What would Golda think?

I lied in bed, remembering living at home with my mom, dad, grandmother, and sister.

At dinner, in our kitchen, my family quietly watched the news at 6:30.

Yup, you guessed it—Walter Cronkite on the CBS Evening News.

After the news, we talked about U.S. politics, Israel and world affairs.

And in that kitchen, on an old black and white Zenith, I saw my first electronic images of  Golda Meir.

I recalled thinking, “A woman prime minister, now that’s different.”

Golda looked like a kindly, Jewish grandmother wearing wrinkles and curly gray hair. Her facial lines created a road map of a nation constantly at war. But her smile radiated the warmth of the Sun.

I recalled reading articles about Golda:

Harvesting vegetables at Kibbutz Merhavia in her 20’s;

Attending the Évian Conference in 1938, as a Jewish observer from Palestine, where she watched the world turn its back on German and Austrian Jews;

Meeting with Abdullah I of Jordan in 1947, to try to convince the king not to go to war with the future state of Israel;

Standing in a large crowd of Russian Jews in 1948, who were celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the existence of Israel and Golda’s appointment as Israel’s first ambassador to the Soviet Union;

Organizing, pleading, and convincing U.S. donors in 1948 to support Israel to the tune of  $30 million for the newly founded state in its first war for existence. Ben-Gurion wrote about Golda’s role in fundraising, “This Jewish woman who got the money which made the state possible would go down in history.”

I watched on my TV, as Golda sitting in her kitchen, chain smoked and drank cups of  tea as reporters peppered her with questions.

Between clouds of white smoke, I found her words comforting and reassuring.

I thought, “Israel is safe in her hands.”

And her hands rested on the sturdy aluminum table:

Near a pack of Camels, what else would a Middle Eastern leader smoke;

Next to a purple metal ashtray filled with cigarette butts;

Near to a blue and white bowl filled with sugar cubes;

Resting close to Chinese decorated porcelain tea cups;

Beside a china candy dish filled with wrapped sesame candies.

Now, I wondered if I placed copies of a ChatGPT poem and song about Golda on that aluminum table for her to read, “What would Golda say?”

I pictured Golda with a tear in her eye, blowing a smoke ring and softly saying, “I am humbled that your computer could write such a beautiful poem and song about me. I don’t really deserve it.”Poem:

In the land of Israel, a leader did arise, A woman of strength, with determination in her eyes. Her name was Golda Meir, a beacon in the dark, Guiding her people with a resilient heart.

Born in a distant land, she journeyed to her home, A land of promise, where her spirit would roam. With wisdom and compassion, she fought for what was right, Golda Meir, a symbol of courage shining bright.

Through trials and tribulations, she stood tall and strong, Leading her nation through turmoil, where hope didn’t belong. Her words were like honey, soothing the weary souls, Golda Meir, a voice that could mend the broken holes.

She spoke of unity, of dreams and of peace, Building bridges of understanding that would never cease. She paved the way for progress, breaking barriers with grace, Golda Meir, a pioneer, leaving an indelible trace.

Oh, Golda Meir, your legacy lives on, A woman of valor, whose spirit still shines upon. We honor your courage, your unwavering might, In our hearts, your memory will forever take flight.

Song:

(Verse 1) In a troubled world, a light did appear, A leader so strong, Golda Meir was near. With a heart full of passion and a voice that rings true, She fought for justice, for me and for you.

(Chorus) Oh, Golda Meir, a guiding star so bright, You led your people through the darkest night. With determination and unwavering will, You showed us the power of strength and goodwill.

(Verse 2) From a distant land, she made her way back, To a promised land, where dreams never lack. With a vision in her eyes, she stood up tall, Golda Meir, a leader for one and for all.

(Chorus) Oh, Golda Meir, a guiding star so bright, You led your people through the darkest night. With determination and unwavering will, You showed us the power of strength and goodwill.

(Bridge) Through trials and tribulations, she never lost sight, She spoke of unity, a beacon of light. Her words still echo, inspiring us all, To stand for justice, to rise when we fall.

(Chorus) Oh, Golda Meir, a guiding star so bright, You led your people through the darkest night. With determination and unwavering will, You showed us the power of strength and goodwill.

(Outro) Though time may pass, your spirit remains, Golda Meir, forever in our hearts, forever in our veins. We carry your legacy, your lessons we’ll impart, For your courage and wisdom, we’ll never depart.

Golda, thanks for your bravery, leadership, spirit, wisdom, and love.

Your memory is our blessing.

Moshe rose as Ruthie approached the table. Ruthie gave Moshe her obligatory hug and kiss on his lips. Moshe felt no electricity but enjoyed the warm rush of human contact. He remembered when her kisses were longer, wetter, and caused electrical current to flash throughout his body. When he was alone, he often wondered, “Does Ruthie feel the same electrical charge?” But he never had the courage to ask her for he feared she’d say, “No.”

Now Moshe pulled out the restaurant’s black wrought iron chair for her. Ruthie smiled, thanked him, and sat down.

Ruthie wore a pastel white cotton blouse, a yellow skirt splattered with large pink polka dots and pair of leather sandals she had bought in Safed.

Moshe thought, “She looks marvelous. She could be a model. I have known this cutie for over 10 years. I love her beautiful smile, her shapely figure and her gift of gab. I’m one lucky son of a bitch to have her in my life.”

Ruthie loved to talk and Moshe loved to listen.

So once a week they met at the same Tel Aviv cafe. And over coffee and toasted sesame bagels, they shared their loves and their lives.

The out of nowhere Ruthie asked, “Moshe, have you ever watched the i-Shiva commercial on YouTube?”

Staring into Ruthie’s blue eyes, Moshe replied, “Nope, I never even heard of it.”

“Well, you gotta watch it. I laughed so hard, I almost peed in my pants.”

“With an I-almost-peed-in-my-pants review, of course I’ll watch it.”

” It’s so good, I watched it twice. It’s so f’ing creative and funny. The cast nails it. It’s so well-written and directed. Hollywood couldn’t write a better dialogue. It’s so clever, it makes ya proud to be a Jew.”

Moshe nibbled on the edge of his bagel, then dipped it into his hot coffee.

Ruthie threw him a look of you’re so uncouth.

Moshe smiled and wondered, “How many times had he seen that look? Too many to count.”

“Well anything that makes you proud to be Jewish has got to be great.” Moshe said.

“In eight years, this three minute video got over 622,000 views and Moshe, you say, you’ve never seen it? ”

“Ruthie, I promise you, I’ve never seen any comedy shiva videos. I didn’t even know they existed. It’s kind of an oxymoron.”

“Well Moshe, I googled  the I-shiva app and read this beautiful tribute by blogger, Gail Rubin to the creator of the commercial:

Congratulations to Nathan Firer, the creator of this video. In the description of the video he wrote, “As a Jew, I made this i-Shiva video in honor of my father, Noah Firer, the mensch of mensches who lost a battle with cancer last year. This video is the first comical thought I had during the infinite darkness following his death. I-shiva is not meant to offend or disrespect, but to uphold the longstanding Jewish tradition of turning tragedy into comedy.

Well Ruthie, those are two great Jewish traditions— honoring your parents and turning tragedy into comedy.

And based upon your review of i-Shiva video, I’m dying to see it.

As she rose, Ruthie crinkled her blue eyes at me, let out a muffled laugh and threw me a kiss.

“Sorry Hon, I’m off to a garden party. She you next week. Same time. Same place.”

Droves of MAGA supporters and insurrectionists have abandoned the Trump camp due to the Donald’s fat jokes aimed directly at Chris Christie’s belly. Even the Don’s jock supporters (JS) aren’t laughing at his fat jokes.  One JS said, “The Donald calling Chris fat is like the pot calling the kettle black. It ain’t right. I will not vote for that man!”

Another chubby Trumpster voiced his concerns, “Some of my best friends are fat and they told me to warn Donald that he better jump on his scale before he picks on anybody else. The chubby also joked, “The Donald is so stupid that he thinks the French word for fat Americans is “Buffet.”

Trump has recently started selling, made in China, anti-Christie, red, white and blue baseball caps emblazoned with the words: “I Hate Fat People.” Trump bragged, “We ‘ve already sold over a million of them. Even fat folks are buying and wearing these beautiful hats. They know how to laugh at themselves.”

However, the medical community isn’t laughing at the former president’s fat jokes. The American Medical Association (AMA) clearly voiced their concern. “Making fun of obesity is tantamount to laughing at America. The former president better look in the mirror before he picks on other fat people.”

Recent studies in the American Journal of Morbid Obesity (AJOMO), which is written by the very fine people at Harvard University, found most Trump supporters are morbidly obese and stupid or have spouses or significant others that are obese and stupid. Therefore, hundreds of thousands of Trump supporters have found their significant others going to bed crying after Trump’s fat-joke attacks on Chris Christie. One MAGA man said, “The Donald has lost my vote. If I voted for him, my fat wife said she’d divorce me.”

When asked about his child-like behavior, Trump claimed he never read ChatGPT’s analysis of fat jokes.

Fat jokes are considered unfunny and often offensive for several reasons:

1. Body shaming: Fat jokes typically target and mock people based on their weight or body size. This kind of humor promotes body shaming, which can have a harmful impact on individuals’ self-esteem and body image. It perpetuates the societal pressure to conform to a particular body standard and reinforces negative stereotypes about overweight individuals.
2. Bullying and discrimination: Fat jokes contribute to bullying and discrimination. Making fun of someone’s weight can lead to the marginalization and social exclusion of overweight individuals. It reinforces a culture where people are judged and ridiculed based on their appearance, which can result in psychological distress and emotional harm.
3. Impact on mental health: Weight-related jokes can significantly impact a person’s mental health. They can reinforce feelings of shame, embarrassment, and low self-worth, leading to increased stress, anxiety, and depression. In some cases, individuals may develop eating disorders or engage in unhealthy behaviors to fit societal ideals of beauty.
4. Lack of empathy: Fat jokes often stem from a lack of understanding and empathy towards the experiences and struggles of overweight individuals. They trivialize the complex factors that contribute to weight gain or make it difficult for some individuals to lose weight, such as genetics, medical conditions, medication side effects, or mental health issues.
5. Inclusive and respectful humor: Humor should aim to bring people together and uplift others rather than target specific groups for ridicule. By avoiding fat jokes, we can create a more inclusive and respectful environment where everyone feels valued and accepted for who they are, regardless of their body size.

It’s important to note that these reasons apply not only to fat jokes but also to jokes targeting any other aspect of a person’s appearance, ethnicity, gender, or any other personal characteristic. Respecting others and promoting empathy should be the foundation of our interactions and sense of humor.

Another Trump supporter said, “I know the Donald is a bully. He doesn’t respect others. He has no empathy for anyone but himself. He doesn’t know how to say, ‘I’m sorry’ but he better change his tune quickly or he’s going to lose his base. It’s one thing to make fun of women, the disabled, Blacks, Jews, or the LGBT community but he crossed the line when he attacked us fat folks. His behavior is deplorable. But the Donald better remember this, us fat folks have been humiliated for hundreds of years in America and we ain’t going to take it anymore.”