Ash & Crew, LLC

07/25/2024

About two decades ago, Yael & I were guests at a Sunday afternoon event where Bibi Netanyahu was the featured speaker. As there were just few dozen people there, we got a chance to meet Bibi in person. While we would’ve been content with a hi and a photo op, Bibi got into a conversation with us for like 15 minutes

I’m not talking stump speech or canned “shmooz”—but an actual conversation that had nothing to do with politics, that day’s headlines or the group sponsoring the event—and everything to do with what was on OUR minds, which at that point was furniture related—as we had actually stopped at a showroom on the way in to look at some dining room sets

Before we knew it, we were getting shopping pointers from the Prime Minister of Israel, who as it turned out had worked part time in a furniture store during his MIT days.

Later we shared what happened with someone who’s a regular in those rarefied circles, When we were done, he smiled and said “Now you understand what makes him Bibi, the guy has a superpower that lets him find common ground to genuinely connect with people and when he’s done, they have a story they’ll be sharing forever and he’s made fans for life”

That’s what came to mind listening to Bibi address congress. He was powerful yet personable, compelling yet controlled and authentic yet without affectation, heck, if he was running for office I’d have given him my vote

But he’s not running for office, he’s running for his life…for all our lives, because Israel is the closest thing the free world has to a canary in a coal mine…it’s Iran’s ‘test market country’ where they can coordinate terror dry runs to gauge global reaction before taking it on the road to Europe and ultimately here —aka ‘Great Satan Country’.

Screw detractors like Nancy Pelosi and her twisted sisters & brothers—the ones who call themselves “progressives”because the term “liberal” has become a neutered punchline. If any of them had a tenth of Netanyahu’s intelligence, authenticity and heart maybe they’d be taken seriously by more than the lemming-minded and thimble-brained protestors who are afraid to show up maskless because someone may recognize them which may result in mommy & daddy cutting them off

Everything he said tonight didn’t just ring true it resonated truth. Sure the ‘pro anything that’s anti-Israel and America” spinners will be out there in force—they have to be, otherwise Iran, Qatar and their proxies will want a refund…probably with interest.

And yeah with everything going on, it’s obvious his political career is pretty much over.

But that’s what makes today even more impressive. Let’s assume he has access to the same polling and editorial we do, he knows he’s pretty much over when the current nightmare is, and rather than go through the motions like a lame duck, he made himself a target of both detractor democrats and pro-Palestine protesters, because that level of commitment is what’s needed to cut through the outrageous apathy and accusations that have become the new normal for Israel…and Jews everywhere

Surprised at his commitment? Don’t be. You see, he’s been entrusted with the Jewish world’s most valuable ‘asset’—Israel—and that’s a trust he refuses to take lightly

While his speech to congress was amazing, and we definitely were impressed, we weren’t surprised, after all, we had a preview on a Sunday afternoon about two decades ago

07/16/2024

Facebook wants me to say something about this photo, so how about “when viewed together with the totally unrelated ABC news headline, it comes off as a manipulative, low rent move that makes perfect sense considering ABC is owned by the same corporate parent as Marvel—the studio that made the “Sabra” character Russian because they felt an Israeli superhero(which is what Sabra is in the Marvel comic universe) wouldn’t go over well in the major multiplexes of Iran, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon etc...then again, over there they play Holocaust themed movies in reverse because like this it has a happy ending—seeing the Jews in the camps.

06/03/2024

Today is our 39th wedding anniversary or as my late mother in law semi-affectionately called it “a day that will live in infamy”.

The venue? The Shalimar in Staten Island, NY—an Italian owned hall that was just ‘breaking into’ the kosher market.

While marrying Yael was more than enough to make the evening unforgettable, I still remember how the manager at Shalimar, Donny Carl Leone asked if Yael & I could pose for a picture with some ‘good friends’ of his who ‘always wanted a picture of themselves at a Jew wedding’.

Then as the photographer was setting up the shot, Don(we were told to NEVER call him ‘Donny’) pulled Yael & I aside and asked us to take a good look at all the faces—particularly the men—so if we ever had to, we could swear under oath that they were with us for our entire wedding . Then Yael—ever the practical one—asked “with everything going on, how would we know if they’re here the entire wedding?” Then Don smiled this sweet gentle smile and said “you’ll know because I’ll tell you, honey…oh yeah, that reminds me, since yous our first Jew in June wedding, we’re upgrading your dessert to the 8 layer cake…on us!”

As Donny was putting the lead pipe he had been holding the entire time back in his pocket(guess there was a plumbing problem he had to deal with), we couldn’t help thinking ‘wow a free layer of cake’! Talk about an offer we couldn’t refuse!

Talk about an amazing first 39 years that happened too fast to look back on…and yet are still all the reason we need to look forward to the next 39…thanks Yael, couldn’t have done it without you…obviously.

And while I’m at it, a belated thanks to Donny…uh DON Carl Leone, not just for the extra layer of cake, but for releasing my great-aunt Phyllis AND for sending those matching SergioTachinni sweat suits…once we were done with those NYPD & FBI interviews…

Lastly, a very overdue thanks for that December dinner invite to Sparks steakhouse, I know it’s 39 years later, but after all you did for us, it still bugs us we had to cancel at the last minute, but that day—December 16 1985–was the day after our first Chanuka together & Yael & I were just “too Chanuka’d out”. Hope the kosher food you ordered didn’t go to waste!

05/29/2024

In all my years on this earth, I have learned that dying is inevitable. No one can stop it. We have one life to live. The material things we invest in are left behind. Memories, therefore, are important.
So, I'm going to start a "reunion of friends". The idea is to see who reads a post without a picture. If no one reads my post, this will be a very short experiment. But if you are reading this message, make a comment using a single word about how we met. After that COPY this message on your wall and I will also leave you a word. Please, don't leave a word and then not bother doing the second thing. Let’s go! Friends are important, especially right now! Now it is your turn.

05/21/2024

, ,

04/19/2024

This weeks Shalom ,

04/10/2024

03/12/2024

Paddy Chayefsky reacting to Vanessa Redgrave using her 1978 Oscar win speech as a soapbox to advocate for Palestinians and complain about Zionist hoodlums

01/19/2024

01/12/2024

Dear Knuckleheads Who Run Qatar Inc,

Seriously?!

New York City public school kids don’t have enough challenges? Overcrowded classrooms…underfunded budgets…now they have to deal with being taught the geographic equivalent of 2+2=3?.

Do you really think you’re giving them a competitive edge they can use in future by teaching them the land and people of Israel don’t exist?

Not to burst your bubble, but Israel—and the Jews who’ve been calling it ‘home’—gave the world everything from the technology behind cellular technology, to USB thumb drives to monotheism to the concept of public education aka the predecessor of the one you’re currently neutering(kudos to Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Gamla/circa 64 CE)

Meantime before you found yourselves sitting on gallons of ozone-killing fossil
fuels, all you were known for was your impressive horse and camel breeding skills. Hmm, going from breeding horses & camels to harboring sociopathic a # …it’s amazing what passes for progress in your neck of the woods

Yes, the good lord in his infinite sense of humor gave your little skid mark of a nation oodles of money and yes you’ve been using it to make the world a better place…but making it a better place for fanatic psychopaths doesn’t really count…especially when said psychopaths have the kind of “tunnelvision” that proves they don’t give a damn about anyone who can’t line their pockets

BTW you DO realize that before October 7th, most of us thought Qatar was one of those fictional middle-eastern countries that writers used when they needed a “bad guy” country for movies like TopGun Maverick or the latest Brad Thor, Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, etc novel. Fun fact; The WestWing actually used to go with “Qamar”…based on Qamar’s internal and external politics it’s clear which ‘real’ country inspired it…hint, it wasn’t Denmark

Anyway, then the nightmares of October 7th happened(big surprise, right?)…and suddenly you guys found yourselves at the ‘big boy table’ and in a situation “where everybody knows your name” and those with second rate intelligence services are even glad(ish)you came. Hey, why not? After all, you were positioning yourselves as the moderate voice of reason that even baby killing psychopaths like Hamas would listen to.

This despite the fact that common sense—and history—tells us that getting the respect of baby-killing psychopaths starts by showing them you share their ‘values’. But hey, if hindsight wasn’t 20/20, it’d be foresight.

Of course it didn’t hurt that aside from ‘shared values’ you also gave the Hamas leadership your Platinum Cards and even deluxe accommodations at your finest hotels…which is where many of them watched(and in real time), the way their mindless, minions massacred almost 1500 Israeli innocents

And while the world was coming apart both for Israelis and Palestinians, YOUR minions in the Americas and Europe were busy reminding department heads and university administrators that you expected more from your generous grants and endowments than having them support BDS and invite anti-American/anti-Semitic radicals to come lecture on campus.

Small wonder all those anti Israel/Zionism/‘Jews in general’ protests were up and running in days…and not just up and running but fully coordinated in terms of;

CHANTS; If left to their own devices most college kids would be hollering something like “From the river to the sea…if you want to know more, don’t ask me”…which is why you didn’t leave them to their own devices and made sure every protest(not to mention most campuses)was seeded with individuals who put the “pro” in protest

CLOTHES & COLORS; As in the kaffiya wardrobe staple and a supply of red, black, white & green markers…(anybody want to ask Amazon, Staples/Office Depot or any of the major marker manufacturers when sales of those particular colors started increasing? (especially in communities with college campuses?)

CONGRESSIONAL CLOWNS; Nice to see you have AOC & her coven on board as well as the usual progressive putz’s. Just make sure your bagmen…uh bagPEOPLE..stay within those pesky campaign finance guidelines

formerly COOL PEOPLE; The requisite washed-out star desperate to be relevant again is a prerequisite for these at least until Celebrity Squares (aka Hollywood Squares)calls.

The fact all these alleged ‘grass roots’ efforts were up and running so quickly and efficiently makes me wonder if perhaps were expecting something.

Naaah, you’re the good guys, right? If you had even an inkling of anything you’d have contacted whatever politicians you bought…uh I mean know…and give them a heads up because that’s what responsible countries do.

What they don’t do is protect and support the human equivalent of f***l matter…then exacerbate that by promoting anti-semitism on our campuses and as if that wasn’t enough backing that with a trial balloon that’s the first step in turning our public schools into their personal, hate-filled madrassas. Does it sound like I’m making a big deal about a minor omission?

Only if you think all they want is a minor map omission. These fanatics want anyone who believes in personal freedom gone…to them, that innocently inaccurate, grade school map is a canary in the coal mine

…And if we don’t wake up, that canary will be replaced by the American Bald Eagle