A word about the absolutely astonishing election that led us here to the new regime. 

We’re not a People that wonders about the how and why. We learned the correct answer to those questions before we were old enough to speak.

(In truth there isn’t a human being qualified to offer real insight. I laughed when I heard not hours after the election a radio host announce a panel of experts who would explain where the polls had gotten it wrong. Experts? Maybe you’d think they could find another term at least for a few months? A headline a few weeks ago read “57 of the country’s most influential papers endorsed Hillary. Only 2 of them endorsed Trump.” Forgive me for wondering: If that’s the case who says they’re influential?)

But even without being able to break down what happened there are lessons everywhere — and some of them might well be relevant to our community.

The Trump victory wasn’t just a crushing defeat to Democrats and a stinging denunciation of pollsters and the media: It was a resounding message to one particular class.

Newsweek quoted a Pennsylvania construction worker who explained Trump’s appeal. It was he said a revolt against the “connected class... The Washington types Republican or Democrat who don’t seem to care about people like me. It’s like we had no voice before Donald ran. No one heard us.”

If people feel disenfranchised for long enough they will eventually find a way to speak up.

If people can’t get their kids into school because there are no spots and space suddenly opens for the child of a wealthy person then there’s a connected class.

If we have organizations or mosdos where a few make decisions for the many then we have a connected class.

If access to gedolei Yisrael is controlled with some people allowed to receive their brachah and others kept out in the cold then we’ve created a connected class.

And then because you can’t have one without the other we’ve created an unconnected class too. And they are angry — perhaps with reason.

And after enough time if enough hurt piles up then they too can find a voice. You don’t need money or protektziya to find a voice on social media. The internet is to rage what a credit card is to debt. Visa or Amex don’t create debt but they do allow it to spiral out of control.

Trump’s victory was a response and we’d do well to contemplate what that means. For someone to win someone else has to lose — and that’s something we can’t afford in our camp.

The ones who run schools or mosdos are for the most part remarkably selfless people fueled by responsibility and compassion. Rabbi Mordechai Miller once received an irate letter from a gentleman whose granddaughter had been rejected by the Gateshead Teacher’s Seminary. Being a person of humility Rabbi Miller considered apologizing but was advised that the issue wasn’t his but the accuser’s. He had done the correct thing.

Nevertheless Rabbi Miller kept the letter in his desk drawer because he wanted the reminder of how much pain rejection can cause. This way he felt he’d be more sensitive in the future.

The unconnected class is out there and they’re angry. They’ve just written quite the letter. But instead of reading it the media wonders how they managed to mail it correctly.

It’s one worth reading.

Facing the Blitz

Two things I never expected to write about in this space are football and inter-family politics. We’re neither a sports magazine nor a tabloid.

Aaron Rodgers is a star quarterback for the Green Bay Packers yet it wasn’t his ability to pick the defense apart that was the subject of a severe New York Times feature last week but his estrangement from his family.

His father Ed Rodgers had this comment for the piece: “Fame can change things.”

Celebrity and popularity and intense public scrutiny can destroy a person making him paranoid and vulnerable.

Which leads me home. There are many benefits to this job besides for the very high salary and free subscription. (The subscription thing is true I promise.)

Also you get to meet cool people and often interviews lead to friendships.

The Times article discussed the extreme pressure faced by those in the inner circle of the celebrity the endless requests for favors intros messages.

In writing about Reb Moshe Reichmann I heard from a close friend and business associate a personal incident regarding the late great philanthropist.

This gentleman had been approached many times to solicit Mr. Reichmann on behalf of various tzedakah causes but he’d always been loathe to use a business relationship that way.

Once his own rosh yeshivah asked him to approach Mr. Reichmann on behalf of the yeshivah.

He had no choice. Feeling foolish he made the call.

“Reb Moshe I’m sorry to bother you. You know that in all the years we’ve been working together even though many people have asked me I’ve never once asked for tzedakah—”

Mr. Reichmann uncharacteristically interrupted.

“Why not?” he asked gentle rebuke in voice “why takeh not?”

I’ve seen this attitude again and again the sense that celebrity doesn’t bring entitlement but obligation.

And while it’s true for many in the music industry I single out two people — Yaakov Shwekey and Benny Friedman — because I’ve often been that guy the lucky one charged with asking the favor: Can you please write a text to this one call that one send a CD to this address?

They’re not only consistently gracious but they seem generally appreciative. Never just “Okay” but “Thanks for the zechus ” or “Don’t hesitate to ask again.”

I’ve seen these and other talented public performers show up at the simchah of someone who could use the extra boost and notice the way they instantly perceive what’s expected — needed — of them.

They understand that with making music and selling albums comes an opportunity to lift spirits to be a voice of inspiration and serve as a role model. It’s not only hospital visits — sometimes it’s to encourage a bochur or simply make someone smile. They understand that they are always on call every time they’re on line at the pizza shop or in shul for Minchah or even at the Kosel hoping for a quiet few minutes. I don’t know how either of them Benny or Shwekey would withstand a Patriots blitz but they deal with a different sort of rush a different pressure with a poise not unlike that of the Green Bay quarterback.

So I don’t disagree with the rationale of some Rodgers family members that fame can change people. Only sometimes it makes them better.