4 | JANUARY 6 • 2022

T

he nuclear talks
between world powers
and Iran are moving
forward and will soon reach
the decision-making stage.
To borrow a
soccer analogy,
the sides are
done feeling
each other out.
The Iranians,
masters of
negotiation,
tried condition-
ing the continuation of talks
on the removal of sanctions
and were rebuffed. It appears

that this time the Europeans
(mainly Germany, France
and Great Britain) are more
involved in the talks, while
the Americans, who spear-
headed negotiations under
former President Barack
Obama, are working more
collaboratively with the other
global powers.
It seems that despite the
mutual threats and prevail-
ing sense that the talks were
headed toward failure, an
agreement will ultimately
be reached that will restrict
Iran’s pace of uranium

enrichment and give Tehran
what it wants with the
removal of most of the dra-
conian sanctions.
Iran’s long-term strategic
interest is to possess a nucle-
ar weapon. In the short term,
however, under the yoke of
sanctions and a sputtering
economy that threatens the
regime’s survival, Tehran
must get the sanctions lifted.
The United States, under a
president with plummeting
approval ratings, needs an
achievement to improve his
standing. The Chinese and

Russians, which regardless
don’t abide by the sanctions,
will be glad to return to
doing legitimate business
with Iran — such that ulti-
mately, all sides have an
interest in reaching a deal.
Israel is in the toughest
position of all. If a deal is
reached, currently sanc-
tioned funds will be unfro-
zen, allowing Iranian terror
and influence to run amok
across the Middle East. We
can expect the situation in
Syria to change as well, and
for the Iranians to apply even
more pressure in an effort to
cement their influence there.
The Iranian nuclear threat
won’t be eliminated, either,
with the country remaining
close to the threshold point.

PURELY COMMENTARY

continued on page 10

I

f you are a fan of the DIY
network, you are probably
familiar with many aspects
of the building trade. Maybe
you have seen houses built or
rebuilt. However,
I would venture
a guess that
none of them
was redone with
music.
“Home on
the Range” has
graced many a campfire; at hol-
iday time, we know that we can
go “up on the rooftop quick,
quick, quick.
” The actual parts
of a house have been memorial-
ized in many songs, if you think
about it. And, of course, I am
going to.
The idea of a home as an
entity has been captured in
“Take Me Home” (Phil Collins),

“Nobody’s Home” (Deep
Purple) and “Home” (Michael
Buble as well as Sheryl Crow).
Though a house would never
be built this way, let’s start at the
top and work our way down.
“The Roof” (Mariah Carey),
“Rain on the Roof” (Lovin’
Spoonful) and “Up on the
Roof” (Drifters) all give a shin-
gular start. (Stay with me; it can
only get worse.)
We know of building walls,
tearing down walls, climbing
the walls and having seen the
writing on the wall. Therefore,
we are not surprised to find:
Pink Floyd telling of “
Another
Brick in the Wall;” Bon Jovi has
been concerned with “Walls;”
Sam Smith has told us that the
“Writing’s on the Wall;” Miley
Cyrus has recounted being a
“Fly on the Wall.
”

To look in or to look out,
what can serve better than a
window?
Melissa Etheridge has asked
us to “Come To My Window;”
the Temptations have assured
us that “I’ll Keep a Light in
My Window.
” “O Mary, At the
Window Be” was urged by
none other than Ludvig van
Beethoven.
Whether it is protected by

an additional screen or being
double wide or lifts up to reveal
the garage, a door is the portal
to the structure. It has been
the concern of several singing
groups. Consider “Looking Out
My Back Door” (Creedence
Clearwater), “Knocking on
Heaven’s Door” (both Bob
Dylan and Guns N’ Roses) and
“Behind Closed Doors” (both
Diana Ross and Dolly Parton).
So, you see you do not have
to be good with a hammer or
drawing plans or have elec-
trical/plumbing skills. Just get
some song sheets and start.
Happy house singing!

for openers
Sing Me A House

CORRECTION
In ‘No Jew Should Be Alone” (Dec. 23, page 12), Ellen
Kershenbaum’s name was misspelled, and it should have
said that Rabbi Hershel Klainberg is also retiring.

Sy Manello
Editorial
Assistant

opinion
Israel Is Fast Approaching the
Moment of Truth with Iran

Eliezer
Marom
JNS.org

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