This morning at 540AM while sitting at a bus stop

Waiting for my Jerusalem bus - I heard a noise - and turned around quickly.

 

It was the Ultra Orthodox bottle-collecting lady going thru the trash. I reached into my pocket to give her a shekel -but she was GONE - up the hill - looking for bottles to cash.

 

Often I walk to Shul in Staten Island - and there I see the Oriental-Bottle-Collector-Lady.

 

Is there any difference?  Could they be a mirror -or warning - of our society?

 

This week's portion begins a new cycle of Torah Reading. 

 

So where do we begin?  The Torah says the world started as 

 

Tohu - Va - Vohu (emptiness and Confusion).  ARE WE STILL THERE? OR BACK THERE?

 

Poverty    -   Evil or Sadness     -    Greed    -     Barbaric Customs   -      Murder etc  ...       

 

And then comes Noah convincing the Almighty that all is not lost? 

 

We need to take stock after all our holidays  -  communicate some kindness to all the Bottle Ladies

 

Build some Arks (like Noah) to save the world - AND OURSELVES -

 

 before the revisionists and anti semites point the world backwards again

Tohu - Va - Vohu (emptiness and Confusion