Good morning, it’s Tuesday – Day 2 of a short workweek – for some of us, anyway.
I have to confess to being in a pretty dark space right now. I know a lot of you are probably wondering why I haven’t written anything yet about the attack on Israel, especially since I’ve been writing so much of late about being Jewish. (The holiday season tends to make me introspective and more outspoken about my faith).
The truth is that I don’t really have the words. The scale and horror of the thing is just too much, and it keeps worsening by the minute.
This surprise attack on a holy day is being compared to 9/11 and the Yom Kippur War, which occurred almost 50 years ago to the day of this latest atrocity. It has also been said to be the bloodiest day for Israeli civilians since the Holocaust – and apparently that is not an exaggeration.
I am not a Zionist, per se, though I identify with Zionism. (Yes, there is a difference). I believe strongly in the importance of a Jewish homeland where Jews can live freely practice their religion without fear of persecution. But I also hate all the violence that has come along with the creation and subsequent expansion of that homeland.
I recognize that though I have studied the history of how Israel came to exist, I am not nearly sufficiently steeped in the politics and many twists and turns of the story to feel secure in expressing a public opinion on a number of thorny issues – especially these days, when the matter is so loaded and fraught.
When I said “these days”, I actually meant before the attack that occurred over the weekend. Because now it feels like saying anything at all is a veritable and literal minefield.
I am disgusted and heartsick over all the civilian lives needlessly lost on both sides of the conflict. I am infuriated by the atrocities that have occurred to Jews and non-Jews alike. I am riven with fear for my people and for the future of the entire civilized world. to be quite frank. And I am terrified by some of the hatred I have seen expressed in the streets right here in my own state, where I increasingly feel unwelcome and unsafe.
In short, I’m still trying to come to terms with all this. And I recognize that it won’t be ending any time soon.
It strikes me as deeply ironic that today is World Mental Health Day, which is supposed to be a day about recognizing that mental health is a basic human right.
If there is anything certain about war and violence, it’s that the impact goes far beyond the physical. The mental and emotional scars of what has happened just over the past several days – and what will happen in the days to come – will undoubtedly be indelible.
According to the WHO, one in eight people around the globe live with mental health conditions, which are also increasingly affecting individuals at a younger age.
Anxiety and depression are among the top challenges for young people – given the state of the world these days, how can that be a surprise? – and access to adequate care and treatment remains out of reach for far too many, despite the fact that the U.S. is the world’s richest nation.
There’s something very wrong with that.
I wish I had more uplifting and meaningful words to offer today. This is the best I could come up with. Maybe tomorrow.
Another mostly cloudy day is on tap, with temperatures again in the low 60s.
In the headlines…
Israel’s defense minister ordered a “complete siege” of the long-blockaded Gaza Strip, as Hamas, the militant group controlling the territory, threatened to execute a civilian hostage every time an airstrike hits Gazans “in their homes without warning.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Hamas’ decision to attack Israel “a terrible mistake,” and warned that images of “devastation and destruction” from militant strongholds were “just the beginning.”
Gaza’s death toll has risen to 687 people, including 140 children, according to a statement by the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have “more or less” restored full control over the border fence with Gaza, after it was breached by Hamas militants launching their surprise attack on Saturday, according to IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht.
The US stock market staged an intraday recovery yesterday, reversing losses from earlier in the day after Israel formally declared war against Hamas.
The White House issued a statement from Biden confirming at least 11 Americans have died in Hamas terror attacks since Saturday morning, and others may have been taken hostage by the militant group.
A mother and daughter from the Chicago area who were visiting family in Israel are among the Americans missing and feared kidnapped by Hamas terrorists, relatives said.
The surprise attack on Israel has further exposed an already frayed relationship between two factions of New York’s Democratic Party: the organization’s more-moderate leadership that has typically come out in support of Israel, and the party’s left flank.
Columbia University’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) defended the terrorist attack on Israel at the hands of Hamas, similar to a letter Harvard students penned claiming the Jewish state was responsible for the slaughter.
Bronx Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres is slamming critics of Israel for “both siding” the conflict that erupted when Hamas launched an audacious sneak attack on the Jewish state.
Reps. Daniel Goldman and Sen. Cory Booker had unexpected experiences of the attack, as did police officials visiting from the New York area – all were in Israel when Hamas struck.
Close to 1,000 people joined Gov. Kathy Hochul and others at Congregation Beth Emeth in Albany for a community rally and emergency fundraising event in support of Israel.
“Yes, there will be a war, but it will be a just war,” Hochul said. “Mark my words, I assure you as the governor I will make sure that we leave no stone unturned to find out how we can make sure that every single one of you is safe when you gather.”
Supporters of Israel and backers of the Palestinian cause rallied for a second day in New York City.
Mayor Eric Adams called on New York City politicians backed by the Democratic Socialists of America to do “some soul-searching” over whether they want to be affiliated with the left-wing group following its role in a controversial pro-Palestine rally in Manhattan.
Adams is facing backlash from Muslims, Palestinians, and Jewish people after he likened pro-Palestine protestors to “extremists” who support “terrorism”.
Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy floated the possibility that he might be open to reclaiming the post from which he was ousted less than a week ago, even as two other Republicans vied to replace him in a contest that has highlighted the party’s deep divisions.
McCarthy outlined steps he believes the U.S. should take to respond to the crisis in Israel during a lengthy press conference — a presentation that was reminiscent of when he held the gavel just a week before.
Biden was interviewed as part of the investigation into his handling of classified documents being led by special counsel Robert Hur, the White House said.
Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the White House counsel’s office, said in a statement that the interview was voluntary and conducted at the White House on Sunday and yesterday.
Hur’s interviews with Biden suggest the investigation, which has proceeded quietly, may have advanced to its final stages.
Biden will deliver the keynote address at the Human Rights Campaign’s annual National Dinner Saturday, October 14, and First Lady Jill Biden will also offer remarks.
Biden will return to Philadelphia on Friday, the White House announced, in what will be his eighth trip to the city this year.
Environmental lawyer and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his independent candidacy for president, officially ending his effort to defeat President Joe Biden in the Democratic primary in favor of a long-shot general election bid.
“I’m here to declare myself an independent candidate for president of the United States,” Kennedy said in remarks in Philadelphia, signaling a move that could upend the dynamics of the 2024 election.
Cornel West, a philosopher and Black social leader, made the same choice last week. And No Labels, a new political party, is intensifying candidate recruitment efforts.
Republicans attacked Kennedy soon after his announcement, reflecting growing concerns on the right that the former Democrat now threatens to take votes from former President Donald Trump in 2024.
Eight polls have asked about Kennedy’s favorable and unfavorable rating since July 1, and Kennedy’s net favorability rating is higher among Republicans than it is among Democrats in seven of them.
Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, has ramped up her fund-raising in recent months, a sign that her performance in the early presidential debates may have invigorated her 2024 candidacy.
The funding pool for victims of violent crimes in New York has been quietly dissipating for years, leading providers of victim services worried about a potentially steep funding cliff that could materialize as early as next year.
Taxi drivers are calling on Hochul to help them fight a new congestion pricing fee.
Hochul and Adams were front and center for yesterday’s annual Columbus Day parade – even though the city’s leader posted messages backing both sides in the debate over what should be honored on the holiday.
Adams called his trip to Latin America “an eye-opener.”
State Sen. Jessica Ramos said Adams’ trip was a waste of time because he wouldn’t be able to convince migrants not to come to New York City.
In a West Side Spirit op-ed, Adams wrote of his recently introduced housing plan: “(I)ncreasing supply is the surest path to bringing down rents and giving New Yorkers a break from the constant pressure of housing costs.
Inflation, the housing crisis and post-pandemic aftershocks have made what was already an urban blood sport – finding parking on the streets of New York City – nearly untenable.
A 33-year-old Manhattan man jumped into the North Pool at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum yesterday afternoon and survived with just a leg injury — but was awaiting criminal charges, according to police.
A police officer ended his NYPD career after just seven years because he said the department wouldn’t allow him time off to care for his wife after she gave birth.
Albany County Executive Dan McCoy released his proposed 2024 county budget yesterday that if passed as written would boost his salary and the salaries of county Comptroller Susan Rizzo and Sheriff Craig Apple by 12 percent.
The Clifton Park highway superintendent is accusing Town Supervisor Phil Barrett of playing politics with the town’s infrastructure by proposing to cut the 2024 road paving budget by 42 percent.
Work began more than a year ago to convert the former Smith’s Tavern in Voorheesville into a second location for the Glenmont-based Romo’s Pizza and Restaurant, but delays recurred. An opening next spring is now projected.
A Christian Brothers Academy JV football coach has been disciplined after posting a selfie video in which he makes a fast-food order and then says, “F__ Shen.”
