The Weekly Update with Nachum Segal and Malcolm Hoenlein on JM in the AM

We call this the weekly update. Malcolm homeline with us. Conference of Presidents of major American Jewish organizations. Been a while since we've been able to review the news of the immediate past. This morning gives us a great opportunity to catch up. Mr. Homeline, welcome back to JM in the A.M. >> It's good to be on with you. It's good that both of us are still able to be upright enough to after this flu to uh to continue and we have so much to do and it's not a time we can afford to have the troops down. >> Oh, that's for sure. And even with the flu, we had the opportunity to celebrate last week. It was amazing that you were actually able to be there. People were amazed that I was there at Kava and Ellie's engagement party. But Hashem for that. And yes, for those of you who don't remember, Malcolm was out a couple of weeks ago. That's why we canled at the last moment because of his flu. And then obviously if you've been following, you know exactly what's been happening here with me over the last couple of weeks. So, some ups and some downs, Malcolm. And good to be back here on a Friday morning broadcast. You've always pointed out to us that there are some figures who uh play a major role um in um in in really what we consider modern Jewish history, but we don't don't always see it because we're so up close and personal to it as it's going on. And one of those people, of course, who was so influential and played a major role in this country and for the Jewish people nationwide, uh, Rabbi Julius Burman. Um, his funeral took place, uh, yesterday actually. And, um, I thought it would be appropriate for you to just start uh, with a word about how significant his life was and how much of a trailblazer he was during a time where it wasn't easy being a Jewish trailblazer. >> Well, as you know, I had a lot of personal interaction with him. He was chairman of the conference of presidents before my time, but I did work with him even during the time when he was uh involved and we were involved in many other things and his involvement with the claims conference uh and with the JTS JTA which he was chairman of but most of all when he was president of the OU and uh I think he was chairman of reach's board. Right. >> So very few people have have had that kind of broad impact. uh he was uh also pioneering as a partner at K. Scholar at the law firm and uh was highly respected. He was one of the founders I think and certainly leaders of Kulpa the commission on law and public affairs >> which uh addressed a lot of the sharabas issues and they for employees and and other things that uh was really remarkable at the time and and made landmark uh differences that continue till today. So you see it's a a huge paniply of issues and roles that he played. He was very low-key personally intense but low key wasn't uh flamboyant figure uh which also gave gravy gravitas to what he had to say and what he he did. He negotiated um who I found pictures in fact of him with Mubarak very early on as we were going through some of the archives of the conference. I found the pictures from his time and uh some of the very important sessions u that he held at critical moments. So it's uh you know it's it's a shame for many reasons for his family and his wife Darthy and his kids and his son continues to have his president young Israel. Uh but the the you know fact that we're not replacing leadership, we have a void each time we lose somebody like that and um uh I think it's important for others to step up to the plate to continue the legacy and the models that they set and the way that he said it. >> Yeah. So you to see his involvement in broader activities not just in the Orthodox community but certainly a leader in in that regard as well. >> Yeah. Amazing leader and uh someone with great leadership qualities and someone who made a tremendous difference. And as we always do when the figures like this pass on, we make sure to uh not only memorialize them and get your perspective since you knew all these people uh but but in addition to that to encourage people as you just said to take a close look at their lives and see what what one as a young person can do whether it's in synagogue life and communal life and national life and Jewish life in general around the world what we can do to step up and to um and to use our own talents um to to lead well and to accomplish reallyant important thing. So, we remember uh um Julius Sperman with tremendous fondness and great admiration as Malcolm just pointed out. Um well, there there's a lot that's been going on over the last couple of weeks who haven't spoken and I'm not quite, you know, I I think if we would have been on the air immediately in the aftermath of the Bondi Beach massacre, obviously, we would have been speaking about it more as a news item than in an in in an area of analysis like we will this morning. But Malcolm, I know we've done this many times before, but this was a terrible massacre, obviously aimed at Jews. We know who's responsible for it. Uh, plus of course there were a couple of amazing ancillary stories, including the, you know, the Muslim man who saved lives. Uh, many people have been focusing on that. Um, but, uh, again, even though it may sound repetitious, what what is the lesson from all this? And what what are we going to continue to see in 2025 if authorities and countries around the world don't take certain actions? Well, first of all, we're going to see the repetition. This uh we send our condolences to the families. So many lost people. You know, we think of Matilda, the 10-year-old. We think of the Holocaust survivors, the courageous actions, not just of the one person who's been highlighted, but so many people did threw their bodies in front of others and paid the ultimate price or were wounded because of it. and and we I'm sure there'll be a lot of books and other things written where you will read much more of the heroism that was demonstrated uh during the attack. But the fact that the cowardice demonstrated by the police hiding and and not confronting him, the uh the long history uh of these Australian governments um I I wouldn't I don't want to use the word complicity but also but it's its failure to stand up quite the opposite contributed to the atmosphere of hostility towards Israel. uh the Albanese government was warned repeatedly about this the the even in days before the uh buildup of the Muslim population and the radicalization of that population that the day after October 7th they had a demonstration where when nothing was taking place on the part of Israel in Gaza. Uh but already then we saw the the hostile demonstration that took place and there was consistent reporting and and uh I visited this place this Bondi Beach um because I spoke right nearby there and each time I would visit the community in Sydney and we used to somehow have to pass that beach. I kept saying I never get to see it but it's beautiful. uh and you know it's an amazing Jewish community in Sydney and Melbourne. uh there were a lot of survivors but the influx of Muslims coming from Malaysia, Indonesia, others and the government's failure to do anything to try to control it or to to vet uh people something that other governments including sometimes our own guilty of >> and the the um uh situation there is temporarily I think back but we shouldn't think that this is a solution to the problem. I think many non-Jews and others stood up and since then and and it's probably not fashionable right now to do something but you will see that will change quickly because this is ingrained. They're they're the Muslim imams there many of them are very radical and the government did not act against them though they were warned about it. I think that there'll be government inquiries. Uh I wouldn't expect too much from it. Alban has introduced new legislation. The government of New South Wales has introduced legislation which is important but it doesn't bring them back. And we should remember there are still many people in the hospital who are in very serious condition and one who just went through his seventh operation. Uh there are a lot of uh people who are still uh we should be domining for them as well. >> No question about it. And um what a uh what a tremendous tragedy. And um as you said, you've always said that you know Europe is the example of what's coming to this country. Australia now is certainly a a good example of that. And um with the random attacks that we see and we'll talk more about the local stuff in a moment, but with the random attacks that we see and the uh security that now is necessary in Jewish schools and synagogues in this country, it is just um it is just unfortunately I don't want to say inevitable, but we we see the direction it's going in. By the way, and Malcolm, you could sympathize because I I don't I don't know if this illness and antibiotics has had the same effect on your mind as it's had on mine, but apparently apparently I said candle lighting is at 720 when in real maybe in Australia it was it was 7:20. Uh when in reality candle lighting is 420 in New York, so I better make sure to get that straight. And also apparently I said 2025, Malcolm, I don't know. But but as you and I were convolesing, apparently it turned into 2026. How do you like that? So I got to get my numbers straight and everything else straight to say the least. My gosh. All right. Um so I we'll stay locally for a moment. I know we have to talk about um what's going on in Iran and obviously we have to talk about what happened in Mara Lago this week, but yesterday a significant event frankly and that was the inauguration of the brand new mayor of the city of New York. I don't know if you saw, but one of the first things he did was he altered, if that's the wrong word, you'll correct it for me, altered the definition of anti-semitism. Rejected the definition that um has been promoted over the last many many months uh around the world. I I I don't know, you know, how we should take this and we we should read into it. As he's taking this oath, as he's becoming mayor after the entire effort by the Jewish community on the whole, most of it to try to make sure he wouldn't be elected. What were your thoughts as he starts his term? >> Well, the first act uh has been noticed, you know, when when um new mayors come in, they inherit the archives and the emails, etc. of the previous administration. And what they what automatically happens is that the emails then come from the new mayor's address is automatically replaced on over the old one, >> right? So, so he didn't want to be associated with some of the positive comments that were Mayor Adams spoke about his meeting with Netanyahu, about his visit to Israel, about all those things. So that's one level of change that took place. But also he he changed three of the executive orders that dealing with anti-semitism. Although he retained a special committee task force that was set up uh office that was set up and uh hopefully that will be retained and and enhanced. But the um uh one of the things for instance that he removed was the adoption of the IRA definition which is the international holocaust remembrance association definition which has been adopted by dozens of countries, hundreds of universities, countless uh cities and and counties adopted it because it gives us a standard a way to measure the compliance with anti-semitism because everybody anti-semitism in and of itself has no definition. It's an artificial term and we should talk about Jew hatred as we've discussed many times but the IRA definition was which was adopted first by the Europeans led by the Europeans at the uh IRA meetings the the fact that that it it become a largely universally adopted standard and that he right away moved against it because the the other side the Islamists and and the anti-semites don't like it because it specifically includes in the examples that are attached to it which are as important as the text. Anti-Zionism as anti-semitism. When you deny Israel's right to exist, it doesn't mean criticizing a policy. And he the the fact that that he moved so quickly to remove this. Uh hopefully uh the New York State adopting it. Hopefully the city council will uh move again, though I'm not sure we have much basis for confidence given the DSA's influence there as well. Uh it's the wrong message at a time when anti-semitism continues to surge in New York City and uh I think that that it it empowers the legal and other systems that that have to act on on against this. I think, you know, a lot of people will be skeptical whether we ever get prosecution for participation in the wild demonstrations and the anti-semitic demonstrations and manifestations. >> I never even thought of that. That's that's only going to be completely swept under the rug at this point. Um, but I guess that was inevitable. We knew that he was going to become mayor and that this would um certainly affect the way that he would govern. Um, and I don't know. I you know there have been many administrations in Jewish history that have had that the Jewish communities locally anywhere around the world had trouble you know getting along with. I don't think this is a uh you know this is not a precedent for us. I think we're just used to having you know over the last many decades we're used to having good relationships with most of the elected officials. So what do you have hopes for? Do you have hopes that he starts to reach out more? Do you have hopes that you know committees are formed that you know where where he takes the interest of the Jewish community more to heart? What's your hope as he starts? >> Well, he keeps making statements about addressing specifically the Jewish community and going down maybe reality will also set in that a lot of the agenda that he set forward, some of which we've already seen is not feasible and the governor has said is not possible and you know to fund some of the ideas and all the free things that he he promised. But the ideological underpinnings of of his campaign, it's not going to change. And you see that so many of the appointments that 20% of the people on his uh Gonel on his transition committee have made hostile comments about Israel about Jews that uh his first and one of his first appointments in the first days um was uh somebody who was uh had to resign because of past anti-semitic postings and things. >> Uh so you know we have to see what what what will happen. there are fundamental needs that the community has which should be addressed like every other community. Um I don't think that we're going to find somebody like Mayor Adams uh whose outreach uh repeatedly to the community and you know he he doesn't um he has a lot of Jews around him or a number of Jews around him uh but it's it's not a large number and it's uh people who all come from the part same part of the spectrum political spectrum uh so we have to have a community that must now now yesterday begin voter registration for for next year's elections that 26 elections, congressional, other important elections, guminatorial election, who the governor will be will be very important in trying to balance the and contain the damage that could be done here in New York City. The the um uh we have to have rapid response teams that we will have people on the streets when necessary responsibly um advocating. We have to to uh instead of lowering our profile, we have to make it more intelligent. I for one believe that we should not be focusing and constantly talking about the mayor and and about some of these issues. We should be focusing on get educating people about the dangers to America that this represents that this is not just about Jews. the op the the focus on Jews. I think sometimes it's counterproductive for our interests that we have to be much stronger and smarter in in our advocacy and I hope that a lot of the people good people who are very adamant in their support but are constantly attacking Jews and blaming them for this election and saying that you know it's the Jews are responsible they use numbers of 35% 30% voted for him. this is all not true and the the uh this is a diversion and a tactic that they're using to to take the onus off of those respon truly responsible and uh and I think people should be much more careful in their in the in their comments and allegations which are not only counterproductive but will long-term be very destructive for us. >> Excellent. America's one and only Jewish moments in the morning radio program heard on listeners sponsored digital radio around the world.com and the single network and of course in the beloved NSN app. Malcolm Homeline with us uh weekly update on this January 2nd. Um all right, we'll get to BB and the president, but you might even agree with me that the bigger story right now is what's going on in Iran. Who is protesting? Can a revolution as has happened in the past, a successful revolution, a let's call it, you know, in a broad sense, a democratic revolution, can it actually happen in this atmosphere now in Iran? I know the economy with the way it is only helps the quote unquote opposition. I think you agree with that. So tell us who are protesting. Is it enough protesters? And is it a big enough movement to be successful? So uh obviously as you know this is something I've been talking about along and I kept monitoring every almost regular basis I would say for a long time the currency of of Iran and I kept saying people will not understand you remember that why I kept saying when it went to 50,000 to the 100,000 200 500,000 a million to the dollar and I said people's savings are being wiped out it reached almost a million and a half to the dollar last week so that the the people could not sell things people cannot they and so bazaris as they call themselves and for which I got criticized if you remember for using that term a couple years ago and and but it's a term they used for a thousand years they the they they went out and when they go out and they are often seen as supportive of the regime because they need stability they want to sell their products etc when they started going out that was a different level of of response Second it it is not about Jewish issues uh but the obviously the impact of the war and that they people don't accept the lies you know that they won the war and that you know that they humiliated Israel etc etc that they tried to put forward you couldn't hide the reality of what happened this time the um but the protests are about the cost of living people uh as you know don't could afford food often second they they don't have water because of the droughts and stuff and even there were heavy rains. Um but it it wasn't it was too little too late or too much too late and they had flooding but the the water doesn't get absorbed. So you have large parts of the country that are without water and even in major cities like Tehran it's many of the reservoirs are are uh dried up. 60% of the population live below the poverty line and the the government is still f funneling billions of dollars into the IRGC and and their kamas and other allies the Houthis uh and the liquid reserves that they had the last of them were drained during the June war with Israel. So the regime is facing a not only structural failure that which you can't resolve by a crackdown and now some of Basie who who are volunteers and people who came and you know used to beat up are are turning their you know throwing their weapons down and the the demonstrations not diminishing but are spreading in in many many cities. Last night, I think there were at least in 20 different cities and they're killing they killed they admit to killing nine people. And I'm telling you that they're executing 10 people a day every day. And they they broke all records. They may have executed at least 1,800 people this year. And where's the outcry? for all the people screaming, yelling about about human rights and about protection of of a population and and individual ethnic groups have come under increasing uh tension and fire. The Kurds, the and you know that half less than half the country are really Farsy are really Iranians. You have 30 million Azeris, you have 12 million Baluchi, you have all of this. People shouldn't think that Iran is a unified country. And this spreads then to the to the ethnic groups. We haven't seen armed confrontation. Uh maybe the people don't have weapons and if they do they're not certainly not going to go out because that'll give an excuse to the police to to kill more but the police seems more reluctant to to confront them. Larjani uh you know and and people that they used to describe as moderates are coming out against them including the president is described by the media as some sort of a moderate. I mean, he's sitting over an administration that is killing all these people, executing people, oppressing the people, and they did nothing to to divert. Now, again, it's the Supreme Leader and his and and his minions, the RHC that control the country and give it direction, but we see the demonstrations are are sorry, are growing. The economy crisis, the economic crisis is growing. >> Are we hearing more about it? Are we hearing more about it now because the media feels more comfortable to report it? Like, is that why we're hearing more about it? >> Well, it's a little bit it's difficult to hide when you have demonstrations going on in so many different cities at at one time and the uh the use of the violence, the arbitrary arrests that were going on, these things, it's all been building up. And so the persecution of minorities that I said and people also the the crackdown against women again which goes in and out. Uh all of these things plus the corruption which is seen as so widespread. Uh you even had some rec uh people resigning uh like the governor of the central bank. Uh the the um out migration the brain drain is extreme there. Tens of thousands of the best and brightest are leaving. Young people are leaving because there's no jobs for them. And um I think that the uh you know they're talking about uh a military strike. Remember they said if the war on any military strike would call Iranians to rally behind the regime, right? Didn't rally behind the regime. It it a regime acted by arresting tens of thousands of suspects and and people. But no outcry. we don't have the pressure on him. Yesterday, uh, President Trump, I think his statement was, uh, very important about, uh, supporting the demonstrations and saying, you know, if they act against them, the US would intervene. The people in Iran in the streets are asking, where is Israel and where is the United States? Because both of them had expressed support for uh, for them, but they're saying where are you? We're in the streets. And this is what happened before when the United States didn't act both under Coen Powell a secretary of state and Hillary Clinton when there were the massive demonstrations of hundreds of thousands and they said we don't get involved in internal uh disputes. Well, I think that uh if there's going to be uh a maximum pressure campaign as the president said the we need to crack down even more with the sanctions which have been imposed and are being imposed. uh but the they have renewed their missile development program. We see that there is still investing in rebuilding their nuclear program. The president has said that if if so then is Israel would have the right to act. Uh we know that remains embedded and and uh entrenched in Lebanon and getting aid uh as are the Houthis. So you take all of these and there are many more elements to it. um a complete crackdown and that nobody aids and abet them and uh you know all of the secret shipments of oil what we're doing against Venezuela we should be doing against them. >> You mentioned the secretaries of state of the US. Do do you think Israel has an obligation to step in? I mean I I know that every time they make a commitment or or they they say that they're in support of the people versus the regime, they obviously mean it. But do you think they have an obligation to actually help in some type of I don't know military fashion? I don't think they should send troops. That will um I think that will backfire. But if they are helping, you're not going to know about it. I hope I won't I won't know about it. >> Right. >> But they have I mean they have come out publicly. They have given moral support. The the uh >> so we shouldn't think Israel's sitting this one out. They're they're very likely doing something behind the scenes to help us. >> Yeah. I don't want to speculate because it's that could be dangerous. But I think that but we have to see that this is a homegrown event. This is not foreign interference. This is finally the frustration. You know, the pressure cooker has exploded. This has been building up for for a long time and the government continued to crack down on people but did nothing to rectify the border situation. By the way, you know that that water system was developed by Israelis under the >> and and and some of the newspapers editorializes when you kicked out the Israelis. I mean, you cut off our water >> and the, you know, the support that you that you sometimes you see Israeli flags at some of the demonstrations and um uh it's really uh I I I mean and I think Iran is seeing the collapse of its its uh you know hegemonic views when it was had a sevenfront war which they thought was going to wipe Israel, put them in the forefront you know of the uh Shiite revolution just as Turkey is in in the forefront of the extremist Sunni um and represents an in equal danger in many respects because it's it's more accepted in by the West by the United States and we're talking about selling them F-35s and other things is we should realize that these are dual dangers and that the thank god they don't come together. They hate each other as much as they hate the en their enemies. Um but the you know Iran kamas is not what it was. Kazba is not what it was. that the people look at all these billions and listen to what they say in the demonstrations. We will not die for Gaza. We will not die for Lebanon. We will die for Iran. I mean, this is what the the chant that goes across the place. And in addition to calling for the death to the dictator and you know that caught doing that could be a death sentence. Uh and unfortunately there are people paying with their lives now. >> Yeah. That that that's what makes it such a crazy situation to try to comprehend especially for people like us who live in the free world. you know, you don't know what the b what the what the hurdle is that they're going to try not the hurdle, you don't know what steps that that one of these leaders is going to take, which is going to actually end up, you know, costing them their lives. You know, it's such a delicate bal I mean, I guess revolution revolutions in general operate on this principle. But it's such a delicate balance. You don't know how far to push the regime. You don't know how far to push the press. You don't know when they're going to betray you, etc. You know, it's like I mean, people are literally I mean, we know that in history people put their lives on the line for freedom. And sure enough, that's what's happening here or I should say in you know in the case of Iran. >> Well, we have to be very careful and people should be careful because of the you know we have a Jewish community >> that uh there have been some arrests but very very limited and the Jews are essentially hunkering down. Uh some have expressed concerns, some have stopped talking to relatives, others continue to do so. the um uh but I think President Trump's statements um with when he was together with Prime Minister Netanyahu saying that he's not concerned about anything that Israel is doing and warned Iran they would face military strikes if it replenishes the ballistic missiles or starts the restarts the nuclear program. uh those statements were very important and I don't think many people expected um uh that the the um you know Iran continues its adventurism and continues to spend money abroad 40% of the economy remember is controlled by the supreme leader and the IRGC so people know it they the head of the central bank's resignations and um the the u information about the executions and remember all of the families of everybody who was executed and and it's about 2,000 people this past year. Uh and that's double what I think we reached in 24. So, you know, understand that it's and and a lot of these executions were carried out in public. So, it's not a secret that this is going on. >> All right, we got to get to um was it officially visit number four, number five of of Prime Minister Netanyahu and the president in the United States? It was the fourth time he came to the US. >> A big six. sixth already. I mean, look, uh, embassy, Abraham Accords, you know, recognition of, I mean, just keep on going. Post October 7th, um, um, obviously the the 12-day war in Iran. I mean, what what he's done is unbelievable. Uh, meaning President Trump for Israel. I mean, one cannot deny that. Um, but this visit though had a had a different tone to me. you know, you you and I have discussed in the past, especially the, you know, the my famous, you know, uh um uh analysis of the of the last UN speech that the prime minister made before October 7th. You know, I I had plenty to say about that. this this week at Mara Lago had that type of atmosphere that victory lap you know tone to it that I think by the way if one would categorize and name each and every one of these visits I think this visit would get that name victory lap and I'm wondering if you felt the same way number one and if it made you as uncomfortable watching it as it made me that you always have that caveat at the end you were doing well till then but made me characterize it. Um, so I I do not think it was a victory lap trip. I think that this trip um which the president uh suggested and the fact that he invited him to the New Year's Eve party as well and you know walked in with him with the with prime minister and their wives. Um, you're right that all the vibes from this trip were different than what I anticipated uh to some degree and uh there were no negatives. There weren't these hidden messages. Obviously, he is, as I said, his comments on Iran were supportive. They are trying to work out together the uh rebuilding and reconstruction in Gaza, but but uh he came out very strongly about kamas having to to disarm. president was very clear on all these issues without the caveats that we often uh see >> right >> uh the the message to the world still that the US is a relationship is strong and you didn't have these um qualifiers that others can exploit because remember a lot of the the countries base what they do on how they perceive the US Israel relationship let alone impacting their relationship with the US >> and one can say with this administration it's often unpredictable But there was no um um qualifiers this time of the president's responses. I think I think the body language that came out of it uh was um was positive. uh the uh and the reports that I have and I've heard from people who who do know um uh were that what we saw is what what you got that was really what was happening and that there you know are there pressures to brought to bear of course they want to get the president wants to see things move ahead in Gaza it's you know his plan and his um uh construct that they're trying to implement and uh but but I don't think that there is undue um pressure being brought to bear and that that he sees like for instance the the involvement with Venezuela. They know that has expanding its role in uh in Venezuela and many of their in the drug trafficking and that um there are about um 11,000bah operatives who who came to Venezuela in the last 10 years. the you know people don't understand all of the um all the inter relationships in terms of the whole agenda where kamas and others are involved in global terrorist activities. So I think you're right about the impression that was created that you didn't have people leaking messages qualifying uh what the president said. Uh I think he he uh you didn't see grandstanding also about you know grandio plans. I think it was very talkless oriented and frankly much more positive than uh than I I anticipated. >> You think there's still hope for the Gaza plan assuming? >> Yes, I I do think there is interesting that they Yes, I do think that it's possible. I think, you know, the fact that they're working out a deal to to give Turkey a role, but not not on the front lines, you know, not to be part of but to be some sort of a back support thing is very important. Um and the uh you know the uh the um overall I mean there's just so many agendas that we have to to look at about what which aspect of what >> basically as an observer I ask but what are they going to do? They're basically going to say to the people of Gaza we the committee are going to pour in the money. We're going to pour in the work. We're going to lay out the plans. you're going to all be beneficiaries of it and just watch all of this develop around you. I mean, that that's basically been the plan since he introduced it and you're saying that there still is potential for this committee to be solidified and and and start the work. >> Well, I think but the prime minister made clear that he supports the plan and he said that but they have to disarm Hamas which is a high bar and everybody I think knows that it is but but it's a rational one. It's not Israel, you know, everybody understands that you can't just go back to the status quo anti and and um uh and and then think that you're just going to start rebuilding. Israel is continuing to disarm and you saw that because of the heavy rains and uncovered this huge tunnel that went near the Israel border and constantly finding uh the new things. So uh I think that the the um that the president wants to implement the next phase of the deal. I don't know whether the return of the last hostage will actually be the condition. I mean he the president continues to reiterate it. Everybody says it. Certainly the prime minister does but um I think that they he he does want to move ahead. Look we have that forward base in Israel uh which is planning stuff in Gaza. They're not American troops are not in Gaza. They are based in the headquarters in Israel together with representatives of the many other countries. People don't even know that that is is functioning and you can go and see it when you visit Israel next. Um although they don't welcome tourists. The uh so so yes, I think I think things could move ahead. Uh Gaza is not going to be able to stay as it is. I think many hundreds of thousands will leave if given the opportunity and countries are going to take them and that should bring us to you know all the reports that maybe Somali land will take uh many of them. >> Is that is that why Israel recognized Somali land this week? >> No, that is not why uh uh you know the story of Somali land is much more complex than people realize. Look at anybody wants to understand it in one minute. Look at the map. Look at where they are right on Baba Madab. the right opposite to Houthis. They they have an air force base there. There are many other uh opportunities and this is a a breakaway country they call it, but it wasn't. This is not something of recent vintage. For decades, they have been separate from Somali and um and you know, Somalia is Somalia is a is a um hostile country to Israel. um and it's in a very critical conflict situation with with the Sudan involved with with Ethiopia etc. It's geopolitically extremely important place and Somalia is uh has associated itself with forces that you know we don't like and you see it reflected in all the immigrants who come here how anti-Israel they are the um and I don't have to name names like Elan Homer I don't give names uh so so the the u it's it's a very important it's the subject for a whole another program u And then as you know Taiwan came out and recognized it and then a bunch of countries condemned it including Egypt, Saudi Arabia but not the countries that joined the Abraham Accords, >> right? As you would hope because essentially um Somali land may be a member of the Abraham Accords soon. Who knows? They may be >> you. Yes. Yeah. Right. That's possible. >> Absolutely. Um, I don't want anyone to think that Kanuka went by and then Malcolm was under the weather and then I subsequently followed. I don't want anyone to think that one of the most important stories of uh the year was not covered here on the weekly update. And again, Malcolm, I consider this an important story generally on an annual basis because it proves that uh I'm actually a prophet. I mean, I know that in I know I know in Jewish history there actually was a prophet named Nah. Uh but in this case, Malcolm, if if the bedding sites would have provided a uh an option for a rare manora amulet from Byzantine period being discovered in Jerusalem during this past holiday of Kanuka. As you know, I would have made a mint because again during the holiday of Kaneka, no coincidence, huh? A rare discovery was made and announced by the Israel Antiquities Authority. And I'm sure when you heard the news, I was the first person you thought of. >> Uh oh, absolutely. In regard to that, many other things, but they but there were two there was another discovery of of a mikvah. >> I could have doubled my money. >> The mikvah, which which always is a convenient discovery because there are so many. But they found one yune into the rocks into the rock under at Harabay and it's a you know it I I know we can joke about these discoveries and and the truth is that they wouldn't get the same attention if it wasn't coming out at a time >> hey timing is everything Mr. online >> to uh to some of the things and it's true that they they say that they found it uh earlier >> but uh they had to verify you know we have to always check its the the origins and the dating and everything. So it takes time from the time you discover it and by the time they finish it just happens to come on before an occasion but but uh but but it shouldn't diminish the excitement and the seriousness of the stuff that's being uncovered and discovered every day now. every day and uh the the uh you know and everything there just substantiates Jewish history that's why these things are important because it links to the stories of of the yumto that we tell like Hanukkah but when you see the the what you can hold in your hand and especially for young people tell it to the young people tell it to kids who may have doubts who think that this is all a story or may be made up that here you have proof of every single thing that we that our tradition teaches us Every discovery validates Tanakh. So if if you want to impress them, if you want him to understand how real this is, >> show them the pictures. Just talk about these discoveries. >> 100%. And you know, I agree with you. I'm just, you know, I I like I like having fun since it's been a tradition to do so. And in addition to the big in addition to the big mazletov that um we celebrated this week as you know uh we have another mazletov in the seagull family which we're very proud of and that's that our soldier Gabriel Seagull member of the IDF was uh cited by the IDF with a special commendation. um one of the soldiers that was recognized for his work over the last many months for the IDF and he actually you saw the video I think he actually represented the group that was um recognized by speaking on their behalf and it was just you know imagine a kid from New York City doing that. Uh I mean I I know you've gone through these experiences before with friends and family and uh it's it's just been unbelievable. And Malcolm with all that in mind and I know you wish us well on all this and you're so proud etc. and you'll see him please God at the wedding. But with all this in mind, Malcolm, we we just need you who have a uh a a tremendous in with every segment of Jewish leadership from secular to religious to Russia Shiva to leaders of the IDF to those who feel that that you know different parts of our Torah observance and our service to Amus, you know, are the most important, etc., etc. But we really need to start focusing on having our Jewish leaders acknowledge the roles that everybody is playing in the Torah world and in other worlds of our tradition that everybody is playing to advance the Jewish people and to do what's right for the one above. And I really hope that more and more people recognize that >> and we cannot afford the divisions. We cannot afford pitting Jew against Jew. We have to all think and and and take constructive steps to to to actualize and say how does each of us contribute. They can't draft everybody. They don't need everybody. They and there are enough things in terms of border um patrols and other constructive ways that we can and the army taking the steps of creating this Karedi super kared unit uh which actually did its first action in Syria this week successfully. uh and and the you know we we have to take this out of the realm of politics and see how we bring the people together. I think that the demonstrations disrupting traffic and doing those things is counterproductive also. Um I I understand that people get frustrated on all sides but the the rising detentions internally at a time when we face these external dangers is um is really difficult. We saw the population statistics. Israel reached 10.18 million people despite the fact that the immigration was was down. Um 76% Jewish for those who are always predicting that we would diminish uh rapidly the percentage of the population. Um but the the fact that the the internal hostility drives people away who are essential to the economy and to the development of the country and creating hostility between communities. That's the biggest victory for our enemies. And we have to have leadership that will stand up and and bring people together, find resolutions, stop the the escalation of the rhetoric and to to look in a positive ways because all of us all of us will pay the price for this. And the the danger to the state, the greatest danger is the internal divisions. We can face the external enemies. We can fight a sevenfront war, but we can't fight an internal uh divisions and and civil war. >> Such an important message, and I thank you for that. Um well, Malcolm, as you know, especially during fundraising season, I kept reiterating that as long as God gives us the health and strength, we will continue to do this uh as long as possible. So on this Shabas Kazak, let's make a commitment to stay as healthy and as strong as possible. Biz Ratashm, >> everybody be careful. Don't take this flu for granted. This is around the world, but it's here in New York in record numbers. People can't even get into hospitals. So, you know, washing your hands, taking all the precautionary measures, have that pill ready because you have to take it within the first 24 hours. That one shot flu. I keep forgetting the name. >> Tamu. >> I could No, not Tamu. Oh yeah, that's right. A doctor from Lakewood told me there's a new one. >> Yeah, something literally everybody should have one in their house cuz you have to take it in the first 24 hours. You and I did not and we did therefore paying the price for it and this is very debilitating uh uh flu and I took the flu shot and I'm sure >> as did I as did I >> and it did not because it's a different strain. So you know we we have to take precautions of all kinds and especially in winter season. I urge people please and and when you have it don't go to shul don't go and infect other people take you know stay extra day or week or whatever because it's it's remains infectious uh and the you know to spread it right now is it really it would be very serious. So, I hope everybody will do it and that we'll stay on top of it and think now about how we work in the schools now that we have new school year to to register everybody, get every parent registered. We showed we could do it last year, we must do it this year. We have to have a new attitude of of activism and responsibility, taking responsibility. Everybody can do something. Everybody can make a difference. You know, there are talk shows that are hungry for people to call in and make a case. But be educated. Don't make silly statements. go and and and um talk about the facts, show why this is bad for America, how the Chinese are manipulating the CCP is manipulating uh the system, paying and now going to invest billions of dollars in Hollywood because they're trying to influence the American people and they know the Senate, but they did it on the campuses. They're doing it elsewhere and and this is undermining fundamental US national security, Western civilization is at stake. is the Jews are always the first victims. We're never the last to know that this is the forefront for everyone and I urge people take it seriously. >> Thank you so much Malcolm. Stay well. Have a wonderful Shabb as we'll please God speak this week. Malcolm Homeline Conference of Presidents Major American Jewish organizations weekly update Fridays here at JM in the A.M.