Michael Billok

Proud husband and father of four, former Navy submariner, employment attorney, and Saratogaphile. Opinions are my own. Keep moving forward.

[Michael Billok @MikeBillok]

@SaratogaChamber @BondLawFirm Thank you!

[Michael Billok @MikeBillok]

@failedtomenace @AndyScoggin @TheNYRA @NYRABets @KaylieShapiro13 @OfOaklawn @UrbnHandicapper @Eacheverystride @ArmchairHndcp @csheehan45 @SPNnation74 @shakeshack!

[Ryan Stone @RyanStone_96]

Morning wakeup on Day #5 of the war, courtesy of the missile siren. It’s surreal in our apartment building’s bunker, watching the incoming missiles on TV, knowing they’re aimed at you. It’s haunting, too, realizing every building must have these shelters by law.

As an American, it is noteworthy that the news here honors each victim of recent attacks—24 civilians and a few soldiers in Gaza over the last several days. Why no soldier deaths from IRGC missile strikes? Israel’s defenses and the IRGC’s focus on civilian targets have, thankfully, spared them. It’s clear who they’re after.

Global outrage? [Checks world press and social media] It’s mostly aimed at Israel—for defending the free world—while the IRGC (or Hamas), bent on destroying it, gets a pass. At the Paris Air Show yesterday, they even blocked Israeli defense companies, a move that’s not just morally wrong but against French law.

The lessons of October 7th and this week��s attacks reveal a grim truth: too many people and leaders fail to see the existential threat we face. Antisemitism persists, fueled by misguided media, college professors, 'woke' students, UNRWA, conspiracy theorists, and even some Jews so eager to assimilate they ignore their own history. They sling slogans and virtue-signal “peace” as both the goal and the path, because naivety is easier than the sacrifice achieving real peace demands. While they don’t pull the trigger, their actions amplify the worst evil actors, rationalizing it as social justice. They are naive-il!

The answer? A strong Israel. It’s the only reliable safeguard for Jews—and, frankly, for humanity. As every Israeli and Masada visitor learns: “Shaynit Masada Lo Tipol” (Masada shall not fall again). It’s not just a slogan; it’s lived by Israeli lions every day and is playing out acutely this week.

Amid a multi-front war, tragedy, and triumph, Israelis—Jews, Christians, Muslims, LGBTQ, all equal under the law—still celebrate life. I saw a marriage proposal on my run yesterday, and a sweet dog keeps us company in the bunker.

To friends saying “Stay safe”: Thank you. That’s our mission here—not just for us, but to keep you safe, too.

Bring the hostages home now. L’Chaim. Am Yisrael Chai!

[Todd Shimkus @ToddShimkus]

Looking for something fun to do this Wednesday? Join our Saratoga Watch Party at Bookmakers as Kermit the Frog delivers the commencement address at the University of Maryland. Proceeds benefit Amy’s Army in the Walk to En Alzheimer’s!

[CBS Sports College Football 🏈 @CBSSportsCFB]

Always an incredible sight and display of pageantry: The Brigade of Midshipmen.

[Todd Shimkus @ToddShimkus]

Historic Saratoga takes its place at center of horse racing world when Belmont Stakes comes to town | AP News #belmontstakes #ilovesaratoga https://t.co/krRsksb3Dz

[AG @AGHamilton29]

I know most of the people responsible or who are covering for it don't care, but let me explain how American Jews are feeling right now:

The overwhelming majority of Jews only live in a few countries in the world. Our families were driven out of much of Europe by pogroms and The Holocaust, and then we were ethnically cleansed from most of the Middle East.. something that rarely gets discussed.

As a result of that history, there is only a feeling of safety in societies that protect pluralism and in the world's only Jewish country. The existence of Jews in Israel is central to the Jewish religion, no matter how much some people would like to pretend otherwise.

The point is that for most Jews, Zionism is part of their identity. It's not about support for the Israeli government or any particular policy, but simply the right for the existence of the Jewish state.

Now we get to America and these protests. American Jews are Americans. We support the right of a Jewish state to exist, but that doesn't mean we want to be Israelis. Just like a French American can support the existence of France, or an Iranian American can support the existence of Iran (and can care about what happens there..). Yet I want people to understand how concerning it is to see what we are seeing now, especially given the history of the Jewish people. More upsetting is that much of this is just being ignored or downplayed by those in a position to speak up.

We are seeing videos of Jewish kids being restricted from entering school libraries. Jewish kids are being assaulted. Jewish kids face mobs attacking and harassing them simply for maintaining a belief that is central to their identity. And they are told that it's not an issue because all they have to do is denounce that part of their identity and then they can be counted as good Jews and accepted.

Then we are also seeing these mobs now openly chant for violence against "zionists," demand that "zionists" be banned from public spaces, chant for "Zionists" not to be allowed on the streets. Chant for violence against an overwhelming majority of Jews. And often also the ethnic cleansing of our relatives in Israel.

When most Jews hear that, it means us and our families. No amount of spin will change that. The goal is to try to make us feel unwelcome in these spaces and it is explicit.

You have no idea the feelings that video of a group of idiots at UCLA not letting a Jewish kid go to the library because he was a "zionist" brought out for Jewish Americans...

And before people start to argue about what things like "there is only one solution, intifada revolution" and "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Arab", we know what they mean. More importantly, we've made it clear how we perceive these things and that has made the mobs want to chant them even louder because they view it as effective intimidation. Not one of these chants has ever helped a Palestinian. Not one of them has ever changed a single Israeli policy. They are specifically aimed at intimidating people in America.

But it has gotten worse...

Businesses owned by Jews in Los Angeles are getting threatening calls telling them they either need to openly oppose Israel or they risk harassment/attacks. Jewish Synagogues facing bomb threats. Jewish-owned property is being vandalized. Jewish organizations are being explicitly targeted. Jews who support Israel are being actively targeted. And the demand is that we just accept it.

And again, the sickest part of it is not only the relative silence, but those who are supposed to inform the public on what is happening are pretending like it isn't happening because it would undermine a "mostly peaceful" narrative they prefer.

They are actively covering for the mobs doing these very things. And by the time this escalates, it will be too late. We can see where this is headed. And not just for Jews, because while we may be at the top of the target list, the people behind this also hate so many other aspects of American society and are open about saying so. They think they are revolutionaries and the society that Americans sacrificed so much to help build is their ultimate target.

The education system is failing as an institution to teach these wannabe Red Guards why this behavior is wrong. The media is failing as an institution to tell people the truth about what is happening. The government, mostly in deep blue areas, is failing as an institution to live up to its part of the social contract in protecting people from these criminal mobs. That's a lot of failures that are driving us into dangerous territory. American Jews aren't going to accept this path and being bullied out of public spaces without fighting back. I hope non-Jewish Americans wake up to it and also stand up against it because the more these mobs get away with, the further they will go. It may start with Jews (or "zionists"), but it won't end there.

[Michael Billok @MikeBillok]

@ToddShimkus This is, quite possibly, the greatest version of Danny Boy in history! 🍀

[CBS Sports @CBSSports]

9,000 stories each as unique as the young person that tells it.

Stories of challenge. Stories of love.

Today, the 124th Army-Navy Game honors their story.

[Gillette Stadium @GilletteStadium]

3 days ‘til America’s Game. 🤩

#ArmyNavy | https://t.co/4RHCzpcbH3

[Michael Billok @MikeBillok]

@ToddShimkus @SaratogaGoose I’ve had “Linus and Lucy” by Vince Guaraldi as long as I can remember, but every so often consider changing it to “Believe It or Not” by Joey Scarbury… https://t.co/N0iFJYByrA

[Richard Snyder @SaratogaRichard]

Opening Day at The Spa! Tough day at the office. @SaratogaChamber @ToddShimkus @JohnPRogan1 @MikeBillok 🐎💙

[NYRA (🌳) @TheNYRA]

We’re ready 👀👀👀👀🎪

#Saratoga

[Michael Billok @MikeBillok]

@TogaCPA_Carissa It depends. Rental LLC left Boston for New York at 9:00 this morning, traveling at 65 miles per hour. If the passive members left New York for Boston this morning and passed the Rental LLC at 10:54, how fast were the passive members traveling?

[Michael Billok @MikeBillok]

Less than three weeks until our Workplace conference in Saratoga! https://t.co/Dtx8jeOJay

[Michael Billok @MikeBillok]

If you know anyone who would like to join our incredible team, we are looking for another great labor and employment associate! https://t.co/iHTGMHZEns

[John Bagyi @johnbagyi]

If you know an experienced labor and employment law attorney who would like to join our team in Albany (and work with Paul Buehler, @MikeBillok, Rob Manfredo, Nihla Zarook Sikkander, Esq.,SPHR,SHRM-SCP, Sanjeeve DeSoyza and me!), please let them know abou…https://t.co/6KCQMv3DFz

[Michael Billok @MikeBillok]

@politicalmath A friend of mine wrote a book about his experience that captures well what it was like to go through the pandemic in NY. He had visited his mother with Alzheimer’s every day beforehand, and then couldn’t for a full year. https://t.co/wz17B97cvI

[Michael Billok @MikeBillok]

@RealEvilHRLady Your tweet reminded me of this train tale by Douglas Adams—I think you’ll enjoy it. https://t.co/5kW8yfQmiO

[Michael Billok @MikeBillok]

Join Thomas Simcoe, Delaney Rives Knapp, Shannon Knapp, and I on March 16 as we provide an update on hot topics for nonprofit organizations. Free for Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce members.

Cybersecurity Law and Other Hot Top…https://t.co/oKNlYJy0IQ https://t.co/fJXpfEPSyF