Posted in a Jewschool chat thread by one of our lurkers: How many mosques were there in West Jerusalem prior to 1948? How many mosques are being recorded as destroyed? My response: I cannot believe you even suggested that. Do you want the specific numbers in just West Jerusalem, or would you like the number [...]
Archive for December, 2009
A quick rant against Jewish newspapers
I just barked a laugh and nearly snorted my afternoon coffee while reading JTA’s peice on American right-wing mogul Sheldon Adelson’s “Bibiton” Israel Hayom. (Hebrew pun: Netanyahu’s nickname “Bibi” + Hebrew “iton” meaing newspaper = free right-wing tabloid.) This analysis, of course, makes two implicit assumptions: That all the other newspapers don’t fold because of [...]
Dec 29th, 2009 Jew York Culture Shock 1 Comment
Men are (in) trouble
This masculinity in progressive Judaism topic is deeply interesting to me. The furor online and off revealed an issue of great disagreement within progressive Jewish circles. The outburst of passionate opinion said as much — 120 comments don’t come from nowhere. Those are the topics really worth pursuing. I have been searching for ways to [...]
Dec 28th, 2009 Gender 10 Comments
Parshat Vayigash: Hiding and Opening
To better understand the Jewish scriptures cycle and my approach to my sermonizing versus my blogging, see my explanation. In Parshat Vayigash (Genesis 44:18 – 47:27), Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. Rather than brotherly reconciliation or trends in assimilation, this week I think more interesting is a mediation on hiding and opening. “Hiding and [...]
Dec 26th, 2009 #11 Vayigash and D'var Torah 0 Comments
Why being Gazan sucks…to put it lightly
This is a real email from a real person. If you’d like to be in touch with Mohammad, I’ll provide you with his email. I post this here because it’s a good time to remember what occupation really means, and because I am a big fan of Gisha: The Center for Freedom of Movement, an [...]
Dec 24th, 2009 Israel 2 Comments
Solicitations
Mail solicitations I have received since I last took out my paper recycling, say, 3 weeks ago: The Salvation Army The Police Athletic League Brit Tzedek v’Shalom: The Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous City Harvest The New Israel Fund The Children’s Aid Society The Metropolitan Council on Jewish [...]
Dec 23rd, 2009 Musings 0 Comments
Man Power
I’m thinking a lot about the recent “male space” kerfuffle on Jewschool. It’s not the first time and I’d say it’s one of the larger disagreements in our online community. The recent kerfuffle is summarized as follows: I posted a men’s only synagogue event to Jewschool, featuring two male celebrities on the topic of the [...]
Dec 20th, 2009 Gender 6 Comments
Mercaz Harav’s rules of just war: you can kill anyone
I’m a student of just war theories. They fascinate me. World War II and the Holocaust altered international law and consciousness on huge scales. The foundation of what is acceptable and what it not in warfare today is an attempt to prevent a World War III that would again kill countless civilians or fail to [...]
Dec 13th, 2009 Judaism and War 1 Comment
If Israel were a village of 100 people
What’s social justice in Israel about? This:
Dec 10th, 2009 Israel 0 Comments