It’s a tumultuous time in our history and I had a week of learning and listening while meeting extraordinary people.
I believe it’s not a great day unless I learn something new or meet someone new and both happened this week.
As I made my way to the Four Seasons hotel in Palm Beach to attend the Palm Beach Synagogue’s 4th annual Countering Antisemitism Summit, I learned that Florida has the fourth highest rate of antisemitic incidents in the United States and Palm Beach County has the most antisemitic incidents in all of Florida’s counties, according to the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County.
I wanted to attend because old friend Eric Gertler, former CEO of the New York Daily News (where our newspapers had been printed) and current CEO of U.S. News & World Report, was going to be speaking about extremism on campuses and online hate.
It has been deeply disturbing to me that our great universities like New York’s Columbia University campus had been turned into a place where hate was spewed to Jews, lies had been screamed about Israel and where protesters forced students out of their classes — a horrendous time!
Sadly, in a recent Manhattan Institute report, authors Dr. Siri Terjesen and Michael Ryall stated “universities are like supertankers moving through the ocean, as there is enormous momentum behind their present direction, whichever way that might be.”
Sadly, they reported there were no quick fixes for the universities where, for decades, university leadership and billions of dollars of assets have allowed the hatred to go on. They claim it will take decades for change to happen. There are no quick fixes, but changes to bring back “actual education” must begin with new leadership.
At the same summit, renowned Professor Alan Dershowitz sat with Rabbi Moshe Scheiner, the founding rabbi of the Palm Beach Synagogue, discussing many issues. I was struck with a basic remark by Professor Dershowitz that there are laws against hate crimes and when incidents happen, the perpetrators must be arrested, charged and put on trial! They broke the law and those spewing hate must be punished by our existing laws. It sounded so simple, but is something we should all advocate for.
The people in the jam packed ballroom gave him a standing ovation!
I was so impressed by the extraordinary lineup of people in both the public and private sectors speaking eloquently from different perspectives on antisemitism. May their words be turned into action!
On a lighter note I was happy to reunite with friends Frank and Nancy Sorrentino and Milly Gonzalez — who will be honored at our Dan’s Papers Palm Beach Power List event — at ConnectOne Bank’s cocktail party at the beautiful Ben Hotel in West Palm Beach.
Later in the week, I was introduced to a new world, croquet, by new friend Missy Chilton, whose late husband Bob Chilton, former CEO of a major company, has supported the sport and had published a photo book called “Serious Croquet.”
I found the introduction to his book remarkable:
When writing about miracles, Stephen Hawking gives three examples: “to heal the terminally ill, to bring premature end to droughts and to reinstate croquet as an Olympic sport.”
Croquet is alive and well and flourishing as an international sport and I learned it is played in my backyard in the Hamptons, in Quogue and Westhampton.
Learning something new is what life is about! Thanks, Missy, for opening this croquet world to me!
The most profound moment of the week was at Saturday services when Rabbi Scheiner shared about his visit to Israel a few days prior, meeting with the recently released hostages.
He had me and the rest of the congregation in tears as he told us of his journey and shared with us the dream of one of the hostages who saved three people while going back in his car after leaving, and paid for his act of kindness with his life. He did not come home alive, but while imprisoned, he told his fellow prisoners he would love to have a Torah created, and they shared that with the rabbi during his visit.
In two days, the rabbi got it done and presented it to his devastated mom. It was an act of kindness made possible by the congregation’s generosity.
The rabbi also shared how devastatingly cruel the Hamas soldiers were, shackling the men and causing such pain that one of the hostages came home and shared how he felt his arm was going to come out of his socket. They shared how they were starved, while looking at the refrigerator full of food that the guards were eating from.
What struck me most was how each one of the hostages after being captured found God in the tunnels.
The men had not been practicing Jews, but in captivity, they said their prayers, celebrated the holidays and trusted in God that they would come out alive. The rabbi reported to us that it gave them the strength and courage to carry on.
May God keep those who are still in captivity alive, and see them brought back into the arms of their loved ones once again.
It was an emotional week, but one rich with learning, listening and loving.
Love to you, my dear readers.
