Yehuda Lave, Spiritual Advisor and Counselor

Yehuda Lave is an author, journalist, psychologist, rabbi, spiritual teacher and coach, with degrees in business, psychology and Jewish Law. He works  with people from all walks of life and helps them in their search for greater happiness, meaning, business advice on saving money,  and spiritual engagement

Each and every one of us counts!

Each of us was given a unique set of talents and character traits with which to make a difference and contribute to the world.

Our task is to recognize and appreciate what was given to us so that we can do our best to give back and contribute. From G-d's point of view, you are a celebrity!

Usually, we think of celebrities as people who really count, but not us ordinary, average people. This is an illusion. In the Who's Who of the Jewish People, each and every one of us needs to figure out what our special gift is and to express that to the world, even if it's just our ability to be empathetic, self-aware or courageous enough to survive the day!

Love Yehuda Lave

Watch: Israel Designs Hands Free Luggage that Follows You

Israel’s NUA Robotics has designed luggage that travels hands-free on flat surfaces. It has a camera sensor to detect where you are and Bluetooth connection to your smartphone and an alarm to deter against theft.

https://www.jerusalemonline.com/watch-israel-designs-hands-free-luggage-that-follows-you/

Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) guide for the perplexed, 2019

Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger, “Second Thought: a US-Israel initiative”
Based on ancient Jewish sages, October 10, 2019, https://bit.ly/2OBJ3Nw  

More on Sukkot and other Jewish holidays: http://bit.ly/137Er6J

1. US-Israel special ties are highlighted by Columbus Day (October 14, 2019), which is always celebrated around Sukkot (October 13-20, 2019). According to "Columbus Then and Now" (Miles Davidson, 1997, p. 268), Columbus landed in America on Friday afternoon, October 12, 1492, the 21st day of the Jewish month of Tishrei, in the Jewish year 5235, on the 7th day of Sukkot, Hosha'na' Rabbah - a day of special universal deliverance and miracles.  Hosha' (הושע) is “deliverance” in Hebrew; Na’ (נא) is the Hebrew word for "please" and Rabbah (רבה) is “The Sublime.”  The numerical value of Na’ in Hebrew is 51 (נ – 50, א – 1), and the celebration of Hoshaa'na' Rabbah is on the 51st day following Moses' ascent to Mt. Sinai.

2. the 3rd Jewish pilgrimage holiday (following Passover and Shavou'ot - Pentecost) has been celebrated for the last 3,300 years, commemorating the Exodus, the 40 years of wandering in the Sinai Desert, the construction of the Holy Tabernacle and the victories along the way into the Land of Israel. It reaffirms faith in God, reality-based optimism, gratitude for the Ingathering and the harvest. Sukkot reminds people of human limitations and (its humble structure) emphasizes the importance of humility. Humility is a central message of Sukkot, as demonstrated by the seven day relocation from one’s permanent residence to the temporary, humble, wooden Sukkah (booth).

3. Sukkot ( in Hebrew) is named after the first stop during the Exodus from Egypt, the town of Sukkota (סוכותה), as documented in Exodus 13:20-22 and Numbers 33:3-5.  It commemorates the transition from nomadic life in the desert to permanence in the Promised Land; from oblivion to deliverance; and from the spiritual state-of-mind during the High Holidays to the mundane of the rest of the year.

4. The Hebrew root of Sukkot ()stands for the key characteristics of the relationship between the Jewish people, the Jewish Homeland and faith in God. The Hebrew word Sukkah () means wholeness and totality (), the shelter of the tabernacle (), to anoint (), divine curtain/shelter() and attentiveness ().

5. The seven days of Sukkot are dedicated to the 7 supreme guests (Ushpizin), representing positive human and leadership traits: Abraham (benevolence, hospitality, military and civilian leadership) Isaac (faith, heroism, optimism), Jacob (synergy of spiritual and physical strength), Joseph (magnanimity, forgiveness, justice, tenacity, leadership), Moses (humility, victory, eternity), Aaron (sanctity, peace-loving) and David (atonement, courage, wisdom and royalty), who defied immense odds in their faith-driven pursuit of ground- breaking initiatives. The 7 days of Sukkot express gratitude to God for blessing the Land of Israel with the 7 species (Deuteronomy 8:8): wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates.  

6.  Sukkot – the 3rd Jewish pilgrimage, following Passover and Shavou'ot (Pentecost) - is a universal holiday, inviting all peoples to come on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, as expressed in the reading of Zechariah 14: 16-19 on the first day of Sukkot: "Then, the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up [to Jerusalem] every year to worship the Lord Almighty and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles."  Sukkot expresses the yearning for universal peace, highlighting the Sukkah of Shalom (peace). Shalom is also one of the names of God.  Shalem (שלם) – wholesome and complete in Hebrew - is the ancient name of Jerusalem. There are 32 towns named Salem (Biblical Shalem, JerUSAlem) in the USA. 

7. Traditionally, The holiday of Sukkot is dedicated to the study of the Biblical Book of Ecclesiastes, written by King Solomon. It accentuates the importance of humility, morality, patience, learning from past mistakes, commemoration and historical perspective, family, friendship, long-term thinking, proper timing, realism and knowledge. The Hebrew name of Ecclesiastes is Kohelet, (), which is similar to the Biblical commandment to assemble () the public () and the community () for the celebration of Sukkot.

8. The late Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), the longest serving US Senator, often quoted Biblical verses, in general, and Ecclesiastes, in particular. For example, on November 7, 2008, upon retirement from the chairmanship of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he stated: “To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1).”

Hollywood comments from my Sister

The very best impromptu speeches are the ones written well in advance. Ruth Gordon

Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul. Marilyn Monroe

Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before. Mae West

I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific. Lily Tomlin

Don't go to your funeral until the day of the funeral. Live this day. Valerie Harper Harper died on the morning of August 30, 2019, in Los Angeles

Why Real ID Is Causing Real Confusion in the USA

 What to know about the driver’s license you’ll need to fly next year by Christina Ianzito, AARP, August 23, 2019 |  AP

| The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has begun verbally notifying travelers about the upcoming REAL ID deadline, a little more than 13 months away.
Oct. 1, 2020, is the day the Real ID law will finally be enforced.

Conceived as part of 2005 legislation in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it requires people to show security-enhanced IDs to pass through airport security checkpoints or to enter certain federal facilities, such as military bases. (You will also be able to use passports or certain other federal documents as an alternative to a Real ID.)

Sometimes called the Star Card, because most states are marking their Real ID cards with a gold or black star in the top right corner, it also must include an encoded “machine readable zone,” like a passport’s, with a person’s scannable information. Many state driver’s licenses already have this feature. The key thing that makes the card “special,” is that the federal government requires you to provide certain identifying documentation to obtain one from your state.
“REAL ID implementation is a little more than a year away,” TSA Acting Deputy Administrator Patricia Cogswell said in a statement. “Now is the time to prepare.”
But the rollout has caused confusion for various reasons, so here are a few basics that are helpful to understand:

• To get a Real ID, you need to present documents to your motor vehicle department proving your age and identity, Social Security number and address. That generally means bringing a birth certificate or passport, a Social Security card or tax form such as a W-2, and two proofs of address. If you’ve changed your name through marriage, you’ll need a marriage certificate.

• Although the Real ID is also a driver’s license, the old-style driver’s license is still lawful for driving and still available as an option in many states. (Some, such as Arizona and Kentucky, are trying to make this clear by calling the Real ID a “Voluntary Traveler ID.”)  
The Transportation Security Administration has begun verbally notifying travelers about the upcoming REAL ID deadline.
•

To fly, however, a “regular” driver's license won’t be sufficient to get through security and onto a plane. The Real ID technically is not mandatory because you can instead use a passport or an ID from the federal government’s Trusted Traveler Program, such as a Global Entry card. 

• For international travel, you’ll still need a passport. That all may sound simple enough, but, nearly 15 years after its conception, many people still are unable to get their new cards. While some states and Washington, D.C., have been issuing Real ID cards for several years now with little fanfare, others (including Maine) have only recently made Real ID available — and a few are still working on it. Oregon and Oklahoma won’t begin offering the cards until mid-2020.
You can check your state’s status on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s site, which has a color-coded clickable map, though you’ll find more detail on your state government’s site. 

Privacy Concerns
Many states have delayed getting the cards in circulation because some residents and legislators worried that Real ID was a way for the government to collect personal information for a national database. State lawmakers in Idaho, Oklahoma, Kentucky and elsewhere even passed laws banning their motor vehicle departments from implementing the new federal requirements and now are playing catch up to meet the upcoming deadline (which was meant to be Jan. 22, 2018, but delayed with all the foot-dragging). In Kentucky, privacy concerns were initially an issue, says Naitore Djigbenou, director of public affairs for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. But, she adds, “We’ve communicated to people that this is a state-maintained card. There’s no national database or anything.” Kentucky, which still offers old-style driver’s licenses, has started issuing optional Real IDs in certain counties, but hasn’t announced when the new cards will be available statewide.

The DHS website stresses, “Real ID is a national set of standards, not a national identification card,” and each jurisdiction “maintains its own records, and controls who gets access to those records and under what circumstances.”

Paperwork Problems 
For some people, getting the proper paperwork is a problem because their birth or marriage certificate isn’t actually from the state and therefore not sufficient. In Maryland residents who are 65 or older are allowed to submit other documents in place of a birth certificate, including military discharge paperwork, says Christine Nizer, administrator of Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration: “We wanted to provide alternatives to make the process as easy as possible.” The state has an online document guide to help residents figure out what’s needed.

Getting the Word Out Many people remain unaware of, or are simply confused by, the new rules, and the clock is ticking.  The Department of Homeland Security has called on travel agents to begin asking their customers whether they’re Real ID compliant, and is stepping up its public education campaign. Editor's note: Updated to reflect the current status of REAL ID availability.

More words of wisdom

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. Ralph Waldo Emerson, essayist

Be happy. It's one way of being wise. Sidonie Gabrielle Colette , author

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. Ralph Waldo Emerson, essayist

Don't follow any advice, no matter how good, until you feel as deeply in your spirit as you think in your mind that the counsel is wise. Joan Rivers, comedian

Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom. Thomas Jefferson, statesman

I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done. Lucille Ball, comedian

If you want to be found stand where the seeker seeks. Sidney Lanier, musician

Ignorant men raise questions that wise men answered a thousand years ago. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, philosopher

It is great folly to wish to be wise all alone. Francois de La Rochefoucauld, author

It is much more difficult to measure nonperformance than performance. Harold S. Geneen, businessman  

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see. Henry David Thoreau, essayist

Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers. Alfred Lord Tennyson, poet

Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity. George S. Patton, soldier

Nobody can give you wiser advice than yourself. Marcus Tullius Cicero, statesman,

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. Henry Ford , inventor

Patience is the companion of wisdom. Saint Augustine, saint

Rarely promise, but, if lawful, constantly perform. William Penn, statesman

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. Albert Einstein, inventor

The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook. William James, philosopher

The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing. Socrates , philosopher

The opportunity for brotherhood presents itself every time you meet a human being. Jane Wyman, actress

The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions. Oliver Wendell Holmes, jurist

There is a wisdom of the head, and a wisdom of the heart. Charles Dickens, author

To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom. Bertrand Russell, philosopher

When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. Confucius, philospher

TRUMP SWEARS ALLEGIANCE TO ISRAEL AS HE DECRIES ENDLESS MIDDLE EAST WARS

We are standing with our close friend and partner, the State of Israel,” Trump said, as he reviewed the steps he has taken on behalf of the Jewish state since taking office.BY TOVAH LAZAROFF

US President Donald Trump swore allegiance to Israel as he decried endless Middle East wars and defended his decision to withdraw US troops from the Kurdish area of northern Syria when he spoke Saturday night at the annual Values Voters Conference in Washington D.C.

“We are standing with our close friend and partner, the State of Israel,” Trump said, as he reviewed the steps he has taken on behalf of the Jewish state since taking office, such as relocating the US embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Israeli sovereignty on the Golan Heights.Read More Related Articles

In the same speech Trump defended the recent decision to withdraw US troops from the Kurdish region of Syria along the Turkish border, a move which paved the way for Turkey to attack that area. In the five days since the assault began, more than 100,000 people have fled to escape the violence.

The decision has sent alarm waves across the Middle East, where it is widely considered that Trump abandoned the Kurds after they had staunchly allied themselves with the US in the battle against ISIS.

Trump told the conference that he planned to protect the Kurds with the threat of economic sanctions against Turkey.

“I have made clear to Turkey that if they do not meet their commitments, including the protection religious minorities and watching over the ISIS prisoners that we captured, we will impose very swift and severe economic sanctions,” Trump said.

He added that on Friday, he committed $50 million to support Christians and other religious minorities in Syria. “With one clear voice the US condemns the persecution of Christians."Latest articles from Jpost  TOP ARTICLES1/5READ MORESources: Rivlin won't extend Netanyahu's mandate

Then he proceeded to speak about the problem of US military involvement in the Middle East, specifically Syria.

Any “military engagement where we send young men and women to fight and die must have clear objectives, vital national interests and a realistic plan for how the conflict will end. We don’t want to be in 19-year wars where we serve as a policing agent for the whole country,” Trump said.

“In Syria, we were supposed to be there for 30 days and we have been there for 10 years. These wars, they never end. We have to bring our great soldiers back from the never-ending wars,” Trump said.

“We have spent 8 trillion dollars in the Middle East, thousands of American soldiers have lost their lives and tens of thousands more have been wounded,” he said. Four trillion of that sum was on the War in Iraq, Trump said, adding that the Middle East is less safe and less secure now. 

“Iraq was the single worst mistake this country has ever made, going into the Middle East,” Trump said.

He spoke at length about the pain caused to US families who have lost soldiers in the Middle East, describing the scene at Dover Air Force Base when the bodies are returned home.

“The hardest thing I have to do as president is sending letters to the families of our fallen heroes,” Trump said. “We have to bring our heroes, our great soldiers home,” he added.

Trump said that he knows that, with regard to the Turkish-Syrian border, he is “an island of one” with many opposed to his decision.

“That 30 kilometers - 22 miles - a strip along Turkey. And the Kurds are tending to leave and that's good. Let them have their borders. But I don't think our soldiers should be there for the next 50 years guarding a border between Turkey and Syria when we can't guard our own borders at home. I don't think so,” Trump said.

The US has paid a lot of money to the Kurds over the years, the US president said. “Don’t forget they are fighting for their land, they haven’t helped us fight for our land,” Trump said.

After the speech he tweeted, “The same people that got us into the Middle East Quicksand, 8 Trillion Dollars and many thousands of lives (and millions of lives when you count the other side), are now fighting to keep us there. Don’t listen to people that haven’t got a clue. They have proven to be inept!”

See you tomorrow enjoy your Sukot holiday

Love Yehuda Lave