Celebrating the Virtues of True Love

January 31, 2018 Scott Rifkin, MD

The Love Issues, Jmore 2017 and 2018

Dear Friends,

This is our second annual “Love Issue.” We celebrate the people we love and tell them how much they mean to us.

Love is a private choice, but I’ve decided to talk a bit about the people I choose to love.

I love the dreamers. The wonderful young people brought to this country as child immigrants. They have known no other home. They are educated, productive and patriotic.

They dream the American Dream as did our grandparents.

I love the brave gay couples that have chosen to marry and to be proud of who they are. Who are we to tell anyone that they don’t have a right to happiness and love? True love is a rare and beautiful thing and one of the great gifts of life.

I love the homeless that have been sleeping on the streets of our community in the freezing cold. I recently heard Mayor Catherine Pugh talk privately with great anguish about the problem and she gave me hope that someone in power truly cares.

I love anyone in our society that has been exposed to racism. Trumpism has empowered the racists in our society. They never went away; they just hid their hate.

Now, their covert racism has come into the open. As Jews, we should understand that the man who hates black folks, Muslims and Hispanics also hates us.

If we do not stand up for the victims of this hate, we will be the next target.

I love my wife, Fran, and my wonderful children. I love my daughter-in-law and my future son-in-law. I love my vibrant parents who are bravely dealing with being in their 80s.

I love my unborn first grandchild due in March.

I wish all of you true love. Love is the power we have over hate and evil. It protects us from the cold and the uncertainties of life.

In love, there is God and there is light for the soul.

Best,

Scott Rifkin, MD

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