, holding back on speaking the truth should no longer be an option. The seeds of this cancer have been planted by Qatar, the most devious country on the planet. With its annual influx of billions of dollars to College administrations, this country, one that is playing everyone, has in essence bought the narrative of America’s future.

Then there’s the 10’s of billions of dollars of frozen assets released to Iran during the Obama administration, culminating with a massive airlift of cash in his last days in office, in essence supplying the money needed to fund Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and of course Hamas which ultimately led to previous wars, October 7th, and the current war in Gaza. This is not a truth many people want to admit to, but a truth nonetheless.

But let’s not forget the era in which we live. An era of Instagram posts and Tik-Tok reels in which Chuck Schumer, the highest ranking Jewish politician in U.S. history, calls for elections to replace Israel’s Prime Minister in the middle of a war. Students see and hear this. When Jonathan Glazer, a Jew himself makes an acceptance speech at the Oscars for Best International Feature Film and states that his Jewishness and the Holocaust are “being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people”, young college students see this clip. It is widely believed that when you follow the money, much of what does not lead back to Iran and Qatar leads back to George Soros, a Jew himself and one who escaped the Holocaust. Bernie Sanders, notoriously anti-Israel to the point of providing false statistics during previous conflicts, can only be described as a traitor, who, as one of my brothers so eloquently put, should rot in hell. Even if you want to say that many of those among my fellow Jews mean well and have even done a lot for Israel and the Jewish people before now, what they are doing today is fueling the burning and growing fire of Jewish hatred in America and worldwide. To put it more bluntly and to clarify how devastating this is, giving life and power to these protestors is likely killing any hostage still alive, because as Hamas sees the societal disaster taking place in America, they have increased incentive to keep the war going. Why would they accept Israel’s terms when thanks to the voices against Israel and the agitators protesting on campus, some of which are actually students, Hamas is in effect, winning the war.

There are the Jew hating celebrities like Roger Watters, Susan Sarandon and Jon Cusack, who repeatedly accuse Israel of committing Genocide and will insist that some of their best friends are Jewish. They are all cowards and fools, as displayed by Cusack who banned me from his X account after I accused him of being on the wrong side of history. https://x.com/HollandsHeroes/status/1785158544645378104 . They are cowards because it is truly my belief that deep in their hearts they see a world with growing Muslin extremism and they feel safer going after 8 million Jews. It is hard to argue with their logic if you only look at the numbers, but it brings their cowardice into focus.

Let’s not forget the squad and the loud and proud Jew hating voices led by Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Jamaal Bowman, whose growing power have forced President Joe Biden into hiding during the crisis on colleges campuses.

The heroic voices of people such as Douglas Murray, Bill Maher and John Fetterman need to grow. Proud Jewish celebrities like Robert Kraft and Jon Lovitz need to be identified and supported for their position in favor of their people.

I recognize that America and the current administration has supported Israel since October 7th, and for that I am grateful, but if the people in power spend more time worrying about keeping their jobs than doing their jobs, this will only get worse, and history is flush with stories of empires that collapsed after they persecuted and either killed or expelled the Jews. Past is prologue, and those who do not learn from it are in essence digging their own graves. This is not meant only for Jews, but non-Jewish Americans as well. When protestors on campus are calling for Intifada, if you believe it is only directed towards Israel, you are a fool.

When I started watching the news last night, it was so disturbing that I wanted to turn off the TV. However, what happens if I and all of you choose to bury our heads in the sand will make what it happening now look like a picnic, so I kept watching. Silence is not as option. Never Again is Now.

Am Yisrael Chai

Never Again is Now!

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April 19, 2024

The pride and joy of being Jewish during trying times

By davidgroen1

In the weeks and months following the October 7th terrorist attack, Jewish people worldwide have felt greater pain, fear, and sadness than in any time since the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945.  The suffering endured by our brethren in Israel is undoubtedly far greater than what we in the diaspora have endured, but the anguish is there, nonetheless.  With all of this all being true, I’m left asking myself this one very poignant question.  Why is it that I am happier and prouder to be a Jew today than in any other time in my life?

Part of it has to do with the fact that everything unfolding before us seems to validate my belief system.  As someone who believes in the legitimacy of the Torah, I never thought I would feel as though I was living through the story of Purim.  Purim tells of a time when a leader of Persia put forth a plan to wipe out the Jewish people, only to be defeated and destroyed.  Here we are today, seeing Israel pushing forward and closing in on its destruction of Hamas, the terrorist group that brutally attacked Israel on October 7th.  Hamas, an arm of Iran, the country which in ancient times we knew as Persia, and a country who sees it as their sacred mission is to destroy Israel, is perhaps setting itself up for a repeat of the Purim story.

A second part of why I feel as I do is the upcoming holiday of Passover.  Passover, a holiday telling of Israel’s redemption from slavery in Egypt through a slew of miracles, seems more realistic today than ever before.  There are those who will look at the Torah and say it is filled with stories based in fantasy, and yet here we are, as a Jewish people, facing hardships unlike any other people on the planet, and to be frank, in need of miracles.  For me, the story of Passover helps me to believe in those miracles and it gives me hope. It does, for lack of a better way of saying it, show us that God has been and always will be on our side.  Perhaps that explains why no other people in the world have had to endure more hatred than the Jewish people.  A people that comprises a mere .02% of the world’s population, a little under 16 million of the planet’s 7.88 billion people causes what many see as an unexplainable obsession.  Perhaps it is because as the Chosen People, we are the light of the world.  Those who align with us share in that light, and those who do not, hate us for being that light. It’s a burdensome life indeed, but one of which being part of makes me very proud and eternally grateful.

Am Yisrael Chai

Never Again is Now!

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November 29, 2023

Open Letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom regarding the Antisemitic rhetoric at Oakland City Council session

By davidgroen1

Dear Governor Newsom,

While I know that you are currently very busy “NOT running for President”, and that I am neither a resident of California nor someone who can likely do anything to help you in your future endeavors, I feel there is an urgent matter that requires your immediate and unequivocal attention and as a result I will not remain silent.

Even though it is my understanding that you have no actual authority over the Oakland City Council, as Chief Executive of the most populated state in the country, your response to what took place at the reason session is of critical importance. In response to the City Council voting on a resolution calling for cease fire in Gaza and not condemning Hamas, your response was very clear.

Referencing the vote you said, “Hamas is a terrorist organization. They must be called out for what they are: evil”.

While I appreciate the moral clarity your statement represents, in light of what took place and statements made during the session, your response was weak and insufficient, and I will explain why I believe that to be the case. For you to make your statement of how you condemn Hamas while failing to call out those who made the comments, comes across as though you are attempting to pander to both sides.

Here are 5 different comments made by members of the Council.

“Calling Hamas a terrorist organization is ridiculous, racist and plays into genocidal propaganda that is flooding our media and that we should be doing everything possible to combat.”

“I support the right of Palestinians to resist occupation, including through Hamas, the armed wing of the unified Palestinian resistance.”

“Hamas is not a terrorist organization just because the U.S. and Israel deems it so. Hamas is a resistance organization that is fighting for the liberation of Palestinian people in their land.”

“The notion that this was a massacre of Jews is a fabricated narrative. Many of those killed on October 7, including children, were killed by the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces).”

“There have not been beheadings of babies and rapings. Israel murdered their own people on October 7.”

These cynical statements, not one of which can be substantiated, reflect a mindset at the session that is as evil as the criminals they are supporting, and subsequently do not merit the benefit of a response from an average citizen. However, you are the Governor of California, and you once said that we can “rely on California”. As one of your responsibilities is to see to it that the citizens of your state are safe, seeing as your state has a population of 1,234,500 Jews, your failure to confront hateful anti-Semitic rhetoric, should make anyone question whether or not we truly can rely on California. As the Jewish vote is important, not handling this properly certainly does nothing in your efforts to “NOT run for president”.

Regardless of your future political aspirations, it is clear to anyone paying attention that you wish to stand apart from the rest of the pack. With so much of the rest of the back being self-serving and weak, this is an opportunity for you to actually stand out. Should you squander this opportunity you will be showing a weakness that will likely set you back in whatever additional political ambitions you may have moving forward as it will show a weakness in character many people will not want from a leader.

Sincerely,

David Groen

Am Yisrael Chai

Never Again is Now!

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November 28, 2023

How Israel and the Jewish world can avoid disaster in the future

By davidgroen1

There is no question that the release of hostages has brought joy to many people. The mere fact that all of the innocent men, women and children kidnapped on October 7th are not already dead, is in itself something for which we should be grateful. The moral and political quagmire this puts Israeli officials in is one no legitimate government should ever have to go through, but it exists nonetheless. How do they determine when to continue the operation against Hamas and not put Israelis still held in captivity at more risk of being harmed, or worse, killed? Maybe even more complex, is how to keep the resolve of the military and the civilian population of Israel on a high enough level to see this through to the end.

The answer lies very simply in maintaining and understanding who we are fighting. Hamas have not all of a sudden become good people because they released people they had no right holding in the first place. Maybe even more significantly, every single person they release they have already declared as being someone they ultimately wish to kill. Let us not forget that their charter very clearly states that they want the destruction of Israel and death to all Jews around the world. If we remember that, we realize the most important point in moving forward. They released the hostages because it benefitted them. Full stop. They were not doing it out of mercy or kindness or out of a desire to make peace with us. They did it for any number of reasons, the most likely being that they were being so crushed by the Israeli military that this was their only way of catching their breath and living to fight another day. But there are other possible reasons as well. Public opinion being one of them. To the ignorant and the weak, sadly 2 groups solidly represented, Hamas is looked at through a more favorable light today, rather than seeing them as the barbarians that they are, the evil terrorists that slaughtered over 1200 Israelis on October 7th in unimaginable ways. They are now seen as having enough of a heart to release elderly women and children. A ruse too many people will fall for. The third possibility, and the one that opens up the door to issues far more treacherous, is that the command came from Qatar, and that there are deals being made behind the scenes, deals that likely do not benefit Israel in the long run, that require what can be presented to the world as a show of good faith.

Ultimately, none of this matters if we remember that Hamas can not be trusted to do anything for any other reason than their own benefit, and that what benefits them most is Israel’s destruction. It is critical that those in power in Israel make it clear that the illusion of control over the situation by Hamas over these past few days remains just that, an illusion. Israel made this deal for one reason and one reason only. It values human life. A concept foreign to Hamas.

It is critical that the work being done off the battlefield continues as well. Our cry for Never Again does not diminish because the criminals released some of the hostages. Our cry for Never Again must continue until those wishing to annihilate us are wiped off the face of the earth. We have every right to be happy and thankful to God and those who made it possible for the return of some of the hostages, but we must not let that fool us into thinking everything will be alright, because it won’t as long as this evil exists.

Am Yisrael Chai

Never Again is Now!

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November 24, 2023

Mixed Emotions: Courtesy of Hamas

By davidgroen1

For those of us who feel deeply connected to the events that have taken place in Israel since October 7th, the return of 13 hostages should be reason to celebrate. Intellectually we feel tremendous joy as we see children coming home and families at least partially reunited. I want to feel like celebrating, for it is on some levels a joyous day, but the psychological warfare being perpetrated by Hamas, leaves us collectively as a people with a small degree of happiness created by the events of the day, and simultaneously saddened by the pain and suffering of those still held captive and the families desperate for their safe return.

The emotional roller coaster this is putting Israel and the Jewish people on is undoubtably part of Hamas’s strategy. It is of course to be expected, as the release of hostages is not being done out of kindness or mercy, it is being done out of necessity for Hamas. It is no secret to anyone that they needed a cessation in fighting to regroup. It is also no secret that they want to kill every Jew on the planet. So their willingness to make a deal indicates that they feel they can gain significantly from the time it is giving them. So while we are thrilled to see these people freed, it just magnifies a harsh reality. This is far from over.

The other part of it that is tough on our collective psyche is that while we are happy there are 37 more hostages to be released in the coming days, each day this takes place there is an emotional drain felt by so many. What compounds it more than anything is the fact that in a few days when they are freed, there will still be close to 200 additional hostages held by Hamas. Everywhere we turn, the joy we want to feel today is tarnished by the reality created by Hamas.

What we must do is continue to stay strong in our support for the Israeli government and our heroes in the IDF. The only way we can once again feel complete joy is to see this evil wiped out, allow all our people to have time to mourn in peace and security, and rebuild our morale, and if at all possible, not allow the mind games of Hamas to bring us down. That is just one more victory they have no right to achieve. So for now, look at the picture above, and get joy from the knowledge that this is one family that will be complete once again, and for that we thank God.

Am Yisrael Chai

Never Again is Now!

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