Getting schoolchildren to eat green vegetables is anything but easy. Getting students in ultra-Orthodox schools to eat these vegetables as part of their school lunch could soon become impossible.
Representatives of ultra-Orthodox groups have been petitioning the government, in meetings and through correspondence since last October, to exempt their schools from the legal requirement to serve leafy dark green vegetables as part of a menu eligible for federal funding.
Their reason has nothing to do with the taste of spinach, kale, or cabbage. It is because these and other leafy greens might be infested with tiny insects that would render them non-kosher. The groups have asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture to find substitutes that would maintain the nutritional benefits of these vegetables without having ultra-Orthodox children risk eating food that might contradict their dietary laws.
Read more: http://forward.com/articles/171666/ultra-orthodox-schools-resist-mandate-on-vegetable/?p=all#ixzz2M2WK5A00
A Dutch appeals court has upheld a $90 fine against an Orthodox Jew who refused to show police an identity card, citing religious reasons.
Read more: http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/General+News/158398/Dutch-Court%3A-Jews-Not-Exempt-From-Carrying-Their-ID-Cards-On-Shabbos.html
26 Feb 2013
The Jews
At PMW, Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik point to an op-ed published by Palestinian news agency Ma'an.
"One wonders if the Jews belong to some other kind of human species... From where does all this evil and destructive energy derive? Do all the other nations deserve all this evil and hostility, just so that Jews may control them?"
Read more: http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=8600
National Review discusses an individual who is rooting for Chuck Hagel.
Chuck Hagel may not be having much luck winning over Republican senators, but at least someone is aware of his moral fiber — Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam. Yesterday he delivered his annual address at the Saviours’ Day convention in Chicago, Ill. In the speech, he praised Hagel for standing up to the “Jewish lobby,” and said Hagel was being punished only for stating what Farrakhan has argued for decades.
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/341523/farrakhan-cheers-hagel-s-jewish-lobby-comment-betsy-woodruff
H/T Memeorandum
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Monday blasted an Oscars sketch in which potty-mouthed film star bear Ted joked about Jews in Hollywood, calling it "offensive and not remotely funny". ..."It only reinforces stereotypes which legitimise anti-Semitism. It is sad and disheartening that the Oscars awards show sought to use anti-Jewish stereotypes for laughs," he said.
Read more: http://www.channel24.co.za/Movies/News/Jewish-group-offended-by-Oscars-sketch-20130225
A hot air balloon flying over Egypt's ancient city of Luxor caught fire and crashed into a sugar cane field on Tuesday, killing at least 19 foreign tourists, a security official said.
It was one of the worst crashes involving tourists in the country already struggling with a decimated tourism industry, two years after the 2011 uprising that ousted former leader Hosni Mubarak.
According to an Egyptian security official, the balloon carrying 21 tourists caught fire, which triggered an explosion in its gas canister, then plunged at least 300 metres from the sky. http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/02/26/egypt-hot-air-balloon-crash.html
Who is going to be the first to blame the Jews for the balloon disaster?
"One wonders if the Jews belong to some other kind of human species... From where does all this evil and destructive energy derive? Do all the other nations deserve all this evil and hostility, just so that Jews may control them?"
Read more: http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=8600
National Review discusses an individual who is rooting for Chuck Hagel.
Chuck Hagel may not be having much luck winning over Republican senators, but at least someone is aware of his moral fiber — Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam. Yesterday he delivered his annual address at the Saviours’ Day convention in Chicago, Ill. In the speech, he praised Hagel for standing up to the “Jewish lobby,” and said Hagel was being punished only for stating what Farrakhan has argued for decades.
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/341523/farrakhan-cheers-hagel-s-jewish-lobby-comment-betsy-woodruff
H/T Memeorandum
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Monday blasted an Oscars sketch in which potty-mouthed film star bear Ted joked about Jews in Hollywood, calling it "offensive and not remotely funny". ..."It only reinforces stereotypes which legitimise anti-Semitism. It is sad and disheartening that the Oscars awards show sought to use anti-Jewish stereotypes for laughs," he said.
Read more: http://www.channel24.co.za/Movies/News/Jewish-group-offended-by-Oscars-sketch-20130225
A hot air balloon flying over Egypt's ancient city of Luxor caught fire and crashed into a sugar cane field on Tuesday, killing at least 19 foreign tourists, a security official said.
It was one of the worst crashes involving tourists in the country already struggling with a decimated tourism industry, two years after the 2011 uprising that ousted former leader Hosni Mubarak.
According to an Egyptian security official, the balloon carrying 21 tourists caught fire, which triggered an explosion in its gas canister, then plunged at least 300 metres from the sky. http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/02/26/egypt-hot-air-balloon-crash.html
Who is going to be the first to blame the Jews for the balloon disaster?
25 Feb 2013
A seeing eye
Contemplate three things, and you will not come to the hands of transgression: Know what is above from you: a seeing eye, a listening ear, and all your deeds being inscribed in a book.
Pirkei Avot 2:1
One woman broke up with her fiance after she caught him on “street view”, cheating.
One woman was searching for an address on the Russian version of Google street view. She saw someone who looks very familiar to her, who she thought might be her fiance. She zoomed in and sure enough it was him with another woman.
Continue reading: http://www.yourjewishnews.com/2013/02/w6721.html
Does the story above give us pause to contemplate the truth of what was written in Pirkei Avot centuries before Google view came into being?
Pirkei Avot 2:1
One woman broke up with her fiance after she caught him on “street view”, cheating.
One woman was searching for an address on the Russian version of Google street view. She saw someone who looks very familiar to her, who she thought might be her fiance. She zoomed in and sure enough it was him with another woman.
Continue reading: http://www.yourjewishnews.com/2013/02/w6721.html
Does the story above give us pause to contemplate the truth of what was written in Pirkei Avot centuries before Google view came into being?
Coins of fire
The Medrash tells us that in order to explain the mitzva of the Shekalim, Hashem
took out a coin of fire from underneath his Kisei HaKavod and showed it to
Moshe. Rav Elyashiv asks two questions. First, had Moshe Rabbeinu never seen a
coin in his life? Second, what exactly is Hashem doing hiding coins under his
Kisei HaKavod?
He answers with a Tosfos in Chulin (42a) that Moshe couldn't understand how money, the most earthly of all creations, can save someone's neshama (Kofer Nefesh). So Hashem showed him a coin. Which coin? The gemara in Bava Basra (11a) says that during a hunger year Munbaz HaMelech emptied out his treasure chest to feed the poor people. His family became very mad that he was squandering the royal wealth. To this he replied that he is not losing the money, he saving the money up in Shamayim in a place where it will last forever while they squander money down on earth where it will eventually disappear.
Rav Elyashiv says these are the coins that Hashem took out to show Moshe. The coins that are given for tzedoka with Mesiras Nefesh are precious and are saved by Hashem under the Kisei HaKavod. Moshe understood that coins are made of destructive fire. They cause jealousy, cheating, stealing, and murder. Hashem showed him that coins can be made out of productive fire. Coins given for tzedoka can light the world and warm the world with their "Holy fire". On these coins Hashem said "Kazeh Yitnu". If the people give in this fashion then even coins can be Kofer Nefesh and money can redeem your soul.
http://www.thejewisheye.com/rev_pkitisa.html
He answers with a Tosfos in Chulin (42a) that Moshe couldn't understand how money, the most earthly of all creations, can save someone's neshama (Kofer Nefesh). So Hashem showed him a coin. Which coin? The gemara in Bava Basra (11a) says that during a hunger year Munbaz HaMelech emptied out his treasure chest to feed the poor people. His family became very mad that he was squandering the royal wealth. To this he replied that he is not losing the money, he saving the money up in Shamayim in a place where it will last forever while they squander money down on earth where it will eventually disappear.
Rav Elyashiv says these are the coins that Hashem took out to show Moshe. The coins that are given for tzedoka with Mesiras Nefesh are precious and are saved by Hashem under the Kisei HaKavod. Moshe understood that coins are made of destructive fire. They cause jealousy, cheating, stealing, and murder. Hashem showed him that coins can be made out of productive fire. Coins given for tzedoka can light the world and warm the world with their "Holy fire". On these coins Hashem said "Kazeh Yitnu". If the people give in this fashion then even coins can be Kofer Nefesh and money can redeem your soul.
http://www.thejewisheye.com/rev_pkitisa.html
Purim photo galleries
The Guardian has a photo gallery of Purim celebrated around the world over here. One particularly stunning photo is captioned " Balloons and masks adorn the walls of the main synagogue in Bucharest as people attend the festival." Click here to see the magnificent photo of the Bucharest synagogue.
The Independent manages to politicize its Purim gallery by labeling one child as a Jewish settler girl as opposed to a Jewish boy in another photo.
Click here to see Children of Israeli settlers wearing costumes walk past an army vehicle as they celebrate the annual Purim parade. Click here to see A Jewish settler, dressed in costume, stands near Israeli soldiers as they guard a parade for the holiday of Purim in the West Bank city of Hebron. Click here to see A Jewish settler girl walks in the annual Purim parade as an Israeli soldier looks over the procession in the West Bank city of Hebron.
Other captions include Two Ultra-Orthodox Jewish boys dressed in costumes during the Purim festival in the town of Bnei Brak as well as Jewish children wear costumes during the Purim festival.
Breitbart discusses a 2009 report co-authored by Chuck Hagel "that called for U.S. troops to lead a peacekeeping force that would patrol the future borders between Israel and a Palestinian state."
The Independent manages to politicize its Purim gallery by labeling one child as a Jewish settler girl as opposed to a Jewish boy in another photo.
Click here to see Children of Israeli settlers wearing costumes walk past an army vehicle as they celebrate the annual Purim parade. Click here to see A Jewish settler, dressed in costume, stands near Israeli soldiers as they guard a parade for the holiday of Purim in the West Bank city of Hebron. Click here to see A Jewish settler girl walks in the annual Purim parade as an Israeli soldier looks over the procession in the West Bank city of Hebron.
Other captions include Two Ultra-Orthodox Jewish boys dressed in costumes during the Purim festival in the town of Bnei Brak as well as Jewish children wear costumes during the Purim festival.
Breitbart discusses a 2009 report co-authored by Chuck Hagel "that called for U.S. troops to lead a peacekeeping force that would patrol the future borders between Israel and a Palestinian state."
24 Feb 2013
The pizza delivery
An ultra-Orthodox groom, bride and wedding guests were surprised when a pizza deliver man walked in to the wedding hall and handed the groom a pizza. Apparently, friends of the groom had set up the prank.
"Your wife will not cook dinner every night,” the uploader of the youtube video said as the reason for the prank.
Read more: http://www.yourjewishnews.com/2013/02/jv1593.html
USA today has a video of a "couple in Sarasota, Fla., lost 150 pounds between the two of them using hypnosis where they essentially were hypnotised into thinking they had had gastric bypass surgery."
I have a suggestion. How about hypnotizing everyone the couple comes into contact with into thinking that the couple lost weight?
Speaking at a Manhattan breakfast hosted by the Association for a Better New York and the Downtown Alliance, New York Senator Chuck Schumer opened up today about President Barack Obama’s choice for Defense Secretary, former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel.
Schumer explained that the embattled nominee, accused by the conservative right of being anti-Israel through the year, “almost had tears in his eyes” as he when he was told that the expression “Jewish lobby” is a culturally insensitive term towards Jews.
http://www.allmediany.com/news/7463-chuck-schumer-hagel-almost-had-tears-in-meeting-over-jewish-lobby-term
My suggestion is that Senator Schumer should invite Chuck Hagel to the Purim Seudah and to procede to get him inebriated. At that point Senator Schumer can question former Senator Hagel about his true feelings. In fact, why not require every candidate who undergoes Senate confirmation hearings to be drunk at the time of the grilling by members of Congress?
"Your wife will not cook dinner every night,” the uploader of the youtube video said as the reason for the prank.
Read more: http://www.yourjewishnews.com/2013/02/jv1593.html
USA today has a video of a "couple in Sarasota, Fla., lost 150 pounds between the two of them using hypnosis where they essentially were hypnotised into thinking they had had gastric bypass surgery."
I have a suggestion. How about hypnotizing everyone the couple comes into contact with into thinking that the couple lost weight?
Speaking at a Manhattan breakfast hosted by the Association for a Better New York and the Downtown Alliance, New York Senator Chuck Schumer opened up today about President Barack Obama’s choice for Defense Secretary, former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel.
Schumer explained that the embattled nominee, accused by the conservative right of being anti-Israel through the year, “almost had tears in his eyes” as he when he was told that the expression “Jewish lobby” is a culturally insensitive term towards Jews.
http://www.allmediany.com/news/7463-chuck-schumer-hagel-almost-had-tears-in-meeting-over-jewish-lobby-term
My suggestion is that Senator Schumer should invite Chuck Hagel to the Purim Seudah and to procede to get him inebriated. At that point Senator Schumer can question former Senator Hagel about his true feelings. In fact, why not require every candidate who undergoes Senate confirmation hearings to be drunk at the time of the grilling by members of Congress?
23 Feb 2013
A cordial decline
Below is an excerpt from Friday's State Department briefing.
QUESTION: The meeting between Palestinian negotiators Saeb Erekat and Secretary Kerry. I spoke with Mr. Erekat today, and he basically cordially wouldn’t answer.
MS. NULAND: Imagine that, Said. Imagine that.
QUESTION: He actually says to defer to you. He’s saying that you will say whatever you want to say. So could you share some of the substance of the meeting with us?
MS. NULAND: I think I’ll decline that generous offer that you’ve given me, Said. I think, as you know, this – cordially, in fact – as you know, this diplomacy depends on it being handled diplomatically.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2013/02/205100.htm
A happy Purim to those celebrating today!
QUESTION: The meeting between Palestinian negotiators Saeb Erekat and Secretary Kerry. I spoke with Mr. Erekat today, and he basically cordially wouldn’t answer.
MS. NULAND: Imagine that, Said. Imagine that.
QUESTION: He actually says to defer to you. He’s saying that you will say whatever you want to say. So could you share some of the substance of the meeting with us?
MS. NULAND: I think I’ll decline that generous offer that you’ve given me, Said. I think, as you know, this – cordially, in fact – as you know, this diplomacy depends on it being handled diplomatically.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2013/02/205100.htm
A happy Purim to those celebrating today!
22 Feb 2013
Shabbat Zachor and lateral thinking
Rabbi Eli Manour discusses Shabbat Zachor and the significance of Torah learning in his weekly parasha insight.
On Shabbat Zachor, we read the final three verses in Parashat Ki-Teseh which command us to remember the unprovoked attack launched against our ancestors when they left Egypt by the nation of Amalek. This attack occurred in a place called Refidim, and the Sages teach us that this location was so named because while Beneh Yisrael were there, “Rafu Yedehem Min Ha’Torah” – they became lax in their engagement in Torah study. It was on account of this laxity, we are taught, that G-d brought upon us the vicious attack of Amalek.
Read more: http://www.dailyhalacha.com/WeeklyParasha.asp
An article in the Blaze and the ensuing discussion in the comments section reminded me of a puzzle a friend posed to me last week. I am posting the question so that you will have something to discuss at the Purim seudah, if there is that awkward moment of silence.
Suppose that you are standing in a hallway next to 3 light switches, which are all off. There is another room down the hallway, where there are 3 incandescent light bulbs – each light bulb is operated by one of the switches in the hallway. Because the light bulbs are in another room, you can not see them since you are standing in the hallway. How would you figure out which switch operates which light bulb, if you can only go the room with the light bulbs one time, and only one time?
Click here for answer.
TheBlaze writes about a student's clever response to a test question.
A coin is flipped and then a die is rolled, what is the probability of rolling an odd and then flipping a tails,” the question reads (with no question mark).
On Shabbat Zachor, we read the final three verses in Parashat Ki-Teseh which command us to remember the unprovoked attack launched against our ancestors when they left Egypt by the nation of Amalek. This attack occurred in a place called Refidim, and the Sages teach us that this location was so named because while Beneh Yisrael were there, “Rafu Yedehem Min Ha’Torah” – they became lax in their engagement in Torah study. It was on account of this laxity, we are taught, that G-d brought upon us the vicious attack of Amalek.
Read more: http://www.dailyhalacha.com/WeeklyParasha.asp
An article in the Blaze and the ensuing discussion in the comments section reminded me of a puzzle a friend posed to me last week. I am posting the question so that you will have something to discuss at the Purim seudah, if there is that awkward moment of silence.
Suppose that you are standing in a hallway next to 3 light switches, which are all off. There is another room down the hallway, where there are 3 incandescent light bulbs – each light bulb is operated by one of the switches in the hallway. Because the light bulbs are in another room, you can not see them since you are standing in the hallway. How would you figure out which switch operates which light bulb, if you can only go the room with the light bulbs one time, and only one time?
Click here for answer.
TheBlaze writes about a student's clever response to a test question.
A coin is flipped and then a die is rolled, what is the probability of rolling an odd and then flipping a tails,” the question reads (with no question mark).
“0% because you flipped the coin first,” the clever response says.
Read full article: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/02/21/students-clever-response-to-test-question-goes-viral/
The comments posted under the article contain examples of lateral thinking including:
A man walked into a bar and asked the barman for a glass of water. They had never met before. The barman pulled a gun from under the counter and pointed it at the man. The man said “Thank-you’ and walked out. Why should that be so?
“Which of the following numbers are divisible by 2. 2 5 6 9 12 16"
14 Feb 2013
Everything is in it
In a mishnah in Pirkei Avos (5:6) (popularized by Shweky ; - ), Ben Bag Bag states "Hafoch ba hafoch ba, de'kula ba - Turn it and turn it, for everything is in it." In other words, all of the wisdom of the world can be found in the Torah, albeit often expressed cryptically and with brevity - leaving it to Torah scholars to tease out the details through diligent study.
http://www.chizukshaya.com/vayishlach/
A Canadian Rabbi delved into Biblical verses and says that from there—from the Torah’s narrative and the derivative teachings found in rabbinic commentaries—he learned the answers to life’s everyday moral questions. In order to share the practical insights he gleaned over decades of study and teaching, Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Lazer Gurkow, spiritual leader of Beth Tefilah synagogue in London, Ontario, Canada wrote Reaching for G-d: The Jewish Book on Self Help.
Continue reading: http://crownheights.info/chabad-news/372908/book-offers-practical-advice-from-biblical-narratives/
I attended a lecture the other day in which the rabbi spoke about the second chapter of Megillat Esther. He pointed out that we have a custom that when we recite a devar Torah, we attribute it to the author. We learn this from the 22nd verse in chapter 2.
And the thing became known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther told the king thereof in Mordecai's name.
Esther told the king, in the name of Mordechai, that there was a plot to kill him.
The video below explains how we learn about giving a ring at a marriage ceremony from this week's parsha.
A Canadian Rabbi delved into Biblical verses and says that from there—from the Torah’s narrative and the derivative teachings found in rabbinic commentaries—he learned the answers to life’s everyday moral questions. In order to share the practical insights he gleaned over decades of study and teaching, Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Lazer Gurkow, spiritual leader of Beth Tefilah synagogue in London, Ontario, Canada wrote Reaching for G-d: The Jewish Book on Self Help.
Continue reading: http://crownheights.info/chabad-news/372908/book-offers-practical-advice-from-biblical-narratives/
I attended a lecture the other day in which the rabbi spoke about the second chapter of Megillat Esther. He pointed out that we have a custom that when we recite a devar Torah, we attribute it to the author. We learn this from the 22nd verse in chapter 2.
And the thing became known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther told the king thereof in Mordecai's name.
Esther told the king, in the name of Mordechai, that there was a plot to kill him.
The video below explains how we learn about giving a ring at a marriage ceremony from this week's parsha.
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