Scene Around

Trust but verify?...

You know I'm referring to the "compromise" recently reached by our Secretary of State JOHN KERRY, our European allies and "trustworthy" Iran, Six months will tell. (Pray!)

I recently received in the mail a little booklet containing pocket facts about Israel. On the page with the heading "Israel's Security Threats" was written the following:

"Iranian leaders call for Israel to be 'wiped off the map' and are racing to build nuclear weapons.

Iranian-supported proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah, are building larger military arsenals and threaten Israel on its southern and northern borders.

The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank has been unable or unwilling to eradicate terrorist groups or stop terrorist plots or arms smuggling."

It states on another page:

"When Israel left Gaza, Hamas was elected as the new governing party. The founding document of Hamas calls for the destruction of Israel and the murder of Jews. (You can read the translation for yourselves online.)

As long as this remains the guiding document for Hamas or the Palestinian people, the dream of peace remains impossible.

The Hamas Charter is violent and racist. For instance:

"Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it."

(Peace with these people? I think not! The Hezbollah and PLO charters are also violent and racist. Again I say trust, but verify! AND PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!)

More about Israel's security...

In 1973, my spouse and I decided to visit Israel. We were excited to make our first trip to the Middle East and to experience what we felt we knew about this wonderful country. Also, my dad had died earlier in the year and I wanted to put a note of remembrance into the Western Wall for him.

We flew from Orlando International Airport to JFK Airport in New York City on our first leg of the journey. JFK is where we were to board an El Al Airlines flight for our trip to Israel.

Mind you... we're back in the year 1973. And, in spite of a (sort of) peaceful time, Israel's security was heightened.

Our country, under the leadership of President Richard M. Nixon, had just experienced the "Watergate" scandal.

While waiting at the JFK airport for a bus to take us over to our El Al plane, we were separated from our spouses... men on one side of the lounge... women on the other. (Security reasons I guessed?)

A friendly, elderly lady (Elderly? About the age I am now) sat next to me and started a conversation. "How do you feel about Watergate," she said to me, "and what do you think of the United States helping Israel with weapons if they are needed?" Being the same "smarty-pants" then as I am now, I answered something like, "I want the United States to help Israel in any way and my spouse told me what weapons we are giving Israel!" She stopped asking me questions and gently moved away.

When it came time to board the bus to the El Al airliner (we needed a bus as the plane seemed very far away) my spouse was nowhere to be found. Even when I boarded the plane and found my seat, he still wasn't there. I asked hostesses but they ignored me.

Finally, just as the plane was about to take off, my spouse boarded. He said he was removed from the others and went through another security check. (Oy vay... what did I do?)

During the flight from New York City to Israel, the trip was pleasant, the food was plentiful, but the bathrooms became stuffed up. Going in search of a bathroom that wasn't stuffed, I went toward the back of the plane... a section where El Al personnel sat. I saw that same friendly elderly lady!

(Talk about heightened security! Israel must have realized something big was about to happen. While on our trip the Yom Kippur war broke out.)

Let's change the subject...

The Altamonte Chapel jazz concerts usually take place on the last Sunday of the month... but not this one!

There is a very special holiday program being planned on Sunday, Dec. 15 for all music lovers.

The email our own ALAN ROCK sent out said as follows:

"ALLAN VACHE is back in town from performing all over the country and has put together a fabulous holiday concert.

Joining Allan will be CHRIS ROTTMAYER on piano, CHARLIE SILVA on bass, and DENNIS LAAK on drums. With this group it will start a swinging holiday season for one and all. Add to that the jam session and I know you don't want to miss this.

Remember, the second set is always a jam session. If you'd like to join in bring your axe (instrument) and vocalists are welcome too."

The Altamonte Chapel is located at 825 East S.R.436 in Altamonte Springs. The phone number is 407-339-5208. Call for times, and all other information.

Simply the best...

Not only is he sharp, dedicated, brilliant at his work... he is handsome too! (I'm old so I'm entitled to say such things.)

I'm referring to Dr. SCOTT COHEN, DMD, MSD, of the Periodontics & Implant Dentistry office of Drs. Chace, Horvat and Cohen on W. Morse Blvd. in Winter Park.

Not only is he the best at what he does, he is gentle, pleasant, fun... and so many other good adjectives...(too many to think of.)

He is also the husband of lovely SARAH and father to JACOB, age four, and ZACHARY, age two. (See photo).

I feel particularly lucky to have found Dr. Scott Cohen.

Mazel tov department...

ZAIBA MALIK is a board certified ophthalmologist and assistant professor at Wright State University School of Medicine in Ohio. She is a graduate of Rollins College, Winter Park.

She was recently the subject of an article titled "Where Two Faiths Intersect: Serving The Poor" in the online news journal .

This past spring, Zaiba returned from a trip to Ecuador where she performed more than 65 surgeries.

One for the road...

A man climbed to the top of a high mountain to talk to God.

The man asked, "God, what's a million years to you?"

And God said "A minute."

Then the man asked: "Well, what's a million dollars to you?"

And God said "A penny."

Then the man asked: "God, can I have a penny>"

And God said: "Sure... in a minute."

Just one more thing...

Thanksgiving morning I tuned my TV set to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

My emotions swelled and I cried, remembering the day my dad took me to the parade.

I was nine years old at the time. That was much, much more than half-century ago, yet I remembered.

I wish my dad could know this. I wish I could thank him.