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Jewish Culture

I Can’t Live Without Optimism

Moshe Unger
Posted 10/22/21

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the little Jewish girl, Alta Fixler from Manchester, England, who was threatened to be removed from life support against the will of her parents. It is sad to write …

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Jewish Culture

I Can’t Live Without Optimism

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A few weeks ago, I wrote about the little Jewish girl, Alta Fixler from Manchester, England, who was threatened to be removed from life support against the will of her parents. It is sad to write that it has happened this past Monday. Although she was a girl from Manchester, Jews everywhere took it to heart and tried to help the family save the child. All legal procedures were attempted to no avail. Politicians from the U.K., U.S., and Israel also tried to influence the hospital’s decision to no avail.

It is very sad for the family, and it is very sad that a country which is a major part of Western Society has steeped so low in the last decades. Some governments and legislatures have decided that they have a right to decide what a “life worth living” is.

Upon hearing the news, I was devastated. The only positive thought that came to mind was my gratitude to G-d that I am a citizen of a country where such a thing is far from happening. We live in a blessed country.

I should mention again Senator Schumer’s unrelenting efforts on behalf of Alta. Among other efforts, he arranged that she should be issued U.S. citizenship which she was eligible for because the father is a U.S. citizen. His efforts are exemplary and were encouraging to behold.

Many people across the spectrum are concerned about the direction in which our country is going. Everyone has their view; some are concerned this way and some the opposite. I agree that it’s good to carry concern, especially when one is in a place to affect change by voting, voicing their beliefs, etc. At the same time, I think a person must choose to see as much and even more positivity. I personally can’t live with too much concern. I need to find reassurance that we are constantly moving to better futures.

My optimism might be a weakness of me, but I still believe that it’s true! In history there are constantly positive and negative developments but overall, I think the positive developments win. It’s like the stock market, it goes up and down, but the overall direction of the general market is, thank G-d, upward by leaps and bounds.

Let’s look at an example. To me, what can be called traditional values, including religion, are extremely important. Before the sixties these values were much more widespread. Some would see it as a decline, and I agree that it is so on the one hand. On the other hand, many people have come to embrace these values from their own choice and self-discovery. I think that is very positive. It wouldn’t have been possible without the decline that happened first, so even the decline can be viewed positively in hindsight.

In the Jewish world an entire movement called the “Ba’al Teshuva Movement” sprung up after the sixties. It was, and still is, a movement of people with little Jewish education who rediscover their Jewish heritage in new and refreshing ways. Not only have they changed themselves, but they have also changed the entire mainstream Orthodox Jewish community.

I can’t live in a pessimistic world. That’s why I choose to look at the positive. Thank G-d, there are always many positive and awesome developments that give us hope and happiness. May we only share good news!

Comment? Email me: moshe@mosheunger.com.

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