I am convinced that there are no coincidences in life. There was a popular song in the mid 1990s that contained the refrain, "God is watching us". This song often comes to mind whenever there is a large confluence of political or world events.
This past week, we witnessed the passing of a great leader, Ronald Wilson Reagan. President Reagan was the very first president for whom I had the privilege of voting. As a political neophyte in 1980, I was impressed with Reagan's affable personality and his strong "on message" attitude. Despite varying incidents that irked me, such as the sale of AWACs to Saudi Arabia and his ill-conceived visit to Bitburg, Germany, I was unwavering in my support of President Reagan.
I remember my grandfather engaging me in heated discussions; he was greatly distressed by allegiance to the Republican Party. "A Jewish person can not be a Republican!" he claimed. (I will note that my grandfather later recanted that position and although he did not register as a Republican, he ultimately voted Republican in all subsequent presidential elections.)
The timing of Ronald Reagan's passing is noteworthy; beginning with the Torah portion of Naso (second portion in the book of Numbers) and all through subsequent weeks, we read of various crises and incidents involving Jewish Leadership. In Naso we read of the tribal leaders' sacrifices. In Behaalotcha we read of the priestly responsibilities. In Shelach we lean of the treachery of the spies. And so it continues. The Torah teaches us that leaders must be truthful visionaries, for a visionary without truth causes evil and a leader without vision is worthless.
Ronald Reagan was a truthful visionary who utilized the power bestowed upon him to affect the world for the better.
It is, however, not my purpose to eulogize Ronald Reagan, there are many who are far better suited who will do so. Rather, I prefer to learn some powerful lessons from his life and the life of those who surrounded him.
I observed the tremendous love and grace exhibited by Nancy Reagan during the pomp and circumstance of the state funerals. Mrs. Reagan was held to ridicule by many during the years of the Reagan presidency. She oft times stood near her husband during his speeches and nodded in approval. She was his biggest fan and he adored her.
And therein lies a lesson for all of us. Ronald Reagan was the eternal optimist. Despite his advanced years, he exhibited boyish charm and exuberance constantly. His positive thinking and action-provoking sound bites led America out of the doldrums of the late 1970s into a new and exciting era. Much of the credit should go to Nancy Reagan. A true Eishet Chayil, she supported and encouraged him at every turn. With poise and dignity she stood by her man, who in turn inspired a nation and empowered millions throughout the world to free themselves from the yoke of communism.
Standing alone, seemingly frail, she stood by his flag-draped coffin in the Capitol Rotunda last week. Yet, at the end of the service, she brushed out a crease from the flag ? not as a contrived act, rather as an almost final act of love. Nancy, as always, was mindful of her husband's appearance, even in death.
It was a powerful moment captured not only on film, but also in the camera of my mind's eye.
Spouses can have a tremendous impact on each other. The late Menachem Begin depended so heavily on his wife Aliza that he resigned from public office when she took ill, ultimately retreating from public life altogether upon her passing. Begin often claimed that she served as his moral compass, providing the strong fiber on which he was tethered.
Strength of leadership can be measured by the leader's compassion, enthusiasm and moral clarity. I believe that were Ariel Sharon's late wife, Lily, still alive today, Sharon would be much more qualified to lead. His brusque attitude toward those with whom he disagrees would be tempered with the love and adoration that she must have had for him. Instead, he bulldozes forward in his singular mission, without the benefit of a real mirror image.
This week, my wife and I celebrate our twenty-first wedding anniversary. We have accomplished quite a bit in our time together: three wonderful daughters; a home in Israel; many friends; and a multitude of professional achievements. None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the steadfast strength of my wife's convictions. Private criticisms bolstered by a show of support in public have been a wonderful formula, and for that I owe my wife an eternal debt of gratitude.
My grandparents had a trivet hanging on the wall of their apartment in Brooklyn. The trivet had the following saying, "Behind every successful man stands a woman who tells him he is wrong!" It's a private/public joke that probably hangs in the air in most homes today.
A very gifted man, at whose feet I learned the art of "youth directing" used to say before every kumsitz he ran, "I am doing this because my life is so special, that I want to share its lessons with others, so that they may one day experience that which I have."
I have used my opinion pieces in the past to stir up feelings of Zionism, patriotism, solidarity or just plain ordinary introspection. This time, I hope to stir up the pot a bit and maybe readers can take stock of how precious their spouses are to them.
We can buy jewelry, furs, watches, chocolates and flowers ? but maybe we need to tell them how much they are appreciated.
So go on out there and tell them how you feel.
Oh, and the jewelry and flowers aren't such a bad idea either.
Happy anniversary, Mrs. Kessler.
This past week, we witnessed the passing of a great leader, Ronald Wilson Reagan. President Reagan was the very first president for whom I had the privilege of voting. As a political neophyte in 1980, I was impressed with Reagan's affable personality and his strong "on message" attitude. Despite varying incidents that irked me, such as the sale of AWACs to Saudi Arabia and his ill-conceived visit to Bitburg, Germany, I was unwavering in my support of President Reagan.
I remember my grandfather engaging me in heated discussions; he was greatly distressed by allegiance to the Republican Party. "A Jewish person can not be a Republican!" he claimed. (I will note that my grandfather later recanted that position and although he did not register as a Republican, he ultimately voted Republican in all subsequent presidential elections.)
The timing of Ronald Reagan's passing is noteworthy; beginning with the Torah portion of Naso (second portion in the book of Numbers) and all through subsequent weeks, we read of various crises and incidents involving Jewish Leadership. In Naso we read of the tribal leaders' sacrifices. In Behaalotcha we read of the priestly responsibilities. In Shelach we lean of the treachery of the spies. And so it continues. The Torah teaches us that leaders must be truthful visionaries, for a visionary without truth causes evil and a leader without vision is worthless.
Ronald Reagan was a truthful visionary who utilized the power bestowed upon him to affect the world for the better.
It is, however, not my purpose to eulogize Ronald Reagan, there are many who are far better suited who will do so. Rather, I prefer to learn some powerful lessons from his life and the life of those who surrounded him.
I observed the tremendous love and grace exhibited by Nancy Reagan during the pomp and circumstance of the state funerals. Mrs. Reagan was held to ridicule by many during the years of the Reagan presidency. She oft times stood near her husband during his speeches and nodded in approval. She was his biggest fan and he adored her.
And therein lies a lesson for all of us. Ronald Reagan was the eternal optimist. Despite his advanced years, he exhibited boyish charm and exuberance constantly. His positive thinking and action-provoking sound bites led America out of the doldrums of the late 1970s into a new and exciting era. Much of the credit should go to Nancy Reagan. A true Eishet Chayil, she supported and encouraged him at every turn. With poise and dignity she stood by her man, who in turn inspired a nation and empowered millions throughout the world to free themselves from the yoke of communism.
Standing alone, seemingly frail, she stood by his flag-draped coffin in the Capitol Rotunda last week. Yet, at the end of the service, she brushed out a crease from the flag ? not as a contrived act, rather as an almost final act of love. Nancy, as always, was mindful of her husband's appearance, even in death.
It was a powerful moment captured not only on film, but also in the camera of my mind's eye.
Spouses can have a tremendous impact on each other. The late Menachem Begin depended so heavily on his wife Aliza that he resigned from public office when she took ill, ultimately retreating from public life altogether upon her passing. Begin often claimed that she served as his moral compass, providing the strong fiber on which he was tethered.
Strength of leadership can be measured by the leader's compassion, enthusiasm and moral clarity. I believe that were Ariel Sharon's late wife, Lily, still alive today, Sharon would be much more qualified to lead. His brusque attitude toward those with whom he disagrees would be tempered with the love and adoration that she must have had for him. Instead, he bulldozes forward in his singular mission, without the benefit of a real mirror image.
This week, my wife and I celebrate our twenty-first wedding anniversary. We have accomplished quite a bit in our time together: three wonderful daughters; a home in Israel; many friends; and a multitude of professional achievements. None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the steadfast strength of my wife's convictions. Private criticisms bolstered by a show of support in public have been a wonderful formula, and for that I owe my wife an eternal debt of gratitude.
My grandparents had a trivet hanging on the wall of their apartment in Brooklyn. The trivet had the following saying, "Behind every successful man stands a woman who tells him he is wrong!" It's a private/public joke that probably hangs in the air in most homes today.
A very gifted man, at whose feet I learned the art of "youth directing" used to say before every kumsitz he ran, "I am doing this because my life is so special, that I want to share its lessons with others, so that they may one day experience that which I have."
I have used my opinion pieces in the past to stir up feelings of Zionism, patriotism, solidarity or just plain ordinary introspection. This time, I hope to stir up the pot a bit and maybe readers can take stock of how precious their spouses are to them.
We can buy jewelry, furs, watches, chocolates and flowers ? but maybe we need to tell them how much they are appreciated.
So go on out there and tell them how you feel.
Oh, and the jewelry and flowers aren't such a bad idea either.
Happy anniversary, Mrs. Kessler.