While Vice President Joe Biden praised the Jewish community for its contributions to America, apparently one individual does not harbor the same sentiment.
The Anti-Defamation League is criticizing Louis Farrakhan for delivering blatantly anti-Semitic statements, using terms such as “Satanic Jews” and the “Synagogue of Satan,” during a speech at a Detroit church last week. The Jewish group is also asking why public figures who attended the Nation of Islam leader’s event have remained silent.
...According to the ADL and the Detroit Free Press, those present at the May 17th Fellowship Chapel event included the church’s leader, Rev. Wendell Anthony, who also serves as President of the Detroit branch of the NAACP, Rep. John Conyers (D-Michigan) and Detroit City Councilwoman JoAnn Watson.
Continue reading: http://www.freep.com/article/20130517/NEWS0102/305170150/louis-farrakhan-kwame-kilpatrick
22 May 2013
Their contributions
Jonathan Easley writes about Vice President Joe Biden speaking at a Jewish American Heritage Month reception in New York City on Tuesday.
Biden went on to congratulate the Jewish community for its contributions to American society.
“The Jewish people have contributed greatly to America,” he said. “No group has had such an outsized influence per capita as all of you standing before you and all of those who went before me and all of those who went before you.”
“You make up 11 percent of the seats in the United States Congress. You make up one-third of all Nobel laureates,” he added. “So many notions that are embraced by this nation that particularly emanate from over 5,000 years of Jewish history, tradition and culture: independence, individualism, fairness, decency, justice, charity. These are all as you say, as I learned early on as a Catholic being educated by my friends, this tzedakah.”
Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/301213-biden-needles-obama-with-teleprompter-joke#ixzz2U0O6XC74
Biden went on to congratulate the Jewish community for its contributions to American society.
“The Jewish people have contributed greatly to America,” he said. “No group has had such an outsized influence per capita as all of you standing before you and all of those who went before me and all of those who went before you.”
“You make up 11 percent of the seats in the United States Congress. You make up one-third of all Nobel laureates,” he added. “So many notions that are embraced by this nation that particularly emanate from over 5,000 years of Jewish history, tradition and culture: independence, individualism, fairness, decency, justice, charity. These are all as you say, as I learned early on as a Catholic being educated by my friends, this tzedakah.”
Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/301213-biden-needles-obama-with-teleprompter-joke#ixzz2U0O6XC74
Givers
Adam Grant has authored an article titled Who's Smarter: The Selfish or the Generous?
In a series of experiments led by the Yale psychologist David Rand, people's actual choices fluctuated based on whether they had time to think. When they had less than 10 seconds to choose, more than 55 percent gave. But when they had more time to reflect, giving rates dropped, with fewer than 45 percent giving. This follows a pattern that Rand and colleagues call spontaneous giving and calculated greed. When our decisions are governed by emotion and instinct, we act generously. When we have time to rationally analyze the options, we become more selfish.
...Why would smarter people give more? This evidence is relatively new, but two related explanations are gaining steam. First, the more intelligent you are, the more you excel at analyzing other people's interests. As James writes, "people with higher cognitive ability are better able to understand the needs of distant others." Second, the smarter you are, the more you reject zero-sum, win-lose thinking.
Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-grant/whos-smarter-the-selfish-_b_3312169.html
Speaking about giving, this afternoon I came across a video on YouTube featuring an inspirational Hebrew speaker, Rachel Bolton. Listening to her advice, I was struck by one statement she made about how G-d gives us what we need, not necessarily what we want. Our spouses, our friends and neighbors are what we need.
Let's not waste time wanting something that G-d has determined is not what we need.
In a series of experiments led by the Yale psychologist David Rand, people's actual choices fluctuated based on whether they had time to think. When they had less than 10 seconds to choose, more than 55 percent gave. But when they had more time to reflect, giving rates dropped, with fewer than 45 percent giving. This follows a pattern that Rand and colleagues call spontaneous giving and calculated greed. When our decisions are governed by emotion and instinct, we act generously. When we have time to rationally analyze the options, we become more selfish.
...Why would smarter people give more? This evidence is relatively new, but two related explanations are gaining steam. First, the more intelligent you are, the more you excel at analyzing other people's interests. As James writes, "people with higher cognitive ability are better able to understand the needs of distant others." Second, the smarter you are, the more you reject zero-sum, win-lose thinking.
Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-grant/whos-smarter-the-selfish-_b_3312169.html
Speaking about giving, this afternoon I came across a video on YouTube featuring an inspirational Hebrew speaker, Rachel Bolton. Listening to her advice, I was struck by one statement she made about how G-d gives us what we need, not necessarily what we want. Our spouses, our friends and neighbors are what we need.
Let's not waste time wanting something that G-d has determined is not what we need.
21 May 2013
Times of modernity
A Haaretz article asks:
Should the Reform movement ordain intermarried rabbis? Hebrew Union College, which is the seminary of America’s largest Jewish denomination, is considering altering its current policy, which does not allow admission to its rabbinical, cantorial or education schools of applicants who are married to or partnered with non-Jews.
“In modernity everything is fluid and up for grabs. In the case of Reform Judaism we’ve not only grudgingly come to terms with that, we’ve embraced that reality,”
Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-features/u-s-reform-jewish-seminary-reconsidering-policy-against-intermarried-students-1.524953
What's the next step? Ordaining the non-Jewish partners?
Should the Reform movement ordain intermarried rabbis? Hebrew Union College, which is the seminary of America’s largest Jewish denomination, is considering altering its current policy, which does not allow admission to its rabbinical, cantorial or education schools of applicants who are married to or partnered with non-Jews.
“In modernity everything is fluid and up for grabs. In the case of Reform Judaism we’ve not only grudgingly come to terms with that, we’ve embraced that reality,”
Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-features/u-s-reform-jewish-seminary-reconsidering-policy-against-intermarried-students-1.524953
What's the next step? Ordaining the non-Jewish partners?
20 May 2013
Blessings
Chabad Crown Heights info has a video of professor Cyril Karabus being blessed by Chabad Shliach Rabbi Asher Deren with Birchas Kohanim upon his arrival from Dubai.
Rabbi Micha Peltz writes about The Jewish Birthday 'Bracha' That Teaches Us to Count.
On birthdays, Jews greet each other with 'ad meah v’esrim' - 'may you live until 120.' This blessing, which can be traced back to the Torah, seems to acknowledge that our days are numbered.
... we learn in Deuteronomy that Moses lived to be 120 years old. And great rabbis of the Talmud such as Hillel, Rabbi Yohanan Ben Zakkai, Rabbi Akiva, and Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi, all lived to 120 as well. Pretty good company - suddenly living until 120 doesn’t sound so bad.
And why should it? The average life expectancy in the U.S. is 78. (It’s 80 in Israel – another reason to make aliyah!) Living more than 40 years beyond that could be quite a blessing. Assuming that a person still has their health. This caveat has given rise to a cute adaptation of this birthday blessing: “ad meah k’esrim” – “May you live until 100 [feeling] like you are 20!” That would truly be a blessing.
http://baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=2&ARTICLE_ID=38059
Rabbi Micha Peltz writes about The Jewish Birthday 'Bracha' That Teaches Us to Count.
On birthdays, Jews greet each other with 'ad meah v’esrim' - 'may you live until 120.' This blessing, which can be traced back to the Torah, seems to acknowledge that our days are numbered.
... we learn in Deuteronomy that Moses lived to be 120 years old. And great rabbis of the Talmud such as Hillel, Rabbi Yohanan Ben Zakkai, Rabbi Akiva, and Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi, all lived to 120 as well. Pretty good company - suddenly living until 120 doesn’t sound so bad.
And why should it? The average life expectancy in the U.S. is 78. (It’s 80 in Israel – another reason to make aliyah!) Living more than 40 years beyond that could be quite a blessing. Assuming that a person still has their health. This caveat has given rise to a cute adaptation of this birthday blessing: “ad meah k’esrim” – “May you live until 100 [feeling] like you are 20!” That would truly be a blessing.
http://baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=2&ARTICLE_ID=38059
Anti-Israel
Below is an excerpt from a statement made on Sunday by Representative of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement to Tehran, Nasser Abusharif, regarding Israel.
"It is the time for the Islamic Ummah (community) to confront this cancerous tumor and wipe it out from the region."
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9202242130
Abraham H. Miller writes, "Tammi Rossman-Benjamin and Leila Beckwith, two University of California faculty members, have bravely stood up against campus anti-Semitism;"
Leftist faculty and campus administrators have given a wink, a nod, and an expansive tolerance to campus anti-Semitism in a way that no other vile form of bigotry would be tolerated.
Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/05/two_modernday_deborahs_fight_antisemitism.html#ixzz2ToNwUZK5
19 May 2013
Shedding light
“Bahaloscha Es HaNeiros," when you bring up the candles. Why the word Bahaloscha, shouldn’t it say BiHadlikcha, when you light the candles? This can be answered with the Medrash. We all know that Hashem needs nothing from us. Everything that He asks us to do is purely for our benefit and stems from His eternal kindness. When it came to lighting the menora the gemara asks (Shabbos 22b), “V’Chi l’Ora Hu Tzarich,” does Hashem need our light? The Medrash Tanchuma (Bamidbar 5) says that the light of the appearance of the “Chayos” in Shamayim can light up the whole universe. Another Medrash Tanchuma (Bamidbar HaYashan 9) brings a mashal showing that Hashem only uses our light to make us feel important.
The Medrash Tanchuma explains that Hashem refrains from using the word BiHadlikcha, when you light the candles, because that would imply that we are the ones supplying the light. Instead, Hashem uses the word, Bahaloscha, when you go up. Each Mitzva is an opportunity for us to go up, to improve ourselves and raise ourselves. The action that we take for Hashem’s sake has no benefit to Him whatsoever. It is purely an opportunity for us to raise ourselves higher. Bahaloscha, take advantage and do it for yourself, so that you can go up!
Read more: http://revach.net/article.php?id=2316
Speaking about light, I don't believe the interview below shed much light into the President's actions on the night of the Benghazi attack.
The Medrash Tanchuma explains that Hashem refrains from using the word BiHadlikcha, when you light the candles, because that would imply that we are the ones supplying the light. Instead, Hashem uses the word, Bahaloscha, when you go up. Each Mitzva is an opportunity for us to go up, to improve ourselves and raise ourselves. The action that we take for Hashem’s sake has no benefit to Him whatsoever. It is purely an opportunity for us to raise ourselves higher. Bahaloscha, take advantage and do it for yourself, so that you can go up!
Read more: http://revach.net/article.php?id=2316
Speaking about light, I don't believe the interview below shed much light into the President's actions on the night of the Benghazi attack.
12 May 2013
Rewording
The Church of Scotland will reword a controversial report which said “scripture” provides no basis for Jewish claims to Israel, the church said in statement.
The 10-page report, entitled “The Inheritance of Abraham” and published online earlier this month has been taken down from the Church of Scotland’s website until it is rewritten.
Read more: http://www.jta.org/2013/05/10/news-opinion/world/scottish-church-pulls-rewords-report-denying-jews-claims-to-israel#ixzz2T1VhTUyE
Senior Internal Revenue Service officials knew agents were targeting tea party groups as early as 2011, according to a draft of an inspector general's report obtained by The Associated Press that seemingly contradicts public statements by the IRS commissioner.
The IRS apologized Friday for what it acknowledged was "inappropriate" targeting of conservative political groups during the 2012 election to see if they were violating their tax-exempt status.
Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-exclusive-irs-knew-tea-party-targeted-2011-190852283.html
...ABC News confirmed that State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland raised specific objections to an original CIA draft on the Benghazi massacre. ...But during her press conference on September 17, 2012, Victoria Nuland told reporters that what Ambassador Risce said on the Sunday talk shows was “very clear, very precise, about what our initial assessment of what happened.” Read more: http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/05/busted-state-department-spokeswoman-victoria-nuland-deliberately-lied-to-reporters-about-benghazi-talking-points-video/
Why has Patrick Ventrell, the Acting Deputy Spokesperson, been the one to speak at the State Department Brieifngs this past month instead of Ms. Nuland, the Spokesperson?
The 10-page report, entitled “The Inheritance of Abraham” and published online earlier this month has been taken down from the Church of Scotland’s website until it is rewritten.
Read more: http://www.jta.org/2013/05/10/news-opinion/world/scottish-church-pulls-rewords-report-denying-jews-claims-to-israel#ixzz2T1VhTUyE
Senior Internal Revenue Service officials knew agents were targeting tea party groups as early as 2011, according to a draft of an inspector general's report obtained by The Associated Press that seemingly contradicts public statements by the IRS commissioner.
The IRS apologized Friday for what it acknowledged was "inappropriate" targeting of conservative political groups during the 2012 election to see if they were violating their tax-exempt status.
Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-exclusive-irs-knew-tea-party-targeted-2011-190852283.html
...ABC News confirmed that State Department spokesman Victoria Nuland raised specific objections to an original CIA draft on the Benghazi massacre. ...But during her press conference on September 17, 2012, Victoria Nuland told reporters that what Ambassador Risce said on the Sunday talk shows was “very clear, very precise, about what our initial assessment of what happened.” Read more: http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/05/busted-state-department-spokeswoman-victoria-nuland-deliberately-lied-to-reporters-about-benghazi-talking-points-video/
Why has Patrick Ventrell, the Acting Deputy Spokesperson, been the one to speak at the State Department Brieifngs this past month instead of Ms. Nuland, the Spokesperson?
10 May 2013
Speakers
FrontPage Mag has a video in which the Glazov Gang discusses Pamela Geller being banned to speak in a synagogue in Canada while convicted highjacker Leila Khaled can speak via Skype at the University of British Columbia.
Prior to Ms. Khaled's speech, the Globe and Mail reported the following.
A Jewish advocacy group has called on the University of British Columbia to prevent a controversial figure from speaking at a conference devoted to Palestinian issues, saying Leila Khaled’s past should preclude her from having any public platform in Canada.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/bnai-brith-slams-controversial-ubc-talk-by-leila-khaled/article11647700/
In response, Omar Shaban called Bnai Brith's statement offensive.
However, I do want to point out to the fact that this statement is offensive to the UBC community. It assumes that students at UBC are not capable of critical thinking, assessing Khaled's speech and making informed judgements.
TheBlaze reports, "The Internal Revenue Service is apologizing for inappropriately flagging conservative political groups for additional reviews during the 2012 election to see if they were violating their tax-exempt status."
Read more: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3273796770070251781#editor/target=post;postID=2961620310238192383
Prior to Ms. Khaled's speech, the Globe and Mail reported the following.
A Jewish advocacy group has called on the University of British Columbia to prevent a controversial figure from speaking at a conference devoted to Palestinian issues, saying Leila Khaled’s past should preclude her from having any public platform in Canada.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/bnai-brith-slams-controversial-ubc-talk-by-leila-khaled/article11647700/
In response, Omar Shaban called Bnai Brith's statement offensive.
However, I do want to point out to the fact that this statement is offensive to the UBC community. It assumes that students at UBC are not capable of critical thinking, assessing Khaled's speech and making informed judgements.
TheBlaze reports, "The Internal Revenue Service is apologizing for inappropriately flagging conservative political groups for additional reviews during the 2012 election to see if they were violating their tax-exempt status."
Read more: http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3273796770070251781#editor/target=post;postID=2961620310238192383
The third month and the first Commandment
"In the third month after the Exodus of the Jewish People from Egypt, on that very day, they came to the Desert of Sinai" (Shemot 19:1)
Jewish Tradition says that "that very day" refers to Rosh Chodesh Sivan. About that day it is written, "And the People of Israel encamped there, opposite the Mountain." The verb written in Hebrew for "encamped" is "vayichan," a singular, rather than plural, form. This is to indicate that the acceptance of the Torah by the Jewish People was as if with a single mind, and a single heart. This was necessary because the Torah was like a marriage contract between G-d and Israel and, as such, there was no room for any hesitation or disloyalty between the parties.
Read more: http://www.ou.org/chagim/roshchodesh/sivan/rchsivan.htm
by Rabbi Dr Raymond Apple
The first of the Ten Commandments doesn’t seem to be commanding anything. It is a statement, “I am the Lord your God”.
One explanation is that the Decalogue is – as the Hebrew aseret hadib’rot makes clear – ten statements or principles, not necessarily ten commands. If, however, the ten are counted as mitzvot there still is a way of understanding Number 1 as a command – “I am to be the Lord your God”.
The true significance of that interpretation is suggested by a Chassidic saying in the name of the Rabbi of Kovrin. He looks at the words of Moses in Deut. 5:5, “I stood between the Lord and you at that time”, referring to the people’s reluctance to hear the voice of God, and their clamour for Moses, not God, to speak to them.
Says the Rabbi of Kovrin, what often stands between God and us is the “I”, the anochi, the human ego. When we boast and say, “I am great, I am powerful, I am clever”, we are posing one “I” against another. We can’t both be “I”. The Decalogue says, “The Divine ‘I’ must be your God, not the human one…”
http://www.oztorah.com/2013/05/the-first-commandment/
Jewish Tradition says that "that very day" refers to Rosh Chodesh Sivan. About that day it is written, "And the People of Israel encamped there, opposite the Mountain." The verb written in Hebrew for "encamped" is "vayichan," a singular, rather than plural, form. This is to indicate that the acceptance of the Torah by the Jewish People was as if with a single mind, and a single heart. This was necessary because the Torah was like a marriage contract between G-d and Israel and, as such, there was no room for any hesitation or disloyalty between the parties.
Read more: http://www.ou.org/chagim/roshchodesh/sivan/rchsivan.htm
by Rabbi Dr Raymond Apple
The first of the Ten Commandments doesn’t seem to be commanding anything. It is a statement, “I am the Lord your God”.
One explanation is that the Decalogue is – as the Hebrew aseret hadib’rot makes clear – ten statements or principles, not necessarily ten commands. If, however, the ten are counted as mitzvot there still is a way of understanding Number 1 as a command – “I am to be the Lord your God”.
The true significance of that interpretation is suggested by a Chassidic saying in the name of the Rabbi of Kovrin. He looks at the words of Moses in Deut. 5:5, “I stood between the Lord and you at that time”, referring to the people’s reluctance to hear the voice of God, and their clamour for Moses, not God, to speak to them.
Says the Rabbi of Kovrin, what often stands between God and us is the “I”, the anochi, the human ego. When we boast and say, “I am great, I am powerful, I am clever”, we are posing one “I” against another. We can’t both be “I”. The Decalogue says, “The Divine ‘I’ must be your God, not the human one…”
http://www.oztorah.com/2013/05/the-first-commandment/
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