Fri Mar 27, 2020, 11:23 AM

PatSeg (45,799 posts)

I received this email from Joe's campaign yesterday

It is so typical of the many stories I have read about him. So many people don't realize what kind of person he really is.

The story I’m about to share with you about Joe Biden is special -- in fact, I’m fairly certain I’m the only living person left who actually witnessed it firsthand.

It was about 16 years ago, and I was a young rabbi, brand-new to Delaware, on my way to lead a shiva minyan -- a worship service following a death of a Jewish person. I was from California. Back then, I didn’t know Claymont, Delaware from Scranton, Pennsylvania.

A quick bit of background: When someone passes away in the Jewish faith, we observe seven days of mourning, called shiva. We gather a group of ten Jewish adults together -- a minyan -- to say the Mourners’ Kaddish. It usually happens in a person’s home -- somewhere intimate.

In this case, the deceased individual -- her name was Mrs. Greenhouse, of blessed memory -- had not been a person of means. She had lived in rent-controlled senior housing in a tall high-rise building off of Namaans Road. Her apartment had been too small to fit everyone into, so we conducted our worship service in the building’s communal laundry room, in the basement of the high-rise.

We assembled the ten elders together, and it was in this most humble of places that I began to lead the kaddish. Toward the end of the service, a door at the back of the laundry room opened, and who walks in but Senator Joe Biden, his head lowered, all by himself.

I nearly dropped my prayer book in shock.

Senator Biden stood quietly in the back of the room for the duration of the service.

At the close of the kaddish, I walked over to him and asked the same question that must have been on everyone else’s mind: “Senator Biden -- what are you doing here?”

And he said to me: “Listen, back in 1972, when I first ran for Senate, Mrs. Greenhouse gave $18 to my first campaign. Because that’s what she could afford. And every six years, when I’d run for reelection, she’d give another $18. She did it her whole life. I’m here to show my respect and gratitude.”

Now, the number 18 is significant in the Jewish faith -- its numbers spell out the Hebrew word chai, as in “to life, to life, l’chayim!” But it’s also a humble amount. Joe Biden knew that. And he respected that.

There were no news outlets at our service that day -- no Jewish reporters or important dignitaries. Just a few elderly mourners in a basement laundry room.

Joe Biden didn’t come to that service for political gain. He came to that service because he has character. He came to that service because he’s a mensch.

And if we need anything right now when it comes to the leadership of our country -- we need a mensch.

I know this is such a simple, small story. But I tell it to as many people as will listen to me.

Because I think that, in their heart of hearts, when people are trying to think about the decision they’ll make this year -- this is the kind of story that matters.

Joe Biden is a mensch. We need a mensch.

Thanks for reading.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

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11 replies	Author	Time	Post
I received this email from Joe's campaign yesterday (Original post)	PatSeg	Mar 2020	OP
Damn, Ma'am	The Magistrate	Mar 2020	#1
Joe brings me to tears	PatSeg	Mar 2020	#3
I had read that... thx for posting, it's a great story. Joe has lots of them	Thekaspervote	Mar 2020	#2
He certainly does	PatSeg	Mar 2020	#4
Character is what you do when no one is looking.	CTyankee	Mar 2020	#5
Thanks for posting that email. I received that one last night at 6:45PM too, read it.....	George II	Mar 2020	#6
As with so many stories about Joe	PatSeg	Mar 2020	#8
Definition of term ..."mensch"...A yiddish term. kind, generous, giving, person who goes out	Stuart G	Mar 2020	#7
Oh yes	PatSeg	Mar 2020	#9
That's beautiful.	showblue22	Mar 2020	#10
I love this story	Gothmog	Mar 2020	#11

Response to PatSeg (Original post)

Fri Mar 27, 2020, 11:28 AM

The Magistrate (93,905 posts)

1. Damn, Ma'am

I am going to have to actually start to like this fella.

It's not easy to get a bit of water in my eyes....

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Reply to this post

Response to The Magistrate (Reply #1)

Fri Mar 27, 2020, 11:32 AM

PatSeg (45,799 posts)

3. Joe brings me to tears

more times than I can count. I went through a lot of tissue reading his book "Promises to Keep" years ago. I've never known a politician who can affect me that way.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Reply to this post

Response to PatSeg (Original post)

Fri Mar 27, 2020, 11:32 AM

Thekaspervote (30,730 posts)

2. I had read that... thx for posting, it's a great story. Joe has lots of them

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Reply to this post

Response to Thekaspervote (Reply #2)

Fri Mar 27, 2020, 11:34 AM

PatSeg (45,799 posts)

4. He certainly does

Hopefully more people will get to hear them. He is an extraordinary person, often under appreciated.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Reply to this post

Response to PatSeg (Original post)

Fri Mar 27, 2020, 12:01 PM

CTyankee (62,635 posts)

5. Character is what you do when no one is looking.

I remember that from somewhere. This story brought that saying to mind.

What a decent man.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Reply to this post

Response to PatSeg (Original post)

Fri Mar 27, 2020, 12:14 PM

George II (67,782 posts)

6. Thanks for posting that email. I received that one last night at 6:45PM too, read it.....

....and was thinking of posting it here, decided to forego. What a story. He probably didn't even want to be seen in the back of the room.

Reminds me of a story about my father's wake 15 years ago, but I'll save that for another time.

Yes indeed, Joe Biden is a mensch!

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Reply to this post

Response to George II (Reply #6)

Fri Mar 27, 2020, 12:42 PM

PatSeg (45,799 posts)

8. As with so many stories about Joe

this one really touched me deeply. I posted it on several groups on Facebook and so far, I've gotten really positive reactions. The trolls didn't bother to make snarky remarks, which is unusual.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Reply to this post

Response to PatSeg (Original post)

Fri Mar 27, 2020, 12:14 PM

Stuart G (37,385 posts)

7. Definition of term ..."mensch"...A yiddish term. kind, generous, giving, person who goes out

of his/her way to help and be nice to all kinds of people.. "Mensch" is a very special word to describe the very best of humanity. When you refer to someone as a "mensch" it is one of the highest compliments that you can give to a person. Another aspect of the word "mensch" is that the person is.. not interested in personal gain or reward of any kind, just trying to help & respect people at that moment for whatever reason is present at that moment.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Reply to this post

Response to Stuart G (Reply #7)

Fri Mar 27, 2020, 12:43 PM

PatSeg (45,799 posts)