Hope for the best.

Expect the words.

Some bring champagne, some die of furs.

No way of knowing which way it's going.

Hope for the best expect the worst.

Welcome to the commentary magazine daily podcast. Today is

Thursday December 14th, 2023. I am John Podhore. The editor of

Commentary magazine.

Let me just take a moment to say that if you haven't already

and you are a subscriber to commentary

either online or in print or both. You have likely received from me a

letter a year and letter that we send out asking you to give and give generously

to support commentary a 501c3 nonprofit institution that survives and thrives

due to the generosity not only of those who pay to subscribe, but also those who think about

commentary in their annual giving.

And in the wake of October 7th we received a flood of donations new

donations for which I cannot express enough gratitude, feeling of deep humility at the fact that you are

reposing in us a certain level of trust and expectation that we can help you

through this very difficult period for the Jewish people, for the West, for Israel, for America, and the letter that went out

this week, though, is it's vitally important to us in terms of how we budget, how we stay alive, how we keep going

for those of you who have responded in previous years and those of you who may not have responded after

October 7th but have received this letter which we were also going to be sending

...