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You Don't Say — But You Should!

M

any a truth is said in jest:' or face.
so the old saying would have
• Love may conquer all, but
us believe. Old sayings are so its shelf life is only as long as
prevalent in our language that they often
your last shower.
contradict each other, but there always
• If you love something, let
seems to be a place for them in conversa-
it freeze. If it keeps, then you
tion. (You do remember "conversation," do have it forever.
you not? It involves talking to others, not
• When the going gets
just keying in abbreviations on a device.)
tough, the tough get going —
A fun diversion is to consider a proverb
right out the nearest exit
or old saying and put a twist on it. Here
• Until you spread your
are some I've read recently. (Bumper stick- wings, nobody can clip them.
ers and T-shirts can be great sources of
• The enemy of my enemy is
fun.)
also a fiend.
• Nothing is more taxing than
• You catch more flies with
certain death.
honey than with vinegar. But
• Laughter is the best medicine
who wants more flies?
when you cannot afford health
• I stink, therefore I am.
insurance.
• Eagles may soar, but wea-
• The more things change, the
sels do not get sucked into jet
more they smell.
engines.
• Is my brother his keeper's
• I am going to try to think
Sy Manello
brother?
positively, but I don't think it will
Editorial
• When one door is closed
work.
Assistant
another one is slammed in your
• You are only young once.

After that, you need a new excuse.
• Dishonesty is the second best policy.
• Trying is the first step toward failure.
• The second mouse gets the cheese.
• He who laughs last is slowest to get
the joke.
• Keep your friends close; they know
your secrets.
• It's not whom you know; it's how you
know them.
For my avid readers, I leave you with
the reminder that virtue is its own punish-
ment, so avoid cliches like the plague. *

-•111

editorial

Poverty: An Underlying Israeli Concern

A

s if Israel isn't battling enough
with a wave of Palestinian
terror waged largely by 15- to
25-year-olds indoctrinated to fight per-
ceived Zionist chains placed on their
lives, the Jewish state now faces a jump
in poverty, the first since 2011, despite
a relatively good economy.
Poverty is worst among Arabs and
haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Jews; more
than half of each group lives amid pov-
erty. Each group poses a governmental
challenge beyond income levels; inte-
gration into the larger society also is a
major hurdle.
The jump in poverty is slight, but
don't discount it. The Israeli govern-
ment must be held accountable to
assure the jump is an anomaly.
Too much is at stake in the small, but
growing country that has shown great
ingenuity and resilience in a rough
neighborhood that is the Middle East.
Ideally, poverty levels should always
trend downward.
Looking at the numbers, about 1.7
million Israelis live in poverty, includ-
ing more than 770,000 children, Israel's
National Insurance Institute reported

on Dec. 9 based on 2014 findings.
The percentage of families below the
poverty line rose last year .2 to 18.8
percent; the percentage of children liv-
ing in poverty was up .2 to 31 percent.
The number of Israelis now officially
poor has swelled by more than 50,000
in a population of more than 8.1 mil-
lion.
The poverty jump arises during
already troubled times. Israel faces
not just a seemingly endless string of
unorganized terrorist attacks by young
Palestinians, but also spiking rent and
grocery prices, a fragile governing
coalition and nagging questions follow-
ing the July deal involving nuclear arms
controls that world powers struck with
Iran.
The 2014 spurt follows three years
of decline in Israeli poverty. What's
more, the depth of the poverty is up.
Impoverished Israelis were almost 6
percent further under the poverty line
on average than in 2013.
Meanwhile, income inequality
continues to haunt Israel. The Jewish
state ranks second behind Mexico in
unequal income distribution, accord-

ing to the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development, an
alliance of wealthy states. OECD ranks

The jump in poverty
is slight — but don't
discount it.

yetth.

CeittifUteCt S

the extraordinary care

Israel sixth in income inequality, a bit
better than the fourth-ranked U.S.
Giving perspective to these findings,
JTA notes Israel's gross domestic prod-
uct grew 2.6 percent in 2014, and its
jobless rate fell to 5.9 percent — both
positive shifts. By comparison, the U.S.
enjoys a decidedly low jobless rate of 5
percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics.
Even though it's on guard around the
clock to defend its residents, visitors
and borders from Jew-haters, Jerusalem
must never waver in embracing ordi-
nary Israelis struggling to discover a
way of life not mired in poverty. *

of JARC will continue!

Guat (Vaud

ahe excited to- annowice/

THE MARK AND JUDY KAHN
END OF YEAR
GIFT CHALLENGE

The Kahn Challenge will match any new or
increased gifts toJARC's Fall Campaign.

19590 5

December 24.2015

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