Showing posts with label Bruce Lee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bruce Lee. Show all posts

August 13, 2023

Not By Strength Alone

 
Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Not By Strength Alone."

For Israelis and Jews around the world, success includes being powerful enough to defend ourselves from no longer being every demagogue and dictator's scapegoat, but much more than that, it means that we become a true "light unto nations." We want to be a democracy anchored in freedom and human rights. We also want to be a "Jewish State" (it's the only one in the world!) that is a haven for every Jew to come home to and that is culturally and religiously Jewish (but not a Jewish dictatorship). Israel will not survive by strength alone but rather by the spirit of Hashem (Zechariah 4:6). And so our values are to follow in G-d's path and do good in the world, fix what's broken, and make it a better place, and that includes, as the prophet Isaiah said, "beating their swords into plowshares." Moreover, we understand that G-d is not only the creator but also the perpetual master of the universe, and it is He who decides whether Israel behaves righteously and ultimately whether she will merit to stand for the duration this time and, hopefully, the final time.

(Photo: Alexi Rosenfeld, IDF/Creative Commons via https://israelradar.com/israels-3-new-tricks-for-gaza-war-with-hamas/)
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November 2, 2017

If I Could Be Anyone(s)

So someone asked me a very deep personal question.
"If you had $20 million dollars and could do whatever you want (be whoever you want), what would that be?"

I was on the spot a little and didn't have time to introspect the way I like to do, and I gave an answer that I really wasn't happy with...and it's been bothering me since. 

So sitting down now and really thinking about who I want to be--this is my real answer:

As a composite person, I want to have the:

- Lovingkindness of Mother Teresa

- Serenity of the Dalai Lama

- Spirituality of Moses

- Determination of Rocky

- Leadership of Rick Grimes

- Strength of Samson

- Agility of Bruce Lee

- Intellect of Sigmund Freud

- Understanding of Albert Einstein

- Ingenuity of Steve Jobs

- Inquisitiveness of Capt. James T. Kirk

- Bravery of those martyred in the Holocaust

- Heroism of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu

- Beauty of my wife and daughters

- The integrity of my dear father, Fred Blumenthal

What would I want to do--just simple things like:

- Cure Cancer, Parkinsons, ALS, etc.

- Eliminate poverty

- Herald in world peace

- Help/comfort those that are hurt and suffering

- Make people smile/happy

- Be a good person with integrity in all situations

I could probably go on and on, but generally this is what life means to me. 

Maybe today, I ain't the smartest or fastest or strongest, but I have dreams, hopes, and aspirations. 

If that isn't good enough, well at least I have a heart and a soul. ;-)

(Source Photo: Dannielle Blumenthal)
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