I have not written for a while.  Ten days in New York meeting my new grandchild and spending time with my daughter and son-in law were wonderful, but somehow it did not lend itself to any writing.  Getting any work done was a challenge, beyond what I needed to do for a few projects that were very time sensitive.  Writing did not seem to be possible.  I wrote a first version of my Yom Kippur article for Newsweek on my plane home, since I figured that it would be very similar to previous Yom Kippurs.  However, the first thing I had to do once I ate, on Wednesday night was to rewrite the article.

Being a grandfather for the first time is transformative, but frankly ifI am honest not nearly as transformative as having children for the first time.  I must say however when I looked at my grandchild Liam Zeev I could not help but wonder. what sort of world he would be living in. Will it be one filled with wonders and advances or one filled with disasters, natural and human.  I spoke at my daughter synagogue ( the one I grew up in ) Anshe Sholom on Sunday before I left.  I spoke  about our future here in Israel and reflected that I know    have to worry what will occur when its time for my grandchild  to go into the army.  . I hope to have a video of the speech on You Tube soon.

Today is a sad day.  This morning Moti Kirschenbaum died.  He was one of the most distinguished Israeli newscaster.  While I had watched him at times in the past, it has been in his last incarnation as the co-host of London and Kirschenbaum that I have watched religiously for many years.  In the United States I paid to receive Israeli news by satellite just for that purpose.  Yesterday I watch him host his show- this morning he was dead.

Meanwhile the news keeps coming-