The Question Persists...Trump Acts Like a Turkey in Turkey...The Pathetic Prince Harry...

When is it time to leave? This question has been brought up in many articles, podcasts and around many Shabbos tables. For Jews in Canada, the answer is not simple.

Antisemitism has become the darling of protesters. Before that, it was climate change. Before that it was the death of George Floyd and police brutality. Then it was calls to defund the police. There were protests over COVID restrictions and vaccine mandates. There were demonstrations over indigenous issues, pipelines, and immigration. Every few years, a new cause captures the attention of activists and dominates the streets.

Now it's open season on the Jews. We have become the bulls eye for everyone who has any gripe with anything in their lives. Everything is the fault of the Jews.

Then there are the young men searching for purpose in their lives.

Most are are underemployed or disengaged, disconnected from current events, history, and the wider world which makes them ripe for sophisticated organizations that are skilled at identifying frustration and then offering them what appears to be a purpose and of course money.

That is how disaffected young men become willing participants to do the dirty work of those organizations while believing they are part of something meaningful.

Add to this mix social media 'influencers' who figured out early on that going after Jews is very lucrative. It gets them hits which often translates into money. Why stop? And for sure why not engage those empty young men to help them grow their 'followers'.

The Elephant in the Room

The elephant in the room are governments. Why are they not putting a stop to open, blatant antisemitism is the big question.

One answer is deceptively simple: Jews are a small minority. We do not decide elections in most countries. Politicians count votes, and when they see larger, louder, and more organized voting blocs, like the muslim vote, many choose silence over principle. Simply put, they want to keep their jobs.

There is also another factor at play.

Governments have become increasingly reluctant to enforce the very laws they already have. Harassment, intimidation, vandalism, blocking public spaces, glorifying terrorist organizations, and targeting people because they are Jewish are too often dismissed as passionate protest. It is not passionate protest and governments know very well it is not.

Freedom of expression does not include the right to terrorize your neighbours as happened in Montreal over the weekend.

So when is it time to leave?

There is no universal answer. Every family's circumstances are different. Some have elderly parents they cannot abandon. Others have businesses, careers, children in school, or simply cannot afford to start over.

Leaving is one of the most difficult decisions a person can make. History teaches one lesson with remarkable consistency: Antisemitism rarely disappears on its own. It grows when decent people ignore it, when governments excuse it, and when those who spread it discover there is little price to pay.

There are two things that must be repeated over and over: First they come for the Jews and then they come for everyone else. And secondly, when Jews are driven out, that society begins to break down.

So the real question is not when to leave. Jews have lived with discomfort for thousands of years.

The real question is whether the institutions charged with protecting their citizens are still willing to do so equally. Right now it appears they are not prepared to do this.

If a government cannot or will not guarantee that Jews can walk safely in their own neighbourhoods, send their children to school without fear, worship without armed guards, and openly display their identity without becoming targets, then it has failed one of its most fundamental responsibilities.

Perhaps the question Jews should be grappling with is this one: Why democratic societies are allowing conditions to develop where the question of when is the right time to leave is being asked at all.

Donald Trump is getting into bed with Erdogan from Turkey and that is not good for Israel or the rest of the world. Erdogan is a nasty dictator.

Since his election in 2003, Turkey has become one of the world's leading jailers of journalists at various points during his rule. Numerous television stations, newspapers, and online media outlets have been shut down or brought under the control of government-friendly owners.

Turkey's limit for prime ministers is two terms. The next election is supposed to be in 2028 but people think Erdogan will call an election much earlier at which time he will say he did not complete his second term and run again.

As for Israel, he has been one of their most vocal detractors since October 7, accusing it of committing atrocities in Gaza and suspending much of Turkey's trade with Israel. His stance has made him popular with many supporters in the Muslim world while drawing strong criticism from Israel and many of its allies.

Now Trump is mumbling about selling him F35's which for Israel would be a disaster. For starters it would change the entire balance of power in the middle east. The U.S. is legally committed to preserving Israel’s “qualitative military edge” in the region. F-35s in Turkish hands would give Turkey a stronghold in air power. Bad move.

Prince Harry aka the Spare, is back in the headlines again, and once again it is not for anything admirable. At this point, negative publicity seems to follow him like a bad smell.

It's hard to remember the last time Prince Harry made news for an achievement rather than a grievance, a lawsuit, or another public airing of family disputes. Instead of being known for service, he increasingly seems to be known for litigation.

At some point, people are going to stop asking who is to blame and start asking why the drama never seems to end.

A while back he sued the Mirror and another newspaper for phone hacking and won those cases. This time however, he went much further in a lawsuit against the Daily Mail and lost. To say he was apoplectic is the understatement of the year. He was blitheringly, blindly furious.

He accused the Daily Mail of using unlawful methods over many years to gather stories some of which included: phone hacking, hiring private investigators, bugging homes or cars etc. It was a £50 million suit which he lost and will have to incur legal costs.

Here's a headline for Harry: You cannot have your cake and eat it to.

If he continually seeks the spotlight as it often appears, while also insisting on privacy, what exactly does he expect from the media? He is the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and the son of Princess Diana, two of the most recognizable figures in modern history. Fair or unfair, that level of public interest comes with the territory.

As well, publicly picking fights with your entire family isn't smart to put it mildly. It's like setting fire to your own house and complaining about the smoke. For that, he can thank his 'lovely' wife.

Meghan is an opportunist who, as we have said before, chose to create an ocean between Harry and his family. This rift is almost impossible to overcome. It seems William has written his brother off along with his slimy uncle Andrew.

From what we have read, both Harry and Andrew better hope that King Charles lives to a very ripe old age as his mother did, because once William ascends to the throne, those two yahoos will probably be cut off financially at the knees by the new King.

We'll talk...