Velandy Manohar, MD.,
Distinguished Life Fellow, American Psychiatric Association.
Dear … [Shared with Leaders at National level and professional organizations.]
Psalm 36.9: KJV: “For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see light.”
Psalm 127: KJV: “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”
I would like to share these heartening reports and express my profound gratitude to you President Biden and the seasoned, purpose driven “Secret Cell” who shaped this landmark agreement
A. 1. https://youtu.be/Am2w_xLXkK8?si=yqKQPNKy_aF45o7s Factual account of the negotiations that President Biden conducted with Qataris and HAMAS.
2. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/21/us/politics/biden-hostage-talks-israel-hamas.html This report gives more details of the complex negotiations which involved seasoned Officials working with President Biden to achieve this major breakthrough..
3. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-november-22-2023/ US President Joe Biden speaks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to welcome the hostage deal that will include the release of 50 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, a four-day lull in fighting in the Palestinian enclave, and the release of some 150 Palestinian prisoners
4. Hamas releases American child, other Israeli hostages - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com) Hamas releases 17 hostages including 4-year-old American whose parents were killed in Oct. 7 attack. The hostages ranged in age from 4 to 84 and included Abigail Edan, a 4-year-old dual citizen whose parents were killed in the Hamas attack that started the war on Oct. 7. “What she endured was unthinkable,” Biden said of the first American freed under the truce. He did not know her condition. He did not have updates on other American hostages and said his goal was to extend the cease-fire deal as long as possible. Family learns 8-year-old Israeli-Irish girl thought killed in Hamas attack is likely a hostage - CBS News : The little girl, Emily Hand who was born in Israel and has an Irish father, was at a sleepover at a friend's house in Kibbutz Be'eri, where they both live, when the terror attack took place, according to her father, Thomas Hand, who spoke with CNN in the days right after the attack.
A.5. 'I wish I were there to hold her': Biden confirms release of 4-year-old whose parents were killed in Israel (msn.com). President Joe Biden on Sunday celebrated the release of the first American to be freed by Hamas as part of a temporary cease-fire agreement in the group's war with Israel – Avigail Edan, who turned 4 while she was in captivity. "Today she's free, and Jill and I together with so many Americans are praying for the fact that she is going to alright," Biden said in remarks from Nantucket. The White House said Sunday afternoon that Biden spoke by phone with members of Edan's family in the United States and Israel. Edan's parents were killed in the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. She was kidnapped alongside another family that found her wandering near their home. According to the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum, she spent 51 days in Hamas captivity.
More than 20 children under the age of 18 have been released, Biden said Sunday.
The U.S. president said he would be speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again "shortly" and would continue working to extend the deal, which includes the release of humanitarian aid into Gaza and Palestinian prisoners.
Biden said that 200 aid trucks have been able to move into Gaza each day carrying food, water, medicine, fuel and cooking gas. "More is needed, but this deal is delivering life-saving results," he said. The Biden administration hopes to keep the pause in place past Monday.11 27 23
B. 1. (37) Qatar releases statement on hostage deal and "humanitarian pause" (cnn.com)
2. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/netanyahu-thanks-biden-for-efforts-to-secure-hostages-release-in-latest-call/ Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani the Emir of Qatar has been working continuously with President Biden and the HAMAS to formulate the complex elements of what appears to be workable Plan approved by a Vote of the Israeli Cabinet and is expected to begin to be implemented on Friday on 11 23 23.
B. 3. https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2023/nov/25/israel-hamas-war-live-hamas-set-to-release-fresh-wave-of-hostages-reports-say-as-ceasefire-continues. The UN said 61 trucks carrying medical supplies, food and water had delivered their payloads in the northern Gaza Strip as the pause in fighting allows aid to enter the territory. Another 200 trucks had been dispatched to Gaza from Nitzana in Israel, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Saturday, 11 25 23.
Reflections and meditations on these landmark and momentous, profoundly life changing and humanitarian cascading rush of events that were kick started and sustained by President Biden and his team.
These vital processes are shaking us all up and keeping us very tensed up because fo staccato cadence of the events with and fits starts and sudden inexplicable distressing stops.
Is this healing gesture a harbinger of a humanitarian pivot from maleficence to beneficence and working for the common good? Let us seize the opportunity and strive to forge a two-nation restructuring the historic lands of Judea and Samaria. We must heed the advice of our Martyred President he bestowed on a nation that was on its knees at the end of the war, emotionally depleted, spiritually splintered and embittered. "With malice toward none with charity for all with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan ~ to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." It seems to me that President vision of reconciliation and healing of the bitter enemies who fought to establish that the United States remains one nation that is committed to Justice and Liberty for all. He wanted to pivot from maleficence and bitter conflict to beneficence and joining hands between erstwhile enemies and work for the Common Good in the United States.
The Head Of School at Quaker School -Ramallah Friends School, West bank Ms. Rania Ma’ayeh said the most recent attack shows safety must improve. “This incident is a reminder of the urgency to change the discourse, which has dehumanized Palestinians. They are people who are deserving of empathy, compassion, rights, freedom, happiness and life,” she said after she learned with shock and sadness that three recent Alumni from this school who were admitted to prestigious Schools in the USA were shot at by a total stranger on the streets of Burlington, VT where they were celebrating Thanks giving holiday with the relatives of one of their friends. Sadly, as dangerous as being a Palestinian living in the West bank can be this was the first only time these brilliant, purpose driven students were shot at because of who they were in a small town in VT. Thus nearly 160 years after President Lincoln entrusted to us his vision of a winning strategy to build a more perfect Union, we are being made emphatically reminded that much work needs to be done to create “beloved communities’ as envisioned by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. across the land in our quest for a more Perfect Union. The perspectives shared by Ms. Rania, Ma’ayeh, can serve as a Moral Compass to guide our quest to succeed in achieving the aspirational goals of our Founding Fathers and form a more Perfect Union.
This audio recording provides former PM of Israel Ehud Barak perspectives in an interview about the Two State solution. had advocated for a two State Solution for 16 years. EHUD BARAK; A 2-STATE SOLUTION IS THE ONLY HOPE – The Savage Nation (michaelsavage.com)> This renowned Military General and 10th PM of Israel has spoken about his perspectives on the Two State Solution in his book, “My Country my life: Fighting for Israel, Searching for Peace.” In the summer of 2000, the most decorated soldier in the history of Israel set out on a quest as challenging and daunting as any he ever faced on the Battlefields to secure a final peace with Palestinians. Mr Ehud Barak was Military Chief, IDF Chief, Defence Minister and PM of Israel. He explains his perspective in this Audio recording. In his book he has a Chapter Hate V Hope. All the people in the region must reconcile themselves to One Irrevocable fact that Israelis and Palestinians are going to stand their ground in Galilee, Judea and Samaria are not going anywhere to live. This is echoed by Ambassador D. Ross during an interview of NPR. This land is their home for both the Palestinians and Israelis thus only the Two State solutions offers the promise of a more peaceful and prosperous future for both Nations. The last sentence of Mr. Barak’s book is Theodore Herzl’s assertion: If you will it, it is no dream.
The transcript of this interview 23 years ago, Israelis and Palestinians were talking about a two-state solution : NPR gives insights on how close president Clinton came to persuading PM Ehud Brak and Yasser Arafat the head of the PLO to finding the path to lasting solution 23 years ago. Ambassador Ross who participated in the process offered this assessment.” But, you know, I'm looking at what's going on now, and I'm focused on, how can we come out of this so there's a day after? Because there needs to be a day after. We have to understand - Israelis aren't going anyplace, and Palestinians aren't going anyplace. Somehow, given that, we have to find a way towards coexistence, and obviously, we're not there now.
C.1. In Memory of the martyred residents of the 1200 residents of the Kibbutzim were brutally mutilated, burned,[Making identification difficult] assaulted and murdered on Oct 7th 2023 in a planned well-organized plan by HAMAS to implement their plans to eliminate Jewish people from the lands between the River and the Sea.
I am sharing these great compositions and concerts specifically Symphony #3 Kaddish with text for the speaker composed by both Maestro Leonard Bernstein and Sam Pisar who is stepfather of the SoS A. Blinken. He amended the original text based on his experiences as survivor of the Concentration camps. He had this number tattooed on his arm B1713 . The HAMAS Charter and Leaders have clearly asserted this strategic vision.
Israel revises down its death toll from Hamas attacks on Oct. 7 : NPR "This is not a final number. It is an updated estimate," Lior Haiat, spokesperson for the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, wrote. He added that the toll might still change again. Many of the bodies were burned and mutilated that day, and the process of identifying them is still underway.
2. a. Bing Videos Leonard Bernstein - Symphony No.3 “Kaddish” Composed by Leonard Bernstein, Text for speaker composed by Leonard Bernstein
b. Works | Works | Leonard Bernstein
3 .a. Kaddish - YouTube John Axelrod Conducts Symphony #3 with Sam Pisar text at the Yad Vashem Museum
3. b. John Axelrod conducts Symphony No. 3, Kaddish, by Leonard Bernstein, text by Samuel Pisar. (6 of 6) - YouTube.
I trust these links will be source of great comfort to all those to sit down in a quiet place and listen harmonious collaboration of the music, text, voices of the chorus and full symphony Orchestra especially when we are continuously confronted by frightening and disturbing images and often debilitating reports with some hopeful news of reunions and supplies of food water fuel and medical supplies being brought into Gaza. Also, this humanitarian pause can also provide the opportunity t0 secure new residences after they were displaced and permits family members to arrange for last rites, pay their respects and formally bury their loved ones in reasonable peace and quiet in Gaza who were killed during the campaign to eliminate HAMAS in Gaza relatively safely in reasonable peace and quiet.
“Non-Nobis, Domine!, Non- Nobis, Sed Nomini Tua da Gloriam”: Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us; but unto thy Name be ascribed all honours and glory.” Prayer of Gratitude and Humility and Motto of the Knights Templar.
I welcome your responses. Please feel free to share.
Respectfully submitted,
Velandy Manohar, MD
PS 1. : This is link to President Bidens response to my detailed letter early in the Conflict: President Bidens response to my post on WH portal.my (velandymanoharmd.com)
PS 2.: I offer these additional links to alleviate distress, mitigate adverse effects of loss, affirm self and sustain healing.
Health Promotion - Educational Materials (psychiatristsites.com)
Treatment Recommendations for Restoring Wellbeing (psychiatristsites.com)
Sources of Solace and Strength, Insight, and Inspiration
ClassicalMusiclistandresourcestorestorationofwellbeing
Massachusetts General Hospital- Spiritual Care Spiritual resources for Hard Times (psychiatristsites.com)
Six Tips to enhance Immunity (psychiatristsites.com)
NB:
Gaza Israel War- Human Cost and resources that must be deployed in organized equitable humanitarian ways (velandymanoharmd.com). One of the resources I have cited is the Center for Mind Body Medicine- Dr. James Gordon and his teams have organized and implemented parallel programs in Israel and Gaza for 20 years to offer professional interventions to offer hope by initiating and sustaining healing in the midst of turmoil. Building Resilient Communities in Gaza - CMBM. This information is in the website Home - CMBM which I have mentioned in this document.
I have also cited the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine [NICABM]. [NICABM - YouTube] They offer well-designed instructive, helpful courses and students can have access to stellar faculty on Trauma. They provide great training and data sheets with graphics that can help patients to work on specific strategies during therapy. This is a couple of their renowned experts Bessel van der Kolk, MD, Judith Herman, MD and colleagues. They may be able to design based on needs and resources to train staff in Gaza and Israel to engage, care for and provide effective treatment acutely and overtime for civilians of all ages as well as those in Uniform, the bereaved family members of the heroic fallen or wounded survivors with traumatic experiences. https://www.nicabm.com/contact/
I welcome your responses.Please feel free to share. Velandy Manohar, MD.
Distinguished Life Fellow, Am. Psychiatric Association, [APA]
Associate Member- Harvard Medical Alumni Association
Member of Steering Committee and Founding member of the Psychotherapy Caucus of the APA.,
President Asian American Caucus of APA,
Founding member NE Chapter of Indian American Psychiatric Assoc. and
President of Indian Am. Psychiatric Association
Aetna: Member National Quality Assurance Committee.
Founding Member Community Resilience Collaborative of Mx County, CT. [Focus on long term consequences of Childhood Trauma]
Member, Middlesex [CT] Coalition for Children.
CT. Psychiatric Society: Member – Legislative Committee.
CT State Medical Society:Member of Ethics, Quality of Care and Disaster Preparedness Committees.
Founding member, Chair of Board of Trustees CT. Valley Hindu Temple Society &past part time Priest of Sree Satyanarayana Temple, Middletown, CT.
American Health Council– Best in Medicine-2018
Chair, Community Engagement and Outreach Standing Committee, Comm. Advisory Council, Office of Health Strategy, CT