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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.org – And 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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French Foreign Minister Says Recognizing Palestinian State Defies Hamas, Despite Terror Group’s Praise

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot speaks to the media on the day he attends the European Union Foreign Ministers council in Brussels, Belgium, July 15, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Yves Herman

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot insisted on Friday that President Emmanuel Macron’s push to recognize a Palestinian state defies Hamas’s interests — even as the terrorist group welcomed the decision.

“Hamas has consistently rejected the two-state solution. By recognizing Palestine, France is rejecting the stance of this terrorist organization and affirming its support for peace over war,” the top French diplomat said in a post on X.

However, Hamas praised France’s latest announcement, calling it “a positive step in the right direction.”

France’s initiative is part of “a political development that reflects growing international conviction in the justice of the Palestinian cause and the failure of the Israeli occupation to distort facts or suppress the will of free nations,” said the Palestinian terrorist group, which has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades.

Hamas also said that such international steps “represent political and moral pressure” on Israel.

On Thursday, Macron announced that France will recognize a Palestinian state and issue a formal statement at the United Nations General Assembly in September as part of its “commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”

“The urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and to bring relief to the civilian population,” the French leader said in a post on X.

Macron called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages still held by Hamas, and increased humanitarian aid for Gaza.

He also stressed the need to demilitarize the Iran-backed terrorist group, rebuild the war-torn enclave, and create a Palestinian state that recognizes Israel and ensures regional security.

“The French people want peace in the Middle East. It is our responsibility — as French citizens, alongside Israelis, Palestinians, and our European and international partners — to prove that peace is possible,” the French leader wrote.

However, despite Macron’s continued efforts, his controversial diplomatic initiative to recognize a Palestinian state faces widespread public opposition, with nearly 80 percent of French citizens rejecting the move.

A recent survey conducted by the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP) on behalf of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF) — the main representative body of French Jews — found that 78 percent of respondents opposed a “hasty, immediate, and unconditional recognition of a Palestinian state.”

According to IFOP’s survey, nearly half of French people (47 percent) believe that recognition of a Palestinian state should only be considered after the release of the remaining hostages captured by Hamas during the group’s invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The survey also revealed deep concerns about the consequences of such a premature recognition, with 51 percent of respondents fearing a resurgence of antisemitism in France and 50 percent believing it could strengthen Hamas’s position in the Middle East.

France’s policy move comes after Spain, Norway, Ireland, and Slovenia officially recognized a Palestinian state last year, claiming that such a move would contribute to fostering a two-state solution and promote lasting peace in the region.

On Friday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas praised France’s decision, calling it a “victory for the Palestinian cause.”

“This reflects France’s commitment to supporting the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights to their land and their homeland,” Abbas said.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned France’s announcement, describing it as a “reward for terrorism.”

“Such a move … risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became,” the Israeli leader said in a post on X.

“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it. Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel. They seek a state instead of Israel,” he continued.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also denounced the move, calling it “reckless” and saying it “only serves Hamas propaganda.”

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Costa Rica Adopts IHRA Definition of Antisemitism, Joining Latin America’s Fight Against Rising Jew-Hatred

Part of an exhibit on the Holocaust supported by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Photo: courtesy of IHRA.

Costa Rica has formally adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, becoming the sixth country in Latin America to do so as antisemitic rhetoric and anti-Jewish hatred continue to rise across the region.

Local authorities announced the decision following meetings with a delegation from the American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs.

Among the Latin American countries that have already endorsed the IHRA definition are Argentina, Colombia, Guatemala, Panama, and Uruguay.

An intergovernmental organization comprising dozens of countries, including the United States and Israel, IHRA adopted the “working definition” of antisemitism in 2016.

Since its adoption, the definition has gained widespread support from Jewish organizations and lawmakers around the world, and is now used by hundreds of governmental bodies, including the European Union and the United Nations.

According to the definition, antisemitism “is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

Beyond traditional antisemitic acts associated with the medieval period and Nazi Germany, the definition provides contemporary examples of antisemitism found in public life, media, education, workplaces, and religious settings — including Holocaust denial and modern forms targeting Israel, such as demonizing the Jewish state and denying its right to exist.

Jewish organizations hailed Costa Rica’s recent decision as a significant milestone in the global fight against Jew-hatred, amid a worldwide surge in antisemitism following the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

“We are grateful that Costa Rica has joined the growing number of nations that view the IHRA definition as an essential guidepost to recognize antisemitism in its various forms so it can be properly addressed,” Dina Siegel Vann, director of AJC’s Institute for Latin American Affairs, said in a statement.

“We urge all nations to take this important step to protect their Jewish communities and uphold their Democratic values,” she continued.

Gilbert Meltzer, president of Costa Rica’s Jewish Community, commended the government’s decision to “support morality and combat discrimination.”

“The increase of hate speech and attacks on Jews all over the world, especially after Oct. 7, demands ethical decisions and firm actions as this one,” Meltzer said in a statement.

The European Jewish Congress also praised Costa Rica’s latest move, describing it as “a timely and courageous step” amid a rising climate of hostility against Jews.

“Defining hate is the first step to combating it. A principled move that must inspire others,” the statement read.

The post Costa Rica Adopts IHRA Definition of Antisemitism, Joining Latin America’s Fight Against Rising Jew-Hatred first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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‘Reckless Decision’: US Officials Blast France for Recognizing Palestinian State

US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron react on the day of a press conference, at the White House in Washington, DC, US, Feb. 24, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

US officials were quick to castigate France for its intention to recognize a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations General Assembly, describing the policy as “reckless” and a move that undermines efforts to end the ongoing war in Gaza.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who announced the decision on X, published a letter sent to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas confirming France’s intention to press ahead with Palestinian recognition.

“True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,” Macron said. “I will make this solemn announcement at the United Nations General Assembly next September.”

France, home to the third largest Jewish community in the world, will become the first major Western country to recognize a Palestinian state, after smaller nations more generally more critical of Israel did so last year.

Washington lambasted France’s announcement.

“The United States strongly rejects Emmanuel Macron’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on the X social media platform. “This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th.”

Likewise, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee slammed France for moving to recognize a Palestinian state.

“How clever! If Macron can just ‘declare’ the existence of a state perhaps the UK can ‘declare’ France a British colony!” he said on X. “Macron’s unilateral ‘declaration’ of a ‘Palestinian’ state didn’t say WHERE it would be. I can now exclusively disclose that France will offer the French Riviera & the new nation will be called ‘Franc-en-Stine.’”

Huckabee has long opposed the recognition of a Palestinian state. In June, the ambassador said that he did not think that an independent Palestinian state remains a goal of US foreign policy.

US President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed Macron’s plan, saying it won’t make a difference.

“What he says doesn’t matter,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “He’s a very good guy. I like him, but that statement doesn’t carry weight.”

Trump added, “”Look, he’s a different kind of a guy. He’s okay. He’s a team player, pretty much. But here’s the good news: What he says doesn’t matter. It’s not going to change anything.”

Israeli officials lambasted France’s plan as a “reward for terrorism,” arguing a Palestinian state at this time would become a hub for terrorism and likely a proxy of Iran, which has long backed the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Gaza.

“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it. Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a post on X.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned Macron’s “absurd and unserious” decision that Paris will formally recognize a Palestinian state.

“A Palestinian state would be a Hamas state — just as the [Israeli] withdrawal from the Gaza Strip 20 years ago led to Hamas’s takeover there,” he said in a statement posted on X.

“Israel’s attempt to base its security on Palestinian promises to fight terror failed entirely in the Oslo process,” he continued, referring to the 1990s peace initiative between Israel and the Palestinians that sought a two-state solution. “Israel will no longer gamble with its security and its future.”

Israel maintains that Palestinian statehood should only come as the result of a negotiated peace agreement that ensures Israel’s security and recognition as a Jewish state.

The French announcement comes amid ongoing hostilities in Gaza, where Israeli military operations continue following Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of and massacre across southern Israel.

Macron defended the decision to recognize a Palestinian state in a statement, saying that the proclamation underscores that France is “true to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”

“We must finally build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability and enable it, by accepting its demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East,” he added.

The post ‘Reckless Decision’: US Officials Blast France for Recognizing Palestinian State first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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