Cathy’s Whim Cathy’s Whim

Earlier this week, I attended the International Lion of Judah Conference in Atlanta. Rachel Goldberg-Polin was one of the featured speakers. Her son, Hersh (z”l), was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Sadly, he was murdered while in captivity in August 2024. Her story was incredibly moving. She was asked how she was able to carry on when her son was abducted, and in the aftermath of his death. She simply said, “I believe hope is mandatory.” A day after I heard Rachel speak, news broke of a potential Israel-Hamas ceasefire. If implemented as proposed, the deal is set...

Having lived the majority of my life in Florida, where hurricanes are abundant, I understand the ferocity and destruction natural disasters can cause. But I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to have my home and community consumed by fire. The California wildfires have blazed a trail of destruction and devastated the lives of thousands of people. At the time of this writing, 10 people have died; authorities expect that number to rise. Jewish communities in the path of the wildfires have been destroyed. Synagogues, Jewish community centers, and other Jewish institutions are gone. I have...