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Deeds and Consequence

Flames rise from a structure as the Palisades fire burns during a windstorm on the west side of Los Angeles, California, US, Jan. 8, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ringo Chiu

JNS.orgAnd now for the weather!

No, I’m not a meteorologist, but we are all seeing very real changes in the weather around the world. The eastern United States recently experienced record-breaking low temperatures and lots of snowfall owing to a polar vortex. Here in South Africa, we experienced the most uncomfortable heat wave in memory in December. Now, Johannesburg has had nearly two weeks of nonstop rain. Both are highly irregular for a country that boasts one of the most delightful climates in the world.

Then there are the terrible natural disasters that have struck different locales directly or indirectly from the weather, from flooding in Europe to raging wildfires in Los Angeles. One of my cousins lost his home in Pacific Palisades, where entire neighborhoods burned to the ground.

According to the National Safety Council, weather-related deaths in the United States are up by 20% since 2019, and injuries are up by 120%. The question is: are we going the way of Noah and the great flood? Are all these weather-related disasters some form of Divine retribution? Should I get a poster proclaiming “Repent, ye sinners! The end is nigh” and stand in Times Square during rush hour?

Overwhelmingly, scientists believe that the main cause of climate change is not godly but human. Over the last century, burning fossil fuels like coal and oil has increased the concentration of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas, which are “like a blanket wrapped around the Earth trapping the sun’s heat and raising temperatures.” More than 90% of scientists agree that inappropriate human activity is causing climate change.

Scientists also have natural explanations for hurricanes, earthquakes, volcano eruptions and even tsunamis, but I’m not sure they can put the blame for those natural disasters on human wrongdoing.

For the most part, I think it is safe to say that we can connect the dots and argue that behaving irresponsibly with our planet brings its natural consequences. I may be a rabbi, but that doesn’t mean I must believe that every natural disaster is the Creator punishing us for messing up His world. It is not sacrilegious to believe in actions and outcomes, in deeds and consequences. That is nature, which is central to the Almighty’s vast eternal plan for the universe. Personally, I don’t appreciate all the catastrophizing, but maybe we really should get busier with renewable energy sources.

So why am I writing about the weather? Because, just as our every ecological action brings a reaction, so it is in our Jewish lives. If a factory has been dumping toxic waste into a river for 15 years and then the authorities discover that the river is contaminated, is that Divine retribution? No. We did that to ourselves. It is a natural consequence of our misconduct.

For instance, a man loses a loved one, God forbid, and decides to be a strong and silent tough guy. He doesn’t observe shiva, a week of Jewish mourning, and goes right back to work after the funeral. If he develops bleeding ulcers three months later, is it God punishing him for not observing our traditions of mourning? I don’t see it as a punishment, but the natural consequence of not having availed himself of the therapeutic benefits of the shiva experience. Non-Jewish psychologists have marveled at how our ancient Jewish mourning traditions are an effective form of bereavement therapy.

And so it goes down the line with all our traditions. God didn’t give us a “To Do” list of commandments to make our lives difficult. Each one carries with it a blessing not only in the Hereafter but here and now in our physical lives. Every mitzvah brings along its own set of blessings in this world, too.

A brit milah is a covenant with God. It is an indelible spiritual bond between the Jew and his Maker. It just so happens that it also has health benefits. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported, circumcision can reduce the risk of HIV transmission by about 60% (in addition to other health benefits). Is that why God commanded us to do it? Not at all. But God would not tell us to do something that is not good for us in any way. It is essentially a spiritual procedure but comes as no surprise that it is good medical practice, too.

And it is the same when the Torah guides us in our marriage choices. I was once counseling a young woman who had become romantically involved with a fellow she could not marry halachically, by Jewish law. She was angry at God, Judaism and the rabbis for ruining her happiness. It had taken her many years to find a partner, and now that she finally found someone she wanted to marry, we wouldn’t give her a chuppah. I really felt her pain.

As gently as I could, I explained to her that if the Torah prohibits a certain marriage, then it should not be taken as God sitting in heaven and throwing lightning bolts at her, but, rather, that Hashem Himself was whispering some infinite wisdom in her ear. “My dearest daughter, I know it looks good and feels good, but trust Me, this one is not for you.”

Marriage is tenuous at the best of times. Wouldn’t we all love to have a crystal ball to confirm if our choice of a partner is meant to be or not? Well, the Torah is God’s wisdom and much more reliable than any person reading a crystal ball. I was so pleased that she heard me out and broke off the relationship. I was even more pleased when I heard that she had later found someone else, got married according to Jewish law, and is, thank God, living happily ever after.

And so it is with all our Jewish traditions. While they may mainly be for spiritual reasons, they are good for us on every level, and bring physical and material blessings as well.

In the beginning, God created heaven and earth. It is one holistic, integrated universe. Heaven and earth are inextricably linked. God isn’t throwing darts at us. He is bestowing the most beautiful blessings on us and our families.

The post Deeds and Consequence first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Antisemites Target Synagogues in Spain, France Amid Surge in Jew Hatred Across Europe

The exterior wall of a synagogue in Girona, Spain, vandalized with antisemitic graffiti. Photo: Screenshot

Pro-Palestinian activists have vandalized synagogues in Spain and France in recent days, sparking public outrage and calls for authorities to step up protections.

These are only the latest incidents in a troubling wave of anti-Jewish hate crimes targeting Jewish communities across Europe which continues unabated.

On Thursday, the Jewish community of Girona, a city in Spain’s northeastern Catalonia region, filed a police complaint and urged authorities to take action after the outer wall of the city’s synagogue was defaced with an antisemitic slogan.

Unknown perpetrators defaced the synagogue’s walls with antisemitic graffiti, scrawling messages such as “Israel is a genocidal state, silence = complicity.”

The city’s Jewish community strongly condemned the incident, urging authorities to conduct a swift investigation, impose exemplary sanctions, and ensure robust security measures.

“Disguised as political activism, [this attack] seeks to stigmatize citizens for their faith — something intolerable in a democratic society,” the statement reads. “Tolerance and respect are values we must defend together.”

The European Jewish Association (EJA) also condemned the incident as a hate crime, urging the Spanish government to ensure the safety and protection of its Jewish citizens.

“This is yet another antisemitic attack, part of a wave we’ve seen daily for nearly two years,” the EJA wrote in a post on X.

In a separate incident, three pro-Palestinian activists were arrested on Thursday after trying to force their way into a synagogue in Nice, southeastern France, during an informational meeting on aliyah, the process of Jews immigrating to Israel.

According to local reports, several individuals attempted to forcibly enter the place of worship, sparking violent clashes and insults that left a pregnant woman injured.

Shortly after the incident, law enforcement arrested two women in their forties and a man in his sixties, taking them into custody as part of an investigation into aggravated violence.

The charges involve attacks on a vulnerable person, actions carried out by a group, religious motivation, and public religious insults.

Local authorities strongly condemned the act and announced that police officers would remain stationed outside the synagogue for as long as necessary.

Since the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents have surged to alarming levels across Europe.

Jewish individuals have been facing a surge in hostility and targeted attacks, including vandalism of murals and businesses, as well as physical assaults.

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Iran’s Alliances With China, Russia Falter as Regime Faces Growing Isolation, Study Finds

Chinese Foreign Minister Wag Yi stands with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazeem Gharibabadi before a meeting regarding the Iranian nuclear issue at Diaoyutai State Guest House on March 14, 2025 in Beijing, China. Photo: Pool via REUTERS

As Iran continues to face major crises both at home and abroad, its ties to China and Russia are proving far weaker than they seem, leaving the regime to confront the fallout largely on its own, according to a new study.

The Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), an Israeli think tank, has released a report examining how the 12-day war with Israel in June exposed the limits of Iran’s alliances with China and Russia.

In the study, authors Raz Zimmt and Danny Citrinowicz note that both China and Russia favored cautious diplomacy over direct support at a time when the Iranian regime was most vulnerable.

“The policy of Moscow and Beijing, which consisted of fairly mild condemnations of the Israeli and US strikes in Iran, sparked criticism and disappointment in Tehran,” the report explains.

“It also reinforced the Iranian assessment that its reliance on Russia and China remains limited, particularly in the event of a military confrontation with Israel and the United States,” it continues.

Earlier this week, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian traveled to Beijing, joining Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, as the three nations aim to project a united front against the West.

The high-profile gathering came after Pezeshkian and Putin held talks in China on Monday on the sidelines of the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin.

During a joint press conference, the Iranian president hailed Tehran’s cooperation with Moscow as “highly valuable,” adding that continued implementation of their 20-year treaty signed earlier this year would further strengthen ties and expand collaboration.

Putin also noted that the relationship between the two countries is “growing increasingly friendly and expanding” amid mounting pressure and sanctions from Western countries.

According to Zimmt and Citrinowicz, Iran has little room to maneuver, even more so now as the regime faces the imminent threat of UN sanctions being reimposed due to efforts by Britain, France, and Germany, forcing it to rely on its fragile alliances with Russia and China.

“It is clear that for now, Iran has no viable alternative to continuing its political, economic, and security partnership, as limited as it may be, with Russia and China, especially given the escalating tensions between Tehran and Europe,” the paper explains.

“Likewise, Russia and China, who view Iran as a junior partner in a coalition against the West and the United States, have no real alternative to Tehran, and they are expected to continue the partnership as long as it serves their interests,” it adds.

The authors argue that China and Russia could readily sacrifice Iran to further their strategic goals, including strengthening ties with Washington.

The study comes just days after an Iranian official accused Russia without evidence of providing intelligence to Israel during the 12-day Middle Eastern war in June which allegedly helped the Jewish state target and destroy Iran’s air defense systems.

Mohammad Sadr, a member of Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council and close adviser to former President Mohammad Khatami, claimed Israel’s precise strikes on Iranian air defense systems were suspicious.

He noted Russia’s refusal to support Iran during the war, saying that Moscow had shown a “bias in favor of Israel” and that the recent conflict demonstrated the “strategic agreement with Russia is nonsense.”

“This war proved that the strategic alliance with Moscow is worthless,” Sadr said during an interview with BBC Persian, referring to the 12-day war between Iran and Israel.

“We must not think that Russia will come to Iran’s aid when the time comes,” he continued.

At the SCO summit in Tianjin earlier this week, Tehran also described its ties with China as “flourishing,” pointing to a strategic pact similar to the one it signed with Russia.

According to some reports, China may be helping Iran rebuild its decimated air defenses following the 12-day war with Israel.

China is the largest importer of Iranian oil, with nearly 90 percent of Iran’s crude and condensate exports going to Beijing. The two sides also recently signed a 25-year cooperation agreement, held joint naval drills, and continued to trade Iranian oil despite US sanctions.

“It should be noted that despite the 25-year cooperation agreement signed between Tehran and Beijing in March 2021, the partnership between the two countries remains very limited, and China does not provide solutions to most of Iran’s economic difficulties, including the need for infrastructure investment,” the INSS study explains.

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US Lawmakers Urge Trump to Restrict Visas for Iran’s President, Other Regime Officials Ahead of UN General Assembly

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during a meeting in Ilam, Iran, June 12, 2025. Photo: Iran’s Presidential website/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers is urging President Donald Trump to block or sharply restrict visas for Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, and other top Iranian officials traveling to New York this month for the United Nations General Assembly, warning that Tehran will use the global platform to disguise its escalating repression at home.

In a letter sent to Trump on Thursday, 40 members of Congress pointed to Iran’s recent human rights record, which includes nearly 1,500 executions in the past year, and accused Pezeshkian’s government of openly threatening to repeat the mass killings of dissidents that scarred the country in 1988.

“Immediately following the recent 12-day war between Israel and Iran, the Iranian regime escalated its widespread internal crackdown, arbitrarily arresting hundreds of ethnic minorities, civil society leaders, women’s rights activists, and others,” the lawmakers wrote. They described Iran’s leaders as “criminals” who “support terrorism” and “sow hatred and instability across the Middle East.”

The letter was signed by an unusually broad coalition of Republicans and Democrats, including House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (NY), as well as Reps. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Deborah Ross (R-NC), and Val Hoyle (D-OR), underscoring how concern about Iran’s hostility toward the US and its allies continues to cut across party lines.

Drawing a distinction between the regime and the Iranian people who support democracy, the lawmakers asked Trump to make a strong statement against a country that US intelligence agencies have long labeled the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism.

“We respectfully urge you to restrict the Iranian delegation’s freedom of movement, and, to the extent possible, refrain from issuing visas to key delegation members, including for its President, Masoud Pezeshkian,” the letter stated.

It continued, “We urge you to take a strong stand against the Iranian regime’s ongoing support for terrorism and human rights abuses, in line with your dedication toward ‘Peace through Strength’ and the maximum pressure campaign against the regime. We look forward to working you to further
oppose the destructive and destabilizing influence of the government of Iran and support the
Iranian people on the world stage.”

The lawmakers’ request comes as the Trump administration weighs new restrictions on several UN delegations ahead of the annual gathering. According to a State Department memo obtained by the Associated Press, the US is considering limiting the movements of officials not just from Iran, but also from Sudan and Zimbabwe. The department is also considering limiting the movements of officials from Brazil, whose president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, traditionally opens the General Assembly.

The proposals also suggest that Iranian diplomats be barred from shopping at Costco or Sam’s Club without explicit permission from the State Department, according to the AP report. Diplomats from Iran have historically relied on those stores to buy affordable goods unavailable in their home country. By contrast, the memo indicates that delegates from Syria may be granted a waiver, reflecting shifting US priorities in the region.

Under the UN Headquarters Agreement, the US is obligated to grant visas to foreign officials attending UN functions. But successive administrations have imposed restrictions on the travel of adversarial delegations, typically confining them to Manhattan and surrounding boroughs. The latest proposals would go further, potentially requiring advance State Department approval for movements and limiting access to certain businesses.

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