The Bottom Line
By Moshe Katz
CEO
Israeli Krav International

October 10, 2016, Israel

Israel and USA use the dates backwards. In the USA the month comes first while in Israel the day comes first. But on days like today we are the same, in both countries it is 10 - 10 - 2016. (although in Israel we also have the Hebrew date which is the 8th day of Tishrei, 5777)

But that is where the similarities sort of end. It is election time in America and too many people are fussing and fighting over who said what and who insulted whom. Did someone call a woman fat or ugly? Did someone utter a discouraging word? Did someone say something that might be twisted in such a way as to appear racist? - the worst of all modern sins!.

In Israel we are burying two good people, a grandmother and a newlywed police officer. I do not care if someone got insulted. I do not care about words. I care about life.

I care about Yossi who gave his life to defend Jerusalem, I care about his wife who just lost everything she ever wanted. When I vote in Israel I have a clear order of priorities.

Number One Issue - Security
Number Two Issue - Security
Number Three Issue - Security

You see if we do not have security we have nothing. If we lose our state we go back to the kind hospitality of the world; i.e. persecution, massacres, pogroms, concentration camps and crematoriums. So social justice, gay rights, student tuition and whatnot do not really land on the top of my list. I have more important things to worry about.

I am not concerned if someone made some crude comments, I am not really concerned if someone's feelings were hurt; shut up and get the work done, we have to fight off enemies bent on our destruction. In war who stops to complain bout such things? Watch any World War Two film or documentary and you will hear Heeb, Dago, Kraut, Mick etc, but they fought like brothers and they won.

There are no saints, and, sorry to blow your bubble but most of those who were awarded sainthood were racists and murderers who certainly said and did some pretty awful things. The bottom line is I want to survive, the bottom line is a grandmother was murdered only because she is Jewish. The bottom line is the widow of police officer Yossi cannot stop her tears and like Mother Rachel she cannot be comforted. And nothing else interests me.

Please note that all fields followed by an asterisk must be filled in.