The Blogs: Jewish Optimism

What does Jewish Optimism look like?

A Pessimist Jew says to his fellow: “Things couldn’t possibly get any worse than this!

His friend, the Optimist Jew answers: “Don’t say that! Of course it can!”

For the Jewish people the Holocaust wasn’t the first, but it was definitely the worst.

I am fearful of the future in which generation will be nourished by selective and unverified information, filled with agenda and promotion of short term goals.

Today is the memorial day of the Jewish Holocaust. We are supposed to be looking backwards in horror and then look forward and say ‘Never Again!’. My Facebook feed today is flooded with ‘Never Again’ posts. I however, look forward and see horror. Because Optimism is so easy to sell and horror is so easy to find.

Don’t get me wrong. I have tons of faith in the good people can do. But I am 3rd generation to the horror. For my people it wasn’t the first but it was definitely the worst. Maybe they were complacent. Maybe they saw it coming but there was nothing they could do. Either way, telling ourselves that the worst is also the last is kidding ourselves. I’m a Jewish Optimist. Therefore I believe it can always get worse.

Not inspiring, is it? Maybe not. But maybe it is. Because dreading can create a passion for the contrary. And my passion is to educate and talk to as many people as I can, to make sure we are not oblivious to our surroundings.

Without a past we have no future. If this is our past, we must make sure our future is filled with light and good deeds. A little light illuminates the deepest dark. Always look forward, but remember where you came from. And most important, keep optimistic.