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We had a huge elm tree in front of our house when I was a kid; unfortunately, it was dead. So instead of being a beautiful and graceful shade tree, it was rather scary looking and potentially dangerous and had to be removed. 

Well, did you know that there are more Elm Streets than Main Streets in the U.S.? Apparently, this is because of the immense popularity of the tall, fast-growing, vase-shaped trees that created majestic archways over neighborhood streets all over the eastern part of the country. Besides our one dead elm tree, I recall my mother lamenting the loss of the beautiful trees that she remembered from her childhood. One-by-one they all succumbed to Dutch Elm disease, a deadly fungus that was introduced into this country in the 1930s by beatles in a shipment of lumber (one of the perils of globalization, I guess).  

Now, I am happy to report that a disease-resistant variety is available at Home Depot! These trees grow six feet a year, and are very hardy, especially in urban settings. For more information, listen here. 

I know Jackie’s depressed about voter turnout and to be sure, there is much that is wrong with our world – a lot of it of our own making. However, the return of the American Elm gives me some hope, hope that we can save ourselves, that science can help us out of the mess we have made of things, that we really can, in the words of the Jewish commandment tikkun olum, heal the world.