Eis tzarah

Two articles published this week refer to the hebrew word 'tzarah' - (distress, woe, trouble)
Rabbi Adlerstein discusses the coming week's schedule at the UN.

If this does not objectively qualify as an eis tzarah, I would be hard pressed to find one. BE”H, the week might pass uneventfully. But our chiyuv in advance is certainly to be mindful of the threat, and to respond the way Torah Jews always respond. The best segulah for Divine Protection is the one clearly required by halachah: davening up a storm.
Speaking with no authority at all but that of a Jew feeling much heaviness of heart and anxiety, I would like to suggest and hope that all of us will stop at the many mentions of Eretz Yisrael and Yerushalayim in Shemoneh Esreh and in bentsching this week, and take the time to beg HKBH for compassion directed at His people and His holy Land.

Read more: http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2011/09/18/eis-tzarah-hi-le-yaakov/#ixzz1YQTWvLXx
New York Magazine titles John Heilerman's article 'The Tsuris' (the troubles)
and features a cover of the President with a yarmulca on his head and the captivating words, 'The first Jewish President.' If you can stomach the article, you will find that Obama is 'certainly a president every bit as pro-Israel as the country’s own prime minister.'
Here's an excerpt from a comment posted at the end of the article.
the author is assuming ALL OF THE PROBLEMS will just magically disappear if a Palestinian state is created. Never mind that Hamas does not comply with the PA, nor back a Jewish state, or a PA state run by Fatah. A "state" won't stop hatred and incitement taught in their schooling and written in their textbooks. And what about Jerusalem? So once a state is declared, two nations that both want the capitol, they will just magically get along? Even with a PA state, the Palestinians have still not renounced terrorism- so now it'll just be legal terrorism to go into Jewish homes and slaughter families?

Anther comment:
And no, Obama isn't the first Jewish president; but if he gets a 2nd term and follows your advice; he might be the last President while there was a land owned by the Jewish people.
Read full article at: http://nymag.com/news/politics/israel-2011-9/
And let's take heed of Rabbi Adlerstein's words and pray with extra fervor this week.