In a troubled time, does G-d still bless America?
A Russian Jew named Yisrael [Irving] Beilin wrote the song “G-d Bless America” as a paean to his beloved adopted country. The song became so popular that it rivaled the “Star Spangled Banner,” to the point many wanted to install it as the new national anthem.
A beautiful song, full of poetry and sentiment, eminently singable (as opposed to Francis Scott Key’s beer hall ditty), I always wondered where this yid from Russia got the idea for this instant classic. Although not traditionally religious, I wondered if he went to cheder and learned Lech Lecha, the parsha we read last week, where Hashem informs Avraham Avinu, “I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse.”
Yet in the same parsha, in a brilliant example of foreshadowing, we read of how Avraham’s nephew Lot settles in Sodom, a city described as filled with people “ra’im v’chataim la’shem meod (wicked and sinful to Hashem, exceedingly).”
This week in parshat Vayera, we will read about the destruction of this city so evil that it is the paradigm for a place of evil.
• • •
I write this from the holiest of cities, Jerusalem just before Election Day in America, where New Yorkers — including perhaps one-third of the city’s Jewish voters — were expected to elect as mayor a rasha who’s name resembles mamzeri.
Sodom had Avraham Avinu beseeching G-d Himself on their behalf. Who is negotiating with Hashem on New York’s behalf?
Meanwhile, America is a house divided, and as our own American “Abraham,” Lincoln, warned us: “A house divided cannot stand.
Contrast this with Israel.
• • •
Despite our differences, virtually everyone loves their country. We wondered whether the “tik-tok” generation would be up to the challenge, yet they exceeded all expectations, showing up and staying strong after October 7. They believe in their country, their faith, their families, and themselves.
This is the way things used to be in America.
We are still the best educated, richest country in the world, and every one wants to come to the US, legally or otherwise. So what is holding us back? Are we evil? Are we the New Sodom destined to destruction? I don’t think so. Rather, I think we’ve lost a national will because we are no longer a serious country.
The truth of this and why Israel is a serious country and capable and the United States increasingly is not , was painfully illustrated to me while walking to shul in Modiin this past Shabbat morning with my 14 year old grandson. He’s only a 14-year-old kid and I have to remind myself that in less than four short years he’ll be starting his army duty.
We decided to take a shortcut through Daniel Gomez Street. Like most sabas (grandfathers), I spend a good deal of my time making lame saba jokes (think dad jokes on steroids for their lameness) to my grandkids, and since Gomez is a name I remembered from my childhood — as Go-Go Gomez in the Dick Tracy cartoon — and I had no idea who Daniel Gomez was, for whom the street was named, I proceeded to joke that the street was probably related to Go-Go Gomez. As I began my fanciful tale, my grandson Jesse interrupted and asked if Go-GoGomez was also a pilot like Daniel Gomez. Confused, I asked Jesse what he meant.
He explained that this street is named after Daniel Gomez, an Israeli helicopter pilot, who was killed at age 25 in combat in Lebanon in 2006, and proceeded to show me the monument at the top of the stairs of our shortcut.
I stood there in silence and embarrassment, as any other jokes I planned to share fell away as I barely contained the tears in my eyes. Tears of mourning for Captain Daniel Gomez, Hy”D, and tears of pride for my grandson, who while capable of being silly, comports himself with a seriousness that belies his years.
Much like the country he lives in. A young country of only 77 years but also thousands of years old.
If America, if New York, can rediscover that balance, maybe there is hope.
Shabbat Shalom.
Write: Columnist@TheJewishStar.com
