STUFF

1. A few weeks ago I read a sad story in the Times of Israel of "man dies in flight after eating a kosher meal" on an Iberian Airlines flight. I know there is a metaphor in there for something, I just haven't found it yet.  But I'm working on it. And we were sorry to read it -- worse than United?

2. Israeli media reported last month that the Archbishop of Canterbury prayed at the Western Wall; and, of course, so did President Trump! No one seemed to notice that Women of the Wall still cannot do so in a free manner. For JFNA..."letter to follow."

3. Quietly, sneakily, JFNA took me off the distribution list for FedWorld. I found that I missed the daily process of "receive, print out, briefly scan, crumble, wrap fish." So  I asked a friend to forward his/her copy to me. And, then, there it was, like an old friend. One featured story told it all: "Prince Philip wished a ‘happy retirement’ by Jewish leaders" Yep, the big news of the Jewish day. So glad we're back together.

4. I don't know why but I found the following real news to be a metaphor for JFNA: an inmate at an Indiana prison attempted to escape. An all-points alert was issued and an ever-expanding, intensive search encompassing multiple counties over 2-1/2 days took place before the inmate was captured...inside the prison!! 

5. A few weeks ago JTA headlined the following major news item: Justin Bieber concert sends Orthodox woman into labor My interest was heightened by the question: what did the fact that this woman, three weeks overdue as it happened, was Orthodox have to do with either (a) Bieber or (b) going into labor at a performance? Answer: neither other than that the new mother disclosed that many Orthodox women love Bieber.

6. I am not carrying the Jewish National Fund's water here but go to its website, jnf.org/travel/ and review the multiple national Missions and Tours -- all of which engage its members and donors with Israel and compare them with the paltry list of JFNA-sponsored Missions and their venues. I would wager than many, most, perhaps even all of you are like me persons who first experienced Israel through a federation or United Jewish Appeal Mission to Israel and, you might wish to ask: what does JFNA see as the purpose(s) of its almost non-existent national Missions program. Then, again, CEO Jerry thinks that JFNA is at the forefront in Missions -- out of touch?

7. And, finally, I had to laugh (between the tears and fears) the day after President Trump fired James Comey. For there is was, in a Times of Israel article that included a photo 
taken at a meeting of a group of Jewish "leaders" at a meeting with the now former FBI Director. And there, smack dab in the middle of the photo was...the back of Jerry Silverman's head. And, surely,  at JFNA, heads will roll because of this slight. He's ubiquitous; apparently, if photos are being taken, CEO Jerry will attend the opening of an envelope. This photo has surely found its place into "Silverman's Scrapbook of Achievements."

Rwexler