"a picture is worth a 1000 words" 

What's next a Badatz Hechsher for Porn?

I almost missed this little gem in last Wednesday's Jerusalem Post

Porn-reading prisoner loses right to eat Badatz-kosher food
YAAKOV KATZ. Jan 26, 2005. pg. 05
The Tel Aviv District Court was called to task on that question Tuesday by prisoner Guy Hamel, who petitioned against a Prisons Service decision to take away his Badatz-certified kosher food after guards found porn magazines and videos in his cell.
On Tuesday, he petitioned the court after a Prisons Service board revoked his right to receive Badatz-certified kosher food in prison.

Not just that but apparently one of the videos had a Rabbi giving a drosha for the first 15 min and then switched to the porn :)

Is Birthright the right path to Israel awareness?

Harry - The View from Here has an interesting piece about a new Jewish Agency tour program that could go head-to-head with Birthright.

About 2 years ago a distant related-by-marriage "cousin" of ours came from Australia on a two week Birthright program. She and her boyfriend were part of the first group of Australian kids to be offered the trip.

They wanted to spend some time in Israel after the program finished, so they asked to stay at my parents. Now my parents, being both religious and old fuddy duddies, didn't want them to share a room together. Being rather un-impressed with this sleeping arrangement they eventually moved to stay with my sister. My sister is not all that religious, but she has always kept a kosher home. She showed them round her flat, what was milky, what was meaty... She went out and later when she came home she found a piece of pizza on a meat plate in the fridge. When my "cousin" returned from wherever she had been, my sister pointed out to her that she had put a piece of pizza on a meat plate. She responded, "yeah, but it's meat pizza."

At the time my sister wrote a letter to the Jewish day school where this "cousin" had recently graduate. She asked the question, "how is it that someone can go through 12 years of education in an orthodox Jewish dayschool and come out of it not knowing that a piece of meat pizza is not milky, is not meaty, it's treif?"

I think a fairer question here would be, why bother bringing them on Birthright? What can they gain from it and what do Israel or the Jewish community they come from get back from it. Perhaps it's time to think of better/other ways of inspiring our children to love Judaism and in turn Israel. Comments please....

When you assume you make an ass...

You know the rest!

I have often wondered how it is that people are happy to make total asses of themselves by assuming things about other people.

Just this last week, I saw a sad posting on Janglo from a young desperate girl. She wanted advice on how to stop people "assuming" that she wasn't Jewish because of her looks. She said people often asked her why she converted etc... I myself am often asked "where are you from in America." Generally it's Israelis asking me this question so I am not too bothered. But when I reply that I am from Australia their voices soften while they happily explain how they have ALWAYS wanted to go there, followed by the inevitable question "so what are you doing here, why would you leave Australia to come HERE?"

Another assumption is that I speak Russian. I cannot tell you the number of times a checkout person, or an old woman on the street will start conversing with me in Russian, a relieved look on their face that they have finally found someone to speak to who can understand them, only to be offended when I sheepishly explain I cannot understand what they are saying. In fact the cleaning woman in our building does it to my husband. I don't think he looks anymore "Russian" than the average English gentleman, but she insists on speaking to him in Russian everytime she sees him and insists to me that she knows he really can understand her!

This reminds me of the time we were visiting my husband's family in England for Sukkot. There is a cute, small kosher sandwich place in downtown London and we had made arrangements to meet a good friend of ours for lunch. Outside this lunch place Habad had set up a tent-like pop-up sukkah. There were 4 or 5 young Habad boys walking around going "are you Jewish, excuse me are you Jewish?"

My friend, on being approached with this question, politely informed them that it is rude to go up to a person on the street and say "are you Jewish?" She suggested that instead they should ask, "excuse me, do you want to bench Lulav? And if they answer no or what is it then you know they aren't Jewish and you thank them and move on."

Just then a black (? is this PC still?) woman walked past and the same young man went up to her and said, "excuse me would you like to bench Lulav?" To which she replied, "yes please, what is it?"

:)

Jerusalem Post Scoop

New part owners CanWest are suing the other half of the partnership, Mirkaei Tikshoret Ltd., and have placed a temporary restraining order against Eli Azur's company. (I have my own gripes against another of Eli Azur's companies, here)

For anyone that knows anyone at the Jerusalem Post. Things have not been so rosy since the new management took over. Salaries have been cut, people have been fired, lots of long-standing contracts with companies have been broken so Azur can bring in his own people. In fact, from what I hear, the new management make Hollinger and it's old croney David Radler, look like angels.

Read the full press release here.

BIG BROTHER LOSES OUT TO AUSCHWITZ DOCUMENTARY!

NO WAY!!!

Big Brother loses out to Auschwitz documentary
By Times Online and PA
Viewing figures for Celebrity Big Brother have slipped to 3.3 million, 600,000 fewer than watched last night's BBC Two documentary about Auschwitz.
The reality show is struggling to hold on to viewers after the eviction of John McCririck, whose sexist rants and temper tantrums fascinated as many viewers as they annoyed. The programme has shed nearly two million viewers since the launch show. In contrast, the heavyweight documentary Auschwitz: The Nazis and the Final Solution attracted 3.9 million viewers last night. The series uses newly unearthed documents and blueprints for the concentration camp to explain the decisions that led to the holocaust.
Written and produced by Laurence Rees, the documentary is timed to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the concentration camp's liberation.

Dilbert come to life!

Why is it that people who constantly say they don't micromanage are the worst micromanagers?

Dilbert - where are you?

Must run in the family

Following in the footsteps of Miriam on Bloghd, and until I figure out how to invite my father (Nushdaddy) to be a guest blogger I would like to offer this post on his behalf.

START NUSHDADDY'S POST
--------------------------------------------

Somewhat like Tim Curry in Rocky Horror Show, when I opened my Jerusalem Post this morning, I was trembling with anticip-ation. The question that had been uppermost in my mind for the last week was about to be answered ... Would Caroline Glick make it three strikes in a row, so we could call for her to be expelled from the game?Unfortunately, it wasn't a strike, more like a foul ball, so she'll live to fight another day.

What was it that I was waiting for? Two weeks ago, she wrote in her Friday "Column One" a piece about the options facing Israel in the coming months. She talks of "the demographic threat that a Palestinian state would constitute to Israel " and then (correctly, IMHO) set out the basic options as a choice between three diverse courses. "...the choice is among a democratic Jewish Israel, a theocratic, racist Israel or a non-Jewish democracy." On the basis of these three choices, she then sets out why she thinks everything the current government is doing is wrong. She also gives us the reasons why she rejects the third option (a single state) when she says "The demographic argument, therefore, is not about numbers but about intentions." Since Sharon's policies are clearly leading to option one (separation into two states and Israel retaining its Jewish nature), we have to assume that she is opting for choice number two (status quo ante), and a great deal of my anticipation was coming from seeing how she would justify it.

However, much to all of our surprise (I don't think), the following week's column took her own demographic argument used in rejecting option three, and simply threw it out. The demographics are all a lie, she says. Instead of there being roughly 3.2 million Palestinians, some have been "double counted" into the Israeli Arab count, so the number is about 10% less. All of this means, in her view, that Israel has nothing to fear from the explosion in the Arab population over the past 50+ years.

OK, you may say. So what's the big deal. Let's get her reasons for opting for choice 2. But sadly she's skipped that one and this week goes of on a completely irrelevant tangent. Could it be that option two, racist Israel (dare I say apartheid state) is probably the most untenable, even repulsive, contemplation that even an adept dodger of reality like Glick couldn't bear to try and justify. So what we are left with is Caroline Glick - the eternal nagging mother-in-law. She's always ready to tell you what you're doing wrong. But you'll never hear from her a word about what you could do right. Heaven forbid that she would ever be constructive in this way - it's not in the nature of harridans like her to build something up, always criticize, criticize, criticize!

Just to return for a moment to the demographics argument that she (John Kerry where are you?) has first voted for, now voted against. There are now two major issues in this respect. Firstly, the study that produced the reduced Palestinian statistics has been presented by politically motivated individuals who have a particular drum to beat. It has never been subjected to normal scientific study or peer review. To build a national policy on such figures would be ludicrous, if not criminally negligent. Secondly, this study, and all the others that try to view the statistics optimistically (from a Jewish standpoint) are missing a vital element. The general conclusion reached is that Jewish and Arab populations have grown more-or-less in step. Israel started off with about 80/20 split between Jews and Arab, and that has stayed pretty much constant over the life of the state. Similarly, the overall ratio of Jews to Arabs in "greater Palestine" has been constant since 1948.

The conclusion drawn from this "stability" is the Israel doesn't face a major threat of being swamped by non-Jews anytime in the foreseeable future, so the question of demographics can be excluded from any decision on the direction to be taken. This "stability" however, is a total myth. Israel started off with a tiny Jewish population ,and over the decades has receive major infusions of new migrants in order to reach the numbers we see today. First came the refugees from Europe, then the Jews expelled by the Arab countries after foundation of the State. Next came the vast numbers from the crumbling Soviet Union. Without these, if Israel had been Jewish by natural growth alone, we would be outnumbered by two or three to one. Yet on the other side, Arab population growth both inside Israel and in the "refugee camps" has been entirely natural. The birth rate is completely out of balance, and there's no reason to suppose that is going to change soon.

So, my question to Ms Glick (if she's capable of hearing anything over the noise of her own voice) is .. What's your choice out of your threee options? Two states, apartheid Israel, or Arab Israel? Keep it simple. Don't tell us what's wrong with them, tell us which one you choose and why

--------------------------------------

END NUSHDADDY'S POST

Bazookah Australian Style

There is something about Bazookah that tastes so good. I remember as a young girl in Australia loving Bazookah gum because it was the only Kosher gum that was available. By the time we go it, it was barely edible - but it was the best we had.

The life cycle of a packet of Bazookah - from Israel to Perth Australia!

1. Manufactured at the Elite factory in Bet Shemesh
2. Sits in a warehouse for +/- 6 months because they have a surplus stock.
3. Order comes in for 30 cartons to be sent to Australia, no make that 20, no maybe 35. Shall we add another 2 weeks for the order to be confirmed. Boxes packaged to go to Australia.
4. Four months sitting on the Israeli docks while the stock workers strike.
5. Two months sitting on a boat waiting for exit papers because the export offices are striking
6. Twelve weeks at sea (Australia is a far far far away place)
7. Arrives at the port in Sydney (now let's be honest here, there is no need for it to go all the way to Sydney, afterall Perth would be the most logical first stop. But the import company is in Sydney so to Sydney it goes)
8. Six weeks sitting on a boat because the Israeli side got the paperwork all wrong/missing.
9. Two months sitting on a dock in Sydney, it's Pessah in 1 month's time and the import company in Sydney don't want to pick up the shipment containing chametz until after Pessah.
10. Packages picked up! Stock dispatched to Sydney and Melbourne shops. *Where the hell is Perth* - let's do that one next week. (For those that don't know Perth is 5 hours from Sydney by plane. It is the same distance +/- as London from Israel).
11. It's Easter this week so no one is taking deliveries of Kosher gum to Perth. Bet they would take it if it was chocolate Easter bunny shaped eggs - it's a conspiracy I tell you!
12. Perth stock finally on way to Perth. It goes by truck which adds another 4 days.
13. Truck gets stuck in middle of Nullabor plain due to locust plague, locusts all over the engine. 3 weeks to fix.
14. Truck arrives in Perth, but the Perth distributor won't be available to pick up the stock till the following week.
15. Stock picked up but not sent to shop (there is only one Kosher shop in Perth - which may explain the reluctance of the import company to send the stuff there anyway) because the shop is "broigus" with the distributor over pessah stock that arrived 2 months after Pessah.
16. FINALLY we have Bazookah - the only Kosher gum you can buy in Perth!

Last week I had my first ever Bazookah in Israel. When I put it in my mouth I was amazed that it was soft. I said to the guy who gave it to me "I think these are soggy - did you leave them in the rain or something." But somehow after 2 minutes of eating it some chemical transformation took place and the piece of gum I was happily chewing just before turned to a rubbery (sole of shoe) type tasteless blob.

They just don't taste the same. I think I will leave mine in the cupboard for a year and half and occasionally take it out and stick it in the sun for a bit - maybe then it will be right!

Ballet on a large scale

Big is Beautiful!

Elegant, obese dancers shatter stereotypes
Wednesday, January 19, 2005 Posted: 7:35 PM EST (0035 GMT)
HAVANA, Cuba (AP) -- Cuban ballet dancers in white glide across the floor, executing an airy blend of pirouettes and back stretches. Within seconds, spectators are captivated, quickly forgetting what at first they couldn't overlook -- most of the dancers weigh more than 200 pounds.

Just what this world needs

Hassidic Rock Pop from Down Under!

Couldn't live without it! NOT!

A Nushless World!

Last night we had a nushless night. She was at the vet to be "fixed". The last week has been hell because she has been in heat and we have had very little sleep with all the meows and crying.

The vet we take her to is psycho! We have been told he is the best - but boy is he weird. Anyway he insisted on making us stay and watch, said he would explain everything. He picked up a pair of surgical scissors and decided to show us what a female cat's uterus looks like using the scissors as his diagram, scared the youknowwhats out of me, even though I am sure that most of what he said was just for "effect".

I said to my husband that he reminded me of the tour guide who took us on our Safari walk when we were in the Kruger National Park in South Africa on our honeymoon. This guy was over 6 foot tall, in his 60's and he called himself JUMBO!

As we got out of the jeep we were in he said. (imagun a verry strroong South Efrican accent while you read thus).

"You all need to walk in single file, no talking, I can hear a lion grunt or an elephant break a twig. I have been doing this for 25 years and I have only ever had to fire my rifle 25 times *sniffs the air*. What's that, I smell trouble up ahead, something's cooking. Look the giraffes and zebra are running away. Must be a Lion or something. Come let's go have a look!"

Thank goodness Nushy will be back tonight.

--------------------------------

UPDATE: Nush is home and doing well!

More on Rabbi Slifkin

He has his own site where he explains some of the things that have been happening to him.

Check it out!

Rabbi Nosson Slifkin

There is much discussion on the blogosphere about the controversy surrounding Rabbi Nosson Slifkin's book.

I would just like to add my 2 cents worth!

I know Rabbi Slifkin and his family personally. He is a good, righteous person, from a good righteous family and he is married to a wonderful righteous woman. He is a very caring human being, especially when it comes to the care of animals. What is happening to him is uncalled for. I think G-d gave us the ability to question and decide our own destinies for a reason. If Rabbi Slifkin is wrong then it is between him and Hashem to sort out when the time comes.

The Torah I believe frowns on the public humiliation and shaming of a member of ones community. What has been done to Rabbi Slifkin and the backlash on his family is shameful and a bigger "aveirah" (sin) than any that Rabbi Slifkin has supposedly committed.

6 1 3 the all important number

That's how many Unique visitors we have had at Nushworld! A blessing on our cat...

Is "Holocaust" a dirty word

With the world in uproar over Prince Harry's wearing of a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party, and the BBC running a focus Auschwitz week. The Times newspaper columnist, Mick Hume, questions (and he is not the first) the overuse of the word "Holocaust."

The Nazi Holocaust has become perhaps the last moral absolute in an uncertain world. At a time when it seems hard to create a consensus about what is right and wrong on anything from euthanasia to GM food, it is comforting to remind ourselves of the one issue on which we can agree: that there remains a clear line between good and evil. This has created a strangely confused situation. Surveys show that many people are ignorant of the
horrifying facts about the Holocaust. So expensively-educated young men can think it is OK to wear a swastika in polite company. Yet at the same time, the terms "Nazi" and "holocaust" are promiscuously thrown around to describe all manner of present-day problems and conflicts. The demand that we "learn the lessons of the Holocaust" often has little to do with studying the history of the Final Solution. Instead it means slapping these historic labels on to whatever you do not like today. Thus everything from abortion to killing chickens for food is now denounced as a "holocaust".

As I stated previously, I think that THIS is why it was so wrong for the settlers to use the orange star as a symbol of their misguided struggle.

I have been wanting to write about this for ages - so now is as good a time as any.

I am a huge Macintosh computer freak! I have been a member of many Macintosh website discussion boards for some time. One such site, Macobserver.com, used to have a section called "Macwatch" where people could send in a screen capture or link of someone using a Macintosh computer somewhere in the world. One day an Israeli guy sent in a screen shot of then Israel Finance Minister, Meir Sheetrit, using a G4 in his office at the Knesset. This posting sparked a huge debate about whether or not it was politically correct or proper for the website to post an Israeli/Jew using a Macintosh computer.

I watched the discussion for some time - not sure if I wanted to enter into it. I was amazed at the strength of opinion, by seemingly well educated people, and their disgust that the website should allow such a thing to happen, even going as far as to demand an apology to the Palestinian people.

Eventually I joined the discussion, which had at this point turned into a discussion about anti-semitism and the holocaust. One woman named Pam, an American studying for her PHd in somethingorother, said to me "why is it that whenever you try and have an intellectual discussion with Jews about the Middle East conflict, they always have to bring the Holocaust into it? Come on it's been 50 years - get over it!"

I didn't know how to answer her... The date of this conversation was September 10th 2001!

2 days later I went in and posted my last thread. I said to Pam, if you can honestly tell me that Jews around the world should be asked to forget the slaughter of 6 million Jews during the Second World War, then I ask you to forget all about 9/11 in 50 years time.

She apologized!

More words of wisdom from Rabbi W.

This weeks' anecdote from the pages of Rabbi W.

"During the last century, Kaiser Franz Josef once visited the main Synagogue in Budapest. In the Synagogue hall was a portrait of the Kaiser. However, an anti-semite removed it just before the visit. The Kaiser was told about it. When he met the Rabbi, who was not aware of this matter, he angrily confronted him with the accusation: "You are not loyal citizens - my portrait has been removed from your Synagogue Hall!" The Rabbi, who was very sharp, answered in a flash: "Your Majesty! We Jewish people don Tefillin every day but not on Shabbat. The reason is Tefillin is our sign of service to our G-d. Shabbat is a similar sign. Therefore on shabbat we do not lay Tefillin. When Your Majesty is not here, we require your portrait. However, now that we have the great honor to be able to welcome your Majesty in person, your portrait is not needed." So he got himself and his congregation out of trouble...

Gotta love Australians!

We had 2 young Australian boys staying with us for shabbat this week. They have been here on the Achshav program, a three week Bithright type insight into Israel.

Anyway, the conversation over lunch inevitably turned to sport (as it does), and they proudly told us that Australia celebrates ANZAC (Australia New Zealand Army Corps) memorial day by having a huge football match(POC Aussie Rules football - not the English type which is called Soccer in Australia).

When we all laughed - they said "it's very respectful - they have a minutes silence and everything."

What other country would remember its' fallen soldiers by holding a huge football match? Gotta love Australians!

Who is Nush?

Our Baby!

Holocaust on the BBC

FOCUS Holocaust week on the Beeb. Their website has loads of information!

Featuring among other things:

Commandant of Auschwitz by Laurence Rees
Look inside the mind of Rudolf Höss who built and ran the most infamous murder site in history.

Cumulative Radicalisation by David Cesarani
The Nazis took power with no clear plan for the Jews of Europe. How and why did they arrive at the 'Final Solution'?

Who Were the Guilty? by Omer Bartov
Relatively few of those involved in the genocides of World War Two ever faced justice, but the question of guilt remains.

The Racial State by Peter Longerich
What lay behind the Nazis' hatred of certain races and groups that ultimately led to genocide and mass murder?

Denying the Holocaust by Deborah Lipstadt
How and why do certain individuals and groups dispute the reality of the Nazis' attempt to annihilate the Jews of Europe?

Historical Accuracy and the Making of 'Auschwitz' by Detlef Siebert
Drama is a powerful tool in a history series but factual accuracy must always outweigh any other consideration.

Kol Hakavod!

The Big Wide World

I have been working in a time warp for the last seven years it would seem.

I started my new job yesterday (oh and guess what - I hated the commute :).

I arrived at 10am and was shown my new office. Empty except a desk and chair. Within 20 min someone turned up, introduced himself and welcomed me to the company, and then proceeded to set up my new computer. 20 min later someone else showed up to give me my network login, email information. An hour or so and a tour of the wonderful new building (sun deck and barbecue areas included) and back to my new office where sits on my once empty desk, a complete stationary starters kit, new phone, new cell phone and the keys to my spanking new Mazda 3 car.

The cafeteria has free drinks all day and at 11am they put out fruit and cake.

I am not in Kansas anymore!

WOW two nominations for Best New Blog 2004

If you don't know that Dave at Israellycool is holding a best of the Jewish Blog awards, then you are either a newbie blogger or fast asleep.

However, either way I am honored to have been nominated twice for Best New Blog 2004.

No pressure - but feel free to vote for me :)

If they can do it so can we

My husband sent me this article that appeared in Ha'aretz today. Thank you darling - now will you please start blogging all by yourself!

Rabbis and imams unite against religious extremism
By Daniel Ben-Simon
BRUSSELS - A few minutes before Europe observed three minutes of silence last Wednesday in memory of the tsunami victims, Jewish and Muslim clergy who had convened at Egmont Palace decided to join them. Two days earlier, the clergy had come together to seek means of greater involvement for religion in quietening the bloody Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Tents (tense) City

Every day I drive past the Knesset on my way to work and normally there is some group or other camped outside the Knesset protesting something. For months now there has been a small sad looking tent city, shabbily flung together, put up by the homeless. I felt so sad everytime I drove past.

Last week it was pulled down to make way for a big group of settlers and their fancy tents. These poor settlers have quite a set-up with electricity, toilets, big tents, and food outlets. I hope we (the tax payers) are not paying to keep them there!

The Settlers go on and on about being forced from their homes, made homeless. They compare themselves to Jews in the Holocaust... The disengagement plan will give them new homes, without borders to cross, without putting the lives of their families and our soldiers at risk day in and day out!

It must be real cold out there this week for the true homeless. The government is offering the settlers a way better deal!

Shmingles and shmusic - you heard it here first!

Tonight I went to a brilliantly organized fundraiser for the victims of the Tsunami in Asia.

Unfortunately the organizers decided to mix the evening with a "shmingles" event. Shmingles for those that don't know - is an extremely naf, stupid, idiotic term for Shmoozing Singles. The night was lots of fun, a little crowded, a little cold and very smelly (I had a seat in front of the toilet door).

It would have been nice to hear more of some of the better performances - Elisheva with the soulful (Joni Mitchell) voice or Bradley Fish with his funny Jerusalem Singles songs. My all-time favorite Sweaty Confetti with Danny and Jane (I love you Janey).

As for the rest... well... lets just call it shmusic :)

Israel when it's not paradise

Sometimes things happen in this country, that make you so frustrated, all you want to do is pack up and leave. (Note I did not say go home, because Israel is meant to be my home).

I am sure I am not alone in the this country is so frustrating - what am I doing here when I can be back in *insert normal country name in here* feeling. Sometimes it is something small that sets it off - like the va'ad meeting I talked about below, or what happened to my non-Jewish Israeli friend, or maybe a something a bit more personal like my headache with National Insurance.

It is moments like these that make me feel like a traitor to the Aliyah cause. Hell! I think, I made Aliyah - it was my choice - live with Israel and all its' little perkinesses. I am talking about that famous red tape! Bureaucracy... Or in this case... Perhaps it is just the meanness of some people.

As you all know I resigned from my old job and I am meant to start my new job next week. I served out my notice till the end of last month (December) and I was expecting to be paid my salary right up till the day I left. But instead the bastards that own the company I was working for have decided to deduct money from my salary, 4000 shekels + to be exact because during Yom Kippur and Sukkot I was away from work in Hospital with hepatitis. Now the way I see it, it is not MY fault my doctor prescribed the wrong medication for me and I ended up in hospital and sick for 1 month. It is also not my fault that I have found another job and decided to part with my old company. According to the law the old company does not legally have to pay me for being ill, however at the time I was sick they did not deduct any money from my salary for the days I missed. Nor did they do it the following month or the one after that. Then the company was sold and I decided to accept a job in another company AND NOW they decide to deduct a months salary from me?

So you may ask yourself - why am I so upset? - afterall I have a new job to go to next week. Well I don't know many people who can survive in Israel without a whole months salary. In fact I know many people who struggle to survive even with their salary. The basic simple fact is that many people get themselves into situations like this where they work for months on end without pay. I think in that respect I am lucky by Feb 1st I will have some money in the bank. But what of this month? Sorry sir I can't pay my electricity bill this month I wasn't paid - let me get back to you next month!

Does anyone know any good labor lawyers here?

B L O G

My blogspot spellchecker doesn't recognize the word BLOG! Isn't it ironic?

A good idea

I have it on good authority (note new spelling anonymous) that The Jerusalem Post website is thinking of starting a Jrants type blog page, hopefully they will also do a feature on a different blog each week. I heard they may also feature other sites of interest, like Palestinian blogs. Good idea I think - no?

Nows our chance to speak up and let them know what we think the site needs.

What's in a name?

You most probably have heard of the brouhaha caused by The Jerusalem Post last week over Peres's new title, for his new position. After much negotiation between Peres, Sharon and Olmert it was decided that Peres would be called "Mishneh" (literally secondary) prime minister and Olmert would be called "memaleh makom" (literally substitute) prime minister. Unfortunately, when Gil Hoffman from the JP called to check what the official English titles should be it started another argument. Ending in the agreement that Olmert and Peres would share the title, "vice prime minister."

It all seems a bit silly. As a guest on Friday night pointed out, could you imagine having two vice presidents of America?

Incidentally - note the title attached to Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in my previous post. Quite a mouthful no? I wonder what the longest title in the world is!

Ahem... My new title at my new job is Manager of Corporate Marketing and Communication Production :)

Rabbi Sacks responds...

Hat tip to my gorgeous husband who sent me this story.

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Commonwealth of Nations) published this piece in today's Times.

What incensed Voltaire was that there were religious believers at the time who thought that the earthquake represented God’s anger at Lisbon’s “sinful” ways. After all, didn’t the Old Testament speak of divine anger? Were catastrophes not interpreted as punishment against sinful nations? Is there not justice in history? Yet in the end the interpretation was unsustainable. Why Lisbon and not other cities? Why were the young, the frail, the saintly among the casualties? Even the most dogmatic found it hard to answer these questions. In any case, the suggestion is morally unacceptable. It blames the victims for their fate. After the Holocaust, such thoughts ought to be unthinkable.

Shame on you!

I had a conversation with a person last week who claimed that the Tsunami/Earthquake in Asia "was a clear message from G-d. A punishment to all sinners (he used the words radical Muslims) in the world, a reminder that G-d exists and is more powerful than man."

I think this goes against all the principles of Judaism. It disgusts me, and I hope many others too, that in such a time of tragedy someone can think this way. That this person calls themselves a "religious" person astounds me.

I have no words - shame on you, you know who you are!

Things that should be banned form Jewish Weddings #1

Things that should be banned from Jewish Weddings #1

1. Stiletto Heels! Ouch my foot hurts. I mean who can Hora in stilettos anyway?

***insert other things for the list in here****