What A Place To Be! So - as Abq Jew is sure you've heard - there were elections held throughout the United States yesterday. Important elections, whose results may determine the course of events far, far into our future.
Or then again, maybe not.
Abq Jew certainly hopes that turns out to be true in New Jersey, his former home state, where Mikie Sherrill, who would have been his US Representative had he skipped over 15 wonderful years in Albuquerque and remained in Livingston, is now the Governor-elect!
And then there's New York City.
Abq Jew certainly hopes that turns out to be flagrantly untrue in New York City, his former home base, where Zohran Mamdani, born in 1991, thirteen (13) years after Mr & Mrs Abq Jew left The Big Apple, is now the Mayor-elect.
Zohran Mamdani is a Democratic Socialist. He is also, at best(?), an anti-Zionist, but, at worst, an antisemite (for those who insist upon a distinction, albeit one with no difference). Most Jews have long recognized this (although some, amazingly, have not), and await his time in office with trepidation.
Abq Jew firmly believes that it's not time to despair ... yet. And Dr Einat Wilf, in an X post, offers an important story ... and an intriguing question.
Lately I reflect often on the difference between historical and personal time. I imagine a Viennese Jew, let's say the year is 1902, he is 37. He is living in the best time in the best city for Jews, pretty much ever. His mayor is Karl Lueger and there is this ambient antisemitism, but life is really really good for the Jews in Vienna. In its cafes they are hatching ideas that will define humanity for the coming century.
Now, there is this guy Herzl, who clearly, from the perspective of that Viennese Jew, who is similar in age to Herzl, went a bit nuts. Why else would a man who scaled the heights of Viennese society, was the respected editor of what would be today a combination of the opinion, arts, travel, and literary pages of the NYT, suddenly start writing about a Jewish state and even going mad organizing for it and building its institutions and lobbying world leaders for it?
Now, let's imagine this Viennese Jew dies in 1937, at the age of 72. He passed his life in the best city during the best times for Jews in that city. When he dies, he still thinks, despite the gathering storm next door, that Herzl was crazy.
So, reflecting on the difference between historical and personal time, what do you think, would this Jew have been better off immigrating in the early 20th century to a malaria ridden tract of land in the Ottoman Empire or living in Vienna until his death?
