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" ...and everybody hates the Jews." In the 1973 Yum Kippur War, there was only reason Israel managed to beat back the combined Egyptian-Syrian surprise offensive. The reason was because President Nixon resupplied the Jewish State with all the bullets and material it needed to continue the fight, and broke all the rules to get it all there as quickly as possible. But even then, Israel suffered horrific casualties. I don't doubt Israel's ability to fight, or endurance to go on despite losses. But if you doubt this Administration's resolve to help our only trustworthy Middle East ally to defend itself... then you're absolutely on the right track. UPDATE: Stacy McCain wins this week's award for Best Use of Oy Vey By a Gentile.

"Sanctuary cities," illegal by their very nature, are overwhelmingly run and defended by Democrat administrations, and one need only look at the immense social and economic failures racked up to date amongst the squalor. Illegal aliens who populate such environs are often rather like shoplifters, working under the radar and sending the goods -- U.S. currency -- back to families in their native countries. That Mr. Obama quickly threatened to veto any attempt in Congress to de-fund such places, of course, speaks unsurprising volumes from a very established leftist library of fascist rule. When and if we finally get a presidential administration in possession of the will and courage to re-engineer these unconstitutional freak show cities once and for all, assuring that people here illegally and knowingly are at last relegated to official invisible status and denied benefits to which they were never entitled (perhaps encouraging a significant exodus), maybe America can journey back on the road to sanity and reality. Too harsh? Nah. As the first Republican debate scheduled for August 6 (Fox-TV) nears, it's a hoot watching Donald Trump breaking all the rules of phony GOP etiquette and continuing to emerge smelling like a billion-dollar rose. The man seems indestructible when faced with tried and true political weaponry. We continue to be impressed with Senator Ted Cruz, who not only argued numerous cases before the U.S. Supreme Court in the past, -- believe it or not, a certain refined intellectual capacity is required -- but who also successfully counters opposing views with logic time after time. We fear, however, that he's far too smart to be chosen by a generally uninformed electorate which prefers sugar-coated lies over words of substance. Kudos to Cruz, , too, for unmasking Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell in front of the American public as a liar, not a leader. We've heard for years that McConnell is very unpleasant to deal with, and the lie he allegedly told Cruz and other Republicans in order to get them to vote for a part of the trade bill they otherwise would not have touched with a ten-foot pole is an outrage to all Americans. McConnell should step down as majority leader. . .but you know how that goes. Interesting, though, that the younger conservative faction among Republicans is slowly and surely breaking out to become a formidable force against old guard archosaurs such as Sen. Orrin Hatch. Yes, Ted Cruz was out of order and did the unthinkable, according to Senate rules attacking the so-called leader -- and considering the result, fresh and open air, we say go Ted go! Charges arise throughout the GOP that Donald Trump will destroy the Republican Party brand. Really? What's to destroy that useless folk (such as Boehner and McConnell) haven't already torn down by a total lack of action against illegal immigration, Obamacare and everything else folks on the right anticipated, especially when certain keys of authority changed hands last November? Forget predictions by presidential candidate Rick Perry that the GOP may become the Whig Party, because they already are Whigs -- and wimps -- and only true conservatives have an opportunity to reinvigorate this "walking dead" entity to battle establishment Democrats and RINOs (Republicans in name only). Big doings regarding Iran: Yeah, great move, Obama & Co. go and shop this promissory turd to the United Nations first and ignore Congress totally until they could get around to the obligatory chore. Now what? Nobody cares what Congress ultimately thinks and, as usual, the prez offers only warnings and threats to America, a familiar maneuver he always uses whilst generally praising other countries uninfected by our presumed failings. Honestly, there really are people in this government who should just change their names to A. Hole. Meanwhile, Senator Charles Schumer of NY, blessed with a huge Jewish following in NY City, now has to take seriously a protest by some 10,000 to 15,000 Jewish protestors in the city who want him to have nothing to do with an Iran deal. Schumer, of course, is a loyal Democrat who craves Harry Reid's position as minority leader in the Senate, so expect a few simulated protestations from him as he, nevertheless, votes YES for Iran's giant contest winnings. News sources, too, buzz with speculation that Secretary of State John Kerry may be in line for a Nobel Peace Prize, based upon implementation of this dark Iran deal, and that he may use his "success" as a stepping stone to a run for president (of the U.S., that is, not Iran -- hard to keep score, isn't it?). Good grief, will our nightmare never end? Hillary Clinton: Going. . .going . . .going. . .seemingly almost gone over the horizon. . .her shrieking voice alone has probably sunk a thousand ships. Republicans in the bedroom: My opinion has not changed. If anybody on the right wants to continue shooting oneself in the foot, keep messing around with women's right to choose. But if you really, really, really want to decrease abortions, then encourage the pharmaceutical companies and the marketplace in general to invent and offer 50, even a hundred easy, safe and effective NEW methods of birth control. Ha, as if. But treating Planned Parenthood like Nazis or Dr. Frankenstein's mirror image will not gain the GOP as many points as it endlessly hopes, a lesson unlearned election after election. The trouble with tribbles Muslims: Believe it or not (you won't) I try to be fair to all religions, but what does one do with a religion -- Islam -- encompassing a book -- the Koran -- peppered with calls to kill or convert the infidel (that's you and me) AND an ancient prophet who said it's okay to (um, in so many words) lie your ass off to the infidel to lengthen and solidify the religion's reach? So how do we tell the peaceable from the radical? Is there a subtle difference in beard color or in the hang of a woman's burka? Can I purchase some kind of radar detector or protect myself with a lively sprig of Aconitum lycoctonum (wolfsbane)? Unfortunately, all answers to essential questions for the United States appear to lie within the mosques, always and forever. When is the last time anybody saw a huge march in American streets of peaceful Muslims protesting the Make automobiles simple and cheaper again or die. New experiments re-demonstrating how easily computer-enhanced cars can be hacked -- and ditched -- are giving outrageously expensive headaches and recalls to Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep, but also show how foolish we are to embrace digital technology at the expense of everything we used to know and file under common sense. When the car battery fails, isn't it nice to know you can just open the door handle to make an exit, rather than hunting for some emergency latch device (a recent hot-car death involved a man who forgot where his emergency latch was located)? Is it so inconvenient to roll car windows down with a handle, rather than with some electronically designated button? Is it really worth adding hundreds of dollars per luxury to a machine on four wheels, when each labor-saving component has the capacity to fail and cost you plenty? Do you really feel great about that new car when you look under the hood, struck with the delayed realization that you can't check or repair a single thing by yourself anymore (unless maybe you've the brains and tools of an exotic safecracker)? Everything -- and I mean everything -- we think about digitally-controlled devices and machinery should always be preceded by a cautionary term: Electromagnetic pulsations. Much like chants of hope and change, an EMP destroys everything it touches. To Turkey -- As you folks march into Syria, intent upon the annihilation of ISIS, please try to take it easy on the Kurds, who we in America kinda need as friends and fellow ISIS haters. I know you and the Kurds don't hit it off so well, but maybe y'all could go have a pizza or something and chill out? Hey, what's new in the drug store? Glad you asked. Looks like it's some concoction called, Praluent or something. Yippee! This one's for "bad" cholesterol, bad bad. You give yourself an injection once every two weeks and the annual cost is -- only -- about $14,000. Yep. Well, anyway, while we all wait for the customary class action lawsuit, which always seems to erupt after a new drug hits the market, my thought is, if this involves the patient being provided clean needles (unless the stuff comes pre-injectable in a disposable device), seems you'd have to sell the needles on the street to gain some fraction of that $14,000, and then you may not have any needles left with which to inject yourself. I wonder if one can just drink this stuff or use a suppository, and where would you get a suppository, anyway? Well, I'm genuinely thrilled every time, every minute of every day, when Big Pharma invents another drug -- and fortunately, we don't even require that archaic doctor-patient relationship anymore. We just have to shut up and take some damned medication. One size pretty much fits all, and the computer screen hiding your doctor's face will guide you along, every step of the way. Local TV nightly news show people: Isn't it high time to stop the banter between news anchors and weather forecasters, and between anchors and sportscasters? Come on, you know that we know that you folks see one another all day long, so stop pretending like you just met for the first time in years and have to outdo each other with happy talk about the weather or what your cat did today. Just the news, weather and (ugh) sports, please. The commercials are annoying enough without those phony interactions, unless, let's say, an anchor says something like, wow, Veronica, that outfit you're wearing sure makes you look fat today! So what's the weather gonna be?

A Q&A with the Blanchard’s Jason Paskewitz Interview by Penny Pollack Your accent is East Coast. But where exactly? Queens. My grandfather landed at Ellis Island in the 1920s. He was headed for East New York, which was very Jewish at that time. Even though he was Greek, an “itz” was slapped onto his last name so he would fit in. But I grew up in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. So why a love affair with French food? In my first sauce class at the Culinary Institute of America, I realized that everything comes from the Escoffier cookbook and old German and French cooks. That’s when the seed was planted. You’ve been kicking around restaurants in Chicago since 1998, often being chef-partner. Chef-partner doesn’t mean a goddamn thing. Just a bone that someone throws you to keep you around and to kinda control you. You have to have skin in the game. At the Blanchard, you have skin in the game. You personally raised the seed money. Has that changed you? You have followed my career here. Have I matured at all? You tell me. I was a late bloomer. Now everyone calls me an overnight success. It only took 25 years to get there. I like that [image]. I’m going to stick with that. 1 day ago

Tomorrow may prove to be a fateful day for thousands of Russian Jews being prevented from moving to Israel by a cold-hearted bureaucracy. After months of delay, the Supreme Court is at last due to hear a petition regarding the 20,000 Subbotnik Jews of Russia, many of whom have found it increasingly difficult in recent years to get permission to make aliya. Families have been divided, and loved ones forced to put their plans on hold, as a rather uncivil civil service has placed numerous obstacles in their way, often applying inconsistent, and even contradictory, criteria to their applications. But unlike three decades ago, it is not Soviet officials in Moscow or Leningrad who are the cause of this painful problem. Incredibly, it is none other than Israel's government which is blocking their aliya, making the Subbotnik Jews the last remaining Refuseniks still stuck in the former Soviet Union. It is time for this injustice to be corrected, and for Israel to open the gates to the remnants of this unique community. THE STORY of the Subbotniks began more than two centuries ago, when a number of Judaizing sects developed among farmers and peasants in southern Russia. While remaining Christian, many adopted various Jewish practices, particularly the observance of the Subbot, or Jewish Sabbath, hence the name Subbotniks. But among them was a group which went a step further, leaving behind the Russian Orthodox faith entirely and formally converting to Judaism. They referred to themselves as "the Gerim," using the Hebrew word for converts, and practiced Judaism openly. These Subbotnik Jews observed Torah law, married Russian Jews, and some even sent their children to learn in the great yeshivot of Lithuania and the Ukraine. Becoming a Jew in Czarist Russia was a noble act of faith, but it obviously carried great risks too. And soon enough, the Subbotniks were forced to pay a heavy price for embracing Judaism. According to the late Simon Dubnow, the great historian of Russian and Polish Jewry, Czar Alexander I learned of the existence of the Subbotnik Jews in 1817, when they petitioned him to complain about the anti-Semitism they were suffering "on account of their confessing the law of Moses.' The Czar became enraged. Not at the fact that some of his subjects were persecuting Jews, of course, but rather because some of them had chosen to become Jews. So he issued a series of cruel decrees against the Subbotniks, which culminated in their deportation and expulsion to the far reaches of the empire. DESPITE ONGOING Czarist persecution and subsequent Soviet oppression, the Subbotnik Jews stubbornly clung to their Jewishness. Many were murdered by the Germans after the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. Communism also took a heavy toll, and in recent decades, a growing number of the Subbotnik Jews have succumbed to assimilation and intermarriage, posing a threat to their future as Jews. That is why it so essential that Israel act quickly to allow the remaining Subbotnik Jews to make aliya - before they assimilate completely and disappear. In the past decade alone, hundreds of Subbotnik Jews from the village of Vysoky in southern Russia have moved to Israel, while thousands of other Subbotniks came during the great wave of aliya from Russia which took place during the 1990s. Prominent figures in our nation's modern history, such as the late IDF Chief of Staff Rafael (Raful) Eitan, and the legendary Alexander Zaid, a pioneer of the Second Aliya who founded the "Hashomer" Jewish self-defense group a century ago, were of Subbotnik descent. BUT IN recent years, Israel's Interior Ministry and the Liaison Bureau, an arm of the Prime Minister's Office which oversees immigration from the former Soviet Union, have inexplicably all but halted the Subbotnik aliya. The result is that hundreds of Subbotnik Jews in Vysoky, and thousands more in other communities throughout Russia, now find themselves left behind. They include Lubov Gonchareva, a 48-year old resident of Vysoky and the mother of three children. Lubov's parents made aliya several years ago, were recognized as Jews by the Interior Ministry, and her mother even obtained a ruling from the Jerusalem Rabbinical Court attesting to her Jewishness. But when Lubov herself submitted an application to make aliya four years ago, her request was turned down on the grounds that her husband was not Jewish. Hence, she was told, she had "lost" the right to move to Israel, even though her parents were living as Jews and Israelis in Beit Shemesh, outside Jerusalem. "I was born a Jew and I live as a Jew, as do my children," Lubov told me, as tears welled up in her eyes. 'The State recognized my parents as Jews, so how can it now do this to me and to my children?" That question will come before the Supreme Court tomorrow, when the justices will hear a petition filed on Lubov's behalf by Shavei Israel, the organization that I chair. I hope that the court will see right through the callousness of our clerks, and allow Lubov and her children, and others like them, to make aliya. The Subbotniks are Russia's forgotten Jews. After everything that they have gone through over the past two centuries, we cannot and dare not turn our backs on them. They have struggled valiantly to survive, and the vestiges of this community wish to come home. Now is the time to enable them to do so, before it is too late.

|Morgan Spector Quick Info| |Height||6 ft 1 in| |Date of Birth||October 4, 1980| Morgan Spector is an American actor, voiceover artist, and theatre actor who is recognized for his roles like Dante Allen in Homeland, Kevin Copeland in The Mist, Mayor Bobby Novak in Pearson, Andre in The Drop, Herman Levin in The Plot Against America, Victor Dobrynin in Allegiance, Peter Yogorov in Person of Interest, Dr. Parsons in Christine, and Frank Capone in Boardwalk Empire. Morgan Michael Spector Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, United States Morgan Spector studied at Reed College located in Portland, Oregon, and then attended the acting school of the American Conservatory Theater located in San Francisco. Actor, Voiceover Artist, Theatre Actor - Father – Stephen Spector (Attorney) - Mother – Jane Spector (Worked in public education as a teacher and then as an administrator) - Others – Herbert Spector (Paternal Grandfather), Sylvia Schachner (Paternal Grandmother) (Actress in the New York Yiddish Theatre District) Morgan Spector is represented by Innovative Artists N.Y., Talent and Literary Agency, New York City, New York, United States. 6 ft 1 in or 185.5 cm 74 kg or 163 lbs Girlfriend / Spouse Morgan Spector has dated – - Rebecca Hall (2014-Present) – He met English actress Rebecca Hall in 2014 while the duo worked together in the Broadway play Machinal. On September 26, 2015, they got married and parent a child born in 2018. Race / Ethnicity Morgan Spector is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent on his father’s side and has Irish roots on his maternal side. - Often sports a beard - Deep-set eyes Morgan Spector Facts - He was raised in Guerneville, California. - He was 8 years old when he acted for the first time in community theater. - In 2006, Morgan Spector shifted to New York. - He made his first TV show appearance as Player #1 in an episode titled All In of the police procedural drama series, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, in July 2009. - Morgan Spector was included in the lead cast of the spy drama television series, Allegiance, in which he appeared as Victor Dobrynin, an SVR operative, in 2015. - He co-starred as Sadie’s Husband in the 2018 drama film, A Vigilante. - He played the role of Dante Allen, an old friend of Carrie’s who is looking into the hundreds of people President Keane has detained, in the 7th season of the spy thriller television series, Homeland. - Morgan Spector’s theatre credits include having been cast as Rodolpho in A View from the Bridge at Cort Theatre (Broadway) in 2010, Lyman Sanderson M.D. in Harvey at Studio 54 (Broadway) in 2012, A Lover in Machinal at American Airlines Theatre (Broadway) in 2014, and Tom in Animal at Atlantic Stage 2 (Off-Broadway) in 2017. Featured Image by Charlie Taylor / Instagram

Paul has come to Jerusalem, ostensibly to bring an offering from the Gentile churches to the church in Jerusalem, which had been experiencing tremendous financial problems. So Paul to sort of break down the walls that existed between even the Gentile believers and the church in Jerusalem, gathered from the Gentile churches an offering. In order that he might demonstrate to the church in Jerusalem the love and the support of the Gentile believers. Now the church in Jerusalem was sort of a strange kind of a church in that there was a tremendous admixture of Judaism with Christianity. We are experiencing quite a bit the same today in some of the Messianic fellowships. There is a desire to return to Sabbath Day worship, to return to the Kosher laws as there are people who sort of pride themselves in this identity with Judaism. However in the Gentile churches it was decided that they didn’t need to become Jews in order to be saved. That God by His grace will save those who believe on Him. And in talking about theses rituals, and Kosher and all of this, Peter said why should we put on them a yoke of bondage that neither we nor our fathers were able to bear. The book of Hebrews is devoted to warning the believers who had come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, to warn that by going back to Judaism and the sacrifices, there was no salvation. There was almost a crucifying of the Son of God afresh because there was that attempt in the flesh to become righteous before God by adherence to the rules and regulations of the law. And if righteousness would come and could come by the law then Christ is dead in vain. So the whole book of Hebrews was a warning against going back to the tradition of Judaism. But traditions are very deep and they keep a person in a vice like grip. And so the church in Jerusalem was an admixture of Judaism and Christianity. They were still going to temple. They were still keeping the Kosher laws, the dietary laws of Kosher and all. And so they looked down on the Gentile believers as second rate or second class believers. Sort of a spiritual pride, well, we keep Sabbath and we don’t eat pork. That kind of self righteousness that comes when you think that you are one step above another. So Paul is trying to break down these barriers, bringing the offering. But then Paul, also desired to be there for the Feast of Pentecost. Those feast times were great times in Jerusalem. Hundreds of thousands of people would gather. According to Josephus, as many as two million people would gather in Jerusalem for these feast days. Great holidays. Great times of celebration. Great times of worshipping God. Paul wanted to be there. Now those were the two ostensible reasons. I believe there was a third reason that Paul wanted to be there and that is to share the gospel with the Jews. Paul always desired to bring the gospel message to the Jews. He felt that he understood them sufficiently so that he could convince them that Jesus was the Messiah. Now when Paul was going out among the Gentiles to preach the gospel, he would usually go first to the synagogue. For several Sabbath days he would be in the synagogue. He would be showing them out of their Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah. And that was Paul’s practice. When they rejected then Paul would turn to the Gentiles. And he would share with the Gentiles. And as he wrote to the Romans (Romans 1:16), I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe, to the Jew first and also to the Gentiles. So Paul’s heart and as he expressed it in Romans, my heart and prayer for Israel is that they might be saved! And I could wish myself accursed from God for my brethren’s sake according to the flesh. He had such a deep intense desire to reach the Jews that if it were possible to reach them he would accept being cursed from God Himself. That’s how intense and deep Paul’s desire was to share with the Jews the truth that Jesus is the Messiah. Paul has come to Jerusalem. He has met with the church leaders. They have suggested that Paul go through purification rites and that he also sponsor some young men who were also going through the purification rites. So that when the Jews in the church in Jerusalem heard that Paul was there it wouldn’t create a problem and a division within the church because they had heard of the message of grace that Paul was teaching to the Gentiles. So they said now Paul, we don’t want any trouble, no division. So go ahead and sponsor these boys that need to be purified and you yourself, you know, go ahead and go through the purification rites and then when people come and they say what is Paul here for? We can then say, you know, he is a good Jewish boy, keeping Kosher and going through the rites and so forth. So it was while Paul was in the temple that he was spotted by some of the Jews from Asia, where he had preached in their synagogue. And they began to cry out, men and brethren, help! This is the man who has been going around the world telling the Jews that they don’t have to keep the law of Moses. And so they began to beat Paul. Their intention was to beat him to death. During these days there were always extra Roman guards on duty. And they saw the tumult and they came rushing down. And they rescued Paul from the mob. They took him into protective custody. And as Paul was taken up to the Antonio Fortress there on the porch that overlooked the temple mount area where the Jews were gathered, Paul turned to the captain of the guard and in the Greek language said, may I speak to these people? He said do you speak Greek? Paul said, yes. He said I thought you were that Egyptian. That fellow that came from Egypt who led some people in insurrection a while back. Paul said no, I’m a citizen of Tarsus, no mean city. So the captain of the guard gave Paul permission to speak and Paul began to address the people in the Hebrew tongue. And so when they heard Paul speaking Hebrew they listened more intently. That brings us now into chapter twenty-two. “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.” This is Paul’s big moment! This is the day he’s dreamed of. This is Paul’s hour. He has been desiring since his conversion twenty years earlier. He’s been desiring this opportunity to share with the Jews, his kinsmen according to the flesh, that light and understanding that he had of Jesus Christ as Messiah. He had been able to convince thousands of Gentiles, but his heart and desire was for his own people that they might discover the glorious truth that Jesus is indeed the Messiah. It is so clear in the Old Testament Scriptures. It is so obvious, that Paul was certain that if he could just show them in their scriptures, he could prove to them that Jesus was the Messiah. It’s an interesting thing that when the Lord opens up our eyes to a particular truth. The truth of salvation through Jesus Christ. It becomes so plain and so logical and so beautiful that we think, everybody should be able to see this! Anybody would be thrilled to accept this. Surely no one can fail to see that Jesus is the promised Messiah, that the Bible is indeed God’s Word, inspired by God, leading men into a relationship with God! And it is so clear and obvious that we think that surely everybody can see it. It’s surprising how blind people can be. You can so through and simply explain the gospel and they just sort of, daaa, no comprehension! It just, well, they just don’t seem to get it. They just don’t see! The Bible says (1 Corinthians 2:14) the natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. You could say with equal logic, the deaf man cannot enjoy the symphony and the blind man cannot enjoy the sunset because they lack that faculty by which these things are appreciated and enjoyed. So the natural man lacks the faculty of the Spirit by which these things are understood. Jesus said, the Holy Spirit will teach you all things. The Holy Spirit opens up your understanding. If the truth of God bears witness in your heart and as you read it, you think, wow that’s exciting! That’s beautiful! That’s wonderful! That’s because the Spirit is opening your heart to it. Someone else can read the same passages and say well, I don’t know what it means. What are you so excited about? I mean, nothing is there that I can see. Because they lack the faculties, the Spirit by which these things are understood, appreciated and enjoyed. So Paul having been converted and having the Spirit of God open up the truth to his heart, he was certain he could surely convince the Jews, especially, that Jesus is the Messiah. So listen to the defense that I make now to you. 2And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent. This crowd that a moment ago was screaming out, kill him and all, now is silent as Paul is there on the porch addressing them in their Hebrew language. Then he said: 3″I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. I know where you are at! I’m one of you. I’ve been exactly where you are! I am a Jew, though I was born in Tarsus, I grew up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel. I’ve been taught in the law of the fathers by the chief rabbi, Gamaliel, perfect manner of the law. And I was zealous toward God even as you are, acknowledging their zeal. Now he in another place (Romans 10:2) wrote concerning the Jews, I testify of them. They have a zeal for God but not according to knowledge. But here he is not insulting them. He just said, I was zealous just like you are. And 4I persecuted this Way (In early Christianity it was known as the Way. So I persecuted this Way) to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, The Bible says that Paul wrecked havoc in the church. He was zealous in his attempt to stamp out the church. He thought he was doing God a service.) 5as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished. Paul in talking about the righteousness that he once had in the law(Philippians 3:6), said, concerning his zeal, persecuting the church. So now Paul is being persecuted. They were zealous for the law of God. They thought that Paul was violating the law, in teaching Jews to violate the law, and so they are going to kill him. Paul said, I understand that zeal. I was the same way. I was ready to kill those who were not wanting to live according to the law of God. Going to Damascus to imprison, bind those, bring them back to Jerusalem who were calling upon the Lord. 6Now it happened (It’s interesting that Paul is not giving them some theological treatise. It may be that that was his intention. This could have just been Paul’s introduction. But Paul is witnessing to them with personal testimony. And one of the most powerful witnesses that you can give to a person is your own personal testimony of your experience with Jesus Christ. Of what Jesus Christ has done in your life. Of the changes that He has wrought in you, is often is one of the most powerful witnesses that you can give. You see when Raul Rees stands and he gives his testimony, what the Lord did for him. Or Mike McIntosh, or when they give their personal testimonies, what can you say? You know God has done wonders. You can’t deny it! They are standing there. A miracle of God’s grace and love and the power of the Spirit to transform a life! And so the personal witness always makes a great testimony and Paul is giving them his personal testimony of his conversion.) Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. 7And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ 8So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ Paul’s personal encounter with Jesus Christ. You often heard it said that God doesn’t you to become religious. God wants a relationship with you. A personal relationship. Paul is now introduced personally to Jesus Christ, the one whom he is persecuting. There the Lord meets him. There the Lord talks to him. Now as we go on into the next few chapters, we are going to find that Paul is going to stand before Felix, the Roman governor. And then Festus, and then Agrippa. And so in each case as he stands before these men, to make his defense. In each case he testifies to them of his conversion. And so we’re going to be going over this conversion of Paul in the next couple of chapters as he will be again making his defense. But every time he has an opportunity and has to face a court trial, he takes advantage of that opportunity in sharing the power of Jesus Christ to change a person’s life. You remember that Jesus told his disciples that they would be arrested and they would be brought before the magistrates and before kings, and the Lord said don’t take any forethought of what you will say. Don’t make any prepared speech. But in that hour the Holy Spirit will give unto you the words that you should say. Just trust in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. So Paul, Jesus said it shall turn to you for a witness. And so Paul took every opportunity to witness for Jesus Christ before the magistrates, in fact he sought to convert Agrippa. And he used that as an opportunity to share his personal testimony. So here he encounters the Lord, a personal encounter. 9And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. Now at this point in the various accounts, the account of his conversion in chapter nine and as he relates it again, there seems to be a discrepancy, which is cleared up by the Greek text. For in another place it said, they heard the voice but here it says they heard not the voice of Him who spoke to me. So how can it be that they heard and they didn’t hear? Here it is in the Greek, the phone. They heard the phone. We get our word phonics from this Greek word. They didn’t understand it. They heard the sounds, the phonics, but they didn’t comprehend because God was speaking to him, probably in the Hebrew language. And only the scholars knew the Hebrew language. And the Lord probably spoke to him in Hebrew. So they heard the sound, but they didn’t hear the voice, that is the phonics, the understanding. They didn’t comprehend what was being said. They saw the light. They heard the noise, but they didn’t understand the words. It was a personal encounter of the Lord with Paul. So that’s where the discrepancy, seeming discrepancy, is cleared up as you get into the Greek language. 10So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ Now that’s conversion. If thou shall confess with thy mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord. Believe in your heart God has raised Him from the dead you will be saved. Paul is here, immediately surrendering himself to the Lordship of Jesus. What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.’ So the first step is just going to Damascus. The Lord leads us one step at a time. We so often want God to spell out the whole picture. We want God to say, you’re going to go here and when that happens, then you are to do this. And then when you’ve done that and we want the Lord to spell out the whole thing you know. But God only leads us one step at a time. Go to Damascus. There it will be told you what you are to do. 11And since I could not see for the glory of that light, (The light that shone on him was so bright. Brighter than the noonday sun! That Paul was temporarily blinded as the result of the brilliance of that light.) being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus. Now there is another account that says Paul was breathing out murder against the church. I mean he left Jerusalem empowered by the high priest, threatening, breathing out murders against these believers, coming with others to imprison and all. But here he is led in meekly by the hand. He can’t see, you know! He’s been blinded on the way by the brilliant light in his encounter with Jesus Christ. It’s not the way Paul pictured himself coming into Damascus. 2Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law (He was a Jew.), having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, (He was a devout man. He had a good report among the Jews.) He13came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him. I was able to see him. 14Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, (Or the righteous One) and hear the voice of His mouth. God has chosen you, Paul. You are to be a special instrument. God has chosen that you should know His will. That you should see the righteous One, Jesus, and that you should hear the voice of His mouth. Paul, when he was writing to the Ephesians, said, thanks be unto God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ in heavenly places. Then he begins to list a long list of blessings that are ours in and through Jesus Christ. But the top of the list is that we were chosen in Him before the foundations of the world! God chose you! What a glorious truth! Chosen by God that we should know His will. That we should see Jesus Christ. That is that our eyes of understanding being enlightened and opened, we may see the truth of Jesus Christ. That He is God’s anointed One, that He is the Messiah. He is the Son of God, who came and died for our sins. And God has chosen that we should know this truth in order that we might be converted and be saved. And that we might hear the voice of Jesus. 15For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. So here Paul is bearing witness of what he saw and what he heard. This was Paul’s ministry. To share his testimony of his experience with Jesus Christ. 16And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’ Why wait, Paul? Get up. Be baptized. Wash away your sins as you call on the name of the Lord. 17Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem (Now Paul leaves a gap here of three years. From the time of Paul’s conversion in Damascus, it was three years before he came back to Jerusalem. Those three years were spent out in the desert of Arabia. Those three years were spent in solitude with Jesus. Paul went out and there for three years, Jesus ministered to Paul, opening his understanding of the Scriptures. It’s hard to realize what a total revolutionary experience this was for Paul. One moment, determined to wipe out the believers. Meeting Jesus Christ and the next moment being a believer. Chosen by God to share the truth of Christ with a Gentile world. So three years gap, Paul was receiving the gospel of grace during those desert experiences.) and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance 18and saw Him (Another time when Jesus came and personally visited with Paul. Throughout his ministry the Lord on several occasions stood by him, guided him, spoke to him. Paul said that he was in a trance on this occasion.) saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’ The Lord warned Paul. Get out of here! They’re not going to receive your testimony. 19So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. 20And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to (or voted for) his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ 21Then He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.’ ” Now the Lord, the first time Paul came to Jerusalem, said get out of here. They’re not going to receive. But notice Paul is arguing with the Lord. Now whenever you find yourself arguing with the Lord, just know you’re wrong! So many times we do find ourselves arguing, but Lord, I know what they are feeling. I’m sure Lord! That I can convince them. The Lord said, they’re not going to listen. Get out of here, Paul! Now I believe that for twenty years, Paul has felt that the Lord was wrong! I believe that down deep in his heart, Paul felt that if I can just talk to them. If I can just share with them. I know that I can convince them! It surely teaches us that it isn’t our words of wisdom that convinces a man to follow Jesus Christ. It is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit speaking to a person’s heart that opens their hearts to the truth that helps them to believe. The greatest argument in the world, the strongest apologetics, will not convince a person of the truth of Jesus Christ. It is the work of God’s Spirit within their hearts that draws them to believe and gives them faith to trust in Jesus. And so Paul has for twenty years, and of course it was seventeen years ago that Paul came back. And for this seventeen years, I think that he felt, well the Lord really doesn’t fully understand. I know that I can convince them. And so here he is. He’s shining. Here it’s happening Lord. You know you thought I couldn’t do it. Their listening you know. They’re quiet! I’ve got them in my hand, you know. But suddenly when Paul mentioned this word, gentiles, 22And they listened to him until this word(until he said, Gentiles), and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!” Kill him! A huge uproar ensued. 23Then, as they cried out (They were screaming.) and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air, (They tore off their clothes. They threw dirt in the air. They are an emotional group! And Paul has pushed a button. And suddenly there is chaos. People screaming, tearing off their clothes. Throwing dirt in the air and yelling, kill him. Kill him! Making a surge toward the Antonio Fortress.) So 24the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him. You see, Paul was talking to them in the Hebrew language. The Romans couldn’t understand what he was saying. All of a sudden, all that they knew was that the crowd went berserk! It went wild. So he said, examine him by scourging. Or give him the third degree to find out what he said. Now this examining by scourging was a practice of the Roman government in order to force the truth from a person. They would tie the person with leather thongs to a post, in a position where his back was stretched, was taut. And then they would take a whip. A leather whip that has little bits of bone and cut glass tied in it. It was designed to sort of rip the flesh. And the one soldier would begin to lay the whip across the back, snapping it and pulling out little chunks of flesh. It was extremely painful. The idea was that as the scribe stood by, you would cry out a confession. You would start confessing what you had done wrong. And a person under this third degree type of pressure would soon begin to spill everything and tell everything he knew because if you would cooperate and if you would open up and tell what you knew, then they would lay the whip on a little easier. If you would refuse they would lay it on harder and harder until you would be forced to confess. Many people died before the scourging was finished because of the loss of blood and the extreme pain. Now this is the scourging that Jesus experienced as Pilate ordered that Jesus should be scourged. Generally the scourging was thirty-nine stripes. In the Scriptures the number forty is a number symbolic of judgment. Whenever you read of forty days it usually is a period of time that is referring to judgment. You remember when the flood came, it rained for forty days and forty nights. It was the judgment of God. It is numerically a number of judgment in the Scriptures. The number thirty nine, numerically, is the number of mercy. I might say not much mercy. And so because justice must be tempered with mercy, the scourging was usually thirty-nine stripes. The prophet said (Isaiah 53:5) concerning Jesus that He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of His peace was upon Him and with His stripes we are healed. The scourging. The stripes laid across His back. Thus it was prophesied by Isaiah. Also Isaiah said (Isaiah 50:6), that I gave My back to the smiters and my cheeks to those who plucked out to the beard. To the spitting. The suffering that Jesus endured. But Isaiah went on to say, as a lamb before His shearers is dumb so He opened not His mouth. You see the purpose was to elicit confession of wrongdoing. But Jesus has nothing to confess. And thus He took the full brunt of that horrible scourging process. The suffering of that scourging process that by His stripes we may be healed. Oh, the wonderful love of our wonderful Savior! Willing to suffer for us! Wounded for our transgressions! Bruised for our iniquities! So it was very common (they figure Paul was a Jew), scourge him! Find out what he said that created that uproar out there! 25And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?” The truth of it is, it was not lawful. Cicero said, a Roman should never be bound with thongs. And to scourge a Roman, those guilty should be put to death. So Paul just asks the question of the centurion, is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman who is uncondemned. 26When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.” 27Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He (Paul) said, “Yes.” 28The commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.” And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.” (I was born a Roman. I am free born.) 29Then immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him; and the commander was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. It was not lawful to even bind a Roman unless there are charges. 30The next day, because he wanted to know for certain why he was accused by the Jews, he released him from his bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down and set him before them. So now Paul is going to have his official hearing before the Sanhedrin. That religious body of which Paul was once a part. And now he gets his hearing before them. It is interesting how God prepared Paul as he said to the Galatians (Galatians 1:15), I was separated from my mother’s womb unto the gospel. God had perfectly fitted Paul for the ministry that Paul was to accomplish for the Lord, as God always prepares the instruments in advance. The men that God uses are men that God has prepared. And Paul from his birth was being prepared by God for a very special ministry. A ministry in which Roman citizenship would play an important part. So He had Paul born free. Born with a Roman citizenship, which meant that his father had probably done some great deed for Rome and was granted to the family automatic citizenship for the family members, which often happened. In order to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, he needed to have an understanding of the Greek culture. So he was born in Tarsus, no mean city of Cilicia, a city of Greek culture. And his earliest childhood experiences of playing with the kids on the block, he was being exposed to the Greek culture. The early schooling in Greek culture. However, because he was a Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin. His father was a devout Jew, when it came time to go to college. His father sent Paul to Jerusalem, that he might study in the Hebrew university, under Gamaliel, that he might have this great, thorough understanding of the Hebrew scriptures, being taught by one of the most respected rabbis of the day. So all the way along this was all part of God’s preparation. To prepare a man thoroughly versed in the Hebrew Scriptures, knowing the Greek culture, having the advantage of a Roman citizenship, intellectually keen and sharp, to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentile world. So God had been working all the way along, preparing and fitting the vessel to the use. There is a song that we sing, “All the way my Savior leads me. What have I on earth beside?” You know, as you get along in years of serving the Lord, you begin to realize that all the way, the hand of the Lord was upon your life, preparing you for the ministry that God was going to do through you. As I look back on my own life, the different experiences, the background, all that I had, I can see now. I recognize now how that God’s hand was upon my life from birth, even before birth. A few weeks before I was born, my cousin had died of spinal meningitis and my sister contracted spinal meningitis. She went into convulsions and stopped breathing. Her eyes rolled back, her jaw set, and my mother ran up the street to a church. The pastor lived next door to the church. She was holding her little lifeless daughter. And as the minister began to pray and my mother was praying, the minister said, get your eyes off your little girl and get your eyes on Jesus. Focus on Jesus. Good advice. Don’t look at the difficulty of the problem. Look to Jesus, He is the answer! And you see, if we look at the problem, it only gets bigger, but if we look at Jesus, the problem fades because of the greatness of his power. In the meantime my dad who had been at the pool hall. He was a pool shark. He came to the apartments where they were living. The nurse that happened to be there said, you little daughter died. Your wife ran up the street. She said she was going to a church. And my dad went running up the street to the church intending to beat up the minister, take his daughter to the hospital and get proper treatment. But when he saw her he realized it was to late and he fell on his knees and began to cry out to the Lord. My mother said, Lord, if you will just give me my little daughter back again, I will give my life to you and I will serve you. My sister began to breath again, opened her eyes and was healed instantly. Two months later when the doctor told my mother that you’ve got a baby boy, she closed her eyes and said, Lord, through my son I will fulfill my vow to you. So from I was a child, she started teaching me the Scriptures. She started me memorizing the Scriptures. She would follow me out to the yard. As I would be swinging, she would be quoting Scriptures, helping me to memorize Scriptures. She taught me to read when I was four years old, reading out of the Bible. We had a large print Bible. She taught me to read. You see God’s hand was there, preparing. The years that we went through difficulty in ministry, hardships in ministry. Difficult times. They were all a part of God’s preparation. I can see the hand of God all the way. It’s a thrill to look back and realize, God had His hand on your life from the beginning. And those circumstances, those situations that you were going through. They were all a part of God’s plan to bring you to this place of service. God thoroughly prepares the vessels He intends to use. As Paul said (Ephesians 2:10) you are His workmanship, created unto Christ Jesus for the good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. God has a plan for each of your lives if you are open, God will work out that plan. Sometimes it looks to us like God has taken detours. Sometimes we think that God has given up on His plan. And yet God continues to work even when we don’t understand what He is doing because we are trying to understand the puzzle when we have only a few pieces together. But as God patiently and slowly begins to put the pieces together and as the puzzle begins to get complete then we begin to see the picture. And we say, oh my! Isn’t that beautiful. Look at that! You didn’t dream it was that beautiful. The plan of God for each of our lives as we are yielded to Him and allow Him to put the pieces of the puzzle together. That it makes sense! Beautiful! So here is Paul, God is working. God has prepared him. And God is working and has fit him for the this ministry to the Gentiles. Paul’s problem is that he thought he could minister to the Jews. It’s not to be, Paul. That’s not your calling. You know, the most difficult thing in the world is to try to be something God didn’t make you and to fulfill a ministry God didn’t give you. But the most wonderful thing in the world is to be just what God has made you and to do just what God wants you to do. That’s just coasting. That’s glorious! So many times I found myself trying to be something God didn’t make me. And God had to teach me. I can’t be something that he didn’t make me. I’ve got to be what He made me to be. I’ve got to be obedient to His calling upon my life. So God works in each of us. He is working in you. He’s is preparing you. He is giving you the background. He is giving you those experiences. All part of God’s plan as he is working out His eternal purposes in your life. And as you yield yourself to Him, the picture will begin to unfold and you will begin to see exactly the purpose and the plan that God has for you. That wonderful life when it’s committed fully to Jesus Christ. Thank You Father for the work of Your Holy Spirit. As You have worked in us to conform us into the image of Your Son. And as You have worked in us to prepare us for those good works that You have before ordained that we should accomplish. Lord we thank You that You are still working in us. Unfold Lord, Your plan day by day as we walk with You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Transcribed from “The Word For Today”, Pastor Chuck Smith, Tape #8111

Mary Antin was born into a Jewish family in Polotsk in Russian-ruled Poland. Her family moved to the United States when she was still a child and she lived in Boston and then New York, where she attended the Teachers College of Columbia University and Barnard University. The publication of her autobiography, The Promised Land, made her famous and she lectured widely about the meaning of assimilation and her own story. She died in 1949. For more on our cookies and changing your settings click here

Martin Barell, 71, Who Headed State Board of Regents, Is Dead By BRUCE LAMBERT Published: January 10, 1993 Martin C. Barell, who served as chancellor of New York State's Board of Regents from 1985 to 1992 and developed new programs amid controversy over education's failures and the effectiveness of his agency, died yesterday at his home in Glen Cove, L.I. He was 71. He died of heart disease, his family said. Among the many issues that arose during Mr. Barell's tenure were debates over multiculturalism, coeducational athletics, urban school financing, the academic freedom to voice racially divisive views and school distribution of condoms to students to help prevent the spread of AIDS. Soon after Mr. Barell took over as chancellor, the Regents came under attack from Gov. Mario M. Cuomo and several legislators who said the board had failed to address high dropout rates, illiteracy and other education problems. The Governor said he was "incredibly unhappy" with the board, and some called for its abolition. 'Compact for Learning' Mr. Barell defended the board's record and vowed redoubled efforts, saying "we will, I'm sure, show results." In 1987 the Regents recruited Dr. Thomas Sobol as the state's new education commissioner and with him formed the 1991 "compact for learning." That program is intended to improve education by imposing higher standards for students and giving local schools both more accountability for meeting the goals and more flexibility in the means they used. Another innovation under Mr. Barell's tenure was the development of "community renewal schools." Several dozen model schools across the state are now open from early morning through the evening as community centers, with numerous activities and social services for children and adults. The Board of Regents, the nation's oldest education agency, founded in 1874, has broad policy powers. It has general supervision over all public and private primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, museums, libraries, historical societies, archives and vocational rehabilitation agencies. It also licenses and disciplines physicians, architects, engineers, dieticians, social workers, psychologists and members of 31 other professions. Rejection of VouchersgFocus of Broad Powers Mr. Barell, elected a Regent by the State Legislature in 1976 at the age of 54, contested William A. Genrich for the chancellor's post in 1980 and lost. After Mr. Barell made amends, Mr. Genrich nominated him for vice chancellor in 1983. He succeeded Mr. Genrich on his retirement. Under Mr. Barell's leadership, the Regents allowed girls on previously all-male teams, barred commercially sponsored classroom television programs and rejected a "voucher" proposal that would have allowed public payment of private school tuition. He said the plan would "aid and abet the liquidation of the public school system." Mr. Barell helped broaden curriculum to include more about other cultures and the role of minorities. He said: "We ought to tell it like it is, and not gloss everything over." But the Regents were embarrassed when Dr. Sobol commissioned a report that turned out to be racially provocative. It was prepared in part by Leonard Jeffries Jr., a City University professor who espouses black superiority. Further controversial remarks by Dr. Jeffries led critics to call on the board to renounce him. Mr. Barell urged it to refrain, saying, "This is not a macho organization. We don't want to stand tall." Active in Civic Affairs When the Regents required an AIDS curriculum in 1987, he said, "Every child, regardless of what the community says, ought to have a minimum knowledge of AIDS." But in 1991 he defended the board's refusal to require schools to offer condoms, as recommended by the state AIDS agency. In 1989 he assailed New York City's central school board and administration and suggested its dismantling. Later, in a reversal, he praised the initial efforts of the new city Schools Chancellor, Joseph A. Fernandez. Among his civic activities, Mr. Barell was chairman emeritus of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center, chairman of the Synagogue Council of America, past president of the Jewish Community Services of Long Island, a member of the National Commission for Unesco and an active Democrat. The father of two institutionalized children, he supported organizations to help the handicapped and was a past president of the the Reece School for retarded and disturbed children. Nassau-Suffolk Services for the Autistic opened a school in Levittown, L.I., named for him. Background in Law Mr. Barell was born in Brooklyn. He graduated from Columbia University and, after serving in the Army in World War II, graduated from Harvard's business and law schools. In 1951 he cofounded a Manhattan law firm, Golenbock & Barell, where he specialized in real estate and business law. He was the firm's senior partner when it merged in 1990 with Whitman & Ransom, where he was of counsel. His first marriage ended in divorce. Surviving are his wife of 10 years, the former Phyllis Sotnick; two sons, Allan, of Manhattan, and Steven, of Langhorne, Pa.; four daughters, Deborah Spandorf of Queens, Marian Nelson of Falls Church, Va., Barbara Silpe of Lido Beach, L.I., and Naomi Barell of Jerusalem, Israel; two stepchildren, Lesly Steinman of Glen Head, L.I., and David Sotnick of Brooklyn; a sister, Gladys Barr of Oak Beach, L.I., and nine grandchildren. Photo: Martin C. Barell (The New York Times, 1987)

A famous priest and scribe who brought back part of the exiles from captivity (Ezra 7–10; Neh. 8; 12). The object of his mission was “to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” In 458 B.C. he obtained from Artaxerxes an important edict (Ezra 7:12–26) allowing him to take to Jerusalem any Jewish exiles who cared to go, along with offerings for the temple with which he was entrusted, and giving to the Jews various rights and privileges. He was also directed to appoint magistrates and judges. On arriving in Jerusalem his first reform was to cause the Jews to separate from their foreign wives, and a list is given of those who had offended in this way (Ezra 10). The later history of Ezra is found in the book of Nehemiah, which is a sequel to the book of Ezra. Along with Nehemiah he took steps to instruct the people in the Mosaic law (Neh. 8). Hitherto “the law” had been to a great extent the exclusive possession of the priests. It was now brought within the reach of every Jew. The open reading of “the book of the law” was a new departure and marked the law as the center of Jewish national life. A good many traditions have gathered around the name of Ezra. He is said to have formed the canon of Hebrew scripture and to have established an important national council, called the Great Synagogue, over which he presided. But for none of these traditions is there trustworthy evidence. The Jews of later days were inclined to attribute to the influence of Ezra every religious development between the days of Nehemiah and the Maccabees. The book of Ezra contains also an introductory section (Ezra 1–6) describing events that happened from 60 to 80 years before the arrival of Ezra in Jerusalem, that is, the decree of Cyrus, 537 B.C., and the return of Jews under Zerubbabel; the attempt to build the temple and the hindrances due to the Samaritans; the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah and the completion of the temple, 516 B.C. There is no record in the book of any events between this date and the mission of Ezra. Religious values in the book of Ezra are found in the teaching that (1) the promises of the Lord through His prophets shall all be fulfilled (Ezra 1:1; see also Jer. 25:13; 29:10; D&C 1:37–38; 5:20); (2) discipline and patience are born of disappointment, as one expectation after another was frustrated; (3) there is eternal significance in everyday life; (4) preparation is needed for the rule of Messiah, the law being the schoolmaster to bring men to Christ.

(RNS) Sixty imams and rabbis want to get on with the hard work of repairing the rift between Muslims and Jews. Articles tagged “rabbis” (RNS) The rhetorical devices that ascribe the characteristics of a citizen to the legal fiction called a “corporation” are the mud and magic that produce a golem. TRENTON, N.J. (RNS) Four Orthodox rabbis implicated in a torture-for-hire operation were indicted Thursday (May 22). TRENTON, N.J. (RNS) Two brothers have admitted to playing roles in a bizarre plot to kidnap, beat and torture a recalcitrant Orthodox Jewish husband to convince him to give his wife a religious divorce, authorities said. (RNS) David Hellman admitted to traveling with seven co-conspirators from New York to a New Jersey warehouse with the intention of forcing a Jewish man to give his wife a divorce document known under Jewish law as a “get.” (RNS) According to a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday (Oct. 10), the four are accused of charging families thousands of dollars to get recalcitrant husbands to agree to divorces, frequently by violent means. (RNS) Among the winners in the new Pew Research Center poll on American Jews, the Orthodox movement and Israel. Losers include the Conservative movement. (RNS) In the 40 years since America’s first female rabbi was ordained, nearly 650 female rabbis have entered the Reform movement. Yet, Jewish and Christian clergywomen still face visible and invisible obstacles in their careers. NEW YORK (RNS) “I understand better today than I did then that sometimes, when you think you are doing good, your actions do not measure up,” wrote Rabbi Norman Lamm, for decades a leading figure in Orthodox Judaism.

At the start of 2011 the world watched as the Egyptian people overthrew longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak. It is not often that we can so easily honor the Haggadah’s instruction that “In every generation one must look upon himself as if he personally has come out of Egypt.” The Jewish community of Egypt dates back to the time of the prophet Jeremiah (587 B.C.E.) and has a long and storied presence in the country. By the sixteenth century it consisted of Arabic-speaking, North African and Spanish Jewish immigrants. Today, that community has all but disappeared, but the Jewish connection with Egypt lives on through historical ties, the Haggadah and of course, food. Mina (also spelled mayeena and meena) is a Sephardic matzo casserole commonly found on the Egyptian Jewish seder table. Derived conceptually from a layered pastry, mina can be served as a side dish or a main course, made to be meat or dairy, and is often stuffed with green vegetables such as leeks or spinach, symbolic of spring and new beginnings. As we eat mina during Passover this year, let us honor and be inspired by the newly found freedom of modern day Egyptians. Though the number of spices in this dish may be intimidating, the combination is very important and all can be found at major grocery stores. Also, you may choose to grind spices with a mortar and pestle, though the original recipe does not specify that as a necessary step. Leek Mina for Passover (Mina de Carne con Prassa) From “Sepharidic Cookery: Traditional Recipes for a Joyful Table,” by Emilie de Vidas Levy, reprinted with permission from Irma Lopes Cardozo of the Women’s Division of the Central Sephardic Jewish Community of America. 8 matzo squares 2 pounds chopped beef, lightly browned 2 mashed potatoes leeks, 5-6 stalks 1 teaspoon salt oil for greasing pan water for soaking matzo 1. Soak matzo squares in water until soft. Drain on paper towels and reserve. Trim leaks, cut into ringlets and wash thoroughly, using the white part and some of the green if fresh. Boil leeks for 14 minutes and drain. 2. Keep liquid for soup. Mix leeks with browned, chopped meat. Add mashed potatoes and salt. Beat 5 eggs and add to meat mixture. 3. Grease 12x9x2 inch baking pan with oil, or use a casserole dish, 8 inches in diameter. Cover the pan with half of the matzo squares. Spread the meat mixture over them and cover with a layer of the rest of the matzo. Beat remaining egg and pour over the top. 4. Bake in moderate oven at 375 degrees for one hour. Serves 8. Variation: You may omit leeks and substitute 2 chopped onions and ½ cup chopped parsley which are added to the meat. Bake as above.

19. The Light of the World (John 8:12-30) I must confess that I have had a difficult time with this text as I have been concentrating on it this past week. Initially, I could not figure out why I was finding it so difficult. Upon reflection, I was able to better articulate just what was troubling me about this passage of Scripture. First, this text is placed between two of the most fascinating stories in the Gospels—the story of the woman caught in adultery in the early verses of chapter 8, and the story of the healing of the man born blind in chapter 9. Second, the issues dealt with in our text are not new. John develops his argument by introducing various themes, and then taking them up several times later in the book, each time adding some new dimension of truth, understanding, or application. I found the material less than intriguing because it was not new material, but old material, by and large. Third, our text is not one of those “happily ever after” accounts that leaves us feeling better about what is going on in the text. In this passage, we are in the middle of a great debate between Jesus and His adversaries. Ten times they interrupt Him in this chapter alone. Also, the Jews do not have a clue about what our Lord is saying, and so they misinterpret virtually everything He says. By the end of the chapter, the Jews attempt to stone Jesus. We do not come away from this text with a warm, fuzzy feeling. Instead, it troubles us. All of these things mean that we must discipline our minds and hearts to concentrate on this text and its message. Having pointed this out, let me also say that this chapter focuses on truths about Jesus Christ which are fundamental to our faith. The things which Jesus claims about Himself in this chapter are those which draw some men to faith (verse 30) and drive others farther away (verse 59). As we approach this study, let us look to God, asking that through His Spirit He may draw us closer to the “Light of the World.” If you consult the commentaries on this text, you will see that many understand the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles as the background to our Lord’s teaching, to which He constantly refers: ‘He who has not seen the joy of the place of water-drawing has never in his life seen joy’: This extravagant claim stands just before the description of the lighting of the four huge lamps in the temple’s court of women and of the exuberant celebration that took place under the light (Mishnah Sukkah 5:1-4). ‘Men of piety and good works’ danced through the night, holding burning torches in their hands and singing songs and praises. The Levitical orchestras cut loose, and some sources attest that this went on every night of the Feast of Tabernacles, with the light from the temple area shedding its glow all over Jerusalem. In this context Jesus declares to the people, I am the light of the world.86 I am more inclined to view our text in the “light” of what we find in the Scriptures than upon historical information obtained elsewhere. Leon Morris appears to take this same approach, focusing on the “pillar of fire” which separated the Israelites from the Egyptians and led God’s people through the wilderness: Many draw attention to the ceremonies with lights at the Feast of Tabernacles and suggest that Jesus was consciously fulfilling the symbolism suggested by them. There is nothing unlikely in this, especially if the words were uttered reasonably close to the time of the Feast. The feasts were very important to the Jews. They delighted in their observance and rejoiced in their symbolism. And it was important to the Christians that the Christ fulfilled all the spiritual truths to which the feasts pointed. Now the brilliant candelabra were lit only at the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles. There is a dispute as to the number of nights on which the illumination took place, but none as to the fact that at the close of the Feast it did not. In the absence of the lights Jesus’ claim to be the Light would stand out the more impressively. In favor of this view there is also the fact that the candelabra were lit in the Court of the Women, the most frequented part of the temple, and the very place in which Jesus delivered His address. Yet, just as the reference to the water in ch. 7 seems to point us back to the rock in the wilderness rather than to the pouring of water from the golden pitcher, so the light may refer us to the pillar of fire in the wilderness. We have noted the reference to the manna in ch. 6, so that in three successive chapters the wilderness imagery seems consistently used to illustrate aspects of Jesus’ Person and work. It must always be borne in mind that light is a common theme in both Old and New Testaments, so that it is not necessary for us to find the source of Jesus’ great saying in any non-biblical place. Elsewhere we read that God is light (I John 1:5) and Jesus Himself said that His followers were ‘the light of the world’ (Matt. 5:14; the expression is identical with that used here). Paul can also speak of Christians as ‘lights in the world’ (Phil. 2:15). It is, of course, plain that such terms must be applied to believers in a sense different from that in which they are applied to Christ. He is the fundamental source of the world’s illumination. They, having kindled their torches at His bright flame, show to the world something of His light.87 D. A. Carson summarizes the symbolism of “light” throughout the Bible: Of the incarnate Word we have already learned that the life ‘was the light of men’ (cf. notes on 1:4). The light metaphor is steeped in Old Testament allusions. The glory of the very presence of God in the cloud led the people to the promised land (Ex. 13:21-22) and protected them from those who would destroy them (Ex. 14:19-25). The Israelites were trained to sing, ‘The LORD is my light and my salvation’ (Ps. 27:1). The word of God, the law of God, is a light to guide the path of those who cherish instruction (Ps. 119:105; Pr. 6:23); God’s light is shed abroad in revelation (Ezk. 1:4, 13, 26-28) and salvation (Hab. 3:3-4). ‘Light is Yahweh in action, Ps. 44:3’ (H. Conzelmann, TDNT 9, 320). Isaiah tells us that the servant of the LORD was appointed as a light to the Gentiles, that he might bring God’s salvation to the ends of the earth (Is. 49:6). The coming eschatological age would be a time when the LORD himself would be the light for his people (Is. 60:19-22; cf. Rev. 21:23-24). Perhaps Zechariah 14:5b-7 is especially significant, with its promise of continual light on the last day, followed by the promise of living waters flowing from Jerusalem—this passage probably forming part of the liturgical readings of this Feast.…88 An Illuminating Testimony 12 Then Jesus spoke out again, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows89 me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees objected, “You testify about yourself; your testimony is not true!” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you people do not know where I came from or where I am going. 15 You people judge by outward appearances; I do not judge anyone. 16 But if I judge, my evaluation is accurate, because I am not alone when I judge, but I and the Father who sent me do so together. 17 It is written in your law that the testimony of two men90 is true. 18 I testify about myself and the Father who sent me testifies about me.” 19 Then they began asking him, “Who91 is your father?” Jesus answered, “You do not know either me or my Father. If you knew me you would know my Father too.” 20 (Jesus spoke these words near the offering box while he was teaching in the temple courts. No one seized him, because his time had not yet come.) It would seem that the Feast of Tabernacles has just recently concluded when our Lord speaks out in the temple, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” It is interesting to me that as often as simple statements of our Lord were misunderstood (see 8:21ff.), this is one time His audience seems to understand something of what Jesus means when He calls Himself the “light of the world.” Later on, Paul will use the term “light” when he challenges the Jewish religious leaders concerning their own sin: 17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relationship to God 18 and know his will and approve the superior things because you receive instruction from the law, 19 and if you are convinced that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth—21 therefore you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by transgressing the law. 24 For just as it is written, “the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” (Romans 2:17-24, emphasis mine). I am inclined to interpret our Lord’s words in the light of texts like these, found in the prophecy of Isaiah: 6 “I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles, 7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house” (Isaiah 42:6-7, NKJV, emphasis mine). “Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth’” (Isaiah 49:6, NKJV, emphasis mine). I believe Israel failed to fulfill her mission as God’s “son” (see Exodus 4:22-23), as did Israel’s kings fail in this same role (see 2 Samuel 7:13-14). What men could not fulfill as God’s “son,” the “Son” did fulfill. And so the Lord Jesus was the perfect “Son.” What Israel failed to do as the “servant of the Lord,” Jesus did as the “Suffering Servant.” Israel was to carry the “good news” of God’s salvation to the Gentiles, but, like the prodigal prophet Jonah, they refused to do so. And so our Lord Jesus came as the “Light of the world.” It was this part of our Lord’s “gospel” which the Jews hated (see Luke 4:16-30; Acts 22:1-24f.). None of our Lord’s audience chooses to argue about who He claims to be.92 They quibble with Him over a technicality—His credibility as a witness in His own defense. This is indeed ironic, especially in the light of the story of the woman caught in adultery at the beginning of this chapter. The scribes and Pharisees insisted that this woman be stoned, in order to fulfill the Law of Moses. Jesus did not disagree about her guilt or even her punishment under the law. What He did (which caught His adversaries completely off guard) was to appeal to the Law of Moses as to how they should proceed with the stoning. Under the law, there must be two eye witnesses. When Jesus required that the two witnesses be innocent and that they “cast the first stone,” no one was willing to do so, and the case was dropped for lack of any witnesses who would testify against this woman. You would think that anyone who opposed Jesus would stay away from the “witness question,” but instead we find our Lord’s opponents attacking Him on this same issue. Does He claim that He testifies for the Father, and the Father testifies about Him? That means there are only two witnesses, and that Jesus is one of the witnesses. Under the law, a man cannot be a witness for himself because of his own interests in the case. Earlier in the Gospel of John, Jesus seems to have conceded this point: “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true” (John 5:31). Now, it would seem that this apparent concession is going to be used against Him. Do the Jews finally have Jesus trapped? We should know better than that. The most important thing about any witness is that he or she is, in fact, a witness. Imagine a car accident in which one person is seriously injured. The injured person seeks damages from the driver of the other car. His attorney needs to prove that the other driver was negligent or in error. A witness is called, but when cross examined it becomes apparent that this “witness” was not even at the scene of the accident. This person simply wants to give their own opinion about something they never saw. This “witness” is not a witness at all! Now, Jesus is a witness. He speaks of those things which He has seen and heard from His Father: “No one has ever seen God. The only One, himself God, who is in the presence of the Father, has made God known” (John 1:18). 9 Nicodemus replied, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I tell you the solemn truth, we speak about what we know and testify about what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. 12 If I have told you people about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things. 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven—the Son of Man” (John 3:9-13). 31 “The one who comes from above is superior to all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is superior to all. 32 He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 The one who has accepted his testimony has confirmed clearly that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly” (John 3:31-34). 36 “But I have a testimony greater than that from John. For the deeds that the Father has assigned me to complete—the deeds I am now doing—testify about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified about me. You people have never heard his voice nor seen his form at any time, 38 nor do you have his word residing in you, because you do not believe the one whom he sent” (John 5:36-38). 45 “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who hears and learns from the Father comes to me. 46 (Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God—he has seen the Father.) 47 I tell you the solemn truth, the one who believes has eternal life” (John 6:45-47). “I am telling you the things I have seen while with my Father, but you are practicing the things you have heard from your father” (John 8:38). The defense of our Lord is awesome. The first qualification of a witness is that they be a witness—that they must have personally experienced that of which they testify. The Jewish religious leaders spoke with great authority about things they never experienced. Now, they seek to challenge our Lord’s authority and credibility as a witness. Only He and the Father can testify about heavenly things because they have firsthand knowledge of them. Who else is qualified as a witness if not our Lord?93 He knows where He has come from and where He is going. His opponents do not know where He has come from nor where He is going. But they think they know where He is from—Galilee. On the basis of this assumption, they reject Jesus as the promised Messiah: 25 Then some of the residents of Jerusalem began to say, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26 Yet here he is, speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to him. Do the rulers really know that this man is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man comes from. Whenever the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from” (John 7:25-27). 41 Others said, “This is the Christ!” But still others said, “No, for the Christ doesn’t come from Galilee, does he? 42 Don’t the scriptures say that the Christ is a descendant of David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” (John 7:41-42) 50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before and who was one of the rulers, said, 51 “Our law doesn’t condemn a man unless it first hears from him and learns what he is doing, does it?” 52 They replied, “You aren’t from Galilee too, are you? Investigate carefully and you will see that no prophet comes from Galilee!” (John 7:50-52) Obviously, no one checked out the actual birthplace of our Lord. They assume it, simply on the basis of appearances. His parents were Galileans, though providentially He was born in Bethlehem of Judah (Luke 2:2-7). He grew up in Nazareth and was called a Nazarene, thus fulfilling prophecy (Matthew 2:23). Many of His disciples and followers were Galileans (Matthew 27:55; Mark 15:40-41). He was raised in Galilee and probably had a Galilean accent (see Mark 14:70). Had anyone done even a little inquiring, they would have known that Jesus was actually born in Bethlehem, and that He was a descendant of David. Had they asked Mary and believed her testimony, they would have known that He was born of a virgin and that He was conceived through the Holy Spirit of God. These Jews who are judging Jesus are not doing a very good job. They accuse Him of being disqualified as a witness, and yet He alone is qualified to witness about heavenly things. They think they are qualified to judge Him, yet He is the One who is uniquely qualified to judge them. This is not His mission in His first coming, and thus He speaks of judging no one (verse 15). But His judgment is true, because He and the Father are united in this activity as well. The “witnesses” are not only those who alone have “seen” heaven, they are also the ultimate “judges” of all mankind. Jesus can say with complete confidence, as He does, that His witness is true. Unfortunately, those who are resisting Jesus just don’t seem to get the point. They just can’t stop, and so they ask what I perceive to be a very ugly question: “Where is your father?” (verse 19). I believe this question is intended to be a very cruel blow to Jesus, one that His adversaries hope will silence Him and give those listening to this interchange a chance to have a good laugh at His expense. If they think Jesus is talking about Joseph as His father, they know he has been dead for some time. How then can Jesus speak of His “father” (Joseph) when he is dead? Is there something Jesus has not told them? Is He in communication with the dead? Is Jesus working with a dead man? Or, worse yet (and more likely in my opinion), they are accusing Jesus of being an illegitimate child, as they do again later in this same chapter: “Then they said to Jesus, ‘We were not born as a result of immorality! We have only one Father, God himself’” (John 8:41b). Their cutting words are intended to embarrass Jesus for being the illegitimate child of Mary and some unknown “lover.” Jesus dares to speak of His Father? Then they will press Him on this point, reminding Him and others that He has no right to speak about having a father. Jesus is not taken back by this challenge. They are as ignorant on this point as they are on all other counts. They do not know Him; they most certainly do not know His Father. These Jews are the religious elite, the teachers and rulers of the nation, and yet they do not know the most fundamental things about their religion. If they know Jesus, they would know His Father as well. But they do not know Jesus as Messiah nor His Father as God. In all of this, someone might be inclined to look upon Jesus as the One under fire, the One trying desperately to defend Himself against these powerful leaders. Does anyone look upon Jesus as the victim here? Anyone who does is wrong. In verse 20, John makes a most significant parenthetical remark. It is as though John is a photographer. His camera zooms in on Jesus, then on His accusers, then back to Jesus. Now John gives us a wide-angle shot of this same scene. Jesus is teaching in the temple. He is in the temple courts where the offering boxes are kept: The place where the offerings were put probably refers to the thirteen ‘shofar-chests’ (probably so named because the ‘chests’ were shaped like shofars … , a trumpet; cf. Mishnah Shekalim 2:1; 6:1, 5). Each was inscribed with the use to which the money collected in it was ostensibly put. Nowhere do we learn explicitly where they were placed, but probably they were located in the Court of the Women, if we may judge from access women had to them (cf. Mk. 12:41-42; cf. SB 2. 37-45). John’s principal point is that no-one seized him, because his time (hora) had not yet come.94 I especially enjoy the insight of William Hendriksen here: Against the wall in the Court of Women stood thirteen trumpet-shaped chests in which the people deposited their gifts for various causes. Hence, taking the part for the whole, this court was sometimes called the Treasury. Here Jesus was teaching, in the immediate proximity of the hall in which the Sanhedrin held (or: used to hold) its sessions. And, though it is possible that this august body, so thoroughly hostile to Jesus, could almost hear the echo of his voice, no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet arrived.95 Can you imagine this? The Jews think they are the authorities, the ones in charge. Yet here stands Jesus, the One they are determined to silence by killing Him. He is there in the temple, teaching the people. And He is doing so literally outside the door of the room where the Sanhedrin meets. You can almost hear the hushed whispers inside that room, the voices of men plotting to kill Jesus, while outside can be heard the booming voice of the Savior, proclaiming that He is the “Light of the world.” They cannot even lay a hand on Him whom they reject, on Him whom they purpose to kill—even though He is in easy reach—because it is not yet His time. I ask you this question, “Who is in charge here?” 21 Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will look for me but will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.” 22 So the Jewish leaders began to say, “Perhaps he is going to kill himself, because he says, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’.” 23 Jesus replied, “You people are from below; I am from above. You people are from this world; I am not from this world. 24 Thus I told you that you will die in your sin. For unless you believe that I am the Christ,96 you will die in your sins.”97 25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus replied, “What I have told you from the beginning. 26 I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the Father who sent me is truthful, and the things I have heard from him I speak to the world. 27 (They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.) 28 Then Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing on my own initiative, but I speak just what the Father taught me. 29 And the one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do those things that please him.” 30 While he was saying these things, many people believed in him. In verse 12, Jesus invites men to follow Him as the “Light of the world.” Now, having been rejected by many as the true light, He issues a strong word of warning. He is going away. When He is gone, they will look for Him, but they will not find Him. Such people will “die in their sins,” and they will not be able to go where He is going. What is clear to us now is completely misunderstood by those who reject Him. He is speaking of His departure by death, and of His return to the Father in heaven. He is speaking of the most glorious death possible, His sacrificial, substitutionary (dying not for Himself but for our sins) atonement, whereby the penalty for our sins was paid, and sin’s power over us was broken. Our Lord’s adversaries presume they are going to heaven, and if Jesus is their enemy, then He must be going to hell. If Jesus is going to a place that they cannot go, then Jesus (in their minds) must be going to hell. And so they jump to the conclusion that He is speaking of His own death by suicide. I can almost hear them mumbling under their breath, “Good riddance!” Is He planning to take His own life? It almost seem as though He is going to spare them the trouble of killing Him. If they are listening to Jesus carefully, how can He say they will look for Him, as though they need Him? He is not talking about suicide or going to hell. He is saying that once He goes away, it will be too late for them. They will need Him, and they will seek Him, but they will not be able to go where He has gone. They will not find Him to help them. I believe Jesus means they will “look for Him” in the sense that they will eagerly look for Messiah to “come” and to save them in their hour of distress and need. Little do they realize that He has come to save them, and yet they have rejected Him. After they put Him to death, they will realize that He is the Messiah. It is no surprise that they cannot recognize Him. After all, He is from above, and they are from below. Sadly, they think they are going above (to heaven) and that He is going “below.” They will not believe Him who is not of this world, who came down from heaven. Because of this, they will die in their sins. He who came to bear the sins of men is to be rejected and crucified as a sinner by sinful men. He is the only One who can testify of things above, and they reject His testimony. Unless they believe in Him, they must bear the penalty for their own sins; they must die in their sins. Jesus can hardly be more clear in what He says, but many do not understand Him at all. And so they respond, “Who are you?” I am tempted to read their question this way: “Say, just who do you think you are?” Surely they cannot miss who He claims to be! And yet I believe they do fail to grasp what Jesus is saying. And so they ask, once again, who Jesus is claiming to be. They will get the point by the end of the chapter at least. Are they looking for Jesus to make a simple statement like, “I am the Messiah”? Jesus responds something like this: “I am the same person I have been claiming to be from the outset of My ministry. I have said this over and over again, but you have not been listening. I have a lot more to say to indict you for your sin, and you’re not going to like it any more than what I have said, but it is all from above, from My Father.” As clear as this is, John makes an almost astounding statement: “They did not understand that He was talking about His Father.” This is amazing! They are blind and cannot see the “light.” Their ears are dull of hearing. He speaks of Himself as being equal with God and of God as His Father, and they do not recognize it. (If they had, they would have tried to stone Him, as they will soon do in verse 59.) Do they not recognize who He is? They will, and all too soon. They will grasp His words too late, after they have crucified Him on the cross of Calvary. It is His crucifixion and resurrection that will be the one great and final sign, proving Him to be the Messiah: 38 Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 41 The people of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; yet something greater than Jonah is here! 42 The Queen of the South will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; yet something greater than Solomon is here!” (Matthew 12:38-42) I believe this actually takes place (at least in part) at the time of our Lord’s crucifixion. At the start, it was a circus-like atmosphere. People are having a good time of it, mocking Jesus and daring Him to come down from the cross. But then some things occur which wipes the smiles from their faces and sends them home beating their breasts: 44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three o’clock in the afternoon, 45 because the sun’s light failed. The curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And after he said this he breathed his last. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent!” 48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts (Luke 23:44-48). It is at this point that men and women come to see that Jesus is from heaven, that He is not speaking on His own initiative, but at the will of the Father. But it is also too late, for many at least. In the midst of this widespread rejection, Jesus is not alone. He is doing His Father’s will, and His Father is with Him in all that He does. As God is with us in our sufferings and persecution for His sake, so the Father is with the Son when He is rejected by men. There will come that terrible moment when, in dying for the sins of men, the Son will be forsaken by the Father. What a horrifying thought this is to our Lord (see Matthew 26:36-46). Our Lord’s words remind me of what God said to Adam in the Garden of Eden, after the fall: “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19, NKJV). Men have come from the dust of the earth, and it is to dust that they will return. Our Lord came down from heaven, and this is the place to which He will return. Even His death on the cross of Calvary cannot change this. Because He is God, and because He is the source of life, death does not have dominion over Him. He would lay down His own life, and so He would take it up again (John 10:18). No wonder the Apostle Peter claims that it was impossible for death to claim the body of our Lord: 22 “Israelite men, listen to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man clearly demonstrated to you to be from God by powerful deeds, wonders, and miraculous signs that God performed through him among you, just as you yourselves know—23 this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles. 24 But God raised him up, having released him from the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power. 25 For David says about him, ‘I saw the Lord always in front of me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced; my body also will live in hope, 27 because you will not leave my soul to remain in Hades, or permit your Holy One to experience decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of joy with your presence.’ 29 “Brothers, I can speak to you with confidence about our forefather David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 So then, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, 31 David by foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his body experience decay. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it” (Acts 2:22-32, underscoring mine). Think about this for a moment. How often we labor to convince others that it was possible for our Lord to rise from the dead. This is not Peter’s way of thinking or speaking. He challenges us with the biblical reality that it was impossible for Jesus not to rise! Our text ends with another parenthetical comment. It is a sad moment in Israel’s history. Dare I say, it is a dark moment in Israel’s history—when Israel rejects Him who is the Light of the world. But even in this dark hour there are rays of light, rays of hope. John closes this incident in which many reject Jesus by telling us that the same words which turned many against Him caused many to believe in Him. The nature of this belief is problematic to some, but what we see, once again, is that Jesus divides men. The same words that draw some to faith drive others away. As I have studied this text which presents Jesus as the “Light of the world,” it has become more and more obvious to me that John is simply telling us some of the very same things that he stated at the outset of this Gospel, but now in greater detail. Consider these verses, noting especially those portions I have emphasized: 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The Word was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. 5 And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it. 6 A man came, sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify about the light so that everyone may believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. 9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was created by him, but the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children 13 —children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God. 14 Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. 15 John testified about him and cried out, “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’” 16 For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came about through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The only One, himself God, who is in the presence of the Father, has made God known. The Old Testament law was given to “enlighten” men. It revealed God to men. It was given to reveal man’s sin. Israel was to be a “light” to the Gentiles by living according to God’s law, and thus by their righteousness revealing God to men. In so doing, they would also reveal man’s sin. Israel failed their calling, and so God sent Jesus to be the perfect “light.” He not only fully and perfectly revealed God to men, He revealed man’s sin and his need for a Savior. The reason many sinners rejected Jesus is that He did reveal their sin. The self-righteous sinners like the scribes and Pharisees did not wish to be seen as sinners, but as saints, and so they determined to “put out the light.” The Israelites were able to “handle” the “light” of the law. By means of their traditions and twisted interpretations, they adjusted and altered the law until it justified their sin rather than exposing and condemning it. When Jesus came as the light they attempted to pressure Him to change the light, to modify His message. Our text is but one example of His refusal to do so, and of the Jews’ growing hatred and opposition toward Jesus for His not doing so. Those who were “enlightened” by the light saw their sins and Jesus as the Savior, who came to save them from their sins. Those who were only exposed as sinners came to realize that the only way to “put out the light” was to kill the Savior. What they didn’t know is that this was the means by which God had chosen to save sinners—by the sacrificial and substitutionary death of Jesus in the sinner’s place. Are we surprised that those in darkness would want to do away with the Light? Is it any wonder that when Judas left the Passover celebration and went out to betray our Lord John would write, “Now it was night” (John 13:30)? As I consider Jesus as the “Light of the world,” I am reminded of the conversion of Saul as described three times in the Book of Acts—Saul, whom we come to know as the great Apostle Paul in the New Testament. Saul was the personification, the embodiment, of the unbelieving Jews we find in our text. He thought he was serving God as he persecuted Christians, just as the Pharisees thought they were serving God by persecuting Jesus. Paul was saved when our Lord intercepted him on a mission to arrest more Christians. Saul was blinded by the “light” of the glory of the resurrected Jesus, whom he persecuted as he persecuted the church of our Lord. That “light” blinded Saul for three days, and during those three days of blindness Saul was given time to ponder the magnitude of his sin. It was after this three day period of blindness that Ananias came to him with the gospel, and Saul was saved. Our text reminds us that while Saul’s conversion was extraordinary in some ways, it is typical in others. We, like Paul, are blinded by our own sin. We oppose God, we oppose Jesus Christ, we oppose the people of God because we do not like the light; we do not want the light. And all the while we are deceived into believing that we’re doing the right thing. If it were not for God’s “enlightening” us, for His seeking us out, for Him opening our blind eyes, we would never see. If you have come to see Jesus as your Savior, remember that it was He who found you, He who gave sight to your blind (spiritual) eyes. I found this quotation “enlightening”: Cf. C. J. Wright: “There are types of so-called religious apologetic, which, distrusting the intrinsic claims of religion itself, seek to put in its place ‘external evidences’ and ‘institutional safeguards.’ How can light convince us that it is light except by what it does for us? We do not demonstrate that light is light by treatises, or by analyses of its constituent rays. It is only light to us when it illumines and quickens us.” He also says, “Anyone can, to his own satisfaction, confute the claim which Beauty makes, by saying, I do not see it; or the claim inherent in Goodness, by saying, I do not hear it; or the self-evidencing nature of Truth, by saying, I do not know it. But man does not create Goodness, or Truth, or Beauty; and to say that he cannot see them is to condemn himself, not them.” So with Light.98 And let this be a lesson and a reminder to us as we seek to share our faith with others. We will not argue them into the kingdom of God. Men are blind to the “light” of the gospel. We dare not attempt to change the message to appeal to the fleshly appetites of fallen, blinded men and women. We, like Jesus, must declare the truth and realize that unless “enlightened” by God, no one will ever come to faith in Jesus as the “Light of the world.” As we proclaim the truth of the gospel, some will be blinded and hardened by it, while others will be enlightened and saved. Our task is to proclaim the truth and to pray that God may open blind eyes to see the truth and respond to it in faith. In our text, Jesus makes it clear that it is those who “follow” Him who cease to walk in darkness and walk in the light. I found these words of Calvin encouraging in this regard: For when we learn that all who allow themselves to be governed by Christ are out of danger of going astray, we ought to be excited to follow him, and, indeed, by stretching out his hand—as it were—he draws us to him. We ought also to be powerfully affected by so large and magnificent a promise, that they who shall direct their eyes to Christ are certain that, even in the midst of darkness, they will be preserved from going astray; and that not only for a short period, but until they have finished their course. For that is the meaning of the words used in the future tense, he shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Such is also the import of this latter clause, in which the perpetuity of life is stated in express terms. We ought not to fear, therefore, lest it leave us in the middle of the journey, for it conducts us even to life.99 I am impressed, once again, with the unity of our Lord Jesus and the Father. Jesus does not act or speak on His own initiative. He speaks and He does what is pleasing to the Father. Surely this is what we must do. I see in greater clarity, the significance of our Lord’s temptation (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). Satan sought to entice our Lord to act independently of the Father, even if it appeared to be by means of some seemingly insignificant act. Our salvation is the result of our Lord’s complete unity with the Father, and His submission to the Father’s will. Is it any wonder then that Satan, the great deceiver, is carrying out his opposition to our Lord as an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)? He endeavors to give us new “light,” to cause us to look at things in a different “light.” But his “light” is not the “light” of the gospel, of God’s Word. His is “new revelation,” which contradicts what God has said. And so when he tempted Eve, he deceived her into believing that God was not good, and that His one command was not really for man’s good. He convinced her that God’s warning was a lie and that disobedience was the way to godliness. He is still seeking to “enlighten” men today, but with a “light” that comes from the darkness. And for those of us who have trusted in Jesus as the “Light of the world,” Satan seeks to keep us from walking in the light. Let us beware of that which is labeled “light”—especially when it is “new light”—testing it to see if it conforms to the “light” of God’s Word. There is little that is “new” in our text, and with good reason: there is no need for anything “new.” How often today men are attracted by what is “new” more than by what is true (see Acts 17:21). Even the Corinthian saints seem to be enticed by “new” teaching and tired of the simple proclamation of the cross of Christ. Let us beware of leaving the “light” behind for new and novel teaching. Let us hold fast to what is true. Let us hold fast to Him who is the truth, the way, the life. There are a few simple truths which John continues to proclaim and emphasize in his Gospel, and which our Lord reiterates again and again in our text. Let me review them briefly. (1) Jesus Christ is unique, unlike any other man who has walked on this earth. For Christ does not speak of it as what belongs to him in common with others, but claims it as being peculiarly his own. Hence it follows, that out[side] of Christ there is not even a spark of true light … It must also be observed, that the power and office of illuminating is not confined to the personal presence of Christ; for though he is far removed from us with respect to his body, yet he daily sheds his light upon us, by the doctrine of the Gospel, and by the secret power of his Spirit.100 He alone has “come down from heaven,” speaking with God’s authority to mankind. He alone can testify of heavenly things. (2) Jesus is God. Some may teach that Jesus was a man becoming a god, and that therefore we, like him, may become gods. This is not what the Bible teaches, and it is not what Jesus claimed. He claimed to be God, who became man. John declared this in the first verses of this Gospel. If Jesus was not the sinless “Lamb of God,” His death would be of no saving value for us. It is impossible to have the kind of faith that John envisages without having a certain high view of Christ. Unless we believe that He is more than man we can never trust Him with that faith that is saving faith.101 (3) Jesus is the only way to know and to worship God. There is no salvation apart from Christ, and there is no true worship of the Father which rejects, denies, diminishes the Son. Ignorance of Christ is the root of not knowing God. People today say, ‘Well, I believe in God, but I don’t believe in Christ.’ They’re talking in a riddle. You can’t know God without Christ. And when you come to know Christ, you come to know God. These are inseparable.102 A man can know the Father only as He knows Jesus. It is a key doctrine of this Gospel that it is in the Son and in the Son alone that the Father is revealed. No one has ever seen God. It is the Son who has ‘declared’ Him (18). This is fundamental. If a man really comes to know Jesus then he will know the Father also, and acknowledge the Father’s testimony to the Son. The two go together (cf. Weymouth: ‘You know my Father as little as you know me’). But to reject Jesus is to place oneself out of reach of the divine testimony.103 (4) Jesus Christ is the key to eternal life. Those who trust in Him are saved; those who reject Him will die in their sins. There is no other way to God. Following Jesus Christ as His disciple is not only the way to heaven, it is the only way to escape the darkness of this life. Jesus is to be the central focus of our life. We are never to turn to anything or anyone else as the divine source of light and life. This is the consistent message of the New Testament.104 In our text, Jesus claims that those who reject Him will some day seek Him, but too late (see verse 21). This is true for all who reject Him as the “Light of the world,” as God’s only provision for eternal salvation: 5 You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, 6 who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. 8 He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. 9 As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess to the glory of God the Father that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:5-11). Have you trusted in Jesus Christ as the “Light of the world”? Have you experienced the forgiveness of your sins and the promise of eternal life in Him? If you have not done so before, I urge you to do so now. Those who come to Him in faith, He will never turn away. And if you have come to trust in Jesus as the “Light of the world,” I will close with these inspired words of Paul, which challenge us to live as “lights” in a dark world: 12 So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with humility and dependence, 13 for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort—for the sake of his good pleasure—is God. 14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world 16 by holding on to the word of life so that I will have a reason to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain (Philippians 2:12-16). 89 It is the followers of our Lord who do not “walk in darkness,” but in the light, not just those who “believe.” The inference here is found elsewhere in John (e.g. 2:23-25), that there are those who “believe” who do not also “follow” as a disciple. Nicodemus seems to be such a person. 90 This causes me to view the “two witnesses” of Revelation 11:3 in a different light. Even there, God testifies through two witnesses, consistent with the requirement of the Old Testament law (see also 1 Timothy 5:19). 93 “If Jesus really stands in the relationship to God in which He says He does, then no mere man is in a position to bear witness. No human witness can authenticate a divine relationship. Jesus therefore appeals to the Father and Himself, and there is no other to whom He can appeal.” Morris, p. 443. 96 “Temple maintains that this ‘cannot be reproduced in English, for it combines three meanings: (a) that I am what I say—sc. The Light of the World; (b) that I am He—the promised Messiah; (c) that I am—absolutely, the divine Name. All these are present; none is actually indicated.’” Morris, p. 447. Related Topics: Christology

First Rabbi of New Hope Congregation in Cincinnati, Ohio. Rev. Manfred Rabenstein was born and educated in Germany. He graduated from the Jewish Teachers and Cantorial Seminary in Cologne, Germany. From 1932 through 1938, he as both a teacher and rabbi in Germany, and during this time, he married his wife, Flora. Shortly before the Nazi era, Rev. Rabenstein and other Jewish educators established guidelines and curriculae for Jewish Day Schools forced upon communities after expulsion of Jewish children from public schools. Because of the rising anti-semitism, the Rabensteins left Germany in 1938. After his arrival in Cincinnati, he be-came a shochet in the E. Kahn's Sons Company, a position he held for 39 years. Rev. Rabenstein also became one of the 12 co-founders of Congregation New Hope, dedicated to the preservation of German-Orthodox traditions, and still serves as the Congregation's spiritual leader. Congregation New Hope added a Hebrew school in 1943, and Rev. Rabenstein served as a teacher, and later the principal, until its dissolution in 1973. He also attended The University of Cincinnati. The concern that century old liturgical melodies of German Jewry would be lost prompted him to record the complete synagogue service, including weekdays, Sabbath and holidays. In his long association with Cincinnati Hebrew Day School , Rev. Rabenstein has served as a member of the Board and the Jewish Education Committee. Rev. & Mrs. Rabenstein have 4 children: Rabbi Aaron Rabenstein, Bernard Rabenstein; Jacob Rabenstein; and Noami Miller.

On December 6th, Jews For Racial & Economic Justice, where I work, honored Linda Sarsour with the Rabbi Marshall T. Meyer Risk Taker Award, alongside Rabbi Ellen Lippmann and the National Domestic Workers Alliance’s We Dream In Black. And we did so with unabashed pride. The honor JFREJ has bestowed is called the “Risk Taker” award, and Linda has taken many, many risks in her fight for justice. Some of those risks are necessary and inevitable when you are speaking truth to power and shining a spotlight on injustice. All too often, however, the risks that Sarsour has faced have been the dark and ugly kind: harassment, death threats, and a slightly cultish obsession with Linda that is clearly rooted in Islamophobia and incubated in YouTube comment threads and vituperative op-eds. And sadly, all too often, these attacks come from other Jews reflexively reacting to the cardboard caricature of Linda that has been propped up by the political right. Linda is a groundbreaking activist, a community leader in New York and across the country, and a champion of social justice for all people. Born and raised in New York City, she became Executive Director of the Arab-American Association of New York (AAANY) at age 25. She is one of the co-chairs of Women’s March and was central to bringing hundreds of thousands of people to the Washington Mall to protest the election of Donald Trump. At AAANY, Sarsour grew the organization from its budget of $50,000 to its $700,000 budget today and won the campaign to have Muslim holidays recognized in New York City’s public schools. Following the Women’s March on Washington, Sarsour, along with her three co-chairs, was named as one of TIME magazine’s “100 Most Influential People.” Linda is deeply committed to the collective liberation of all people. Following the shooting of Michael Brown, Sarsour helped to organize the American Muslim community’s response as well as the wider Black Lives Matter protests. Sarsour helped form “Muslims for Ferguson,” and traveled with other activists to Ferguson in 2014. After Jewish cemeteries and synagogues were vandalized in 2017, she and Tarek El-Messidi raised over $160,000 from the Muslim community to help the Jewish community rebuild. The New York Times said about Linda, “Ms. Sarsour has taken on such issues as immigration policy, voter registration, mass incarceration, Islamophobia and the Police Department’s stop-and-frisk tactic. She has emerged in the last few years as one of the city’s — and the country’s — most vocal young Muslim-American advocates.” She has been active in opposing the Trump Administration’s ban on travelers from several Muslim-majority countries, and was named lead plaintiff in Sarsour v. Trump, a legal challenge to Trump’s Muslim Ban which was brought by the Council on American–Islamic Relations. All the while, she has been a dear and steadfast friend to New York’s Jewish community and to JFREJ. Despite this, Linda has become the target of relentless attacks by right-wing provocateurs from inside and outside the Jewish community whose desperate search for clickbait and relevance has resulted in such absurd scenes as Jewish hate-peddler Pamela Geller sharing the stage with real alt-right anti-Semite Milo Yiannopolous, in order to attack Linda Sarsour with confected accusations of anti-Semitism. This would only be a bit of surreal foam flecking the white nationalist wave that has swamped our politics since the 2016 election, except that the constant attacks have dribbled into the Jewish mainstream. Along with other false or inflated charges of anti-Semitism, these attacks confuse our community about who actually poses a threat, and erode our ability to discern danger from difference. To be clear, there are very good reasons for the Jewish community to be focused on anti-Semitism right now. There are serious threats facing our community: Anti-Jewish hate speech; neo-Nazis holding rallies in towns across America; anti-Semites strolling the halls of the White House, all of whom are riding on a surge of organized, white supremacist, nationalist fervor. Jews should be deeply unsettled and stirred to unprecedented levels of collective action. This truth is what prompted JFREJ to spend over a year developing our exhaustively researched guide, Understanding Antisemitism. All people who care about social justice and resisting white supremacy and white nationalism need to develop a sharper analysis of anti-Semitism, which is part of the DNA of these ugly ideologies. There is real anti-Semitism out there, including very real anti-Semitism on the left. It must be confronted and challenged wherever it appears. But another key finding of Understanding Antisemitism is that false or inflated charges of anti-Semitism have the potential to undermine, divide and distract powerful movements for social justice, and careless spasms of action and reaction to those false or inflated charges do more harm than good. False or inflated charges of anti-Semitism, like those directed at Linda Sarsour, the Movement For Black Lives, Palestine liberation activists and others, alienate allies, confuse our community and misdirect our energy and attention away from those who truly have the power to revive institutional anti-Semitism and rot the values of compassion, equity and loving coexistence that we all hold dear. Make no mistake: our community’s preoccupation with the wrong threats played a role in electing an actual white supremacist to the presidency. And all of the attacks on Linda contribute to the dangerous cloud of venomous obsession that surrounds her, requiring her to travel with security because of endless death threats to her and her family. For the Jewish community, a prerequisite for ameliorating the consequences of the election is doing a better job of distinguishing between our friends and our enemies. We can’t do this alone. Mounting an effective resistance to white nationalism and the Trump administration demands our best thinking, calls out to our deepest values, and requires courage, grit and some very unsexy labor. And it also requires allies in the vibrant movements for social justice that are best positioned to combat anti-Semitism alongside racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia and other forms of oppression. We have friends like Linda throughout the many communities that share our fear of white nationalism and our vision for a better, more just and equitable world. The overwhelming majority of Jews in the United States voted against Donald Trump and the white nationalist movement roiling behind him because we are clear about what their racism, bigotry and xenophobia truly are and about the threat they represent to the Jewish people. And we have powerful allies who share our values. The vast majority of Muslims, Black people, immigrants and undocumented folks, GLBTQ folks, and so many others all reject Trump’s politics of white supremacy, division and hate. All of us, Jews and non-Jews could use a refresher course on anti-Semitism. But the people on the front lines of the fight for social justice table are not our enemies. One of the qualities shared by each of JFREJ’s Meyer Award honorees this year is that they all excel at building real relationships with people outside their community. Rabbi Ellen Lippmann, Linda Sarsour and We Dream In Black have all built power and participated in winning campaigns by cultivating trusting and caring relationships with those who share their values of justice and collective liberation. All of us could learn by their example and their risk-taking courage. When I think about people like Linda, Ellen and the leaders of We Dream In Black, I am filled with hope. If we commit to engaging with powerful movements for social justice, our future will be rich with friends powerful enough to protect us, and friendships strong enough to challenge us. Jewish communal dedication to movements for social justice will allow us to fight for ourselves while building the real, complex relationships that can sustain the hard conversations about anti-Semitism, racism and privilege that will make all of us better people and better allies.

A version of this essay appeared on the old TrekJews website on May 18, 2009. This is the current version, included in the second printing of my book, Jewish Themes in Star Trek. It explores some issues related to the new timeline introduced in the Star Trek XI movie, and how these changes might affect Vulcan culture in that timeline. Feel free to link to it, but please respect my copyright and DO NOT copy or mirror it on other sites. Star Trek XI: A Vulcan Holocaust? by Yonassan Gershom In May 2009, Paramount released the long-awaited prequel, called simply Star Trek on the marquee, but also known among fans as Star Trek XI to distinguish it from the Original Series title. In this movie, which takes place in the year 2233, Jim Kirk's father, George Kirk, is killed in a battle aboard the USS Kelvin at the same time that young Kirk is being born. From this pivotal event - which did not happen in the old series - a new timeline emerges, in which the planet Vulcan is eventually destroyed by a vengeful Romulan villain named Nero. Out of six billion Vulcans, only ten thousand survive. For longtime fans, this genocide was a real punch in the gut. Vulcan destroyed? Their entire homeworld gone? How will this affect the new Star Trek future? Yes, there is a remnant of ten thousand Vulcans left. At the end of the movie, we are told that they have found a new planet to settle on. So it appears that Vulcan culture will somehow survive. Still, we must ask: If we are now in a new timeline and all we have left are a few thousand survivors, will the Vulcans have any social or political influence at all? Or will they just become a relic on a museum planet? Spock even refers to his people as "an endangered species." Jewish historical parallels It is well known that Leonard Nimoy drew upon Jewish history to develop the Vulcan culture. So, let me draw on Jewish history a bit here, too, and explore some possibilities. After the Nazi Holocaust, very few Hasidic Jews had survived. Most of the Hasidic Rebbes (spiritual masters) were dead and their communities decimated. It was commonly thought that Orthodox Judaism in general would eventually die out. Religious Jews, like the Vulcans, were indeed an "endangered species" -- and one that the world was not very eager to preserve. Historical novels from the 1950s and 60s, such as Leon Uris's Exodus and James Michener's The Source, assumed that Orthodox and Hasidic Jews were nothing more than outdated relics of the past. However, this predicted extinction of Orthodox Judaism never happened. Instead, there was a revival that began in the mid-1970s and continues until today. But the nature of that culture changed radically. The Hasidic stories, traditional garb, and religious observances remained the same, but the "energy" or "feel" of the culture is now very different from pre-Holocaust Europe. Before Hitler, most Hasidic Jews in Eastern Europe were nonviolent like the Vulcans. Today this is no longer so. The majority of Jews in all denominations are not pacifists, although there are still some Orthodox groups that will not serve in the military. Most European Hasidim lived in small rural villages, where it was possible to be in close contact with the natural world. This is reflected in the traditional teaching stories. Hasidic communities today are located mostly in large urban areas, where they have little or no contact with the great outdoors. Even Jewish music is now different, with "yeshiva rock" and rap in addition to traditional klezmer. So I am wondering: Will post-Nero Vulcan culture develop in a different direction, the way post-Holocaust Jewish culture did? It makes sense that they might. J.J. Abrams, who directed the new Trek movie, is himself Jewish, although it is unknown at this point whether he was consciously drawing on the Holocaust as a model for the Vulcan genocide. Be that as it may, the parallel between Six Million Jews and Six Billion Vulcans is there and worth exploring. When you consider all the Holocaust denial going on in the world lately, perhaps this Vulcan tragedy serves a wider purpose. Sometimes, seeing something in a movie can make it more real than reading about it in a history book. Watching the entire Vulcan civilization die on screen was devastating to Jews and Gentiles alike -- as well it should be. The loss of any culture is a loss for all. And this tragic event is bound to affect the way that the Vulcan future unfolds in the new timeline. That, in turn, provides a way to explore the inter-generational impact of such tragedies. Regarding the Holocaust, the world at large tends to say to the Jews, "That was over 50 years ago, so move on, get a life." But "moving on" is not so easy, because the impact of genocide can last for decades, even centuries. Imagine being the only survivor from an entire extended family. No parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins - just you, all alone in the universe. That is how it was for many Holocaust survivors. And that is how it is for the Vulcans now. It took three generations for the newly established families of Holocaust survivors to have grandparents again and feel any sort of intergenerational normalcy. So it will be very interesting to see what Paramount does with the Vulcan genocide. How will this tragedy affect the culture of those Vulcans who are left? Here are a few of my own speculations. The importance of geography Again drawing on Jewish history, let us look at the impact of moving a culture from one location to another. Although the Eastern European locations where the Hasidic groups originated -- Lubavitch, Breslov, Belz, Bobov, Satmar, etc. - still exist on the map, the Jewish communities in those towns are long gone, sucked into the black hole of Nazi genocide. For all intents and purposes, these places are lost forever, living only in Hasidic stories and folklore. The fact that most Hasidim now live in urban areas also means they are cut off from the realities of the village life portrayed in the pre-Holocaust stories. I remember visiting Brooklyn a few years back and having a young boy tell me that he went to an arboretum and "actually saw corn growing!" -- something that I can see every day along the road in rural Minnesota. "Zlateh the Goat" (or any other farm animal) is no longer part of the Hasidic experience. My point being, that even if the Vulcans reconstruct their culture on a new planet, based on old stories and patterns, it will never be the same. Different places bring different experiences. And they won't ever be able to visit the physical locations of their origins, because the whole planet is gone, literally sucked into a black hole (or a singularity - I'm a rabbi, not a physicist.) There will be always stories about Gol and Vulcan's Forge, but the actual places no longer exist. Even if New Vulcan is also a desert planet (and we do not know this yet), there is going to be a deep sense of exile and loss. The value of oral tradition In the movie, young Spock beams down to Vulcan as it is being destroyed, in order to rescue the Vulcan elders. Why rescue them first, instead of saving the physical records of Vulcan knowledge? Because the elders carry the katras (souls) of previous sages, which would be lost if the elders died. There would presumably be copies of Vulcan computer files offworld somewhere, but the elders and the katras they carried were irreplaceable. Also, I would imagine there are meditation techniques that are passed on through initiation that cannot be preserved in texts alone. Certainly that is true of many forms of meditation on Earth. Both the Jewish and Vulcan stories illustrate the value of memorizing, even in a technologically advanced age. In the Nazi concentration camps, Jews did not have written copies of sacred texts. But study went on anyway, taught by those people who knew the texts by heart. There have also been periods in Jewish history, such as the Spanish Inquisition, when enemies burned the holy books. In such times, Jewish teachings were only preserved because of individuals who had memorized them (as in Ray Bradbury's famous novel, Fahrenheit 451.) Hence the traditional focus on memorization. Vulcans have eidetic memories, so I think we can safely assume they will be able to recover the knowledge that each elder has brought with him or her in their minds. At the same time, there will be gaps in the record, because not all of the Vulcan elders survived. Those who died took with them the katras they carried. But even ordinary Vulcans carry some pieces of the story in their own family histories, and these can help fill in the gaps. I can imagine that a community-wide effort will be made to gather every bit of information about the old homeworld that the survivors can remember - much the same as the various Holocaust museums and Steven Spielberg's oral history project are now recording the memories of Holocaust survivors. There have been cases where a song or story was rescued because only one single person was alive to remember it. So every detail, no matter how unimportant it might seem, needs to be collected. The same is true with Vulcan history. Will there be a Vulcan Talmud? In the Jewish tradition, Moses was given oral teachings as well as those that were written down in the Torah. This oral tradition was passed down, teacher to student, in an unbroken line until the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 C.E. Not only the city and Temple were destroyed, but half a million people as well, including many rabbis, priests and scholars. Those sages who escaped gathered in a town called Yavna and began to write down the teachings they had so carefully memorized. This compilation continued to grow over the next 300 years or so as more commentaries were added. Eventually, this collection of knowledge became what is known as the Talmud, which literally means, "the studying." It is a many-volume resource that covers everything from religious laws to folk remedies. There are things in the Talmud of extreme importance to Jewish life today, and other things that may seem trivial or irrelevant. The sages did not make such distinctions. They collected everything. Will a similar process take place among those 10,000 Vulcans who survived the destruction of their home planet? Probably. With their love of logic and ritual, I am sure they will begin to collect and preserve the remnants of their culture in an orderly fashion. But there will also be changes in the culture, the same as there were changes brought about by the Jewish Diaspora (scattering). One of the biggest changes back then was the substitution of verbal prayers for physical sacrifices. When the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed, people could no longer bring the animal and fruit sacrifices. So, based on teachings about prayer from the Prophets,* verbal prayer took the place of sacrifices. The early Christians handled the same problem by making Jesus into the ultimate and final sacrifice -- but here is not the place to get into a big Jewish-Christian debate. The point is, that major changes in worldviews and ceremonies often take place after major disasters. So it will be interesting to see in what direction(s) Vulcan culture will grow on the new planet. Will they continue the kas-wan survival initiation, or will the unfamiliarity of the land make this trial too dangerous? Will they remain pacifists, or will they embrace militarism out of a need to defend themselves? Will they isolate themselves like the Orthodox Jews in Mea Shearim (a very traditional part of Jerusalem) in an attempt to preserve everything as it once was? Or will they take the road of the Talmudic rabbis after the Roman siege, and find ways to adapt to a new era? Maybe they will they take the best of both worlds and forge it into a new Vulcan society. Only time (and Paramount Studios) will tell. The question of populating New Vulcan The post-Holocaust Hasidic communities repopulated themselves by having lots of children -- big families are still the norm today. When asked about birth control, they point out that six million dead in the 1940s was enough "birth control" already. Many also believe they are providing new bodies for the souls of the victims to reincarnate. (Yes, Hasidic Jews believe in reincarnation.)** Vulcans normally have few children, and their population in the old timeline was stabilized. Plus, they only go into pon farr (a sort of male estrus cycle) every seven years. But it has never been clear to me whether or not they can voluntarily reproduce at other times. It would appear from the TOS episode, "The Enterprise Incident," that they can at least have sex outside of pon farr. Is there is a way to artificially induce pon farr so they can have children more often? Since Vulcans live so much longer than Humans, they could space their children so that it would not be such a burden on the mothers. Maybe that was the original purpose of pon farr -- to space children seven years apart. On a desert planet with few resources, that would make evolutionary sense. But for a decimated population that has been transplanted to a new world, it may be necessary to have children more often. Would they marry only Vulcans? That would probably be true if "Vulcanness" is defined only in terms of genetics. But remember, the original Spock was very much Vulcan, even though he was half Human genetically, so "race" is only part of it. Culture and upbringing play a large role, too. In many ways, Spock was more strictly Vulcan that a lot of full-blood Vulcans. So, there might be more openness to marrying with other races now, if those individuals were willing to adopt Vulcan ways. Again drawing on Jewish history, before the Holocaust it was very, very rare to have converts to Judaism, and those who did convert were often not socially accepted. Now it is much more common and there is less prejudice. Vulcans by Choice? Becoming a Jew is more like being adopted into a tribe, because it is not just about religion per se. It also means joining a community and taking on the culture. A true convert becomes a full-fledged Jew and so are his/her descendants as long as they marry other Jews. In other words, genealogy plays an important role in Jewish identity, but biological "race" has nothing to do with it. That's why you will find blonde Jews, black Jews, and even oriental Jews nowadays. So, perhaps we could imagine Vulcans becoming more open to adopting non-Vulcans into the "tribe," so to speak. We already know (or at least, we did know from the old timeline) that there are some liberal Romulans who are interested in reunification and are studying the Vulcan Way. They might provide a new influx of vulcanoid blood. And we also know that Vulcans can breed with Humans. In some of the fan-produced Vulcan dictionaries, there is actually a word for "Vulcan by Choice" -- yet another Jewish cultural influence! "Jew by Choice" is the more politically correct term for a Jewish convert (as different from a "Jew by Birth.") This terminology has apparently provided fandom with a role model for Vulcans by Choice. It would seem the Vulcans will have no other choice but to accept Vulcans by Choice if they want to survive, because 10,000 individuals is not really a very big gene pool in the long haul. The Amish, who do not accept converts or newcomers, have become very inbred and are now facing serious problems with genetic diseases. European Jews, who lived in isolated communities for many centuries, also carry certain genetic diseases. However, the recent influx of Jews by Choice is bringing new DNA patterns into the community, so that Jews have fewer such problems than the Amish. Whatever choices the Vulcans make, one thing seems certain: they are going to have to be more willing to talk openly about sexual and reproductive matters than in the past. This will, in turn, have a strong effect on their very private culture. Was that the purpose of the Spock-Uhura kiss scene in the turbolift in Star Trek XI? Was it to establish that these "new Vulcans" are not so rigid about displaying affection? Here, too, there is a Jewish parallel. While the Bible is very circumspect when talking about sexual acts (with sayings such as "Adam knew his wife"), the Talmud goes into considerable detail about various sexual practices and taboos. Non-Jews are sometimes offended by this candor, and ask how this can be "spiritual." But the Talmud is not about spirituality per se. It is about the continuity of a people. As such, it covers all aspects of society, even sex. A more loving Vulcan father role? In The Original Series, Spock's father, Sarek, does not speak to him for 18 years because he disapproved of Spock going into Starfleet instead of the Vulcan Science Academy. In the new movie, Sarek seems more supportive of his son. Is this a change in the timeline, or is it a reflection of 2009 expectations about more nurturing father roles? We need to remember that Leonard Nimoy was drawing on his parents' Jewish culture and his own experience in the way he developed the original Spock. Nimoy was born in 1931, and has repeatedly talked about how he felt like an outsider as a Jew in 1930s and 40s America. He drew heavily on that alienation to play Spock. In fact, this was one of the things that first attracted him to the role. Nimoy has also said that his parents disapproved of him becoming an actor, to the point that his father would not give him the tuition to study acting. In early 20th-century Russia, where Nimoy's family came from, it was common for Jews to totally disown children who left the faith, to the point of saying the prayer for the dead. Therefore, the idea that Spock and Sarek did not speak for 18 years was not impossible to Nimoy's generation, nor would it have seemed "abusive." It just was what was. Spock joining Starfleet would have been, in Sarek's mind, the equivalent of "converting" to another set of values. (Which may be why Spock was so strict in his Vulcan discipline, to prove he was not abandoning Vulcan ways.) This would also explain why Spock had a half-brother we did not hear about until Star Trek V: The Final Frontier -- because in that movie, brother Sybok really did reject Vulcan logic in favor of emotionalism, and was therefore disowned by his family and Vulcan society. However, times have changed in the 21st century, and the general public now expects a more nurturing role for father figures in movies. In the Jewish community after the Holocaust, attitudes about "heretics" also changed. There were so few Jews left, we could not afford to lose a single one. Rather than write them off as dead, Orthodox Jews began to reach out and try to bring them back into the fold. And that is exactly what the older Spock is saying to younger Spock at the end of the movie. There are so few Vulcans left, they cannot afford to ignore each other. We should also keep in mind that the supportive scene between Sarek and younger Spock in the new movie occurs before Spock rejects membership in the Vulcan Science Academy. Sarek and Amanda wanted a son, and they knew he would be a "mixed breed" child, so why would Sarek reject him for that? But Spock's later refusing to go to the Academy would be like the son of a Hasidic Rebbe deciding to become a rock star. There would simply be no common ground. So it is possible that Sarek was no longer so supportive after Spock joined Starfleet in the new timeline, same as in the old timeline. And it might have continued that way, were it not for Nero's attack on Vulcan. Spock's rescue of his father from the imploding planet changed everything between them. From generation to generation... These are just a few of my thoughts about possible Jewish parallels generated by the new movie. One thing is certain: Star Trek is going in a new direction now. Paramount has already signed contracts with the actors for two sequels, the first to be released in 2012. Director J.J. Abrams has said, "The idea, now that we are in an independent timeline, allows us to use any of the ingredients from the past - or come up with brand-new ones - to make potential stories." He also felt that the new plot line could conceivably fuel Star Trek for decades to come. I do find myself wondering whether any of the Jewish subtexts that Nimoy created will carry over into the new timeline with Zachary Quinto's portrayal of Spock. Quinto is not Jewish, he is of Italian-Irish descent. He is an excellent actor, but will he bring the same "outsider" perspective the role as Leonard Nimoy? Hard to tell yet. Then again, is Spock even going to be an outsider in this new timeline? *SACRIFICES: As for example, Hosea 14:3, written after the destruction of the First Temple circa 550 B.C.E., which says, "Take with you words, and turn to the Lord; say unto Him: Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously. So we will offer the words of our lips instead of calves." The Hebrew word devarim can mean either "words" or "things." Based on this, Hosea taught that we could be forgiven through prayer instead of animal sacrfices. ** REINCARNATION: my previous book, Jewish Tales of Reincarnation, for classical Jewish text sources and oral traditions. (Published in 2000 by Jason Aronson, Inc.) Excerpted from Jewish Themes in Star Trek by Yonassan Gershom, pp. 231-240. Copyright 2009 by Yonassan Gershom, all rights reserved.

TOWNS OF METRO BOSTON Allston borders the Charles River and Cambridge, Massachusetts to the north and is split by the Massachusetts Turnpike in the middle. The area north of the turnpike near the river is often referred to as "Lower Allston" or "North Allston". A substantial part of the campus of Harvard University is in Lower Allston, including Harvard Business School and Harvard Stadium. The busiest section of the neighborhood is the stretch of Harvard Avenue between Commonwealth Avenue and Cambridge Street, which houses many shops, bars and restaurants. Allston is a diverse neighborhood in the city of Boston, with a population which includes Boston natives, students from neighboring Boston University, Boston College, MIT and Harvard and various ethnic groups such as Chinese, Vietnamese, Brazilian, and Irish. Over half the population is in the 20-34 age group, an indication of the strong student presence. Named for an artist, Washington Allston, the prevalence of musicians and music venues has given rise to the nicknames "Allston Rock City" and "Rock and Roll Allston." An adjoining neighborhood is named Brighton but the boundaries between the two are fuzzy at best, which explains why the two neighborhoods are together known as Allston-Brighton. Back Bay is an officially recognized neighborhood of Boston. Impossible under modern day environmental regulations, this land was created by filling the tidewater flats of the Charles River. This massive project was begun in 1857. The filling of the Back Bay was completed by 1882; filling reached Kenmore Square in 1890, and finished in the Fens in 1900. The boundaries of the Back Bay are the Charles River on the North; Arlington Street to Park Square on the East; Columbus Avenue to the New York New Haven and Hartford right-of-way (South of Stuart Street and Copley Place), Huntington Avenue, Dalton Street, and the Mass. Turnpike on the South; and Charlesgate East on the West. The main thoroughfares of Back Bay run east and west and include Beacon Street, Marlborough Street, Commonwealth Avenue, Newbury Street, and Boylston Street. Commonwealth Avenue is a 200-wide expanse with a wide median strip, laid out in imitation of the French boulevards in Paris. The north-south cross streets are named alphabetically, Arlington, Berkeley, Clarendon, Dartmouth, Exeter, Fairfield, Gloucester, and Hereford. Copley Square, bounded by Clarendon, Boylston, Dartmouth, and St. James streets, includes the Romanesque Trinity Church, the 60-story John Hancock Tower, and the Boston Public Library. The Copley Square area is close to the Back Bay (MBTA station) railroad terminal, and is the eastern nexus of a system of hotels and shopping centers connected by a set of glassed-in pedestrian overpasses. Brighton is a western appendage of Boston, connected to the rest of the city by the Allston neighborhood and is surrounded on by the cities of Cambridge, Watertown, and Newton, and the town of Brookline. Allston-Brighton is often considered collectively as one neighborhood. Established in the late 17th century Brighton was known as "Little Cambridge". In 1807 it separated from Cambridge and was named Brighton. In 1874 the town was officially annexed into the City of Boston. The Charles River separates Brighton from Cambridge and Watertown. The neighborhood, which is primarily populated by graduate students, young professionals and families, consists of an intricate network of streets lined with houses and small apartment buildings. Local family businesses mix with national chains of pharmacies and banks along Brighton's main drag, Washington Street, which runs straight through Brighton Center to Oak Square. Brazilians, Irish, Greeks, and Latinos are among the most prominent ethnic group of the neighborhood. This can be observed by the abundance of Latin/Brazilian shops along Cambridge St. and Brighton Ave along with the great number of Irish pubs and convient stores. Similar to Brookline, its neighbor to the south, Brighton is home to a significant Jewish community. Major streets in Brighton include Commonwealth Avenue, Washington Street and Market Street. The B line of the Boston MBTA subway Green Line runs directly through the neighborhood along Commonwealth, and the C line of the Green Line ends at Cleveland Circle after passing through Brookline. Charlestown began as an independent community, founded by English colonists before they established Boston across the harbor on the Shawmut Peninsula. Severely damaged by fire following the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775, (actually Breed’s Hill) the once thriving colonial town was rebuilt after the Revolution and became the center of transportation and maritime industry in the 19th century. In the early decades of the 19th century, a group of prominent local citizens decided to erect a 220 foot granite monument to the battle. Annexed to Boston in 1874, Charlestown today is noted for its exceptionally rich collection of historic houses and industrial buildings. Today, this waterside district's most famous resident is the "USS Constitution" (also known as "Old Ironsides"). Docked at the Charlestown Naval Yard, the ship, which is the nation's oldest commissioned warship, attracts a large number of tourists annually. After catching the local sights, visitors often stop in at one of the many restaurants and pubs that line the neighborhood's narrow streets. Located on Boston's Historic Freedom Trail, both the ship and the USS Constitution Museum bring to life the stories of the individuals who authorized, built, served on and preserved the USS Constitution. Just a few steps away, the visitors' center offers information on nearby historical sites and provides guided tours. The Harbor Walk in the Boston National Historic Park has benches for resting, grassy areas, and a series of interpretive signs. East Boston is a blue-collar neighborhood that is separated from the rest of the city of Boston by Boston Harbor and bordered by Winthrop, Revere, and the Chelsea. Landfill was used to connect Noodle, Hog, Governor’s, Bird, and Apple islands. Today, East Boston is primarily known for Logan Airport owned and operated by the Mass Port Authority (MassPort). Though East Boston has a spectacular view of the downtown skyline, the community's rents and property values have increased more slowly than the extraordinary growth seen in the rest of the metro-Boston region. This slower growth can largely be attributed to the isolated nature of the neighborhood and the local difficulties of real estate development. Since the mid-19th century, the community has served as a foothold for immigrants to America: Irish and Canadians came first, followed by Russian Jews and Italians, then came Southeast Asians, and, most recently, large numbers of Central and South Americans. Hyde Park is the southernmost neighborhood of Boston and was the last town to be annexed to Boston in 1912. Surrounded by West Roxbury, Roslindale, Mattapan, Dedham, and Milton, it is just a 15-minute commute by rail or car to downtown Boston and only a 10-minute ride from Routes 128 and 95. Home to a diverse range of people and housing types, Hyde Park is predominately suburban, yet provides easy access to downtown Boston. But while absorbed into Boston, Hyde Park still maintains a sense of its own independence and identity. Hyde Park falls into the category of a city community that looks and feels like a small town, which, in this age of resurgent interest in city living, is a valuable quality. Hyde Park is broken up into several smaller communities such as Fairmount, Readville, Sunnyside, and Stonybrook. Neat yards, tree-lined streets, and solid, lovely homes are typical of these neighborhoods. Single and multi-family homes can be found throughout the area. Most are in good condition and moderately priced. This area also has thousands of acres of open space, large ponds, recreation facilities, and playgrounds. The Stonybrook Reservation has bicycling and jogging paths, cross country skiing, and plenty of parking. Other recreational facilities in Hyde Park include the George Wright Public Golf Course, public tennis courts, and a concert shell near Truman Parkway. Cleary Square and commercial establishments along Truman Parkway provide a good variety of shopping as well as free parking. Many former residents who moved to the suburbs are coming back, attracted by Hyde Park's proximity to Boston and moderate housing prices. Mattapan was annexed to Boston in 1870 as part of Dorchester. Like other neighborhoods of the time, Mattapan developed as the railroads and streetcars made downtown Boston accessible. Predominately residential, Mattapan is home to a mix of single homes as well as two and three family houses. Mattapan Square, where Blue Hill Avenue, River Street, and Cummins Highway meet, is the commercial heart of the neighborhood, home to banks, law offices, restaurants, and retail shops. Mattapan also has a significant amount of open space, including Franklin Park, the Franklin Park Zoo, and the historic Forest Hills Cemetery. Today as a large number Haitian immigrants move in, Mattapan now has the largest Haitian community in Massachusetts. Midtown has only recently come to be regarded as a neighborhood. For years, it was regarded as a mere appendage to Back Bay or Beacon Hill. Originally Midtown was really only two buildings, Tremont on the Common and the Parkside, across from the Commons. In the past it was far too close for comfort to the Combat Zone "adult entertainment" district Now, however, the Combat Zone is gone, chased by the city. And the construction of the Ritz Towers has attracted a more upscale buyer to the area, making possible the new Grandview, a midrise luxury building. There will be additional units released by the developer at the Ritz this summer. The Metropolitan is just about sold out. The original two residential buildings in the area have experienced a renaissance as well, with many units there being renovated. In addition, One Charles, a 230 unit luxury full service building has been completed as well. Mission Hill – Once filled with farms and breweries, the Mission Hill district of Boston is now an architectural landmark district. Residents live in a combination of free standing houses built by early wealthy land owners, or in blocks of traditional brick houses. Mission Hill also has many tripple-deckers as well. A diverse community in close proximity to downtown Boston, Mission Hill offers residents an excellent view of the city from a historic neighborhood. North End is considered one of the safest neighborhoods in Boston. There is never a dull moment in the North End, a neighborhood where residents freely walk the streets shopping in fruit stores, butcher shops, and local grocery stores. Famous for its Italian restaurants and strong Italian roots, residents throughout the summer can attend a different Italian Festival most every weekend. The streets are narrow and compact, and there is history here as well. Old North Church, Paul Revere’s house, and other landmarks are seemingly around every corner. For decades, the Central Artery separated the North End from the rest of the city visually; now that the elevated highway has been torn down the difference is stunning. Roslindale is a neighborhood bordered by Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury. It was not until1870 that Roslindale, until then a section of West Roxbury, known as “South Street District”, and then “South Street Crossing”, became a postal district of its own. The community of Roslindale, named for its lovely hills and dales, has felt the squeeze of urban living. Open space is disappearing as the population becomes more crowded. However, Roslindale is a mature community with an awakening consciousness of its identity. Recognizing the problems and challenge of urbanization, Roslindale maintains the friendliness and spirit of a “garden suburb”. The people of Roslindale love their community. There is a feeling of kinship for one another in the air, and they show a great deal of concern for their town. Roslindale is served by two stops on the MBTA Needham Heights commuter rail line, as well as many bus lines which pass through Roslindale Square, where Washington Street meets Cummins Highway and Belgrade Avenue. Roxbury is a neighborhood within Boston. The original town of Roxbury included the current neighborhoods of Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury, and much of Back Bay. It was one of the first towns founded in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 and became a city in 1848. The City of Roxbury was annexed to Boston in 1868. It was originally called "Rocksbury" because of its hilly geography and the many large outcroppings of Roxbury puddingstone, a rock formation composed of small stones that were surrounded by lava from ancient volcanoes. The early settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony established a series of seven villages in 1630. Roxbury was located about three miles south of Boston, which at the time was a peninsula, and was connected to the mainland by a narrow neck of land, "Roxbury Neck". This led to Roxbury becoming an important town as all land traffic to Boston had to pass through it. The settlers of Roxbury originally comprised the congregation of the First Church Roxbury, est. 1630. The congregation had no time to raise a meeting house the first winter and so met with the neighboring congregation in Dorchester. The first meeting house was built in 1632, and the Roxbury congregation, still in existence as a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association, lays claim with 5 other local congregations, (Boston, Cambridge, Watertown, Charlestown and Dorchester) to the founding of Harvard. One of the oldest neighborhoods in Boston, Roxbury has long thrived on its proximity to downtown while retaining its neighborhood qualities. Home to a great number of parks, schools and churches, a visitor can see Boston’s history in the architecture and landmarks of the neighborhood. At the same time, Roxbury is a thriving community with a multitude of housing options and a variety of ethnic shops. The Shirley-Eustis House, located in Roxbury remains as one of only four remaining Royal Colonial Governor's mansions in the United States. South Boston residents love their neighborhood. Located south of the Fort Point Channel and abutting Dorchester Bay This community called “Southie” boasts miles of beaches and waterfront parks that culminate in Castle Island where visitors can enjoy the Revolutionary War fort, get a bite to eat, play in the playground, fish off the pier, or simply take a stroll. Formerly known as Dorchester Neck, South Boston is a traditionally Irish-American neighborhood, and also has a large number of residents of Lithuanian, Polish and Italian descent. "Southie" is home to the first memorial for Vietnam Veterans in the United States. It was dedicated on September 13, 1981 and is located at Independence Square, which is more commonly called "M Street Park." South Boston is densely populated and is know for tripple deckers, row houses, and single family homes. It is also home to a great variety of pubs and restuaurants.

Update (October 13, 2018) : The NSW Nationals have issued a ‘Statement Regarding ‘Alt-Right’ Allegations’ | See also : NSW Young Nationals investigate alt-right ‘infiltration’, suspend new memberships, Jennine Khalik, ABC, October 14, 2018 | NSW Young Nationals expel and suspend members over far-right links, Michael McGowan, The Guardian, October 14, 2018 (‘NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro says party may have been ‘easy target’ for far-right figures’). 1) For ABC Radio National’s ‘Background Briefing’, Alex Mann has investigated ‘how Australia’s alt-right movement is covertly influencing mainstream politics’. See : Haircuts and hate: Inside the rise of Australia’s alt-right (October 14, 2018). 2) ‘The White Rose Society’ has d0xxed a number of the neo-Nazis responsible for infiltrating the Young Nationals in NSW. Future publications will provide further details of those involved, as well as their connections to other neo-Nazi associations, such as Antipodean Resistance and The Lads Society. See : NSW Young Nationals stacked by Clifford Jennings and Neo-Nazis (October 11, 2018). 3) Those neo-Nazis so far named as being responsible for the infiltration of the Young Nationals in NSW are: Top (L to R) : Clifford Jennings; Nicholas Walker (AKA ‘Niklaus Velker’); Oscar Tuckfield (AKA ‘Oscar Tuckers’ & ‘Oscar Tucker’); Stuart Churchill (AKA ‘Stuart Durand’); Thomas Brasher (AKA ‘Thomas Hopper’). Bottom : Justin Beulah; Lisa Sandford. 4) Kieren Bennett provides some further context in Radio National investigation reveals neo-Nazi infiltration of the Young Nationals (October 11, 2018). 5) The Australian Jewish Democratic Society has published a statement demanding ‘No more Nazis in the Young Nationals’ (October 11, 2018).

After we applied, some people told us that we would not be able to have in Israel such a good house. We answered we knew, but we were going to accept a smaller house and in return we would have the joy to live in the country of the Jews and be together with our relatives. After us, some other Jewish families from Frunze also applied and they watched with interest our fight for the right to leave. After Israel's victory in the war of June 1967 there was a new mood among the Jews in Kirkizia. Many of them emigrated in Israel. I knew the Soviet police read all the letters sent abroad, especially those written by people with relatives abroad, and this is why I wrote those letters in such a way that the authorities should understand we were not going to give up the idea of emigration. This is the letter I sent from Kirghizia to Israel to my sister Estera on December 23 1972 (the letter is kept by my sister): My dear brothers and sisters, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, dear nephews and nieces, Today I am crying. Tears pour on my face. But not only my eyes are crying, my heart is crying too. Since the officials have notified me that I am not allowed to come to you, to emigrate in Israel, I feel as if I am beaten. Nights on end I cannot sleep, I am at a loss. I did not expect such a blow. I cannot describe my state, my feelings. A gentle breeze may make me fall down. My body grew weak, my brain seems weak too since it looks for an answer to the question "What should I do?" ~ am very worried, but strangers do not care for my sufferings. I am asking myself all the time: what did I do wrong, that my destiny is so cruel? Without hurting anybody, I am punished for a lifetime not to be able to see my brothers and sisters. My life until 1940 is known to you: I was hungry, I had no clothes, I had to work from the age of 11. Then came the war. During the last 32 years I worked honestly, the officials know that. And now, here is my reward. On December 6, when I was told my application for emigration in Israel was rejected, I felt a thunderbolt hit my head. I tried to find out an explanation for the rejection -- but that was impossible for me to find. I was rejected with no reason. I had hardly enough strength to get home, thinking all the time: Whom should I address now? I decided to complain to all the big authorities, that is to the president of the Supreme Soviet of the Kirghizian Republic, the first secretary of the Communist Party in the Republic, the president of the Ministers' Council, the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Next day I already sent applications to have my situation reexamined. After a few days, I received answers: all of them notified me that my application was sent to be resolved in Moscow, at OVIR, at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Soviet Union. But on December 14 1 was called at each Kirghizian institution I had written to. All of them told me my application was rejected. At the Ministry of Internal Affairs I succeeded to talk a little more with a colonel, but he told me he was not able to change the decision they took in Moscow. He phoned to OVIR and then told me they would discuss again my case next year, if I was going to apply again. I said I understood that, but I would like to know what I did wrong, why was their answer negative. What did I do wrong against the Soviet Union? I never complained to anybody of my standard of life, I never said I was discontented. Then why all that? In the end the colonel answered The commission that approves or rejects the applications considers that three brothers and two sisters are not the same degree of kinship with the parents and children. They approve the emigration of parents and children who want to be together. I went out very sad from the colonel 's office. I remained on the hall for a while, I thought the matter over and over and after a few minutes I knocked again at the door and entered his office again. I apologized and I said I was not satisfied with the answer he gave me. He told me to come back on December 20, to talk again about the situation You can imagine how I waited for that date. I came to him, but he was very busy and told me to come again the next day. That is this very morning. He received me, asked me to take a seat and told met -- Listen, I learned the reason you did not receive the approval. Your brothers and sisters have their own families and you have your own family. They should live there, you should live here. Call for them to pay you a visit. I said. I have already called them. But they answered they are old and a journey is expensive, they have no means to undertake such a journey. And there is another problem too: I have very many relatives in Israel -- brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces of different degrees, friends. They are about 200 in all. How should they come, all of them? The colonel thought a little and then he said: -- There is another problem. You see, you have two big sons, born and bred here. Why should we give them the authorization to leave? Your sons are the nails of our walls. They are born here, they grew up and learned here, how should we accept their leaving? I understood: that was the point! They refused us because of the sons. But I was prepared for such an argument. I asked the colonel -- Did you -read the five letters I sent the officials of the republic? He shook his head, meaning he did not read them. I took out from my pocket the copies of those letters and I gave him to read. I took out from my bag a pile of letters I received from my relatives and some of their old photos. I explained to him who those relatives were, I told him about our lives and our hard times in the past. I tried to make the conversation more personal, more humane. In the end, he told me on December 29 or 30 he would tell me the exact date in January 1973 when I may be received by the Minister of Internal Affairs or the 'Zrice Minister. He advised me to make a clear copy of my application to handle to the person that is going to receive me. My dears, now I am looking forward to the day when I will be received by the minister. But until then I am going to prepare a medical certificate attesting that our children are ill and cannot serve in the army here and neither in Israel (if good God wants us to be together). Nevertheless, I do not have great expectations that meeting the minister would solve our application in a favorable way. But I have nothing to lose. I will listen to what he says and if his answer is NO I will address the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Maybe I will leave to Moscow to try to obtain an audience to the president of the Supreme Soviet or the Union Minister of Internal Affairs. Maybe they will answer more heartily, I am going to address them in a very kind way, asking for help. Who knows if we are going to meet again in this life. When are you going to celebrate Simionel's wedding? Let it be with good luck, let our family grow and multiply! I think citizens living in some other countries might find it hard to believe such a situation: to be denied the right to see and join brothers and sisters, brothers-in-law and sisters in-law, a lot of nephews and nieces. What a tragedy that is, not to be able to attend the wedding of your own nephew or niece! Our destiny is really cruel. Tomorrow, December 24 (let us not forget this date, my dear siblings!) I will go to the synagogue to say kaddish for my poor parents and for Clara -- this is the 32nd year since they lie in the earth and never had the opportunity to see anything good in their life. They worked in poverty, they suffered during their life, God bless their memory. The last time I saw my poor mother was in April 2940 when I came in Radautzi from Siret. I entered the house and she asked me: Do you have four lei to buy a black bread from those soldiers who occupied a part of our parents' house in Radautzi? I bought it and ate if with great appetite, as we were hungry and thought it was sweet... Now I have fresh white bread on my table and I cannot eat it, it seems bitter to me, as anything else I put in my mouth. Each day I take pills, I receive injections but I continue to be nervous and sad. Before ending this letter, I want you to know I suffered a great change: I will never be the same as I was before applying for emigration in Israel. I entered this game, I am under observation, I know I am at risk but I have no other choice. I am going to do everything that depends on me to be able to emigrate, I am going to write letters, to go to Moscow and make any possible efforts to be received in audiences by one of the great chiefs of the state. I hope you will not remain indifferent to my problems. I hope Golditza will not be offended by my words. She took my letter to a brother. She had to find somebody who knew Russian and do as I asked. It might have been different now. You know what happens there, I live here and now better what is going on here. Many people receive calls from abroad from aunts, brothers and other relatives. I had a call from my sister, but her name after marriage is not Lebel any more. If that call were from Lebel to Lebel, the officials would have look at my application in a different way. But my dear brothers did not answer and never wrote to me. It is only you, Ester, that answered me. Dear Ester, it is on your address that I am going to send this letter, I know you are devoted and sincere to me like a mother. You rocked me in your arms when I was a baby, you saw me making my first step. You know the saying: "Beat the iron while it is still hot". I am writing this way because Lilia is pregnant. You remember, in 1958 I was denied a trip to Romania. I wrote applications, you wrote too, and we succeeded. This time too, there are clever, educated people who know how and to whom it is advisable to write. I think, if I were in your place, 1. would write to Vilner, the general secretary of the Israeli Communist Party. After all, all of you are workers, you are not factory owners, millionaires; you could address him and beseech him to write to Moscow to the supreme president and you could write to the minister of internal affairs and to other high officials. Please write kindly, on a beseeching tone. Let your request be signed by all of you, show your addresses too, your professions, let the nephews and nieces sign too. You may take advice from Izu, Golditza's husband -- he is a man with open brain and eyes. You may talk with him and write to other places at the same time, make everything possible to bring us together with you! Do not postpone it! We have to succeed together, if I fight from here and you fight from there. I am ending this letter with a kiss for all of you... Your brother, brother-in-law, uncle, Zisu Once, after reaching Israel, while visiting my sister Golditza, I had a pleasant surprise. I found a greeting card I sent to the family in Israel during the time I was waiting for the authorization to emigrate. I chose a card on which a bird was drawn and at the end of my message I wrote how much I envied those that had wings and could fly over frontiers without permission. My ending words were: "I hope the time will come when man will be free to leave to wherever he wants" And thanks God, those times have come! At last we arrived in Israel on August 16, 1973 after more than a month on the way. I was happy and I could hardly believe I finally reached the Ben Gurion airport. But the joy we had when we got down for the first time on the ground of our land was marred by unexpected pieces of news. The brother who came to welcome us (accompanied by his sons) was unshaved since he was in mourning, his wife had died a week before our arrival. At the same time I also learned that our brother Iancu had died a little earlier in the year. He was only 65 at the time he passed away. Iancu immigrated to Israel in 1950 and the last time I saw him was in 1936. We spent the integration period at Kfar lona. The ulpan manager was Mr. Berger, from the Berger family in Chernovitz. I became very close to him. From that period, I remember the Yom Kippur day of 1973. I was in the synagogue. Suddenly, in the middle of a prayer, I saw a few soldiers entering the temple. They were busy, they did not come to pray. I gave a start and all sorts of ideas came into my mind. In a few moments, I saw a few young men leaving the synagogue calmly. Our horrible suspicion was true: the war began. You know how difficult it was and the size of our losses until our country overcame its enemies. During the ulpan period, I met Dr. Rosenzweig, a lady that worked for the Sohnut (Jewish agency) and took care of newcomers. At the time, the only new immigrants were from Russia, Romania and Gruzia, which, with a few exceptions, spoke only the languages of their countries of origin. Dr. Rosenzweig knew only Hebrew and German. She was very happy when she found out that I was speaking German and began to use me as a translator. Afterwards, she helped me many times when I was looking for a job. With her help I could choose to work in a hospital in Raanana or Jerusalem. But I preferred the roentgen section in the Rambam hospital in Haifa, since my son Alex was working in Haifa and my other son, Michael, was studying at the Haifa University. I stayed in the Ulpan until the beginning of 1974, when we moved to Haifa. My wife and me could not work in our professions before we attended specialization courses and passed the exams. We decided I ought to work a job in another specialty of mine (roentgen technician) and while she would be the first to attend the course. I found a job as a technician at the roentgen section of the Rambam hospital where I worked for two years. When Raenka received her first job as a dental surgeon, in 1975, I could enlist to the course too. The courses we attended taught the medical organization of the country as well as the new technologies that we did not encounter in the Soviet Union. At the same time, the courses helped us learn a better Hebrew. Those courses were organized by the dental surgery section of the Rambam Hospital, and among other teachers who taught there I remember: Prof. Dov Laufer, Prof. Malberger, Dr. Rina Tailor, Dr. Saikovitch, Dr. Maer, Dr. Nemzov. In 1978, our son Michael left for Germany to attend specialization courses in dental surgery. He graduated with success and received a license to work in Germany. He also got German citizenship. He worked there for a few years and then he came back in Israel. In 1978, we joined to Michael in Germany, and between 1979 - 1980 we attended there a course in new techniques in dental surgery and another course in surgery and implantology. The latter, which we attended in Bremen, was followed by a period of practice at the stomatology section at the Lariboisiere hospital in Paris. My wife and I also got German citizenship and the right to work in Germany. In 1980 we came back in Israel, after declining an offer to work there. I worked at the dental surgery centers of the Agriculture Schools "Shfeia" and "Alonei ltzhak" near Zihron Yakov, where I had to take care of the teeth of 900 children. I worked there until 1982, while I opened a private medical center in Haifa too, on Ahad Haam Street no. 14, then I moved on Hertzl Str. and Nordau Str. In 1993, I had a heart attack and I retired. At the beginning, I lived the usual life for a retired man: walks, reading, TV, chats, visits to my son's medical center. Until Mr. Shlomo David suggested to me to write an article for his book, dedicated to the history of Judaism in the Dorohoi district. After that, and after talking with my grandchildren, I began to write my memories, to talk about the Mihaileni of my childhood, about my family, friends and acquaintances, things I saw and experienced during the second world war, my life in the Soviet Union and my fight to emigrate in Israel. I wrote in Russian, because for many decades, in Kirghizia, I did not speak, write or read Romanian. Then I translated everything in Romanian. The Russian and the Romanian versions of the texts are recorded on tape recorder and I sent the cassettes to all the people in my family, in Israel and America. Many of them were moved. For the young ones, it was a shock to learn what Holocaust meant for their family; they knew only general things about the Holocaust. I began to make up the genealogical tree of our family. Some relatives that smiled with some indulgence at the beginning of my work, are not ironic any more and now they help me too. I began to use the Internet too, in my investigations. After moving to Haifa, I tried to find out acquaintances from Mihaileni and other towns of Romania. Twice I met Nathan Bernstein, whom I used to call Natziu. His brother Hershola was my schoolmate, and we were also some kind of distant relatives. He remembered my mother's name and told me a sad story concerning her. Once, my mother was washing a shirt and did not notice that there was a needle stuck in it. During the washing, the needle broke and its tip remained in my mother's palm. At that time, people did not use to go to the physician for anything that happened to them. My mother suffered in silence for a long time, although her palm got swollen. I was impressed that a stranger could remember that story. When I last saw him, Natziu was working for the Sohnut. I wonder, where could he be now? In Haifa I also met the dentist Isac Stir. I paid him a visit, he and his wife received me with pleasure. We spent hours telling each other stories about our lives during the last decades of our lives. Isac had a mute brother in Mihaileni, who was called Mihaileanu. I asked about him, and they only told me he did not accompany them to Israel. I also asked him about the times when the Cuza government came to power. Isac Stir confirmed that indeed what Stefan Botez told me about helping Jews was true -- which means that even at that time there were decent people who helped the oppressed Jews. They also told me about the difficult times they encountered after coming to Israel. They did not find a job, did not have enough money for food, and during that difficult time they were helped very much by Basia Grinberg. He brought them eggs that became their main food. Basia did not ask for money for the eggs, he said they would pay when they worked and earned money. Somebody gave them the idea to improvise a dental center near the Sohnut. They made a sort of a hut, similar to the sentinel's hut, part of it was open and part of it was closed. There were four pillows, partly surrounded with cloth, with a sheet above. They had a bag with instruments (tongs, pincers, cotton wool and other things) and the dental center was ready. Isac was skillful in pulling out teeth and they immediately had a lot of clients. At their present cabinet I met Mr. ltzhak Artzi, former member of the Knesset and former deputy mayor of Tel-Aviv. Mr. Artzi was born in Siret, I remember his grand father who had a white beautiful beard. Mr. Artzi asked me whom else I remembered from Siret and I asked him if he remembered the Berger family. He said half of Siret was called Berger. He knew Poli Berger, they had been school mates. Poli was my cousin, his father was Iosi Berger, my uncle. Poli died and his two sons live in Tel-Aviv, one is a lawyer and the other one is a physician. When I talked with Mr. Artzi I also mentioned lziu Berger, the son of Israel (my mother's brother) who was my good friend in my childhood and who lived for many years in Rechovot. There was another interesting thing I learned from Mr. Artzi: although he lived in Tel- Aviv, when he had a dental problem he came to his old friend Isac and paid him a visit in Haifa! Meanwhile, I learned with great sadness that Isac and his wife passed away. In Haifa I also met Tzili Rachmut. We were schoolmates in the primary school and I remember what she looked like when she was a girl of 7-11 with braids. I was told I could find her in her shop on Yafo Street. I entered the shop and said "Shalom!" -- a little longer "Shalom". I immediately recognized her, after four decades! I asked her if she was Tzili Rachmut from Mihaileni and she confirmed wondering who I was. I told her who I am and that I was glad to see her. You are Zisu! she exclaimed. Both of us were a little excited. We began to talk about the 40 years that had passed. She told me once Nutza Shaier wanted to beat her and she did not know why. I asked her about Silvia Steiner, she answered she was in Canada. We also talked about Huna Hertzanu, I learned Sali Margulies lived in Ramat Gan, she married a physician and had two sons. Sixty years have passed since I have last seen see Sali and even now I often remember her, whenever my thoughts carry me back to the years of my childhood. After reaching Siberia and then the Asian republics, I did not talk Romanian. I had nobody to talk with. There, I could only talk Russian, seldom I found somebody to talk Yiddish with, but no Romanian speakers. And as the years passed, without realizing it, I became less and less familiar with the Romanian language. With my wife I spoke only Russian, when the children were born I spoke with them Russian and from time to time, very seldom, I spoke Yiddish with my mother-in-law. ". Thus, Russian became the language in which I spoke, I read and wrote, I learned at school and at the faculty. On my visiting Mihaileni, after an absence of 20 years, in 1958, I returned to "the environment of the Romanian language After that visit, I wrote letters to my relatives in Romania and Israel, but I had no opportunity to speak it. It was only after emigrating in Israel, when I was learning Hebrew in ulpan, that I began to speak Romanian frequently and words and sayings I had not used for a few decades (33 years, to be more precise) began to come back to me. But I am not the only one in this situation. I learned that among the immigrants that came in Israel in 1995 there was a man of over 80, who was born and educated in Romania and happened to be in Russia at the time the war began. He then spent almost 50 years in different towns in Siberia. During all that time, he never spoke Romanian until he came to an ulpan in Haifa. It was only there that he met immigrants from Romania and again started to speak the language he had not heard for half a century. As about me, I am writing these notes both in Romanian and Russian and after finishing each chapter I read the text in both languages and record it on tape. Sometimes I have some problems to find a word or a saying, but I feel that my language is improoving and I am glad for it. As I said, in the Soviet Union there were periods when people needed authorizations to travel from one town to another or from one village to other. I encountered difficulties to obtain permission to visit Romania in 1958, and faced even greater hardship when I solicited the permission to emigrate to Israel. After I left the Soviet Union, traveling abroad was easy. I spent one year in the United States, with my son and his family. I also spent some time in Germany, where I studied to improve my profession. I went several times to Romania to the Felix Spa for medical treatment. I also visited France, Austria, Yugoslavia and Hungary -- an opportunity to see beautiful interesting places and also to refresh my German, which I had not spoken during the years of the war and after the war. It is a good feeling to have the liberty and the right to travel wherever and whenever you want! In 1997, while in the United States I celebrated my birthday. The family organized a party for me and a grand daughter of about eight sang to me: "Ahat, shtaim, shalosh, arba, vine banda din Ahshara, ea vine la olarie cu gandul la farfurie, smol bi smola..." The following year, in 1998, I also celebrated my birthday on May 16. We called it "multiple celebration" because it was the same date when I met my wife 53 years earlier -- so it is both my day and her day; and we also celebrated the victory against the Nazis, on May 9, 1945. We had 25 guests at the party, members of our family. My wife prepared a rich meal that included different salads, fish liver, gefilte fish, special cold delicacies, chicken wings with different spicy sauces, Uzbekian rice and other meals from the former Asian republics of the USSR. Of the sweet things I should mention the fluden, strudel, the feast cake from coconut flour and the chocolate feast cake. Some of the guests asked my wife for the recipes of some of the dishes. And of course there were wines, vodka, cognac, different fruit juices. In 1958, when the Soviet authorities allowed me to visit Romania, I also went to Bacau where I saw again my former teacher Shmae Wasserman (now living in Rechovot). I learned he was working at the I.C. Frimu factory and looked for him there. He did not recognize me. Only after I told him who I was, he remembered I was his pupil during my childhood. I told him that I lived in the Soviet Union and that I came back as a tourist. He immediately arranged for permission to live his office and invited me to his home. On the way home, he bought a newspaper in Yiddish, which was a very special thing for me, since I had not seen the Hebrew alphabet for two decades. At Shmae's home I met found Rene, his wife. She had been a schoolmate and friend of my sister Ester. She offered me beilic fishola, a meal I had not eaten since I left home. I drank red wine, from a bottle Rene got from her brother and kept for special occasions. Of course, for me, that was a special occasion, I was reliving the dear moments of my childhood and I remembered the family I had been parted of for so long. In the end, we parted. They took me in a carriage to the center of the town, and from there I left to the railway station. I met again Shmae only 36 years later. That was in 1994, in the old cemetery of Haifa, at the memorial monument dedicated to the Jews of the Dorohoi district who died during the Holocaust period (the pogrom in Dorohoi and Transnistria). At the yearly memorial ceremony, attended by hundreds of persons from different Israeli towns, Shmae came too. I knew he would come and I brought with me his picture, taken at the time he was a student. I do not know how I happened to have this picture. Dudl Haiches' son and Schwartz Hershl were present at my meeting with Shmae. At a certain moment, a person came to join our group and I was introduced to him: he was Shlomo David, the president of the Organization of the Jews Born in the Dorohoi District. He invited me to collaborate to the books he was editing, dedicated to the Judaism of Dorohoi. From Prof. Gutman, the chief of the stomatology section of the Rambam hospital, I got significant help to begin to exercise my profession in Israel. While I was working at the roentgen section of the Rambam Prof. Gutman urged me to begin as soon as possible the specialization course in stomatology, on Hagefen Str. 26. There I passed 16 theoretical tests and one practical test and I obtained the long expected license from the Ministery of Health. After that, Prof. Gutman helped me establish the dental cabinet near "Mehes". I often think of him and I wish him good health and happiness to the age of 120. One of the moments I enjoy remembering from the period I was "oleh hadash" (newcomer) is the moment I received my first wage in Israel. More than 25 years passed, but I still remember that joy. I had a reason to be very happy but at the same time there was something that made me sad. Why? Because, according to my calculation, I should have received 800 lira more. But it does not matter now. At that time I organized a party. I bought peanuts, cakes, juices and snacks and invited all my colleagues at the roentgenology section. Everybody ate and at a certain moment I got a fragment of conversation in which somebody said that although I was working like a "hamor" (donkey) and I was responsible for two rooms of the section, I received only 1300 lira instead of 2100 lira like everyone else did. The same person appreciated the fact that in spite of it, I was spending money to treat everybody else. The person who said all those things was my boss, Lili, born in England. I told her that what was important for me on that day was that it is the day on which I got my first wage as an Israeli citizen, an important step in my efforts to integrate, which meant a great joy. Moreover, I asked her to chose her words more carefully when she spoke to me because I also chose my words carefully when I spoke with other people. She did not like that, but what could I do? Some other people tried to tease me too at that time. They appeared to be annoyed that I got a job in that section at the age of 52, while other newcomers were given manual labor in the harbor. One lady used to try to make jokes about me and some of the things she told me appeared to be arrogant. She asked me in which suburb I was living and to my response that I was living in Sprintzak, she replied in a reproachful tone, that the well-to-do people live in French Carmel. She was very proud of her father's had wonderful achievements. I asked her what was her father doing. She said that he had a shop selling furniture. I asked her how can one measure the degree of somebody's social achievement. Intelligence means richness, her father earned a lot of money, she said in a cock sure tone. What could I answer her? At that party, the chief of the section told me that his father was a road worker when he came in Israel, from 1936 until 1940. I knew he was speaking German and answered him in German. He was surprised that a newcomer from the Soviet Union spoke German, he talked a lot with me and we became friends. When I began to work as a stomatologist again, he became my patient. While I worked in the roentgen section in Rambam, I also found a job as a physician at the Abramovici stomatological center, where I used to work in the afternoons until late in the evening. Dr. Abramovici was a qualified physician, he obtained his diploma in a hospital in Bucharest and he was very proud of it. When he saw how I treated the root of the tooth clothing it in a coferdam, he was very interested in that technique which was new to him. He also observed how I made an apectomy -- extracting the tooth, shortening the apex at the root and resetting the treated jaw. The result was that he hired me to work with his instruments and his chair, offering to pay me 40% of the benefit, while he would receive 60%. At the end, the proportion was the other way round! I also brought in new patients, most of them from the Rambam Hospital. Among them, was Mr. Paizer, chief of the roentgenology service with his wife, his son and his daughter-in-law, both of them dental surgeons in Jerusalem; as well as Mrs. Rappaport, the secretary of the roentgenology section of the hospital, who then brought more members of her family. Among my patients, I there were the members of the family of a man who had been a prison director. Somebody in his family took care of our granddaughter when we moved from Kfar Iona to Haifa. We liked the way she took care of the child and we became friends, we paid each other visits and after we opened our medical center they came to us wherever they had dental problems. Among our first patients there were the members of the Nahtomi family, their son Roni is working now at the Lin clinic in Haifa. During the period I worked in the roentgenology section at Rambam I had the opportunity to compare the activity in that field with the medical network in the former Soviet Union. There was a huge difference between the two. I could write tens of pages about those differences. Many Israelis do not realize how special are the medical services they have. Although I am retired, I can see every day the improvements of the dental practices in Israel. Once in a few days I pay a visit to my son Michael who opened a dental center with several rooms on Nordau Street no. 28 in Haifa. This way I keep up to date with everything new in the field of dental facilities, treatments, the prosthetic technology, medicines. The improvement is continuous. Once, while I was traveling in a bus in Haifa, two women took a seat next to me and began to talk Romanian and Yiddish. I began to talk with them. I told them the Yiddish they were speaking was very familiar to me, from my childhood, and asked them where they were from. One of them told me she was from Faltitcheni. Immediately I remembered something and exclaimed: "You are Rozica!" She was dumb struck. In 1936 we worked together in a shop. Rozica recognized me too, and told me my name was Zisu. We were both very happy to meet again. Here I am at the end of my memoirs. Remembering Mihaileni of six decades ago, I realize once more that our little Jewish community was a hardworking population, with active, dynamic people that sustained the Jewish traditions and contribute to the development of the town. I remembered with emotion the years of my childhood, my relatives, my friends and colleagues. Many of them were killed in the Transnistria camps. Many of them are living happily with their families in Israel. Some of them are still in Romania and some of them in other countries all over the world. I do not know them all. Of course, I could not evoke and list the name of all the inhabitants of Mihaileni. Moreover, after so many years, I may have misspelt the names or maybe confused some of the people. I ask the reader to forgive me for all these inadvertent mistakes. Let me hear from you and I will be happy to make the necessary corrections. If you read my memories to the end and found them interesting; if you were born in a shtetl and, for a moment, they brought back moving scenes from your youth or adolescence, or images of Jewish or Romanian friends of whom you did not think for decades; if they evoked similar events from your own families; if they stirred a thought of gratitude and a little admiration for our shtetl and our efforts to preserve the memory its Jews and their doings; then I am happy and my work was not in vain. Let me end my memoirs about Mihaileni with the words of an Yiddish song: "In main klein shein shteitola... die kleine shtibolah, du de shil, dort die mil, du der mark, dort der park, is ghevein a shteitola, far zich and fur alle". In translation: "In my beautiful little town, the houses were small, here the synagogue, there the mill, here the market, there the park. There was a little town for one and for all". The calligraphy and the signature on those letters startled me and threw me back 70 years to the times my grandfather, Iosif Lebel - Jempale, thought me to read and write the ABC. These letters were penned by my grandfather. The story started a few years ago. The parents of my friend, Dr. Artur Hecht - a senior scientist at the Israel Ocenographic and Limnological Research in Haifa, stem from Mihaileni. I remembered his grandfather, Moise Shteiner, and many of his uncles and aunts and I used to tell him about them together with other stories about our ancestral town. He listened attentively an read my notes with great interest. We also worked together in trying to map the population of the shtetl. Fortuitously, in the, now unfortunately defunct, ROM-SIG NEWS bulletins, he came across an article by Shelley Lantheaume describing the life of her grandfather, Morris Cohen (ROM-SIG NEWS vol. 2 No. 2. p. 7, also available at the ROM-SIG site on the Internet). The story, which mentions Morris' Cohen sojourn in Mihaileni and his family there, looked very familiar to him, and indeed when he showed it to me I recognized it as a description of part of my family. Morris Cohen met his future wife, Sophie Lebel, in Bucharest, where she worked for him as a seamstress. They eventually fell in love and when Sophie decided to return to Mihaileni, Morris followed her. There he was immediately adopted into her family as a son in, what he describes, as the warm and wonderful Lebel family. Morris sets up shop in Mihaileni and eventually gets married to Sophie. He describes their great engagement party versus their brief and hasty marriage on the eve of their departure for Canada. It all had to be done in great haste since Morris was called up to enlist in the Romanian Army - a harsh and difficult proposition for a Jew - and something which Morris did not feel he owes to Romania, which did not recognize him as a citizen. As Mihaileni was a border town, they just walked across the border and from there by horse carriage, train and ship on their almost three weeks trek to Canada. There they settled and brought up a large wonderful and successful family. Upon checking it farther, Artur found out that Shelly Lantheaume is searching for her ancestors in Mihaileni, and in particular the Lebel and the Berish families (the two families were related since Berish was the brother of Gitla, my grandmother). I got in touch with Shelly and to my great delight, it turned out that indeed she was a part of my family of whom I lost track. Shelly was the granddaughter of my aunt Sophie, the sister of my father that emigrated to Canada. At the end of August 1998, my wife and myself paid a visit to dr. Alexander Lebel, one of our sons living in the United States. There, we tried to phone Shelly, but we found out that, unfortunately, she has passed away. We obtained the address of her father Matt Cowan and sent him the English version of my book about Mihaileni. Matt sent us some family photos and we promised to keep in touch. It turned out that Matt Cowan was the possessor of a family heirloom, a sheaf of letters written by my grandfather Iosif Lebel to Matt's mother, the far away daughter Sophie,. Matt does not know either Idish, German, Romanian, or Hebrew and could not read the letters , but he kept them reverently hopping that one day he will be able to translate them. Now, Matt sent me copies of this treasure trove asking me to translate the letters for him. My grandfather was 72 at the time, he loved his daughter very much and he realized that he will never be able to see his daughter again. The separation from her caused him great sorrow and he was trying diminish the distance by keeping Sophie involved in the affairs of the shtetl and the family life there. On May 2 1926, for instance, he wrote about a thief breaking into their house in March. It happened while he was away to have his hair cut and his wife Gitla was out in the garden. The thief stole a fox fur coat and some other clothes from a trunk. The damage was estimated at 9000 lei, a lot of money at that time. My grandfather wondered how was that possible in the middle of the day and he assumes that it was because the house is on the low street, where very few people walk by. He also wondered if it was worth moving to another place. He did not ask Sophie for money, all he wanted was an opinion. My grandfather describes Ishaiahu's (my father) problems. His boss, a very good person, has passed away and the new one was not willing to keep all the former employees. Ishaiahu still had debts on his house, which was beautifully painted and furnished. My grandfather wrote that he helped Ishaiahu to open a carpentry workshop and after Purim put in an order for three cupboards, two beds, a wardrobe with two big mirrors, a large table and a writing desk. It was all made from white wood and, since he wanted them before Pesach, had to be ready within two weeks at a cost of 11000 lei. "I am still busy in my shop, in which there are still some clothes and shoes and some lamps", he writes. "A merchant offers me 20000 lei for everything. And there is a worker who is offering me 25000 - 30000 lei for my house. I also have 12 pupils that I teach. All this may enable me to help Ishaiahu pay his debts. Around the issue of selling the house there seem to have been some family disagreements. He talked it over with Hana (his daughter in Mihaileni) and Burah Brier (Hana's husband). The son-in-law was against selling, saying that it ought to remain for the grandchildren. Apparently Burah had some problems with his ears (his hearing was poor). My grandfather gathered 14000 lei for a doctor in Galatz who could help his son-in-law. My grandfather also mentioned that Iancala Safier, a young man from Mihaileni, had left for America. Iancala was once a pupil in my grandfather's heider and he described his former pupil as a good man. In the same letter he also stresses the need for a good education, to enable the children to achieve their goals in life. In a letter dated 10 May 1928, my grandfather writes that Ishaiahu works now with a half partner and they have received an order for furniture for 50000 lei from the very rich Moishe Steiner. As my grandfather puts it now they have more work than any other carpenter in the world. To put things in perspective, 50000 lei was indeed a large sum of money - since, as described above, my grandfather's house was worth about 30000 lei. By the way, Moishe Steiner was Dr. Artur Hecht's grandfather. Another letter begins with a blessing: "I, Iosef Leibel, aged 80, am writing these blessings in Hebrew. On the same occasion I convey you your mother's good wishes". As one can see these letters continued over a long period. Unfortunately Sophie's letters to my grandfather did not survive. Review by PAUL SCHWEIGERViata Noastra 25 September 1998. A whole world is about to disappear; the old ones are passing away, as it is natural, and the younger ones are less and less seeing themselves as descendants of those places. And after fifty or one hundred years the grandchildren and grand-grandchildren will begin to ask themselves where did they come from, to settle on these new places; who were their grand parents and grand-grandparents; what were they dealing with, what were their concerns. And nobody will be there to tell them about that long chain of people who have created both material goods and spirituality, keeping alive the light of some traditions and customs, speaking some languages and dialects that have changed and altered in time. Maybe only the scholars will be able to re-construct their life. Unfortunately, we are in front of an unavoidable reality, that defines many human groups compelled by history to move periodically from place to place. How many of us know where our grandparents and grand-grandparents came from to settle on the Romanian land, which calamities made them move to that place? How many of us ask themselves where had their ancestors been before, when greedy princes threw them out of Galitia and Ukraine trying to take away from them the harvest of their honest work? Dr. Zisu Lebel's book is trying to be a modest dam against this dangerous forgetfulness (as all sorts of people hating our nation continue to consider us aliens everywhere and keep asking how long have we stayed in some places, keep questioning our "roots"). Even before having a look at this book, I knew that no matter what its content, I was dealing with a VERY USEFUL work and I regretted that I did not receive such a work at least once in three months -- works that represent old people's memories, people that know to express themselves in writing and have indeed something to say about the old times, about places that hardly keep any traces of our passing through (except perhaps the cemeteries, too often devastated by non-humans or little by little transformed in agricultural fields). The author writes: "I have many grand children here in Israel and in America and sometimes they ask me all sorts of questions about my life. Sometimes they ask me what was my life like during the second world war, which, for them, is only a chapter in a history book. They ask about the places where I spent my childhood, about the life I was living, they ask me to describe the shtetl of Mihaileni and that of Dorohoi. They ask many questions that show how much they are interested in the old life". But, unfortunately, there are still a lot of people that have no such interest yet and somebody has to arise it! Still there is a certain modesty that has to guide our paces when we start building such a monument to the memory of our forerunners. Dr. Label says: "I confess that from the beginning I had some reticence. I was thinking: Who am I? Just a Jew from Mihaileni..... So I decided to write the following lines for my grandchildren but not only for them, in order to save for future generations fragments of real life" Even if something or somebody would have prevented me from continue the reading of Dr. Zisu Lebel's book, I would still have words of praise for the text: a man that has such a strong conscience of the historical necessity of his work and on the other hand displays such modesty deserves all the praises of the people he represents and the people he addresses ! Even if Dr. Lebel's book is an autobiography (it seems to be very authentic and precise, with only a few little jokes added) this book is a brick for the building of a real history of the Jewish community in those places and all over Romania (and, although I know there would be many, too many people willing to contradict me, I still want to say that such a book contributes to a better understanding of the situation of Romania at that time: no matter what some people would like or not, the Jewish community was a part of Romania for a few centuries, even if the forerunners of the anti-Jewish people in today's Romania did their very best to prevent our ancestors to be a part of everything that was taking place there). The author of this book has a prodigious memory and describes the places and the people of his native town with great ease and spontaneity. Nevertheless, nothing is artificial or false in this text written many decades after the events took place -- smaller or bigger events, described with so much warmth by dr. Zisu Lebel. It takes a lot of sincerity to be able to speak so naturally about people you met and knew during a distant childhood, blending the autobiography with the biography of a whole community, each line of the book is a significant proof of this. Events that were important for everybody or events that were important only for some people and their family are put down by the author with the accuracy of a historian and when you read about them you cannot avoid a smile or a tear... It is not a history book, yet, what you find in its pages, is HISTORY. The history of Dr. Zisu Lebel's life contains many windings that are interesting in themselves, even if they do not speak about Mihaileni or the surroundings of that town. Those windings, that are complicated and sometimes painful, describe the Jewish life in Eastern Europe during the second world war and after it. It would be too long for me to present all those chapters and the only thing I can do here is to recommend warmly the reading of the original text . We are impressed by the fact that the author -- though he is not a professional writer -- succeeds everywhere (and especially in the final chapter of the book, where he describes the life he began in Israel at an older age) to avoid a false useless atmosphere of idyllic celebration. The small shortcomings in the language, or the shortcomings in the transcription of some Russian names of places does not matter for the reader who would try to rebuild a moment of history and a place in geography. Maybe such a reader can expect he or she would frequently sigh with nostalgia or would feel like crying. Review by CAROL ISACUltima Ora 9 October 1998. There is a book that has appeared in Haifa, that might have become a best-seller were it published by a famous publishing house. I read it as such, and the reading was exciting from the first page to the last one. The title of the book is "Mihaileni, My Dear Shtetl", the author is Dr. Zisu Lebel, a dental surgeon well known to the inhabitants of Haifa and it appeared in the collection "The Bank of Memory" of the Organization of the Jews Born in the Dorohoi District. On the last page we learn that our collaborator Uli Friedberg-Valureanu helped with the publication of this book. The book is written with the sincerity and the talent of a story teller and the graphic presentation is very good. Mr. Shlomo David, president of the above mentioned organization, writes in his preface that the author is "a nostalgic Jew with a fantastic memory", that brings to life the little town of Mihaileni, where 2000 Jews were living before the war (most of them died in the Transnistria camps and on the Transnistria roads). Usually, there are monographs written about such human communities. But Dr. Zisu Lebel only tells us what his emotional memory retains from the past life of that shtetl and he succeeds not only to rebuild with words the place the way it was (and of which very little remains today) but his descriptions define interesting destinies and happenings. The author confesses that he wrote the book in order to answer the curious questions of the youngsters of his family, questions concerning his former life in a distant place of Romania, belonging to the kind of places where "nothing ever happens". That saying, belonging to writers who took their inspiration from the life of small towns, is contradicted by Dr. Lebel. The people of the town, though not significant from the point of view of their social statue carry in themselves (each in his or her own biography) a small novel that the author "re-publishes" briefly, but in an exciting manner. And the little town is full of happenings, the important thing is to know how to see them. Dr. Lebel saw them and recorded them in his memory, a memory which (sorry to contradict the author of the preface) I do not find uncommon but only very receptive and able to select the significant things. I am sure the book might have had additional tens of pages if the author would have been only a story teller, but he is also a man of good taste and an attentive historian of his time. One thousand meters long was the "center" inhabited by the Jews of the little town, but in that place and in the surrounding streets a whole world was throbbing... A great part of the pages of the book also belong to the history of the Jewish community in Romania, a rich and exciting history which for the most part has not surpassed yet the statistics and the exact annotation, There is an intimacy of the Romanian Jew, so well preserved in northern Moldavia, which only a book like Dr. Lebel's book is able to disclose in all its splendor. Maybe this is the reason so many great spirits in Jewish culture came from that part of Romania: it is from Mihaileni that Jacob Groper and Leon Bertish came, and it is there that Idov Cohen was born too. That unique flow of a real shtetl life is rebuilt with fidelity and especially with talent. JewishGen, Inc. makes no representations regarding the accuracy of the translation. The reader may wish to refer to the original material JewishGen is not responsible for inaccuracies or omissions in the original work and cannot rewrite or edit the text to correct inaccuracies and/or omissions. Our mission is to produce a translation of the original work and we cannot verify the accuracy of statements or alter facts cited. Mihaileni, Romania Yizkor Book Project JewishGen Home Page Copyright © 1999-2013 by JewishGen, Inc. Updated 2 July 2002 by LA

There are three words for counting that factor prominently in the Torah. Parashas Pequdei gets its name from Moshe Rabbeinu’s accounting of all the material collected for the mishkan. The root \פקד\ has three meanings altogether: - To count out inventory - To remember, “veHashem padas es Sarah ka’asher amar — and Hashem remembered Sarah [so that she could conceive Yitzchaq, as He said..” (It is worth comparing this usage of “paqad” with “zachar“.) - To appoint, as in Yoseif’s method for running Egypt’s storehouses – “vayafqeid peqidim“. I point this out in relationship to another root used to mean counting, \ספר\, which also has three meanings. This is mentioned in Seifer haYetzirah, discussed by the Kuzari (4:25), and is the reason why the 10 sefiros are called sefiros. It can mean: - Counting, as in mispar (number) - To cut — from which we get sapar (barber) and misparayim (scissors) - To tell, lesapeir, or a book seifer There is also a third word used for counting, but we only find it with respect to counting people. In parshios Beamidbar and Naso, Hashem commands Moshe “nasa es rosh — count the heads”. What is the difference between counting in the sense of /pqd/ or nasa, and counting as denoted by lispor? Parashas Naso’s counting comes immediately before a discussion of the nesi’im – a term from the same root meaning the head of a sheivet (tribe). The word reuse would seem to indicate that this, like pqd, is about appointments. In both cases, we’re looking at individuals as individuals, and pointing out their distinct role. A paqid is given a special duty, just as a nasi is, and just as you can emphasize the worth of each individual, “raise their heads” when ou count them, you can show the destination of each item donated when you make an accounting. Which would also explain the meaning of “to remember” one particular person rather than letting her remain part of the whole. Lesapeir, however, is to cut. The items being counted are counted as pieces of the whole. The story isn’t simply being said over (lehagid) one must spell out each element. The verbal step of the seider may be called “maggid“, but the mitzvah of the night, which goes beyond the verbal into the foods of matzah and maror, of re experiencing the tears of karpas and the joys of Hallel, is “sippur yetzi’as Mitzrayim.” Lesapeir sipur isn’t to give a one sentence summary: “There was a car accident.” It’s to divide that one thesis into its parts, telling detail. “So and so got a call on his cell phone. He was distracted, and didn’t notice the car making a right turn ….” Thus the connection to cutting. It is not coincidental that this is in pedagogic question-and-answer form, a teaching format. Because that’s lesapeir. When the last of the prophets needed to organize the Torah into a format usable even as prophecy ebbed away, our rabbinic leadership (the usage of the word “rabbi” in this way didn’t begin yet) we called the soferim. In part because they counted out the letters of the Torah, to insure accurate reproduction of the Torah even after the Babylonian exile. And thus they were also sofrim in the sense of writers of the seifer which contains the sipur. But perhaps foremost, they were the ones who made halachic analysis as we know it today possible. During their era was the story of Purim, and the Jewish people’s response to it. “Qiymu veqiblu haYehudim — the Jews established and accepted.” Chazal, perhaps wondering about the redundancy of “qiymu veqiblu“, comment “qiymu mah sheqiblu qevar — they established that which they had already accepted” in Sinai (Megillah 7a). They gave it a spelled out analyzable basis that didn’t require prophetic grounding. The concept of having short memorizable paragraphs describing established law, the notion which became the Mishnah, began. But also because they represented a shift from being able to speak from a prophetic identification of the big picture principles to a need to reason from individual facts. Lisapeir, to tell the idea detail by detail. Rav Chaim Brisker asked what the difference was between the obligation of zekher yetzi’as Mitzrayim (remembering the departure from Egypt) which is a daily experience, morning and evening, as part of Shema, and the night’s obligation of sippur Yetzi’as Mitzrayim (see Haggadah miBeis Levi p 110). He answers that zekher requires only saying one sentence. As R’ Elazar ben Azaryah puts it, “Behold I am like 70 years old, and I didn’t merit understanding why yetzi’as Mitzrayim must be said — shetei’amer – at nights. Until Ben Zoma expounded it..” Sippur, however, has 4 elements: - Ideally, it should be told to another in question and answer form. - One must start the telling with genus (discussing our disgrace), and end with shevach (praise). - It must include a discussion and performance of the three mitzvos of the night: pesach, matzah, and maror. - It must tie the events to the date, the night of the 15th of Nissan, on which they are being recalled. (These can be mapped to different sections of Maggid. See “The Structure of the Seder“.) In our language, the difference is between simple amirah and sipur.

Royal Court Theatre |1870 New Chelsea Theatre 1871 Belgravia Theatre The Royal Court Theatre at dusk in 2007 London-Kensington and Chelsea |Owner||English Stage Company| |Designation||Grade II listed| |Capacity||Theatre Downstairs 380 Theatre Upstairs 85 |Rebuilt||1888 Walter Emden and Bertie Crewe 2000 Haworth Tompkins The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre. In 1956 it was acquired by and is home to a resident company, the English Stage Company. The first theatre The first theatre on Lower George Street, off Sloane Square, was the converted Nonconformist Ranelagh Chapel, opened as a theatre in 1870 under the name The New Chelsea Theatre. Marie Litton became its manager in 1871, hiring Walter Emden to remodel the interior, and it was renamed the Court Theatre. Several of W. S. Gilbert's early plays were staged here, including Randall's Thumb, Creatures of Impulse (with music by Alberto Randegger), Great Expectations (adapted from the Dickens novel), and On Guard (all in 1871); The Happy Land (1873, with Gilbert Abbott à Beckett; Gilbert's most controversial play); The Wedding March, translated from Un Chapeau de Paille d'Italie by Eugène Marin Labiche (1873); The Blue-Legged Lady, translated from La Dame aux Jambes d'Azur by Labiche and Marc-Michel (1874); and Broken Hearts (1875). By 1878, management of the theatre was shared by John Hare and W. H. Kendal. Further alterations were made in 1882 by Alexander Peebles, after which its capacity was 728 (including stalls and boxes, dress circle and balcony, amphitheatre, and gallery). After that, Arthur Cecil (who had joined the theatre's company in 1881) was co-manager of the theatre with John Clayton. Among other works, they produced a series of Arthur Wing Pinero's farces, including The Rector, The Magistrate (1885), The Schoolmistress (1886), and Dandy Dick (1887), among others. The theatre closed on 22 July 1887 and was demolished. The current theatre: 1888–1952 The present building was built on the east side of Sloane Square, replacing the earlier building, and opened on 24 September 1888 as the New Court Theatre. Designed by Walter Emden and Bertie Crewe, it is constructed of fine red brick, moulded brick, and a stone facade in free Italianate style. Originally the theatre had a capacity of 841 in the stalls, dress circle, amphitheatre, and a gallery. Cecil and Clayton yielded management of the theatre to Mrs. John Wood and Arthur Chudleigh in 1887, although Cecil continued acting in their company (and others) until 1895. The first production in the new building was a play by Sydney Grundy titled Mamma, starring Mrs. John Wood and John Hare, with Arthur Cecil and Eric Lewis. Harley Granville-Barker managed the theatre for the first few years of the 20th century, and George Bernard Shaw's plays were produced at the Royal Court for a period. It ceased to be used as a theatre in 1932 but was used as a cinema from 1935 to 1940, until World War II bomb damage closed it. The English Stage Company The interior was reconstructed by Robert Cromie, the number of seats being reduced to under 500. The theatre re-opened in 1952. George Devine was appointed artistic director at the suggestion of Oscar Lewenstein, one of the other two co-founders of the English Stage Company. The ESC opened at the Royal Court in 1956 as a subsidised theatre producing new British and foreign plays, together with some classical revivals. Devine aimed to create a writers' theatre, seeking to discover new writers and produce serious contemporary works. Devine produced the new company's third production in 1956 – John Osborne's Look Back in Anger, a play by one of the angry young men. The director was Tony Richardson. Osborne followed Look Back In Anger with The Entertainer, with Laurence Olivier in the lead as Archie Rice, a play the actor effectively commissioned from the playwright. Significantly, although it was quickly reversed, the artistic board of the ESC initially rejected the play. Two members of the board were in agreement in opposing The Entertainer. The Conservative Christian verse dramatist Ronald Duncan, the third co-founder of the ESC, disliked the work of Osborne according to Osborne biographer John Heilpern, while Lewenstein, by then, a former Communist, did not want one of the theatre's new plays being overwhelmed by its star, and did not think much of the play either. In the mid-1960s, the ESC became involved in issues of censorship. Their premiere productions of Osborne's A Patriot for Me and Saved by Edward Bond (both 1965) necessitated the theatre turning itself into a 'private members club' to circumvent the Lord Chamberlain, formally responsible for the licensing of plays until the Theatres Act 1968. The succès de scandale of the two plays helped to bring about the abolition of theatre censorship in the UK. During the period of Devine's directorship, besides Osborne and Bond, the Royal Court premiered works by Arnold Wesker, John Arden, Ann Jellicoe and N.F. Simpson. Subsequent Artistic Directors of the Royal Court premiered work by Christopher Hampton, Athol Fugard, Howard Brenton, Caryl Churchill, Hanif Kureishi, Sarah Daniels, Timberlake Wertenbaker, Martin Crimp, Sarah Kane, Mark Ravenhill, Martin McDonagh, Simon Stephens, and Leo Butler. Early seasons included new international plays by Bertolt Brecht, Eugène Ionesco, Samuel Beckett, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Marguerite Duras. In addition to the 400-seat proscenium arch Theatre Downstairs, the much smaller studio Theatre Upstairs was opened in 1969, at the time a 63-seat facility. The Rocky Horror Show premiered there in 1973. Though the main auditorium and the façade were attractive, the remainder of the building provided poor facilities for both audience and performers, and the stalls and understage often flooded throughout the 20th century. By the early 1990s, the theatre had deteriorated dangerously and was threatened with closure in 1995. The Royal Court received a grant of £16.2 million from the National Lottery and the Arts Council for redevelopment, and beginning in 1996, under the artistic directorship of Stephen Daldry, it was completely rebuilt, except for the façade and the intimate auditorium. The architects for this were Haworth Tompkins. The theatre reopened in February 2000, with the 380-seat Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, and the 85-seat studio theatre, now the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs. Since 1994, a new generation of playwrights debuting at the theatre has included Joe Penhall, Sarah Kane, Mark Ravenhill, Roy Williams amongst others. The Royal Court has placed a renewed emphasis on the development and production of international work. By 1993, the British Council had begun its support of the International Residency programme (which started in 1989 as the Royal Court International Summer School) and by early 1996 a department solely dedicated to international work had been created. A creative dialogue now exists between innovative theatre writers and practitioners in many different countries including Brazil, Cuba, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Palestine, Romania, Russia, Spain, Syria and Uganda. Many of these projects are supported by the British Council and more recently by the Genesis Foundation, who also support the production of international plays. The International Department has been the recipient of a number of awards including the 1999 International Theatre Institute award. From 2007 to 2012, the theatre's Artistic Director was Dominic Cooke; the Associate Director was Sacha Wares and the deputy artistic director was Jeremy Herrin. Vicky Featherstone, the first female artistic director, previously head of the National Theatre of Scotland, replaced Cooke as Artistic Director in April 2013. Other Artistic Directors have included Ian Rickson (1998 – 2006), Max Stafford-Clark, Stuart Burge, Robert Kidd, Nicholas Wright, Lindsay Anderson, Anthony Page, and William Gaskill. Young writers (between 18 and 25) can apply to the Young Writers' Programme, which seeks to promote their works. Productions 2008 – May 2013 Jerwood Theatre Downstairs - The Low Road by Bruce Norris – 2013-03-21 to 2013-05-11 - If You Don't Let Us Dream, We Won't Let You Sleep by Anders Lustgarten – 2013-02-15 to 2013-03-09 - In The Republic of Happiness by Martin Crimp – 2012-12-06 to 2013-01-19 - NSFW by Lucy Kirkwood – 2012-10-25 to 2012-11-24 - Love and Information by Caryl Churchill – 2012-09-06 to 2012-10-13 (& Ding Dong the Wicked from 2012-10-01 to 2012-10-13) - Birthday by Joe Penhall – 2012-06-22 to 2012-08-11 - Love, Love, Love by Mike Bartlett – 2012-04-27 to 2012-06-09 - In Basildon by David Eldridge – 2012-02-16 to 2012-04-05 - Haunted Child by Joe Penhall – 2011-12-02 to 2012-01-14 - Jumpy by April De Angelis – 2011-10-13 to 2011-11-19 - The Faith Machine by Alexi Kaye Campbell – 2011-08-25 to 2011-10-01 - Chicken Soup with Barley by Arnold Wesker – 2011-06-02 to 2011-07-16 - Wastwater by Simon Stephens – 2011-03-31 to 2011-05-07 - The Heretic by Richard Bean – 2011-02-04 to 2011-03-19 - Get Santa! by Anthony Neilson – 2010-12-01 to 2011-01-15 - Tribes by Nina Raine – 2010-09-14 to 2010-11-13 - Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris – 2010-08-26 to 2010-09-02 - Sucker Punch by Roy Williams – 2010-06-11 to 2010-07-31 - Posh by Laura Wade – 2010-04-09 to 2010-04-22 - Off The Endz by Bola Agbaje – 2010-02-11 to 2010-03-13 - The Priory by Michael Wynne – 2009-11-19 to 2010-01-16 - Enron by Lucy Prebble – 17/09/09 – 07/11/09 - Jerusalem by Jez Butterworth – 2009-07-13 to 2009-08-22 - Aunt Dan and Lemon by Wallace Shawn – 2009-05-20 to 2009-06-27 - The Fever by Wallace Shawn – 2009-04-02 to 2009-05-02 - Wall by David Hare – 2009-04-14 to 2009-04-25 - Over There by Mark Ravenhill – 2009-03-02 to 2009-03-21 - The Stone by Marius von Mayenburg – 2009-02-05 to 2009-02-28 - Seven Jewish Children: A Play for Gaza by Caryl Churchill – 2009-02-06 to 2009-02-21 - Wig Out by Tarell Alvin McCraney – 2008-11-20 to 2009-01-10 - Now or Later by Christopher Shinn – 2008-09-03 to 2008-11-01 - Paradise Regained by Mark Ravenhill – 2008-09-30 to 2008-10-04 - Free Outgoing by Anupama Chandrasekhar – 2008-07-02 to 2008-07-19 - The Ugly One by Marius von Mayenburg – 2008-06-10 to 2008-06-28 - The City by Martin Crimp – 2008-04-24 to 2008-06-07 - Random by Debbie Tucker Green – 2008-03-07 to 2008-04-12 - The Vertical Hour by David Hare – 2008-01-17 to 2008-03-01 Jerwood Theatre Upstairs - A New Play by Anthony Neilson – 2013-04-05 to 2013-05-04 - A Time To Reap by Anna Wakulik, translated by Catherine Grosvenor – 2013-02-22 to 2013-03-23 - No Quarter by Polly Stenham – 2013-01-11 to 2013-02-09 - Hero by E. V. Crowe – 2012-11-23 to 2012-12-22 - The River by Jez Butterworth – 2012-10-18 to 2012-11-17 - Choir Boy by Tarell Alvin McCraney – 2012-09-04 to 2012-10-06 - The Witness by Vivienne Franzmann – 2012-06-01 to 2012-06-30 - Belong by Bola Agbaje – 2012-04-26 to 2012-05-26 - Vera Vera Vera by Hayley Squires – 2012-03-22 to 2012-04-14 - Goodbye to All That by Luke Norris – 2012-02-23 to 2012-03-17 - Constellations by Nick Payne – 2012-01-13 to 2012-02-11 - The Westbridge by Rachel De-Lahay – 2011-11-25 to 2011-12-23 - Bang Bang Bang by Stella Feehily – 2011-10-11 to 2011-11-05 - truth and reconciliation by Debbie Tucker Green – 2011-09-01 to 2011-09-24 - The Village Bike by Penelope Skinner – 2011-06-24 to 2011-08-06 - The Acid Test by Anya Reiss – 2011-05-13 to 2011-06-11 - Remembrance Day by Aleksey Scherbak, translated by Rory Mullarky – 2011-03-18 to 2011-04-16 - Our Private Life by Pedro Miguel Rozo – 2011-02-11 to 2011-03-13 - Kin by E.V Crowe – 2010-11-19 to 2010-12-23 - Red Bud by Brett Neveu – 2010-10-21 to 2010-11-13 - Wanderlust by Nick Payne – 2010-09-09 to 2010-10-09 - Spur of the Moment by Anya Reiss – 2010-07-14 to 2010-08-21 - Ingredient X by Nick Grosso – 2010-05-20 to 2010-06-19 - The Empire by DC Moore – 2010-03-31 to 2010-05-08 - Disconnect by Anupama Chandrasekhar – 2010-02-17 to 2010-03-20 - Cock by Mike Bartlett – 2009-11-13 to 2009-12-19 - The Author by Tim Crouch – 2009-09-23 to 2009-10-24 - Grasses of a Thousand Colours by Wallace Shawn – 2009-05-12 to 2009-06-27 - Tusk Tusk by Polly Stenham – 2009-03-28 to 2009-05-02 - A Miracle by Molly Davies – 2009-03-13 to 2009-03-21 - Shades by Alia Bano – 2009-01-28 to 2009-02-21 - The Pride by Alexi Kaye Campbell – 2008-11-21 to 2008-12-20 - Faces In The Crowd by Leo Butler – 2008-10-18 to 2008-11-08 - The Girlfriend Experience by Alecky Blythe – 2008-09-18 to 2008-10-11 - Relocated by Anthony Neilson – 2008-06-06 to 2008-07-05 - Oxford Street by Levi David Addai – 2008-05-02 to 2008-05-31 - Bliss by Oliver Choiniere – 2008-03-28 to 2008-04-26 - Scarborough by Fiona Evans – 2008-02-07 to 2008-03-15 Other spaces around the Royal Court - Shoot/Get Treasure/Repeat by Mark Ravenhill – 2008-04-08 to 2008-04-19 - Contractions by Mike Bartlett – 2008-05-29 to 2008-06-14 - The Caravan by Liam O'Driscoll, Mimi Poskitt and Ben Freedman – 2009-02-10 to 2009-02-28 Controversy over Seven Jewish Children Caryl Churchill's play Seven Jewish Children opened at the theatre in February 2009. Many Jewish leaders and journalists have criticised Seven Jewish Children as antisemitic, contending that it violates the rule that "a play that is critical of, and entirely populated by, characters from one community, can be defended only if it is written by a member of that community". Further, Associate Director Ramin Gray has been accused of hypocrisy, as he is reported to have stated that he would be reluctant to stage a play critical of Islam. Michael Billington in The Guardian described the play as "a heartfelt lamentation for the future generations". The paper contended that the play, though controversial, is not antisemitic, yet Seven Jewish Children was viewed by another Guardian writer as historically inaccurate and harshly critical of Jews. Jonathan Hoffman, co-vice chairman of the Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland, called the play "a libellous and despicable demonisation of Israeli parents and grandparents" and expressed fear that it would "stoke the fires of antisemitism". He added that the play is a modern blood libel drawing on old anti-Semitic myths. Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic Monthly also calls the play a blood libel. Columnist Melanie Phillips wrote that the play is "an open vilification of the Jewish people... drawing upon an atavistic hatred of the Jews" and called it "Open incitement to hatred". The New York Times wrote that the play "at times paints heartless images of Israelis." In reply, the Royal Court issued the following statement: - "Some concerns have been raised that the Royal Court's production of Seven Jewish Children, by Caryl Churchill is anti-Semitic. We categorically reject that accusation.... While Seven Jewish Children is undoubtedly critical of the policies of the state of Israel, there is no suggestion that this should be read as a criticism of Jewish people.... In keeping with its philosophy, the Royal Court Theatre presents a multiplicity of viewpoints. The Stone, which is currently running... asks very difficult questions about the refusal of some modern Germans to accept their ancestors' complicity in Nazi atrocities. Shades, currently in our smaller studio theatre... explores issues of tolerance in the [London] Muslim community." The Royal Court was one of the launch organisations for Digital Theatre, a project which makes theatre productions available in video download form. The first performance filmed and released was Over There. - Some sources claim that it was called the "Belgravia" Theatre, but all of W. S. Gilbert's pieces presented at the theatre were publicised as playing at the "Court Theatre" - Ainger, p. 168 - Social history: Social and cultural activities, A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 12: Chelsea (2004), pp. 166-76. Date accessed: 22 March 2007. - Knight, Joseph, rev. Nilanjana Banerji. "Cecil, Arthur (1843–1896)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 7 October 2008, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/4974 - Profile of the theatre and other Victorian theatres - Howard, London Theatres, p. 54. - "New Court Theatre", The Times, 25 September 1888, p.9 - Social history - Mackintosh and Sell, Curtains!!!, p.155. See Plate 15. - Royal Court Theatre - John Heilpern John Osborne: A Patriot for Us, London: Vintage, 2007 , p.216; "'It's me, isn't it?'", The Guardian, 6 March 2007 (extract) - Despite Heilpern's claim, Duncan seems to have recognised the qualities of Look Back in Anger, see Yael Zarhy-Levo The Making of Theatrical Reputations: Studies from the Modern London Theatre, Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2008, p.31 - Robert Murphy "Lewenstein, (Silvion) Oscar (1917–1997)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography - 63 seat Theatre Upstairs - English Heritage listing details accessed 28 Apr 2007 - Contact International Theatre Festival 2008 accessed 24 May 2008 - "Royal Court names Vicky Featherstone as Cooke successor". BBC Online. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012. - Andrew Dickson "Royal Court hires Vicky Featherstone as first female artistic director", The Guardian, 11 May 2012 - "Artistic Directors" since 1956, Royal Court Theatre website - Symons, Leon. "Outrage over 'demonising' play for Gaza," The Jewish Chronicle, 12 February 2009 - Goldberg, Jeffrey. "The Royal Court Theatre's Blood Libel", Atlantic Monthly 9 February 2009 - Healy, Patrick. "Workshop May Present Play Critical of Israel", New York Times, 17 February 2009 - "The Stone and Seven Jewish Children", The Sunday Times, 15 February 2009 - Nathan, John. "Seven Jewish Children", The Jewish Chronicle, 12 February 2009 - Whittle, Peter. "Islam: The Silence of the Arts; The arts are increasingly censoring themselves when it comes to Islam," New Culture Forum, 2007 - Beckford, Martin. "Prominent Jews accuse Royal Court play of demonising Israelis", Daily Telegraph, 18 February 2009 - Michael Billington "Theatre: Seven Jewish Children", The Guardian, 11 February 2009 - Charlotte Higgins"Is Seven Jewish Children anti-semitic?" The Guardian (blog), 18 February 2009 - Romain, Jonathan. "Selective bravery is not very brave", The Guardian, 20 February 2009. Quote: "...the same standards must apply to all faiths". - "Leading theatres launch downloadable shows". Official London Theatre Guide. Retrieved 2010-02-15. - Ainger, Michael (2002). Gilbert and Sullivan – A Dual Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-514769-3. - Bergan, Ronald (1992). The Great Theatres of London: An Illustrated Companion. London: Trafalgar Square Publishing. ISBN 1-85375-057-3. - Earl, John; Michael Sell (2000). Guide to British Theatres 1750-1950. Theatres Trust. pp. 135–36. ISBN 0-7136-5688-3. - MacCarthy, Desmond (1907). The Court Theatre 1904-1907 A Commentary and Criticism. London: A. H. Bullen. - Roberts, Philip (1999). The Royal Court Theatre and the modern stage. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-47962-2. - History of the theatre - Profile of the theatre and other Victorian theatres - Napoleon, Davi (1991). Chelsea on the Edge: The Adventures of an American Theater. Iowa State University Press. ISBN 0-8138-1713-7. (Includes a detailed comparison of the Royal Court and a theater in New York City that was influenced by it; also includes discussion of Royal Court plays that the Chelsea presented, including Saved, Total Eclipse, and The Contractor) |Wikimedia Commons has media related to Royal Court Theatre, London.| - Royal Court Theatre website - The Guardian, 21 July 2009, The Royal Court Upstairs marks 40 years of scaling new heights - History of the Royal Court Theatre - The English Stage Company/Royal Court Theatre Archive is held by the Victoria and Albert Museum Theatre and Performance Department.

The prolific A.R. Gurney has made a specialty of documenting a certain slice of America: Northeast-based, white, middle-class families bound by a strong sense of kinship and precisely delineated social circles. In “Black Tie,” the comedy that opened last night at Primary Stages, the playwright shows that WASP-ness is kept together by a sense of tradition and good manners. Lose them, he suggests, and everything goes down the drain. Here, old-fashioned civility is at the center of the conflict between an idealized past of tight-knit nuclear families, and a confusing future of blended broods and mixed ethnicities. Things aren’t looking good for the nostalgia camp: The multiculti barbarians are at the gate. Propriety is represented by Curtis (Gregg Edelman) and his father (Daniel Davis), a man to the country-club born. Curtis is about to give a speech at his son’s rehearsal dinner, and his dad’s dropped by the hotel to give a few pointers. Never mind that Grandpa is dead and only Curtis can see him. As the play goes on, Curtis is increasingly on the defense. His ideas of what’s appropriate at weddings — like wearing a tuxedo, for starters — don’t necessarily match those of the younger, more informal generation. “I personally like to believe that people can be funny without being raw,” Curtis says, primly, having learned that the bride’s ex — a popular shock comedian — is planning to do a routine. Curtis’ wife (the dry Carolyn McCormick, looking straight out of a J.Crew catalog) is less enamored of her ex-father-in-law’s memory, but she eventually comes around and realizes what a great guy he was. The audience may be harder to convince. Under Mark Lamos’ zippy direction, the actors are all in tip-top form and the tone is one of benign amusement. But a lot of the jokes derive from tired stereotyping. Gurney seems to suggest that the WASP way of life has been eroded by the combined assaults of modernity, political correctness and Jewish comics. Watching “Black Tie,” you have to wonder if WASPs didn’t dig their own grave.

Poll: Politicians exploiting haredi draft About 60% of Israeli public believe parties making cynical use of 'equal burden' issue in their election campaigns; half say none of them capable of Kobi Nahshoni YNET Published: 01.16.13, 13:36 / Israel Jewish The Israeli public wants an equal share of the burden among all segments of society, but does not believe politicians demanding the same thing, a Ynet-Gesher poll reveals. According to the survey, 93% of Israeli Jews believe the ultra-Orthodox public must enlist in military or civil service, but 59% are convinced that parties stressing the issue in their election campaigns are making cynical use of the matter for political purposes. While National Service Administration says number of yeshiva students seeking to volunteer is much higher than dozens who joined service this week, haredim fear arrangement will be canceled by High Court – resulting in The survey was conducted by the Panels research institute through the Panel4all Internet panel among 514 respondents – a representative sample of Israel's adult Jewish population. The maximum sampling error was 4.4%. Respondents were first asked, "In your opinion, should the haredi public serve in the army?" Forty-nine percent replied "like everyone else," 37% said "in the army or national service," and seven percent chose "in national service." The remaining seven percent selected the fourth option – "I would exempt them from any duty." An analysis according to religious affiliation reveals that the majority of secular and traditional Jews believe haredim should be forced into "regular" service (58.5% and 49%, respectively), religious Jews settle for any kind of service – military or civil (50%), while haredim would exempt themselves from the duty (62%). Lack of faith Asked whether politicians were exploiting the haredi draft issue in their election campaigns, 51% gave an affirmative answer while 41% gave a negative answer. All haredi respondents, 81% of religious respondents, 60% of traditional respondents and 50% of secular respondents said they did not believe politicians' statements in regards to this issue. This disbelief was also reflected in the survey's third question: "Which of the following candidates, as prime minister, will solve the equal burden problem in a better way in your opinion?" Twenty-seven percent believe Benjamin Netanyahu will do so, 23% said Shelly Yachimovich, while 50% replied: "Neither of them." An analysis of the results reveals that traditional Jews are most optimistic: Forty-two percent of them said neither of the two would succeed in solving the problem, but 41% said Netanyahu could do it. On the other hand, 62% of haredim, 58% of religious Jews and 51% of seculars don't believe in either of them. According to Ilan Geal-Dor, CEO of the Gesher Foundation which works to bridge the gaps between different segments of the Israeli society, "The willingness to understand the needs of the haredim on the one hand, and the importance of their integration on the other hand, leads the majority of Israeli society to further moves aimed at creating graduation and understanding ahead of the integration." Geal-Dor added that "such significant social moves can only be advanced through a real dialogue."

This show tells about the life of a Jewish college professor called Max Bickford (Richard Dreyfuss) and his family, which includes Lester (Eric Ian Goldberg) and Nell (Katee Sackhoff), who also studies at the women's college where her father teaches.Other great characters are Andrea Haskell (Marcia Gay Harden), who's also a professor and Erica Bettis (Helen Shaver), who used to be a man.The Education of Max Bickford ran from 2001 to 2002.My question is why? Why did it last for one season only? I liked it.The comedy worked in it, the drama worked in it and the cast was magnificent.The adult actors were great, the kid actors were great.And then you could see these amazing guest stars making visits.There was Eli Wallach in three episodes as Jay Bickford, Max' father.In one episode there was Peter O'Toole as Sidney McKnight, an old professor.These legends can make any show better, and this one was good already.So why didn't it last? What can you do? Some shows go on and some don't.That's the way it goes. 8 of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Giovanni Bazzana — INIMICUS HOMO? The Presentation of Paul in the Pseudo-Clementine Novel Kathy Ehrensperger — Διδάσκαλος ἐθνῶν – Pauline Trajectories according to 1 Timothy Gabriella Gelardini — “As if by Paul”? Some Remarks on Hebrews’s Textual Strategy of Anonymity Judith M. Lieu — Marcion, Paul, and the Jews Anders Klostergaard Petersen —The Traditionalisation of Paul: a Durkheimian and Weberian Perspective on Colossians Matthew Thiessen — The Jewish Paul’s Construction of Gentiles in Ephesians Joel Willitts — John of Patmos and Paul the Apostle: Antinomy or Affinity?

The Joyce Mollov memorial lecture and performanceAdditional title: Kaddisch (Choreographic work : Sokolow) NamesMollov, Joyce, -1989 (Interviewee)Fibich, Felix (Choreographer)Fibich, Felix (Dancer)Fibich, Felix (Speaker)Sokolow, Anna (Speaker)May, Lorry (Dancer)Swados, Elizabeth (Speaker)Swados, Elizabeth (Instrumentalist)Mahoney, Billie (Interviewer)Bloch, Ernest, 1880-1959 (Composer)Ravel, Maurice, 1875-1937 (Composer) General Dance Video Archive Dates / OriginDate Created: 1990-11-04 Table of ContentsIntroduction by Dean Ernest Schwarcz. -- Dance on: Joyce Mollov. Excerpt from a 1985 telecast of an interview with Billie Mahoney. For the complete interview, see: *MGZIC 9-1038 Dance on: Joyce Mollov. -- Ritual movement and Jewish gesture in dance. Lecture-demonstration by Felix Fibich, who discusses Hasidic movement and gestures and their transformation into dance. -- In search of identity. Choreography/performance: Felix Fibich. Music: Ernest Bloch. -- Brief speech by Anna Sokolow. -- Kaddish. Choreography: Anna Sokolow. Music: Maurice Ravel (Kaddish). Perf. by Lorry May. -- Presentation of the Queens College Center for Jewish Studies award for excellence in Jewish art to Elizabeth Swados. -- Acceptance speech by Swados. -- Medley of songs by Swados, selected from Haggadah, Jerusalem, Song of songs, and other works. Sung by three women and a man, accompanied by Swados and a percussionist. Library locationsJerome Robbins Dance DivisionShelf locator: *MGZIDF 3234Shelf locator: *MGZIC 9-3878 (former) TopicsJewish dance, HasidicJewish dance -- United StatesGesture GenresInterviewsFilmed danceFilmed performances NotesVenue: Videotaped in performance at Queens College Theater, Flushing, New York, on November 4, 1990. Presented by the Continuing Education Program and Center for Jewish Studies at Queens College.Funding: Preservation of this video was supported by a donation from Lynn Garafola. Physical DescriptionVideocassetteExtent: 1 videocassette (U-matic) (52 min.) : sound, color ; 3/4 in. DescriptionExcerpts from a program of lectures, dance, and music in memory of Joyce Dorfman Mollov, a dancer, choreographer, and educator. Type of ResourceMoving image IdentifiersRLIN/OCLC: NYPY936045106-FNYPL catalog ID (B-number): b12175076Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): deac9930-b3bb-0136-727e-00f10c7c3ccc Rights StatementThe copyright and related rights status of this item has been reviewed by The New York Public Library, but we were unable to make a conclusive determination as to the copyright status of the item. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. Item timeline of events

New for 2009, Ketubah Monoprints. Price is only $1200 for everything. There is a tradition in Judaism that when a ritual object is necessary to fulfill a commandment, that object should be beautiful and fitting to that commandment in order to glorify and intensify its observance. The ketubah—the Jewish wedding contract—is in the midst of a revival. For most of its long history (beginning sometime between 2 B.C.E. and 1 C.E.), the ketubah was simply a legal contract that spelled out the obligations of a husband to his wife upon their marriage. The traditional ketubot can be thought of as progressive documents, for they conferred financial rights upon wives that women otherwise did not have, safeguarding them in the event that their husbands abandoned them or died. In recent times, Jewish couples, rabbis, and artists have been experimenting with ways to update the ketubah, feeling that the standard orthodox text didn't quite capture the essence of modern relationships. These new ketubot—written in both English and Hebrew—typically include personal declarations of the bride and groom's commitment to each other, followed by their pledge to create a Jewish home. Today many couples see the ketubah as one of the most meaningful expressions of their marriage covenant. Artists from all over the world have been decorating ketubot since at least the tenth century. I first began painting fine art ketubot in 1995, when a couple who collected my work asked if they could commission me to paint theirs. While at that point I had no idea how to go about creating a ketubah, I spent the next few months working with the couple, a framer, and a calligrapher to create a beautiful and highly personal work of art. The system I developed then has stayed pretty much the same. First, I meet with you to explore what types of images you'd like painted on your original ketubah (such as special places, favorite foods, religious symbols, etc.). Then, I cut out of wood an ornate shape inspired by the ketubot created in eighteenth-century Italy. I schedule a sitting to paint your portraits and provide you with examples of vows so that you can begin the process of writing your own, if you choose. After the vows are written, I send them to my calligrapher, who translates them into Hebrew and writes them, in both Hebrew and English, on a piece of parchment. Meanwhile, I prepare and paint the wood that will eventually surround the framed parchment. (I have developed an easy way to remove the parchment from the frame so that the bride, groom, witnesses, and rabbi can sign the ketubah before the ceremony.) I am certain that these ketubot will become cherished family heirlooms. For my part, I consider it a mitzvah to be able to help couples mark and celebrate the spiritual covenant of marriage. Storefront Studio | 285 5th Avenue | Brooklyn, NY 11215 | (718) 499-0199 Copyright ©2003-2010. All rights reserved. All art and images contained within this website are the sole property of Jonathan Blum. Reproduction of this material without the artist's permission is not permitted.

Before my recent move to Israel I imagined the food in my new home to be something of a mix between a Jewish deli and a Middle Eastern falafel stand. And while this has proved to be not entirely off-base, schnitzel did not fit anywhere into my expectations. Though, largely unacknowledged by American Jews, schnitzel – a thinly pounded, breaded, and fried cutlet – is one of the de facto national dishes of Israel. “Schnitzel, not falafel, became to Israelis of all ethnic backgrounds what hamburgers, fried chicken, and pizza are to Americans,” writes Gil Marks in the “Encyclopedia of Jewish Food.” Here schnitzel is so ubiquitous, both in fine dining and in cheap lunch spots, that one of the common words for boneless chicken breast is, simply, schnitzel — because what else would you use that cut of meat for? And indeed in German the word schnitzel means cutlet. But what accounts for the popularity of schnitzel in Israel? Many people will tell you that it was simply a dish brought by Jewish immigrants from Germany and Austria. While this is part of the explanation, it’s not quite the full story. There is some debate as to whether schnitzel originated in Italy with Cotoletta alla Milanese or in Austria with the more widely known Wiener Schnitzel. Whichever is the case (and it is likely that both are somewhat true) it has been around for centuries. Marks writes that immigrants from central Europe to Palestine introduced schnitzel to early kibbutzim during the beginning of the twentieth century. The simple dish that could be made in a pan (few people had ovens at the time) became a common shabbos meal, as it could easily be made the day before it was served. Fast forward to the 1940s, the War of Independence, mass immigration and food shortages, marked by rations and regulations. Marks says that it was during this period that “The new Ministry of Absorption taught the diverse housewives from across the globe how to prepare various simple recipes made from readily accessible, inexpensive items,” including schnitzel and the tradition stuck. On her website Israeli food writer Janna Gur explains that “In Israel, [schnitzel] is made of chicken or turkey breast — an invention born out of necessity, when veal was nonexistent and poultry was government-subsidized and more readily available.” Chicken is still subsidized by the government and today schnitzel takes many forms in Israel, although it is still almost exclusively made from chicken or turkey. The breadcrumbs can be unseasoned or doctored with paprika, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or a number of spices depending on preference. For Passover schnitzel is breaded with matzoh meal instead of breadcrumbs. When it came time to make schnitzel for myself I turned to Joan Nathan’s Classic Schnitzel recipe from “The Foods of Israel Today”. Simple and to the point, this is the essence of Israeli schnitzel. I tried it with homemade and purchased breadcrumbs, unseasoned and with paprika and sesame seeds. Served with an Israeli salad of cucumber, tomato, and onion, they were all equally good. Although it’s best fresh, enjoy the leftovers the next day cold, reheated, or — the ultimate Israeli way — in a pita with hummus. Classic Israeli Schnitzel Makes 6 Servings 6 boneless, skinless turkey or chicken breasts, sliced thin (about 1½ pounds) Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1 cup all-purpose flour 3 large eggs 2 cups fresh bread crumbs Vegetable or soybean oil for deep frying 2 lemons, sliced in wedges 1) Place one cutlet at a time inside a large plastic bag. With a meat mallet, pound the turkey or chicken slice as thin as possible and season well with salt and pepper. 2) Spread the flour on a flat plate. Break the eggs into a pie plate and beat well. Put the bread crumbs on a third plate. 3) Pour the oil into a heavy skillet to a depth of 1 inch and heat over a medium flame until almost smoking. 4) Dip each turkey or chicken breast in flour, then in egg, and then in bread crumbs. 5) Fry the schnitzels for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. 6) Drain the schnitzels on a plate lined with paper towel. Serve immediately with lemon wedges. Note: You can also bake the breaded schnitzels in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes ahead of time. Then, just before serving, deep fry quickly to crisp the outside. • Reprinted with permission from Joan Nathan’s “The Foods of Israel Today.”

Larry Flynt had been defending himself against obscenity charges since the first copy of Hustler magazine rolled off the presses in 1974. In early 1978 Gwinnett County decided to press obscenity charges against the publisher when a local market began distributing the magazine. In March, 1978 trial began in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Larry Flynt publisher of Hustler magazine Joseph Paul Franklin - self avowed racist and admitted serial killer Gene Reeves - Local lawyer for Larry Flynt was also shot in the attack. Herald Price Fahringer - Flynt attorney Paul Cambria Jr. - Flynt attorney Gary Davis - Solicitor Sara Hutchins - Part time surveyor's office clerk Rhodes Jordan - Mayor of Lawrenceville, Georgia at the time of the attack. Fulton County prosecutor Hinson McAuliff targeted Larry Flynt in 1978 when he sold personally autographed copies of Hustler and Chic Magazine at an Atlanta bookstore. Flynt was arrested and charged in Fulton County. As he posted bond, a warrant arrived on an unrelated charge for the sale of a copy of Hustler in Gwinnett County. Originally slated to end on Friday, March 3, 1978, testimony had run long. On the morning of March 6, Larry Flynt took the stand and began to testify in defense of his magazine. He called it a "satire" and said it was "one big put-on." After what most people describe as a good performance by the publisher, Flynt and his legal team opted to return to V&J Cafeteria, on Perry Street on the west side of the courthouse. Flynt, 35, was joined by Paul Cambria, Price Fahringer, and Gene Reeves, just as they had done each day of the trial. At 11:55am Eastern Standard Time, two or three shots rang out, striking both Gene Reeves and Larry Flynt. Falling forward, Flynt fell face down on a concrete driveway while Reeves took a few steps before collapsing on the sidewalk. Reeves had been struck in the arm and chest while Flynt had been hit twice in the abdomen. At 12:20 pm a call came into the courthouse switchboard where Sara Hutchins, a part-time clerk answered. "Tell (Solicitor) Gary Davis he doesn't have to worry about Larry Flynt anymore." Hutchins believed her caller and stood up to find Davis or his secretary. She heard the ambulances not far from the courthouse. Early eyewitness reports had two men speeding off in a car, but no one actually saw a gunmen. One early clue was a spent .44 magnum cartridge near the crime scene, probably from a Martin deer rifle. A reporter for a Lawrenceville paper (The Dispatch) said he barely heard the gunshots. Investigators concentrated on an abandoned hotel across the street from the shooting. The hotel had a door to a parking lot in the rear of the building, making for an easy getaway. The injured men were taken to Button Gwinnett Hospital on Scenic Highway in Lawrenceville. Surgeons worked on Flynt in two separate operations. In the first they removed much of the lower intestine which had been damaged by the bullets. In a second operation, Flynt's spleen was removed. Flynt and Reeves were moved to Emory Hospital for continued care. Lawrenceville Mayor Rhodes Jordan was quoted in Time Magazine, "Somebody was sending Flynt a message, that they don't want his type of filth around." State and local authorities had little to go on. No eyewitness description of the assailant, no fingerprints in the casing or in the vicinity of the hotel where they thought the assailant had waited. Originally, the police looked for a silver Camaro, which eyewitnesses reported seeing fleeing the scene. Then came a drawing of a couple wanted for questioning, not because they were involved in the shooting but because police felt they might have seen something. Then police looked into Flynt's business dealings for a motive. Half a dozen requests to interview Flynt about the shooting were denied. He may have been afraid because he believed the shooting was part of an FBI or CIA plot to kill him. During his years of incarceration Joseph Paul Franklin claimed responsibility for many crimes. For example, he claimed to have killed two black men in Atlanta, one in 1977 the other in 1978. Atlanta Police found one case that closely matched the details he gave, but had no idea about the second confession. Franklin also claimed to have shot Vernon Jordan because Franklin saw him with a white woman (Jordan's wife Shirley was white). When Franklin confessed to shooting Larry Flynt, he claimed that it was because of an interracial photo shoot that appeared in the pornographic magazine. Franklin is currently on death row in Missouri. Gwinnett County District Attorney Daniel Porter received a letter from Franklin in 1984, while he was in prison in Marion, Illinois. In the letter Franklin stated "My name is Joseph Paul Franklin. I shot Larry Flynt. If you bring me to Gwinnett County, I'll tell you about it." When police arrived to discuss the letter Franklin had a change of heart, claiming the letter was a hoax. Finally, after 2 interviews, Franklin admitted he shot Flynt. Franklin was able to describe the building where the shots came from, his route of escape, and the vehicle he used. The detectives from Georgia felt certain enough of his involvement to recommend his indictment for assault and in 1984 the county filed charges. Unfortunately, the string of murders in which Franklin had been involved took priority. In 1997 Franklin was convicted of murdering a man outside a Jewish Synagogue in St. Louis in 1977 and sentenced to death. Porter decided not to pursue the charges against Franklin filed in 1984.

ANSWERING COMMON OBJECTIONS SAINTS HOLY SIBLINGS To approach the veneration of the Saints from a Biblical perspective, Scott begins with the Book of Hebrews and the "Old Testament Hall of Fame". In this program he explains how the Saints are members of God's family in heaven, the "older siblings" of God's sons and daughters on earth. He shows how the Saints constitute a "cloud of witnesses" which hovers over the world giving glory to God and "cheering on" the Christian family on earth. The Veneration of Saints from a Biblical Perspective. In order to approach the veneration of saints from a Biblical perspective, I would like to begin our time in the New Testament Book of Hebrews. We can just keep a finger on Hebrews 11 and see what we really need there because we go through the Old Testament Hall of Fame rapidly. Hebrews 11, verse 1 begins, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen, for by it the men of old received Divine approval, and by faith we understand that the world is created by the Word of God so that what is seen was made out of things that do not appear." Then he begins to pick off this list of great saints of the Old Testament family of God beginning with the first martyr, Abel, who offered an acceptable sacrifice. And then Enoch and then Noah and then Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Sarah. And then it goes on to talk about Abraham some more and Isaac and Jacob and all the sufferings they endured because their hope was ultimately not in the earthly Jerusalem but in the heavenly Jerusalem, not in the earthly Promised Land but in the heavenly Promised Land. Then in verse 23 it speaks about Moses and all that he gave up in order to gain this glorious inheritance in heaven, and likewise, Israel. And then Rahab, the harlot in Jericho: even her faith is extolled. Then Gideon, Barak, Sampson, Jethrop, the Judges, David the king, Samuel and the prophets who through faith conquered kingdoms and forced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions and quenched raging fires, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. All other great deeds are being recounted not just to go through history but principally, as you will see, to inspire greater faith, hope and love within us. Verse 36, "Others suffered mocking and scourging, even chains and imprisonment." And the readers of this epistle, the initial readers, could relate to all that. They were stoned. They were sawed in two like Isaiah was supposed to have died. They were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated, of whom the world, this world, that is, was not worthy. Wandering over deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, the well-attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God has foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect." So, in a sense, the coming of Christ and the New Covenant economy brought great blessing and glory for these Old Testament saints, greater glory than they received just simply when they died. Something new was inaugurated when Christ was raised, when he was ascended and when he was enthroned. He opened up a new vista, a new door, the front door of heaven, for his younger brethren to come home. And we will see in the next few minutes how this glorious family kingdom in heaven has placed within it thrones and on them sit these great saints, as well as the New Covenant saints. And they are priests and they are giving judgment to serve Christ and to pray on our behalf. But notice that the writer of Hebrews is recounting all of this to inspire us to emulate their example. This is going to be one fundamental consideration as we understand the Biblical rationale for the veneration of the saints. Heroic examples inspire heroic virtue. But let's take a look now at Hebrews 12, "Therefore," in one of the most basic interpretive principles of Biblical studies that whenever you see that word, "therefore," you ask yourself what it's there for because it basically sums up everything before it and draws a very practical conclusion, especially so in the Book of Hebrews. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every way and sin which clings so closely and let us run with perseverance, the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin, you haven't resisted yet to the point of shedding your blood. Have you forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as sons?" And it goes on to talk about the discipline of the Lord and the chastening and the suffering which is proper for children of God to mature and grow up. Then in verse 12, "Therefore, lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees and make straight paths for your feet so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed." The whole picture in Hebrews 12 is the big race and who's in the crowd? All of the saints. And what do they form? Verse 1, "a cloud of witnesses." What do you mean a cloud? Well, if you do a little bit of Biblical background study, that cloud is the same cloud that you can trace all the way back in the Old Testament. It's the shechena glory cloud that Moses ascended up into on Mount Sinai. It's the same cloud that came down when Jesus ascended before the eyes of the disciples. This cloud in a sense is a portable manifestation of what it is like to be "in the Spirit" like John was in the Book of Revelation: "I was in the Spirit of the Lord's day," and that glory cloud, the shechena, is full now of our older brothers and sisters. And they constitute a cloud of witnesses and it's not just a cloud that comes and goes depending upon the way the wind blows. It's a cloud that's a crowd for the purpose of cheering us on. You know, why is it that the Pittsburgh Pirates have a much better home record than with away games? Or, I probably suspect it's true for your beloved Mets, unfortunately, although we're a half game in front. Why is that? Why consistently even do last place teams do better at home games than away games? Because their people are there. I mean you could say, "They know the stadium better." Yeah, perhaps so. But there's always an incredible psychological edge especially in the championship games. You know basketball teams and football teams know, even Jimmy the Greek will tell you that if it's a home game add six points for the home team. And here we have a home game and there's a huge cloud of witnesses, all our older family members are cheering us on. It isn't like, you know, we've got family members who have never run the race before, saying, "Go for it. Go for it," although they've never gone for it. I mean these people raising up their hands, cheering and looking and you can see the scars on their hands and their feet and their faces and on their backs. You know that they've run the race and they are calling you to do the same. And the greatest and loudest cheerleader of them all is Jesus himself, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, the firstborn among many brothers and sisters, Romans 8 tells us. I mean the whole stadium is full of our family. And it inspires ardor and courage, vigor and sacrifice. And you know what? The writer of Hebrews never considers it important for a second to argue that this is so. He takes it for granted and he thinks you should take it for granted, but that you should ponder it and then draw inspiration from it. But not so. If the saints don't know what we're doing, and we have no idea what they're doing. In other words if we have no contact, no communication, this kind of description is just simply a weak and quaint metaphor. But that's not what it is. This is the spiritual reality perceived by the eyes of faith, the eyes that are open to the spiritual truths of this great Credo statement, "I believe in the Communion of Saints." Now it isn't just because we all believe the same thing that we have this real nice but eerie feeling that we are all united by this bond of doctrinal confession and liturgical worship. It's much more than that. It's more than just being a fellowship of the like-minded. We say, "I believe in the Holy Spirit," and that's why we believe in the holy Catholic Church because apart from the Holy Spirit, we would only be another human organization. But the Holy Spirit, the Church teaches de fide, is the soul of the Church. The Mystical Body of Christ is animated and draws its supernatural life from the Holy Spirit. So we say, "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church -- what? -- the communion of saints." Now how can you have communion with people that you have no communication with? How can you possibly be in communion with people that really share nothing in common together in terms of everyday experience? I'm not saying that the Lord has told us to have daily conversations. All right, some people are gifted with those mystical revelations. But whenever somebody says, "Well, you're communicating with the dead and that is wicked sin judged by Old Testament and New Testament standards because that's divination, that's sorcery or whatever." You say, "They're not dead. They're more alive than we are. Blessed are those who die in the Lord, henceforth." Why? Because their works follow them into heaven. The Old Testament saints had to wait for the Messiah, but the waiting is gone. Those martyred saints are with the Lord and a crowd, and they are cheering us on. We need not just eyes but ears with faith, to hear and so it goes. Veneration of Saints does not Violate the Sole Mediatorship of Jesus Now I want to move on from that, though. I want to say one thing and that is, before I move on I want you to know that the saints are not an alternate route to God, as opposed to Christ. If you think that, then stop praying to the saints until you get your spiritual life readjusted back on course. Because you're not a good Catholic. The fact is there is one sole mediator between God and man and that's the man, Jesus Christ. Paul couldn't make that any clearer than he does to Timothy. He says, "There is one mediator -- one and only one mediator -- between God and man." Let's turn to 1st Timothy, chapter 2, to see what he is saying. 1st Timothy, chapter 2 verse 5 says, "There is one God and there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus who gave Himself as a ransom for all." Now what conclusions can we draw from that? Can we draw from that the false conclusion that because we've got one mediator, therefore it's undermining the work of Christ to go through the saints and ask them to intercede on our behalf? No, of course not. Forget the fact that saints are the Christians in heaven, we're also aware of the fact that Christians on earth are continually addressed in the New Testament as saints. That's who we are. That's who we must become, and if we continue on and hold fast to the faith, that's what we will be for eternity. But we are saints if we are in Christ right now. Now saints, Catholic and non-Catholic, if somebody asks you to pray for them, to intercede for them to God on their behalf, do you go around and say, "How dare you undermine the sole mediation of Jesus Christ, the only High Priest?" Of course not. Why? Because what does Paul say in the first four verses before 1st Timothy, 2:1, "First of all then, I urge the supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all men." By Jesus alone? Of course not. By us, "for kings and all who are in high positions in order that we might lead a quiet and peaceful life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good and is acceptable by God our Savior who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and there is one mediator between God and man." How often did I used to pull that text out of context and use that to undermine the proper veneration of the saints which is rooted in two things, asking them for intercession and supplication and being inspired to follow their example. We could add a third and we are going to; that is, we honor them. We glorify them when we venerate them. But why? Because we're just a little bit bored after ten or fifteen hours of honoring Christ? No. It's precisely because we honor Christ. It's precisely because we imitate Christ. We imitate Christ, and so if we see Him honoring those who have died for the truth, those who have confessed to the faith with much pain, we do what Christ does and we honor those whom He honors. Those whom He blesses, we bless. It's rather simple. It's only when we unconsciously reduce the Christian faith to an individualistic, me and Jesus relationship that it becomes a typically American self-centered thing. I mean, let's face it, the American family is not a great example of strong communion bonds these days. And it hasn't been for centuries. Do you know that Daniel Boone was one of the worst fathers? Do you know that I believe it was his brother or one of his neighbors who fathered a child through his wife? Davey Crockett, the same way. Great American heroes, rugged individualists, not great family men. You should hear what John Adams' wife had to say -- a radical feminist who was just a died-in-the-wood individualist. She wasn't more concerned about the marriage and about the family and the home and America. She was concerned about individual rights that she could exert and that others could exert and if they couldn't, they could get it by force. That's the American way. As they used to say in the 18th Century, "We serve no sovereign." No kings, and kings were always father figures. I'm not arguing for political monarchy and natural politics because human sin is what it is. But we've got a supernatural monarchy, a heavenly kingdom, a father figure apart from sin who bestows his pure life and grace upon our older brothers and sisters, his children. And that kingdom is the Kingdom of Heaven. And that inspires us in a much greater way to serve our Sovereign and to serve his cabinet ministers and the princes and the princesses that he appoints over us. Do you realize how difficult it is for Americans to think and to behave in that way? When everything in our culture goes in the opposite direction? To whom do we bow in our society? Nobody. And when we even say, "Your Honor" to a judge or "Your Excellency" for an Archbishop, it feels kind of unnatural, and we bristle, don't we? It's un-American. Who do you think you are? But the fact is in a family, it isn't the person as much as it's the office that we venerate and honor. And that's what we're doing when we venerate the saints. We're imitating Christ who honors them. We, in turn, want to imitate the saints as they serve Christ. Now when you put it this way, I'm tempted to respond now, I've been in here for about five years, it seems as plain as the nose on my face. But only when you make a very slight but profound adjustment in your thinking. "We Are Family," as Sister Sledge sang so many years ago. We are the family of God. So no father is going to feel gypped or ignored or neglected as the brothers and sisters fall in love with each other and inspire each other to the courageous sacrifice and service for the family's name. It's even silly once you put it into those terms, but what other terms suffice for what the Blessed Trinity, the Divine Family, has been doing in all of history? It's the only one that makes sense. It's the only one that pulls the entire Bible together. It's the only reason why Paul in 1st Timothy 2:5 considers one mediator and still says, what he says in 1st Timothy 2:1-4, "Therefore, because there's one mediator, with greater confidence we can pray and make supplication and intercession for everybody," even for the kings and the wealthy and the rich and the corrupt. Why? Because there's one mediator, the God-man, Jesus Christ. We could go nuts praying like we never could before. Why? Because there's one mediator. Does that mean no other intercessors, no others to make supplication? No! That's just not right. There's one mediator and because our mediator is the most awesome mediator we could possibly imagine, we have now the capacity to intercede as priests in the Priest, as sons in the Son, as pastors and shepherds in the one Pastor and Shepherd. We draw our life from him. "No longer I, but Christ who lives in me. Apart from Christ, I can do nothing." But with me, Jesus says, you can do anything. "With God, all things are possible." Scriptural Support for the Fact that God Hears the Cries of the Saints We need to adjust our thinking. This isn't new. All the way back in Genesis, there's a kind of cryptic allusion to the fact that God is in touch with the needs of the martyrs. In Genesis 4, verse 10, God says to Cain, "Listen, your brother's blood cries out to me from the soil." Now do you think if you got out in the field and found the place where all that blood had spilled, put your ear down to it, you would have heard a voice? No, I don't think so. No, this is a literary device, the part for the whole. Abel's blood is Abel's soul which has died. It wouldn't be crying out for anything unless Abel had been vindicated by God in some manner. In some manner we know not, it might be Abraham's bosom, like we see in Luke 16. At any rate God hears the cry of those martyred saints from the very beginning. The blood is the life, the life is the soul and the soul cries out for vindication and God responds. That's why Hebrews 12, verse 24 alludes to that in comparing Abel's blood crying for vengeance to Jesus' sprinkled blood which speaks more eloquently than that of Abel. Now, would Jesus' blood speak to us? Well, in a sense, no. It's not the blood, but it's the life of the soul which the blood signifies that is speaking, "mercy, mercy, mercy" on our behalf. Not vengeance but forgiveness because Christ wasn't slain by a brother out in the field contrary to his will. Christ laid down His own life as a ransom for all. And so His blood speaks like Abel's blood speaks, but it speaks in a greater and more eloquent way. Now I would suggest that the kind of teaching we find in Luke 16 would not have come from the lips of Jesus; were not this outlook commonplace. Let's turn now to Luke 16, verses 19 through 31. There, of course, we find the famous story of Lazarus and the rich man. We're told that Lazarus who was very poor and the dogs licked his sores when he sat outside the rich man's gate; at death Lazarus is carried to rest in Abraham's bosom. The other man, the rich man, Deus or Dives as he is sometimes called, is carried off into torment in the abode of the dead. He cries, "Father Abraham," he cries. He still sees himself, I would suggest, in some way as God's child. That is the child of Father Abraham. He cries out, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me." Not exactly the cry of the demonized, despicable reprobate's soul whose evil and sin are only perfected. "Have mercy on me, Father." He knows that he belongs there, but he's asking now not for justice, but for mercy. And he's not saying, "Get me out of here. I don't belong. Get me out of here. I've got to go back. I deserve a second chance." He says, "Send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am in anguish in this flame." That's why I would suggest this may well refer, not to hell fire and eternal torment, but purgatorial fire belonging to a soul who through neglect of the corporal works of mercy ends up going to summer school for a long time. He cries, "Father Abraham, have pity on me." And then Abraham replies, "My child." Not you accursed reprobate, you son of Satan, you despicable worm, you viper. No, "my child,' Abraham replies. 'Remember that you in your lifetime received your good things.'" And the man doesn't say, "What do you mean, 'remember?" Once the soul dies, he doesn't remember anything. He doesn't remember anybody. He remembers what Abraham had said; he remembers. But how often have I run into Christians who assume that we don't remember or we have only a vague remembrance and they don't really mean anything, those memories. But no, read further. It goes on, "Then I beg you, father," verse 27, "send him to my father's house." He remembers his father's house. "...for I have five brothers." He not only remembers his five brothers, he is very concerned for those five brothers. He's interceding on behalf of those five brothers. "So that Lazarus may warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment." He doesn't say, "Abraham, can you give my five brothers a glimpse of my torturous fate down in the flames?" He says, "Will you resurrect Lazarus. Will you send him back from the dead?" What a small favor to ask on Lazarus' behalf. Certainly going to be a vindication for the poor man, isn't it? But Abraham said, "They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. And he said, 'No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they would repent.' He said to him, 'If they don't hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'" End of story. Now you might say, "So, there. They may pray in purgatory, but they are not answered." But notice one thing. Jesus raised a man named Lazarus after four days. This might be a parable, but Jesus didn't say, "Let me tell you a parable." There is no evidence that this is a parable. You may not want to believe it but nowhere, in any parable of Jesus does he name the characters. Here He names the man and He happens to give him the name of one of His very best friends, His only best friend that he raised from the dead. A man who had been afflicted long and sore, what a coincidence. Maybe, maybe not. But I would suggest this, that if a man in torment can communicate according to his own felt needs, how much more can Lazarus help? In other words, here we have a situation where the man can communicate and intercede on behalf of those that he wants to help. Now if a man in the flames can do that, how much more can we assume that Lazarus would have a clear recollection of his beloved family on earth and he would probably have a clearer perception of their needs. And with a perfected love, he would have a greater capacity to intercede for those needs. Maybe you deny that, but what scriptures do you show to deny it? I couldn't find any when I was thinking along these lines. At that point, you might say, I was on a train rolling without brakes; but the train was a scriptural train. Catholics Need to Have a Balanced Perception of What the Veneration of Saints is Let's go on. Before I look at some other scriptures, let me just ask you, and think of this when you are talking to non-Catholics because, I've got to confess and apologize all the time to my non- Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ, albeit separate, but brothers and sisters through baptism. I've got to apologize because they learn of the many Catholics who do weird things, like one ex-Catholic whose Mom has a life-size statue of Mary that she dresses and undresses every day. She's got no real prayer life. She never reads the Bible, but she continually dresses and undresses her little statue; it's not so little. Now I'm not going to make any final judgments on such behavior, but I will say that if that's all you've got, it's warped. And often Catholics not only don't have a balanced perception of what the veneration of saints is in relationship to Christ but they've got little capacity to articulate what they are really doing if it is balanced. Why are they really doing it? Say to a non-Catholic, "Do you have a family? Do you love them? Do you ever carry their photos in your wallet? Now, are those images idols?" "Well," they might say, "they're not statues. They're not paintings. I don't kiss them." Well, yeah, photography is modern technology that makes it much more easy and mobile, you know, so that in a wallet you can have the images of a family, but my point is nobody worships the photo. Explain it that way. You don't worship the photo. You don't even honor it. You get that? We don't honor statues. We don't venerate pictures or icons. We honor and venerate the real people that are signified by the statues and the pictures and the icons. Well, they're dead! No, they're dead in Christ and so they are alive and blessed. Revelation 14 tells us that they are blessed if they die in Christ. Jesus promised Peter the keys of the Kingdom which had the power over the gates of Hades. So the Church can exercise this jurisdiction not only in releasing the souls through the merits that Christ pours into his Mystical Body but also in recognizing and pronouncing officially the fact that these souls have died in Christ and can be venerated and that they are beatified because they are blessed by Christ. Catholics don't worship statues and paintings and icons. The statue is just a hunk of plaster or marble, if it's really good. They're just artistic devices, useful to recall to our minds the person, the event, the occasion depicted; to link us in communion but to inspire us by their example. So does scripture teach that there is no communion between the saints who are in Christ in heaven and the saints who are in Christ down here? Or rather is the mystic sweet communion that we have with those whose rest is won, a real communion? Of course it is. Does scripture teach that after death saints lose all memory of earthly life earthly relations and needs, that they lose all interest and concern. That they're so single-minded in rapture and focused upon Christ that they don't even see each other? Scripture doesn't teach that. Scripture doesn't teach that they lose all ability to pray, intercede and supplicate on our behalf. Archeologists Have Evidence of First Century Veneration of the Saints Does scripture show us rather that saints recall their lives here and pray for those with whom they lived? Saints surround us like family members in a crowd as we have seen in Hebrews 12. Let's take a look now and see where all of this is, in fact, taught. Let's turn to the Book of Revelation. While we're turning to the Book of Revelation, I'm just going to mention the fact that 1st Century catacomb inscriptions found that archeologists in this century, dating all the way back to the first, second and third generations after Christ and the apostles give clear witness and testimony to this ancient custom of venerating and asking the saints for intercession. One inscription, "Peter and Paul, pray for Victor." Another one, "Peter and Paul, remember Zozamon." There are many other inscriptions just like this. They're not odd. They're not quirky. They're typical. Scripture Shows that Saints Recall Their Lives on Earth and Pray for Those with Whom They Lived In the Book of Revelation notice that there are three classes of saints that are highlighted as having a special role in the heavenly worship service. First of all, I'm going to come back to this in a minute, the martyrs, the white-robed martyrs. Second of all, the virgins and third of all, the confessors. For instance in Revelation 6:11. Let's turn there. Let's go back to verse 9, "When he opened the fifth seal I saw under the altar, that is the heavenly altar in the heavenly temple, the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne - they're martyrs. They cried out with a loud voice, 'O sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before thou wilt judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell upon the earth?' " They're asking for vindication. They have communication with God. They are pleading the cause of Christ's Mystical Body. "Then they were each given a white robe and they were told to rest a little longer until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren should be complete." In other words they were told about what was going on, on earth. Not only about what was going on at the time, but what would go on in the future. That is, you'll be vindicated in a short while but more martyrdoms must first take place. At least they have some general awareness that there is a short time in which more martyrs will be gathered and then at the end of that short time, vindication will come. They have knowledge. They have concern. They've got a capacity to intercede and they also have a greater knowledge than people down on earth and it comes from God. Why? Because they're blessed. Revelation 22, verse 14 tells us this. At the end of Revelation this beatitude is pronounced upon those - it says, "Blessed are they that have washed their robes." What do you mean "washed their robes?" You know, in other words, they had time to go down to the Laundromat right before God called them home? Of course not. "Blessed are they that have washed their robes," refers back to Revelation 7:14. I know we're flipping around rather fast but we have to catch up. I mean these non-Catholic Bible Christians really know their Bibles. We've got to learn how to flip back and forth. I mean six-year-old Bible Christians have sword drills. "This is the sword of the spirit," they're told. So they have sword drills. Malachi 2:14, first one there gets a star. Get ten stars, you get some candy or you get something else, you know? We ought to have sword drills. Revelation 7:14 (Beat 'ya. Young kids love to compete. It ought to be a good thing to try.) "Then one of the elders addressed me saying, 'Who are these clothed in white robes and whence have they come?' I said to him, 'Sir, you know.' He said to me, ' These are they who have come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. These are the great multitude from every nation who stand before the throne of the Lamb." We know that from reading the larger context and we're told in 7:15, "They serve him night and day in the temple," the heavenly temple. There is a liturgical service going on in the heavenly temple. Ours is only a pale reflection that dimly compares with the glorious worship that's going on there and these folks all serve day and night in the heavenly temple. But they are not allowed to pray for us, right? Give me a break! Would God get mad? Would he take offense? Of course they pray for us! How is it that they serve? Look over at chapter 8, verse 3, "And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer." So there is censorship in heaven. No, no, I'm sorry, I misspoke! "Stood at the altar with a golden censer and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne." The saints that are spoken of should be interpreted contextually as the saints who have been martyred who now serve in heaven. Now we can have a secondary application which would include, of course, the earthly saints as well; but contextually it's the heavenly saints that are spoken of. And what are they doing? Praying. And that prayer is raised with incense by the angel at the altar to God upon the golden altar before the throne," which was right in front of the Holy of Holies in the earthly temple just as it is in the heavenly temple. "And the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God." And what happens? God in response to the prayers of the saints plays a number. He calls up the heavenly priests to take their seven trumpets and to blow. It triggers the seven trumpets which trigger in turn all kinds of earthly activity that vindicate the saints and avenges their blood and takes down those who have been proud and haughty before God. Do you realize the power of liturgical worship? People say, "Well, you ought to get involved." I say, "That's right. We ought to get involved. We ought to really do the things that would change the injustices of earth beginning with good liturgical worship." Because if you read Revelation and you understand the message, you've got to realize that there's one thing above all others that changes things, bad things. And that is worshipping God with your whole heart, mind, soul and strength. It unleashes all of the things that the people on earth need from God in response to the prayers of the saints. It isn't argued. It isn't debated. It isn't logically demonstrated. It's assumed and graphically described. And what do we pray? "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Our liturgical worship is an imitation of the heavenly worship. Our intercession is an imitation of their intercession. But how can we do it if we don't have any idea of what they are doing and they have no idea what we're doing? That's not communion and that's not what Revelation describes either. You can go back a little bit. You can see this even earlier in Revelation, Chapter 5, verse 8. I love this section. "The twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the saints, they sang a new song." They not only play the instruments, but they sing the songs and they praise the Lamb. But then they pray for the people who are in need. And what has Christ done after they pray? Does He say, "Come on, guys. Isn't my prayer enough? Is not the fact that I am High Priest sufficient for all of the needs of my people in heaven and on earth? Just hush up and take it easy?" No, he didn't say that. What does he do? Verse 10, "He makes them a kingdom and priests who are God's sons and they shall reign on earth." In heaven their reign extends to earth. Christ has made them a kingdom of priests. In other words, what God offered on Mount Sinai, Exodus 19:6, which they refused and then God continually offers through David and Solomon, then they refuse; God offers through Jesus and the apostles and Jesus accepts and establishes, therefore, a new covenant on the basis of his acceptance. And through his power, he does what Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and David put together times a hundred, could never do - makes us all a kingdom of priests, if only we will receive by faith and cooperate with that grace. We are a kingdom of priests. Does that undermine our king? Does that take away from the priestly authority of Jesus? No. It manifests it. Like pure light hitting a prism shows the intrinsic hidden beauty of that light as those rays are refracted, you see what was there in the light all along but we couldn't see it until it was refracted against the prism. That's the beauty of Christ, refracted through his saints and their intercessory prayers. And they sing the song about the Lamb and they talk about how he has received the power and the wealth and the wisdom and the might and the honor and the glory and the blessing. But what does Christ do with all of it? He turns around and gives it to us. They have thrones and they have crowns and what do they do? They lay down their crowns. Christ picks them up and hands them back again and says, "Sit down on the thrones. You're my priests. You're my kings and I commit unto you judgment." You can see that over in chapter 4, verse 4, "the twenty-four thrones with the golden crowns." Why is this, because Christ isn't enough? Not at all. Because Christ is too far away? Of course not. On the contrary, it's because these saints trust that Christ's grace is sufficient, the very grace they now possess as martyred saints glorified in heaven. Revelation 14:13 says it all. "And I heard a voice from heaven saying, ' Write this down: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth. Blessed, indeed, says the Spirit that they may rest from their labors; for their deeds follow them." Now, we don't worship the blessed saints who have been martyred and raised and glorified in heaven. We don't worship them. In fact Revelation 19, verse 10 tells us not to worship them - where the angel comes to John and John falls down and what does he say? "Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, ' You must not do that. I am a fellow servant with you and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.'" Hear, hear, "Worship God." That's the only one we worship. Then what do we do? Because we worship God and because we try to imitate God, we bless those that he has blessed. We honor those that he honors. That's the way of the covenant. That's always been the way of the covenant as we shall see. Three Classes of Saints Throughout the Revelation there are three classes of saints, the martyrs, the virgins and the confessors who are consistently held up as the example for us. For instance, turn with me now to Revelation 14, verse 4 (Beat 'ya! Give that woman a star. That's great. I wasn't ready for that. A taste of my own medicine.) In 14, verse 1, we are told about the hundred and forty-four thousand. The twelve tribes of Israel all donate twelve thousand saints. What kind of saints? We're told they sing a new song before the throne of the Lamb. It's a song but no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand of them redeemed from the earth. Must be a Jewish song, you know? Only the Jews can sing from the twelve tribes of Israel. "It is these who have not defiled themselves with women for they are chaste," my non-Catholic version reads and in the footnote it says, "Greek: virgins." So why not translate it virgins? What are they? We dare not say that word too loud, too often in our society. Why? Is sexual intercourse wrong? No way. It's what consummates the marital covenant. It's what makes the sacrament legally indissoluble. It's what makes new life, as we become co-creators with God by the grace of Christ. Is intercourse bad? No, it's good. Is marriage bad? No, it's holy. It's a sacrament in the Catholic Church. It confers Christ's grace ex opere operato. But God does reserve special blessings for those who renounce very good earthly goods for even better heavenly goods. 1st Corinthians, 7. Let's turn to 1st Corinthians, 7 (On your mark, get set, go. I didn't tell you which verse though.) 1st Corinthians 7, verse 32. Saint Paul says, "I want you to be free from anxiety. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord, but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs and how to please his wife." So his interests are divided and the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs and how to please her husband. All married people say, "Amen." Does that mean we can't serve the Lord? Of course not. We can serve the Lord but we also have to take care of very mundane, temporary, transient things. That's okay. God will use those as means of grace. But they are not permanent and our families here below are not permanent because they are bound by the bonds of Adam's flesh and blood which has got to die and be resurrected in Christ and be members of a new covenant family. Does that mean family life is bad? No, it's holy. We should be priests in our domestic churches. Fathers, bless your kids at night before they go to bed. Sing songs at the dinner table. Pray prayers, and not just, "Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts which we are about to receive from thy bounty." I dare you to try some extemporaneous prayer sometime. It's not a Protestant monopoly. We can pray from our heart as God's children and we must. But Paul, the inspired, errorless apostle here is communicating what God wants to communicate because the Holy Spirit is the principal author even of these words. "I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you." We're allowed to marry and it's glorious. "But to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord." And it goes on. We won't read any further but, verse 38, "So that he who marries is betrothed does well, but he who refrains from marriage does better." I had a good friend of mine, an ex-Catholic and an anti-Catholic now say to me just last week, "Well,Paul does not mean for life." I said, "Okay, show me where that's the case." We looked and we looked some more and we looked in vain. And I said, "You know, when you go back and you look at Revelation 14:4, those one hundred and forty-four thousand virgins were not temporary virgins. God makes us all temporary virgins and then make many permanent virgins, but in marriage we should all be virgins, right?" No, that's not what the Bible is saying. We put words in Christ 's mouth and in Paul's mouth? These people died as virgins. Now if somebody could say, "Well, in ancient Israel there was no customary tradition that extolled virginity." Among the Pharisees, sad to say, it's very true. There was no such custom. But you have to deny what is plain and evident in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Essene community in the Qumran sect, at least, because they extolled virginity. Now, if you were married, you could also be a holy member of the community. Noahan Essenes like Josephus and Philo and other Jews recognize it even though they weren't Essenes, they might be Pharisees, they might be Sadducees, they might be Zealots; nevertheless all the other groups of Jews knew which group was the most righteous and holy, the Essenes. They were the ones who extol virginity. This is no novelty. Mary when she refers implicitly to this pledge of virginity, when she says, "How can this be since I have not known a man?" Well, the angel would just simply have said, "Well, in a few months when you do get married, you'll make love and you will have a baby." I mean, did she not know basic anatomy and biology? No, as the early Fathers of the Church have always said implicit in that text, the only way it makes sense for her not to be saying something nonsensical, it means that she, like the Essenes was entering the marriage with a full recognition of the glory and the holiness of marriage and marital love, physical, sexual love, but even a greater superior blessing if God confers the grace to live virginally in a marriage. And that's what Paul's talking about in Corinthians 7 when he says, "If your passion for your betrothed is too great, if your passion for your virgin is the literal rendering." Now some translations say, "Is it daughter, is it the fiancée, is it your sister or what?" Well, Paul was saying something that he assumes the Corinthian Christian understand clearly. And from earliest days people were imitating Mary and Joseph, and even before Mary and Joseph this custom was found in Judaism among the holiest. It might be a hard pill for Americans to swallow because we like our sex in as many different ways as possible. That's the best way to sell books and films and whatever else you've got. And sex is not bad but good. Marital sex is sacred. It's the means by which natural life is co- created with God. But there is something even greater. We've got to pray for our priests and religious, brothers and sisters. I'm not sure there has ever been a culture which has so sorely tried and tempted them. We've got to pray that they, too, can somehow join the one hundred forty-four thousand and we'll join with them too, because in addition to the hundred and forty-four thousand, there are those who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, a vast multitude that no man can number. And they sing songs and worship the Lamb. They are priests and kings as well. God shows no partiality. St. Paul says to Timothy, "If you suffer with Christ, you will reign with Christ." If you suffer. And that's who we see reigning with Christ in the Book of Revelation. This is why in the litany of Loretto, for instance, what is Our Lady? Queen of martyrs, Queen of virgins and Queen of confessors and then Queen of all saints, pray for us. This is taken right from the Apocalypse. It's really taken right from heaven, taken from the work of Jesus Christ. We can also see in Revelation 20, verses 4 through 6, the same idea. "Blessed and holy are those who have been martyred. They are seated on heavenly thrones" And what? Why? Verse 4, "Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those to whom judgment was committed." Jesus Christ is the true judge. He sits on the great white throne that is described later on in Revelation 20, verse 11. But then He has subsidiary thrones. Why? Because He commits judgment for them. St. Paul says to the Corinthians, "Don't you know that you will judge the angels? They sit enthroned with divine judgment entrusted to them." They're like deputies. They're like Barney Fife only with much greater wisdom and power. They're deputized by Christ himself. They execute Christ's judgment for His glory for Christ, in Christ and through Christ. Then let them judge. Let them pass sentence. Let them find out what things need judgment. Let them know. Pray to them and ask for their intercession in the one, sole mediator because, why? Because they are priests of God and of Christ we are told right in this text, verse 6. "They shall be priests of God and of Christ and reign with Him. Amen! Thank you, Jesus. Why? Because Christ's priesthood is not enough? No, because Christ is a generous giver and He gives a share to all of us who will cooperate with that grace. Suggestions for Talking with Non-Catholics Now I've got to tell you that whenever you talk to non-Catholics or even some Catholics who may be confused or ex-Catholics, you've got to ground this in Christ. You've got to root all of it in Jesus. It's His life, it's His grace, it's His blessing and His blessedness that we share in. The reason why the dead are blessed in 14:13, the reason why the martyrs are blessed in 22:14 is because they are in Christ; but they are blessed. When Christ blesses you, rest assured, you are blessed! And that's why Our Lady can say in Luke 1:48, "Henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed." We're only proving her right and all we are doing is joining in with the angels because, what did the angels say? The angel blessed her, "Hail, full of grace, blessed are you among women." And when we call to the mother of God, that's practically what Elizabeth says, "The mother of my Lord has come." So why is the rosary so offensive? The first half is nothing but scripture: "Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary," (because Christ has made her holy,) "Mother of God," (Elizabeth declared her to be the mother of the Lord,) "pray for us sinners," (what are we confessing? We're confessing our own depravity). I mean that's the doctrine of sin. "Pray for us sinners," (now because we are weak and dependent) "and at the hour of our death, " (when we come before God). Look at all the good theology there. We've got the doctrine of sin. We've got the doctrine of salvation. We've got the doctrine of grace. We've even got eschatology, the "hour of our death." I mean seldom do you find a paragraph in a theology textbook that's got so much good doctrine and good scripture. And all we are doing is echoing the angel and all he was doing was echoing Jesus because all he is, is a messenger of God, with God's message. We bless God who is blessed over all and then we bless those whom He blesses because that is the nature of the covenant. It always has been. On your mark, get set, Genesis 27:29 (greater distance, this time. I'll give you a clue. It's after the table of contents and before the maps.) Genesis (Okay, okay, you both get a star.) The blessing of Israel, listen to this blessing of Israel, "Let people serve you," Isaac blesses Israel, "and nations bow down to you. Be Lord over your brothers and may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you." That's what we do in venerating the saints. We bless those that God has blessed. That's it. "Blessed be everyone who blesses you." That is the nature of the covenant in the Old Times and the blessings don't diminish in the New Covenant. They increase. And so, if you are blessed when you bless those that God blessed back then, how much more blessed are you going to be when you bless those that God has blessed in Christ? It's ultimately the blessing of Christ. We don't pray to the saints instead of Christ. We pray through the saints to God in Christ. Now you can say it various ways and you can have secondary meanings that could be right, but ultimately, the saints don't answer our prayers. They echo our prayers with greater profundity, insight and love. "The prayer of a righteous man availeth much." That's not only found in the New Testament, but that is basically witnessed throughout scripture. "The prayer of a righteous man availeth much." It's not just righteous men on earth but righteous men and women in general, wherever they are. They can pray and have it avail much. That is beautiful. The German word for bless is segnum. It's actually derived from the Latin signare, which means to make the sign of the cross. The cross is the source of all blessing. We don't detract from the cross when we bless the saints whom Christ has blessed. We hold up the cross. We exemplify the cross. We exemplify the work of Christ. 2nd Timothy, 2, verses 11 and 12. I've already mentioned this, but I will mention it one more time. "If we die with Christ, we shall live with Him. If we suffer or endure with Christ, we shall reign with Him." We imitate Christ. That is the call of the Christian. We honor those whom Christ honors with the same honor with which He honors them. That's the first and perhaps most fundamental reason but secondly, we want to follow their heroic example as they imitated Christ. I know for a fact that I've seen in many families where, if you have a good firstborn, the others can follow his example. I know from my experience that if you get a firstborn who goes astray, the chances are much greater that the others will go astray, like I did. Thanks be to God, he reaches us no matter where we are or who we are or what we do, but the fact is examples, especially heroic examples often help a great deal. Think of American culture. The father of our country, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and so many others inspire courage and so what do we do? Erect monuments. And so what do Christians do, bash them and crash them and crush them? That's idolatry? No. We're not worshipping the statues, but we are venerating and honoring the memory of those who have sacrificed that we may live and prosper in natural life here below. And how much more would it be fit and proper to erect statues and have paintings and icons of those whose sacrifice provided us with supernatural life to prosper in Christ. All we are doing is celebrating Christ's works, Christ's masterpieces, especially when it comes to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Worship God and God alone, but venerate, honor and bless those that he has honored and those he has blessed. We're only imitating Christ and we are only helping ourselves and others to follow the heroic example of His virtue and His sacrifice. Now before I close, I want to take a kind of concluding tangent. Perhaps I should have taken it yesterday, but I've talked about Mary quite a bit this morning as well as yesterday. I focused upon our Lady yesterday, so you might think I shouldn't focus on her this morning, but I like to focus on her every day. In particular there is one question that has already risen at least implicitly. We've talked about her and the Church teaches that we give dulia, we give veneration and honor to the saints, but to the one who is the Queen of all saints, we give hyper-dulia, which is not the same as latria, which is worship. They're finite. They're creatures. They'd be lost and dead in sin were it not for the grace of Christ. God alone is infinite, eternal. He alone possesses esseity, self-existence. They have being. He is being itself. We never forget it. Let's help others realize that we never forget it and make the distinction clear. And let's make our worship of God all the better so that our dulia will be distinguished from our latria. But what about the perpetual virginity of Mary? I mean we've talked about Mary and the hyper-dulia. We've talked about the virtue of virginity. Why the doctrine of perpetual virginity? Why is that defined de fide as something Catholics must believe to be in good standing with the Church? Well, for one reason because it's true. Second, because the Church has always accepted it and the Church has always taught it. The Creed of Epiphaneus in 374, "Mary, ever virgin." Second Council of Constantinople in 553 as well as the Lateran Council in 649, "Mary, ever virgin." Augustine insisted upon it. In addition to St. Augustine, St. Jerome wrote a book on the Perpetual Virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in response to Helvidious who in 380 was the very first person on record to actually deny Mary's perpetual virginity and to suggest that Jesus' brothers were blood brothers and sons of Mary. Jerome didn't even want to write the book. He thought Helvidious was so weird. He referred "to the novel, wicked and daring affront to the faith of the whole world" at the denial of the perpetual virginity that this upstart represented. Luther believed in it. Calvin affirmed it. Zwingle, they all spoke of "Mary, ever virgin" in their writings. Well, wait a second. How do you deal with the Biblical passages? Why don't we do that just briefly? The brethren of Christ is probably the greatest obstacle. Matthew 1:25 is the passage we looked at before, "He knew her not until she brought forth her firstborn son." Now I've already said that the word "until" can be a conjunctive. What I mean is that "until" does not always mean something like, "Well, she was a virgin until after she had a child and then she ceased to be a virgin." It doesn't always mean that. For instance in 2nd Samuel 6, verse 23, "Mishal, Saul's daughter and David's wife, had no children until the day of her death." 2nd Samuel 6:23, "Mishal had no children until the day of her death," which obviously does not mean she had twins at her funeral. Deuteronomy 34, verse 6 speaks about Moses' burial, which God apparently performed and it says, "No man knows of Moses' burial place until this present day." Well, it doesn't mean that when Deuteronomy was written, they found it. They never found it. So the Knox translation of Matthew 1:25 is that he knew her not at any time before she brought forth her firstborn son. Well, what about that phrase "firstborn?" Doesn't that imply second and third born? No, of course it doesn't, and anyone who knows the Old Testament realizes it because firstborn in Exodus 13:2 and elsewhere and Exodus 34 as well is actually a technical term for the child that " opens the womb." The firstborn is consecrated automatically to the Lord. Even if you have many others that firstborn is consecrated and special. Well, you could say, "This is unnatural for her not to have relations with Joseph." Well, not if she made a sacred pledge which apparently was a custom back then, even if it was rare. But let's take it a step further and say, "Okay, it is a little bit unnatural to be married and not have sexual relations with your partner, but it's also unnatural to conceive the second person of the Godhead in your womb and to have your womb become the ultimate, cosmic tabernacle of salvation for all God's children. To be set apart for the holiest conceivable purpose in all of human history." I mean we don't use our finest china for backyard picnics, do we? And so, if God uses this vessel for the holiest purpose conceivable to man, Joseph may have had a sense of propriety about other uses that are not unholy in themselves, just like picnics and plastic cups are not unholy, but things belong in their proper place. It is a little bit unnatural to give birth to the Second Person of the Trinity, teach the God who created you to walk and to talk and to pray. It wouldn't be unnatural, I think, if you found yourself in this situation, it wouldn't be unlikely to devote yourself so entirely to serving God in this absolutely unique and spectacular and strange opportunity of a lifetime. It's not just a normal family. The Holy Family is an exemplar, but it isn't the typical family because not many people have for a son or a brother the eternal Logos. That's one of a kind. So their marriage was one of a kind. But wait a second. What about those who were called specifically the brothers of Jesus? Take one example, James. James, we're told is the brother of Jesus. But wait a second, if you study the cross scene, you might learn what that means. Matthew 27:56 speaks of Mary at the cross who is the mother of James and Joseph. Mark 15:40, you can go to the Paramount text describes Mary the mother of James the Less. And then in John 19, verse 25 we read about Mary, Jesus' mother and then the next phrase is, "Mary the wife of Cleophus." Now it's obvious as you correlate these three texts, Matthew 27:56, Mark 15:40 and John 19:25, that Mary the wife of Cleophus, distinct from Mary, the mother of Jesus, is the mother of James. But only after you have correlated the three texts. Somebody could say, "Wait a second. Matthew 10:3 describes James as the son of Alphaeus, but the overwhelming majority of scholars say that probably Cleophus is the Greek name for the same man who is called Alphaeus, because it was very typical to have an Aramiac name like Alphaeus at the same time you took a Greek name for the Greek-speaking folks in your community, such as Cleophus. Like Saul, the Pharisee. Saul is his Jewish name. God didn't say, "I'm going to change your name to Paul." That was already his legal, Roman name. It was common back then. I also would suggest that you turn and consider John 19 at the foot of the cross. If Jesus had other brothers, older brothers, like in John 7; a lot of people supported the fact that he seems to have older brothers -- then who do you think he is to entrust his mother to John, the beloved disciple? But if you do some in-depth study of this, you will discover that James and John were Jesus' cousins and what Jesus was doing was entrusting his mother to one of his cousins, the beloved disciple. At least that's what countless scholars hold. Which would be very natural if you had no blood brothers but you did have cousins. And in the Hebrew there is no word for cousin. The word that's used is brother, not just for cousin but for nephews, as well. Examples abound. Genesis 14:14, Lot is called Abraham's brother. Technically Uncle Abraham had Lot as a nephew. Genesis 29, verse 15 speaks about Uncle Laban being Jacob's brother. Actually, I think it's the other way around, Jacob is Laban's brother. It's a nephew relationship but in Hebrew there's no word for cousin. And so what you find the Greek Old Testament doing is not translating Genesis 14:14 "cousin," but transliterating it adelphos or brother, even though the translator knows we are talking about a nephew or a cousin in other cases. And what seems to happen in the New Testament is quite the same thing. That is, this custom is carried over into the New Testament books. Adelphos is used frequently to denote those that we can prove to be cousins, not anepsios which is used infrequently because it wasn't in keeping with Hebrew custom. We could go on looking at other examples and other proofs. But let me say again that when this novel discovery, when this brand new teaching that Jesus had brothers and sisters was introduced by Helvidious in 380, almost four centuries after Christ, all St. Jerome could say is that this is novel, wicked and a daring affront to the faith of the whole world. We, brothers and sisters, have a bad case of amnesia. We have forgotten what we need to recall. And not only do we need to recall it, we need to live it and love it and share it and increase our knowledge about it. And after all, you might say, "I don't have time. I don't have energy. But look, we've got sixty, seventy, eighty years here. Some have thirty, forty, fifty, but what better use for our time can you think of than to get to know the Blessed Trinity and all that Christ has done to save us and to make us his family? Can you think of better things to do with your time? I can't. We've got boot camp here. We've got training ground. We've got to prepare ourselves for an eternity with God. We've got to learn to love worship. We've got to learn to love the saints. We've got to practice so that when we get up there, it isn't going to be strange and new. What will be strange and new will be to behold the glory of Christ in their faces, but those fraternal bonds will be just increasingly strengthened through this life preparing us for that grand reunion, for that great homecoming. Because heaven is our home. The Blessed Trinity is the first family and all of the saints are our brothers and sisters. And so we imitate Christ. We hold fast to the ancient faith of the Church as we venerate saints, especially the Blessed Virgin Mary. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The electronic form of this document is copyrighted. Copyright (c) Trinity Communications 1994. Provided courtesy of: The Catholic Resource Network Trinity Communications PO Box 3610 Manassas, VA 22110 Voice: 703-791-2576 Fax: 703-791-4250 Data: 703-791-4336 The Catholic Resource Network is a Catholic online information and service system. 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slavic & eastern languages and literatures Sing-chen Lydia Chiang “Visions of Happiness: Daoist Utopias and Grotto Paradises in Early and Medieval Chinese Tales,” Utopian Studies (2009) 20.1. “Poetry and Fictionality in Tang Records of Anomalies,” T’ang Studies 23/24 [backdated 2005–2006]: 91–117. “Daoist Transcendence and Literati Identity in Records of Mysterious Anomalies by Niu Sengru (780–848),” Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, and Reviews 29 (2007): 1–21. [review of] Judith Zeitlin, The Phantom Heroine: Ghosts and Gender in Seventeenth-century Chinese Literature, Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews 30 (2008): 187–192. [review of] Martin W. Huang. Negotiating Masculinities in Late Imperial China, Ming Studies 56 (2007): 94–101 [review of] Wilt L. Idema, Wait-yee Li, and Ellen Widmer, editors, Trauma and Transcendence in Early Qing Literature, Journal of Chinese Studies 46 (2006): 438–443. M. J. Connolly Kidnapping the Gospel. in: Netzer, Nancy: Sacred | secular. 11th-16th century. Works from the Boston Public Library and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. (McMullen Museum of Art/ Boston College) Chestnut Hill MA, 2006. pp.92-97, obj 77a-80 Structural expression in the Armenian anaphora. in Connolly, M.J. [ed]: Armenian spirituality: A contextual study for our time. Papers from an international conference at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute, Geneva (Switzerland). (Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia) Antelia (Lebanon), in preparation. Language at prayer: Studies in the language of liturgy. in preparation, edc 2008 A grammar for Classical Armenian. an updating of Antoine Meillet’s Altarmenisches Elementarbuch, in test use earlier work has included: text editions for the Carmina Burana (Boston Camerata) and the Latin motets of Joannes Ciconia (Editions de l’Oiseau-Lyre); Latin legal pronunciations and foreign entries for Black’s law dictionary 5th and 6th editions. Vous êtes Arabe, puisque je vous le dis! [“You’re an Arab if I say so!”] Middle Eastern Review of International Affairs I.1 (Spring 2006).52-57. Middlebury’s Arabic Morass, Middle East Quarterly XIII.3 (Summer 2006).39-46. Kahlil Gibran and the birth of the Lebanese national idea in late 19th-century Boston. Rocznik orientalistyczny 59.4 (Winter 2006), in press. Arab nationalism, its rivals and the new Middle East (under submission) An anthology of modern Levantine literature: In search of identity. (est 2008) Maxim D. Shrayer An anthology of Jewish-Russian literature: Two centuries of dual identity in prose and poetry. 1801-2001. 2 vols. Edited, selected, cotranslated, and with introductory essays by Maxim D. Shrayer. (M.E. Sharpe) Armonk, NY, 2007. Waiting for America: A Story of Emigration. (Syracuse UP) Syracuse NY, 2006. ‘Out of the Maelstrom: A Deferred History of Jewish-Russian Literature’ (review article: In a Maelstrom: The History of Russian-Jewish Prose (1860-1940), by Zsuzsa Hetényi). East European Jewish Affairs, 38.3 (December 2008). ‘In Search of Jewish-Russian Literature: A Historical Overview.’ Wiener Slawistischer Almanach 61 (2008). ‘Aizman, David Iakovlevich’; ‘Bagritskii, Eduard Georgievich’; ‘Chernyi, Sasha’; ‘Iushkevich, Semen Solomonovich’; ‘Nadson, Semen Iakovlevich’; ‘Sapgir, Genrikh Veniaminovich’; ‘Selvisnkii, Ilia Lvovich’, all in The YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe. Ed. Gershon David Hundert. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008. ‘Sarda Resarta.’ AGNI Online (October 2007). ‘Napoleon in San Marino.’ Southwest Review 92.2 (Spring 2007). ‘The Gift to Stalin.’ In: The 20th Boston Jewish Film Festival, 5-6 November 2008. Program Book. Ed. Karen Propp. Boston, 2008. Cynthia Simmons / Nina Perlina: Writing the Siege of Leningrad: Women's diaries, memoirs, and documentary prose. (University of Pittsburgh Pr) Pitssburgh PA, 2002 Andrei Bitov. Dictionary of literary biography: Russian prose writers after WWII (Bruccoli Clark Layman, Washington DC, 2004). pp.52-63 Women’s work and the growth of civil society in post-war Bosnia. Nationalities papers 2007 forthcoming Andrei Bitov on ‘Russian Wealth’. International fiction review 2007 forthcoming. The culture of the Siege of Leningrad. in Stephen Norris / Helena Goscilo [edd]: St. Petersburg in Russian national consciousness. (Indiana UP) Bloomington IN, 2008 forthcoming. Fifty Key Thinkers on Language and Linguistics. (Routledge Pr) London, 2011 Universal grammar in second language acquisition: A history. (Routledge Pr) London, 2004 Theories of second language acquisition: Three sides, three angles, three points Second Language Research 21 (2005).393–414 Universal grammar in Roger Bacon and Martin Joos: Generative linguistics’ reading of the past. Historiographia Linguistica 29 (2002).341–380

A.C.T. presents Alan Ayckbourn's comedy Round and Round the Garden (April 29-May 23) under the direction of John Rando. Tony nominee Manoel Felciano plays misguided lothario Norman who attempts to seduce his two sisters-in-law as well as his estranged wife during a family weekend. Meanwhile, Irish playwright Ursula Rani Sarma's Riot (Zeum Theater, April 1-17) is the newest commission from A.C.T.'s international partnership with Britain's Theatre Royal Bath. The play is set in a residency clinic for emotionally disturbed teens, and features performances from A.C.T. students. Lost boys have often found themselves in San Francisco, but rarely with such a techno-splash as the U.S. premiere of Tanya Ronder's adaptation of Peter Pan, based on J.M. Barrie's classic story. The multimedia event will be performed in the world's first 360-degree CGI theatre located on the City waterfront, April 27-July 4, and includes 22 actors, puppets, music, dance, and a wide array of effects including a CGI Neverland and a flight over 400 square miles of virtual London. Singer-actress Klea Blackhurst channels a theater legend in Everything The Traffic Will Allow: The Songs And Sass Of Ethel Merman April 21-25 at the Eureka Theatre. Across town at The Rrazz Room, sisters and Tony nominees Liz and Ann Hampton Callaway make their sibling San Francisco debut April 27-May 2 in Here Come the Callaways! Questions of love and identity challenge a Korean-American veteran returning from the Middle East, as his realization that he is sterile collides against his wife's announcement that she is pregnant. Asian American Theater Company presents Macho Bravado (April 1-24), a new play by Alex Park and directed by Alan S. Quismorio. Pop goes the icon, when the Jewish Theatre San Francisco asks Andy Warhol: Good For Jews? in the West Coast premiere of the expanded work, written and performed by KQED television personality Josh Kornbluth (April 8-May 16). Under the banner of 2010 DIVAfest, dedicated to creating new work by women writers, the Exit Theatre delivers The Wind and Rain, a collaboration of women artists from various disciplines that tells the story of two sisters in a small mill town on the brink of extinction (April 8-May 1); and Lady of the 'Loin with Shannon Day, a musical tribute to one of San Francisco's dicier neighborhoods, playing four Saturdays beginning April 10. A new version of Ibsen's John Gabriel Borkman by David Eldridge stakes root at the Aurora Theatre Company under the guidance of Barbara Oliver (April 2-May 9). Other East Bay offerings include onstage bacon frying courtesy of Actors Ensemble of Berkeley in Sam Shepard's Curse of the Starving Class at the Live Oak Theatre (April 23-May 22); the Victorian thriller Gaslight, as staged by Hapgood Theatre Company at El Campanil Theatre in Antioch (April 9-25); and Tri-Valley Repertory Theatre produces The Producers at Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center (April 23-May 9). Broadway By The Bay kicks off April with duplicitous doings in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center (April 1-18). Tom Reardon and Robert Brewer play Lawrence and Freddy, a mismatched pair of Riviera con men trying to one-up each other in the fleecing of rich, lonely ladies in the film-based musical by David Yazbek and Jeffrey Lane. Also down the peninsula are TheatreWorks' staging of Christopher Sergel's rendering of Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts (April 7- May 9); Palo Alto Players' production of Rent at the Lucie Stern Theatre (April 23-May 9); and the Northside Theatre Company's take on Paula Vogel's comedy And Baby Makes Seven at the Olinder Theatre (April 15-May 9). Looking north, the 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa plays host to mistaken identities in Moliere's 1664 French comedy Tartuffe (April 9-May 2); Benicia's Old Town Theatre Group considers adultery, strippers, Costco, and the Ice Capades in the campy The Great American Trailer Park Musical by David Nehls (April 16-May 15); and Carlene Coury directs I Am My Own Wife for the Mira Theatre Guild in Vallejo (April 16-25). Share via Email Don't show this again.

By Kim Ode Star Tribune (Minneapolis) In an old “Seinfeld” episode, Jerry and Elaine stop at a bakery on their way to a dinner party, intending to buy a chocolate babka as a hostess gift. But they’re thwarted by the couple ahead of them, who buy the last babka — and are headed to the same party! What to do? The bakery’s other options — carrot cake, Black Forest cake, a Napoleon — are rejected with Seinfeldian logic. (You don’t make carrots into a cake. I’m sorry.) Finally, Jerry states the unavoidable truth: “You can’t beat a babka.” Babka generally is known as a Jewish or Eastern-European bread, rich with egg yolks and butter and enclosing various fillings, the best of which is chocolate enhanced with cinnamon. Variations abound. There are cinnamon-sugar fillings, and fillings further embellished with dried fruit (think cherries or raisins), or nuts (think chopped almonds or pecans). Some bakers use Nutella, and even peanut butter. Some babkas come topped with a crumbly streusel, and there are always a few who dust theirs with powdered sugar. But honestly, you can’t beat cinnamon and chocolate. Even better, a babka is one of those wonders of the kitchen that deliver bang-up results through deceptively simple techniques. The supple, buttery dough is a joy to knead, not the sticky glob that makes people fear dealing with yeast. Melted chocolate is spread over the dough, which then is rolled up like a jelly roll. You can quickly twist and double this strand before placing it in a loaf pan, or use a Bundt pan for a circular bread. The most spectacular babka is the ingenious Kranz cake variation, in which the strand is split down the middle, opened to reveal the chocolate, then crisscrossed to make a braid. However you shape it, the goal is the same: a slice of rich bread coursing with veins of dark chocolate. Turns out the show about nothing was on to something: You can’t beat a babka. Chocolate cinnamon babka Note: This recipe offers two shaping techniques: for a free-standing babka in the Israeli Kranz cake style, or the more conventional loaf. The basic dough recipe is from “Artisan Breads Every Day” by Peter Reinhart. Roasted cinnamon (McCormick offers this) boosts the flavor, but regular cinnamon is fine, too. The dough improves in flavor by resting in the refrigerator overnight, making baking day even easier. For the dough 2 tbsp. instant yeast 3/4 cup lukewarm milk 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature 6 tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 4 egg yolks 3 1/3 c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. salt For the filing 1 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 1 tsp. cinnamon, preferably roasted 1/3 cup powdered sugar Whisk the yeast into the lukewarm milk until dissolved, then set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the 6 tablespoons butter and sugar until smooth. If mixing by hand, beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla to the egg yolks and whisk to break up yolks. Add to sugar in four parts, mixing well after each addition. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 2 minutes (same if by hand) until the mixture is fluffy. Scrape down the bowl a couple of times. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt, then add to the butter mixture. Pour in the milk and yeast mixture. Continue to mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until the dough comes together in a rough ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 2 or 3 minutes more. This is a pliable dough, barely sticky, which makes it easy to knead. Resist adding too much more flour. Knead until dough feels soft and supple and has a golden sheen. Form dough into a ball and place top down in a large, lightly oiled bowl, then flip upright so entire surface is oiled. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature to rise for about 2 hours. It will swell, but not double in size. You can proceed with shaping the babka at this point, or place the dough in the refrigerator overnight, to be rolled out the next day. When you’re ready to shape the babka, first make the filling by melting together the chocolate, 4 tablespoons butter, cinnamon and powdered sugar. This is best done using the double-boiler method: Combine the ingredients in a medium bowl, then place the bowl over a saucepan filled with an inch or two of water; the water shouldn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat the water to simmering, stirring the chocolate mixture until it melts. You can also do this in a microwave oven, but watch carefully, melting it in 15-second increments. Set aside to cool slightly while you roll out the dough. To shape the dough: For a loaf shape, grease a 5- by 9-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 15- by 15-inch square, lifting the dough occasionally to keep it from sticking to the surface. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch-wide border at the top and a ½-inch border on the remaining three sides. Beginning with the bottom edge, roll up the dough jellyroll-style. With the seam side down, roll it back and forth to seal the roll and extend its length to about 18 inches. Carefully begin twisting the log a few times until the seam appears as a gentle spiral down the length of the log. Bring together the two ends, pinching them together to seal, then give the doubled loaf another twist to make a figure 8 shape before placing in the pan, tucking under the pinched end. Cover with a cloth and let rise at room temperature 1 to 2 hours or until the babka looks puffy and fills the pan. For a Kranz cake shape: Proceed as above to the point of rolling up the dough and extending its length to about 18 inches. With a sharp knife or metal scraper, cut the log down the middle lengthwise and carefully turn each piece cut side up. Place one piece over the other in an X, then crisscross the strands to make a braid, pinching together each end and tucking it beneath the babka. Carefully place the braid on a sheet pan that’s been greased or covered with parchment paper. Cover with a cloth and let rise at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours or until the braid looks puffy. To bake: For either shape, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes. Once baked, let the babka rest for 5 minutes before removing from the pans to a wire rack to cool. Babka is best served at room temperature after the chocolate has had time to set. Makes 1 large loaf. Nutrition information per 1 of 18 slices: Calories: 240; Fat: 11 g; Sodium: 140 mg; Carbohydrates: 31 g; Saturated fat: 6 g; Calcium: 30 mg; Protein: 4 g; Cholesterol: 58 mg; Dietary fiber: 2 g

Reading Lately: Doug Thorpe “The situation”: that’s what those on the ground call it. On the face of it, the situation is straightforward. It’s a conflict between two peoples, Israeli and Palestinian, over land: the Holy Land. In reality, it’s a maelstrom, a tragedy of our times... This is Emma Williams, an American physician who arrived from New York with her three small children in Jerusalem to join her husband, who was working for the U.N., and to work as a doctor. Their fourth child was born in Bethlehem. They arrived in August, 2000, four weeks before the second Intifada started. I heard the fears, Dr. Williams continues, all too painfully in a conversation with an IDF [Israeli Defense Force] general, Amos Gilad, military strategist in the Israeli Ministry of Defense. He had described to a friend of mine . . . his straightforward vision of the future: to turn the seven major Palestinian cities into isolated “microcosms.” That would contain the problem. This was to be the strategy, he had said, “this year and for all years.” [xvi-xvii] I’m reading an endless number of books about this conflict. One of the best is this one by Dr. Emma Williams, in part because she has no dog in the hunt. But there are plenty of others. From a liberal American Jewish perspective, Ari Shavit’s My Promised Land is useful as an introduction to the situation for American readers who have been getting one perspective; Shavit’s own angle is explicitly Zionist but he is honest about the horrors inflicted upon Palestinians going back at least to 1948, and in his acknowledgement that the success of the state of Israel are built on those horrors. But much stronger is the work of another American Jew, Max Blumenthal, whose Goliath is riveting and devastating (the title says much; we can guess who the Goliath of this story is), and whose more recent book, 51 Days in Gaza, tells the story of the most recent war (Summer, 2014) in great detail and from inside Gaza. I’m interested in particular in the connections between Israel as Promised Land and America as Promised Land-- a good source for the latter is the book by Todd Gitlin and Liel Leibovitz, Chosen Peoples: America, Israel, and the Ordeals of Divine Election. Many folks in the Black Lives Matter movement are making these same connections – Ferguson to Jerusalem. The fact that Chicago police (among many other U.S. police teams) have been trained by the Israeli Defense Force brings this connection home quite clearly. Tent of Nations is a family farm just a few miles west of Bethlehem. They’ve been fighting in the Israeli courts for almost two decades not to lose their land even though they have legal papers of ownership that go back a hundred years. Runs on solar since they have no electricity, survives on catching rain water. I remember sitting in the cave in which the family lived for decades, and seeing other caves fixed up for visitors and interns, with Internet installed by Germans. Cement floor. Walls painted by children: Jewish, Muslim and Christian. The family is not allowed to dig a well. The farm is always being observed--helicopters, watchtowers, settlers--there are 22 illegal settlements in and around Bethlehem, with 100,000 people, taking 87% of the land and 86% of the water. We watch two joggers, settlement dwellers, run past, not afraid, barely noticing us. Jogging in the Bethlehem hills. Could be American. Could be Russian. The land of promise. Borders. Rivers. The Jordan. The Ohio. Unable to sing. Unable to cross over. I thought of the children shot dead by army snipers as they played soccer or sat at their desks in school, their friends splattered with their blood. I thought of the black-haired firebrand journalist, beating the table at the smart East Jerusalem restaurant with her fists, her bracelets crashing, saying, "The army and the settlers hit us again and again and again and here and here and here and take our land and break our trees and kill our kids day after day after day and then 'BOOM' and everyone is surprised?" I thought of the hundreds of dead whose lives are cut short, and the maimed whose lives are ruined, and all Israelis and Palestinians living in fear, even the general at the top. Everyone trapped, wondering how to get out of the situation. The reality for so many: that, as the journalist said, 'it's easier to reach heaven than the end of the street." Doug Thorpe is the author of Rapture of the Deep: Reflections on the Wild in Art, Wilderness and the Sacred, winner of the David Family Environmental Book Award, and Wisdom Sings the World: Poetry, Creation and the Way of Dwelling. He teaches literature and writing at Seattle Pacific University.

What's new | A-Z | Discuss & Blog | Youtube Some very disturbing pictures of Israeli tortures to the unarmed Palestinian Civilians This page was given to me by a Muslim sister who decided to keep her name unannounced to only please Allah (GOD) Almighty. May Allah Almighty always be pleased with her. Jews and Gentiles: The Talmud is one of the most major of all books in Judaism after the Torah. The Talmud covers every aspect of Jewish Life. Everything from what Jews wear and say, to how they act towards others and treat them. Judaism, all but reform Jews, treat anyone who is not a Jew as a, sorry for lack of a better word I must say, dog. By the Talmud, if you are not a Jew you are not human! And, if you are not human, then you are equivalent to an animal. The Talmud is at times a very hate filled book. The Ultra-Orthodox and the Orthodox as well as Conservative Jews take it and place it a bit higher than the Torah. This is also why Judaism for the most part will not allow converts! Some Teachings of the Talmud: Erubin 21b. Whosoever disobeys the rabbis deserves death and will be punished by being boiled in hot excrement in hell. Moed Kattan 17a . If a Jew is tempted to do evil he should go to a city where he is not known and do the evil there. Non-Jews are Not Human Baba Mezia 114a-114b. Only Jews are human ("Only ye are designated men"). Also see Kerithoth 6b under the sub-head, "Oil of Anointing" and Berakoth 58a in which Gentile women are designated animals ("she-asses"). Jews are Divine, Sanhedrin 58b. If a heathen (Gentile) hits a Jew, the Gentile must be killed. Hitting a Jew is the same as hitting God. O.K. to Cheat Non-Jews, Sanhedrin 57a . A Jew need not pay a Gentile ("Cuthean") the wages owed him for work. Jews Have Superior Legal Status, Baba Kamma 37b. "If an ox of an Israelite gores an ox of a Canaanite there is no liability; but if an ox of a Canaanite gores an ox of an Israelite...the payment is to be in full." Jews May Steal from Non-Jews, Baba Mezia 24a . If a Jew finds an object lost by a Gentile ("heathen") it does not have to be returned. (Affirmed also in Baba Kamma 113b). Sanhedrin 76a . God will not spare a Jew who "marries his daughter to an old man or takes a wife for his infant son or returns a lost article to a Cuthean..." Jews May Rob and Kill Non-Jews, Sanhedrin 57a . When a Jew murders a Gentile ("Cuthean"), there will be no death penalty. What a Jew steals from a Gentile he may keep. Baba Kamma 37b. Gentiles are outside the protection of the law and God has "exposed their money to Israel." Jews May Lie to Non-Jews, Baba Kamma 113a. Jews may use lies ("subterfuges") to circumvent a Gentile. Non-Jewish Children Sub-Human, Yebamoth 98a. All Gentile children are animals. Abodah Zarah 36b . Gentile girls are in a state of niddah (filth) from birth. Abodah Zarah 22a-22b . Gentiles prefer sex with cows. Abodah Zarah 67b . "The vessels of Gentiles, do they not impart a worsened flavor to the food cooked in them?" Insults Against Blessed Mary, Sanhedrin 106a . Says Jesus' mother was a whore: "She who was the descendant of princes and governors played the harlot with carpenters." Also in footnote #2 to Shabbath 104b it is stated that in the "uncensored" text of the Talmud it is written that Jesus mother, "Miriam the hairdresser," had sex with many men. Gloats over Christ Dying Young, A passage from Sanhedrin 106 gloats over the early age at which Jesus died: "Hast thou heard how old Balaam (Jesus) was?--He replied: It is not actually stated but since it is written, Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days it follows that he was thirty-three or thirty-four years old." Says Jesus was a Sorcerer, Sanhedrin 43a . Says Jesus ("Yeshu" and in footnote #6, Yeshu "the Nazarene") was executed because he practiced sorcery. Horrible Blasphemy of Jesus, Gittin 57a . Says Jesus ( see footnote #4) is being boiled in "hot excrement." Sanhedrin 43a . Jesus deserved execution: "On the eve of the Passover, Yeshu was hanged...Do you suppose that he was one for whom a defense could be made? Was he not a Mesith (enticer)?" Attacks Christians and their Books, Rosh Hashanah 17a . Christians ("minim") and others who reject the Talmud will go to hell and be punished there for all generations (see footnote #11 for the definition of minim). Sanhedrin 90a.Those who read the New Testament ("uncanonical books," see footnote #9) will have no portion in the world to come. Shabbath 116a (p. 569). Jews must destroy the books of the Christians, i.e. the New Testament. See footnote #6. Israel Shahak reports that the Zionists burned hundreds of New Testament books in Occupied Palestine on March 23, 1980 (cf. Jewish History, Jewish Religion, p. 21). Sick and Insane Teachings, Gittin 69a . To heal his flesh a Jew should take dust that lies within the shadow of an outdoor toilet, mix it with honey and eat it. Shabbath 41a. The law regulating the rule for how to urinate in a holy way is given. Yebamoth 63a. States that Adam had sexual intercourse with all the animals in the Garden of Eden. Yebamoth 63a. Declares that agriculture is the lowest of occupations. Sanhedrin 55b . A Jew may marry a three year old girl (specifically, three years "and a day" old). Sanhedrin 54b . A Jew may have sex with a child as long as the child is less than nine years old. Kethuboth 11b . "When a grown-up man has intercourse with a little girl it is nothing." Yebamoth 59b . A woman who had intercourse with a beast is eligible to marry a Jewish priest. A woman who has sex with a demon is also eligible to marry a Jewish priest. Abodah Zarah 17a. States that there is not a whore in the world that Rabbi Eleazar has not had sex with. Hagigah 27a . States that no rabbi can ever go to hell. Baba Mezia 59b. A rabbi debates God and defeats Him. God admits the rabbi won the debate. Gittin 70a . The Rabbis taught: "On coming from a privy (outdoor toilet) a man should not have sexual intercourse till he has waited long enough to walk half a mile, because the demon of the privy is with him for that time; if he does, his children will be epileptic." Toilet and excrement obsessions are laced throughout Talmud and were exhibited in Spielberg*s Schindler's List where the Hollywood director shows a Jewish child jumping through a toilet seat in an outhouse and falling into a pool of liquefied excrement. There the child meets two other Jewish children partially immersed who inform the interloper that this cesspool is their hiding spot exclusively and that he must find his own. These are the kind of disgusting and morbid, psychotic images which Jewish kids are exposed to constantly in the cinematic liturgy of Holocaustianity and for that matter, in the Talmud as well. Gittin 69b (p. 329). To heal the disease of pleurisy ("catarrh") a Jew should >take the excrement of a white dog and knead it with balsam, but if he can possibly avoid it he should not eat the dog's excrement as it loosens the limbs.< Pesahim 111a. It is forbidden for dogs, women or palm trees to pass between two men, nor may others walk between dogs, women or palm trees. Special dangers are involved if the women are menstruating or sitting at a crossroads. Menahoth 43b-44a . A Jewish man is obligated to say the following prayer every day: Thank you God for not making me a Gentile, a woman or a slave. Shabbath 86a-86b. Because Jews are holy they do not have sex during the day unless the house can be made dark. A Jewish scholar can have sex during the day if he uses his garment like a tent to make it dark. Tall Tales of a Roman Holocaust Here are two early "Holocaust" tales from the Talmud: Gittin 57b. Claims that four billion Jews were killed by the Romans in the city of Bethar. Gittin 58a claims that 16 million Jewish children were wrapped in scrolls and burned alive by the Romans. (Ancient demography indicates that there were not 16 million Jews in the entire world at that time, much less 16 million Jewish children or four billion Jews). A Revealing Admission Abodah Zarah 70a . The question was asked of the rabbi whether some wine stolen in Pumbeditha might be used or if it was defiled, due to the fact that the thieves might have been Gentiles (a Gentile touching wine would make the wine unclean). The rabbi says not to worry, that the wine is permissible for Jewish use because the majority of the thieves in Pumbeditha, the place where the wine was stolen, are Jews Pharisaic Rituals Erubin 21b (p. 150). >>Rabbi Akiba said to him, "Give me some water to wash my hands." "It will not suffice for drinking," the other complained, "will it suffice for washing your hands?" "What can I do?' the former replied, "when for neglecting the words of the Rabbis one deserves death? It is better that I myself should die than that I transgress against the opinion of my colleagues." [This is the ritual hand washing condemned by Jesus in Matthew 15: 1-9]. Great Rabbi Deceives A Woman Kallah 51a (Soncino Minor Tractates). Teaches that God approves of rabbis who lie: "The elders were once sitting in the gate when two young lads passed by; one covered his head and the other uncovered his head. Of him who uncovered his head Rabbi Eliezer remarked that he is a bastard. Rabbi Joshua remarked that he is the son of a niddah (a child conceived during a woman's menstrual period). Rabbi Akiba said that he is both a bastard and a son of a niddah. "They said, 'What induced you to contradict the opinion of your colleagues?' He replied, "I will prove it concerning him." He went to the lad's mother and found her sitting in the market selling beans. "He said to her, 'My daughter, if you will answer the question I will put to you, I will bring you to the world to come.' (eternal life). She said to him, 'Swear it to me.' Rabbi Akiba, taking the oath with his lips but annulling it in his heart, said to her, 'What is the status of your son?' She replied, 'When I entered the bridal chamber I was niddah (menstruating) and my husband kept away from me; but my best man had intercourse with me and this son was born to me.' Consequently the child was both a bastard and the son of a niddah. It was declared, '..Blessed be the God of Israel Who Revealed His Secret to Rabbi Akiba..." In addition to the theme that God rewards clever liars the preceding discussion is actually about Christ (the lad who 'uncovered his head'). The reference to the lad's mother is of course to the mother of Jesus, Blessed Mary (called Miriam and sometimes, Miriam the hairdresser, in Talmud). Genocide Advocated by Talmud Minor Tractates. Soferim 15, Rule 10. This is the saying of Rabbi Simon ben Yohai: Tob shebe goyyim harog ("Even the best of the Gentiles should all be killed"). This passage is not from the Soncino edition but is from the original Hebrew of the Babylonian Talmud as quoted by the 1907 Jewish Encyclopedia, published by Funk and Wagnalls and compiled by Isidore Singer, under the entry, "Gentile," (p. 617). This original Talmud passage has been concealed in translation. The Jewish Encyclopedia states that, "...in the various versions the reading has been altered, 'The best among the Egyptians' being generally substituted." In the Soncino version: "the best of the heathens" (Minor Tractates, Soferim 41a-b]. Israelis annually take part in a national pilgrimage to the grave of Simon ben Yohai, to honor this rabbi who advocated the extermination of non-Jews. (Jewish Press of June 9, 1989, p. 56B). On Purim, Feb. 25, 1994, Israeli army officer Baruch Goldstein, an orthodox Khazar from Brooklyn, massacred 40 Palestinian civilians, including children, while they knelt in prayer in a mosque. Goldstein was a disciple of the late Rabbi Kahane who has stated that his view of Arabs as "dogs" is "from the Talmud." (Cf. CBS 60 Minutes, "Kahane"). Univ. of Jerusalem Prof. Ehud Sprinzak described Kahane and Goldstein's philosophy: "They believe it's God's will that they commit violence against 'goyim,' a Hebrew term for non-Jews." (NY Daily News, Feb. 26, 1994, p. 5). Rabbi Yitzhak Ginsburg declared, "We have to recognize that Jewish blood and the blood of a goy are not the same thing." (NY Times, June 6, 1989, p.5). Rabbi Yaacov Perrin says, "One million Arabs are not worth a Jewish fingernail." (NY Daily News, Feb. 28, 1994, p.6). This was for me one of many eye openers. I give thanks and Praise to Allah for guiding me to such an article. It is more proof that Allah guides whom he wills and leads astray whom he wills. The Bible according to the Muslims' beliefs is a corrupted book that is filled with disagreements and fabricated stories made by men on certain occasions to fit their own needs. The Original Pure Bible is lost, and that is why Allah Almighty sent the religion of Islam to mankind. He sent Islam to deliver his Grace, Love and Mercy to us after people became confused from the corruptions that Jews and Christians caused in the original Holy Bible "We (Allah) certainly gave the Book To Moses, but differences Arose therein: had it not been That a Word had gone forth Before from thy Lord, the matter Would have been decided Between them: but they Are in suspicious doubt Concerning it." (11:110). Previous revelations are not to be denied or dishonoured because those who nominally go by them have corrupted and deprived them of spiritual value by their vain controversies and disputes. It was possible to settle such disputes under the flag, as it were, or the old Revelations, but Allah's Plan was to revive and rejuvenate His Message through Islam, amongst a newer and younger people, unhampered by the burden of age-old prejudices. Further sites that expose racism in the Jewish Holiest Scripture, the Talmud: Two very good sites to keep on top of the Jewish and Zionist plots are: http://abbc.com (Radio Islam) For the Jews who are interested in Islam: Jews for Allah. This is a great site for the Jews who wish to convert to Islam. What is the future of Jerusalem in the Noble Quran? Send your comments. Back to Main Page. What's new | A-Z | Discuss & Blog | Youtube

By the winter of 1922, Franz Kafka was a figure pitiful in his suffering. He had tuberculosis, boils, hemorrhoids and headaches. But there was also something distinctly modern about this writer's pain, in the neurotic way it emanated from his unquiet spirit. His circumstances were for the most part comfortable. He was from an assimilated middle-class Jewish family in Prague. He had a law degree. But so great was his inner turmoil that he could not bear loud voices or to eat in front of others. And it was because of his own hesitations that his love relationships, with Felice Bauer, with Julie Wohryzek, with Milena Jesenska-Polak, had failed. ''Impossible to sleep, impossible to stay awake, impossible to endure life,'' Kafka wrote in his diary on Jan. 16. Hoping for respite, he went to a ski resort in Spindelmuhle, near the Polish border. ''My situation in this world would seem to be a dreadful one, alone here,'' he wrote on Jan. 29, ''on a forsaken road, moreover, without an earthly goal.'' It was there he began to write what would be his last novel, ''The Castle,'' set in a snowy landscape reminiscent of Spindelmuhle. K., a surveyor, arrives one night at a village at the foot of a hilltop castle, thinking he has been hired by the count who inhabits it. But no orders have been given, and K. spends the novel trying to see the count, encountering a series of phantasmagoric nonevents that end in his failure to see him. In 1924, Kafka died at the age of 40, with instructions to his friend Max Brod to burn his writings. But Brod saved them and assembled them for publication. Brod's compilation provided the matrix for translations into English by Edwin and Willa Muir. But the text and the translations have long been the subject of disagreement among scholars. This month, Schocken Books will bring out a new translation of ''The Castle,'' by Mark Harman. It is the first volume in a vast retranslation of Kafka's novels, diaries (including previously expurgated sections) and correspondence. The new work is based on a fresh compilation of the manuscripts by Sir Malcolm Pasley, a scholar at Oxford University. And it shows a modernist Kafka, a precursor of Beckett, colloquial, even playful. For Mr. Harman, the work is also an expression of Kafka's increasing preoccupation with his Jewishness. ''This is the authentic Kafka,'' said Arthur Samuelson, the editorial director of Schocken, ''It will undo all of what Max Brod did.'' The second volume in the series, ''The Trial,'' translated by Breon Mitchell, is expected in September. And a series of related events and panel discussions is under way this month. Kafka was born in 1883, a German-speaking Jew, in Prague. His father, Hermann, was a driven man, given to vulgarisms, constantly critical of his only son, a shy boy with sad, dark eyes who was terrified of him. Later, in his accusing work, ''Letter to His Father,'' Kafka encapsulated his feelings about his father: ''One night I kept constantly whimpering for water,'' Kafka wrote. ''When repeated and emphatic threats failed to work, you snatched me out of my bed, carried me out onto the balcony and left me there alone for a while in my nightgown, with the door locked.'' For years after, Kafka wrote, ''I kept being haunted by fantasies of this giant of a man, my father, the ultimate judge, coming to get me in the middle of the night,'' making him feel, like absolutely Nothing.'' Kafka attended an elite German-speaking school, earned a law degree at the German University in Prague and eventually went to work in the Statistical and Claims Department of the Workers' Accident Insurance Institute for the Kingdom of Bohemia.

Having reminded the Colossians of the importance of his apostolic "spirit" (2:5) and of the christological traditions they have received from him (2:6-7), Paul returns to restate the problem of sophistry in a more urgent way (see 2:4). He begins with the warning "Take heed!" or, as the NIV puts it, See to it. The peril of sophistry is that believers can be taken captive by an eloquent teacher who advances a sophisticated philosophy that is nevertheless hollow and deceptive in spiritual effect: the human traditions on which it is based compete against the christological traditions of the gospel. The philosophy in view draws upon the principles of this world and is therefore contrary to the apostolic "spirit" of Paul within the community, which reminds his readers of the Christ-centeredness of God's salvation. The verb take captive (sylagogeo) is found only here in the New Testament and suggests an illegal kidnapping. The word sounds very much like synagogue, and Wright suggests that Paul intentionally chose this rare word as a "contemptuous pun" to warn believers not to be taken in by a philosophy with roots in the esoterica of Colossian Judaism (1987:100). In addition, Paul may use this verb to recall the conversion motif of 1:13, where he spoke of salvation as God's rescue operation. The peril of the Colossian error is thereby highlighted: believers, who are rescued by God's saving grace from darkness and brought into the light, are now threatened by an enemy that seeks to recapture them and enslave them once again to the darkness of false teaching. In fact, the word darkness is used elsewhere as a metaphor of false teaching that closes the mind to the gospel truth (see Jn 1:5). To be taken captive by a philosophy need not mean to accept a form of truth (that is, "philosophy") that is inherently flawed. Rabbis, for example, spoke of biblical teaching as "philosophy," because philosophy helped them organize biblical teaching into coherent and meaningful systems of truth. Paul himself has nothing against "love of wisdom," which is what philosophy literally means (compare 1 Cor 1:30). In this letter's opening thanksgiving, Paul agreed with other ancient philosophers in contending that "the word of truth" will produce good fruit (1:5-6). Yet now he uses the word more precisely to denote a system of integrated ideas that is promoted as gospel truth but whose result is hollow and deceptive—that is, spiritually useless. My son, who works with computers, uses a slogan—"garbage in, garbage out"—to label ineffective programs. If you do not feed information to a computer in the proper format or language, then even the most powerful computer will be unable to run your program and find your solution. In the same way, even though a philosophy consists of fine-sounding arguments, if its content is garbage it will not produce workable solutions to the daily struggles of faith and life. According to biblical Christianity, true religion is measured by what it produces as much as by what it teaches (see Jas 1:26-27; 2:14-26). In the case of the Colossian congregation, the troublesome philosopher is advancing a system of wisdom based upon human tradition—a phrase that Paul will use again in 2:22 to describe the ascetic morality that is also being promoted among the Colossians. Now, whether it is the source of a religious philosophy or a moral code, a sacred tradition is not a bad thing. As a Pharisee, Paul had been steeped in oral and written religious memories from his youth. As Christ's apostle, he continues to speak of those traditions as a witness to Jesus Christ in order to mature faith in him (2:6; compare 1 Cor 11:23; 15:3). The problem lies rather with a particular kind of tradition which is not sufficiently christological in content. Paul contends that if a congregation's religious heritage does not depend on Christ, its source must be human imagination rather than divine revelation. The yield of such a tradition is finally spiritually useless. The phrase basic principles of this world is more difficult to interpret; the meaning of basic principles (stoicheia) remains unclear. In context, the word is Paul's rubric for the content of the hollow and deceptive philosophy. Luther thought that stoicheia was a Pauline pejorative for Jewish law, since Torah-observance was equated in his own experience with works righteousness, and works righteousness with human rather than heavenly merit. More recently, Banstra has come to understand Paul's use of stoicheia in the context of Jewish Wisdom. In this light, the false philosophy teaches that this world is ordered by impersonal forces (such as natural laws); thus, to be reconciled with God means to live according to these forces (Banstra 1964). The codes of conduct, even the spirituality, that might result from such a natural philosophy would have seemed excessively secular for Paul. With this in mind, Reicke argues that the meaning of stoicheia is best discerned in the context of Hellenistic Judaism, where it is used of angelic mediators of divine revelation, whether in writing Scripture or through religious experiences such as visions or oracular speech (Reicke 1951:259-76). If Reicke is correct, Paul's reference to stoicheia would indicate that his Colossian opponents say their sophistry is validated by angelic sources. With most commentators, however, I prefer to understand the basic principles of this world as referring to earth's four basic elements (earth, water, air and fire) and so to translate stoicheia as "elements" rather than "principles." The erroneous philosophy at Colosse may well have taken shape within the larger milieu of religious thought in the Hellenistic world. The Greeks commonly divided all things into an invisible spirit world, generally considered good and sacred, and a visible material world, generally considered frivolous and profane. A version of Christianity shaped within this religious environment would tend to understand devotion to Christ as a negative response to earth's elements—that is, as an ascetic lifestyle, which demands strict injunctions against the earth's elements (see 2:21). Paul probably uses this phrase, then, as a vague reference to this feature of dualistic religion, which denies the material world as "worldly" and spiritually counterproductive (compare 2:18, 20). In fact, ascetic conduct is an external index for measuring a person's spiritual status. Within the community, the result is an ethos of legalism and judgmentalism in which spiritual vitality is diminished by the terror of breaking a strict moral standard. This same tendency toward moral asceticism continues to influence conservative Protestant Christianity as well as many modern religious movements, where spirituality is excessively inward, the private reserve of one's feelings and intellect, and has little positive to do with one's public life (see introduction, under "Paul's Message for Today"). For Paul, Christ's lordship over all things material and spiritual (1:15-20) produces a worldview in which our spiritual devotion is integrated with our material obligations. There is no division between "spirit" and "body." Whenever Christ's lordship over all things pertaining to life and faith is diminished, the result is stunted spiritual growth that can even imperil one's salvation (see 1:23). In fact, the practical results of a religious philosophy like that found at Colosse are a moral asceticism (2:20-23) that actually rejects God's creation as bad, and a visionary mysticism that replaces life in Christ with visionary experiences of angel worship (2:18). Such a spirituality makes the experience of God's liberating grace a real impossibility.

We’ve noted the recent trend of non-Jewish celebrities and public figures wearing Jewish jewelry. Remember Sarah Palin’s big Magen David pendant and Elijah Wood’s ring inscribed with a quote from Pirkei Avot? Now the Shmooze wonders why Jewish actress Rachel Weisz has started the reverse trend by wearing a cross — and one that costs $6,400. Weisz, whose full name is Rachel Hannah Weisz and who refused to change her identifiably Jewish name for the sake of her career, can be seen in the Wall Street Journal’s latest glossy fashion supplement modeling menswear-inspired ensembles. The attractive actress looks great in all those tailored pants and jackets, including one outfit comprised of a jacket by Michael Kors, a The Row t-shirt from Barneys and trousers by Pringle of Scotland. The text with that photo also mentions that her bra (noticeable through the sheer t-shirt) is by Dolce & Gabbana and her pendant (that would be the aforementioned cross) is by De Beers. Want to walk a day in Bernie Madoff’s shoes? Now you can. The Wall Street Journal reports that over 400 pieces of Madoff’s personal property will be sold at auction next month, including Madoff’s monogrammed velveteen slippers. Other auction items include the desk where he did business, a diamond engagement ring (reportedly 10.5 carats) and a Steinway grand piano. All of the items will be sold during a live and online auction, held in New York on November 13 by the U.S. Marshals Service. These high-priced items were seized from Bernard Madoff’s New York City and Montauk, Long Island, homes, following his criminal prosecution last year. The first government auction of Madoff’s possessions took place one year ago; expected to bring in $500,000, it raised more than twice that amount. Leave it to a debate over a mosque to refocus attention on Michael Bloomberg’s Judaism. New York City’s mayor has returned to the national spotlight in recent weeks, as controversy has escalated over the so-called “Ground Zero mosque,” the proposed Islamic cultural center that would be built two blocks from the former site of the World Trade Center. Bloomberg, raised in a kosher home in Medford, Mass., has prominently defended the project, declaring in an August 24 speech that “[t]here is nowhere in the five boroughs of New York City that is off limits to any religion.” While Bloomberg’s religious background isn’t exactly a secret, his outspoken support for the center has renewed interest in his beliefs. An August 28 article in the Wall Street Journal examined the mayor’s upbringing and observance in adult life, noting his childhood Hebrew school attendance but reporting that Bloomberg is now “more likely to show up in church” for a political event “than be spotted at Temple Emanu-El, the Upper East Side reform synagogue to which he belongs.” Another magazine bites the dust. This time it’s Heeb, which announced today that it will move to an online-only format. In a statement on its website titled “So Much for Controlling the Media,” Heeb’s publisher and editor-in-chief, Joshua Neuman, wrote: I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Heebmagazine.com will continue to provide trenchant analysis of world events, cultural critique of all that is Jewish and Goyish and countless photos of scantily-clad Israeli models. … The bad news is that we are suspending the print edition of Heeb Magazine. Heeb was launched in 2001 by Jennifer Bleyer. Its covers have featured comedian Sarah Silverman posing nude behind a sheet with a hole in it, Roseanne Barr dressed as Hitler baking “Jew” cookies, and Jonah Hill putting KY Jelly on his morning bagel.

Sukkot at Smith A Report by Michelle Anderer '15 The holiday Sukkot, which in Hebrew means "Feast of Booths and Tabernacles," is traditionally celebrated by the Jewish community on the 15th day of the month or Tishrei (in late September or late October). The holiday lasts for seven days, with the first day being sabbath (when work is forbidden), followed by Chol Homoed and then Shemini Atzeret. The sukkah itself is traditionally a walled structure covered with leafy tree overgrowth or leaves and is intended to represent a symbolic wilderness shelter that the Israelites inhabited after they were freed from slavery in Egypt. Entering the sukkah, one is greeted with an abundance of freshly made baked goods and hearty apple cider, keeping the traditional spirit of holiday festivity alive. Most participants of Sukkot will eat their meals though out the week inside the sukkah itself. This evening's gathering began with a discussion of the programs hosted by Hillel and Jewish Studies, and the overwhelming student affirmation for their new adviser. Rhonda Shapiro-Rieser said, "Having an adviser in the Jewish community is important because they have a strong perspective on real world experiences, and it would be great for students to be able to go to them with their own personal questions." As the meeting went on, the traditional importance of the sukkah within the holiday became very apparent. Students emphasized the importance of community that they experience inside the sukkah. Most of them are built in communal areas to incorporate large gatherings and events. Students got down the the nuts and bolts of what a structure needed to qualify as an authentic sukkah: a minimum of 3 walls, at least partially open to the sky, mainly built out of any natural material, and erected and deconstructed each year. Some students talked about the issues that had recently come up concerning their own family sukkahs. One student lamented the loss of a traditional wooden structure that her relative had given up several years back, choosing to build theirs out of PVC piping to increase durability so that they could leave it up year round. Others, like Kayla Blum '15, emphasized her disappointment in not being able to use nails at the request of her parents when constructing her own family sukkah. Despite these setbacks, the students agreed that a sukkah mainly represented celebration, joy, and positive wishes for the months and years ahead. There was also a lively debate about the importance and function of the lulav (a date tree's branch that grows vertically from the tree's top). Everyone agreed that it was significant in the ceremony and that shaking it was involved, but then the details got a little fuzzy. The group turned toward their adviser, Rhonda, for further input. She confirmed that it is used to recite blessings over the Four Kinds: a citron, a palm branch, three myrtle twigs, and two willow branches. During the ceremony, the citron "etrog" is held in one hand and the branches in the other, and that this bundle is called a lulav. Facing east, one recites the blessing "Baruch atah Adonai Eloheynu Melech Ha Holam, asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav, v'tzivanu al netilat lulav" (Blessed are You, Adonai, Ruler of the Universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this moment). Facing the six directions of east, south, west, north, above and below, one waves the lulav up and down. After several hours of feasting, heated discussion, ceremony and prayer, the evening drew to a satisfying close.

Award winning artist Julia Blake has an impressive ability to work across many styles from abstract to figure. She tends to use vivid colors, high contrast and bold strokes to create aesthetic and metaphorical works. She was a peer and client nominated finalist for 40 Women to Watch Over Forty. She trained privately and at the MFA in Boston. Always pushing herself, she is now enrolled in the Drawing and Painting program at RISD. Her art is in private collections in 20+ states from Hawaii to Massachusetts as well as Europe and Asia. She is the co-founder of The Artist Common, a place for artists of all levels to come together in an historic New England church. She is thrilled to be represented by Art in Giving which raises seed money for juvenile cancer research through the sale of art. She lives in Wellesley, MA with her husband and their six children. Ira P. Federer Ira is Senior Vice President, Divisional Director of the Eastern Division of Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Ira is a graduate of Rutgers University and received an MBA from the University of Miami. He is a graduate of the Securities Industry Institute at the Wharton School. He also holds the designation of Wealth Management Specialist. Ira is past president of the Florida Securities Dealers Association (FSDA) and has been on the FSDA board of directors since 1993. He is chairman of SIFMA’s Bulls Sales Management Roundtable Committee. He is on the board of trustees for Tampa Preparatory School and on the American Heart Association’s Executive Leadership Committee. Ira is also Raymond James’ company leader for the Tampa Bay Heart Walk. Ira and his wife, Denise, reside in Tampa and have two sons, Mitchell and Craig. Richard has held executive positions in numerous companies, both public and private; managing change, rapid growth, or restructuring and transforming an underperforming business. He has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for five public companies and several pre-IPO enterprises. He has also served as Chief Operating Officer and held other Operating roles in a manufacturing environment. Richard spent his formative years in management positions with The Gillette Company and Digital Equipment Corporation from which he launched a concerted drive to assist smaller and emerging competitors to distinguish themselves in the marketplace and to increase shareholder value. He also served in executive capacities at a number of local technology companies including Prime Computer, Sequoia Systems, Picturetel, Pegasystems and BrassRing LLC. Richard holds a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University in Accounting and Economics and his Masters in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and General Management from Boston University. Richard and his wife Donna reside in Weston, MA. They have four children and two grandchildren. James is currently the executive director at WCAC-TV in Wellesley. He has been working in mass communications for over 18 years, both in television and in print, and holds a Master of Arts degree from Emerson College in television video production. Prior to coming to Wellesley James worked as executive director at CCTV in Concord/Carlisle and municipal programming director at Lowell Telecommunications Corporation. Under James’ supervision the municipal channel in Lowell won the “Outstanding Achievement in Government Access” award from the Northeast region of the Alliance for Community Media. James also worked as a news-tape editor at KSUA-TV in Denver, Colorado and produced a documentary on an attempted rehabilitation and re-habitation of the Love Canal neighborhood in Niagara Falls, NY. That documentary is currently being used in the environmental studies program at University of Colorado at Boulder. Prior to working in video James was a writer for CPI Purchasing magazine, The Beat magazine, and the Weston Wayland Sudbury Town Crier newspaper. He also worked as the west-coast regional sales manager for Media 100, Inc. selling and supporting a complete line of digital content creation and delivery systems. Frederick A. Kramer, AIA Fred is the President of ADD Inc (www.addinc.com), a nationally recognized Planning, Architecture, Interior Design and Branding design firm with offices in Boston and Miami. The firm’s work includes award winning office spaces and campuses for both corporations and developers, urban multi family housing, college and university residence halls,and complex mixed use projects throughout the country. A passionate believer in the power of teamwork and collaboration, Fred brings a heightened focus on design vigor to his role as ADD Inc’s President. Guided by his active involvement in the practice, he is responsible for the firm’s vision, growth strategies and performance. Fred is involved with a range of organizations including but not limited to: Past Chair of the Urban Land Institute’s Boston Council NAIOP, The Boston Society of Architects, AIA Large Firm Round Table / Dean’s Forum, Past Board Member of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, United Way, A Better City, and Boston Chamber of Commerce Development Committee Fred graduated from Dartmouth College with a Bachelor of Arts degree and from the University of Pennsylvania with a Masters in Architecture in 1981. An avid cyclist and skier, Fred resides in Ashland, MA with his wife Sue, an adolescent psychiatric counselor and has two children, Lauren, a nurse at Mass General Hospital and Jeff, a math teacher at The Advanced Math and Sciences Academy in Marlboro, Massachusetts. Audrey Sarah Markoff Audrey has private sector experience in public relations and marketing. She has worked as a marketing program manager in a high tech company engaging clients in influencing product strategies. Audrey has been a contract consultant to Newton Wellesley Hospital where she initiated and managed several public relations projects. One of her projects consisted of creating and implementing a campaign to end smoking on the hospital campus. Audrey is a graduate of Skidmore College with a concentration in Economics. She received her MBA from Babson College in 2012 and is currently working at a software company, Ping Identity, as a Marketing Manager. Audrey is one of the artists in Art in Giving focusing on mosaics. One of her pieces can be seen in the lobby of 100 Summer Street in Boston. She currently is exhibiting at the Moakley Courthouse till end of June 2016. As a certified mediator, Eliane brings creative solutions to workplace conflicts. Applying her mediation and business skills, Eliane is also a coach to executives to help them improve their communication, presentation and business skills. Eliane is best known for building bridges among organizations and individuals who need to collaborate. Eliane was Program Director in a Fortune 500 high tech company managing an international staff connecting scientists with product developers and end users to better leverage intellectual capital and increase client loyalty. Eliane was also a Principal Engineer designing and implementing expert systems. Eliane is the Founder and CEO of Art in Giving LLC, a public 501(c) (3) charity, promoting the fine arts of over 60 artists and galleries to benefit childhood cancer research. She collaborates with Fortune 500 companies to augment funds for the cause in a very creative way. Eliane has lent her leadership skills to her community in a variety of Board positions. She serves on the Board of Trustees for Wheelock College and for Brandeis’ Women Studies Research Center. She is a past member of the Board of Oversees for Newton Wellesley Hospital. Eliane was honored in 2012 by the Wellesley Library Foundation as an individual who has had an effective impact within and beyond the Wellesley Community. Eliane was also honored in 2011 with the Giving Back Award by Women Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology (WEST). Eliane was also selected as one of 125 women to appear in Bill Brett’s book, Inspirational Women of Boston. Eliane is fluent in French and Arabic and earned her MBA from Boston College and her BA in Economics from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. She lives in Wellesley with her husband Gary, a partner at Sherin and Lodgen LLP, and has one daughter, Audrey, a Marketing Manager at a software company. Gary M. Markoff Gary is a former managing partner of Sherin and Lodgen LLP, a downtown Boston law firm of 45 lawyers. He is a member of the Corporate and Real Estate Departments. He works with clients primarily on business, corporate, real estate transactions, and bank financings. He joined the firm in 1984 with a background in accounting, having previously been a certified public accountant with the Boston office of Arthur Andersen LLP, where he gained experience auditing small business clients and doing tax planning, and compliance work. Gary represents all types of lenders, borrowers, and investors. Many of his clients have developed or financed diversified types of real property including multi-family and commercial condominiums, retail centers, office complexes, manufacturing, and warehouse facilities. He also represents closely held companies. Gary has served for many years on the Board and Steering Committee of the Boston chapter of the American Jewish Committee. He has also been a Co-Trustee of The Rachel Molly Markoff Foundation since 1999. Dr. Debasish Roychowdhury Dr. Roychowdhury is a leader in the pharmaceutical industry with a strong background in research and development , regulatory and commercial operations in the oncology field. He recently joined the founding members of the Seragon CSAB as Acting Chief Medical Officer to help advance the pipeline of therapeutics. Dr. Roychowdhury most recently served as Senior Vice President of Global Oncology and Head of the Global Oncology Division at Sanofi from August 2009 to September 2013. Prior to that, he served as the Vice President for Clinical Development at GlaxoSmithKline since 2005. In 2008, he was a member of the team that created GSK’s new Oncology R&D Unit. Dr. Roychowdhury served in oncology clinical research and later in regulatory affairs for Eli Lilly and Company. During his tenure in industry he was involved in the approval of nine drugs, including, Alimta, Tykerb and Jevtana. Prior to his role in industry, he served as faculty member at the University of Cincinnati, where he directed a number of clinical programs. He moved to the United States in 1989 where he specialized in internal medicine, hematology and oncology at the University of California at San Francisco. Dr. Roychowdhury received his Doctorate of Medicine from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. Julie M. Stanley SHRM-CP- Chief Human Resources Officer- Harvard Medical School Julie Stanley is a strategic Human Resources leader with more than 20 years of experience empowering and leading HR teams. Julie has dedicated her work to Harvard University for over 30 years and has executed and managed a multitude of HR initiatives that support organizational effectiveness and advance community engagement. Her senior leadership positions include interim Associate Dean for Human Resources at both the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Medical School, Assistant Dean for Human Resources at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Assistant Director for Human Resources in central administration. In August 2011 she was appointed the Chief Human Resources Officer for Harvard Medical School and in this position has brought leadership teams together to advance the mission of the school. Her expertise and oversight includes Human Resources strategy and implementation, HR analytics, HR consulting, employee relations, performance management, compensation, recognition, recruitment and retention, sexual harassment and internal investigations, and training and development. Julie is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, Northeast Human Resources Association, Association of American Medical Colleges, and the College and University Personnel Association. In addition to her work at Harvard, Julie is dedicated to her community and serves on the advisory board for Art in Giving, held an appointment on the Belmont Human Rights Commission and volunteered as a mediator for the Massachusetts small claims court summary process. She has aided a number of joint union management teams at Harvard, including the University Problem Solving team, union negotiating team and was co-chair of the Academy for Workforce Education. Julie is dedicated to volunteerism and ran the Mayor’s Midnight Sun Marathon in Anchorage, for the Leukemia Society, the Boston Marathon for the MGH Pediatric Oncology and the Chicago Marathon to benefit Neurofibromatosis, New England. Julie lives in Belmont with her husband Michael and enjoys sailing, running, Pilates and spending time with her family. Joe joined PriceWaterhouse Coopers LLP in September 1998. Since joining PriceWaterhouse Coopers, Joe has led the tax engagements on a number of Technology and Life Sciences clients in the Boston office. Prior to joining the firm, he served as Vice President and Tax Director for Digital Equipment Corporation, a $14B computer hardware, software, and services company doing business in 150 countries around the world. Joe has an undergraduate degree in Economics and a Law degree from Boston College and a graduate degree in Law, specializing in taxation, from Boston University. He is admitted to the Bar in the State of New York and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Prior to joining Digital, he worked as a tax attorney for Exxon Corporation in New York. Joe and his wife, Christine Langley Tierney have three children who are out of college. He and Christine have lived in Wellesley for 30 years. Patricia Walsh is a Property Manager for Equity Office at 100 Summer Street in Boston, Massachusetts. She has been with the company for 22 years and has managed small suburban properties to a multi-modal transportation center. Presently she is managing 100 Summer Street, a 32 story office tower, which just won the TOBY Award for the over 1million sf category. She enjoys hiking, scuba diving and photography. Salvatore Zinno is Senior Project Manager, Leasing & Development at BioMed Realty. Sal has been with BioMed Realty since October 2008. His responsibilities include all aspects of commercial real estate development project management including ground up construction, zoning analysis, entitlements, tenant improvements, and financial analysis. He’s currently focused on the development of a new office/lab building located at 450 Kendall Street in the Kendall Square area of Cambridge, MA. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Master of Business Administration Degree from Bentley University. Salvatore is involved with a number of professional organizations including, NAIOP and ULI. He’s originally from New Jersey and has lived in the Boston area since 2004. Salvatore currently resides in Westwood, MA with his wife Christina, son Leo and daughter Lorenza and spends most of his spare time on his boat, skiing, and renovating his home. Tabatha Claudia Flores Tabatha has a background in art and business where she has held executive positions in the luxury hotel and art industries. She is the former Managing Director of Medicine Wheel Productions, and the former Director of Marketing and Public Relations at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. While studying at the Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London, Tabatha focused on contemporary. Tabatha holds an ALB with a concentration in the History of Art and Architecture from Harvard University and a Masters degree in Art Business from the Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London/University of Manchester, UK. Tabatha is a member of Art Table and she lives in Boston with her husband and two sons. Carol Seitchik has had a lengthy career as a visual artist, helping found the first women’s cooperative gallery in Philadelphia in the mid-70s, then moving to Chicago where she showed with ARC Gallery and then moving to Boston where she joined The Bromfield Gallery. In the past thirty years she has been an art curator, organizing the first temporary outdoor sculpture exhibition in the greater Boston area that continued for fifteen summers at Bradley Palmer State Park, Topsfield, The Art Complex Museum at Duxbury and The Fuller Museum of Art In Brockton. Carol has also curated shows at the Brattleboro Museum and The University of New Hampshire. Carol’s work as a curator has also included corporate clients, including Genzyme, Delta Dental, Cell Signal Technology and (for the past twenty-seven years, ongoing) New England Biolabs. She has helped develop a corporate art program where the employees are involved in choosing the art that is displayed in six week shows throughout the year. Carol lives in Beverly, MA with her husband.

An excerpt from 'The Hammer: Tom DeLay: God, Money, and the Rise of the Republican Congress The following article is excerpted from the book The Hammer: Tom DeLay: God, Money, and the Rise of the Republican Congress by Lou Dubose and Jan Reid. Copyright ©2004. Reprinted by arrangement with PublicAffairs. All rights reserved. At first look the island of Saipan is a tropical paradise: white sand beaches, palm trees billowing in the breeze, glimmering turquoise sea, dramatic rock cliffs rising from the mist and foam of crashing waves, reefs teeming with wildly hued fish, snorkelers, and scuba divers. Saipan is also the name of a small city beside the sea that is the capital of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. In the late 1990s this remote out-post of America, 9,000 miles across the Pacific from California, offered a vision of what the nation might look like if Tom DeLay had his deregulatory way. DeLay’s adventure in Saipan illustrates how his agenda had changed: from trying to disable the EPA to imposing his ideology and will on whole territories and economies. And the implementation of his ideas would increase the riches of the loyalists who in turn keep the maw of his political leviathan stuffed with money. Here was a land newly born to American dominion, a place and people that had never been corrupted by federal regulation. Saipan was his grand experiment—a construction of the world as he wished it to be. “It is a perfect Petri dish of capitalism,” DeLay enthused in 1997. “It’s like my Galapagos Island.” The free-market laboratory experiment and the opportunities of vast profit could be carried out in virtual secrecy. Few Americans born after World War II are aware that Saipan exists. If you surf the Internet for references, you are most often rewarded with obituaries of old Marines. In mid-1944 Saipan, which rises from the Pacific near Guam, became a crucial objective in America’s tortuous strategy of island-hopping toward fortress Japan. When Saipan fell, the U.S. would be positioned to build an airfield on nearby Tinian from which the decisive bombing missions of the war were flown. But the strategic victory did not come easily; Marines speak of Saipan with the same reverence and horror they attach to Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal. The U.S. military committed 70,000 troops to overwhelm a forty-seven-square-mile island. The GIs suffered nearly 17,000 casualties during the twenty-five-day battle, including 3,225 killed in action. The slaughter of the Japanese on Saipan was almost unimaginable. The recorded total of their soldiers killed was 23,811—five hundred per square mile. And, though estimates vary, up to 18,000 civilians jumped to their deaths from the towering cliffs, rather than give up to the advancing Marines. The mass suicide convinced the U.S. military that the Japanese would never surrender to invaders of their homeland: Saipan moved Harry Truman toward his decision to drop the atomic bomb. After the war, the Marianas became a trust territory of the United Nations, the United States its administering authority. The navy governed the islands until 1962, when their rule was transferred to the Department of the Interior. In 1975, during the administration of Gerald Ford, the islanders voted overwhelmingly in a self-rule plebiscite to continue embracing the sovereignty of the United States as a commonwealth. Eleven years passed before Ronald Reagan formally made that covenant into law. Though the Marianas’ indigenous peoples had won their prized U.S. citizenship, the entire population then amounted to one small town. In an effort to jump-start an economy, federal negotiators granted control of immigration, wage, and workplace standards to the commonwealth government. That’s when the islands grabbed the attention of rich people in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea. The most affluent and powerful man in the Marianas was a naturalized U.S. citizen named Willie Tan. Tan Holdings Corporation, founded by the tycoon’s father in Hong Kong, included Saipan’s largest garment factories, several hotels, a bank, travel agencies, ice cream parlors; the largest newspaper in the islands, the Saipan Tribune, was the company’s mouthpiece. Tan and other venture capitalists had realized they could create a garment industry that was fully protected by U.S. trade laws and virtually immune to the obstructions of federal regulation. Imports from the U.S. came into the Marianas duty-free and without quotas, and exports from the islands moved past U.S. Customs without stirring so much as a breeze. For the venture capitalists on Saipan, the commonwealth status enabled them to circumvent quotas on Chinese textile exports to the United States. The investment capital behind the factories was largely Chinese. The plants were run like factories in China. Even the fabric was Chinese. All the capitalists needed was a labor force. The indigenous islanders had no future as executives in this industry, nor did they fit the desired mold of factory workers. The Marianas capitalists instead contracted with recruitment squads that roved the provinces of China, the Philippines, Thailand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and other Asian countries. The arm’s-length arrangement meant the recruiters’ methods could not be directly connected to corporations chartered in the United States. Typically, the recruits were obligated to pay $5,000 to $7,000 for the privilege of signing one-year labor contracts that enabled them to work and receive housing and health care benefits in the U.S. In the places they came from, $5,000 to $7,000 was a fortune. Large families and communities of peasants raised the money for some of these young workers, whose riches earned in America were supposed to help feed and clothe them. But many recruits could never raise that kind of money. Some were steered to loan sharks in the Asian countries who had working arrangements with the recruitment agencies; more signed agreements in which they would see none of their wages until the “recruitment fees” were paid back. They were indentured workers, at best. Many of these people had not seen any of the world beyond their villages. Several Bangladeshi men, hired to work in security, were told and believed they could ride the train from Saipan to Los Angeles. Chinese workers who became pregnant were forced to return to China to have an abortion or else have it performed at a clinic on Saipan. Most of the immigrant workers were women, many of them mothers of small children. One could spot their arrivals in Saipan. They came off the plane and were hustled through immigration and aboard buses, their faces staring out in bewilderment and apprehension as the drivers sped through the winding back streets of the capital city. White beaches, emerald water, and resort hotels frequented by Korean and Japanese tourists were not the Saipan they saw. Their new homes were security-fenced compounds set far back in the jungle. With maybe a sheet thrown over a cord for privacy, the women slept on cots, as many as ten jammed in one small room. They had a dripping showerhead with no privacy or hot water, and a single toilet they lined up to share. Rats and cockroaches roamed freely. On the one day each week they were allowed to leave the compound, they were let out through a gate in a security fence by an armed guard. They had an early curfew, and knew better than to miss it. There were about thirty factories. The young women worked upwards of seventy hours a week with no overtime pay, sometimes around the clock for two or three days to meet impossible quotas. They were paid $3.05 an hour to keep the sewing machines humming (the federal minimum wage was then $5.15 an hour). Three-plus bucks an hour must have sounded like an extravagant wage to poor girls in the backwaters of Asia, but they quickly found out they had no chance of coming out ahead; the employers billed them for their lodging and food, on top of withholding for the thousands of dollars many still owed on their contracts. Squares of raw fabric were piled up around their machines as high as they could reach; a glaring electronic production counter nagged them to work harder, longer, faster. The air was filled with dust and lint. Workers were not afforded the low-cost filter masks commonly worn by people with respiratory difficulties; for relief they wore rags over their noses and mouths like the bandanas of Old West desperadoes. If they fell asleep and ran a needle through a finger, there was no first aid station; all they got was a rebuke from a shouting supervisor who called them stupid. And those were the lucky ones. On arrival in Saipan some workers found that their contracts were worthless. They were told their employer had gone bankrupt. Day laborers who had thought they were going to be security guards piled on top of each other at night in one-room hovels and explored ideas like selling their kidneys to raise enough money to go home. Saipan became a fixture of the booming global sex trade. Young Chinese women recruited for restaurant jobs were ordered to work in karaoke and topless bars where managers told them they had to drink and have sex with customers. They received no pay for this coerced prostitution. The so-called bar fines for their services went to their employers. Even officials in the laissez-faire administrations of Ronald Reagan and George Bush the Elder were alarmed. In 1986 the Interior Department of the Reagan administration voiced concerns that the economy, culture, and legal system of the native islanders were buckling under the strain of the mass influx of foreign workers, and proposed an immigration cap to keep the once-pristine island from turning into an industrial slum. In 1992 Bush administration officials testified to Congress that the garment industry on Saipan had been built on a foundation of cheap alien labor, favorable tariff treatment for goods shipped to U.S. markets from the Marianas, and tax breaks, rebates, and other assistance underwritten by the federal government. Brand-name clothiers favored by American shoppers were having their cake and eating it, too. They could take advantage of third-world wages and labor practices and undercut the domestic textile industry, but because of the Marianas’ commonwealth status they could ship garments bearing the proud label “Made in the U.S.A.” Companies taking advantage of the free rein extended to manufacturers in Saipan included Gap, Sears, Wal-Mart, J.C.Penney, J.Crew, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Anne Taylor, Liz Claiborne, Brooks Brothers, and Abercrombie&Fitch. Meanwhile the population of the islands increased by 36 percent over five years in the nineties, to 58,000. Now a minority in their country, the indigenous Micronesians struggled to maintain their culture and make a living off scarce government jobs and in the limited service and tourism industries—their unemployment rate shot to fourteen percent, twice the average of other U.S. citizens. Stories about the Marianas reached George Miller, a congressman who represents the East Bay area near San Francisco. Miller is the ranking Democrat of the House Committee on Resources, which has jurisdiction over U.S. territories and commonwealths. In 1992, when the Democrats still controlled the House, he chaired the committee and convened a hearing on the garment industry in the Marianas (known in U.S. federal-speak as CNMI for Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). Miller said at the hearing, “I am concerned by the attitude that it is acceptable to underpay and mistreat alien workers who are willing to accept substandard conditions in the CNMI that are better than their homeland. It is unacceptable when U.S. farmers abuse Mexican field workers, and it is unacceptable when CNMI garment manufacturers abuse Chinese workers. It cannot be tolerated anywhere.” But rhetoric from a California congressman was not the chief concern of Saipan’s capitalists and politicians. In 1992 the U.S. Labor Department sued five garment factories owned by Willie Tan. The Tan companies were fined $9 million as restitution for 1,200 employees who had been locked in worksites and barracks and obliged to work 84 hours a week with no overtime pay. It was the largest fine ever imposed by the Labor Department. Then in 1995, accounts of abuse on Saipan prompted the Philippines to impose a startling moratorium on granting its citizens work visas in the Marianas. Negotiations between the commonwealth and the Philippines ensued at once; ardent promises were made and heard. Soon the Philippines lifted the moratorium and busied itself writing new work visas—3,000 Filipinos arrived at Saipan during the last quarter of 1996 alone. But in mid-1997 Bill Clinton wrote Marianas governor Froilan Tenorio saying that “certain labor practices in the islands . . . are inconsistent with our country’s values,” and proposed federalizing the Marianas’ labor and immigration laws—in other words, workers on Saipan would have the same legal rights as U.S. workers. The ruling clique on Saipan decided some heavy-duty lobbying and image tending was in order. That was when the Marianas Islands became the fervent ideological cause and favorite beach of right-wing Republicans on Capitol Hill. The Marianas’ GOP boosters included Dick Armey and John Boehner. But Tom DeLay aggressively took the lead. In 1997 Governor Tenorio had traveled to Washington and called on DeLay, who lionized the commonwealth and its leader in a speech to House colleagues. “Governor Tenorio did not come to Washington looking for taxpayer benefits, welfare, or handouts,” DeLay bragged on the man. “He came to promote his market reforms….During his administration, Governor Tenorio has actively pursued and courted business around the globe to open shop in the CNMI. Like President Reagan in the 1980s, Tenorio has kept taxes low. Low tax rates have actually increased productivity, which in turn increased revenue for the government of the CNMI. Additionally, the Governor has recognized the importance of trade and has demonstrated how trade with Asian markets can bring prosperity. The economic changes that have taken place in the CNMI have been nothing short of miraculous.” The Marianas Miracle funded a sweet, high-profit, low-maintenance account of the most arch-conservative top-dollar lobbyist in Washington. Jack Abramoff had been a star politico of the GOP when DeLay was still in the Texas Legislature. A high school weightlifting champion and a teetotaler of Orthodox Jewish faith, Abramoff strutted with the far right at Brandeis, a Massachusetts campus usually dominated by left-wingers. In 1981 he moved to Washington, where he got a law degree at Georgetown and chaired the College Republican National Committee. Democrats have nothing that resembles that collegiate proving ground of the GOP. Karl Rove, Lee Atwater, Ralph Reed, Grover Norquist, and Jack Abramoff all got their starts as College Republicans, and they zoomed to the top strata of American politics. Abramoff hired Reed as his top deputy in the collegiate group, and—his strong Jewish faith no apparent hindrance—later helped Reed found the Christian Coalition. Abramoff is also very close to Norquist. The young star politicos of the GOP convinced themselves they possessed the power to change the world, and their conviction has never wavered. Abramoff was the executive director of Reagan’s grass-roots lobbying organization, Citizens for America. Later he produced a video on Ollie North that included the ex-Marine filibuster’s soon-to-be famous slide show about heroic Nicaraguan Contras. Some senior Republicans grumbled that Abramoff’s indiscretion blew the cover of Iran-Contra. A Reagan administration official eased him out of its lineup with a remark that an overeager young man had gone “off the reservation.” During the eighties Abramoff lobbied in Washington for the dictatorship of Zaire and founded the International Freedom Foundation, which worked to build support for the apartheid regime in South Africa. He took a turn as a Hollywood movie producer in South Africa. Red Scorpion was a thriller pitting Soviet agents and assassins against U.S.-supported guerrillas in Angola and Namibia. The movie opened in 1989 on 1,268 screens, a healthy showing, but it was picketed in Washington and rebuked by the United Nations over the moviemakers’ use of military equipment loaned by the South Africans—an alleged violation of cultural sanctions against the regime. Abramoff became a charter member of Tom DeLay’s “kitchen cabinet” of like-minded lobbyists and former aides when DeLay became whip in 1995. Abramoff worked in the D.C. lobbying office of Seattle’s oldest law firm, Preston Gates, and then jumped to a K Street competitor, Greenberg Traurig. In both books the Marianas were a gold mine account. His public relations campaign, financed by the office of Governor Tenorio, turned the Marianas into a Republican playground. In 1997 the Marianas taxpayers picked up the tab for 88 week-long junkets at a reported $5,500 per traveler. Seven members of the House, five wives, one child, and 75 aides crossed nine time zones to find facts while golfing, snorkeling, and deepening their tans. Because the Marianas were U.S. territory, and its government was paying for the vacations, these paragons of government ethics did not have to disclose the junkets on their official travel reports. Tom DeLay, his wife Christine, his daughter Dani, and three staff members arrived to celebrate the New Year’s holiday in 1998. They stayed in a posh Hyatt Regency and found time for a couple of rounds of golf under the caring watch of the staffs of the governor and Willie Tan. At a dinner in honor of Tan, DeLay recalled enlightening conversations he had enjoyed with various powers in the Marianas and oozed with deference to “the Mogul.” When [the Mogul] came to my office in the Capitol, he told me about the conservative policies that the CNMI has implemented. When I met the Governor, he told me about his proposals to pass a flat tax and school choice for children. When I played golf with [two Marianas officials] in Houston, they told me about the attempts of the Clinton Administration to kill prosperity on the islands. And when one of my closest and dearest friends, Jack Abramoff, your most able representative in Washington, D.C., invited me to the islands, I wanted to see firsthand the free market success in the CNMI and the progress and reform you have made. Even though I have only been here for twenty-four hours, I have witnessed the economic success of the CNMI and I have witnessed the friendship and good will of its people.” DeLay went on to rail about an administrator in the Office of Insular Affairs—a sub-agency of the Interior Department—whom his hosts found troublesome. “Pardon me, but does this man have a vote in the United States Congress? I don’t think so….You are up against the forces of big labor and the radical left. Dick Armey and I made a promise to defend the islands’ present system. Stand firm. Resist evil. Remember that all truth and blessings emanate from our Creator. God bless you and the people of the Northern Marianas.” When he returned from the trip and a reporter pressed him about sweatshops in the Marianas, he said, “I saw some of those factories. They were air-conditioned. I didn’t see anyone sweating.” Then he laughed. Inspired by the labor model he saw on Saipan, he threw out a daring and philosophical idea: the United States should establish an identical “guest worker” program “where particular companies can bring Mexican workers in.” The Mexicans would be paid “at whatever wage the market will bear.” Unfortunately, a few weeks before DeLay’s trip, the Marianas had held a gubernatorial election, and the incumbent had been turned out by his Uncle Pedro. The new Governor Tenorio dropped broad hints he was not entirely on board with DeLay’s vision for the commonwealth. That same January in 1998, as the U.S. Senate prepared to conduct hearings on the Marianas, someone leaked to the press an e-mail written by Jack Abramoff. In it the lobbyist called for a congressional and public relations counter-offensive that would characterize Clinton administration policy as a federal takeover of the islands. Abramoff’s e-mailed memorandum to his clients and the commonwealth’s GOP champions said the junkets to the island had proved most fruitful. The e-mail called for continuing “impeachment” of the Interior Department bureaucrat and “working with the garment industry to get friendly workers (one Chinese, one Filipino, one Bangladeshi) to D.C. for the hearings.” (That spectacle of American condescension never materialized.) The e-mail strongly implied that Willie Tan would bankroll much of the proposed campaign on Capitol Hill. “We don’t have a relationship with Tan and we never will,” Abramoff told one reporter with a straight face. It was a curiously brazen lie—Tan had been one of the three recipients of Abramoff’s e-mail. Meanwhile, Representative George Miller and his chief of staff accepted the new governor’s invitation to come to Saipan for his inauguration. This, too, was a fact-finding mission, but they were looking for a different kind of fact. The Californians were taken on tours of a garment factory in which women labored placidly and appeared to relax over dinner in a cafeteria. “At the hotel nobody would come near us,” said Miller. “They were terrified. But when we got back people were literally slipping notes under our doors. One of the cleaning ladies handed us a message from a relative who worked in this place where we’d been. It said that as soon as we were gone, they had to drop their food and get back to work—they had been off the clock while we were there. The relative said, “Tell the congressmen they’ve been had.” “So we sent word that at eight o’clock we’d be at this church way back in the island. At midnight people were still crowding in the church to tell us what their lives were like. It was incredible. The economy and immigration were so skewed that Marianas islanders had houses full of servants and were living on food stamps. Workers were being abused in so many ways. They had no rights, young women were being forced into prostitution, yet here’s Mr. Conservative Morality, Tom DeLay, telling the world that this is a good system.” Back in Washington Miller was turned aside by the committee chairman, Don Young, an Alaska Republican. “We were told in no uncertain terms that there were not going to be any hearings on Saipan,” said Miller. “I told the chairman, ‘Why not? They’re having hearings in the Senate.’ He said, ‘Well, we’re not going to have them in the House. This is above my pay grade. The Whip has said he’s not going to let that happen.'” The Senate hearings produced detailed testimony elaborating on what Miller had heard. The resulting legislation focused on the “Made in the U.S.A.” label, proposing that any garment bearing that endorsement should actually be made by American workers. More than 200 members of the House co-sponsored the bill. But on the islands, political leaders and factory owners protested that enactment of the legislation would cost the local economy $85 million a year. The Marianas’ lobbyist, Jack Abramoff, likened the industrialists to innocent people who were victimized at Nuremberg in the punishment of the Nazis. “These are immoral laws designed to destroy the economic laws of a people. [Conservatives ] see in this battle a microcosm of an overall battle….What these guys in the CNMI are trying to do is build a life without being wards of the state.” Tom DeLay made a similar pitch for the Marianas: “You’ve got a part of the world that was totally dependent on the federal government that now wants to get rid of the federal government. They now want to be self-sustaining and self-sufficient, and anywhere in the world where you have people that want to do that, we ought to be supportive.” Everyone on DeLay’s team was certainly supportive. When Abramoff was organizing that airlift of congressmen, staffs, and families to the private beach of Republicans, Bill Jarrell, a lobbyist who had been DeLay’s deputy chief of staff, was working on logistics and legalities to keep them out of trouble. Accompanying DeLay on the New Year’s getaway were Ed Buckham, a former chief of staff turned political director of DeLay’s ARMPAC, and Mike Scanlon, the young communications director who would articulate the impeachment jihad against Bill Clinton and with Abramoff later bill four Indian tribes an astounding $45 million for lobbying and PR. Another longtime top aide of DeLay, Tony Rudy, left the congressional staff to join the Abramoff and Scanlon lobbying team. The Saipan Tribune hailed Rudy as “the most helpful staffer for the CNMI in its history” and “a super hero.” But none of the lobbyists helping Saipan’s clique were quite as venerated as Abramoff. The Tribune called him “our Michael Jordan.” According to the public auditor, Abramoff alone carried off $7,940,000 from the islands between 1995 and 2001. Association with DeLay was a valuable entree for those lobbyists. To clients who feared the terrain of federal regulation, they invoked DeLay’s name as if it were a magic wand—the man could get things fixed. By all accounts, the lobbying campaign conceived by Abramoff and the legislative barricade erected by DeLay carried many days for Saipan’s ruling clique when trouble arose in Washington. The Marianas campaigns instructed the lobbyists in ways to arrange even more extravagant paydays in the future. In idealizing the far-flung archipelago as his Petri dish of capitalism, DeLay demonstrated how deregulation was an absolute in his approach to government—and how far the reach of his power extended beyond a congressional district in Texas. In an emotional column praising the work of Abramoff in November 1998, the publisher of the Saipan Tribune all but tremored in his reverence toward DeLay: “Let’s not lose grace with the Kingmaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.” They might have all ended their days still enraptured by the wonders they had wrought in their Pacific paradise if not for a dispute that erupted between the Mogul and DeLay—amplified by one of the worst corporate scandals in American history. The garment industry in the Marianas was putting a strain on the islands’ power capacity. There were frequent power outages, and resort hotels relied on generators. Willie Tan lorded over everything on Saipan from sweatshops to ice cream parlors; when proposals for a new $120 million 80-megawatt power plant emerged in the late nineties, the Tan Holdings Corporation naturally assumed that it was entitled to the largest business deal ever seen on the islands. But Tom DeLay kept book on the favors that he granted, and for this payback he signaled that the Marianas contract would be reserved for his old friends at Enron. Hired by the commonwealth’s utilities corporation to analyze the bids, a Kansas City engineering firm concluded that the best proposal came from neither the Tan group nor Enron. But the squall out of both camps was so ferocious that the public auditor hastily called for a new round of bidding. Enron CEO Ken Lay had participated in early organizational meetings of Tom DeLay’s ARMPAC. Enron had loved Project Relief and channeled hundreds of thousands of dollars into DeLay’s politics and future. In turn, DeLay had been an indefatigable champion of deregulation of the utility industry in Congress in 1996 and 1997. But Enron no longer wanted just to break up monopolies and use existing grids to move the electricity it sold. It had grandiose plans to construct power plants all over the world—from Bolivia to the Marianas Islands. Ed Buckham, DeLay’s former congressional chief of staff who became a political director of ARMPAC, accompanied DeLay and his family on the trek to bring in the New Year, then set up the Alexander Strategies Group, the lobbying firm composed entirely of former DeLay staffers. Enron then contracted Buckham to lobby on “energy deregulation issues in the Marianas Islands.” One can see how Enron officials believed that the fix was in. When Buckham told DeLay in 1999 that a Japanese-U.S. consortium appeared to be winning the competition, DeLay wrote the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation demanding that the bidding be reopened. The so-called Congressman from Enron was laying claim to being de facto Congressman from Saipan. Equally untroubled by matters of jurisdiction, one of DeLay’s far-right House allies, Helen Chenoweth-Hage of Idaho, wrote a letter threatening a federal investigation of the utilities company if it rejected the Enron bid. Officials on Saipan panicked; the legislature passed a bill that forced the utility to hand the business to Enron. Over the furious protests of Willie Tan’s group, in May 2000 the utility’s board voted 3-2 to award the contract to Enron. It gave the business of finalizing the contract language to Fulbright& Jaworski, a Houston mega-firm. The Mogul had come up against a power that was greater than his own. “There were all kinds of political pushes from the top and the side and every way,” said a manager of the commonwealth’s utilities company. “There were all kinds of political interference.[The government officials] didn’t want to understand it. They said, ‘Just do it! Give Enron the contract.'” In March 2001, the utilities company and Enron announced they had closed a deal for a scaled-down 60-megawatt plant. Just a month later Enron flabbergasted the islanders by breaking off the talks and announcing it had lost all interest in the Marianas project. Enron had kept its adventure in the Pacific afloat, knowing that it was sailing into those waters aboard the Titanic. In December of that year, Enron filed for the biggest corporate bankruptcy in American history. DeLay, who had frantically been trying to push through a bill that would have given Enron a $250 million tax rebate and some breathing room, told a TV reporter in Houston that he was “heartbroken.” But, unlike Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and other Texas Republicans, DeLay did not return one nickel of Enron contributions as a gesture to shareholders and employees. As long as he contained the political damage, it was no real skin off his back—nor those of his lobbyist pals Jack Abramoff, Mike Scanlon, and Ed Buckham. The Marianas are, of course, just a footnote in the Enron implosion saga. On Saipan today the lights still flicker. None of the bidders that had been shoved aside in the power play could be persuaded to come back to the table. Construction of the plant has been shelved indefinitely. On Saipan the episode is known as the Enron Fiasco. In 1998, just four months after DeLay told the Mogul and other factory owners that that their shining example of unfettered capitalism was under attack by big labor and the radical left, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that three garment companies on Saipan had been charged with violating U.S. law. In all, the Department of Labor recovered $2.1 million in unpaid wages for 1,315 workers on Saipan that year. In 1999 the federal government obliged one of the companies to pay $987,000 in unpaid wages to 427 workers who had been compelled to work up to twelve weeks without pay. In 2000 that company and another pled guilty to criminal contempt and, though nobody went to jail, they were ordered to pay fines of $100,000. “The United States is serious about ending worker exploitation in the CNMI,” said the Clinton administration’s secretary of labor, Alexis M. Herman. “We will not hesitate to pursue criminal action in cases where companies disregard court orders.” In response to lawsuits seeking up to a billion dollars worth of damages for workers in the sweatshops, a spokesman for Tommy Hilfiger said: “The Company is proud of its monitoring program and has taken all reasonable efforts to ensure a proper work environment….Currently, approximately two percent of Tommy Hilfiger production is allocated to Saipan….If it should develop that any remedial action is required, then Tommy Hilfiger will play a leadership role in effecting any such actions.” Wal-Mart issued a haughty claim that the company “does not conduct business with factories in Saipan….We are continually working to educate our associates and vendors about our policies and our zero-tolerance position with regard to illegal or unethical working conditions.” At the time of that claim, according to a well-respected investigatory report in the Westchester County Weekly, Wal-Mart had reportedly contracted with a garment factory called, appropriately, Mirage, to act as its agent on Saipan. Top clothing retailers continue to sell the blouses and tank tops sewn by young Asian women in the Marianas and stamped for competitive advantage: “Made in the U.S.A.” The wage in Saipan’s garment factories is still $3.05 an hour. One day in the spring of 2004 George Miller, the California congressman, was reflecting on the Marianas. He said that improved conditions in the factories have resulted from the election and policies of Governor Pedro Tenorio, not a change of heart in Washington. “The other folks in the Marianas are doing everything they can to get rid of him and regain the hold they had. There ‘s not going to be permanent change unless there’s a legislative fix, and…. DeLay’s not going to let that happen.” Like many House Democrats, Miller had an air of grudging admiration when he spoke of the majority leader. “Last week in California he made a speech to some bankers. He told them, ‘We’ve got the House, we’ve got the Senate, and if we get another term in the White House, it ‘s ‘Katy, bar the door.'” Miller shook his head and chuckled at the implications of that metaphor. “It was hard to miss the echoes of him a few weeks ago when President Bush proposed his guest worker program from Mexico. Now, these workers are going to be committed to a single employer, they have no rights, they can be fired at any time. Where have we heard that before? Why, the Marianas Islands.” Miller reflected on what he had seen on Saipan six years earlier. “Those people were working as hard as they could possibly work. They could be fired at any moment, deported at any moment. Because contracts were bogus some of them had been made into outlaws, living in hiding. They came over there looking for better opportunity, and what they walked into was a cesspool of human misery.” Another laugh without humor. “We’re engaged in this race to globalization, and we go the last mile, and at the finish line we find Tom DeLay, making a virtue of slavery.” Lou Dubose is a former editor of the Observer. Jan Reid is the editor of Rio Grande, forthcoming from University of Texas Press. Along with Carl M. Cannon, they also wrote Boy Genius: Karl Rove, the Brains Behind the Remarkable Political Triumph of George W. Bush (PublicAffairs).

This week's piece is published in my school's paper, The YU Observer. Read a sneak peak below and then check it out the full piece! In the wrong hands, the beautiful laws of modest attire become a means of objectification by placing an inappropriate emphasis on the female body and narrowing our valuation and evaluation of Jewish women to the dimensions of our skirts, our tights (or lack thereof) and the lengths of our sheitels. But can the dimensions of my skirt encompass the dimensions of my soul? That's not my modesty. I refuse to think that's what God meant by this mitzvah. Read More If you spend any time on the modest fashion side of the internet, you're sure to come across the term "Modest is Hottest". It rhymes, it's cute, it seems like a harmless way of promoting modest fashion and assigning it value. Maybe it isn't harmful, but is it helpful? I've never liked the term. I know the point is to draw some positive attention to modest fashion, but even beyond its irreverence, it seems inconsistent with modesty. Is hotness the point of modesty? Me thinks not. Modesty should not mean dressing badly. It should not mean looking frumpy. It most certainly should not mean making oneself less attractive. But it also shouldn't be about hotness. Read More I had four goals for this year's Rosh Hashana looks: 1. Create four unique outfits 2. Mix and match as much as possible to fascilitate packing light. 3. Get one last wear out of my pretty summer dresses. 4. Work around the fact that clothes were limited because I didn't have time to do laundry last week. I took these goals as challenges and turned my limitations into opportunities for creativity. Even thought I ended up using almost the same accessories throughout and stuck with mostly the same color palette, I still ended up with four unique looks. Read More I’m a fan of transparency, no smoke and mirrors, no pretending. I like to tell it how it is. Do I try to get the most flattering shot and adjust the lighting and pick looks and strike poses that make me look my best? Absolutely. Do I try to focus on the good and avoid using the captions on this blog to vent my frustrations? Of course. But I also like to use this space for good and to provide inspiration, both aesthetic and spiritual, and to do that I have to be honest that life isn’t always rosy. Some days it’s hard to be and feel productive, some days I’m not in the mood to get dressed, and you know what? I don’t always like my body. There, I said it. Read More

Monthly Archives: October 2010 Slumdog Millionaire is a romantic drama directed by Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan. This independent film won Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs and the Oscars – and, as of 2010, it is the only movie besides Schindler’s List to concurrently receive these accolades. The mind-blowing, award-winning soundtrack by A.H. Rahman is likewise spectacular from beginning to end. Throbbing beats and electronic effects mixed with creative sitar and percussion contributions make for an ear-pleasing, aural orgasm inspired by Rahman’s variety and ingenuity. The plot concerns a boy named Jamal who was born in India and his eventual fate-driven appearance on Kaun Banega Crorepati? (India’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?) If you haven’t seen this masterpiece yet, you should absolutely stop reading, sprint toward your vehicle, rip open the car door, plunge yourself into the driver’s seat, smash the accelerator and scream down to Blockbuster. You don’t want to spend one more moment of your life without having had this viewing experience. The audience swallows life through Jamal’s innocent-yet-penetrating, wide, brown eyes. Watching this boy grow up, you truly start believing in the film’s reality; you feel as though you are observing the life of a real person. You have an intimate knowledge of Jamal and his motivations, hopes, dreams, fears and experiences by the end, along with the unshakeable feeling that you know him personally. A lack of big-name actors contributes to this immersive result. If I was watching Leonardo DiCaprio live life on the streets of India – even if he had the necessary ethnic heritage – the instilled conviction that I’d literally peered into a real person’s life would be nearly impossible to duplicate. I already think I know who Leonardo DiCaprio is. I have preconceptions about him based on the characters he’s played in the past. I’ve speculated on why he’s played them, who he is personally, and how I feel about him when I take these things into consideration. Every time I see him, I have a mixed bag of prejudicial notions which, in turn, affect the way I view him in a movie. When actors star in several movies, appear in the tabloids and give personal interviews, the pigeon-holing effect is practically inevitable. It’s the reason why many actors are typecast in the industry. Paradoxical to the “true documentary” overtone, there is a dance scene at the end which is highly unorthodox given the tone of the film; it almost attempts to counteract the realistic, dramatic feel, but only results in a confused yet rapt audience reconfirming the true chemistry which exists between the star-crossed lovers and ignoring the surreal element. Another contributory component of believability is the minimal product placement. For various reasons, companies actually refused to display their logos in the film. Companies such as Mercedes-Benz cars and Thums Up Cola didn’t want their products shown in unflattering settings (such as the slums.) There isn’t much glamorization of the slums; there are very few opportunities to appeal to audience cravings based on the context of the product. This “product displacement” creates a less commercial, more focused environment for the characters to live in. However, Marlboro Light cigarettes are seen several times in the film, leading to questions of priority and funding. The realistic feel is perpetuated by a “just the facts” story-telling approach. The story, good and bad, is merely relayed to the audience without creating an obvious expectation for a specific type of ending. The final destination is somewhat difficult to divine while you’re watching it, given the gravity of the circumstances and the absence of optimism. It is unpredictable and sporadic; it leaves the audience guessing. The film’s tone was neither positive nor negative, however; it was all over the map with positives and negatives as well as the occasional neutral occurrence. Bad guys are killed and revenge is taken for wrongs that are done; however, many children are horrifically abused and continue to be, throughout – sometimes Jamal’s rescues went awry, resulting in the further abhorrent treatment of his loved ones. Unlike most emotionally charged mainstream dramas, it doesn’t play out within the parable template. Virtue doesn’t earn you immunity in this world, but neither does vice. The only message that remained was something like, “Love conquers all,” or “We are all destined to be with one special person,” or something of that nature. Certainly, the writer believes in love and destiny… and in extensive character development. The end result is audience consideration of love and destiny – belief in fate and rejection of coincidence. Lately, one of my favorite shows is “The Big Bang Theory,” a program which was introduced to me by one of my super-geek friends. Unfortunately, I don’t have cable so I had to purchase the first season on DVD. On the back of the DVD case, it describes the show as follows: Physicists Leonard and Sheldon understand everything from the inescapable gravitational pull of a black hole to the intricate structure of the atom. But take those atoms and assemble them into a woman, and their comprehension comes to a grinding halt. And when Penny, a woman with all those atoms in the right places, moves in across the hall, Leonard and Sheldon’s universe begins to expand in ways they never could imagine. Get the idea? So our main characters are two super-geeks – physicists, in fact – who have been roommates and best friends for quite some time, living their lives quite comfortably with a narrow circle of other super-geek friends and answering all of life’s questions with scientific formulas and logical conclusions. Along comes a bouncy (and ditzy) blonde “bombshell” and their world is turned upside-down. Why? To send the message that personal relationships cannot be calculated, rationalized nor quantified by the mind; relationships require the use of the heart. Okay, now that the mushy crap is out of the way, let’s meet our characters. This is Sheldon. He is adamantly against intimacy in any form; he frequently expresses disinterest in sex and emotional interaction and indicates a clear preference for the computable, predictable world of math and science. His life is highly structured and he is ceaselessly analytical. He likes to keep things very neat and orderly. He is predominantly a static character who changes very little, if at all, throughout the first half of the first season (which is all I’ve seen so far.) As you can see, he has a short, neat, practical haircut which reflects his personality. He’s extremely tall and thin and he has very few physically attractive qualities. This is Penny, the “love interest.” (The one who likes her is actually Leonard; I’ll get to him next.) She is messy, impulsive, ditzy and impressionable – the overly-obvious antithesis of Sheldon. She is almost always cheerful while Sheldon has a consistently realistic, if not pessimistic, daily countenance. She is perky, friendly and compassionate – which is intended to compensate for her lack of intellect. She is a more malleable character and we watch the guys rub off on her as time goes on. This is Leonard. He is the happy medium between Sheldon and Penny. He combines Penny’s flexibility with Sheldon’s insanely altitudinous I.Q. He is just as smart and successful a physicist as Sheldon, but he does not possess his frustratingly retentive qualities. Leonard lends himself to the audience as a more relatable character; one to whom we are attracted and one whom we see ourselves as being. His hairstyle reflects flexibility as well; on top, it’s a tossed mop of wild curls and unruly waves reined in only slightly by his neatly trimmed sides. His glasses are geeky yet chic, and he is a beautifully medium build. The show’s initial intent appears to be the presentation of nerd/geek/gamer culture in a palatable way, resulting in partial comprehension of geek psychology. It immediately appeals to nerds, geeks and gamers as well as intellectuals while simultaneously appealing to the broader populous of 19-35 year olds who are secretly pi-curious. The show is accompanied by the old standby laugh track, indicating to viewers when something is funny. This is something of a necessity with cerebral jokes sometimes floating vaguely near the forehead. I was a bit unsure of how to label the show: it could be considered a situation comedy as well as a domestic comedy. Both seem to fit. Recurring cast? Check. Each episode establishes a situation, complicates it, develops increasing confusion among its characters, and then usually resolves the complications? Check. Characters are usually static and predictable? Check – for the most part. Stress is “always funny”? Check. Viewers feel slightly superior to the characters? Check, I suppose, but not by much if we’re talking about Leonard. Characters and settings are usually more important than complicated predicaments? Hmm… seems like it – check? Goofy situation as a subplot with the main narrative featuring a personal problem or family crisis that characters have to solve? Check… but certain episodes play out one way while others play out quite differently. Takes place primarily at home? Check. Main emphasis is how characters react to one another? Check! Now that we’re all completely unsure of genre, let’s move on to cultural messages. The episode that I chose to watch specifically for this project ended up being one in which the emphasis was on silliness. The plot was this: a girl from Penny’s hick hometown (Omaha) – who was “sort of family” because she had slept with Penny’s cousin while she was engaged to Penny’s brother – invites herself to stay with Penny after a telephone conversation. She promptly comes to visit Penny unexpectedly. After a discussion about how “easy” Omaha-girl is, Howard – a socially inept and physically unattractive member of the geek squad – proceeds to sleep with her, proving to the audience (which isn’t taught to have much sympathy for, nor interest in, Howard) that she will, indeed, sleep with anyone she meets. As a result of Howard’s newfound sexually active lifestyle, he begins to abandon the geek squad. Sheldon, who thrives on consistency and predictability (he plans down to the minute when things are expected to occur) is completely thrown by the change in group dynamics and confounded by the complication in numerical divisibility among them (there were four; now there are three.) Howard represents an undesirable Jewish stereotype. He is awkward but self-obsessed; he thinks he is smooth, but his demeanor is cringe-inducing. He is physically unattractive with an outmoded haircut. He lives with and is beholden to his mother for fear of being extricated from her will. The message is clear: dependence on parents or family is highly disagreeable. Similarly, Penny’s independence and solitude is threatened by her “almost-family” member. The Omaha-girl’s presence is seen as an invasion of privacy and space. The girl from Omaha has “loose sexual morals,” sleeping with “everyone in Omaha,” and now sleeping with everyone she meets here in California. She is dubbed a “whore” by both the physically- and personally-desirable main female character, Penny, and by our beloved, always-right, always-candid super-nerd, Sheldon. In this poorly-written episode, the writers attempt to dissuade viewer sympathy toward “Omaha” by suddenly insinuating that she is a gold-digger. However, this is a very loosely-framed assumption because the folks in Omaha (of whom she has slept with every one) are not portrayed as well-off individuals. In contrast, Howard has slept with few partners, if any. Culturally, this reinforces the message that the inability to acquire partners equally as ill-favored as having a long list of partners. What Howard and “Omaha” have in common is an active interest in sexual activity; this is also portrayed as a poor quality. The other notable theme of this program is the rejection of stereotypes (for the most part – Howard is a glaring exception.) Throughout the series, all characters are equally shown engaging in inadvertent racism; the event is portrayed in humorously awkward ways with the intent of indicating to the viewer these points: - Inadvertent racism can be engaged in by anyone. The unintentional participation in stereotyping and prejudice is due to social construction which manipulates and skews our perspectives on other cultures and encourages labels and assumptions. - Racism and prejudice are silly and ridiculous; stereotypes are almost guaranteed to be an inaccurate assessment of an individual. Product placement for this episode included the Xbox360 (which everyone enjoys playing; even the non-geeky girl), Halo 3 (which the geeks play every Wednesday), Frosted Mini Wheats (on top of Sheldon and Leonard’s refrigerator), Rold Gold Pretzels (on the counter with the label showing), Dr. Who (which Sheldon watches every Saturday at precisely 6:15am), and Care Bears (which Penny has a collection of in her room; though they remained unseen, they were referred to.)

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Pluralistic Perspectives Illuminating Life on Campus “My experiences at Hebrew College really prepared me to work at Hillel in some very dramatic ways. As a Rabbinical student in a pluralistic school, I learned to speak to different types of Jews.” – Rabbi Getzel Davis, Rab`13, MJEd’13 Getzel Davis stands at the forefront of a national movement that seeks to welcome college students more fully into Jewish living. With passion and wisdom honed during his years at Hebrew College, Davis reaches out to Jewish students from a wide range of backgrounds, including those who have yet to find their way to Judaism. As rabbi and educator at Harvard Hillel, “my goal” he says “is to regularly interrupt people’s lives with moments of meaning, connection, and liberation.” That could mean teaching classes with clever names like Shal-Om and Jew Curious, or counseling students in need. The work is most rewarding, he says, when he helps students “take risks to aid in their own growth and to strengthen the good of the world.” “It is clear to students from all different backgrounds that Getzel is very knowledgeable and takes his Judaism seriously, but he does not expect it to take the same shape in their lives as it takes in his own. He wants students to be happy with their Judaism and to find a Judaism that fits them. Getzel always has the same joy of life and genuinely kind manner with students but he offers a very different pastoral experience to each student based on what they need.” –Theo Motzkin, Harvard undergraduate student Getzel’s passion for connecting people to meaningful Jewish life extends beyond his work at Harvard Hillel. “I became a rabbi because I believe Judaism has the power to reconnect us to our community, our family and God. Unfortunately, searching for a rabbi can sometimes make people feel disconnected or worse. I want to build communities that celebrate each and every person’s complexity.” As founder and executive director of Unorthodox Celebrations, Getzel has created a service to provide unaffiliated Jews with access to inspiring clergy at key lifecycle moments—for weddings, baby namings and bar/bat mitzvahs and to ensure everyone will know that they are strongly valued. The Rabbinical School of Hebrew College will be celebrating Rabbi Davis and his fellow alumni serving in the Greater Boston area at Madlik, on Saturday, December 2, 7 pm at Hebrew College. Rabbi Getzel Davis is an associate rabbi and Jewish educator at Harvard Hillel and serves as a Harvard University chaplain. Born and raised in New York City, Rabbi Davis earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Brandeis University and his Rabbinic Ordination and Master’s of Jewish Education from the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College and the Shoolman Graduate School of Jewish Education. During rabbinical school, he served as a rabbinic intern at Boston Synagogue and Spiritual Director of Eden Village Camp. He has also worked as a Jewish social justice educator at American Jewish World Service, Bend the Ark, PANIM, and Teva Learning Alliance.

Treblinka extermination camp from Warsaw Treblinka was an extermination camp, built and operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland during World War II. Together with the camps at Bełżec and Sobibor, was one of the Operation Reinhard extermination camps. How to visit the Treblinka death camp from Warsaw Located 1,5 hours drive from Warsaw, is the place where Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto were sent for extermination during WWII, but also Jews from other locations. Consisted of: Treblinka I - Forced Labor Camp (1941 - 1944) and Treblinka II - Death Camp Part of the Operation Reinhard (1942 - 1943). «Treblinka - to people from outside this name might sound friendly.» «It was hell, an absolute hell. A normal person can not imagine how anyone could survive it. Murderers, born murderers without a trace of conscience would kill any, even the smallest being» Wrote Kalman Taigman, one of the few prisoners who survived the Treblinka camp, years later. History of Treblinka Treblinka is a small village located on the Bug river and is around 110 km from Warsaw. It takes around 1,5 hours by car to get there. The organization of the «Final Solution» was discussed during the Wannsee Conference on January 20th, 1942, chaired by Reinhard Heydrich, one of the high-rank SS officers, and attended by the leading representatives of the Reich's ministries. The systematic extermination of Jews, disguised as "final solution" had already been decided at the highest level in July 1941, and Reinhard Heydrich had been entrusted with its realization through a written directive by Herman Göring. The execution of the systematic extermination was assigned to Odilo Globocnik, who was the leader of the SS and the police in the Lublin district at that time. In the context of Operation Reinhard (Aktion Reinhard), named so probably after Reinhard Heydrich, extermination camps were established in Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka. SS-Sturmbahnführer Christian Wirth was charged with the inspection of the camps. The extermination camp Treblinka II was set up in July 1942, about 4km away from the village and railway station of Treblinka. The camp was built by prisoners of the forced labor camp Treblinka l, which had existed since July 1941, and by workers from the surrounding area. According to present-day estimations, about 900.000 people had been killed when the death camp was closed down in November 1943 (period of 13 months). The vast majority of the victims were Jews most of which had lived in Poland but who also came from other European countries. The gas chambers, (approximately 4 x 4 meters), camouflaged as shower rooms, were located in a brick building. In the beginning, there were 3 operating gas chambers. Later, in a newly erected building, there were 10 gas chambers in which up to 5,000 victims could be killed at a time. Exhaust fumes from Russian diesel engines were introduced through the shower heads and the victims suffocated in torment. Usually, the killing process lasted between 20 and 25 minutes. The gas chambers had two doors. Through the first door, victims were pushed into the chambers from the central corridor. After they had been killed their corpses were removed from the chambers through the second door at the rear of the building. There was a group of prisoners who had to remove the corpses from the gas chambers. READ ALSO: Auschwitz Visit Uprising in Treblinka In 1943 prisoners at Treblinka dared active resistance. Caused by rumors about the liquidation of the camp in early 1943 a group of prisoners was formed to organize the uprising. The liquidation of the camp would mean sure death for the remaining prisoners since the SS systematically liquidated all the eyewitnesses of their atrocities. At about 4 pm on August 2nd, 1943 the uprising started, in which almost 840 prisoners participated. With the help of a duplicate key, the members of the resistance group had managed to remove weapons from the SS armory. The insurgents set several buildings of the camp on fire but did not manage to completely destroy the gas chambers. With the help of a telephone line that had remained intact, the commandant of the camp, Stangl, managed to call for help and thus suppress the uprising. Around 60 prisoners managed to escape and some of them later bore witness to what had happened in the extermination camp of Treblinka. A lot of Jewish were deported from the Warsaw Ghetto to Treblinka during the Second World War. That was one of the main reasons which led to the famous Ghetto Uprising and later inspired the Warsaw Uprising as well. Treblinka from Warsaw (Tour) Definitely, when you do not have a car rental, the easiest way to visit Treblinka from Warsaw is by an organized tour that includes transfer services from your hotel or apartment in Warsaw. A tour from Warsaw looks like below: - First, you are going to visit two Memorial sides in Warsaw which are connected to Treblinka: Umschlagplatz and the Warsaw Ghetto Heroes Monument. - Then, you will visit the Treblinka museum with an exposition presenting the organization of the camp and its miniature. - After, you are going to walk among the ruins of the Penal Labour Camp (Treblinka I). - Finally, you are going to see the place of the Extermination Camp (Treblinka II). - Lastly, the driver will take you to a local restaurant for lunch and you will return to Warsaw around 15:30. Such a tour takes approximately 6 hours and starts from your hotel in Warsaw around 9:00 in the morning and ends at your hotel in Warsaw around 15:30. It is the best way to visit Treblinka from Warsaw. Tour Highlights (Warsaw to Treblinka) - Visit the Umschlagplatz and the Warsaw Ghetto Heroes Monument in Warsaw. - Visit the Treblinka Museum. - Learn about World War II and the Holocaust - Visit Treblinka I (Penal Labor Camp) - Visit Treblinka II (Extermination Camp) - Traditional Polish Lunch is included - Wi-Fi in most of the cars. - Transportation by a private car/minivan with hotel pickup from Warsaw. For only one-way transfer from Warsaw to Treblinka is approximately 1.5 hours, and the whole tour takes around 6 hours. Treblinka Extermination camp operated from July 1942 to October 1943. During this one year, around 900,000 mostly Jews from both central Poland and Europe were murdered. Now, it is a symbolic place marked by 17,000 stones. It is a place of Memory, a place where you need to leave your senses free in order to feel the place and what's happened there. Finally, a criminal labor camp is located 1.5 miles from the death camp. In this place, the Nazis murdered more than 10,000 Polish people. 8 people 7 people 6 people 5 people 4 people 3 people 2 people 1 people €50 €52 €56 €61 €70 €82 €110 €195 Get an Offer for Renting a Car Plan your Trip to Treblinka from Warsaw Going with an organized tour and in case you are the only person to visit Treblinka from Warsaw that day, you will need to pay around €200. In case you cannot afford this price, then you need to do it alone. Unfortunately without a car rental, the transport to the place is a bit difficult. Rent a car from Warsaw and travel to Treblinka might be the best option in this case. You can rent a car for one day and it should not cost more than €30 plus a gas consumption of let's say another €30. Not only you can go to Treblinka, but you can also enjoy some beautiful places in the Polish countryside of Warsaw. Install the Audio Guide for Treblinka and take your trip alone. You can also book your visit to the Treblinka Museum in advance. In case you cannot find the audio guide, just search for (Obóz Zagłady Treblinka II) in the Play Store or iPhone's App Store. Finally, the entrance to the Treblinka museum is only 7 PLN and you can also buy a map and an information book with another 23 PLN from the kiosk outside the camps and museum. In case you need more help, please contact me. Reach Treblinka with Train from Warsaw One way is to get a train to Małkinia (Treblinka), which departs either to Białystok (and beyond) or Warsaw (and beyond). There are two main destinations in Warsaw for these trains: Warszawa Wileńska (Koleje Mazowieckie - green / yellow/black/white trains), and Warszawa Centralna (Intercity trains, grey-blue). Take the latter, as it is generally faster. Timetable: www.intercity.pl/en (Intercity trains only). You can also find all possible trains and routes by using the: «rozklad-pkp.pl» website. The train should not cost more than 40 PLN and it's about 1 hour and 10 minutes to get to the Małkinia station. Unfortunately, there might not be trains every day, so plan this in advance. From the Małkinia station to the museum it's around 8 km one way, so I don't think you'll pay more than 30-40 PLN for a taxi one way. It might be hard to find an English-speaking driver, bus this should not be a problem. Just make sure you confirm the price in advance and that it took you outside the Treblinka Museum. Walking between Treblinka I and Treblinka II is around 2 km and it will also take you around 30 minutes. Make sure you allowed a time of at least 2,5 to 3 hours to see both camps and the Treblinka museum. Extreme Plan - Rent a Bike! Rent a city bike from Warsaw center and load it into the train to Małkinia in order to cover the 10 km on the bike. It will take you about 7 hours in total and the bike rental will cost around €10-€12. Get out in Małkinia station and then you drive with the bike to Treblinka. It should be around 30 minutes to ride in the beautiful surroundings. Install your Free Audio guide and you visit all the important parts of Treblinka - Obóz Zagłady Treblinka II. It's good to also have Google Maps. You can then return to the train station in the same way! Be Aware! You cannot exceed a total of 12 Hours for Bike Rental because you are going to have a penalty. You can return the bike to any station in Warsaw! Check also our article about all the transportation options from Warsaw. Was this article useful to plan your trip to Treblinka? Articles Most People Read - Best places to Party in Warsaw, Poland - Easter in Poland: Traditions, Eggs and Basket - Warsaw & Krakow Airports - How to Get to the City center - 20 Pictures from Poland to Fall in Love - Ζωή στην Βαρσοβία, Κόστος και Πώς να Βρείτε Δουλειά - Poland money: Does Poland Use the Euro Currency? - Best of Warsaw Countryside, Especially with Kids - Μουσείο Άουσβιτς Ι, Ξενάγηση και Ιστορία - How to visit the Wolf's Lair from Warsaw Some links on this page are affiliate links. Meaning, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a small commission, only if you book something through my links! I recommend only the best-known companies and products! Many images on this website come from Pixabay - Free License. Other images are mine and for the rest, I should have a link to the source of the picture.

Stefan Heym: “Ahasver” Pilot Project for a Digital Historical-Critical Edition Project Management: Prof. Dr. Bernadette Malinowski (Technische Universität Chemnitz) · Technische Universität Chemnitz · Dr Thomas Burch (Universität Trier - Trier Center for Digital Humanities (TCDH)) · Universität Trier - Trier Center for Digital Humanities (TCDH) Project Participants: Cambridge University Library · Penguin Random House (Bertelsmann Verlag) Sponsors: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) Running time: - Keywords: “born digital”, Manuscripts, Typoscripts, Text Genesis, 20th century The project consists of a digital, annotated, historical-critical edition of the novel “Ahasver” by Stefan Heym. It is considered a pilot project for a digital historical-critical complete edition of the novel. The unique legal situation and, thus, the possibility of the extensive use of the estate material as well as the working library (which is accessible for the first time) provide the opportunity to present a contemporary author of cultural and socio-political significance in this way for the first time. Born in Chemnitz as the son of a Jewish businessman, Stefan Heym began working as a journalist at an early age. Due to the political events of 1933, he fled to the USA via Prague. Fought for the US armed forces as a sergeant in the Allied Invasion of Normandy, but left the United States in protest against the Korean War in 1951 and settled in East Berlin in 1952. Initially celebrated as a publicist, he was expelled from the GDR Writers' Association in 1979 and since then, he lived in constant confrontation with the apparatus of power. The novel “Ahasver” In “Ahasver”, Heym recounts the myth of the legend of the “eternal Jew”: Because he does not let Jesus rest on his doorstep on the way to the crucifixion site, Ahasver, the shoemaker from Jerusalem, is cursed to wander around the earth restlessly until Jesus' return. The novel “Ahasver” was published in 1981 for the first time by the Bertelsmann Verlag (just in time for the Luther year). A translation by Heym himself followed in 1983 at Holt in New York. Due to a publication ban, the text was only printed in the GDR a year before the fall of the Wall at the publishing house “Der Morgen” and a year after the fall as a licensed edition by the publishing house “Volk und Welt”. Like most of Heym's other works, “Ahasver” (with the exception of the GDR publications) was printed in all new, work and paperback editions, identical to the first edition without any changes. Furthermore, the text has not been provided with paratextual additions such as a foreword or afterword or a commentary apparatus in any edition so far. The pre-mortem bequest (›Vorlass‹), which Stefan Heym donated to the Cambridge University Library in 1992, comprises around 300 archive boxes with manuscripts, preliminary studies on literary texts, audio and video tapes, reviews, newspaper clippings as well as leaflets and letters. The considerations of bequeathing his archive abroad reached back to the 1980s, when Heym feared that his ›papers‹ would disappear due to the GDR regime in the event of his death (cf. Zehl-Romero 2003, 396). If one looks at the research literature on Heym's works that has been published since the archive material was accessed, i.e. since the mid-1990s, it is noticeable that the material available in Cambridge was hardly taken into account. If you look specifically at the research on Stefan Heym's novel “Ahasver”, it is easy to see that some questions or speculations regarding the sources Heym used for his text can be answered, if you looked for the answers in the Cambridge Archive. Worldwide availability, searchability and multiple perspectives for the Heym`s works Systems such as the “Research Network and Database System” (FuD) produced by the TCDH together with the Research Center Europe and the Collaborative Research Center 600 and the Transcribo tool for interactive transcription of manuscripts and typescripts developed as part of “Arthur Schnitzler digital (ASd)” are of particular interest for the Heym Edition. With regard to the online publication of the results, modules such as those developed for ASd can be used immediately by using the same basic technology.

By Zoe Yabrove By Bree Davies By Byron Graham By Susan Froyd By Josiah M. Hesse By Bree Davies By Susan Froyd By Kate Gibbons The Theatre Group's version of Cabaretis heavily influenced by Sam Mendes, the celebrated English director who revived the musical in New York a few years ago to a chorus of critical praise. That run still continues. It places more emphasis on the seedy viciousness of the milieu than either the 1951 play (I Am a Camera, based on Christopher Isherwood's stories of his life in Berlin during the early 1930s), or the 1966 musical that eventually became a hit movie starring Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli. The decadence we witness at the Kit Kat Klub has been drained of sensuality. Though John Kander's marvelous songs retain their toe-tapping appeal (and are wonderfully played by a seven-person band), they're presented by a group of chorines who look as if they've either been smacked around a lot or are in the terminal stages of alcohol and drug addiction. We see bruises, sullen faces, torn stockings, black underwear against slack, pasty skin. The choreography, which is terrific, involves a lot of kicking, thrusting and squatting. Nicholas Sugar, who choreographed, plays the Emcee as the epicene, barely human spirit of the Weimar Republic. He prances, poses, mimes buggery and other sex acts, grins like a demented clown and grabs for any crotch within reach, male or female. This terrifying figure often escapes the Kit Kat Klub to hover at the edges of events taking place elsewhere. Sugar embodies the role with such relish that he holds the entire production together. Director Steven Tangedal has staged the play so that the audience is positioned as the clientele of the Kit Kat Klub; a few tables are within the sphere of the action. It's guilt by association, but the crowd on the night I attended seemed, for the most part, unaware of any dark undertones. They were chatty and celebratory. The ladies sitting behind me found several scenes cute. There were some gasps and tut-tuts at particularly graphic gestures or when the Emcee bared his swastika-adorned bottom, but it seemed to be the nakedness rather than the swastika that shocked. People laughed when the chorines goose-stepped, and they seemed to miss the implications in Sugar's savagely funny dance with a flirtatious gorilla -- at least until the script spelled it out for them: She's a Jew. So it was probably appropriate that the ending pretty much hit the audience over the head with some intense Holocaust symbolism, an unpleasant reminder of what eventually happened not only to Germany's Jews and gypsies, but to people like the Emcee. The cabaret scenes fill the small theater with pulsating sound and emotion, and the nasty aftertaste left in your mouth is intentional, but the script, by Joe Masteroff, is less strong. Cabaret details two love affairs: the infatuation of a young American with the English chanteuse Sally Bowles, and the sunset affection that blooms between landlady Fräulein Schneider and a middle-aged Jewish greengrocer. The dialogue in these scenes seems perfunctory, and some of the characters two-dimensional. Jim Miller acquits himself honorably as the low-key young American, but he's something of a stock character -- the innocent (despite one prolonged homosexual kiss) young American abroad, who falls in love with a lost and decadent European girl and tries to save her by bringing her home to mother. There's even the regulation face slap when he realizes that Sally has aborted the baby he hopes is his. (Isherwood, of course, had little sexual interest in the real Sally Bowles.) We've met the doomed Jewish greengrocer before, too, though he certainly had his real-life German counterparts. He's reminiscent of the elderly Jew on Katherine Anne Porter's Ship of Fools who insisted on returning to Germany in 1931 because he felt himself more German than Jewish. "What are they going to do?" he asked. "Kill all of us?" The production also features some less-than-convincing performances. Jodi Brinkman's Sally Bowles is very strong when she's performing at the Kit Kat Klub, where her larger-than-life gestures fit the situation. Brinkman knows when to make her numbers genuinely moving and when to make them repellent; she gives a strong rendition of the title song that substitutes rage for the kind of tuneful bravery we associate with Liza Minnelli. But in the intimate scenes with the American, Brinkman's performance is far too broad, and she employs a farcical English accent. (It must be said that most of the German accents were hugely distracting as well.) There are many ways of seeing Sally Bowles. Isherwood's original was a self-destructive and extraordinarily ignorant nineteen-year-old, a seductress who managed to be by turns plain and beautiful and who had the dirty hands of a little girl. Minnelli played her as a gamine. Brinkman's Sally is hardened and older. The trouble with this interpretation is that the character's narcissism and blindness, which could be forgiven in someone inexperienced, make her seem either utterly callous or thick as a brick. No one knows what happened to the real Sally Bowles, and no one's likely to worry too much about the fate of this one. Deborah Persoff brings grace to the character of Fräulein Schneider, but she's a little stagey, and she never quite convinces as a middle-aged German landlady. Though she's not really a singer, she gives such a full and gutsy performance of Schneider's Brechtian laments that she makes them work. She also forces us to take a long look at the much-reviled image of the good German. How can she, powerless and penniless, deal with Nazism other than by keeping her head down, she asks -- and there's no possible answer. In a world of shaky accents and roles that don't quite fit their actors, Joey Wishnia as gentle, loving Herr Schultz has a huge advantage. He looks and sounds like the character he's supposed to be. It's Wishnia who creates the evening's few and much-needed moments of genuine warmth. Cabaret is well staged and well lit, and it's energetically performed. In all, it's one hell of an achievement for an independent theater company. Find everything you're looking for in your city Find the best happy hour deals in your city Get today's exclusive deals at savings of anywhere from 50-90% Check out the hottest list of places and things to do around your city

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20030221/EZUND/TPComment/Editorials Hasn't Canada seen the last of Zundel? Friday, February 21, 2003 - Page A14 Ernst Zundel, stateless. Imagine that. A nomad, a wanderer, a rootless cosmopolitan. It's almost enough to make the fellow identify with the Jews! Not Mr. Zundel, whose life has been dedicated to vilifying Jewish people. Having made a very big mistake -- not realizing how lucky he was to possess something called "permanent-resident status" in Canada -- this professional anti-Semite foolishly left to ply his hateful trade in the United States. In short, he snubbed Canada. He said Canada considered him a Holocaust-denier and tried through the Canadian Human Rights Commission to shut down his Web site. "Well, now I'm in Canada-denial. I've put Canada behind me," he said last year from his new home in Tennessee. Lo and behold, the Americans did not like him any better than we did. After overstaying his visa and failing to appear for a meeting with immigration authorities, he was kicked out for the next 20 years. So he's back here, knocking at the door. There are reports that he wishes to claim refugee status. He apparently fears that Germany, his birthplace, which has strong anti-hate and Holocaust-denial laws, would persecute him on the basis of his beliefs if he were deported there and pursued his vocation. Mr. Zundel appears not to understand the difference between a persecution and a prosecution in a democratic country that respects human rights. And weren't Canada's liberal refugee laws designed with the memory of the Jews in mind -- the shameful period of the 1930s and 40s when Canada turned its back on those who sought to flee for their lives? What a grotesque irony. But he might decide instead to argue that he is still a permanent resident of this country. Under a Canadian law that took effect last summer, individuals who have been out of Canada for more than three of the past five years may be stripped of permanent-resident status. (The old law said permanent status could be lost if the person were out of the country for more than half the previous year.) Canada should do what it lawfully can to ensure that this country never again becomes this man's home. Ernst Zundel does not deserve such a home. His Web site was described by the human rights commission as a place where Jews are described in the most rabid manner. Before the Internet, he was a major publisher of anti-Semitic tracts. Canada does not deserve him, either. If Mr. Zundel seeks permanent residency, this country should fight it. If he seeks refugee status, it should promptly deport him when, inevitably, he loses. It is unpleasant to contemplate having this clown prince of bigotry inside this country's borders once more; but above all, Canada values due process and the rule of law, even for those who mock those values. Canada should not do Mr. Zundel the honour of turning its laws and procedures inside out to prevent future Ernst Zundels from making a mockery of our system. In particular, the government should not concoct some means of declaring him a threat to national security, as reports say it might, to deprive him of a day in court. He is not the first to try to exploit the refugee system. Accused torturers, terrorists and war criminals have already done that, and the federal government has quite properly taken steps to streamline the appeals process, while maintaining due process. This is a tolerant land. Its highest court once struck down a conviction against Mr. Zundel for spreading false news, arguing that such a crime should not exist in a free and democratic society. And we agreed with that ruling. But enough is enough. Ernst Zundel has taken up far too much of this country's time and attention, and should claim no more of it beyond the legal hearing to which our rules entitle him. When he left, he said it was forever. So it should be. Canada should not become a haven for the hateful. Site Map · What's New? · Home · Site Map · What's New? · Search Nizkor

Firestorm: The Bombing of Dresden 1945 Paul Addison, Jeremy A. Crang Pimlico, 2006 - Dresden (Germany) - 260 pages On the night of 13 and 14 February 1945 the RAF bombed the city of Dresden, causing devastating fires which obliterated the historic city centre and killed many thousands of people. Sixty years later these raids remain one of the most notorious, and also one of the most controversial, episodes in the history of the Second World War. Firestorm: The Bombing of Dresden 1945 assembles a cast of distinguished scholars, including Sebastian Cox, David Bloxham, Nicola Lambourne, Soenke Neitzel, Richard Overy and Hew Strachan, to review the origins, conduct, and consequences of the raids. Each contributor writes from his or her own perspective, offering the reader a panoramic reassessment of the evidence and the issues, including the question of whether or not the bombing of the city constitutes a war crime. Firestorm cogently demonstrates the reasons why Dresden has come to symbolise the military and ethical questions involved in the waging of total war. What people are saying - Write a review Review: Firestorm: The Bombing of Dresden, 1945User Review - Michael Greening - Goodreads Fine book about horrific events in Dresden. Not for the faint of heart... Read full review Review: Firestorm: The Bombing of Dresden, 1945User Review - Miranda Ruth - Goodreads A good companion to Frederick Taylor's study on the same subject (read Taylor first, ideally), this is a collection of essays well worth reading. Included are a remarkable account of a Jewish couple's ... Read full review

Patriotic Historical Treasure Hunt Starring: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Sean Bean, Jon Voight, and Harvey Keitel Genre: Action Adventure/Mystery Audience: All ages Runtime: 100 minutes Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures/Buena Director: Jon TurteltaubPRODUCERS: Jerry Bruckheimer and Jon Turteltaub Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer and Jon Mike Stenson, Chad Oman, Christina Steinberg, Barry Waldman, Oren Aviv, and Writer: Jim Kouf, Cormac Wibberley and Marianne WibberleyBASED ON THE NOVEL/PLAY BY: N/A Address Comments To:Michael Eisner, Chairman/CEO Buena Vista Distribution Co. (Walt Disney Pictures, Caravan, Hollywood, Miramax, and Touchstone Pictures) Dick Cook, Chairman The Walt Disney Company 500 South Buena Vista Street Burbank, CA 91521 Phone: (818) 560-1000 GENRE: Action Adventure/Mystery The movie opens with a young boy, Benjamin Franklin Gates, exploring his father’s attic for a book about his family’s history. His grandfather arrives and tells Ben how one of their ancestors in 1832 was given a clue to hidden treasure by the last remaining Founding Father who signed the American Declaration of Independence. The treasure supposedly contains priceless artifacts from the Temple of Solomon and other treasures amassed by The Knights Templar during medieval times. Some believe the treasure made its way to the United States in the 1700s. Ben’s ancestors believe the treasure fell into the hands of some of the Founding Fathers who were also Freemasons and who cleverly hid the treasure from Great Britain. Ben’s father, Patrick Henry Gates, however, has given up believing in the treasure. Thirty years later, Ben is leading an expedition to the Arctic Circle, where an old buried ship may hold clues to the treasure’s whereabouts. A pipe and a coded verse in the ship lead Ben to believe that the back of the original Declaration of Independence contains a map to the treasure. Ben thinks, however, that it would be impossible to get the government to let them look, and he tells his shady financial backer, Ian Howe, that very thought. Ian’s solution is to propose stealing the Declaration of Independence. Ben and his friend Riley, a witty computer whiz, object, so Ian tries to kill them. Ian thinks he succeeds, but Ben and Riley survive. Back in Washington, D.C., Ben and Riley try to tell the government about Ian’s plot, but the unimaginative, practical bureaucrats don’t believe his story. Ben decides that the only way to protect the Declaration is to steal it for himself and get the treasure before Ian gets hold of it. Thus begins an elaborate search for clues, which leads Ben, Riley and a skeptical female official at the National Archives on the adventure of a lifetime. Yapping at their heels, of course, are Ian and his evil henchmen, and the FBI. As the clues pile up with no treasure in sight, Ben begins to wonder if his father isn’t right – that the clues were just a way for the Founding Fathers to keep the British occupied in a fruitless search for a hidden treasure that doesn’t really exist. The title of this movie, NATIONAL TREASURE, is ironic. The real national treasure is not the riches amassed by secret societies like The Knights Templar and the Freemasons. The real national treasure is the Declaration of Independence and its ideals of liberty and justice for all. Another treasure is the family bonds that Ben ultimately feels for his father and his ancestors. Besides hunting for physical treasures that may not exist, Ben sorely wants to redeem his family’s name, because countless “experts” and government bureaucrats have scoffed at the Gates family and its hunt for legendary treasure. Many of the clues in the movie are revealed through the Declaration and at historical sites such as the Independence Hall complex in Philadelphia, where the Liberty Bell resides. Although the clues are affiliated with some well-known Masonic symbols and codes, the movie doesn’t extol any Masonic rituals or beliefs per se. Instead, the main goal of the clues is to excite viewers about the details of early American history, especially those surrounding the Founding Fathers who wrote the Declaration of Independence. Still, viewers must be careful not to let the movie’s love for American history spill over into love for the mystical mysteries of the Freemasons and the Masonic Lodge, because the Masonic Lodge is a secret brotherhood that, among other things, waters down and contradicts the truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Christian-Hebrew Scriptures. For example, some, if not many or most, Masons and Freemasons, especially those of higher degree, get involved in syncretistic and occult ideas, such as universal salvation and Jewish Kabbalism. To be on the safe side, it’s best for Christians not to associate with secretive groups like the Masons which allow people from other religions to become members and even leaders. Here, it is also important to note that many New Agers and occultists like to appropriate and extol Masonic images and rituals, giving them a New Page, occult spin, much in the same way they often like to appropriate, extol, and distort Christian and Non-Christian images and rituals. For example, although both New Agers and a Christian like J.R.R. Tolkien use the Greek myth of Atlantis, the New Agers use it to venerate New Age ideas, but Tolkien uses it to venerate monotheistic and Christian ideas and moral ideals in his masterpiece, THE SILMARILLION. Discerning Christians must be careful, however, about mixing Non-Christian images, symbols, myths, and ideas with Christian ones. Christians must also be careful about diluting and distorting biblical theology. The filmmakers behind NATIONAL TREASURE are definitely more interested in honoring early American history, the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence, and ideals such as liberty, traditional family values, bravery, honor, patriotism, loyalty, and justice. Their movie also contains positive depictions of the FBI. There is, however, a slightly annoying, obliquely multicultural comment about ancient treasures belonging to the whole world and some very light moral relativism about stealing something valuable so that the villain cannot get it and eventually destroy it. On the other hand, the movie rebukes greed, celebrates American liberty (America’s gift to the world), and shows that a greater good is achieved and served. Benjamin Franklin Gates is probably the most heroic and wholesome role Nicolas Cage has played so far. He does a great job. Newcomer Justin Bartha is extremely funny as Cage’s witty and humorous sidekick. If he chooses good projects, he could be a star, as could Diane Kruger (TROY), who is perfect as the smart, beautiful, and honorable heroine. Veteran actor Sean Bean (THE LORD OF THE RINGS and PATRIOT GAMES) is a strong, charismatic villain. Jon Voight turns in a warm, dignified performance as Ben’s caring, strong-willed father. Jon Turteltaub does a wonderful job of keeping the story moving and managing all of the cinematic elements at his command. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer is often falsely accused of creating bombastic action movies, but here he lets character and humor propel the story, and the action is thoroughly exciting, not bombastic or overly loud. Bruckheimer has produced many patriotic, MOVIEGUIDE® Award movies, including PEARL HARBOR, REMEMBER THE TITANS and ARMAGEDDON. All in all, NATIONAL TREASURE provides loads of family-friendly fun. The adventure is exciting, the mystery is intriguing, the suspense is taut, and the humor is full and almost entirely squeaky clean (there is one joke, though, where Ben’s annoyed father wonders if Ben has gotten the heroine pregnant, and she turns to Ben’s friend and asks, “Do I look pregnant?”). Furthermore, the foul language is very light and minor, and there is no sex or nudity. Finally, the violence is not mean or gruesome, despite a few brief shots of human skeletons. NATIONAL TREASURE is one of the best, most family-friendly movies of 2004. There’s at least one non-animated action movie this holiday season that parents shouldn’t be embarrassed to take their children to see. NATIONAL TREASURE is the one. Rated PG, NATIONAL TREASURE uses at least a couple Masonic symbols to help locate the treasure, but it avoids the occult, ritualistic, Non-Christian ideas of the Masons. Instead, the movie concentrates on honoring early American history, the Founding Fathers, the Declaration of Independence, and ideals such as liberty, traditional family values, bravery, honor, patriotism, loyalty, and justice. All in all, NATIONAL TREASURE provides loads of family-friendly fun. The actors are great, the adventure is exciting, the mystery is intriguing, the suspense is taut, and the humor is full and almost entirely squeaky clean.

Google News “Spotlight” popped up a NY Times article today that asked in it’s title: “Is Your Religion Your Financial Destiny?” According to the article, the most affluent of the major religions, including secularism, is Reform Judaism. What’s more, 67% of Reform Jewish households made more than $75k per year. Hindus and Conservative Jews take the #2 and 3 spots. On the other end are Pentecostals, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Baptists. In each case, 20 percent or fewer of followers made at least $75,000. The share of Baptist households making $40,000 or less is roughly the same as the share of Reform Jews making $100,000 or more. While I’m not sure religious belief has anything to do with the income discrepancy between religions, it’s clearly due to the values placed in each culture (because let’s face it, in America, for many of us, religions is our culture — even if we’re not religious.) In other families – perhaps other non Jewish families – money wasn’t the considered the most important definition of success. I couldn’t choose not to go to college, nor could I choose to be satisfied in a lower-wage position when I knew the only thing stopping me from upward mobility would be myself, and myself being a coward. But, given I was able to go to college and graduate with no debt, the bravery had a cushion behind it at all times. The article points out that “the differences are also self-reinforcing. People who make more money can send their children to better schools, exacerbating the many advantages they have over poorer children. Round and round, the cycle goes. It won’t solve itself.”

After my good fortune and a successful business meeting in Los Angeles, we made it to San Francisco for the weekend. While it rained all weekend, the weather did not put a damper on my spirits. Again, my Priceline skills came into play, and the folks at the Mark Hopkins wow-ed us with a stunning room with a view to die for. I looked out our window and saw cable cars, the bay, the Trans America building, Alcatraz and Grace Cathedral. Jeff even shared our beautiful view with Silvan via Skype on the laptop computer. Not bad for the same price as a dump near SFO, thank you very much! We saw our good friend Charles, who works and lives at Grace Cathedral. Charles and I have been friends since I was 16, so in the ten years we have known each other (wink wink) we have shared many memories and great times. He has so many connections in San Francisco and Jeff and I are entertained with all the stories he can share. Who else can tell us of dinner with Desmond Tutu and Ashley Judd? Charles was our tour guide and it getting a behind the scenes tour was awesome. There is something magical about the church sitting high up on the hill at Christmastime, with rain and fog, it is still quite spectacular, even for a Jewish Princess like me. Jeff and I had lunch in Sausalito with our friend, Susan RoAne. We were combining business and pleasure during our weekend and it felt great to rekindle our connections. We got caught up on all the latest and greatest speaker gossip, happenings and of course, Jeff and Susan shared ideas and brainstorms. To say it was a working lunch would be an understatement. The waiter had to practically kick us out because we sat there talking and laughing for so long. I made sure we hit Chinatown. I needed to bring back a gift for the kids and I knew they would love some Chinese pajamas. With their admiration for Ni Hao Kilan, some red silk sleepwear was the perfect choice. I wanted a souvenir that could serve a purpose, as opposed to some crappy plastic toys or games. We had the pleasure of taking Charles to Jeff's client, The Palomino Euro Bistro for dinner. We were blown away by the meal, the service and the view of the Bay Bridge from our window table. Charles and Jeff tossed ideas back and forth. They were busy thinking about all the concepts they could do to in promoting this fabulous restaurant with Grace Cathedral as the beneficiary. As we shared a delicious meal the creative juices were flowing. With Charles San Francisco contacts, Grace Cathedral connections and Palomino's great location and menu, it will be fun to watch things blossom. It is what we love to do. Jeff was high on life after his meeting with the client in San Francisco. We talked about all the unique opportunities ahead as we drove back to the airport. As I used the kiosk to generate my boarding pass, this is the screen that always cracks me up. Who knew I would take on my husband's last name and get this kind of special treatment from the airlines. I just love it when the gate agent has to page me. They call me by my ticketed name, and it is sheer entertainment to hear them butcher it. As I quit giggling, I noticed our flights were all messed up from the snowstorm cancellations in London, intense rain in California and the Christmas crazy. When it was all said and done we were going to miss our connection to Columbus no matter how they re-routed us. All the flights from SFO were delayed or cancelled. When the local news showed up with cameras, I knew we were screwed. The media always had to put the fear of getting stranded into the minds of people who are staying home watching the news. Fortunately, I was able to whip out my i-phone, get a customer service agent on the line and rebook us through Dallas for the next day. I did all this while Jeff stood in line with a few hundred other irritated passengers. By the time he got to the agent all the flights for the next day were gone, and I was beaming with pride that I had already snagged our seats via my phone. We exchanged the boarding passes for confirmed tickets and grabbed a cab back to the hotel. We made it back to Columbus a day later than expected but not a moment too soon. - ► 2011 (275) - Gluten Free Cocktails - The Ladies Who Lunch - Dental Delight! - Self Portraits - Hot Cocoa FAIL - Sunday Songs - Merry Christmas - Our Stay in the City by the Bay - The Secret is Out - Blowing a Gasket and other explosions - Famous or Infamous- you decide - Five Years Ago - From the mouths of babes - The Free Glasses Offer is BACK! - One out of Three Blind Mice - Gluten free white chicken chili soup - See Here, Get it Free HERE! - My Motley Jews - Two Dog Night - Stage Fright All Right - The Show Goes On - The Hanukkah Hop - A Trip Down Memory Lane - As Seen On TV- My kids are my own fault! - Latke Fest 2010 - The Miracle of Pediatric Dental Surgery - Hanukkah Happiness - Uncle Steve Rizzo is scared of wiping tushies - ▼ December (28) - ► 2009 (345) - ► 2008 (221)

"Emergency need" for David's Tent." Go here, or see below . . . Ten Days of Awe: Conference Call Until Sept. 23 9-10 am Eastern For more details, please go here. Capitol Hill Prayer Partners "A National Prayer Alliance" P.O. Box 5152 Herndon, VA 20172-1970 The Daily Brief: "Praying for All in Authority" Friday, September 18, 2015 "All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name." (Psalm 66:4) The Values Voters Summit, sponsored by the Family Research Council, will be held from September 25 - 27 (corrected dates). "Praise Him with the sound of the shofar." (Psalm 150:3) Abide in Me . . . Day Eleven: Friday, September 18, 2015 When unfortunate circumstances strike your life, you may feel like you're in shock - unable to immediately respond to what is happening. You may feel a panic and a sense that your life is out of control. But your life is never out of control when God is by your side. Reach out for His peace, and it will be waiting. "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you." (Isaiah 43:2) Join us every night through Tuesday, Sept. 29th, as we abide together in His presence . . . Conference number: 605-562-3140 Access Code: 596015# Time: 9:00 p.m. EDT/8:00 p.m. CDT/7:00 p.m. MDT/ 6:00 p.m. PDT We welcome you all to come and join us in these very special times of worship, fellowship and fresh anointing as we continue our 21-day vigil to Abide in His Glory. Our vigil will continue through this weekend; and the devotional guide will be published again on Monday. "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you." (Isaiah 54:10) 1. Israel deploys Iron Dome in South in run-up to Palestinian 'day of rage' - Jerusalem Post The Israeli military has deployed the Iron Dome rocket interceptor on the outskirts of the southern city of Ashdod in anticipation of more rioting in Jerusalem, Channel 10 reported on Thursday morning. Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, has declared Friday "a day of rage" in response to recent developments on Temple Mount. (Read more) - Father, we ask for Your Hand of protection to rest upon all the citizens of Israel during tomorrow's events. In Your Name, amen. - "Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name." (Psalm 91:14) 2. Israeli aid group's workers rescue Syrian refugees off Greek coast - JNS The Israeli humanitarian aid group IsraAID was involved in the rescue of dozens of refugees off the Greek coast last weekend. "A boat arrived almost up to the shore when all of a sudden its engine exploded and flipped the boat," IsraAid founder Shachar Zahavi said in a statement. "Some of the women, children and babies didn't know how to swim and our staff immediately jumped into the water to help them preventing them from drowning," he said, adding, "After bringing everyone onto the shore safely our medical team treated some of the sick and injured while our logistic team distributed food and water to the rest." (Read more) 3. IDF armored brigade practices large-scale airlift of wounded soldiers in Golan - Jerusalem Post The IDF's 188 Armored Brigade held a large-scale exercise on the Golan Heights on Wednesday, simulating the airlift of a large group of wounded soldiers to hospital. Capt. Dean Nahman, medical officer for the 188 Brigade, said the drill was aimed at ensuring the fastest possible airlift of soldiers, in Yasur transport helicopters, following a mass-casualty incident that could occur during routine times or in a state of conflict. (Read more) 4. Israel troubled by potential conflict with Russian forces in Syria - Times of Israel A key element of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's upcoming brief visit to Moscow will be to prevent a scenario in which the Israeli army and Russian forces deployed in Syria fire at each other. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Monday during a trip that will span just a few hours before he returns to Israel. The prime minister hopes to hear from Putin about the purpose of a recent Russian military buildup in Syria, which borders northeastern Israel, how extensive it will be, and how long it will continue, the Hebrew-language Haaretz newspaper reported Thursday, citing sources in Jerusalem. (Read more) 5. Ahead of Yom Kippur, Liberman tells PM to repent, resign - Times of Israel Accusing the government of being ineffective in the face of a spike of violence, Yisrael Beytenu party leader Avigdor Liberman called on Thursday for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seek atonement from the Israeli people, and vacate his seat. The prime minister's erstwhile ally said in a Facebook post that the best way for the Likud party leader to demonstrate his contrition over the security situation, which has seen an uptick in violence in Jerusalem in past days, is to resign from the premiership. (Read more) 6. Israel delighted as UN watchdog votes down resolution on nuclear program - Israel National News The general assembly of the International Atomic Energy Agency voted on Thursday against a resolution calling for international monitoring of Israel's nuclear facilities. Sixty-one countries voted against the resolution, including the entire European Union, while 43 countries voted for it and 33 states abstained. (Read more) - Praise the Lord! 1. House Votes to Freeze Funding for Planned Parenthood - The Hill The House on Friday voted along party lines to freeze federal funding for Planned Parenthood after weeks of escalating tension surrounding its use of fetal tissue. In a 241-187 vote, the House approved legislation that would block Planned Parenthood's federal funding for one year, giving time for Congress to fully investigate claims of wrongdoing by the provider. (Read more) - Abba, we are grateful to You for this win in the House in voting to defund, or freeze, federal funding for Planned Parenthood. We pray that there will be a full investigation of these horrific videos, and that the Truth would prevail. We ask that nothing will be "swept under the table", but that all shall know the truth, and respond accordingly, to bring glory to You, and save our innocent victims, we pray. Amen. - "And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32) 2. States Move to Ban Aborted Fetal Tissue From Medical Research - Fox News Aggressive state efforts to ban the use of fetal tissue in research is alarming some scientists who say such measures will set back efforts to cure the world's deadliest diseases, including cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's. But lawmakers in states like California and Wisconsin, which are deliberating whether to make their state laws even tougher than federal restrictions, say ending the practice of harvesting organs from aborted fetuses is a moral and ethical imperative. They say the summer release of nine undercover videos featuring Planned Parenthood representatives and others talking candidly about obtaining and transferring fetal body parts to laboratories has sparked outrage among their constituencies, and has "pulled back the curtain" on what they say is a gruesome business. "There's a lot of outrage and I think certainly a lot of strong feelings (in the General Assembly) similar to what we are hearing from our constituencies. They want this to stop and the videos are certainly what's forcing that," said Wisconsin Republican State Senator Scott Fitzgerald, who is also the majority leader. He is helping to shepherd a bill through the Republican-dominated legislature that would not only prohibit the sale of fetal body parts - which is already banned under federal law - but would also demand that "no person may knowingly and for valuable consideration acquire, receive, or otherwise transfer a fetal body part." In addition, it would ban all use of fetal tissue from abortions for experimentation. (Read more) - Abba, we have been sickened by the depravity of these videos of tearing live babies apart to use their organs for other purposes. We beg You for Your divine intervention. Give us Your wisdom to stop this heinous practice, we pray. Give us strategies, and discretion. Even if we cannot stop this murder of innocent babies, we pray that You will enable us to stop this horrible method of carrying out those murders. In the Name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen and Amen! - "For 'who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?'" "Do no murder!" (I Corinthians 2:16; Exodus 20:13) 3. Democrats Block Iran Deal Legislation for a Third Time - Arutz Sheva Senate Democrats block legislation meant to kill the Iran nuclear deal, ensuring Congress won't disapprove it at all. meant to kill the Iran nuclear deal, Reuters reported. By a 56-42 vote, the Republican-majority Senate fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance in the 100-member chamber. A similar occurrence took place this past Tuesday, when Republicans also fell four votes short of the 60 needed to advance a bill of disapproval of the deal. The first vote took place exactly a week ago, last Thursday, when senators voted 58-42 to end debate on a resolution of disapproval opposing the deal. With no more Senate votes this week, noted Reuters, the result of the latest vote ensured Congress will not pass a resolution of disapproval that would have crippled the deal by eliminating President Barack Obama's ability to waive many sanctions. A resolution would have had to pass both the Senate and House of Representatives by midnight Thursday, and survive Obama's veto, to be enacted. The House, where Republicans also have a majority, never voted on the resolution, opting to pass three symbolic Iran-related measures that would not have affected the nuclear deal. Republicans are continuing to fight the deal, with moves being initiated in the Senate to sue Obama for not giving Congress access to classified side deals between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in their review period, and demanding the review period be restarted as a result. Those side deals stipulate among other things that Iran will inspect its own covert nuclear site of Parchin without international inspectors being allowed. At the site Iran has reportedly conducted nuclear detonator experiments. (Read more) - Lord, our hearts are grieved along with yours, for making an unholy alliance with Israel's enemy, and our own. We do cry out for Your mercy to be extended to us as a nation, and as individuals. We repent, on behalf of our president, congress, and all others in agreement with this vile deal. Protect us as Your servants we pray. We do praise You that You are unmoved, and unsurprised by this incident, and our Hope and Trust is in You, alone! May this agreement unravel and backfire on the evil-doers. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen. - "But I will have no pity, nor will I show mercy. I will bring their evil back on their own heads." (Ezekiel 9:12) 4. As in the 'Days of Noah': Obama to nominate first openly gay service secretary to lead the Army - Washington Post President Obama, in a first for the Pentagon, has chosen to nominate Eric Fanning to lead the Army, a move that would make him the first openly gay civilian secretary of one of the military services. Fanning's nomination is the latest in a series of actions taken by the administration to advance the rights of gays and lesbians throughout the federal government. The Obama administration has overhauled internal policies to provide benefits to same-sex partners, appointed gay men and lesbians to the executive branch and the federal bench and ended the 18-year ban on gays serving openly in the military. Fanning, who must still be confirmed by the Senate, has been a specialist on defense and national security issues for more than 25 years in Congress and the Pentagon. As Army secretary, he would be partnered with Gen. Mark Milley, who took over as the Army's top general in August. Together the two men would assume responsibility for the Pentagon's largest and most troubled service. (Read more) - Father, we are thankful that the Senate will have an opportunity to review and to reject this nominee to head the U.S. Army. We specifically ask that the Senate Armed Services Committee will reject Eric Fanning, so that his nomination never reaches the floor of the full Senate for a vote of approval. Lord God, how far we have fallen! As this headline states, we are truly living in the time of Sodom and Gomorrah -- a time that ended in disaster. We repent before You, Abba, and we ask for your help in time of need, in the name of Jesus Christ we pray, amen. - "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination." (Lev. 18:22) 5. Valerie Jarrett Meets With "Black Lives Matter" Leaders at the White House - Breitbart President Obama's senior adviser Valerie Jarrett met with Black Lives Matter activists yesterday (Wed.) at the White House, the latest sign that the Obama administration is involved with the controversial protest group. Jarrett met with three organizers for Campaign Zero. DeRay Mckesson, Brittany Packnett, and Johnetta Elzie as well as Phil Agnew of the Dream Defenders and Jamye Wooten, an organizer for Baltimore United for Change were there, according to a senior White House official who confirmed the visit to Buzzfeed. The group of activists also met with Roy Austin, the director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs. After the meeting, Packnett tweeted a selfie with Jarrett thanking her for engaging the movement. (Read more) - Father, we come to You asking that You would staff our White House with those who bring peace and agreement for the good that You want us to seek and display; not discord, violence and evil. We ask You to deal with Valerie Jarrett, and all her associates who wish to work evil to our people. Convict her, and bring her to salvation we pray, in Jesus wonderful Name, Amen. - "These six things the Lord hates, Yes seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren." (Proverbs 6:16-19) 6. Obama praises France train heroes as 'very best of America' - Fox News This time, they suited up. The three young Americans who thwarted a gunman on a Paris-bound passenger train last month got their moment in the Oval Office on Thursday -- and they dressed for it. President Obama praised Alek Skarlatos, Spencer Stone and Anthony Sadler for teamwork, courage and quick-thinking actions that averted "a real calamity." (Read more) - Father, we do thank You that the president has honored and acknowledged the courage of these three brave young men. In Jesus' name, amen. - "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act." (Proverbs 3:27) 7. Vatican Disputes White House Guest List for Papal Visit - Wall Street Journal Invitations to transgender activists, first openly gay U.S. Episcopal bishop and activist nun to White House event prompt pushback. On the eve of Pope Francis's arrival in the U.S., the Vatican has taken offense at the Obama administration's decision to invite to the pope's welcome ceremony transgender activists, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop and an activist nun who leads a group criticized by the Vatican for its silence on abortion and euthanasia. (Read more) - Lord, we praise You that the Vatican is disputing the guest list for the visit of the Pope to the White House. We ask that the Pope and the Vatican will stand strong, and steadfast in the face of all criticism. We ask that absolutes be upheld, and righteousness be exalted. In Your Name we pray, Amen. - "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (I Corinthians 15:57,58) 8. E.U. nations pull welcome mats for migrants, imposing new restrictions - Washington Post ZAGREB, Croatia - European nations once friendly to refugees abruptly yanked their welcome mats Thursday, as Germany considered slashing its benefits and Croatia announced it was closing most of its road links with Serbia "until further notice." The German measures would overhaul asylum codes to stem the massive flow of migrants into Europe, scaling back the generous policies that have made Germany a beacon for desperate war refugees and economic migrants pouring out of the Middle East, Africa and beyond. In a 128-page draft law produced by the German Interior Ministry and obtained by The Washington Post, the government would speed asylum procedures, cut cash benefits, hasten deportations and punish those with false claims and phony paperwork. The tough new measures, the draft bill states, are needed to cope with the huge influx of refugees into Germany, where 800,000 asylum applications were expected this year in a country with a population of 81 million. (Read more) - Father God, we rejoice at this news! Praise You, Jesus! The leaders of the EU nations have now come to their senses and are beginning to take action to strengthen their borders and to protect their own citizens. We ask that Barack Hussein Obama and all he works with would take heed and follow suit for our own country, in Jesus' name, amen. - "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you." (Psalm 32:8) 9. Syrian army starts using new weapons from Russia - military source - Reuters The Syrian military has recently started using new types of air and ground weapons supplied by Russia, a Syrian military source told Reuters on Thursday, underlining growing Russian support for Damascus that is alarming the United States. (Read more) - Father, we are concerned, as a nation, and as individuals about growing Russian support for Damascus, and other Middle Eastern countries. We are asking that somehow Russia would realize that Israel and the United States are not their enemies, and they would "come to their senses" regarding this world scene. We ask that You would be lifted up before them, and they would respond to You, receiving the truth of Your goodness and kindness, that You desire for them to see. Remove confusion from their troubled minds, and open their eyes to the truth of Your love, and that You, alone, are the Living God. Draw them to You, we pray, Amen. - "As for Me, when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to Myself." (John 12:32) 10. Prosor : Abbas fuels Temple Mount fire, UN fans the flames - Jerusalem Post Israel's Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor reacted Friday morning to the UN Security Council's statement . . .on . . . Jerusalem saying that "When the Palestinians set the Temple Mount ablaze, Mahmoud Abbas fuels the fire, and the Security Council fans the flames, it is a recipe for a regional explosion." The United Nations Security Council had called for "restraint, refraining from provocative actions and rhetoric and upholding the historic status quo" on the Temple Mount on Thursday evening. (Read more) - Lord, we pray that You will defuse the tempers, and cause them to drop their rocks; as Jesus defused the imminent stoning of Mary Magdalene, and her accusers dropped their rocks. We pray that these individuals will be convicted of their own sin, and drop to their knees before You in repentance. In Jesus Name we ask this, Amen. - "Humble yourselves with an attitude of repentance and insignificance in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. He will life you up, He will give you purpose." (James 4:10,11) Friday, September 18th Overthrowing the US -- count the ways The president promised to "remake America" when he was first elected to office. He is true to his word. There are so many ways to overthrow a nation, and he is a practicing marvel at it. Destroy the economy and put as many as possible on the government dole (record numbers out of the workforce; record numbers on government assistance programs); destroy traditional marriage, the fabric of society; refuse to secure the borders and bring in millions of Islamists as refugees--these are all pretty effective ways to rip apart the greatest nation in the world and "remake" it. Now the "president" is in a race to put the finishing touches on his masterpiece of remaking before the next election. The New York Times reports that the president is redoubling his efforts to encourage legal immigrants to become voting citizens. The Times reports: "White House officials announced the start of a nationwide campaign on Thursday to encourage legal immigrants to become American citizens, which could add millions of voters to the electorate in time for the presidential election next year. With about 8.8 million legal residents in the country who are eligible to become citizens, White House officials said they were trying to make it easier to complete the final steps to citizenship." The feds will be offering practice tests on cellphones, paying fees with credit cards, and organizing citizenship workshops. The Times continues, "Also in the works are local initiatives to make immigrants feel more welcome, and a revision of Justice Department regulations that would make it easier for people who want to help immigrants naturalize to obtain credentials to provide basic volunteer legal assistance." Your tax dollars will also pay for a television blitz campaign that has the "president" giving a warm and fuzzy "welcoming" message. Statistics indicate that about 60% of legal immigrants are Latino and 20% are Asian, with nearly a third of legal immigrants being Mexican. These demographics elected the "president," not once, but twice. And he is counting on another socialist to finish the job he started in remaking America. At the same time Islamists "refugees" from terrorist-sponsoring states are being brought in by the hundreds of thousands, the "president" is also using your hard earned tax dollars to curry favor with a voting block the next socialist Democrat will need to get elected. The end result is the further melting down of America, its unique and successful Republic, and with it the exceptional way of life called the American Dream. This is what happens when we allow our nation to turn away from God. There are severe consequences for breaking the laws of God, and America is experiencing them. It's in our choices for leadership and our collective social morals. Proverbs 4:19-22 says, "The way of the wicked is as darkness...attend to my words...keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh." Have a Blessed and Powerful Day! "Emergency Alert for David's Tent" Pope Francis and David's Tent Temporary Change of Locations Due to Pope Francis' visit to Washington DC, David's Tent must move out of our current location due to the requirement of the US Secret Service. Last Friday, three hours before David's Tent kicked off, we were informed that the Secret Service was requiring us to take down and load out everything from the National Mall to create a safe zone for the Papal Parade in DC, September 23. As it turns out, David's Tent falls just inside the perimeter being established for Pope Francis. The past five days we have knocked on every door possible, including the Vatican Embassy in Washington DC, seeking favor to turn this around, but to no avail. Today, having exhausted all other options, we put our oars in the boat, surrendered, and begin to plan the load out. God works all things together for the good of his people, so we only need to trust Him. Shouts of joy and victory must always resound from our tent! (Psalms 118:15) As it currently stands, we need to be fully off the Mall by 5pm on Sept 22. We have yet to receive word about when we can start loading back in, but we expect to hear soon. This has lead to unexpected expenses moving the tent, including extra labor and transportation, but we have set our faces to keeping the song going uninterrupted. We are seeking other possible venues to keep the song going in DC, and are currently working with the National Park Service to find a new temporary location. We appreciate all your prayers and support as our staff seeks to take this in stride. We will keep you informed as we get more information as to the plans for next week concerning David's Tent. If you are scheduled to lead worship, please stay on course with those plans and we will be in contact about our new location. Jesus tore down the temple and rebuilt it in three days! Let's celebrate! In faith and joy, The David's Tent Team > > > Additional note from CHPP: We understand that the David's Tent team will need to raise several thousand dollars in order to accommodate the requirements of the Secret Service. Obviously, the clock is now ticking and funds will have to be raised immediately. We wish to encourage all of our 4,229 prayer partners to please "dig deep" into your own pockets, and send an offering of any amount to David's Tent, "a.s.a.p." Their website is: "Send me also cedar, cypress and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber of Lebanon; and indeed my servants will work with your servants, to prepare timber in abundance for me, for the house which I am about to build will be great and wonderful." (2 Chronicles 2:8,9) Songs Our Grandmothers Sang: "I will ask the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter." (John 14:16) Joys are flowing like a river, Since the Comforter has come; He abides with us forever, Makes the trusting heart His home. Blessed quietness, holy quietness, What assurance in my soul! On the stormy sea, He speaks peace to me, How the billows cease to roll! Bringing life and health and gladness, All around this heav'nly Guest, Banished unbelief and sadness, Changed our weariness to rest. Like the rain that falls from Heaven, Like the sunlight from the sky, So the Holy Ghost is given, Coming on us from on high. See, a fruitful field is growing, Blessèd fruit of righteousness; And the streams of life are flowing In the lonely wilderness. What a wonderful salvation, Where we always see His face! What a perfect habitation, What a quiet resting place! Please go here. About the Author: Words: Manie P. Ferguson, 1897. Music: W. S. Marshall, 1897 "It Felt Like the Apocalypse" Israel Hit with Extreme and Unusual Weather on Jewish New Year As Jews across Israel celebrated the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashana earlier this week, parts of the country were hit with extreme flash flooding and, in some areas, hail, in an unusual change of weather. "It felt like the apocalypse, the rain has been torrential, there were about 10 lightning strikes in seconds, and even with your windshield wipers on high, it was impossible to see anything," Mark Katz, a National Parks Authority employee, told the Times of Israel. Since the beginning of September, Israel has experienced a series of extreme weather changes, beginning last week with a sudden sandstorm that blanketed the country in thick yellow dust. The record setting five-day dust storm was also accompanied by a heat-wave, with new records reached across Israel in temperatures and air pollution. Last week's sandstorm is reported to be the worst to hit the region in Israel's history. As the dust finally dissipated, it was only to be replaced with freak rainstorms and flash flooding in the Arava and Judean deserts. Israel's meteorological service issued flash flood warnings Tuesday, even going so far as to close the Eilat Airport, grounding domestic flights until the late evening. The flash floods led to road closures in from the central region of Mitzpe Rimon all the way just north of Eilat. The extreme change in weather also caused parts of southern Israel and the Galilee to be hit by a rare hail storm. Witnesses reported hail the size of ice cubes. (Read more) Source: Breaking Israel News See also this report from David Dekker, meteorologist for Channel One in Israel. "Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, Which I have reserved for the time of distress, For the day of war and battle?" (Job 38:22-23) Texas Pastor Calms Islamic Terrorist During Church Threat: Man Later Thanks the Church! "Please put security measures in place. Do not get caught thinking that this only happens in other places-in big places. It's by the grace and mercy of God that we are not on the other side of history; the other side of tragedy." -Rev. John D. Johnson III (Tyler, TX)-"Every hair on my neck just stood up," said Rev. John D. Johnson III, when Rasheed Abdul Aziz walked into Corinth Missionary Baptist Church last Sunday. According to a report in the Tyler Morning Telegraph, the armed and heavily tattooed Aziz-who was wearing camouflage fatigue pants, camo boots, a black T-shirt and a tactical vest-was sweating profusely when he launched into a rant about being a "man of Islam." Aziz then reportedly started yelling about "how his god had authorized him to take lives" and that it was okay for him to kill "infidels." In response to Aziz's aggressive behavior, Johnson-a former parole officer-was said to have done the very opposite. He got between Aziz and the door, asked him to calm down and offered him a prayer and cool drink. "I never gave him the power of feeling he was in control [or] that I was frightened," said Johnson. "I was very cautious not to raise my voice or make any quick moves." Click here to read more of this remarkable story-how Aziz was captured and the note he left the church "thanking them for their kindness." Worship With Us Today! Great Dance Music Video in Jerusalem! Two Daily Conference Calls Capitol Hill Prayer Partners encourages you to participate, any day of the week, on these calls which are each ongoing, day and night! To learn more about how you can join these calls, please go here. ABOUT CAPITOL HILL PRAYER PARTNERS To learn more about our ministry, and to sign up to begin receiving our daily alerts, please go here. > > > Please go here to learn how you can avoid certain spam issues when receiving our alerts.

NEW YORK (Jan. 9) – Fordham University researchers have identified the cause of a genetic disease that affects one in 30 individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. The findings are scheduled to appear in the American Journal of Human Genetics in March. The Fordham team used the DNA sequence decoded by the Human Genome Project to determine the cause of Familial Dysautonomia (FD). FD is a disorder that affects a person’s autonomic nervous system, which controls such involuntary functions as swallowing, digestion, temperature and blood pressure regulation. Individuals suffering from FD, which is as prevalent as the more familiar Tay Sachs disorder, also have problems perceiving sensations, such as pain and heat. This can be so severe that researchers say an FD sufferer leaning on a boiling pot may not feel it and could be seriously burned. The lifespan of FD sufferers is severly compromised and often includes long hospital stays. The Fordham team found that FD, which affects people of Ashkenazic Jewish descent, is caused by mutations in the IKAP gene, found in chromosone 9. “This discovery will allow people to be tested to determine whether they are carriers and will allow for genetic counseling,” said Berish Y. Rubin, Ph.D., chairman of Fordham’s biology department. “Also, once the genetic basis for any disorder is known, it is possible to pursue a cure. That will be the next step in our disorder research effort.” Rubin and his research associate, Sylvia L. Anderson, Ph.D. are the principal authors of the paper. Rubin became interested in studying the disorder after a close friend’s nephew was diagnosed with FD. Through this child, his siblings and cousins, Rubin learned first-hand how the disease can ravage a child and a family. “I decided to try to see what I could do for this family,” Rubin said. “It showed me the way FD can affect an entire family.” The Fordham team, which consisted of two senior scientists, four graduate students and one undergraduate student, received support and assistance from Dor Yeshorim, the Committee for the Prevention of Jewish Genetic Diseases.

Saturday, August 10, 2019 9:30 pm-Erev Tisha b'Av service Sunday, August 11, 2019-9:00 am Tisha b'Av service, 2 pm Mincha and 3 pm Tisha b'Av Program Tuesday, August 20, 2019-Men's Club Tailgate party & baseball game at Coca Cola Park. Tailgate starts at 5 pm and ballgame at 7:05. Tickets for game $15 per person and tailgate party is a free will offering to help offset the price of the food. If interested contact Roy Benasaraf at firstname.lastname@example.org Friday, August 23, 2019-Erev Shabbat Outdoor Service at 7pm Tuesday, August 27, 2019 - Bus Trip to NYC to see Second Story Man at the Hudson Guild Theater. Bus leaves TBE parking lot at 1:45 pm. First stop is Ben's Deli @ 4 pm (pay your own meal) The show begins at 6:15 pm. Only 30 tickets available. RSVP to TBE Office by Wednesday, July 31, 2019. Trip is filled up...no more seats available! Friday, September 6, 2019 at 6 pm - Congregational Shabbat Dinner, 7 pm - Dessert for congreation (no Oneg) 7:30 pm Services. Price for dinner is $18 per person or $45 per household. RSVP by Friday, August 23, 2019. Sunday, September 8, 2019 9 am - First day of religious school and school breakfast. Monday, September 9, 2019 6:30 pm - Mah Jongg Club Monday, September 9, 2019 7:00 pm - Men's Poker Club Saturday, September 14, 2019 - 9:30 am Bar Mitzvah of Joshua Teichman & Birthday Shabbat Thursday, September 19, 2019 - 7:30 pm Sisterhood opening wine and cheese Saturday, September 21, 2019 9:30 am - Bar Mitzvah of Julian Ettinger Finley Saturday, September 21, 2019 8:15 - Leil Selichot Service at Brith Sholom & 9 pm program at Brith Shalom Friday, September 27, 2019 11 am - High Holiday Challah and Wine pick up Sunday, September 29, 2019 7:15 pm - Memorial Plaque Dedication Sunday, September 29, 2019 8 pm - Erev Rosh Hashanah Service Monday, September 30, 2019 8:45 am Shacharit, 9:45 am Children's Services, 9:45 am Torah Service and Musaf, 10 am Bim Bom Playgroup, 11:30 am Traditional Service (Musaf), 1:30 pm Tashlich (Princeton Court Site), 8 pm Ma'ariv Service Tuesday, October 1, 2019 8:45 am Shacharit, 9:45 am Torah Service (Combined) 11 am - Contemporary Family Service. Tuesday, October 8, 2019 5 pm Kol Nidre Dinner & 6:15 pm Kol Nidre Services Wednesday, October 9, 2019 8:45 am Shacharit, 9:45 am Children's Service, 9:45 am Torah Service, Yizkor & Musaf, 10 am Bim Bom Playgroup, 12 pm Traditional Service & Musaf, 2 pm Private Prayer Opportunity, 3:30 pm Healing Experience, 4:15 pm Mincha, 5:45 pm Jewish Family Program, 5:45 Neila, 6:45 pm Ma'ariv and 7 pm Shofar Blowing Our congregation rests on the three pillars of Torah/Study, Avodah/Prayer and Gemilut Hasadim/Acts of Loving Kindness. Temple Beth El promotes Jewish growth through life-long learning from childhood through adulthood. Our synagogue provides participatory and inclusive prayer experiences. Inspirational services offer a path that brings us closer to each other and to God. The congregation is dedicated to providing a nurturing environment in which members of all generations feel at home and share each other's simchas and sorrows. In the spirit of Tikun Olam, together the congregation embraces the larger community in which we live, the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

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The Comeback of the Swedish Center Party – an Eco-Liberal Story of Hope for Europe? Sandra Detzer und Sebastian Schaffer of the German Greens travel to Sweden where the right-wing-populist “Sweden Democrats” could win the election in September. But where danger is, rescue also grows: A traditional and almost forgotten farmer’s party positions itself as an eco-liberal antagonist to the nationalists. What can green parties all over Europe learn from the “Centerpartiet”? Swedish election polls are not pretty these days. Little good can be expected from the general election scheduled for September in the country up North. The right-wing populist Sweden Democrats are polled at above 20 per cent. With its roots in the white supremacy movement, this party is competing with the once hegemonic Swedish Social Democrats for first place. The political climate has been poisoned since the refugee crisis of 2015. The first syllable of ‘Folkhemmet’ (the people’s home) is being emphasized more and more with a threatening undercurrent. The event ‘Almedalen week’ in July is a reliable seismograph for the political vibe during the election campaign. In Almedalen, a park in the small city of Visby, on the Baltic island Gotland, every year Swedish political VIPs meet with social organisations and civil society. This culminates in keynote speeches by party leaders. Beefy and burly Social Democratic Prime Minister Stefan Löfven shows up as well as his coalition partner Isabella Lövin of the languishing Green Party and Jonas Sjöstedt of the Left party. The right-wing populists gather round their party chairman, slick media star Jimmie Åkesson – with his favourite-son-in-law smile under well gelled hair. The spearhead of the centre-right opposition is staid Ulf Kristersson, chairman of the Conservative Moderates with stable, though somewhat modest poll results. His partner from the Liberal Party, Jan Björklund, is stuck in a persistent polling hole. This is even more true for his young colleague Ebba Busch Thor of the Christian Democrats who are currently estimated at well below the 4% blocking clause. The fourth in the centre-right federation is Annie Lööf of the ecological-liberal “Centerpartiet”. Wednesday is the day that she presents her party in Almedalen. When Lööf enters the stage in lovely summer weather and a crème-coloured pant suit, almost 4000 people have gathered to listen to her. With her long red hair the 35-year-old looks like Pippi Longstockings successfully pursuing a McKinsey career. She is one of the most popular politicians in the country. Not, however, on the far right. “Twilight is breaking over Sweden.” Lööf allows her first sentence to linger. Then she describes an early evening scene of happily dancing young people in a Jewish community centre, and how the party abruptly ends when neo Nazis throw petrol bombs against the building. As she is talking, unrest erupts at the back of the crowd. A right-wing mob, ready to use violence roar “National traitor!” Annie Lööf pauses for a moment before she counters with a characteristic liberal response: “That’s the Nazis of the Nordic Resistance Movement yelling in the back there. Let’s listen to them for a moment.” After a short break she goes on: “Ok, we’ve heard them.” While the neo Nazis keep clamouring, she talks about a Swedish reality where Jewish schools have to be kept secure by barbed wire and security personnel and synagogues need bullet-proof windows. A Swedish reality where Jews don’t dare to admit they’re Jewish anymore. She addresses the protesters directly and says: “I have some questions for you, you anti-semites, racists, islamists and brutalized Nazis: Are you happy now? Are you proud of yourselves? Is this the kind of society you want?” Turning to her followers, she adds: “Sweden must never be ruled by hatred. Common decency demands of us that we stand up and say clearly: Enough already!” The right-wing mob rages, the audience enthusiastically jumps up off their seats. Sweden in the summer of 2018. A Party of Farmers and Hipsters Swedish democracy is not in a good shape. But Annie Lööf and her party are, very much so. The Center Party is the only party of the oppositional centre-right block that can expect extensive gains in the important election in September. Pollsters see them at around 10% which would be their best result in 30 years. Lööf, a lawyer and mother from Southern Swedish Småland, has managed to install her party as the liberal opposite to the right-wing populists. When the red /green government coalition closed the borders to refugees in 2015, Lööf was passionately opposed. She was pretty much alone with her position. In 2017, she pulled out of the centre-right block and categorically ruled out any cooperation with the “opponents of human dignity”. Leading up to this, the Moderates had flirted with the possibility of a minority government tolerated by the Sweden Democrats. And in 2018 the Center Party drew the anger of their centre-right partners once again when, following a highly controversial debate, they voted for a statutory settlement of the right to remain for 9000 young Afghans along with the red/green coalition. All this has made Annie Lööf the voice of the enlightened Swedish middle class. And Annie Lööf is hip. Starblogger Bianca Ingrosso tells her young fans in her podcast that she will vote for the Center Party in September. Stockholm suburbia rapper Erik Lundin released a song titled “Annie Lööf” that every Swedish teenager can sing along. All of this is surprising given that the Center Party directly emerged from Sweden’s farmers’ union. The party used to be known for speakers climbing onto hay bales and TV-spots featuring singing and dancing potato-figures. As a liberal party with environmental orientation it has no counterpart in the German party system. Its organization is also uncommon. The Center Party gained just over 6% in the last election, but it has a large member base of 40,000. Relating this number to the size of the population it computes as about five times the membership of the liberal FDP or the Green Party in Germany. The Center Party’s women’s association is the largest women’s association in the whole country. Accordingly, the party has the biggest proportion of female elected officials compared to all other parties. Its youth organization hosts big summer camps reminiscent of scout camps. And through the sale of an editing house the party is loaded – its net worth totals about a quarter billion Euro. The Green Wave from the Middle You cannot understand the “Centerpartiet” phenomenon without relating it to Swedish topography and history. Because Sweden is vast and sparsely populated, rural areas have always been worried about being overlooked and ignored. The social question has always also been a regional question. The million Swedes that emigrated to the United States around the turn of the century 1800/1900 were first and foremost the starving rural population. Rural Sweden is by necessity extensively experienced in organizing social life where few people live. Often this is done by volunteers. Sweden is the country of book busses, amateur theatre groups, adult learning centres and folk music groups. This is the ground that the Center Party grew from. For many decades the Center Party members of parliament were easy to distinguish from their colleagues. They were the ones with soil under their fingernails – like long-term chairman Thorbjörn Fälldin, farmer from Central Swedish Ångermanland. He would give interviews in the slow and calm Norrland dialect, standing in his fields, hunting knife on his belt, hands in his pockets, pipe in his mouth. Fälldin may have appeared to be unwieldy and politically inept, but he had a modern vision for his party. In the late 1960s, earlier than most, he realized the growing importance of the ecological question and the profound social change and, hence, the rural exodus of young people and growth of the cities. While the ‘Green Wave’ in the 70s in most European countries was started to a large extent by left forces, in Sweden it was driven by the rural, bourgeois milieu – by the Center Party to be concise. Fälldin devised a robust anti-nuclear track for the Center Party as early as the early 1970s which remained its trademark for decades. Fälldin’s dream was that of a big party that could host everybody in the liberal middle. He led his party to major electoral successes in the 70s, with its special brew of environmental protection, economic liberalism, tax cuts and political de-centrality. With electoral results of up to 25% he became the leader of the bourgeois camp and Olof Palme’s direct opponent. Upper-class man Palme liked to treat Fälldin with gentle mockery – until Fälldin forced him out of office. To this day, Thorbjörn Fälldin is the only prime minister of the Center Party ever. He headed several centre-right majority and minority governments. All of them fell apart, however, at some point or another, hopelessly divided over the question of nuclear power. The Stealthy Decline of the Old Centerpartiet The decline of the Center Party started in the 80s and 90s. The centre-right coalition was replaced by the Social Democrats, the Center Party ushered Fälldin out and lost every new party chairmen in rapid succession, along with more and more votes. The party lacked a clear political message. In 2001, Maud Olofsson took over the chair. Olofsson, a farmer’s daughter from a staunch Center Party-family gave the party a taut liberal economic direction. Her main project was to unify the four bourgeois parties in a tight new electoral alliance, the so-called ‘Allians för Sverige’. In 2006, this foursome achieved the leap to power. Maud Olofsson became minister for economic affairs – and distinguished herself as a sort of free-market liberal governess of the nation. To ensure the alliance’s success, she compromised on traditional key issues of the Center Party. In the end the party even softened on its traditional anti-nuclear position. This strategy convinced fewer and fewer voters, however. When Maud Olofsson handed over the party chair in 2011 she left a difficult job for her successor. Among the applicants for the job of chair, the party chose 28-year-old Annie Lööf in a primary election. Model student Annie Lööf had been elected member of parliament when she was only 22 which made her the youngest member of parliament by that time. She had gained a reputation as spokesperson for legal and domestic policy. She, too, brought the necessary pedigree – literally – since she comes from an old farming family, and her father is a long-standing Center Party-functionary. Now, suddenly, she was the youngest party chair as well as the youngest minister in the history of the party. She assumed responsibility for a party that was given the lowest degree of credibility of all parties. Seven years later and it has the highest credibility – an astonishing feat. The Painful Birth of the New Party Manifesto In fact, at first Annie Lööf was not synonymous with a clear political change of course. As her favourite author she named radical-capitalist philosophy siren Ayn Rand, as her political role model Margaret Thatcher. Still, Lööf politically embodied a change of generation and style. Lead by its new chair the unsettled party set out to write a new party manifesto. A commission independent of the party executive was set up to collect ideas and suggestions from members and sympathizers in a broad participation process. This procedure failed miserably. An influential group of neoliberal intellectuals from the worlds of business, culture and politics assumed the lead, calling themselves ‘Stureplancentern’, named after a big square in Stockholm. It was their goal to turn the Center Party into the ‘most liberal party of Sweden’. The paper submitted by the commission in January 2013 was completely shaped by this idea. It contained the annulment of compulsory education as well as the abolition of any immigration restrictions and the introduction of polygamy. The electorate threw their hands up in horror. Lööf was on a belated honeymoon in Thailand at the time, following the public debate on her smartphone in horror, too. She cut her holiday short and returned to Stockholm. In a press conference she withdrew all crude suggestions and announced that there would be a thorough revision. The winter of 2013 thereby marked the birth of Annie Lööf as a resolute crisis manager. While Lööf was touring through the nation’s TV studios, trying to clean up the mess, she instructed her political confidant Martin Ådahl to revise the first draft of the manifesto. Looking back, the deputy party secretary Ådahl thinks that the crisis had a strengthening effect: “The controversy around the first proposed version of the program led to a vast soul-searching activity in the entire party that in the end crystallised a new form of green liberalism. I had to travel up and down Sweden to make the whole party come together, and it did. We notably confronted very tough issues about borders, migration, openness. The conclusions and the coming together of our party strengthened us ahead of the migration situation of 2015 so that we did not waver — not even any local part of our party.” A few weeks later, a manifesto entitled ‘A Sustainable Future’ was presented at the party convention – a manifesto that to this day commands respect beyond Swedish borders. This is the genuine and rare attempt to combine liberalism and sustainability in a party programme. The preamble states: “Centerpartiets liberalism is social, decentralised and green. It is earthy and free-minded. It is based on justice and sustainability. It views society as a community where everybody is needed and that can achieve much more together than the state alone could ever do.” “For Us Sustainability Is a Question of Freedom” In her leader’s speech, Annie Lööf drew the long lines of tradition of the 100 year old party. From the protest of Swedish farmers against nationalization and monopolies to the countrywomen’s movement with its decisive impulses for the cause of gender equality. From the struggle for compulsory education for the rural population to the first integral environmental programme in Swedish politics in the late 1960s. Lööf conjured up the deeply pro-European and immigration-friendly basic approach of her party and from all this constructed her understanding of a modern ecological liberalism. She highlighted two goals of Center Party politics. One, new jobs and in conjunction the integration of immigrants, young people, and the long-term unemployed into the labour market. Her second goal was climate protection and sustainability through technical innovation and a free-market-framework. Another central point for her was to support company start-ups and creating favourable general conditions for existing companies. Furthermore, all political action had to be concerned with both urban and rural areas. On this basis, Lööf managed to describe a specific political profile. All of it had been thought before, but she connected existing liberal and green policy approaches in a new way. True, she addressed the same topics as Social Democrats and the Green Party, but she combined them with classical economic liberal stipulations. She talked about an ‘inclusive job market’, but for her this included a relaxation of the rigid dismissal protection laws, lowering the employer contribution to sick pay, and a company tax cut. Central to her considerations was the term ‘green growth’. Lööf talked about her visit to a slum in Delhi and her meetings with women who were living in cardboard boxes with their children, not knowing how to feed them. In a place where more than a billion people live in poverty you simply cannot pitch ecology against economic growth, she concluded. The central challenge is to create growth through ecology. To further such green growth support for entrepreneurship is necessary to give people the chance to make their way out of poverty. At the same time, free entrepreneurship is necessary to develop green technologies that can fight the consequences of pollution and climate change. “For us, sustainability is a question of freedom,” she said. “Anti-growth policies do not deserve the name environmental policies.” There is a useful method of party research to visualize this highly unusual programmatic renewal of the Center Party over the last years. A group of European political scientists developed the GAL/TAN scale. It adds a second dimension to the classical left/right axis characterized by fiscal and economic policy: TAN stands for ‘traditional, authoritarian, nationalistic’; GAL for ‘green, alternative, libertarian’. This method displayed a surprising finding for the Center Party. With its preference for a lean state and its scepticism towards social redistribution, the party under Lööf remains firmly rooted centre right. On the GAL/TAN-scale, that enquires after values such as ecology, immigration and cultural diversity the party has accomplished a breath-taking change. Imagine Margaret Thatcher and Claudia Roth having to agree on a common party. Thatcher gets to implement economic policies, Roth civil right policies, and it has to fit together. “The Greens Think We’re Not Really Green, And The Liberals Think We’re Not Really Liberal.” We are meeting member of parliament Emil Källström in the Swedish parliamentary building. Naturally, 31-year-old Källström comes from a farming family. He is deeply anchored in the Sweden of dark-red wooden houses, rubber boots and electrical saws. At the same time, he could just as well sit in a trendy Stockholm coffee house or be displayed on an H&M poster. Källström is the spokesman for economic policies of his caucus and organizes Center Party’s main front against the Social Democratic minority government. He wants more freedom of choice in the health and care sector. If given a choice he would opt for a bigger low-wage sector rather than a five times bigger unemployment rate among immigrants. Economic policy remains the most important battle field of his party. This is where it scores the highest competency values next to environmental policy. Sweden’s business community even consider it the most competent. And Källström wants it to stay that way. When asked how the Center Party managed to work its way out of the crisis, he explains that first it was necessary to stabilize the core competences. They had to again be perceived as a strong voice for rural areas and their concerns. The central motivation for rural voters was the possibility to live a good life anywhere in the country, which means good public transportation, good health care and the option to be an entrepreneur. But strategically the goal of the party was to branch out from there. Annie Lööf has not given a single speech in the last few years that didn’t also talk about support for private enterprise. But supporting business start-ups and small businesses is being correlated with other important goals like integration or environmental policy. Only entrepreneurs can generate jobs for immigrants. Only entrepreneurs develop environmental-friendly technologies for mobility or energy production. When we tell him that Germans find his party difficult to comprehend he smiles and explains that the same is true for many Swedes. Here, too, the Center Party is considered an enigma: “The Greens think we’re not really green, and the Liberals think we’re not really liberal.” There were moments, back in the severe crisis, when he doubted that the party would survive. Back then, he wondered whether maybe there simply was no place for a party that wanted to be both liberal and ecological. Maybe if you felt green you simply had to join the Green Party. And if your politics were liberal you had to join the Liberal Party. But Källström sums up: “I just didn’t want to have to decide. I am a liberal. I favour more over less choice and lower over higher taxes. Basically I support a raise of the excise tax for ecological reasons, but I will immediately ask how financial alleviation for the citizens is organized in return. In the same vein, I am a staunch supporter of sustainability. There is no freedom if we don’t get a grip on climate change and keep destroying our natural resources: It goes hand in hand.” Of course, he continues, in practice it is not always easy to join the two. You have to recalibrate every day. But that, he says, is exactly what makes the Center Party so relevant: that they confront this issue. Unlike the Liberals. Unlike the Greens. “We Were Becoming Like the Others” The resurgence of the Center Party cannot be recounted without taking a look at the simultaneous decline of the Swedish Green Party. In Sweden they call themselves Miljöpartiet/De Gröna (Environmental Party/The Greens), MP for short. They are currently in a red/green minority coalition. Beyond the hyphenated name they have a lot of political positions in common with the German Green Party. But unlike its German sister party the MP is in a deep crisis. In a coffee shop in the fashionable Södermalm district we meet Maggie Strömberg, political journalist for Public Swedish Radio and expert on the Greens. Right where we are now, the Swedish Green Party celebrated major gains a few years back. In the local elections in 2014, in some polling stations on Södermalm the Green Party was the strongest force. Today, they flounder at 4% in the polling death zone. For half of the precincts, the MP can’t find candidates anymore, several members of parliament have left the parliamentary caucus. In Stockholm, which used to be the party’s stronghold, some polling agencies now report approval rates lower even than the national average. How could this have happened? Maggie Strömberg has analysed the ascent and crisis of the Greens in a book called “We Became Like the Others”. For many years, the Greens were working towards participation in government, she explains. To this end, they overcame their traditional critical attitude towards the EU; their criticism of growth became more moderate; their staging more appealing. When, after a pretty much bungled election campaign, they took the plunge in 2014 to join the red-green minority government, strangely the party seemed unprepared. While they had planned every step towards becoming part of the government minutely, it seemed like they had forgotten to consider the balancing act between green ideals and practical governmental responsibility. Along came the refugee crisis of 2015. The German Greens were allowed to cautiously approach the new reality from behind the cover of the opposition, but the Swedish Greens were right there in the eye of the storm. They crumbled under the impact of events and the massive pressure by their Social Democratic coalition partner. Executing a sharp u‑turn, they battened down the hatches and closed borders for asylum seekers. As Green party chair Åsa Romson tried to explain the drastic policy change of her party in a press conference, her voice broke and her eyes welled up. The Green Party has not recuperated from the reversal of their stance on refugee policies to this day. It has become the butt of many satirical jokes. “Do you know what the chair of the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats starts his speeches with?” Maggie Strömberg asks. And answers herself: “He says one word: Miljöpartiet. Then he takes a dramatic pause – and the crowd hoots derisively.” Especially in this urban stronghold the Green loss of credibility feels nuclear. Which way do green voters fall, we ask. Some migrate to the left or to the Social Democrats, but a large portion switches over to the Center Party, Strömberg thinks. Swedish millennials grew up under a centre-right government and lack ideology. This makes leaping from bright green across political camp borders to dark green easy for many. Especially, since the Center Party with its clear stance on pro-European and pro-immigration issues is eminently eligible in an urban milieu. In the last local election in this area, the Center Party barely obtained 4% of the votes. Stockholm used to be their Achilles heel. Now, they poll at 10% or more. “Today, Centerpartiet is considered to be the more congenial green urban party by many,” says Strömberg. No matter how you look at it, the crisis of the ‘real’ Swedish Greens is not devoid of a certain tragedy. Especially in their core topic environmental protection they actually have some noteworthy successes to show. The relationship between Miljöpartiet and Centerpartiet is considered to be strained. Still, there are a couple of important questions where the two act in concert. Both of them stress the importance of expanded high speed rail links to reduce air and car traffic emissions. Both of them fought successfully for the abolishment of uranium mining in Sweden and the expansion of wind energy. There are only few policy differences concerning a ban on microplastics or restrictions on inner-city car traffic. Never forget, however, that the Center Party is a party of farming and forest industry. Where their supporters are affected they get as hard as nails. And good luck to anyone who thinks they can convince the dark green party to agree on a ban on hunting wolves. Between Green Worlds One of the people who know most about the connections between Centerpartiet and Miljöpartiet is Mattias Goldmann. The former head of communications for the Swedish Greens is now manager of the eco-liberal think tank FORES (short for Forum for Reforms, Entrepreneurship and Sustainability). Goldmann is a bustling internationally sought-after speaker, climate protection being the issue that has shaped his life. We meet him in the traditional Stockholm restaurant ‘Pelikan’. FORES is a non-partisan think tank and counsels all parties and businesses on ecological issues. FORES subscribes equally to the principles of sustainability and liberalism. Sounds like Center Party, doesn’t it, and in fact there’s a lot of Center Party in it. Even though the claim of non-partisanship seems earnest, since its inception, most of its money has come from Annie Lööf’s party. Coming from a green background, Goldmann used to be somewhat suspicious of Center Party, he admits. Still, of course, he felt obliged in his new function to make the occasional courtesy call on his sponsors. “I went to one of those typical Center-assemblies in the country once. Some of the people there wore traditional costume, and then, adding insult to injury, they sang Swedish folksongs. I hate Swedish folksongs.” Then he entered into a conversation with one of those typical ‘Center-Moms’. This was 2015, the phase of the big refugee movement. He asked how they managed having to integrate so many refugees. And she said: “The way we have always dealt with challenges. We knuckle down and tackle the problem. They’ll get used to us. We really can use more people in the country.” This evoked a new respect for the inner decency of this party, Goldmann says. The Center Party may seem like an impenetrable cosmos from the outside, but it is not fake. It’s honest. He is convinced of that. Isn’t Impatience the Ecologist’s First Obligation? Here’s an issue that completely divides the Center Party and the Greens: air traffic. Within ten years, Swedish air traffic has doubled. This is one of the main reasons that the CO2-emissions are going up instead of down. No serious ecological party can let that stand. The Greens in government have therefore introduced a ticket toll that adds a moderate surcharge on domestic flights, and a pretty noticeable one on intercontinental flights. The Center Party resists furiously against this toll and promises to revoke it after the elections. In the land of long distances, domestic flights are of major importance for the accessibility of remote rural areas. And, as we have learned, these areas are of great importance for the Center Party. Instead of the ticket toll, Annie Lööf suggests to stipulate that gradually an obligatory share of bio jet fuel and synthetic fuels has to be in every tank of every aircraft that starts or lands in Sweden. To this end, she wants to enhance the means for research of alternative fuels considerably. But do these fuels exist in marketable amounts, we ask? Very much so, Goldmann answers. For instance, AltAir from California supplies biofuels for many international airlines. The public company Swedavia which owns all relevant Swedish airports set the target of a fossil free domestic aviation in 2030, and this is based on realistic calculations much like the goal of carbon neutral airports which they are reaching this year already. The Swedish airline SAS has just opened a jet biofuels plant together with the oil company Preem. There are more examples, Goldmann explains. “Still, there is one fact that Centerpartiet misses out. If they are afraid that more expensive flying will hurt the countryside, they should mention that biofuels are at least three times more expensive than conventional jet fuel. So any meaningful blending rate will make flying more expensive, too. This can partially be offset through cheaper landing fees for bio-flights, but I still don’t see how aviation will not become more costly.” Biofuels can contribute to lower emissions for some time. But the real future is electric: “Norwegian AviNor, responsible for all airports in Norway, has set the target of 100% electric domestic aviation by 2040. Can’t be done, say the experts. But Boeing, Airbus and others are now investing heavily in electric aviation.” According to Mattias Goldmann, first studies show that the ticket toll fulfils neither the hopes of the Greens, nor the misgivings of the Center Party. Swedes continue flying much like before. The conflict, however, illustrates the different approaches of the two green parties. As soon as ecological policies reach a level of discomfort or address individual consumption directly, the Center Party turns into an unreliable ally. Frequently and readily they then like to point at international contexts: how would a Swedish ticket toll influence growing air traffic rates in Asia or Africa? Only a forced addition of bio fuels would capture aircraft from other countries. There are similar patterns to be found in other contexts: what good would a higher tax on pesticides do other than oust agricultural production to Eastern Europe where pesticide use is much more prevalent? While these arguments may be true, they become cheap without practical alternatives in sight. The Center Party’s favourite reasoning in cases like this is technological progress. And even if this were viable – can world climate wait any longer? Is protecting the environment really possible without limiting consumption? Isn’t impatience the ecologist’s first obligation? Yes, Goldmann says. But he points out that ecological enforcement strategies always have to take into account how far-reaching the broad impact of any reasoning is. And it is here, that the Greens can learn from the Center Party. The party found its current slogan, ‘närodlad politik’, a few years ago. Directly translated ‘närodlad politik’ means ‘politics produced locally’. Goldmann thought at first that it was a little provincial. In the meantime, he has had to admit that this approach is exactly what works. You can try to explain to people that they are responsible for their own ‘carbon footprint’ and therefore have to consume responsibly. But maybe it works better to simply tell them: “Buy local produce. You know where it comes from. It’s healthy and tastes better.” The latter often is much more promising. This is often the case with Center Party strategies. Perhaps this is a specific eco-liberal strategy. Annie Lööf would say: “We have to make it easier to do the right thing. We have to make it cheaper to do the right thing.” And she never tires of explaining that Sweden’s CO2-emissions went down when the ministers for economic affairs and the environment were from the Center Party. Windcraft increased by a factor of seven in the eight years Center Party was in government. “Rural Areas Need Freedom” The federal headquarters of the Center Party are in a pretty office building in the picturesque historical centre of Stockholm. We have a date with Karin Carlesten and Martin Ådahl. She is the international officer of the party. He is the party’s chief economist. Ådahl is the kind of intellectual who rarely remembers the name of the person he’s talking to, but always their relevant arguments. Carlesten is the consummate liberal diplomat. When asked if they both are also from farming families, Carlesten shakes her head. She is from a typical Swedish small-sized town middle-class family, she says. But she grew up with a lot of farmland around. They used to go to farm visits with school on a regular basis. Yes, many of her fellow members in the party had the same kind of upbringing. But there is also another, newer group of members who grew up in bigger cities and their suburbs. The cows of their childhood were on milk cartons. Under Annie Lööf’s leadership, the membership numbers of the Center Party in Stockholm tripled. Ådahl did not grow up on a farm either and lives in Stockholm. But it is important to him that the party does not lose its practical connection to rural areas: “Take something like levee bank and water protection. The strong regulations in this field are characterized by urban thinking. But in the North of Sweden, there are more rivers than people. If the building regulations for levee banks are too rigid you more or less make settlements in rural areas impossible.” Looking through urban spectacles, politics often think that more regulations or action programmes are needed for rural areas. More often than not, however, the exact opposite is true. Start-ups and business settlements are the key to everything. And, yes, it takes high-performance broadband access all over the country and good traffic infrastructure. But even more than that it takes freedom. If someone, for instance, develops wasteland or brings new light to the broken windows of empty buildings, they should get tax cuts. More ‘just let them do it’. More freedom. That’s what it’s all about. Open the Borders, Lower the Job Market Standards? What fascinates us again and again about the Center Party, we explain, is their position on immigration. Normally, the open-mindedness on cultural diversity is an urban thing. So you would expect scepticism from a party with a rural base. Then how is the Center Party of all parties the one most open on this issue? Ådahl’s voice assumes an almost caressing tone when he answers: “This party has always had a profoundly social basic guideline. If you’re trying to understand us this is of fundamental importance. We are not a Social Democratic redistribution party, but we hold dear the conviction that society must not leave behind those that are weaker. This is reflected in our membership. No other party has a social rootedness as deep as ours. If you are a Centerpartiet-member you have at least one other volunteer job, be it the Red Cross or neighbourhood help. This humanitarian approach is what our asylum policy stems from.” Karin Carlesten admits that in light of developments since 2015 the Center Party, too, has had to reassemble. Talking about open borders is not as easy as it used to be. Agreements on asylum policy across party lines were necessary and required compromises. But the Center Party, faster than any of the other parties, comprehended that integrating the newcomers had to become the first priority. So the party offered new suggestions swiftly and persistently how to integrate refugees into the job market. One of them was a concept to introduce lower starting salaries. It proposed that it should be possible to hire young people, long-term unemployed people, people with disabilities and refugees, paying them 20% less than the standard wage for the first three years. The state was to pay the employers’ social security share. Not for the first time, the people we are talking to point to the German Hartz-reforms. The Center Party applauds them. Refugees who arrive in Sweden want to take care of themselves, Carlesten believes. And it is vital to help them do that. Of course, they will make less money than other Swedish workers. But they live in safety and can provide for their families. Sometimes it is necessary to look at things through the eyes of those you are talking about. If you asked them whether they prefer a low paid job to no job, there’s no question what they would answer. If you want thousands of Syrians to build a life here you have to be willing to accept a degree of social imbalance. Social Democrats want to change immigrants to make them fit into Swedish society. The Center Party openly admits that Swedish society, too, has to adapt to be able to incorporate the refugees. Ådahl adds that for four years they have watched the Social Democrats trying to solve integration problems by pouring money over them. This attempt was utterly fruitless. No, Sweden is not a country where trailer parks find social acceptance. But the time has come to give more freedom, more individual responsibility, more opportunities a try. Who do they think will vote for such a toxic offer, we wonder. First, the Center Party comes along demanding a much more humane asylum system than today — alienating all right-wing voters. Next they call for a liberalisation of the labour market and lose all left-wing voters. Martin Ådahl answers: “Of course, we had discussions about this at the time. But our conclusion was: it is the right thing to do, so that’s what we will say. If you let people into the country you have to make it possible for them to join the labour market. A few weeks later, a major Swedish newspaper asked in a survey what people thought about our concept of lower starting salaries. The outcome was that a majority of voters, independent of their party affiliation, supported our suggestion. Only the voters of the Sweden Democrats and the Left Party were opposed. The majority of voters is absolutely open to reasonable arguments. So you just have to publicly go forward sometimes.” “Forward” — “Framåt!”, is the current Center Party-campaign slogan. “We are planning to campaign like Macron”, says Ådahl. ”Everybody keeps talking about how many problems we have. Someone has to talk about solutions. You don’t win voters by scaring them.” Their campaign is to be profoundly optimistic and compassionate. The message at the centre is “Sweden must not break apart.” – no crack between rural and urban areas nor between Swedes and immigrants. One thing is obviuos already: this message works, and not only in rural areas. In fact, the Center- electorate under Annie Lööf more and more takes the shape of a ’U’. Good results in rural areas, good results in big cities. Their only relative weakness continues to be smaller and medium-sized cities – even though the party is growing in these places as well. Just how much vigour and resources the party is willing to spend on their ascent in the cities is on view at the election headquarters in Stockholm. From a big former salesroom, round about 20 employees will organize the fight for the votes of the 2.4 mio citizens of the Stockholm area when the campaign reaches the critical phase. Lots of good-looking young people are bustling around life-size cardboard stand-ups of Annie Lööf already. The Center Party is the party of the beautiful people. “In the old days our campaigns in Stockholm were entirely homespun because the national topics of the Center Party simply didn’t work in an urban setting,” Karin Ernlund, chair of the city chapter of the Center Party in Stockholm explains. “It is so different today. We formulate our main messages in such a way that they are compatible both for rural and urban areas.” Support for start-ups, for instance, applies to both cities and rural areas. Healthy regional food is appreciated both in the country people and in cities. Out in the country, “Sweden must not break apart” means that rural areas must not be outpaced. In major cities, it means that socially problematic districts on the outskirts must be pulled up from the dregs of hopelessness. Nonetheless, the Center Party would not be a typically Swedish party if their campaigning wasn’t intensely data-based. All threads of the Stockholm campaign come together in the hands of its two managers. Flaxen-haired Gustaf Arnander, in his early thirthies, is in charge of the city. His colleague Patrik Lundholm, appearing older and more well-off, is responsible of the rural environs. Optically, they are perfectly cast for their roles. They don’t only know their target groups, but where they live and how to persuade them. Lundholm is dealing with Centerpartiets traditional voters still, while Arnanders important potential are ‘people searching’ – students, people in the creative industries, urban hipsters living in the centre of town. Both Lundholm and Arnander have to satisfy the ‘establishment’ – two-income parents with a Volvo station wagon and a Labrador. Messages and campaign instruments are specifically developed to speak to each of these target groups. Still, all of these potential voters are joined in a fundamentally liberal attitude. Also, certain topics, like protecting water from microplastics, or advancing bike traffic works with all groups. But in general, you have to take different approaches to make the same policies palatable to different people. The overlap with the green electorate is significant, but, Arnander and Lundholm think, mostly exhausted. The central struggle for votes on the last lap will be between the Center Party and the Conservative Moderates. This is where the eco-liberals gain more than half of their additional votes – yet these voters are the most fickle. Their support is based on the pro-immigration and cosmopolitan attitude that they see embodied more by the Center Party than the Moderates right now. And it is based on Annie Lööf. “Annie is the reason we’re hot,” Arnander concludes. Preservation of green spaces, traffic policy and integration have been identified as the most important issues for Stockholm’s voters by the Center Party. “The preservation of urban green spaces is incredibly important to our voters.” Arnander says. But, of course, especially younger ‘people searching’ want payable rents, too. “It helps us that we have always been considered the party of high-rise buildings. If you want to preserve nature and local recreation you have to build upward.” Added to this, the city should attach conditions of payable rent to the sale of public land. Inner-city traffic will always be a hot potato for any ecological party, he goes on: “The further we get away from our core vote, the more voters love their SUV’s.” Often though, it is simply a question of explaining policies appropriately. The Center Party recently suggested introducing a speed limit of 30 k/h for the entire inner city of Stockholm. “Of course, not everybody agrees with that. But if we ask: wouldn’t it be nice if children could play in the streets like they used to? – that makes people think.” When it comes down to it, integration is largely a question of communicating values and of compliance with rules. But another issue of extreme importance to Center-voters is the reliable refusal to cooperate with the Sweden Democrats. Centerpartiet on the way to power? We leave the campaign office in Stockholm feeling very sure that this party has the wind at her back. But whither will it blow them? We ask political journalist Stikkan Andersson in a coffee house in the business district Norrmalm. National polls show that none of the traditional political camps can expect a majority of votes. The right wing obstructs any broad majority. Social Democrats, Greens and the Left Party on the one hand, and the bourgeois alliance on the other have been engaged in a race too close to call, but they won’t ever get across the finishing line anyway. “Annie Lööf has gained in stature through her immigration and integrations politics,” Andersson says. But because of it, the bourgeois camp appears much more divided than it has for many years. Especially Lööf’s clear rejection of the Sweden Democrats has blocked the easiest path to a centre-right seizure of power. “The only viable alternative now is a minority government of the Moderates, tolerated by the Sweden Democrats – without the Center Party”, Andersson thinks. Maybe, though, the Social Democrats will succeed in dragging the Center Party and the Liberals to their side and thus achieving a majority. They’re eagerly trying anyhow, even though Lööf deliberately gives them the cold shoulder. What happens if neither of these scenarios works out, we want to know. There’s a third option that few people have on their radar, Andersson divulges. “In 2001, we were close to a minority government of the small middle-of-the-road parties already – the Greens, Liberals and the Center Party. I don’t think that that is out of the question this time around, if all else fails.” The Center Party would clearly be the strongest party in such a coalition. Prime Minister Annie Lööf in a green-green-yellow coalition, then? Not highly probable. But not impossible either. We’re walking through summery Stockholm towards the posh department store ‘NK’. Annie Lööf is signing her new book called ‘Moment of Truth’. It’s the sort of book politicians write when they don’t want to take any risks that might hurt their career, but could use a book signing tour for campaign purposes. The bookstore staff are busy trying to find more chairs — they didn’t expect an audience of this size. Lööf is not the only one reading here today, however. Popular liberal bedrock Lars Leijonborg has also written a new book. In the introductory talk with the bookseller Lööf comes across as a seasoned interview partner. She discusses the “me too”-debate. She talks about her little daughter, her marriage and the death of her husband’s parents. She discusses – naturally – the importance of entrepreneurship and that Sweden must not break apart. She talks about the danger from the right and that Sweden has to defend her values. She is followed by her older colleague. Leijonborg confirms every stereotype of the elder gentleman who likes to hear himself talk. Annie Lööf smiles politely, nods every now and then while scanning the audience’s faces. She would never give in to the impulse to look at her watch or smartphone while a hundred pairs of eyes are on her. Annie Lööf is a woman with a plan and the discipline to see it through to the end. No mistakes. Not now. After what feels like an eternity Leijonborg finally gets to the end. The two of them go to separate tables to sign their books. A long queue forms. At Annie Lööf’s table. Sweden, summer 2018. A country where a lot is in motion. If all goes well, it will go in Annie Lööf’s and the Center Party’s direction. Framåt. Forward. Hat Ihnen unser Beitrag gefallen? Dann spenden Sie doch einfach und bequem über unser Spendentool. Sie unterstützen damit die publizistische Arbeit von LibMod. Wir sind als gemeinnützig anerkannt, entsprechend sind Spenden steuerlich absetzbar. Für eine Spendenbescheinigung (nötig bei einem Betrag über 200 EUR), senden Sie Ihre Adressdaten bitte an email@example.com Mit dem LibMod-Newsletter erhalten Sie regelmäßig Neuigkeiten zu unseren Themen in Ihr Postfach.

This is an open thread. Please post or discuss whatever you’d like, including self-linking. MSNBC’s photoblog has an excellent feature on Pearl Harbor, including this photo of a group of women of color fighting fires after the attacks: (Click through to see a big version of the photo). There’s been a lot of interest in this photo, and I hope some or all of the women in it are identified and their stories told. I’m in a hurry to get to the studio and draw, but here’s a few other links: - Politics Over Science: HHS Keeps Emergency Contraception From Store Shelves | RH Reality Check - Social conservatives everywhere sure do love their slippery slopes: Saudis fear there will be ¿no more virgins¿ and people will turn gay if female drive ban is lifted | Mail Online - Extremely well-written essay by a gay marine: On Marines, equality, and my date to the Marine Corps Birthday Ball - Why Do We Make Movies For A Sex-Segregated World? | ThinkProgress - The Myth of Profligate Euro Zone Countries | Beat the Press - Longshot GOP Presidential Candidate Gary Johnson Comes Out For Marriage Equality | ThinkProgress - What is a representative sex worker? — Feministe - OWS Success: Even Obama Is Talking About Income Inequality - The Debate Link: Mis-Match Mish-Mash, Part II - Open Thread, so that’s why people become cops edition - Open Thread, People Are Kind And Helpful Edition - Hanukkah Post on Jewish Identity, Jewish Fantasy, and People of the Book: a Decade of Jewish Science Fiction & Fantasy - Open Thread: WTF Edition - Open Thread (Amp, you need another open thread edition)

Friday, October 23, 2009 I have written before about how Houston's Montrose neighborhood recently made it into the American Planning Association's Top 10 Neighborhoods in America. Montrose is an eclectic neighborhood that is home to Houston's arts and LGBT communities, as well as a critical mass of museums, restaurants, and other cultural amenities. This story is about the relative success of tattoo parlors in the area: Body Art: "Tattoo Zone" makes mark along Lower Westheimer. For most businesses, having a clump of competitors within walking distance would be a bad thing. Not so, say the tattoo artists on lower Westheimer, where five shops are clustered between Dunlavy and Yupon streets. “Actually, it's good for business,” said Larry Shaw, a third-generation tattoo artist and a 30-year mainstay at Shaw's Tattoo, 1660C Westheimer. “It's like a tattoo zone, more or less. People think of tattooing and say, ‘Oh, Westheimer. Lower Westheimer.' ” Now of course, neither the text nor the map of the local zoning ordinance (oh wait, Houston doesn't have a zoning ordinance!) declares an official "tattoo zone." But I do find two points from this article to be relevant: First, even in the Unzoned City, land use regulation has so pervaded the culture that people tend to instinctively think of geographically-clustered land uses as "zones." Second is the interesting point that the individual tattoo parlors consider themselves to be economically better off because they are located in an area (or "zone," if you must) that is also home to business competitors. Is this fact part of the argument for zoning, or for free market ordering? As promised earlier, today I report about our field visit Tuesday to Hawkinsville, Georgia. Hawkinsville/Pulaski County is a small community (population 10,000) south of Macon. Its primary industry is agriculture, and it has an award winning regional hospital. The people of Hawkinsville are hospitable, smart and creative. Unfortunately, Hawkinsville has the very urban problem of declining housing stock in its core. Actually, I should say that this is a pretty common problem in communities of all sizes. Hawkinsville is not the only town I know of in rural Georgia dealing with delapidated housing. Fortunately, Hawkinsville is using some old urban redevelopment laws in a creative new way, and has established its own redevelopment authority. HURA, as it is popularly know, has already cleared many properties and is working on redeveloping an abandoned cotton mill into affordable lofts. (View a blog about the history of Hawkinsville, including the cotton mill, here.) Our little delegation to Hawkinsville included my colleague Matt Bishop of UGA's Archway Partnership, and my former student and current client Heather Benham of the Athens Land Trust. Matt's background is in public administration. As Coordinator of Operations at Archway, his job is to connect university resources to communities in need of expertise. Heather was a student in the clinic six years ago, and is now an expert in her own right on community land trusts. We had a great conversation with Hawkinsville local leaders about the possibility of HURA forming a land trust, and how that might help them in their redevelopment efforts. We also ate good barbeque at Sow Bellies, which I highly recommend if you're ever in South Georgia. These types of projects are great for my students to see, because it shows the interdisciplinary nature of land use law. It also allows my clients to mentor each other to solve common community problems. We'll continue to work with Hawkinsville over semesters to come, so I'll likely report more about their interesting and innovative work as time progresses. Jamie Baker Roskie Thursday, October 22, 2009 Jane B. Baron (Temple) has posted The Contested Commitments of Property, forthcoming in the Hastings Law Journal. The abstract: The means by which property organizes human behavior and social life is the subject of profound and heated debate. On one side, information theorists emphasize that property works in rem, using standardized signals to tell all the world to keep off things owned by others. On the other side, progressive theorists emphasize property’s capacity to promote human flourishing, respect for human dignity, Aristotelian virtue, or democratic governance. The divide between these two schools of thought represents the most vital dispute in a quarter-century of property scholarship, and it seems likely to preoccupy academics (and their students) for at least another generation. This paper claims that debates between informational and progressive scholars, despite their prominence, are not adequately understood. Such debates currently center on whether the right to exclude is fundamental to property law. This issue plays out doctrinally in arguments over whether trespass is property’s paradigmatic rule, and metaphorically in arguments over whether exclusion rights, as opposed to human relationships, lie at property’s “core.” By contrast, this paper suggests that academics’ singular focus on exclusion has obscured even deeper questions about property’s stability, its institutional mechanism for change, and its very status as a distinctive field of study. Rather than pursuing unproductive controversies over what lies at property’s “core” and “periphery,” this paper presents a different metaphorical contest as a more accurate account of the issues in modern property law. Information theorists employ the metaphor of property as a machine - a machine that, with minimal tinkering, has produced a good-enough social ordering and will generally continue to do so. This mechanical metaphor is inconsistent with progressive theorists’ view of property as a conversation. The progressives’ conversation metaphor expresses the view that we need to continually question whether the system is good enough, that we need to openly debate the quality of the human relationships that property produces, and that we must revise property rules that fail to fulfill our underlying value commitments. This metaphorical contest is important doctrinally because it reflects conflicting views about whether we can ever unreflectively trust property rules to express our values. “Machine” and “conversation” suggest very different visions of how much faith we should have in our existing system of property, of whether it is good enough, and of whether we can trust ourselves to improve it. In contrast to the spiderweb of interstate highway and railway connections typical of the eastern United States, much of the west - particularly the southwest - has far less transportation infrastructure. Las Vegas and Phoenix are connected in large part by a single highway that shrinks to one lane in each direction for many miles. Las Vegas and Southern California are connected by I15, a major interstate highway. Anyone who has ever made the trip between the two areas, however, will quickly tell you that the road is not big enough to handle the weekend crush of visitors into and out of Las Vegas. And there is no rail service between Las Vegas and any of these areas. Las Vegas is vying to be the hub of a future network of southwest railways. Similarly, many companies are competing to create this next generation of rail transportation. The two leading proposals pit traditonal steel on rails technology running from Las Vegas to Victorville, CA against magnetic levitation (Maglev) trains that will run between Las Vegas and Anaheim, CA. For those unfamiliar with the cities between Las Vegas and Southern California, I'll try to put the two proposals in context. A railway between Las Vegas and Victorville is the equivalent of building a railway to connect Washington DC to New York City, but dropping riders off in Philadelphia, PA and telling them to get to New York the best way they can. A railway between Las Vegas and Anaheim is the equivalent of getting the DC riders to Newark, NJ and giving them the option of taking a cab or renting a car into New York City. There are, of course, real facts on the ground (so to speak) that help to explain some of the differences between the proposals. Cost is a big deal, as is the feasibility of the technology. Moreover, the pesky Cajon Pass between Vegas and Southern California contains steep grades that would defy the steel on rails technology. Finally, no large transportation project can go proceed without political and fiscal ... intrigue. Each side is jockeying for political and economic support, with dizzying results. I don't want to dismiss the other contenders in the race too quickly. The southwest offers the opportunity to dream big. For example, I am certain that few could have envisioned today's glittering Vegas metropolis emerging from a dusty airstrip and a few scattered motels in the middle of the Mojave Desert. Here is a brief description of the other rail contenders: SolaTrek, a highway-decluttering maglev hybrid that motorists would be able to board while the train is in motion; Texas-based Robert Pulliam of Tubular Rail, which puts the rails on the vehicle and the locomotion in a series of O-rings stretched across the countryside; and America’s Sunlight Bullet Expressway, a subsidiary of a Las Vegas-based operation that would blend rail transportation with electrical transmission lines linking cities with solar-power-generation stations. It will be interesting to see how imaginative today's leaders will be. Deep in the heart of Oklahoma oil country, the United States Federal Reserve Banks owns...a...shopping mall. Unfortunately, its pretty well dormant. Except, that is, for the oil pump slowly grinding away in the parking lot (albeit one that the Fed does not own because it doesn't own the shopping mall's mineral rights--a somewhat curious concept in the first place: "shopping mall mineral rights"). A $29 billion trail from the Federal Reserve's bailout of Wall Street investment bank Bear Stearns ends in a partially deserted shopping center on a bleak spot on the south side of Oklahoma City. The Fed now owns the Crossroads Mall, a sprawling shopping complex at the junction of Interstate highways 244 and 35, complete with an oil well pumping crude in the parking lot -- except the Fed does not own the mineral rights. Isn't the irony thick...the U.S. taxpayers, through our backing of the Fed, now essentially own a dead mall. The Fed finds itself in the unusual situation of being an Oklahoma City landlord after it lent JPMorgan Chase $29 billion to buy Bear Stearns last year. That money was secured by a portfolio of Bear assets. Crossroads Mall is the only bricks and mortar acquired through bailout. The remaining billions are tied up in invisible securities spread across hundreds, if not thousands, of properties. It is hard to be precise because the Fed has not published specifics on what it now owns. The only reason that Crossroads Mall has surfaced is that it went into foreclosure in April. On Wednesday in Houston there was an interesting conference called "The Truth About Smart Growth: Setting the Stage for the Housing Collapse--National Conference on What Works and What Hurts." It was organized by Houstonians for Responsible Growth, a local developers' PAC that advocates generally on the pro-property rights side of various issues. The conference was co-sponsored by Heritage, Reason, Cato, and several other groups. It had a lineup of speakers that included some of the nation's leading land use scholars from the libertarian perspective. Tory Gattis was recruited to give the introduction and to moderate. Gattis is a social systems architect in Houston whose insightful commentary on his Houston Strategies and Opportunity Urbanist blogs has made him one of the leading voices on land use issues in Houston. Among the highlights from the speakers: Sam Staley of the Reason Foundation spoke about Houston's land use system compared to the dominant mode of planning and zoning in other American cities. Staley says that Houston's system is superior because it is dynamic, flexible, and responsive to the market. These factors actually enable Houston to offer some of the types of development that proponents of smart growth want--such as higher density and mixed use--without the increased costs caused by overregulation. He correctly observed that Houston is not "unplanned," but rather that it has mostly private planning, through covenants and site development platting. Staley warned Houston against adopting zoning or more stringent land use regulations. Wendell Cox of Demographia then presented "How Texas Averted the Great Recession." There are many Texans who have been hurt by the recession, but Cox is generally correct that it hasn't been as bad in Texas as in many other parts of the country. One of the reasons is the nature of Texas's economy, and another is that there wasn't really a housing bubble to begin with here. Cox argued that the more permissive land use regulatory environment allowed development to more accurately track the market demand in Texas, and that adopting smart growth policies would drive up the median multiple (ratio of average home price to income) to an unacceptable level. Luis Vera of LULAC spoke in support of Proposition 11, which will essentially constitutionalize Texas's anti-Kelo prohibition of economic development takings. I'll post more on Prop 11 soon. Vera gave an interesting speech talking about land use and housing policy as possibly the next great civil rights issue, in part because of the disproportionate impact that eminent domain sometimes has on minority neighborhoods; he said (I paraphrase) something like: we (i.e. LULAC and property rights groups) may not agree on things like immigration, but we agree on keeping the American Dream alive. Randal O'Toole, from the Cato Institute and the Antiplanner (and who has suggested that urban planning caused the housing bubble), spoke about the possibility of an "alternative vision" to achieve the goals of smart growth through less restrictive means. Turns out that this alternative vision is pretty much Houston. O'Toole has extensive command of housing statistics and regulatory policies from across the nation, and makes a good case that the non-zoning approach is at least partly responsible for the areas in which Houston has outperformed other cities. There were a few other interesting speakers as well, about which I might post later. So is Smart Growth (or perhaps more accurately, government regulatory policies intended to achieve Smart Growth) really that bad? The speakers at this conference are among the land use experts who make the best case against it. At the end of the conference I spoke with Joshua Sanders, the Executive Director of Houstonians for Responsible Growth, and he indicated that the audio/video links might be put online; if they do, I will post them. UPDATE: Tory Gattis has a post up on Houston Strategies with some thoughts on the speakers' presentations and the text of his introductory remarks. Wednesday, October 21, 2009 In the spring semester I will be teaching the land use class as a seminar. Our seminars are limited to 20 students and geared toward fulfilling the law school's graduation writing requirement of producing a substantial, original research paper. I'm very excited about the class. I can't quite pull off anything like the development projects in Chad's cool-sounding project development seminar, but I would like to make it a stimulating research-based class. I have taught land use as a quasi-seminar before, where the grade was based on a research paper, but we still conducted class sessions based on casebook readings. This time it's an "offical" seminar, so I want to design the course around interesting and informative readings, i.e., books and articles. So I what I really want to know is what readings have you assigned, or would you assign, in a land use seminar? I'm thinking about starting with a few classes on the basics (so maybe a readable treatise would be a good foundation) and then venturing into the various topics more closely. If you had to assign one book or article on a given land use topic, what would it be? I have a few ideas in mind on particular topics, but I would love to hear your experiences, ideas, and suggestions on this. Please let me know! The Obama Administration has announced a new "Initiative for State and Local Housing Finance Agencies": WASHINGTON - As part of its comprehensive plan to stabilize the U.S. housing market, the Obama Administration today announced a new initiative for state and local housing finance agencies (HFAs) that will help support low mortgage rates and expand resources for low and middle income borrowers to purchase or rent homes that are affordable over the long term. Following up on the intent to support HFAs first outlined in February under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan, the Administration's initiative has two parts: a new bond purchase program to support new lending by HFAs and a temporary credit and liquidity program to improve the access of HFAs to liquidity for outstanding HFA bonds. Read the press release at HUD.gov. An interesting project from both the property and the local government angles of land use. The Congressional Oversight Panel has released its October Oversight Report: An Assessment of Foreclosure Mitigation Programs After Six Months. The Panel, chaired by Elizabeth Warren, is charged with reviewing "the current state of the financial markets and the regulatory system" and with oversight of federal programs related to the mortgage and financial crises. The executive summary of the report begins: From July 2007 through August 2009, 1.8 million homes were lost to foreclosure and 5.2 million more foreclosures were started. One in eight mortgages is currently in foreclosure or default. Each month, an additional 250,000 foreclosures are initiated, resulting in direct investor losses that average more than $120,000. These investors include the American people. The combination of federal efforts to combat the financial crisis coupled with mortgage assistance programs makes the taxpayer the ultimate guarantor of a large portion of home mortgages. It concludes that the programs--particularly the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP)--as currently configured are too constrained in scope, scale, and permanence to achieve the goals of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (ESSA) in reducing the impact of the mortgage crisis. The Manhattan Institute's Nicole Gelinas analyzes the report in City Journal with Our Subprime Federal Government: President Obama's mortgage plan imitates the lenders who inflated the housing bubble. The analysis shows that the Treasury, in trying to keep people in homes they can’t afford, is relying on the same perverse principle that inflated the housing bubble in the first place: namely, that it’s fine to borrow recklessly to buy a house, because house prices can only go up and up. Gelinas argues that HAMP in particular is counterproductive because it has only enabled homeowners to cut interest rates instead of principal debt for mortgage loans that are now "underwater" (i.e., the debt (original loan) is greater than the current market value of the property). In Gelinas's analysis, HAMP has provided temporary relief in monthly payments but it has actually increased the total debt of its borrowers and caused more loans to go officially underwater. The Panel and Gelinas may both be right about HAMP's shortcomings. Their recommendations diverge (roughly put--Panel: more; Gelinas: less (Gelinas would favor encouraging lenders to forgive prinicpal)). What I find to be even more problematic is the scale: under HAMP there have been fewer than 2,000 workouts so far (1,711 according to the Panel). So whether the Panel is right in asking for more, or Gelinas is right that even these < 2,000 workouts have been counterproductive, it seems that this paltry number can't have much effect on the overall economy. I understand that the government can't just pull a chain and magically modify millions of mortgages--such an individualized, case-by-case, fact-intensive program like this can't automatically handle massive amounts of cases. But 2,000 mortgage modifications, while perhaps providing important relief to those homeowners, can hardly reverse the tide of the mortgage crisis. The Panel report indicates a Treasury goal of between 2 and 2.6 million modifications--it's unclear to me how the program can ramp up from two thousand to two million, so if you have better information than I do, please leave a comment. Even at this number, the Panel estimates 10 to 12 million foreclosures, so either the Panel is right that the program needs a massive upgrade, or Gelinas is right that we should abandon the effort and focus more on mortgage principal rather than temporary modification of interest rates that perhaps makes bad mortgages worse and potentially re-inflates the bubble. Tuesday, October 20, 2009 I wanted to give a preview of tomorrow's local hearing over what appears to be a form-based code designed for an area near Charleston's port. One of the issues I've mentioned in prior posts is whether the adoption of a form-based code in a historic district might tend to trump the role of a board of architectural review, which is required (in Charleston, at least) to approve the height, scale, and mass of any new construction within the historic district, a role delegated by law as belonging to the board of architectural review. After additional reflection, this situation seems to raise interesting jurisdictional issues, too. One way to avoid this problem might be something known as "area character appraisals," where residents, city officials, preservation groups, and other stakeholders agree ex ante on the forms new buildings ought to take. If this type of concensus is not established soon in Charleston, the likelihood of future litigation is likely to increase, especially if a developer gains approval to build a pre-approved form that a board of architectural review rejects. Or by preservation groups objecting to the subject matter jurisdiction of a planning commission that usurps the role of a board of architectural review. Some of these issues will be raised Wednesday night at a public forum. I'll let you know the outcome. Will Cook, Charleston School of Law Have you ever driven by a large retail center and noticed rows upon rows of empty parking spaces? If so, did you ever wonder why one big box retailer really needed such a large amount of empty asphalt in order to operate? Or, what about this situation: have you ever seen metered parking spaces whose rates are so low (say, 25 cents per hour) that its more economical to park at a meter than use transit or a centralized parking structure? Most of us realize that the above scenarios are not merely unlikely hypos but, instead, an established reality in many cities. Parking is often either too plentiful and free or too limited and cheap--both of which promote an inefficient allocation of transportation resources. Fortunately, the Washington D.C. area is once again taking the lead with innovative land use policies that focus on the efficient allocation of resources--this time with newly proposed parking laws: Planners mapping out a new, pedestrian-friendly mini-city in Tysons Corner to dovetail with the Metrorail line under construction are proposing parking standards unheard of in Fairfax County, where three-car families are not unusual. Buildings near the four future train stations in Tysons will no longer have to have a minimum of parking. The code now calls for at least 2.6 spaces per 1,000 square feet of office space; stores must have up to six spaces per that area. Townhouses get 2.7 spaces each. The District dumped its parking minimums last year, rewriting the zoning code for the first time in 50 years to set parking space according to demand in a particular neighborhood. In another departure from tradition, Tysons will not only have fewer places to park, but businesses will also have to share spaces. Nightclubbers will park in the spaces defense contractors were in that morning. Considering that Tysons has more land devoted to cars than people -- with approximately 167,000 parking spaces covering 40 million square feet -- they're big changes. You can read the entire Washington Post article here. It provides several other very useful examples of sound parking law strategy. The idea of charging a market rate for parking is really a no-brainer. Especially when, in the case of much of the D.C. area, a viable transit option exists in the form of both busses and heavy/light rail. After all, why should cities require massive amounts of (typically free) parking in suburban settings when many of those spaces don't get used and, instead, merely add to water pollution problems through the unnecessary run-off that all of this impermeable asphalt and concrete causes. Or, in an urban setting, why should parking meters cost the same at 8pm as they do at 8am (when demand is typically much higher). In these times of fiscal austerity at the local government level, shouldn't revenue streams such as parking meters be used as efficiently as possible. It's good to see the D.C. area jurisdictions continue to promote efficient land use policies through logical resource-allocation methods like this. --Chad Emerson, Faulkner U. Wayne Curtis has a very interesting article in The Atlantic, called Houses of the Future. The intro: Four years after the levee failures, New Orleans is seeing an unexpected boom in architectural experimentation. Small, independent developers are succeeding in getting houses built where the government has failed. And the city's unique challenges—among them environmental impediments, an entrenched culture of leisure, and a casual acquaintance with regulation—are spurring design innovations that may redefine American architecture for a generation. An interesting assessment, particularly in its suggestion that private development has been working better so far than any comprehensive efforts to rebuild New Orleans. What does Brad Pitt have to do with all this? And then, suddenly, amid heroically overgrown lawns, you see a cluster of modern, colorful, and modestly sized homes, looking like a farm where they grow houses for Dwell magazine. These are the fruits to date of Pitt’s other project, Make It Right New Orleans. New Orleanians refer to these homes collectively as “the Brad Pitt Houses,” which gives them the pleasing ring of an ambitious public-housing project from the post–World War II years. But Pitt’s ambitions are not merely utilitarian. He hopes to offer displaced residents affordable, cutting-edge, radically green homes designed by name-brand architects like Thom Mayne and Frank Gehry. And he seems to be succeeding. Four years after Katrina, the rebuilding of New Orleans is not proceeding the way anyone envisioned, nor with the expected cast of characters. (If I may emphasize: Brad Pitt is the city’s most innovative and ambitious housing developer.) However, not everyone is on board with Brad Pitt's (architects') designs: Not everybody is so circumspect. “Oh, it’s all bullshit,” Andres Duany said to me last fall, when I brought up Make It Right. “The high design? That has nothing to do with reality. That’s just architectural self-indulgence.” Duany has been heavily involved in New Orleans rebuilding since the hurricane, but he advocates both traditional design and traditional methods: So the central problem, according to Duany: “All the do-goody people attempting to preserve the culture are the same do-gooders who are raising the standards for the building of houses, and are the same do-gooders who are giving people partial mortgages and putting them in debt,” he said. . . . As an alternative, Duany argues for “opt-out zones” for some of the hardest-hit areas, including the Lower Ninth. Within these zones, residents could rebuild their homes the way the city was originally constructed: by hand, incrementally, and unencumbered by what Duany calls “gold-plated” building regulations or bank requirements. It's a good article that touches on many land use issues (I just wish The Atlantic had included more pictures in the web version). According to this article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, states like Georgia and Florida whose economies are heavily dependent on the home construction industry are struggling harder to emerge from the recession. It's interesting that cities in the Sunbelt that have boomed in good times are now handicapped by their economies based on sprawl. Here's a quote from the article: This seems to be backed up by what I'm hearing from local officials. One leader from a county in north Georgia told me Friday that local tax collection is way down, and the only bounce they can hope for is from the new VW plant planned in Chattanooga. (Interestingly, the plant is being built here in the States because the dollar is so weak against the Euro, making goods from Germany more expensive here.) People just aren't buying vacations homes in the Georgia mountains like they were before the economy tanked. The full report is available here. Here's a particularly devastating quote from the report itself: The recession has had a disproportionate impact on Georgia, because its economy was more closely tied to the housing boom than many other states. The Atlanta metro area was the number one market for single-family construction every year from 1998 to 2005, which marked the height of the housing boom. During this period, more than 416,000 single-family permits were issued in the Atlanta area. The construction boom reached nearly every corner of the metropolitan area, particularly long slumbering areas to the south, east and west of the city. The nation’s housing boom also fueled growth in Georgia’s important forest products and carpet industries. The collapse in new home construction sent the region reeling ahead of the rest of the country. Construction employment has plunged 27 percent since March 2007. Employment in building products industries fell 24.3 percent over the past two years, and Georgia’s carpet industry has seen employment decline 18.3 percent. The report goes on to say that the expansion of the housing market also led to an increase in consumer spending, which is now, not surprisingly, decreasing. The report does have a slightly more upbeat forecast for Athens: Still, housing permits are way down even in Athens, and many homes sit on the market for months. We haven't seen the widespread foreclosures of other areas, but folks are definitely pinching pennies, and according to anecdotes I've heard, homelessness is increasing here. Jamie Baker Roskie PS Today we make a site visit to Hawkinsville/Pulaski County, in South Central Georgia. Hawkinsville is a small rural town that has been losing population over the last 20 years but is working hard to preserve and redevelop its historic downtown and its housing stock. More on this visit soon. The Wall Street Journal has an article about the dilapidated state of one of the most prominent and historic buildings at St. Andrews, the Home of Golf: For one of golf's most famous buildings, Hamilton Hall in St. Andrews, Scotland, is looking pretty shabby these days. Its red sandstone façade is still impressive, especially when lit by the late-day sun. The building looms over the 18th green of the celebrated Old Course and, more pointedly, over the clubhouse of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club across the street. (Thomas Hamilton, who had Jewish roots, commissioned the grand structure in the 1890s, as a hotel, after being rejected for membership by the R&A.) But peek around back and you'll find broken windows, boarded-up doors and blight. Inside, rubble mounts past the wainscots of rooms with ornate ceilings, dangling wires and invaluable views of the world's most famous links. Don't say "blight"!!! An interesting read and points to ponder about HP, even if you're not a golf fan. It does remind me of Justice Scalia's dissenting opinion lamenting the establishment of Federal Golf. Thanks to Tim Zinnecker for the pointer. I wanted to post this on Sunday as part of my longstanding (two-week-old) tradition of posting a more lighthearted entry on the weekend (such as the End of the Universe and America's Favorite Cities). But here it is. This weekend was the Festa Italiana in Houston. Indeed, Festa is the Italian word for party (or feast, festival, or holiday, to be precise). Perhaps that is why my students love Property so much. We had a decent time; my daughter rode a mechanical bull (Italian how?), and we got t-shirts with our last name on them ("always hot, always fresh," indeed!). What's the land use connection to Italian-American Festas? I can think of two. The basis for the first land use connection is the answer to the question of why city Italian festivals are often held in mid-October. The answer is proximity to Columbus Day. Now there was an era when Columbus's "discovery" of America was the stuff of huge celebrations in the U.S. But nowadays the celebration of Columbus Day is much more fraught with controversy, as Eugene Volokh's recent commentary suggests. One could certainly see the land use lesson of Columbus Day as the European land grab in the western hemisphere. I don't disagree. But I would only mention that for Italian-American immigrants, Columbus Day was historically an occasion of ethnic pride commensurate with St. Patrick's Day for Irish-Americans. For generations of Italian-Americans, Cristoforo Colombo was the great exemplar of Italian contribution to the American experience--the namesake of the District of the capital, a great university, a religious/social fraternal order, and so on. The more important connection between land use and Italian Festas, to me, is their reminder of the traditional Italian-American neighborhood in many American cities and towns. One of my permanent memories is seeing on the ritual drive down the New York Thruway a building with a sign for the Order Sons of Italy in America. Conscious of my last name, I have been aware of "Festas" in Milwaukee, Scranton, Schenectady, Syracuse, and even Seattle. Like with other ethnic groups, Italian-American immigrants tended to cluster in particular neighborhoods in both big cities and small towns. Some of the more prominent cities had specific Italian or "Little Italy" neighborhoods; among those I have seen are Boston's North End; Manhattan's Little Italy; Cleveland's Little Italy; San Fransisco's North Beach; and New Orleans's French Quarter (yeah, it's called "French," but much of its character was cast by the 19th Century immigrant Italians (ever had a mufuletta in France?)). I've seen Italian-American neighborhoods in some small towns, too. To the extent that the neighborhood is making a comeback as a land use planning paradigm, as well as the Traditional Neighborhood Development, it is worth considering (without over-romanticizing) the contributions that traditional, (quasi-) organic neighborhoods from all ethnic and cultural groups have made to American culture. I suspect that many Americans today feel a wistful yearning for a connection with the "old neighborhood" of their family's prior generations. Monday, October 19, 2009 Andrew M. Manshel (executive vice president, Greater Jamaica Development Corp.) has written A Place is Better than a Plan: Revitalizing Urban Areas is Best Done Through Small Improvements, not Grand Designs for the Autumn 2009 issue of City Journal. The summary: The importance of small ideas to urban revitalization isn’t widely appreciated. Particularly in the most recent real-estate cycle, many planners, design professionals, and developers produced grand schemes instead. But profound change is more likely to result from a deeply considered idea that alters an essential component of an urban environment than from an elaborate master plan that requires abundant resources and considerable political capital. While some large-scale plans, like Rockefeller Center, are successful, most become impersonal, overbearing failures—or, even more often, are stillborn, the victims of the long process of assemblage, environmental remediation, community participation, zoning adoption, and the securing of financing. Manshel uses the example of putting movable chairs in several small New York parks beginning in the 1980s to convey a message of personal control over social arrangements, trust, and safety. He seems to be telling a story that is sort of Jane Jacobs-meets-broken windows theory. Plus there is a shout-out to Houston's new downtown urban park, Discovery Green. I've been reading more and more stories about people who are being evicted or foreclosed on and, in turn, end up living in their cars. This type of situation leads to a whole set of potential land use regulatory questions. One of the most prominent is whether this type of residential use should be/is permitted in non-residential zones (including public property and even public right of ways). My nascent research turned up this article from the LA Times earlier this year: The number of cars and recreational vehicles has swelled so much over the last year that Councilman Bill Rosendahl, who represents the city's coastal areas, has proposed creating special zones away from neighborhoods where people can sleep in their vehicles. "The community has been going ballistic," Rosendahl said. "They can't park their own cars. Some of the folks who live in their cars and in campers defecate and urinate outside and create other issues of quality of life and health." His proposal, similar to programs in Santa Barbara and Eugene, Ore., would allow the cars and recreational vehicles to park in select "municipal properties, parking lots of churches or community-based organizations, industrial areas and other areas that would have minimal impact on residential communities." Current city laws prohibit sleeping in a car or RV on the street. I suspect that this trend, even if it grows only a small bit, could present an entirely new paradigm through which to view land uses. If anyone else has researched the zoning of "car homes", please leave a comment or shoot me an email at firstname.lastname@example.org. --Chad Emerson, Faulkner U. The much hyped (deservedly so in my mind) Miami 21 land development code is scheduled for a second reading before council this Thursday. The code's use of the transect as a regulatory organizing tool is particularly innovative and useful. In advance of the hearing, several very interesting "white papers" related to the Miami 21 effort were recently posted on the official website. You can find all of them here. This one on waivers and variances may be especially interesting to land use legal types. Sunday, October 18, 2009 Charleston's Post & Courier published an article today that might come in handy when teaching the concept of externalities and how parties may or not be able to resolve them through internalization (the second concept). The article, by journalist Tony Bartelme, is titled, "What are these black particles? Health and safety concerns bring to light a longtime issue for residents living near coal-fired plant." The article provides examples of issues that might impede internalization, namely the assembly problem, free riders, and other transaction costs. Notwithstanding the presence of black particles in drinking water or a fine dust that covers outside surfaces in residential areas near the plant, some residents have been reluctant to speak out. Others report that complaints to the power company have never been answered, although the company took steps in the past to reach settlements with certain residents, purchased contaminated land, and upgraded systems to reduce pollution. Research conducted by the local newspaper along with area scientists suggest the presence of coal particles in drinking water, although the specific source remains unindentified. Whether and how affected parties will account for these latest externalities remains to be seen. A purely voluntary solution seems unlikely. Will Cook, Charleston School of Law This blog is an Amazon affiliate. Help support Land Use Prof Blog by making purchases through Amazon links on this site at no cost to you. - Jamie Baker Roskie on Uber Goes to the State House Seeking Preemption of Local Government Control - Stephen R. Miller on Why are building inspectors so often on the take? - Josh Hightree on What makes people leave rural areas, and what makes them stay - Jessica Shoemaker on What makes people leave rural areas, and what makes them stay - Jamie Baker Roskie on Why are building inspectors so often on the take? - New Land Use Articles on SSRN - What to make of the fierce new debate over the efficacy of California's energy codes? - The W&L Top 100 Law Review Rankings and the Land Use Law Scholar - CFP: 2015 Future of Places Conference (lead-in to Habitat III) in Stockholm: Deadline of April 15 - Water Down Under: A Report from Australia by Barbara Cosens: Post 7: Conjunctive Management Down Under

31 October 2010 Established by the former editor of the American Burgenland Bunch Newsletter - Hannes Graf - the website, Spirit of Gradisce, provides articles and stories about this region prior to and through the events of the Holocaust. -- Jewish Lackenbach -- Jewish Frauenkirchen -- Jewish Kittsee -- Jewish History Burgenland -- Jewish Gattendorf -- Destroyed Jewish Communities The setions are interesting and provide much on the Jewish history of these places through the events of the Holocaust. Those with ancestral roots in this area should find information helpful to their general knowledge. Visit the site at the link above for more.

Where Will Bibi Lead? Five Israeli-Arab wars, scores of bitter clashes, two oil boycotts, and a related war over oil in half a century are far more than enough. So we join Jordan's King Hussein and the moderate American Jewish Congress in trusting that Israel's new leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, will continue to change in the direction of pragmatism. Fundamentally that requires strong leadership from three quarters: 1. From Bibi Netanyahu himself - resisting demands of his minority partners who urge major new funding of Jewish settlements to create "greater Israel" amid Palestinians on the West Bank. Also, a mature realization that his absolutist toughness in gaining power won't work well in governing a divided populace and dealing with the US. 2. From Yasser Arafat - continuation of his crackdown on Hamas militants, while he sees how Netanyahu approaches the Palestinian peace accords. 3. From the US and Europe - willingness to stay involved but be tough. That means that both the Clinton administration and Congress should make continuance of subsidies to Israel and Arafat's regime contingent on realistic evidence that bargaining - not bombing - will be used to gain objectives. Those who know the obstinate toughness that has characterized Mr. Netanyahu's rise may question his inclination to "do a Nixon." Connoisseurs of Mr. Arafat's decades of tacking and dodging to hold power may worry about his inclination or ability to hold back militants. And the tendency of Congress to pay up and avoid unpleasantness is amply documented. But read the Bible. It abounds in profiles of leaders who grew and changed. From Moses to Saul of Tarsus there is ample precedent for the deepening of character and responsibility that led Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Rabin to change. Those leaders from opposite parties came to see a need to abandon enemy bashing in favor of step-by-step moves toward normal relations with neighbors. There is nothing inevitable in the historic warring of the Children of Israel and the Philistines. Rabin and King Hussein found benefits from wary but trustworthy neighborliness. Rabin, Shimon Peres, and Arafat had begun to find similar benefits. It now falls to Benjamin Netanyahu to help design the future for peoples who, like it or not, must be neighbors. He has won the power he long sought. Now he must use it to bring his people not a sixth war and endless confrontation, but safety and commerce within that neighborhood.

Summary: 1. We are blessed to be God's Chosen People 2. We are blessed to become His Holy and Blameless People 3. We are blessed to be receive God's Inheritance along with the reassuring presence of God's Holy Spirit. Scripture: Ephesians 1:1-14 Title: Count Your Blessings 1. We are blessed to be God's Chosen People 2. We are blessed to become His Holy and Blameless People 3. We are blessed to be receive God's Inheritance along with the reassuring presence of God's Holy Spirit. Grace and peace from God our Father and from His Son Jesus who came to save the world from sin and from the Holy Spirit who infills us, cleanses us and leads us into a life of genuine humanness. Have you ever heard of a man by the name of Johnson Oatman, Jr.? He was the son of Johnson and Rachel Ann Oatman and was born on April 21, 1856 near Medford, New Jersey. Johnson's father was an excellent singer and one of the things that Johnson Junior loved to do was to sit by his father's side and listen to him sing. Junior especially enjoyed the times that his father would sing church music. Johnson Sr. had this amazing booming voice and was very much in demand as a gospel singer. For years Johnson Junior thought that the LORD wanted him to follow in his father's footsteps as a great singer. There was only one catch. Johnson, Jr. did not have a great voice like his father so there was little demand for his singing. Johnson Jr. then thought that perhaps the LORD was calling him to be a great soul winner but again, he did not seem to have either the call of the charisma needed for the task. For a number of years Johnson Jr. did serve as a local minister while at the same time working for his father in his mercantile business. He knew deep down in his heart that God had a special plan for his life. A plan that involved helping people come to faith and then helping them to mature in their faith. Suddenly, at the age of 36, Johnson's life took a significant shift. While it was true that he was never going to be either a great singer or a great soul winner he discovered that he had this amazing ability to write songs. Finally, he had found his spiritual niche. In less than four years, Johnson's hymns were being sung in churches all over the world. By the time of his death, Johnson Oatman Jr. had penned more than 3,000 hymns. Quiet a number of those hymns became immensely popular and many of them are still enjoyed in churches all over the world today. Some of the more famous ones include hymns like "How the Fire Fell", "No, Not One!", "Higher Ground" and "Count Your Many Blessings". I think this morning of those four, "Count Your Many Blessings" might have been one that the Apostle Paul would have enjoyed the most especially in regard to our scripture passage this morning. Listen again to the first stanza and the chorus of "Count Your Many Blessings": "When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed, when you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, count your many blessings name them one by one - and it will surprise you what the LORD hath done." "Count your many blessings name them one by one. Count your many blessings see what God hath done. Count your blessings; name them one by one. Count your many blessings; see what God hath done." As we look at Ephesians 1:1-14 we can see that is exactly what our Apostle is actively doing. In the midst of his imprisonment, his difficulties and hardships we see that he is not only counting his blessings he is encouraging the people of Ephesus and the surrounding churches to do the same. Paul was well aware that his readers have had to endure a great many difficulties and hardships in their lives. Difficulties and hardships that possessed the power to shipwreck their faith. Difficulties and hardships that might tempt them to turn away from the Gospel and go back to believing in the false gods of Artemis and Diana. Paul counteracts all of that by opening his letter to them with a prayer of blessing followed by a prayer of intercession (we see that prayer in verses 15-23). He wants his readers to remember all the blessings that are theirs to enjoy in Christ Jesus. He follows the normal pattern of a Jewish prayer. One's prayer begins with a time of blessing (called a Berakah) and then ends with a time of intercession and thanksgiving. This morning, I would like for us to look at some of the wonderful blessings that Paul is sharing with in these verses. But before diving into them let's take a moment and focus on verse 3 - our Apostle wants to remind us of who God is and why He is to worshipped and praised.

Penn Mourns the Loss of Raymond G. Perelman W40 HON14 - by Wharton Magazine Mr. Perelman, a Wharton School alumnus, has been instrumental in expanding the Perelman School of Medicine and the Penn Health System. The University of Pennsylvania is mourning the death of Raymond G. Perelman W40 HON14, one of its most significant and committed partners. Through Mr. Perelman’s peerless generosity and deep and abiding engagement, Penn has become an even greater global force in patient care, research, and medical education. With his wife, the late Ruth Caplan Perelman, he made a historic $225 million gift creating a permanent endowment for the School of Medicine, which was renamed the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in May 2011. The state-of-the-art Ruth and Raymond Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, created thanks to the couple’s $25 million gift, opened in 2008. In addition, the Perelmans established the first endowed professorship devoted to an active, full-time clinician. “We have lost one of Philadelphia’s great citizens,” Penn President Amy Gutmann said. “I considered Ray a dear friend—both to me and the University—and I am so gratified to know he will be remembered for the countless lives he has touched through his philanthropy. His impact on the University of Pennsylvania, the Perelman School of Medicine, and our city was nothing short of transformative, and it was an honor to have his partnership. Our hearts go out to the Perelman family during this difficult time.” Mr. Perelman was a powerful advocate for all of Penn Medicine’s missions, from serving on its Board of Trustees to hosting events in his home in Palm Beach, Fla. In his later years, he could be seen on campus or at medical school events like graduation and the celebration of the Perelman School of Medicine’s 250th year. He particularly enjoyed meeting Penn’s incoming medical students. “His visionary philanthropy has transformed the Perelman School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania Health System and forever touched the lives of our patients, students, and faculty,” said J. Larry Jameson, dean of the medical school and executive vice president for the Penn Health System. “He and his lovely wife, Ruth, were a constant inspiration to the Penn and Philadelphia communities, and his remarkable legacy will endure for generations.” The Perelmans are a true Penn family. Mr. Perelman was a Wharton School alumnus and many of their children and grandchildren, including son and University Trustee Ronald O. Perelman, are Penn graduates. In October 2011, Gutmann presented Mr. Perelman with the University of Pennsylvania Medal for Distinguished Achievement, one of the University’s highest honors; at that point, the medal had been presented on only 14 occasions in the last two decades. He was also recognized by the University with an honorary Doctor of Laws in 2014. “Penn Medicine has lost a wonderful champion with the passing of Raymond Perelman,” said Ralph W. Muller, chief executive officer of the Penn Health System. “His passionate engagement, together with his late wife, Ruth, in the creation of the Ruth and Raymond Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine has resulted in a global model for patient-centered, compassionate health care.” Raymond Perelman was president and chairman of the board of RGP Holding Inc., a private holding company comprised of a vast array of manufacturing, mining, and financial interests. Beyond Penn, the Perelmans were well known for their civic commitment to Philadelphia and, through their unceasing generosity, they ensured that many of the City’s important institutions will continue to grow and prosper. They made path-breaking gifts to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and its adjacent Perelman Building, the Kimmel Center and Perelman Theater, the Perelman Jewish Day School, and many other Jewish cultural and welfare organizations. Both the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Drexel University have honored Mr. Perelman’s extraordinary support by naming areas of their campuses in his honor. Their son Ron continues his family’s tradition of impactful philanthropy at Penn. Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in Penn Today. Read the original story here.

|State of Oregon| |Nickname(s): Beaver State| |Motto(s): Alis volat propriis (Latin: She flies with her own wings)| |Official language(s)||De jure: none De facto: English |Largest metro||Portland metropolitan area| |Area||Ranked 9th in the U.S.| |- Total||98,381 sq mi |- Width||400 miles (640 km)| |- Length||360 miles (580 km)| |- % water||2.4| |- Latitude||42° N to 46° 18′ N| |- Longitude||116° 28′ W to 124° 38′ W| |Population||Ranked 27th in the U.S.| |- Total||3,899,353 (2012 est)| |- Density||39.9/sq mi (15.0/km2) Ranked 39th in the U.S. |- Highest point||Mount Hood 11,249 ft (3,428.8 m) |- Mean||3,300 ft (1,000 m)| |- Lowest point||Pacific Ocean |Before statehood||Oregon Territory| |Admission to Union||February 14, 1859 (33rd)| |Governor||John Kitzhaber (D)| |Secretary of State||Kate Brown (D)| |- Upper house||State Senate| |- Lower house||House of Representatives| |U.S. Senators||Ron Wyden (D) Jeff Merkley (D) |U.S. House delegation||4 Democrats, 1 Republican (list)| |- most of state||Pacific: UTC −8/−7| |- most of Malheur County||Mountain: UTC −7/−6| |Abbreviations||OR Ore. US-OR| Oregon (i// ORR-ə-gən) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern boundaries, respectively. The area was inhabited by many indigenous tribes before the arrival of traders, explorers, and settlers who formed an autonomous government in Oregon Country in 1843. The Oregon Territory was created in 1848, and Oregon became the 33rd state on February 14, 1859. Oregon is the 9th most expansive and the 27th most populous of the 50 United States. Salem is the state's capital and third-most-populous city; Portland is the most populous. Portland is the 29th-largest U.S. city, with a population of 603,106 (2012 estimate) and a metro population of 2,262,605 (2011 estimate), the 23rd-largest U.S. metro area. The valley of the Willamette River in western Oregon is the state's most densely populated area and is home to eight of the ten most populous cities. Oregon contains a diverse landscape including the windswept Pacific coastline, the volcanoes of the rugged and glaciated Cascade Mountain Range, many waterfalls (including Multnomah Falls), dense evergreen forests, mixed forests and deciduous forests at lower elevations, and high desert across much of the eastern portion of the state, extending into the Great Basin. The tall Douglas firs and redwoods along the rainy Western Oregon coast contrast with the lower density and fire-prone pine tree and juniper forests covering portions of the eastern half of the state. Alder trees are common in the west and fix nitrogen for the conifers; aspen groves are common in eastern Oregon. Stretching east from Central Oregon, the state also includes semi-arid shrublands, prairies, deserts, steppes, and meadows. Mount Hood is the highest point in the state at 11,249 feet (3,429 m). Crater Lake National Park is the only national park in Oregon. The earliest known use of the name, spelled Ouragon, was in a 1765 petition by Major Robert Rogers to the Kingdom of Great Britain. The term referred to the then–mythical River of the West (the Columbia River). By 1778 the spelling had shifted to Oregon. In his 1765 petition, Rogers wrote: "The rout [sic]...is from the Great Lakes towards the Head of the Mississippi, and from thence to the River called by the Indians Ouragon..." One theory is the name comes from the French word ouragan ("windstorm" or "hurricane"), which was applied to the River of the West based on Native American tales of powerful Chinook winds of the lower Columbia River, or perhaps from firsthand French experience with the chinook winds of the Great Plains. At the time, the River of the West was thought to rise in western Minnesota and flow west through the Great Plains. "The name, Oregon, is rounded down phonetically, from Aure il agua—Oragua, Or-a-gon, Oregon—given probably by the same Portuguese navigator that named the Farallones after his first officer, and it literally, in a large way, means cascades: 'Hear the waters.' You should steam up the Columbia and hear and feel the waters falling out of the clouds of Mount Hood to understand entirely the full meaning of the name Aure il agua, Oregon." Another account, endorsed as the "most plausible explanation" in the book Oregon Geographic Names, was advanced by George R. Stewart in a 1944 article in American Speech. According to Stewart, the name came from an engraver's error in a French map published in the early 18th century, on which the Ouisiconsink (Wisconsin) River was spelled "Ouaricon-sint," broken on two lines with the -sint below, so there appeared to be a river flowing to the west named "Ouaricon." After being drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2002, former Oregon Ducks quarterback Joey Harrington distributed "ORYGUN" stickers to members of the media as a reminder of how to pronounce the name of his home state. The stickers are sold by the University of Oregon Bookstore, which credits the spelling as a joke that is meant "for Oregonians and Oregon fans everywhere who get a kick out of this hilarious mispronunciation of our state." Humans have inhabited the area that is now Oregon for at least 15,000 years. In recorded history, mentions of the land date to as early as the 16th century. During the 18th and 19th centuries, European powers – and later the United States – quarreled over possession of the region until 1846 when the U.S. and Great Britain finalized division of the region. Oregon became a state in 1859 and is now home to over 3.8 million residents. |This section requires expansion. (March 2011)| Human habitation of the Pacific Northwest began at least 15,000 years ago, with the oldest evidence of habitation in Oregon found at Fort Rock Cave and the Paisley Caves in Lake County. Archaeologist Luther Cressman dated material from Fort Rock to 13,200 years ago. By 8000 B.C. there were settlements throughout the state, with populations concentrated along the lower Columbia River, in the western valleys, and around coastal estuaries. By the 16th century, Oregon was home to many Native American groups, including the Coquille (Ko-Kwell), Bannock, Chasta, Chinook, Kalapuya, Klamath, Molalla, Nez Perce, Takelma, and Umpqua. The first Europeans to visit Oregon were Spanish explorers led by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo who sighted southern Oregon off the Pacific Coast in 1543. In 1592, Juan de Fuca undertook detailed mapping and ocean current studies. Stops along these trips included Oregon as well as the strait now bearing his name and the future emplacement of Vancouver (Washington). Exploration was retaken routinely in 1774, starting by the expedition of frigate Santiago by Juan José Pérez Hernández (see Spanish expeditions to the Pacific Northwest), and the coast of Oregon became a valuable trading route to Asia. In 1778, British captain James Cook also explored the coast. French Canadian and metis trappers and missionaries arrived in the eastern part of the state in the late 18th century and early 19th century, many having travelled as members of Lewis and Clark and the 1811 Astor expeditions. Some stayed permanently, including Étienne Lussier, believed to be the first European farmer in the state of Oregon. The evidence of this French Canadian presence can be found in the numerous names of French origin in that part of the state: Charbonneau, Malheur Lake and River, Grande Ronde and Des Chutes Rivers, cities of La Grande, Ontario. During U.S. westward expansion The Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled through the region also in search of the Northwest Passage. They built their winter fort in 1805-06 at Fort Clatsop, near the mouth of the Columbia River. British explorer David Thompson also conducted overland exploration. In 1811, David Thompson, of the North West Company, became the first European to navigate the entire Columbia River. Stopping on the way, at the junction of the Snake River, he posted a claim to the region for Great Britain and the North West Company. Upon returning to Montreal, he publicized the abundance of fur-bearing animals in the area. Also in 1811, New Yorker John Jacob Astor financed the establishment of Fort Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia River as a western outpost to his Pacific Fur Company; this was the first permanent European settlement in Oregon. In the War of 1812, the British gained control of all Pacific Fur Company posts. The Treaty of 1818 established joint British and American occupancy of the region west of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. By the 1820s and 1830s, the Hudson's Bay Company dominated the Pacific Northwest from its Columbia District headquarters at Fort Vancouver (built in 1825 by the District's Chief Factor John McLoughlin across the Columbia from present-day Portland). In 1841, the expert trapper and entrepreneur Ewing Young died leaving considerable wealth and no apparent heir, and no system to probate his estate. A meeting followed Young's funeral at which a probate government was proposed. Doctor Ira Babcock of Jason Lee's Methodist Mission was elected Supreme Judge. Babcock chaired two meetings in 1842 at Champoeg, (half way between Lee's mission and Oregon City), to discuss wolves and other animals of contemporary concern. These meetings were precursors to an all-citizen meeting in 1843, which instituted a provisional government headed by an executive committee made up of David Hill, Alanson Beers, and Joseph Gale. This government was the first acting public government of the Oregon Country before annexation by the government of the United States. Also in 1841, Sir George Simpson, Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, reversed the Hudson's Bay Company's long-standing policy of discouraging settlement because it interfered with the lucrative fur trade. He directed that some 200 Red River Colony settlers be relocated to HBC farms near Fort Vancouver, (the James Sinclair expedition), in an attempt to hold Columbia District. Starting in 1842–1843, the Oregon Trail brought many new American settlers to Oregon Country. For some time, it seemed that Britain and the United States would go to war for a third time in 75 years (see Oregon boundary dispute), but the border was defined peacefully in 1846 by the Oregon Treaty. The border between the United States and British North America was set at the 49th parallel. The Oregon Territory was officially organized in 1848. Oregon was admitted to the Union on February 14, 1859. Founded as a refuge from disputes over slavery, Oregon had a "whites only" clause in its original state Constitution. At the outbreak of the American Civil War, regular U.S. troops were withdrawn and sent east. Volunteer cavalry recruited in California were sent north to Oregon to keep peace and protect the populace. The First Oregon Cavalry served until June 1865. In the 1880s, the growth of railroads helped market the state's lumber, wheat, and the rapid growth of its cities. 20th and 21st centuries |This section requires expansion. (December 2009)| In 1902, Oregon introduced direct legislation by the state’s citizens through initiatives and referenda, known as the Oregon System. Oregon state ballots often include politically conservative proposals side-by-side with politically liberal ones, illustrating the diversity of political thought in the state. Industrial expansion began in earnest following the 1933–1937 construction of the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. Hydroelectric power, food, and lumber provided by Oregon helped fuel the development of the West, although the periodic fluctuations in the U.S. building industry have hurt the state's economy on multiple occasions. |Crater Lake National Park||Southern Oregon| |John Day Fossil Beds National Monument||Eastern Oregon| |Newberry National Volcanic Monument||Central Oregon| |Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument||Southern Oregon| |Oregon Caves National Monument||Southern Oregon| |California Trail||Southern Oregon, California| |Fort Vancouver National Historic Site||Western Oregon, Washington| |Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail||IL, MO, KS, IA, NE, SD, ND, MT, ID, OR, WA |Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks||Western Oregon, Washington| |Nez Perce National Historical Park||MT, ID, OR, WA| |Oregon Trail||MO, KS, NE, WY, ID, OR| Oregon's geography may be split roughly into eight areas: - Oregon Coast—west of the Coast Range - Willamette Valley - Rogue Valley - Cascade Mountains - Klamath Mountains - Columbia River Plateau - Oregon Outback - Blue Mountains (ecoregion) The mountainous regions of western Oregon, home to three of the most prominent mountain peaks of the United States including Mount Hood, were formed by the volcanic activity of the Juan de Fuca Plate, a tectonic plate that poses a continued threat of volcanic activity and earthquakes in the region. The most recent major activity was the 1700 Cascadia earthquake. Washington's Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, an event which was visible from and affected some of northern Oregon. The Columbia River, which forms much of the northern border of Oregon, also played a major role in the region's geological evolution, as well as its economic and cultural development. The Columbia is one of North America's largest rivers, and one of two rivers to cut through the Cascades (the Klamath River in Southern Oregon is the other). About 15,000 years ago, the Columbia repeatedly flooded much of Oregon during the Missoula Floods; the modern fertility of the Willamette Valley is largely a result of those floods. Plentiful salmon made parts of the river, such as Celilo Falls, hubs of economic activity for thousands of years. In the 20th century, numerous hydroelectric dams were constructed along the Columbia, with major impacts on salmon, transportation and commerce, electric power, and flood control. Oregon is 295 miles (475 km) north to south at longest distance, and 395 miles (636 km) east to west at longest distance. In land and water area, Oregon is the ninth largest state, covering 98,381 square miles (254,810 km2). The highest point in Oregon is the summit of Mount Hood, at 11,249 feet (3,429 m), and its lowest point is sea level of the Pacific Ocean along the Oregon coast. Its mean elevation is 3,300 feet (1,006 m). Crater Lake National Park is the state's only national park and the site of Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the U.S. at 1,943 feet (592 m). Oregon claims the D River is the shortest river in the world, though the American state of Montana makes the same claim of its Roe River. Oregon is also home to Mill Ends Park (in Portland), the smallest park in the world at 452 square inches (0.29 m2). Oregon's geographical center is farther west than that of any of the other 48 contiguous states (although the westernmost point of the lower 48 states is in Washington). Its antipodes, diametrically opposite its geographical center on the Earth's surface, is at in the Indian Ocean northwest of Port-aux-Français in the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. Oregon lies in two time zones. Most of Malheur County is in the Mountain Time Zone while the rest of the state lies in the Pacific Time Zone. |City||Population (2010 US Census)| Oregon's population is largely concentrated in the Willamette Valley, which stretches from Eugene in the south (home of the University of Oregon) through Corvallis (home of Oregon State University) and Salem (the capital) to Portland (Oregon's largest city). Astoria, at the mouth of the Columbia River, was the first permanent English-speaking settlement west of the Rockies in what is now the United States. Oregon City, at the end of the Oregon Trail, was the Oregon Territory's first incorporated city, and was its first capital from 1848 until 1852, when the capital was moved to Salem. Bend, near the geographic center of the state, is one of the ten fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States. In the southern part of the state, Medford is a rapidly growing metro area, which is home to The Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport, the third-busiest airport in the state. To the south, near the California-Oregon border, is the community of Ashland, home of the Tony Award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Oregon's climate – particularly in the western part of the state – is heavily influenced by the Pacific Ocean. The climate is mild, but periods of extreme hot and cold can affect parts of the state. Oregon's population centers, which lie mostly in the western part of the state, are moist and mild, while the lightly populated high deserts of Central and Eastern Oregon are much drier. Oregon's highest recorded temperature is 119 °F (48 °C) at Pendleton on August 10, 1898, and the lowest recorded temperature is −54 °F (−48 °C) at Seneca on February 10, 1933. A writer in the Oregon Country book A Pacific Republic, written in 1839, predicted the territory was to become an independent republic. Four years later, in 1843, settlers of the Willamette Valley voted in majority for a republic government. The Oregon Country functioned in this way until August 13, 1848, when Oregon was annexed by the United States and a territorial government was established. Oregon maintained a territorial government until February 14, 1859, when it was granted statehood. - a legislative department (the bicameral Oregon Legislative Assembly), - an executive department which includes an "administrative department" and Oregon's governor serving as chief executive, and - a judicial department, headed by the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. Governors in Oregon serve four-year terms and are limited to two consecutive terms, but an unlimited number of total terms. Oregon has no lieutenant governor; in the event that the office of governor is vacated, Article V, Section 8a of the Oregon Constitution specifies that the Secretary of State is first in line for succession. The other statewide officers are Treasurer, Attorney General, Superintendent, and Labor Commissioner. The biennial Oregon Legislative Assembly consists of a thirty-member Senate and a sixty-member House. The state supreme court has seven elected justices, currently including the only two openly gay state supreme court justices in the nation. They choose one of their own to serve a six-year term as Chief Justice. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States. The debate over whether to move to annual sessions is a long-standing battle in Oregon politics, but the voters have resisted the move from citizen legislators to professional lawmakers. Because Oregon's state budget is written in two-year increments and, having no sales tax, its revenue is based largely on income taxes, it is often significantly over- or under-budget. Recent legislatures have had to be called into special session repeatedly to address revenue shortfalls resulting from economic downturns, bringing to a head the need for more frequent legislative sessions. Oregon Initiative 71, passed in 2010, mandates the Legislature to begin meeting every year, for 160 days in odd-numbered years, and 35 days in even-numbered years. The state maintains formal relationships with the nine federally recognized tribes in Oregon: - Burns Paiute Tribe - Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians - Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde - Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians - Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs - Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation - Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians - Klamath Tribes - Coquille Indian Tribe Oregonians have voted for the Democratic Presidential candidate in every election since 1988. In 2004 and 2006, Democrats won control of the state Senate and then the House. Since the late 1990s, Oregon has been represented by four Democrats and one Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives. Since 2009, the state has had two Democratic Senators, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley. Oregon voters have elected Democratic governors in every election since 1986, most recently electing John Kitzhaber over Republican Chris Dudley in 2010. The base of Democratic support is largely concentrated in the urban centers of the Willamette Valley. The eastern two-thirds of the state beyond the Cascade Mountains typically votes Republican; in 2000 and 2004, George W. Bush carried every county east of the Cascades. However, the region's sparse population means that the more populous counties in the Willamette Valley usually outweigh the eastern counties in statewide elections. Oregon's politics are largely similar to those of neighboring Washington – for instance, in the contrast between urban and rural issues. In the 2002 general election, Oregon voters approved a ballot measure to increase the state minimum wage automatically each year according to inflationary changes, which are measured by the consumer price index (CPI). In the 2004 general election, Oregon voters passed ballot measures banning same-sex marriage, and restricting land use regulation. In the 2006 general election, voters restricted the use of eminent domain and extended the state's discount prescription drug coverage. The distribution, sales and consumption of alcoholic beverages are regulated in the state by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. Thus, Oregon is an Alcoholic beverage control state. While wine and beer are available in most grocery stores, few stores sell hard liquor. In March 2011, Oregon ranked amongst the top seven "Best" states in the American State Litter Scorecard, for overall effectiveness and quality of its public space cleanliness—-primarily roadway and adjacent litter—from state and related debris removal efforts. After Oregon was admitted to the Union, it began with a single member in the House of Representatives (La Fayette Grover, who served in the 35th United States Congress for less than a month). Congressional apportionment increased the size of the delegation following the censuses of 1890, 1910, 1940, and 1980. A detailed list of the past and present Congressional delegations from Oregon is available. The United States District Court for the District of Oregon hears federal cases in the state. The court has courthouses in Portland, Eugene, Medford, and Pendleton. Also in Portland is the federal bankruptcy court, with a second branch in Eugene. Oregon (among other western states and territories) is in the 9th Court of Appeals. One of the court's meeting places is at the Pioneer Courthouse in downtown Portland, a National Historic Landmark built in 1869. |2012||42.18% 754,095||54.27% 970,343| |2008||40.40% 738,475||56.75% 1,037,291| |2004||47.19% 866,831||51.35% 943,163| |2000||46.46% 713,577||47.01% 720,342| |1996||39.06% 538,152||47.15% 649,641| |1992||32.53% 475,757||42.48% 621,314| |1988||46.61% 560,126||51.28% 616,206| |1984||55.91% 685,700||43.74% 536,479| |1980||48.33% 571,044||38.67% 456,890| |1976||47.78% 492,120||47.62% 490,407| |1972||52.45% 486,686||42.33% 392,760| |1968||49.83% 408,433||43.78% 358,866| |1964||35.96% 282,779||63.72% 501,017| |1960||52.56% 408,060||47.32% 367,402| |1956||55.25% 406,393||44.75% 329,204| |1952||60.54% 420,815||38.93% 270,579| The state has been thought of as politically split by the Cascade Range, with western Oregon being liberal and Eastern Oregon being conservative. In a 2008 analysis of the 2004 presidential election, a political analyst found that according to the application of a Likert scale, Oregon boasted both the most liberal Kerry voters and the most conservative Bush voters, making it the most politically polarized state in the country. During Oregon's history it has adopted many electoral reforms proposed during the Progressive Era, through the efforts of William S. U'Ren and his Direct Legislation League. Under his leadership, the state overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure in 1902 that created the initiative and referendum for citizens to introduce or approve proposed laws or amendments to the state constitution directly, making Oregon the first state to adopt such a system. Today, roughly half of U.S. states do so. In following years, the primary election to select party candidates was adopted in 1904, and in 1908 the Oregon Constitution was amended to include recall of public officials. More recent amendments include the nation's first doctor-assisted suicide law, called the Death with Dignity law (which was challenged, unsuccessfully, in 2005 by the Bush administration in a case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court), legalization of medical cannabis, and among the nation's strongest anti-urban sprawl and pro-environment laws. More recently, 2004's Measure 37 reflects a backlash against such land-use laws. However, a further ballot measure in 2007, Measure 49, curtailed many of the provisions of 37. Of the measures placed on the ballot since 1902, the people have passed 99 of the 288 initiatives and 25 of the 61 referendums on the ballot, though not all of them survived challenges in courts (see Pierce v. Society of Sisters, for an example). During the same period, the legislature has referred 363 measures to the people, of which 206 have passed. Oregon pioneered the American use of postal voting, beginning with experimentation approved by the Oregon Legislative Assembly in 1981 and culminating with a 1998 ballot measure mandating that all counties conduct elections by mail. It remains the only state, with the exception of Washington, where voting by mail is the only method of voting. Under the leadership of Governor John Kitzhaber in 1994, Oregon was the first state in the US to set up effective health care programs with the Oregon Health Plan, which made health care available to most of its citizens without private health insurance. In the U.S. Electoral College, Oregon casts seven votes. Oregon has supported Democratic candidates in the last seven elections. Democrat Barack Obama won the state in 2008 by a margin of sixteen percentage points, with over 56% of the popular vote. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Oregon in 2010 was $168.6 billion, it is the United States's 26th wealthiest state by GDP. The state's per capita personal income in 2010 was $44,447. Oregon is also one of four major world hazelnut growing regions, and produces 95% of the domestic hazelnuts in the United States. While the history of the wine production in Oregon can be traced to before Prohibition, it became a significant industry beginning in the 1970s. In 2005, Oregon ranked third among U.S. states with 303 wineries. Due to regional similarities in climate and soil, the grapes planted in Oregon are often the same varieties found in the French regions of Alsace and Burgundy. In the Southern Oregon coast commercially cultivated cranberries account for about 7 percent of US production, and the cranberry ranks twenty-third among Oregon's top fifty agricultural commodities. From 2006 to 2008, Oregon growers harvested between forty and forty-nine million pounds of berries every year. Cranberry cultivation in Oregon uses about 27,000 acres in southern Coos and northern Curry counties, centered around the coastal city of Bandon, Oregon. In the northeastern region of the state, particularly around Pendleton, both irrigated and dry land wheat is grown. Oregon farmers and ranchers also produce cattle, sheep, dairy products, eggs and poultry. Forestry and fisheries Vast forests have historically made Oregon one of the nation's major timber production and logging states, but forest fires (such as the Tillamook Burn), over-harvesting, and lawsuits over the proper management of the extensive federal forest holdings have reduced the timber produced. According to the Oregon Forest Resources Institute, between 1989 and 2001 the amount of timber harvested from federal lands dropped some 96%, from 4,333 million to 173 million board feet (10,000,000 to 408,000 m3), although harvest levels on private land have remained relatively constant. Even the shift in recent years towards finished goods such as paper and building materials has not slowed the decline of the timber industry in the state. The effects of this decline have included Weyerhaeuser's acquisition of Portland-based Willamette Industries in January 2002, the relocation of Louisiana-Pacific's corporate headquarters from Portland to Nashville, and the decline of former lumber company towns such as Gilchrist. Despite these changes, Oregon still leads the United States in softwood lumber production; in 2001, 6,056 million board feet (14,000,000 m3) was produced in Oregon, compared with 4,257 million board feet (10,050,000 m3) in Washington, 2,731 million board feet (6,444,000 m3) in California, 2,413 million board feet (5,694,000 m3) in Georgia, and 2,327 million board feet (5,491,000 m3) in Mississippi. The slowing of the timber and lumber industry has caused high unemployment rates in rural areas. Tourism is also a strong industry in the state. Oregon's mountains, forests, waterfalls, lakes (including Crater Lake National Park), and beaches draw visitors year round. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, held in Ashland, is a tourist draw for Southern Oregon. Oregon occasionally hosts film shoots. Movies filmed in Oregon include: Animal House, Free Willy, The General, The Goonies, Kindergarten Cop, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Stand By Me. Oregon native Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, has incorporated many references from his hometown of Portland into the TV series. High technology industries and services have been a major employer since the 1970s. Tektronix was the largest private employer in Oregon until the late 1980s. Intel's creation and expansion of several facilities in eastern Washington County continued the growth that Tektronix had started. Intel, the state's largest for-profit private employer, operates four large facilities, with Ronler Acres, Jones Farm and Hawthorn Farm all located in Hillsboro. The spinoffs and startups that were produced by these two companies led to the establishment in that area of the so-called Silicon Forest. The recession and dot-com bust of 2001 hit the region hard; many high technology employers reduced the number of their employees or went out of business. Open Source Development Labs made news in 2004 when they hired Linus Torvalds, developer of the Linux kernel. Recently, biotechnology giant Genentech purchased several acres of land in Hillsboro to expand its production capabilities. Oregon is home to several large datacenters that take advantage of cheap power and a climate in Central Oregon conducive to reducing cooling costs. Google has a large datacenter in The Dalles; Facebook has built a large datacenter in Prineville; and Amazon is restarting construction of a datacenter in Boardman. |Corporation||Headquarters||Market cap (million)| |1. Nike, Inc.||near Beaverton||$32,039| |2. Precision Castparts Corp.||Portland||$16,158| |3. FLIR Systems||Wilsonville||$4,250| |4. StanCorp Financial Group||Portland||$2,495| |5. Schnitzer Steel Industries||Portland||$1,974| |6. Portland General Electric||Portland||$1,737| |7. Columbia Sportswear||near Beaverton||$1,593| |8. Northwest Natural Gas||Portland||$1,287| |9. Mentor Graphics||Wilsonville||$976| |10. TriQuint Semiconductor||Hillsboro||$938| Oregon is also the home of large corporations in other industries. The world headquarters of Nike, Inc. are located near Beaverton. Medford is home to Harry and David, which sells gift items under several brands. Medford is also home to the national headquarters of the Fortune 1000 company, Lithia Motors. Portland is home to one of the West's largest trade book publishing houses, Graphic Arts Center Publishing. Oregon is also home to Mentor Graphics Corporation, a world leader in electronic design automation (EDA) located in Wilsonville and employs roughly 4,500 people worldwide. Adidas Corporations American Headquarters is located in Portland and employs roughly 900 fulltime workers at its Portland Campus. Adidas competes with Beaverton based Nike Inc as "the other Sports giant in town". The main Adidas Campus has been ranked as one of the best places to work in Portland. Nike Inc, located just outside of Portland in nearby Beaverton employs roughly 5,000 fulltime employees at it 200 acre Campus. Nike Inc's Beaverton Campus is continuously ranked as a top employer in the Portland area - along with competitor Adidas. Intel Corporation employs roughly 16,000 in Oregon with the majority of these employees located at the Companies Hillsboro Campus located about 30 minutes west of Portland. Intel has been a a top employer in Oregon since 1974. The U.S. Federal Govt and and Providence Health systems are respective contenders for top employers in Oregon with roughly 12,000 Federal workers and 14,000 Providence Health System workers. As of April 2013, the state's unemployment rate is 8.2%. Oregon's largest for-profit employer is Intel, located in the Silicon Forest area on Portland's west side. Intel was the largest employer in Oregon until 2008. As of January 2009, the largest employer in Oregon is Providence Health & Services, a non-profit. Nike and Adidas also have their North American Headquarters in the Portland area. Taxes and budgets Oregon's biennial state budget, $42.4 billion as of 2007, comprises General Funds, Federal Funds, Lottery Funds, and Other Funds. Personal income taxes account for 88% of the General Fund's projected funds. The Lottery Fund, which has grown steadily since the lottery was approved in 1984, exceeded expectations in the 2007 fiscal years, at $604 million. Oregon is one of only five states that have no sales tax. Oregon voters have been resolute in their opposition to a sales tax, voting proposals down each of the nine times they have been presented. The last vote, for 1993's Measure 1, was defeated by a 72–24% margin. The state also has a minimum corporate tax of only $10 a year, amounting to 5.6% of the General Fund in the 2005–7 biennium; data about which businesses pay the minimum is not available to the public. As a result, the state relies on property and income taxes for its revenue. Oregon has the fifth highest personal income tax in the nation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Oregon ranked 41st out of the 50 states in taxes per capita in 2005. The average paid of $1,791.45 is higher than only nine other states. Oregon is one of six states with a revenue limit. The "kicker law" stipulates that when income tax collections exceed state economists' estimates by 2% or more, any excess must be returned to taxpayers. Since the enactment of the law in 1979, refunds have been issued for seven of the eleven biennia. In 2000, Ballot Measure 86 converted the "kicker" law from statute to the Oregon Constitution, and changed some of its provisions. Federal payments to county governments, which were granted to replace timber revenue when logging in National Forests was restricted in the 1990s, have been under threat of suspension for several years. This issue dominates the future revenue of rural counties, which have come to rely on the payments in providing essential services. 55 percent of state revenues are spent on public education, 23% on human services (child protective services, Medicaid, and senior services), 17% on public safety, and 5% on other services. |U.S. Census Bureau| As of the census of 2010, Oregon has a population of 3,831,074, which is an increase of 409,675, or 12%, since the year 2000. The population density is 39.9 persons per square mile. There are 1,675,562 housing units, a 15.3% increase over 2000. Among them, 90.7% are occupied. Hispanics or Latinos make up 11.7% of the total population. Among those who are not Hispanic or Latino, 78.5% is "white alone," 1.7% is "black or African American alone," 1.1% is "American Indian or Alaska native alone," 3.6% is "Asian alone," 0.3% is "Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander alone," 0.1% is "another race alone," and 2.9% is multiracial. The state's most populous ethnic group, non-Hispanic white, has declined from 95.8% in 1970 to 78.1% in 2011. As of 2011, 38.7% of Oregon's children under the age of 1 belonged to minority groups (note: children born to white hispanics are counted as minority group). Of the state's total population, 22.6% was under age 18, and 77.4% were 18 or older. As of 2004, Oregon's population included 309,700 foreign-born residents (accounting for 8.7% of the state population). |2000 (total population)||93.45%||2.17%||2.54%||3.75%||0.48%| |2000 (Hispanic only)||7.63%||0.17%||0.32%||0.10%||0.05%| |2005 (total population)||92.95%||2.38%||2.44%||4.25%||0.50%| |2005 (Hispanic only)||9.38%||0.24%||0.34%||0.11%||0.05%| |Growth 2000–05 (total population)||5.85%||16.64%||2.45%||20.78%||10.87%| |Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only)||3.63%||13.63%||0.62%||20.75%||10.26%| |Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only)||30.84%||52.63%||15.25%||21.84%||16.42%| |* AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander| The largest ancestry groups in the state are: - 22.5% German - 14.0% English - 13.2% Irish - 8.4% Scandinavian: (4.1% Norwegian American, 3.1% Swedish, & 1.2% Danish) - 5.0% American - 3.9% French - 3.7% Italian - 3.6% Scottish - 2.7% Scots-Irish - 2.6% Dutch - 1.9% Polish - 1.4% Russian - 1.1% Welsh The largest reported ancestry groups in Oregon are: German (22.5%), English (14.0%), Irish (13.2%), Scandinavian (8.4%) and American (5.0%). Approximately 62% of Oregon residents are wholly or partly of English, Welsh, Irish or Scottish ancestry. Most Oregon counties are inhabited principally by residents of Northwestern-European ancestry. Concentrations of Mexican-Americans are highest in Malheur and Jefferson counties. The majority of the diversity in Oregon is in the Portland metropolitan area. Projections from the U.S. Census Bureau show Oregon's population increasing to 4,833,918 by 2030, an increase of 41.3% compared to the state's population of 3,421,399 in 2000. The state's own projections forecast a total population of 5,425,408 in 2040. Religious and secular communities Major religious affiliations of the people of Oregon are: - Christian — 67% - Unaffiliated — 27% - Buddhist — 2% - Jewish — 1% - Muslim — 0.5% - Other Religions — 2% The largest denominations by number of adherents in 2000 were the Roman Catholic Church with 348,239; the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with 104,312 (144,808 year-end 2007); and the Assemblies of God with 49,357. In a 2009 Gallup poll, 69% of Oregonians identified themselves as being Christian. Most of the remainder of the population had no religious affiliation; the 2008 American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) placed Oregon as tied with Nevada in fifth place of U.S. states having the highest percentage of residents identifying themselves as "non-religious", at 24 percent. Secular organizations include the Center for Inquiry (CFI), the Humanists of Greater Portland (HGP), and the United States Atheists (USA). During much of the 1990s, a group of conservative Christians formed the Oregon Citizens Alliance, and unsuccessfully tried to pass legislation to prevent "gay sensitivity training" in public schools and legal benefits for homosexual couples. Oregon also contains the largest community of Russian Old Believers to be found in the United States. The Northwest Tibetan Cultural Association is headquartered in Portland, and the New Age film What the Bleep Do We Know!? was filmed and had its premiere in Portland. There are an estimated 6,000 to 10,000 Muslims in Oregon, most of whom live in and around Portland. Primary and secondary As of 2010, the state had 561,698 students in public primary and secondary schools. There were 197 public school districts at that time, served by 20 education service districts. The five largest school districts as of 2007 were: Portland Public Schools (46,262 students); Salem-Keizer School District (40,106); Beaverton School District (37,821); Hillsboro School District (20,401); and Eugene School District (18,025). Colleges and universities The Oregon University System supports seven public universities and one affiliate in the state. The University of Oregon in Eugene is Oregon's flagship institution. UO is the state's most selective and highest nationally ranked university by U.S. News & World Report. Oregon State University is located in Corvallis and is the state's only land-grant university. It is the state's highest ranking university according to Academic Ranking of World Universities. The state's urban Portland State University has Oregon's largest enrollment. The state has three regional universities: Western Oregon University in Monmouth, Southern Oregon University in Ashland, and Eastern Oregon University in La Grande. The Oregon Institute of Technology has its campus in Klamath Falls. The quasi-public Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) includes medical, dental, and nursing schools, and graduate programs in biomedical sciences in Portland and a science and engineering school in Hillsboro. It rated 2nd among US best medical schools for primary care based on research by The Med School 100. Oregon has historically struggled to fund higher education. Recently, Oregon has cut its higher education budget over 2002–2006 and now Oregon ranks 46th in the country in state spending per student. However, 2007 legislation forced tuition increases to cap at 3% per year, and funded the OUS far beyond the requested governor's budget. The state also supports 17 community colleges. Oregon is home to a wide variety of private colleges. The University of Portland and Marylhurst University are Catholic institutions in the Portland area. Reed College; Concordia University; Lewis & Clark College; Multnomah Bible College; Portland Bible College; Warner Pacific College; Cascade College; the National College of Natural Medicine; and Western Seminary, a theological graduate school; are also in Portland. Pacific University is in the Portland suburb of Forest Grove. There are also private colleges farther south in the Willamette Valley. McMinnville has Linfield College, while nearby Newberg is home to George Fox University. Salem is home to two private schools: Willamette University (the state's oldest, established during the provisional period) and Corban University. Also located near Salem is Mount Angel Seminary, one of America's largest Roman Catholic seminaries. The state's second medical school, the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Northwest, is located in Lebanon. Eugene is home to three private colleges: Northwest Christian University, New Hope Christian College, and Gutenberg College. Until 2011, the only major professional sports team in Oregon was the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association. From the 1970s to the 1990s, the Blazers were one of the most successful teams in the NBA in terms of both win-loss record and attendance. In the early 21st century, the team's popularity declined due to personnel and financial issues, but revived after the departure of controversial players and the acquisition of new players such as Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Greg Oden. The Timbers play at Jeld-Wen Field, which is just west of downtown Portland. The Timbers repurposed the formerly multi-use stadium into a soccer-only configuration in fall 2010, increasing the seating in the process. Portland has had minor-league baseball teams in the past, including the Portland Beavers and Portland Rockies, who played most recently at PGE Park. Portland has also actively pursued a Major League Baseball team. Eugene and Salem also have minor-league baseball teams. The Eugene Emeralds and the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes both play in the Single-A Northwest League. Oregon also has four teams in the fledgling International Basketball League: the Portland Chinooks, Central Oregon Hotshots, Salem Stampede, and the Eugene Chargers. The Oregon State Beavers and the University of Oregon Ducks football teams of the Pacific-12 Conference meet annually in the Civil War. Both schools have had recent success in other sports as well: Oregon State won back-to-back college baseball championships in 2006 and 2007, and the University of Oregon won back-to-back NCAA men's cross country championships in 2007 and 2008. - People's Republic of China, Fujian Province – 1984 - Republic of China, Taiwan – 1985 - Japan, Toyama Prefecture – 1991 - Republic of Korea, Jeollanam-do Province – 1996 - Iraq, Iraqi Kurdistan – 2005 - Hall, Calvin (January 30, 2007). "English as Oregon's official language? It could happen". 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Retrieved on March 14, 2008. - Islam in Oregon and America—The Facts, Met PDX, archived from the original on 2003-10-29. - "Oregon Blue Book: Oregon Almanac: Native Americans to shoes, oldest." Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on January 5, 2012. - "Oregon public school enrollment increases during 2007–08." Oregon Department of Education. Retrieved on March 28, 2008. - USNews.com: America's Best Colleges 2008: National Universities: Best Schools - "Top 500 World Universities". Retrieved October 3, 2012. - Good University Ranking Guide - "Higher education get higher priority." The Oregon Daily Emerald, June 29, 2007. Retrieved July 8, 2007. - "MLS awards team to Portland for 2011." Portland Timbers, March 20, 2009. - Smith, Sam (October 18, 2006). "Blazers stalled until bad apples go". MSNBC. MSN. Retrieved January 15, 2008. - Mejia, Tony (October 13, 2007). "Oden's loss hurts, but team in good hands". News (CBS). Retrieved January 15, 2008. - "Venues". Rose Quarter. Retrieved January 15, 2008. - "Teams and Events". PGE Park. Retrieved January 15, 2008. - "Oregon Stadium Campaign". Retrieved January 14, 2008. - "Northwest League." Minor League Baseball. Retrieved January 15, 2008. - "International Basketball League." International Basketball League. Retrieved January 15, 2008. - Beseda, Jim (August 12, 2010). "Oregon State baseball: Coach Pat Casey praises ex-Beaver Darwin Barney". The Oregonian (Portland, OR). Retrieved October 8, 2010. - "Oregon men, Washington women win titles", ESPN (The Associated Press), January 8, 2009, retrieved October 8, 2010. - van Winkle, Teresa (June 2008), Background brief on international trade (PDF), OR: State legislative, retrieved July 21, 2008. - Governor's mission to Asia will stress trade and cultural ties, OR: Secretary of State, October 24, 1995, retrieved April 2, 2008. - "Senate Concurrent Resolution", Oregon Laws (3), OR, US: Legislative, 2005. - Townsend, John Kirk, Excursion to the Oregon, WA. - New map of Texas, Oregon and California with the regions adjoining, compiled from the more recent authorities by Samuel Augustus Mitchell - Accompaniment to Mitchell's New map of Texas, Oregon, and California, with the regions adjoining by Samuel Augustus Mitchell - O'Hara, E. (1911). Oregon. In the Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved July 25, 2009, from New Advent. |Find more about Oregon at Wikipedia's sister projects| |Definitions and translations from Wiktionary| |Media from Commons| |Learning resources from Wikiversity| |News stories from Wikinews| |Quotations from Wikiquote| |Source texts from Wikisource| |Textbooks from Wikibooks| |Travel information from Wikivoyage| - State of Oregon (official website) - Oregon Blue Book, the online version of the state's official directory and fact book - TravelOregon.com an official website of the Oregon Tourism Commission - Oregon Historical Society - Oregon State Databases, an annotated list, in wiki form, of searchable databases produced by Oregon state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association - Real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Oregon from the United States Geological Survey - Oregon Quickfacts from the United States Census Bureau - Oregon State Facts from the United States Department of Agriculture - Oregon at the Open Directory Project - Geographic data related to Oregon at OpenStreetMap

Hala is the story of a Pakistani-American teenage girl struggling against traditional parents who would destroy her freedom–& includes the mother’s struggle as well. In Senegal a young Muslim girl pledged to a wealthy man loves a worker being cheated of his wages, and when he dies at sea but returns as a ghost, she & the other girls take up the cause of unpaid wages. Don’t confuse this with the Victor Hugo plot. This is a French film about present-day oppressed minorities. Click the title to read my entire review. The true story how in Mumbai the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel’s staff helped save many of its guests from Muslim terrorists. The story of the peacemaking attempt by St. Francis of Assisi & Sultan Al-Kamil during the 5th Crusade is told via re-enactments & commentary by experts. A lowly Indian clerk, chosen to present a special coin to Queen Victoria, catches her eye & becomes her confidant & teacher, despite the jealousy of her court. A Pakistani-American son keeps resists his Muslim parents’ bride candidate, he meets & falls in love with an American woman during one of his comedy gigs. They break up over his not telling his parents about her, & then she falls ill and is hospitalized. The story of how Gandhi, regarded as the Father of India’s independence , from South Africa to his nonviolent revolution in India. Photos, newsreel clips, interviews, & quotes, tell the story of Gandhi’s last days , from release from prison thru his campaign against violence & hatred that erupted when Pakistan separated from India. When an old Jewish baker hires a Muslim teenager from Darfur as his apprentice, the boy accidentally spills cannabis into the dough, with amazing results.

Malaysian Muslim Political Leader Rails Against ‘Proxies of Capitalist Jewish Groups’ Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman, the head of the Malaysian Muslim Solidarity party, on Monday revived the anti-Semitic canard of Jewish control by railing against “proxies of capitalist Jewish groups” in an open letter to all Malays, according to The Malaysian Insider. “Don’t allow foreign races to impose their wants on us,” the leader said. “Leave fear behind and step forward to state your stand, we are duty bound to protect our rights in determining the way forward in this country.” He described the “games of the enemy,” saying that “they are playing psychological mind games so that the sons of the soil will not rise up to protect their rights.” The Malaysian Insider said, “Today, he reminded the Malays that the country was facing non-stop threats from all quarters, including groups who were proxies of Jewish Zionist evangelists who were intent on burying Islam.” The website quoted him as saying, “They want the Malay race to be in their control and they want to see us insulted as our religion is raped, the dignity of our race trampled on and our country pawned to the point we cannot do anything. If as Malays and Muslims, we are still uncertain of this, sooner or later our beloved country will be lost to us.” Using slogans about freedom, equality, human rights and shared values, the outsider groups are seeking to gain control by tricking the people, he claimed. The Malaysian Insider reported that he said, “if Muslims took the bait, capitalist Jewish groups will strengthen their hold and have absolute power through their proxies.” According to the report, he said those groups would “then be fortified by liberal Islamic groups who will be duped with promises of progress to the point of being willing to stand for the agenda of the enemy, even if it means that the sanctity of Islam and Malays are sacrificed, in the name of tolerance and harmony among races. As such, Abdullah Zaik said that Malays need not wait for armies to invade the country, but warned them against standing by quietly and allowing others to rob them of their supremacy in broad daylight, adding that if this happened, it would be too late to shed tears of regret.”

Jewish World Review Dec. 8, 2004 / 25 Kislev, 5765 Long live the Czar So it is to be a czar of all the intelligence services. As I predicted in last week's column, all the president's men have engulfed the remaining opposition to the intelligence reform bill and (as I write on Tuesday) the House of Representatives will imminently pass the bill with strong bipartisan support. Like its namesake, the czar of all the Russias, our new czar is likely to begin what will become a very mixed record. (Note: Beware of large bipartisan majorities. They usually form around either trivial issues or headline-driven, rushed proposals.) Perhaps our first czar will be up to the standards of Russia's first czar, Ivan the Terrible. Ivan, a mere lad of 17 on being crowned, quickly got married, after choosing a bride through a national virgin competition, and then went on to conquer the Muslim Tartars obliterating their cultural heritage in the process. He went on to conquer and annex Astrakhan, Kazan and Siberia. He set up the first secret police, the Oprichniki, and spent most of his career killing and torturing opponents real and imagined. He threw live animals to their death off his castle tower for the sheer pleasure of seeing the poor beasts crash to the ground and die. Needless to say he is a great national hero and Stalin's favorite czar. At the other end of the czar spectrum was poor little Nicholas the Second, the last czar of all the Russias. He was weak and ineffective, stubbornly claiming absolute power by divine right, even as he was dominated by his uncles and intimidated by his czarina, Alexandra. While unable to manage his country effectively, his hereditary powers permitted him to block effective management by his prime minister and other men who, left to their own authority, might well have been able to lead Russia successfully into the twentieth century. Finally, Nicholas was overthrown by Lenin and shot along with his wife and all their children. While these are two models for our new czar, I suppose the supporters of the intelligence reform bill will hope for Peter the Great as the model enlightened, effective and humane (by the standards of his time and place.) For my money, I will bet on the Nicholas model ineffective and meddling. We have just created yet another layer of bureaucracy through which all-important decisions will have to pass. And like any czar, ours must have his court or as we call them today, his staff. As controller of almost all of the intelligence budgets, each of his subalterns (directors of the CIA, DIA and the other dozen or so current intelligence services) will have to make their case to him for decisions ranging from buying a new spy satellite to how much money should be in the reptile fund (needed for miscellaneous skullduggery.) And, of course, whoever hands out the money must keep checking on how his money is spent. But, as no one man can have the time to properly monitor so many projects, he will have staffers who will roam the halls of the working intelligence agencies. As is always the case in such matters, a colonel on the czar's staff will trump a three star general with responsibilities to actually accomplish something in the real world. The current system lacks an accelerator and a steering wheel. The reformers are betting that the czar will be the steering wheel. I'm betting he and his inevitably ever-growing number of staffers will become yet more brakes. Worse, on many maneuvers, he will be steering blind. And when he tries to steer, there will be a terrible delay between when he turns the wheel on the bridge and when the great vehicle actually begins to swerve. It will be like taking the Queen Mary through a slalom. All this is being brought down on our intelligence services because of a misdiagnosis after Sept. 11 the dreaded stovepipe. Yes, it was true that the CIA and FBI could not easily talk with each other because existing federal law prohibited many forms of communications. So, to stop little bits of information going up separate stovepipes (an unuseful metaphor established by the critics in 2002, as valuable information is not equivalent to exhaust smoke) we are adding a new story to the house and a common chimney on the top. Other remodeling will inevitably follow. Although note, the FBI is still in a separate building. But what needed to be changed and still needs to be changed is the culture and habits of the different services. The cure for that is new doctrines and new leadership preferably at the agency, not super agency, level. An Ivan the Terrible might just be able to accomplish that. But Congress has not been that bold (thank G-d.) They have created a czar who is just powerful enough to meddle, but not powerful enough to mold and lead (a power in one man's hand that has its own obvious dangers.) This is the result that flows from a lot of hysterical people saying the status quo is unacceptable, and something, anything must be done. Well, they have done something. Let's hope it doesn't end with a firing squad. Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in Washington and in the media consider "must reading." Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here. Tony Blankley is editorial page editor of The Washington Times. Comment by clicking here. © 2004, Creators Syndicate

Rabbi Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer הרב יוסף גבריאל בקהופר I've always noticed (and had it confirmed by those who knew more than me) that more females were baal tshuvah, and more women converted. (Both of these facts are coming from only the orthodox world - I don't know about the non-orthodox world). Perhaps women are simply inherently more spiritual than men? Perhaps their default role as homemaker (although that is changing in today's society) has made then more attuned to the less-material needs of the family unit. r', are you insinuating that when women take leadership roles, they push men out? Right, real men don't eat quiche or listen to a woman at the pulpit. But who is really in charge? I know of a certain couple. . . well, I won't say it. Seriously, though, women have often headed up religious practice -- just in the past women had to do it only behind the scenes or as attendees. The women who flock to the rabbinate do so because they now have the opportunity to take on a career that combines the pastoral with the spiritual and an official title rather than one that indicates a helpmeet role only. I agree with Ari, this interesting phenomenon also exists within the orthodox community. Although, orthodoxy doesn’t allow women to serve as Rabbis or lead the prayers, they can serve in other leadership positions. In fact, many Jewish women are very active in their local communities and run respected organizations.By High school age teens, the orthodox Jewish girls are much more religious then the boys. Jewish girls are more educated than ever before.

This is a slightly expanded version of an article published in the Fall 2011 issue of Yedies, YIVO’s newsletter, featuring full color scans of artwork and sound clips. In commemoration of the 95th yortsayt of the beloved Yiddish author and playwright Sholem Aleichem (1859-1916), I’ve selected some vivid period artwork and sound samples of the respective recordings of the writer’s work from which it derives. First, here is the unique purple label from the test recording made by Sholem Aleichem for the Victor company in 1915 and issued in memoriam, accompanied by the two short excerpts he read for the acoustic horn. Ven ikh bin Rotshild/A freylekher yontev – If I Were Rothschild/A Joyful Holiday (Sholem Aleichem), excerpts read by Sholem Aleichem. 10-inch 78rpm disc label. Victor Recording Company, New York, 1916 An anonymous colorful depiction of shtetl life decorates the cover of a deluxe 12-inch double 78rpm disc set Tales from the Old Country as told by Howard Da Silva issued by American Decca in 1948. The Fiddle (Sholem Aleichem, translation by Julius and Frances Butwin, adaptation by Howard Da Silva, music by Serge Hovey, violin solo by Oscar Shumsky) read by Howard Da Silva, from Sholem Aleichem’s Tales from the Old Country as told by Howard Da Silva. 12-inch 78rpm album cover, designer and artist unknown. Decca Records, New York, 1948. Actor-director Da Silva, born Howard Silverblatt in Cleveland to Yiddish-speaking parents from Russia, maintained a relationship on stage and record with Sholem Aleichem’s work; he was featured in Arnold Perl’s 1953 dramatization of several stories presented as The World of Sholem Aleichem (the lp jacket features drawings by the renowned artist Ben Shahn) and directed its 1957 sequel Tevya and His Daughters – the catalyst for the hit musical Fiddler on the Roof. The High School, excerpt (Sholem Aleichem, dramatization by Howard Da Silva, music by Serge Hovey and Robert de Cormier) performed by Howard Da Silva, Morris Carnovsky, Pearl Sommers, Gilbert S. Green, David Pressman and Ruby Dee. The World of Sholom Aleichem. 10-inch lp album cover, designer unknown, artwork by Ben Shahn. Rachel Recordings, New York, circa 1953. Typical of the same period for smaller, privately owned Jewish record companies is the lp cover art for Holiday Stories, a wonderful, rare West Coast disc by Yiddish stage and Hollywood screen character actor Elihu Tenenholtz. Kopel Mineester (Sholem Aleichem) read by Elihu Tenenholtz, from Holiday Stories: Elihu Tenenholtz Reading Sholom Aleichem. 12-inch lp album cover, designer unknown. Yiddish Literature Records, Hollywood, CA, date unknown. Most striking of all, (visually speaking) perhaps, is spoken word label Caedmon Records’ Menasha Skulnik: Stories of Sholem Aleichem, illustrated by the well-known husband and wife team of Diane and Leo Dillon. It’s a Lie (Sholem Aleichem), read by Menasha Skulnik, from Stories of Sholem Aleichem read by Menasha Skulnik. 12-inch lp album cover, artwork by Leo and Diane Dillon. Caedmon Records, New York, date unknown. The artwork created for commercial discs was designed for the purpose of selling them to a public familiar with the happy experience of browsing through record store bins. Though those days are sadly a thing of the past, maybe you’ll be inspired by what you’ve seen and heard here to come and give some more of these treasures a look and listen. The Max and Frieda Weinstein Archives of YIVO Sound Recordings is open to researchers by appointment: (212) 294-6169, email@example.com

This online exhibition uses archival photographs and documents and links to other sources to illustrate the stories of families who have donated their papers to the Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives. A searchable database of burial records from Western Pennsylvania Jewish cemeteries is included on the site. Based on a timeline, the website chronicles the development of the social service infrastructure of the Pittsburgh Jewish community using archival documents and photographs from Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives collections and links to other sources. The Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project provides access to digitized copies of the “Jewish Criterion” (1895-1962), the “American Jewish Outlook” (1934-1962), the “Jewish Chronicle” (1962- 2010), and the Y-JCC series, comprised of newsletters of the Young Men & Women’s Hebrew Association, the Y-IKS, and the Jewish Community Center (1926-1975) . This project is a partnership of Carnegie Mellon University Libraries, the Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives, and the Rodef Shalom Congregation Archives. The curriculum units provided here have been created to introduce upper elementary, middle, and high school students to the history of the Jews in Pittsburgh. Each unit is designed to use three hours of classroom time. The curriculum units are based on primary archival materials and provide links to other relevant digital resources. The collaboration of the Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives and the Agency for Jewish Learning in the development of the curriculum units was underwritten by the Jewish Federation Greater Pittsburgh.

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by Andrew Sullivan A rather moving and enlightening series of essays on why torture and enhanced interrogation are such profound assaults on the Jewish faith and tradition. Maybe Charles Krauthammer could respond to this one in particular. We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to firstname.lastname@example.org.

On Friday, January 25th, the Town of Hempstead Town Hall was busy and bustling with vibrant Indian Tricolors. Outside the town Hall on the pole was Our Tiranga Jhanda ready to be raised. The occasion was 16th India Republic Day Celebrations organized by Hempstead Town Supervisor Honorable Laura Gillen and Board members of Indian American Forum, India Association of long Island and IDPUSA Team… Laura Gillen, Hempstead Town Clerk Silvia Cabana, Councilwoman Erin King Sweeney, Councilman Mr Dennis Dunn, Councilman Bruce A Blakeman, Edward A Ambrosino, New York State Senators Kevin Thomas and Anna Kaplan, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, Indu Jaiswal Chairperson of Indian American Forum, Lalit Aery President India Association of Long island, Jasbir Jay Singh, president IDPUSA, and several community leaders joined in raising the Flag outside the town Hall followed with Indian national anthem. Ms. Silvia Caban, Hempstead town clerk hosted special breakfast in her office On January 30, The Board of trustees and, members of Indian American Forum, India Association of Long Island and IDPUSA, organized Sixteenth India Republic Day Celebration at The Historical Old Village Hall, in Hempstead Town Hall. Honorable Supervisor Laura Gillen hosted the Republic Day Celebrations. The town Hall was decorated with Tricolors from Indian flag and patriotic songs were being played all over. Supervisor Gillen was joined with Town Clerk Sivia Cabana and New York State Senator Kevin Thomas, and several elected officers, judges and dignitaries were present and enjoyed this unique evening of celebrations. Supervisor Gillen welcomed everyone and praised the efforts of Indian Americans Community in USA. New York State Senator Kevin Thomas presented Citations from the New York State to Honorees and Keynote speaker. Indu Jaiswal, Chairperson of IAF, welcomed everyone and acknowledged the presence of all community leaders and support of President IALI Lalit Aery and President Jasbir Singh IDPUSA. And various organizations present and participated in the program. India Republic Day Awards were presented to: DALIP MALIK, CPA. Mr Malik is well renowned CPA in Tri State are He is also very active in many religious organizations. One of the religious charitable organizations has nine temples in six states with very large following. Jaspreet S Mayall, partner in the Telecommunications Group at at CertillanBallinAdlerand Hyman, counsels cellular phone companies, master wholesalers and retailers. He is an active member of Nassau County Bar Association and on the Board of America Heart Association, charged with helping the organization build awareness in the South Asian Community. Dr Raj K Narayan MD, FACS is the Chief of Neurosurgery at North Shore University Hospital and Long island Jewish medical Center and Director of the Northwell Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery. Dr Narayan is also the professor and chairman of Neurosurgery at the Zucker School of medicine at Hofstra Northwell in Hempstead. Dr Narayan discussed importance of celebration of India Republic Day. Program started with pledge of Allegiance by Tara Choudhry. Indian and American national Anthems by Anjana Moolaaylil . Opening prayers were done by Pandit Amol Misra, priest from Vedic Heritage, Long Island. Lighting of the lamps coordinated by Past Chairman IAF, Dr Parveen Chopra, Roopam Maini, Saroj Aery and Beena Kothari. Patriotic songs sung by Vijay Banjara, Jyoti Gupta, Indu Gajwani, Sonia Anand and Anju Sharma. And Friends. Cultural program introduced by Sunita Manjrekar and Indu Gajwani. Folk dances and other performances we presented by Students of Shilpa Jhurani, from Arya Dance Academy and Nartan Rang Dance Academy of BVB. End of the ceremony prayers done by priest Venkamma Ghantasala from Sai Temple Baldwin. Bina Sabapathy and Roopam Maini thanked all the sponsors Meena Chopra from Akbar Restaurant, , Media, Roopam Maini, Rizwan Qureshi, Vijay Goswamy,, Jyoti Gupta, Shilpa Jhurani, Swati Vaishnav, Shilpa Mithaiwala, Saroj Aery, Gobind Gupta, Shashi Malik and all volunteers and supporters

Cooper, Elliot. “Hearts Alight”, Independently Published, 2018. A Gay Chanukah Amos Lassen Chanukah is this country. Has become verycommercialized and Dave Cunningham hates that it has. He changes his mind a bitwhen he realizes that he has a chance to bring a bit of a holiday happiness tohis long-time crush, Amit Cohen. Dave is determined to make the perfect giftand tries to get a few personal details out of Amit who will not compromise hisstoic nature. Dave unintentionallylearns the Cohen family’s secret: Amit is a golem and Amit has a problem that isdeeper than his magical origin, and a Hanukkah miracle might be the only thingthat will keep the flame burning between the ton guys. Maybe I missed somethingbut I do not understand how David could fall in love with Amit and not knowthat he is a golem and therefore not human). But this is a story and Elliot Cooper is a good storyteller. Dave’s friend Jake is Amit’s nephew and so he has a bit of inside help in learningabout the man he has such a crush on. We see Amit through Dave’s eyes and asthe beautiful man that he is. However, when a jerk makes fun of Amit and Amittakes off, Dave goes after him and we learn a secret. Jake tells Dave Amit can “recharge” his batteries when touchedby someone who cares. Romantic love could be what keeps Amit Earth bound, evenafter he’s fulfilled his spiritual obligation. Dave understands and accepts Amit but there are the factsof his being non–human that could make things difficult. Amit’s being a golem is a unique twist but it didn’t work for me. I suppose Iam too grounded in Judaism and the traditions and culture of the religion. We have had a hard time being accepted into theJewish religion as gay people so, for me, adding a gay Jewish golem to the mixwas a bit too much. However, if I simply would read this as a story, I would totallyenjoy it.Dave was frustrated becauseof the guilt he felt by not being able to get with with the gift-giving goingon around him. Finding a gift for a golem is a unique and challengingexperience. Dave’s friendship with Jake, and the hesitant beginnings of hisromance with Amit are very well written. And I really got into Dave’s feelingsabout the modernization of Hanukkah. Writer Cooper gives us quite a rainbow ofcharacters with Amit, a gay golem, Dave, a bisexual man and Jake, a trans maleand Dave’s best friend.

Religious Freedom Report Says Anti-Semitism Remains Global Problem Anti-Semitism “continued to be a major problem around the globe,” the U.S. State Department’s annual International Religious Freedom Report for 2014 found. The 17th annual report, which was released Wednesday, noted that anti-Semitic incidents rose significantly in Western Europe during the 2014 Gaza War between Israel and Hamas as well as in eastern Ukrainian regions when Russian rebels forcefully annexed part of the territory. The number of incidents overall in France doubled last year, to 851, over 2013. The report, which analyzed levels of religious freedoms in regions across the globe, also found in Israel “an increase in interethnic tension and violence involving different religious communities.” In addition to the 2014 Gaza conflict, the report cited the attack on a synagogue in Jerusalem that left five dead along with the kidnapping and killing of three Jewish teenagers before the war as incidents that heightened tensions between Muslims and Jews in Israel during the year. However, the report emphasized that “because religion, ethnicity, and nationality are closely linked in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, it was difficult to categorize many societal actions against specific groups as being solely based on religious identity.” The report was the first presided over by Rabbi David Saperstein, who in January became the first non-Christian to hold the post of U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. “If you look at the Pew reports that I believe are a year behind our reports, over the last several years there’s been a steady increase in the percentage of people who live in countries that … have serious restrictions on religious freedom,” Saperstein said at a news conference Wednesday. “At the same time … we’ve seen enormous expansion of interfaith efforts on almost every continent to try and address the challenges.”

Every year during Holy Week, the week between Palm Sunday and Easter (falling on March 24-31 this year), we hold three unique worship services. These services are known as the Three Days, or the Triduum. “The Three Days encompass the time from Maundy Thursday evening through the evening of Easter Day. In particular, the services of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Vigil of Easter unfold in a single movement, as the church each year makes the passage with Christ through death into life.” (Excerpt from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Augsburg Fortress, 2006, p. 247) “If we are to rethink what we do in the present and plan for the future, it is useful to begin by knowing the past. What were the liturgies of Lent and the Three Days like in the beginning, and how did they come to have the forms familiar to many of us today? Christian historians tell us that, in the decades after the life of Jesus, Christians met each week for a meal that celebrated the presence of the risen Christ. Then we hear the apostle Paul, writing in the 50s, scolding the Corinthians because their celebrative gatherings seem to have forgotten both the death of Christ and the situation of the poor. By the second century, in addition to this weekly celebration of Christ’s resurrection, many Christians had designed also an annual festival, at which they adapted the Jewish Passover to commemorate both the death and resurrection of Christ. At this event, the stories of creation and the exodus were read along with the New Testament accounts of Jesus as ways to proclaim new life in Christ. In the fourth century, it was agreed to keep this annual Christian Passover always on a Sunday. By the fifth and sixth centuries, a pattern had become common throughout the Christian communities: the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ was observed over a three-day service. Part 1, Maundy Thursday, was kept to recall Christ’s meal with his disciples; part 2, Good Friday, was a simple day to pray and to honor the crucified Christ; and part 3, the Vigil of Easter, was the climax of the event, with springtime bonfire, many biblical readings, multiple baptisms, and the first eucharist, of Easter. The Vigil of Easter was the central liturgy of the year and the primary occasion for all baptisms, since being Christian was about embodying the death and resurrection of Christ.” (Excerpt from Worship Guidebook for Lent and Three Days, Augsburg Fortress, 2009, p. 11-12) Let me encourage you to prioritize the Three Days this year. Make an effort to attend all of the services during Holy Week: Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday. It may seem like more church than you can handle! I can certainly appreciate that feeling. The Three Days, however, are the principle celebration of the Christian church. These services are the best way to connect your personal spiritual journey to the corporate experience of passing with Christ through death into life.

By Kyle Munzenrieder By Kyle Munzenrieder By Kyle Munzenrieder By Kyle Munzenrieder By Tim Elfrink By Kyle Munzenrieder By Kyle Munzenrieder Have you heard about John Kerry's secret connections to Fidel Castro? How about the hidden financial links between Teresa Heinz Kerry and the Cuban government? No? Derek Newton rolls his eyes, and with a laugh plunges his hand into the six-inch-deep sea of paperwork that covers his entire desk. As political war rooms go, Newton -- campaign manager for county mayoral aspirant Jimmy Morales -- certainly has the chaos part down. "The top layer is the most important," he quips, still fishing through the papers until -- voilà!-- he pulls out the latest issue of the Little Havana periodiquito Spotlight Internacional, which details all manner of communist perfidy emanating from the Democratic Party. Ridiculous? Sure. But in a town where even the most bizarre rumor of a Castro association quickly jumps like a virus from the coffeeshop counter to the Spanish-language talk-radio airwaves, this summer's county mayoral hopefuls are taking every accusation seriously. Cuban-exile voters remain Miami's electoral kingmakers, and with more than 80 percent of el exilio's votes going to George W. Bush in 2000, staying on the right side of that equation -- literally and figuratively -- is crucial to victory. Or at least it was crucial. With no less than six viable candidates duking it out in the August 31 mayoral contest -- Carlos Alvarez, José Cancela, Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, Maurice Ferré, Jay Love, and Jimmy Morales -- a runoff election is assured. For the first time in recent history, that runoff is being held not two weeks later but rather on November 2, as part of the Bush/Kerry showdown. If past presidential battles are any guide, Miami's voter turnout will more than double from the traditional sparse crowd that greets its mayor's races. And Cuban Americans will suddenly find their influence counterbalanced by Anglo and black voters -- whose support gave Miami-Dade to Bill Clinton in 1996 by 107,744 votes, and to Al Gore in 2000 by 39,246 votes. That Democratic margin may be shrinking, but Newton says he and Morales are still counting on it. "Kerry is going to win Dade," he argues. "He may win by only 30,000 to 40,000 votes, but that's more than enough for me." While the rest of the mayoral field is holding Kerry at arm's length, fearful of offending Cuban-exile sensibilities, Morales hopes to embrace Kerry. Says Newton: "We just become the Democratic candidate -- the Anglo, black, progressive candidate. And everybody else goes wherever they go." Morales himself has hardly made a secret of this notion. As he told Kulchur when he first launched his county hall bid: "My strategy is focused on holding my own in the Hispanic community," leaving the rest of the field to carve up the Cuban vote among themselves. "I'm going to campaign strongly in the Anglo, black, Haitian, and Jewish communities." It's the same tactic he used to get elected to the county commission in 1996, and re-elected in 2000, despite doubts that a pro-gay rights, reformist candidate who is only -- gulp -- half-Cuban could ever win his district. Of course, such a strategy only works countywide with a presidential-level turnout. And just who pushed the county commission to delay the mayoral runoff until November 2? Why, none other than Jimmy Morales. Such a move may have been self-serving, but Morales's fellow commissioners also found it impossible to resist: Not only did it save taxpayers several hundred thousand dollars, it guaranteed greater participation. "It's hard to say you favor fewer voters going to the polls," laughs Newton in appreciation of Morales's shrewdness. "His opponents may call Jimmy a lot of things, but being stupid isn't one of them." Newton may have relationships with several key Kerry campaign staffers (he was Kerry's Cedar Rapids-area field director in the Iowa caucus, where a surprise victory rescued the senator's presidential run), but one of Morales's chief opponents appears determined to neutralize those connections. Newton says José Cancela's allies have persuaded Kerry not to wade into the mayoral race, despite his scheduled Miami visits aimed at peeling Cuban votes away from Bush. Close ties to Kerry abound in the Cancela camp. One of Cancela's most notable endorsers, Rep. Kendrick Meek, is Kerry's Florida campaign chairman, introducing him at local rallies and speaking on behalf of the presidential nominee at last week's Democratic convention in Boston. Cancela's pollster, Sergio Bendixen, is co-founder of the New Democrat Network, a national advocacy group spending millions on Kerry television ads targeted at Hispanic voters in battleground states, including Florida. And Cancela's own campaign manager, Fernand Amandi, is the son of Fernando Amandi, a retired Cuban-American and Republican banking executive who's drawn widespread attention by crossing party lines to become vice chairman of Kerry's national finance committee, raising more than $100,000 so far. So might Fernand Amandi be enlisting his father to help conjure up a joint Kerry-Cancela appearance? Don't hold your breath. "I don't comment on anything my dad is doing," Fernand icily informs Kulchur. "He focuses on his personal political activities, and I do mine." As for Kerry, "he shouldn't have an impact one way or another, given that José Cancela's candidacy is about bringing people together." To Bendixen, just back from the Boston convention, Cancela's fence-sitting is aimed at looking past November 2, to his eventual administration. "Unfortunately this presidential race is not only going to be ideologically divisive, it's going to be ethnically divisive," Bendixen tells Kulchur in a phone conversation. "For somebody running for office for the first time, to come in as either the Democratic mayor or the Republican mayor, José feels it would be a very strong liability." Besides, he adds, "he's got a lot of friends who are for Bush. As your paper pointed out, he once even contributed to Bush. He's got friends on both sides." (Last year Cancela gave $2000 contributions to both Bush and the Democratic National Committee.) But with passions rising across the red-and-blue chasm, can Cancelareally be all things to all people? Bendixen hands off the phone to Cancela himself, conveniently in his office to talk strategy. "This community is divided enough," Cancela insists. "We don't need to bring partisan politics into the fray." Back at the Morales campaign headquarters, those are fighting words. "We are going to partisan this race," Newton promises with a discernible touch of spite. "Cancela's insistence on not choosing a side in the presidential election is horrible. Democrats are not going to understand why you go to Democratic clubs, why you stand with Carrie Meek and throw around your Democratic Party registration card, and then you go write a check to the president." For Miami's political junkies, divining theHerald's election endorsements is a complex science worthy of vintage Kremlinology. Depending on your personal spin, the paper is either a shameless apologist for el exilio or deeply biased against any Cuban American who would dare challenge the Anglo power elite. Long before the drama of Elian, as far back as 1985's mayoral victory of Xavier Suarezover Raul Masvidal, the Herald's political editor, Tom Fiedler (now its executive editor), wrote that "the rumor going around Little Havana is that the Heraldreally preferred Suarez the best and only used Masvidal as a feint. Follow this reasoning, now: Because the newspaper knows that its endorsement actually hurts candidates in Little Havana, it endorsed Masvidal with the knowledge that Suarez would be the beneficiary of a backlash.... Clever, huh?" Conspiracy buffs got a fresh burst of inspiration when the Herald's editorial board sent detailed questionnaires to each of the county mayoral candidates, called in the field for a personal meeting, and then placed the candidates' questionnaire answers on the paper's Website on Sunday, July 25. The kicker? The questionnaires were inadvertently posted with one editorial board member's pithy comments handwritten in the margins. According to José Cancela, those scrawls belonged not to just any board member but to the editor of the Herald's editorial page, Joe Oglesby. (During his meeting with the editorial board, Cancela witnessed Oglesby writing his thoughts on the questionnaires.) Accidental or not, posting Oglesby's notes, Cancela says, "was very inappropriate. They're going to be making an [endorsement] decision pretty soon. Those comments are out of line." Following a perplexed call from Cancela's campaign, scrubbed versions of the questionnaires were online by the next morning. For the curious, Oglesby was impressed by Cancela's call to remove from the county commission the ability to award contracts. "Will ruffle feathers," he wrote alongside that idea. He was less moved by Cancela's proposal to secure higher pay for teachers and implement the state constitutional amendment calling for smaller class sizes: "How pay for this?" Miguel Diaz de la Portilla's string of endorsements from Hispanic pols was met with "Any outreach to other groups?" And his glib call to "remove lobbyists from the equation" drew a big circle and a "How?" Carlos Alvarez also drew skepticism with his vague pledge to "restore faith in county government." That got a "details please." Alvarez no doubt has other issues on his mind, such as buying a caller-ID machine. Like his fellow mayoral candidates, the former Miami-Dade police chief's home address and private phone numbers were also posted online, serving up some tempting crank-call fodder. If the raw number of written remarks is any indication, Oglesby seemed most taken with Maurice Ferré, starring and highlighting several of his passages on civic policy. (Neither Jimmy Morales nor fringe candidates D.C. Blue and Dave Slater received a single comment.) The questionnaire asked Ferré for his "special skills." He answered by touting his record as "president of a construction material company from 1963 to 1978, taking it public to the American Stock Exchange and turning it from losses to profits, with sales of over $100 million per year and almost 2000 employees." That achievement garnered an "impressive" from Oglesby. Yet Ferré left out the punch line: In 1976 he drove his family's construction company, Maule Industries, into bankruptcy, throwing its workers onto the unemployment line and leaving behind millions in debt. Then serving as mayor of Miami, Ferré also claimed to be broke himself. His unpaid creditors spent the next decade scratching their heads over his still-comfortable lifestyle, a mystery finally solved in 1989 when a Miami court found that Ferré had hidden $1.4 million in "consulting fees" in a bank account under his wife's name. He was ordered to hand over the entire sum. Perhaps Oglesby, a Heraldreporter in 1976, was merely being sarcastic with his comment. Indeed plenty of snarky words come to mind in describing Ferré's business maneuvers. But the only thing "impressive" is the degree of chutzpah required of such an individual in seeking a return to public office. Find everything you're looking for in your city Find the best happy hour deals in your city Get today's exclusive deals at savings of anywhere from 50-90% Check out the hottest list of places and things to do around your city

Recipe by jen "This is a good recipe for those jalapeno lovers out there. You can use any kind of pasta you like." Hmm. None of these ingredients are on sale today. Show ingredients on sale Sort stores by Save money at local stores when ingredients are on sale! Watch video tips and tricks shelled pumpkin seeds green bell peppers chopped fresh cilantro fresh lime juice freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes lime, cut into wedges Unusual sauce. Must like peppers, no doubt! I would serve initially as a side dish. Would be good with grilled marinaded firm tofu slices. If the household chef has a gas range, the peppers can be blistered over a flame. This recipe is great! I added a little bit of shredded mozarella. This was a great new twist on basic pesto! I did change a few things; we used walnuts instead of pumpkin seeds and roasted the tomatoes with a little olive oil, sea salt and pepper. I served this with a piece of toast and goat cheese. We have plenty of pesto left over and I will probably use it on homemade pizza's this week. This was good, but did't knock our socks off Very unique, just the right amount of kapow! * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Pasta with Jalapeno Pesto Serving Size: 1/4 of a recipe Servings Per Recipe: 4 Amount Per Serving Calories from Fat: 193 Celebrate Passover with Jewish main dishes, desserts, and traditional holiday foods. Choose your Easter dinner main dish from hams, savory lamb, and over 150 more recipes. Delicious recipes, party ideas, and cooking tips! Get a year of Allrecipes magazine for $7.99! A simple chicken pasta with pesto and sun-dried tomatoes. See how to make a healthy, rustic Italian-inspired pasta. See how to make a spicy vegetarian pasta with lots of Cajun seasoning.

Controversial 'Passion' debuts nationwide By Thom Patterson Viewers react as they watch a special screening of "The Passion of the Christ" at a theater in El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday. Vatican officials weigh in on 'The Passion,' conceding the pope saw it and did not reject it. Many religious groups are buying out theaters to see "The Passion of The Christ." CNN's Paul Clinton says Mel Gibson's 'The Passion of the Christ' is a bloody, violent and emotionally powerful film. CNN's Beth Nissen reports on the historical accuracy of 'The Passion of the Christ.' Actor Jim Caviezel talks with CNN's Paula Zahn about the challenges of portraying Jesus in 'The Passion of the Christ.' (CNN) -- The opening of Mel Gibson's controversial "The Passion of the Christ" brought movie fans and religious leaders to more than 2,500 theaters across the nation on Ash Wednesday. Questions about the film's alleged anti-Semitic tone and bloody depiction of the crucifixion of Jesus have raised interest in the movie. Sales of its companion book rose from No. 20 to No. 9 on Amazon.com on Wednesday. Movie houses were packed from New York to Georgia to Texas, where some viewers exited with tears in their eyes. By 11, three Wednesday night showings of the film were already sold out at a theater in Kennesaw, Georgia. In Plano, Texas, thousands of moviegoers were treated to free showings of the film courtesy of businessman Arch Bonnema. Bonnema set up the screenings after purchasing thousands of tickets for $42,000, according to a spokeswoman at his church. "It was his passion," said Pat Spackey of the Prestonwood Baptist Church. "He was just so moved by the movie that he wanted everyone to be able to see it." Spackey would only describe Bonnema as a businessman who isn't "all that wealthy. I think he just felt like this would be a good place to make a meaningful contribution." With tears in her eyes, one woman exiting the Plano theater said, "Even more difficult for me were the scenes between Mary, the mother, and Jesus. Being a mother myself, those just tore my heart out thinking what that must have been like." In New York, a small group of protesters holding placards accusing the movie of anti-Semitism, stood outside a packed Manhattan cineplex. William Donahue, president of the Catholic League, said he planned to see the film again in New York with leaders of several other faiths, including Judaism. The Catholic League, according to its Web site, defends the right of Catholics to participate in American public life without defamation or discrimination. "This is the most powerful movie I've ever seen in my life," Donahue said, adding that no film was going to break his ties with religious colleagues. Donahue joined leaders of other religions in promoting the film and subsidizing tickets. "We first bought 1,200 tickets, subsidizing it at $5 a pop, even though it cost us $8 a pop," Donahue said. "We sold out in two days, so we bought 2,000 more tickets. And we sold out again within two days." Some Jewish leaders have said the movie is anti-Semitic because it places blame for Jesus' death on the rabbis depicted in the film. "We've got a film that's really white robes versus black robes," said Rabbi A. James Rudin of the American Jewish Community, which is committed to opposing anti-Semitism worldwide. "And the black robes belong to the traditional scapegoat in history, the Jewish people and the Jewish religion, and that's what makes me angry and very disappointed in this film." Gibson has told ABC News that his movie is not anti-Semitic and that he is not an anti-Semite. An avowed "Traditionalist Catholic," a splinter movement that believes in celebrating Mass in Latin and rejects changes in the church made by the Second Vatican Council, Gibson has said the film is intended "to inspire, not offend," according to a statement he released in June. Cardinal Edward Egan, the Archbishop of New York, addressed the subject in a statement released Wednesday. "In the light of so much that is good and holy, I have no doubt that the Catholic and Jewish communities of New York will handle with grace and wisdom any and all upset that might result" from the film. CNN's Eric Phillips contributed to this report.

Check out these kid-friendly events and activities happening this month in Westchester County. Here are some highlights from Rockland Parent's November 2009 calendar of events and activities for kids and families. We polled our dads here at Davler Media for their ideas of what makes a great Father’s Day. As it turns out, the perfect gift for Dad may be easier than you think. Just in time for Mother’s Day, Julie Klappas and Lyss Stern, two NeYC moms, have written a new book to help us remember. In 'If You Give a Mom a Martini … 100 Ways to Find 10 Blissful Minutes for Yourself' (Random House $16.95), they present a collection of ways that their stressed-out counterparts take time for themselves. Here’s a food craft that you can set up in advance & the kids can have fun with on their own. Then, when they serve up their creations, you can all share a tasty meal & a good laugh! Make a flowery paper mâché vase with blooming flowers this Mother's Day... Walk, cycle, carpool or train it to the Westchester County Annual Earth Day Celebration... It wouldn’t be Easter without dyed eggs and treasure hunts. There are Easter egg hunts scheduled in Fairfield county. Check them out and enjoy the fun! Easter is known for special dinners with family and friends. You can make the dinner table look eggs-cellent with homemade egg silverware holders and bunny napkins. A great way to teach your children the Passover story is to make matzah with them, just like the Jewish slaves did thousands of years ago. The New York Hall of Science is devoting a whole weekend to an unforgettable Earth Day Celebration! Express your inner Irish! Celebrate the day by wearing green, going to a parade & eating Irish foods. Here are a few crafts and recipes... Love is in the air, and there’s no better way to show it than by making a homemade card or a yummy treat for that special person. During the holiday season, you may be invited to many parties. Some will be adult-only and you will have to find a sitter to watch the kids while you’re out. But many hosts welcome children and encourage the little ones to come. Regardless of where the party is at, you need to pack a few essentials. Read all of our recommendation for when you are partying, with your kids in tow. During the holidays, many families choose not just to give to each other but also to give back to their community. There are hundreds of ways your family can make a difference. This is a great way to show your children how to give back during the holidays. Contact the Salvation Army in the New York area or consider these family-friendly suggestions for volunteering. Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol, an all-time holiday favorite is being presented at the Emelin Theatre, in Mamaroneck in Westchester. Ebenezer Scrooge changes his life after a Christmas eve encounter with the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. This family-friendly show is appropriate for children of all ages as well as the entire family. The Gingerbread Adventures program at the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, renowned New York area bakers display their creations of an entire “town." Your children and entire family will love the gingerbread people displays. Kids can also step inside a larger-than-life model of a decorated gingerbread house, and make their own creations. Children will learn about the cultures of Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and other festivals of light that are celebrated around the world during Festival of Lights at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. Activities include “Linked by Lights,” “Holiday Decorations,” “Winter Mittens” and “Frosted Sun Catchers.” The event is at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum in Brooklyn. Children of all ages, in addition to the entire family wil love this holiday event. The 92nd Street Y is the place to be for Hanukkah celebrations. The Hanukkah Festival allows children to “travel around the world." They’ll enjoy a Hanukkah puppet show and make menorahs. Children will light the menorah and Shabbat candles and eat latkes and challah at a special Hanukkah Dinner. They can dance and sing for the annual Hanukkah Lights. A perfect way for children to learn about the Jewish culture and bond as a family. Replicas of more than 140 New York landmarks form a seasonal wonderland at the Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden, Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, Bronx River Parkway at Fordham Road, Bronx. See the Statue of Liberty and the old Yankee Stadium — everything’s made entirely from pieces of plants. Children and parents will enjoy watching the model trains go around the track. The perfect family outing. Get in the holiday spirit and get your shopping done at The Friends of Hoff-Barthelson Music School’s annual Holiday Music Festival in Scarsdale, Westchester. Find vintage and contemporary gifts. The international foods party room will feature delicacies prepared by music school parents. Children, parents and families whose children do not attend the Hoff-Barthelson Music School are also welcome to attend this holiday event. Get creative this holiday season at the Rye Historical Society, Square House Museum, Rye, Westchester. Children, parents, and families, can make and decorate holiday ornament, as well as learn how to make cookies, peppermint drops and other treats. This will definately get you and your family in the holiday spirit. It might look like a winter wonderland, but the cold weather can have dangerous side effects. Disney Theatrical Productions today announced a one-of-a-kind limited ticket offer for its three shows currently running on Broadway: THE LION KING, THE LITTLE MERMAID and Mary Poppins.

The artists and architects for Group XXVIII (April 2019 – September 2019) are Ovidiu Anton, Peter Behrbohm and Markus Bühler, and Jeehee Park. Ovidiu Anton lives and works in Vienna and studied at École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Marseille and at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. He works in film and video, performance, drawing, and sculptural objects. Anton’s works often take on a political character, where the artist concentrates on seeking and highlighting the paradoxical nuances of the surrounding world. He has had solo exhibitions at Gallery 5020, Salzburg; Christine König Gallery, Vienna; Tobacco Cultural Centre, Ljubljana; König2 by robbygreif, Vienna; Future Museum, Bucharest and G99 Gallery in Brno. He’s participated in group exhibitions at Frappant, Hamburg; MAK Vienna; MUMOK cinema, Vienna; Austrian Cultural Forum, Warsaw; Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein; Jewish Museum, Hohenems; City Gallery of Ljubljana; Karst Projects, Plymouth; Galeria Labirynt, Lublin and various other institutions. Peter Behrbohm and Markus Bühler Peter Behrbohm and Markus Bühler live and work in Berlin. Behrbohm designs obstacles and fragments, thinks with hands and feet, constructs abnormal apparatus and installs fictions in public space. Bühler considers himself a truffle pig at the sediments of reality. His work is driven by analytic and operative precision, often based on found narratives through varying media. Both studied at Berlin’s University of the Arts and have been granted numerous awards including the BDA-SARP Award for the best German graduation project, Rudeolf Lodders Price, the Baumgarten, and the post-graduate Elsa-Neumann Scholarship, as well as the Max-Taut-Prize. Jeehee Park is an artist based in Seoul. She has been awarded fellowships and residencies at the Glenfiddich Artist in Residence program, Scotland, and the Swatch Art Peace Hotel Artist Residency, Shanghai. Park is the recipient the Kenneth Armitage Young Sculpture Prize and her work has been exhibited in numerous venues nationally and internationally. Recent exhibitions include SeMA Bukseoul Museum of Art, Seoul; Centre d’art, Neuchâtel, Switzerland; Fishmen H. Forman & Son Fish, London; Busan Biennale, Busan Cultural Center, Busan, among many others.

GEM is known primarily as the graphical user interface (GUI) for the Atari ST series of computers, and was also supplied with a series of IBM PC-compatible computers from Amstrad. It also was available for standard IBM PC, at the time when the 6MHz IBM PC AT (and the very concept of a GUI) was brand new. It was the core for a small number of DOS programs, the most notable being Ventura Publisher. It was ported to a number of other computers that previously lacked graphical interfaces, but never gained popularity on those platforms. DRI also produced FlexGem for their FlexOSreal-time operating system. GEM started life at DRI as a more general purpose graphics library known as GSX (Graphics System eXtension), written by a team led by Don Heiskell. Lee Lorenzen (at Graphic Software Systems, Inc.) who had recently left Xerox PARC (birthplace of the GUI) wrote much of the code. GSX was essentially a DRI-specific implementation of the GKS graphics standard proposed in the late 1970s. GSX was intended to allow DRI to write graphics programs (charting, etc.) for any of the platforms CP/M-80, CP/M-86 and MS-DOS (NEC APC-III) would run on, a task that would otherwise require considerable effort to port due to the large differences in graphics hardware (and concepts) between the various systems of that era. Series Seven ofThe Apprentice (UK) was a British reality television series, which was broadcast in the UK during 2011 from 10 May to 17 July on BBC One. The first two episodes of the series were aired a day apart from each other; the first on a Tuesday, the next in the usual timeslot of the show, along with subsequent episodes after it. Like the previous series, the final episode was aired on a Sunday. Filming of the series took place during the previous year in Autumn. The series was won by Tom Pellereau. By the end of the series, several records were made by two of the final candidates in the process. Pellereau initially held the record of least successful winner of The Apprentice, for winning only three tasks, never winning as a project manager and being a PM just once in the series; he now holds joint ownership of the record alongside Series 10 winner, Mark Wright. Along with this, he also became the first winner of the show, to have won fewer tasks than the runner-up, which happened again in Series 8, 9 and 10. Runner-up Helen Milligan, currently holds the record for the most successful candidate in the history of The Apprentice, winning ten out of eleven tasks during this series. Series Five ofThe Apprentice (UK) was a British reality television series which was broadcast in the UK during 2009 from 25 March to 7 June on BBC One; unlike previous series, the final episode was aired during a Sunday Evening timeslot. Auditions and interviews took place during July the previous year, in London, Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham. The series is unique for having only fifteen participants instead of the usual sixteen in the previous and later series (until Series 10 and 11); the sixteenth member dropped out prior to the first boardroom briefing, owing to personal reasons. The series was won by Yasmina Siadatan. This series was the last one to feature Margaret Mountford as an advisor to Lord Sugar (then Sir Alan at time of broadcast), after announcing her decision to leave the role and continue her education. Two new editions of specials that had featured during the previous series, were aired alongside the 2009 series during the final weeks - "The Final Five" on 3 June (followed broadcasting of Week 11), and "Why I Fired Them" on 5 June. Blitz! is a musical by Lionel Bart. The musical, described by Steven Suskin as "massive", was set in the East End of London during the Blitz (the aerial bombings during World War II). The story drew on Bart's childhood memories of London's Jewish East End during the Blitz and, like most musicals, centred on a romance between a young couple, in this case a Jewish woman and a Cockney man, although the largest role and main point-of-view character is that of Mrs. Blitztein, the young woman's mother. Steven Suskin describes it as "Abie's Irish Rose set against the burning of Atlanta." Bart himself described the play as "…three human stories inside an epic canvas; the major human conflict—the major plot—personifies the spirit of London and how that spirit developed during the period of the piece." Blitz! opened in London 8 May 1962 at the Adelphi Theatre, while Bart's enormous West End success Oliver! was still running at the New Theatre; at that time Oliver! had not yet been produced on Broadway. Blitz ran for 568 performances. It never ran on Broadway: between its scale and the fact that New Yorkers could hardly be expected to share Londoners' nostalgia for the period, it proved "unexportable". Bart wrote the music and lyrics, and had directed the original London production himself; Joan Maitland contributed to the libretto. Sean Kenny designed the elaborate sets, which included representations of Victoria Station, Petticoat Lane, and the Bank underground station, not to mention London on fire during an air raid. Four revolving house units and an enormous, mobile overhead bridge carried on two shifting towers made it, at the time, the most expensive West End musical ever produced. Noël Coward called it "twice as loud and twice as long as the real thing." Blitz is a Brazilian rock band. The band was the first to achieve mainstream success and to have hit singles (Você não soube me amar, A dois passos do paraíso, Ana Maria (biquíni de bolinha amarelinha tão pequenininho)) kick-starting the 1980s movement that would later be called "BRock". Its "classic" formation included Evandro Mesquita (voice), Lobão (drums, later Roberto "Juba" Gurgel), Antônio Pedro Fortuna (bass, formerly with Os Mutantes and Lulu Santos), William Forghieri (keyboards) and Fernanda Abreu and Márcia Bulcão (backing vocals). 1982 - As Aventuras da BLITZ 1983 - Radioatividade 1984 - BLITZ 3 1990 - Todas as Aventuras da BLITZ 1994 - BLITZ ao Vivo 1997 - Línguas 1999 - BLITZ 2000 Últimas Notícias 2006 - BLITZ - Com Vida 2008 - BLITZ - Ao Vivo e a Cores 2009 - Eskute Dapieve, Arthur (2000), BRock - o rock brasileiro dos anos 80, Rio de Janeiro: Editora 34, ISBN 85-7326-008-4 After his inception Brody's appearance changed slightly several times (including subtle changes in color in accordance with the team's updated color scheme implemented after moving to Qwest Field in 2002) before a dramatic facelift in 2004, in an effort to make him appear less menacing to children by introducing friendlier facial features. A new look was introduced in 2014, involving an update to Blitz's face that more closely resembles the Seahawks logo. In addition to the longstanding look of a blue anthropomorphic bird of medium height, built like a bodybuilder, and wearing a Seahawks uniform (number 0), the updated Blitz features the piercing green eyes and blue and gray head represented on the team logo. A second mascot, named Boom, was also introduced in 2014, as an "official sidekick" to Blitz. In addition to green eyes, Boom features green hair, a backwards Seahawks cap, and a number 00 Seahawks uniform.

Adult Senior Group at Congregation Shir Ami Open to the whole community. Transportation provided to events. Social gatherings quarterly from dinners/speakers/Wine Country bus tours/Hill Country Flier rides. Contact Pearl Kopita at 337-7515. American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is the only American organization whose principal mission is to lobby the U.S. government about legislation that strengthens the relationship between the United States and Israel. www.aipac.org Contact: Elias Saratovsky, Regional Director SWreg@aipac.org, (713)871-1891 Austin-Area Anti-Defamation League For over 100 years, the ADL mission has been to “stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all.” ADL protects security and civil rights for all, works with law enforcement to investigate possible hate incidents and extremist groups, and offers anti-bias education opportunities, including its No Place for Hate® school program. As an outgrowth of the successful No Place for Hate® campaign, ADL Austin has launched a workplace anti-bias program called Community of Respect®. ADL also offers a leadership program – the Glass Leadership Institute – for young leaders in the community looking to gain a deeper insight into the work of ADL. austin.adl.org. Contact: (512) 249-7960 Austin Jewish Business Network (JBN) Meetings: Third Tues. Monthly, EXCEPT June, July, Aug. and Dec. Location: Cafe Express, 3418 N Lamar Blvd Austin, TX 78705 Cost: $5 per meeting Austin Jewish Business Network provides monthly opportunities to network for business as well as interact socially. We are a supportive system for giving and receiving business referrals, finding jobs or employees & interns for members of the Jewish community. Monthly meetings feature a speaker focused on a topic of interest, as well as plenty of time for networking and social interaction all designed to help your business grow and develop life long relationships. Participation in the Austin Jewish Business Network allows you access to a database of job listings and a business directory listing. Find us on the following social networks: Linked-In, Meet-Up, FB, Yahoogroups. Sign up today! Contact: Jody Lockshin, chair email@example.com, (512) 587-5824 B’nai B’rith International B'nai B’rith is a community service, advocacy and humanitarian organization open to women and men. Dues support B’nai B’rith’s work as a Non-Governmental Organization at the United Nations in New York, in Geneva and foreign capitals throughout the world. B’nai B’rith International is the largest nonprofit sponsor of nonsectarian, low-income senior housing, serving more than 8,000 residents in 43 markets in the United States. It is a leader in humanitarian missions to Cuba and other countries. Contact: Chuck Kaufman, firstname.lastname@example.org or 512-345-6144 Information: YouTube, www.bnaibrith.org and Facebook. Jewish Singles 40 and Up Jewish Singles Ages 40-60 Meet-up. Join our Austin Jewish Singles 40 +Group on Facebook. Faith in Action Caregivers — West Austin Coalition of congregations including Agudas Achim and Jewish Community Association of Austin, offering services to older adults, including transportation, minor home repairs and errands. Flexible hours; training provided. Contact: Jeanie Teel, Executive Director, at 472-6339. Information: Ellen Sable at email@example.com, 306-8239 Git Nu-Jewish Culture Austin Git Nu is a publication about Jewish and Jew-ish culture based out of Austin, Texas. The Austin Chapter of Hadassah comprises of more than 700 women and male associate members. Programs support Israel and enrich American Jewish life and include the award-winning program Al Galgalim: Training Wheels, which provides young families with Jewish holiday education; an ongoing Torah Study; Mah Jongg groups; holiday gatherings; special events, speakers; and luncheons. The chapter also holds an annual Gift Bazaar. All funds raised support Hadassah’s projects in Israel: Hadassah Medical Organization, Hadassah College Jerusalem, Youth Aliyah, Jewish National Fund and Young Judaea. Local chapter info: Chapter President - Jenn Siegal, firstname.lastname@example.org. Membership Contact: Leslie Suez, 512-301-3930, email@example.com. Facebook “Austin Chapter of Hadassah.” Covers Sun City and Georgetown area; open to entire community. The Kadima Chapter supports the programs of the Hadassah national organization. The chapter also celebrates Jewish holidays and has a Rosh Chodesh program. Meetings dealing with women’s health issues are open to the community. Contact Sarah Christiansen, Co-President at 512-868-3504 firstname.lastname@example.org or Geri Scheer, Co-President at 512-864-0212 or email@example.com. Hebrew Free Loan Association (HFLA) The Hebrew Free Loan Association of Austin provides confidential financial support. Their mission is to provide micro-loans for those in the Austin Jewish Community that need help making payments for housing, transportation, healthcare including medical and dental emergencies, and more. For more information on applying for a loan or to make a donation, visit hfla.org or contact firstname.lastname@example.org. For loan information contact email@example.com. New in town or just want to connect with the Hebrew speaking community? The Israeli Corner will keep you updated with all Israeli related events. Provides information about restaurants, social gatherings, guest lectures and housing. For more information, contact firstname.lastname@example.org or email@example.com. J-Grads - Jewish Graduate Student Association at the University of Texas J-Grads is an organization dedicated to serving Jewish graduate students, professional students and recent graduates who reside in the University of Texas area. We build community through career-networking, happy hours, holiday celebrations, Jewish learning, service projects, Shabbat dinners, and speakers. Jewish War Veterans of the United States Austin Post 757 membership is open to male and female veterans who were regularly enlisted, drafted, inducted or commissioned, and who were accepted for and assigned to active duty in the armed forces of the United States of America during of any of the nation’s wars, campaigns, conflicts. This includes the National Guard and Reserves. This includes all service service in or out of combat operations. Jews on active duty are eligible for free membership.Austin Post 757 meets at 10 AM on the third Sunday of each month at the Dell Jewish Community Campus. Contact: Chuck Mandelbaum, Commander, 512-212-7393, firstname.lastname@example.org. Jewish Women International Jewish Women International works to ensure safe homes, healthy relationships and strong women. JWI has convened four international conferences on domestic abuse in the Jewish community, and its monthly National Alliance conference calls bring the latest information about abuse to professionals and lay leaders. Mother’s Day Flower Project tribute cards send bouquets to more than 100 shelters, many of which house a JWI Library for children. LifeSavings, a financial literacy program for young women and teens, is JWI’s latest effort to prepare women for

That's Soooo Houston What makes a house look and feel distinctly like it's in Houston? Some perceptive locals tell us. That's Soooo Houston ... That quintessential Houston look? What is it? By GABRIELLE COSGRIFF � NATALIA LISOVSKAYA - FOTOLIA.COM We know it when we see it � "Oh, yes, that's soooo Houston!" But how to define it in terms of how we live, what we cherish about our particular � some would say peculiar � residential style is not so easy to pin down. But hey, this is Houston, so in keeping with that can-do, leap-into-the-unknown spirit, we decided to give it a shot. Freelance journalist Gabrielle Cosgriff asked several perceptive, engaged Houstonians to share their thoughts on what it is about this urban, homey, car-choked, leafy, contrary kaleidoscope of a city that makes it home. � NATALIA LISOVSKAYA - FOTOLIA.COM Greeti ngs: y to It's oka n! Housto house& home | S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com Back to Contents That's Soooo Houston Carrie Shoemake, Houston architect: It's hard to talk about Houston architecturally. It was formed with a wildcatter, I-can-do-this mentality, so there's a broad mix of vernaculars. The things that move the senses here are the green � that soothing aspect of shade trees and green hues and how that affects our buildings and the quality of the light � and the sky, the fragrances, the seasonal aspect, like in the spring, the first sight of those beautiful tulip magnolia trees. Our humidity also affects the light and the sky, especially our sunsets � such a theater of colors, light and refraction. Because we're in air-conditioning so much, we need to be able to access the outside � screened porches and ways to balance the light. We can have it come into a room from more than one direction to reduce the glare � a result of the moisture in our air. We can place windows so the light moves seasonally around the room. It reminds us that we're part of the solar system, it's free and we can all experience it. And in Houston, it helps make up for our lack of seasons. Dave Thompson of ttweak, co-author of HIWI (Houston. It's Worth It): Everybody talks about Houston's diversity, its lack of zoning, but I prefer to call it permissiveness � the idea that it's okay to do what you want regardless of your neighbors. You don't have that keeping-up-with-theJoneses so much here. If I want to put pink flamingoes on my lawn or cover my house with beer cans that's okay. My accountant painted her house bright orange with a purple trim and that was fine with her homeowners' association. It's the aggregation of these things that make it so Houston. Take that stretch of Buffalo Speedway between Bissonnet and Holcombe: You've got all kinds of architecture there � ranch-style houses, cottages, Tudor, faux chateaux, that crazy "Darth Vader" house with the big black triangle. Will I see a Colonial? Yes! A bungalow? Yes! A contemporary? Yes! It's bizarre. I love it. It's just an extraordinary freedom of expression. HESTER + HARDAWAY Above: Houston residence designed by Glassman Shoemake Maldonado Architects Residential architecture styles... mix freely along Buffalo Speedway � JOHANNA GOODYEAR - FOTOLIA.COM house& home | S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com A John Staub-designed Tudor manor house Scott Ballard, Houston residential architect: The best of Houston architecture goes back to John Staub, mostly his pre-World War II houses. Drive up and down North and South Boulevards, through River Oaks � they're beautifully composed, striking, an East Coast vocabulary but with glorious views of Houston's oaks. Now you see a lot of Staub wannabees, big West U and River Oaks McMansions, lots of pillars. Houston's such an entrepreneurial place, some people have made a lot of money and they try to duplicate that look. But for people with less money, who want to do something different, their own taste and their own art can complement anything a designer can do. In Houston, if you have a good idea, people are willing to let you do it, to sit back and see what happens. It has allowed me to do some off-the wall things, to be an artist as well as an architect. MIRO DVORSCAK NORM ARNOLD Rick Lowe, founder of Houston's Project Row Houses: I just came back from a trip, and was reminded how great it is to get back to Houston. My Third Ward neighbors still sit out on the porch and you get that friendly wave and that nod. Houston's a big city but it's gifted with these small-town touches. Conversely, it always puzzles me how we develop neighborhoods, nice houses, trees, and then � boom! out of nowhere here's this big, threestory townhouse that's just plugged itself in there. We have this extreme juxtaposition that always makes me cringe. And there's a great folk art atmosphere here � not just publicly, but in how people live. People make things all the time. I know a guy who covers tables with matchsticks. It's just something he does. Another guy had a room full of masks that he would make for fun and give away. It's a renegade, kind of outsider, attitude, but it's not strange. In fact in Houston it's a compliment. Elouise (Ouisie) Jones, owner of Ouisie's Table: I've lived in all kinds of houses and loved them all because you can express yourself, it's a creative outlet. My husband Harry and I chose every plant in our garden � I told him we had to call it a garden because we'd spent far too much money on it to keep calling it a yard. We have a plethora of bamboo because I think it's so gorgeous that a grass can grow to 65 feet tall. In early summer, the shoots come up like asparagus. nes Ouisie and Harry Jo chose every plant in en. their tropical gard My grandmother was very conscious of that creativity, not anything pretentious, just graceful and livable. She passed that down to my mother and to us. I still have the big conch shells she used as doorstops, before air-conditioning, to catch the breezes. I love them. But I also adore air-conditioning. It's my favorite invention, and I love ceiling fans in the house, on the porch. I like the activity they create. But air-conditioning has a lot to do with why many of us live in boxes. You need vistas and views to enjoy interiors. I believe in bringing the outside in � people did that naturally before air-conditioning. Now, we build for air-conditioning first, then it goes out and we don't know how to act. Project Row Houses Back to Contents That's Soooo Houston Carlos Jimenez, architect: Houston is either maligned or celebrated for its lack of zoning. This driven city has become a vast yet often wasteful and unmitigated field where everything grows or sprouts. The city's elusive context and frontier spirit do not automatically mean an indifference to place. In fact, Houston becomes ever more interesting once we understand the singularity of its physical determinants � its agile infrastructure or abundant treescape. Thus a marvelous live oak, a particular view, a distinct quality of light, a porous wall, or a shaded garden acquires greater significance as it profits the project's life. In this regard a work such as Discovery Green, our downtown park, is exemplary in its many contributions to the city's betterment. It encapsulates the enlightened merger of business and public space. It is an enterprise that transcends many times over the myopic rules of profit for profit's sake. Discovery Green park is playful Candice Schiller, design director, Schiller Del Grande Restaurant Group: The nature of the city sets the tone for its architecture, and that's what we've tried to express in our new place � Houston's great fashion and art and design and its rich, environment. Plus, we are all products of our past, and RDG + Bar Annie is the evolution of Caf� Annie. We have floral, happy fabrics downstairs, then gold and red, for a rich saloon aspect, in the bar, and the grill room is done in brown leathers and fabrics, all epitomizing different facets of the city. You can see the outside, views of our great architecture, from just about anywhere inside. There's a welcoming, communal green granite table in the bar, and we have a lovely encaustic tile floor with an old Cuban design, a little reference to Houston's past, like you'd find in 1920s and '30s houses. Medically and in business and energy Houston is second to none, but in that sense of freedom and openness we're still like the old west. Chances are always good that innovation will be well received. The new Bar Annie references Houston's past and present house& home | S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com Richard Holley, interior designer: There is a tradition here of individuals and families who have made it big and give back big. So many of our arts institutions have been founded by, funded by and supported by Houstonians. We're blessed with people who aren't afraid to step up to the plate, if not with money, then with time and talent. It's enormously democratic � anybody can participate. This exuberance, this vibrancy, that Houstonians bring to the arts reflects itself in our homes. Houston used to have a really conservative mindset. Georgian furniture was a religion. Then people came along like [designer] Herbert Wells, who was so unafraid of color and mixing things up, and the Menils, who showed people there was a different, more relaxed way to live. Now, people are less afraid of contemporary or abstract art, of photography as art. Our institutions, large and small, our galleries, have opened our eyes. Local talent flourishes. Interior design by Richard Holley Suzanne Theis, Discovery Green program director, longtime Orange Show Art Car Parade executive director: To me, it's the mix of people that makes for those great Houston moments: I always think of the Art Car Ball � rich people, poor people, artists, bankers �all kinds celebrating together, people become performers, with their costumes and instruments. That's what's lovable about our city, unlike other cities, where it can take generations to become established. Here, you have a good idea, energy, chutzpah, you can make it. I remember an Eye-Opener tour when I took a bunch of folks, some from River Oaks, to the Third Ward to see the Flower Man's place. Then I'd see these River Oaks gardens begin to reflect that � putting different flowers together, a riot of color. The downside of a city that constantly reinvents itself is the loss of so many historical landmarks. But the upside is that it's consistently fresh, always moving forward. I'm a preservationist, but I've come to appreciate that forwardthinking energy, that always looking to tomorrow that makes Houston Houston. JANET LENZEN Interior design by David Stone David Stone, longtime Houston interior designer: Houston is so cosmopolitan, with so many different influences. The way people live -- you get off an elevator in a condo and all of a sudden you think you're in Venice or Florence, not vulgar, but with great style. Or you could just as easily walk into a contemporary home and it has three pieces of furniture. It's my job to do what's appropriate for Houston: for example, I'm not going to upholster a lot of furniture in mohair plush. Houstonians tend to be more eclectic, and to take themselves less seriously. Many of them have interesting homes, whereas if they lived in New York or on the West Coast they might not be so individualistic. Someone with a very formal living room might still have a throw tossed casually on a couch. That Houston air-conditioning can get a bit chilly. Back to Contents FRAN BRENNAN That's Soooo Houston Teresa O'Connor, installation artist, owner Hello-Lucky boutique: Houston has many affordable artists' spaces and that just breeds the artistic spirit that pumps through this city. We're fearless, unapologetic. We mix ideas, colors, fabrics and ethnicities. This was a table leg, now it's a shelf bracket. But we're also nostalgic. Even if we don't know an object's history we respect the t Houston fact that it has a history. y to hear It's oka The cultural part of the city is Teresa wears a T-shirt not obvious � like, say, New Elm in Dallas. My friend Dean Haddock designed by her friend, designed a T-shirt that says "It's okay to `heart' Houston." I like that underDean Haddock. Proceeds from shirt sales benefit statement. (So do New Yorkers. He moved there and is always being asked Houston's Spacetaker where he got his shirt.) It's like people who tell me they love seeing that little Artist Resource Center, which helped Haddock repi�ata place right next to the Glass Wall restaurant. That's why people fight establish his career after when developers come in and want to homogenize everything. he fled Hurricane Katrina. Lisa Gray, Houston Chronicle columnist: Houston robs you of your longterm memory. "What used to be there?" you ask all the time. What was there before that new skyscraper? Before that block of townhouses? Driving down a street you used to know, you can't find your old landmarks � the fourplex where your friend used to live, the bungalow where you played poker, the building where that great Jewish bakery was. The first time you miss something, you wonder: "Am I remembering that right?" But over time, the old place fades from your memory; there's nothing to remind you of the friend, of the poker games, of those macaroons. The effect is like having Alzheimer's, only in reverse: You live in the present. Your past disappears. er west corn the north n of r. Demolitio ing Cente aks Shopp of River O Houston gardens are becoming wilder, more colorful and informal Suzanne Longley, landscaping business owner, former Houston Ballet prima ballerina. Houston used to be mostly green, with not much color, but that's changed in the past 30 years. Our gardens have become a lot more sophisticated. You don't have so many of those little "moustache" landscapes � those symmetrical plantings on either side of the front door. We're getting into native plants and a wilder landscape, more informal. And of course, our trees � we have an amazing variety of colors, shapes and blooms, not just live oaks and pines. Two things I've been noticing: Right now, with our water situation, and with global warming looming, I see a big push to native plants. We need to use these plants. We have all these marvelous colors and shapes to pick from. And Houstonians are embracing water features, which go well in almost any garden � not anything ornate, necessarily, maybe a small urn or trickling fountain. And one thing we Houstonians do well to remember: it's about 10 degrees cooler in the shade of a tree. house& home | S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | h o u s e a n d h o m e o n l i n e . com Back to Contents

“This is the apartment I was born in,” she says, leading the way into a small drawing room crammed with books and paintings. “It’s not the most comfortable, not the most beautiful, but I have become attached to it. From this apartment we were deported.” I look around, quickly taking in a piano (on the same spot where her father, a bank official, used to play Chopin), a brown sofa scattered with knitted cushions (“saved by our non-Jewish friends during the war”) and a contemporary poster of a young female cellist, her granddaughter. It’s much later that I notice the butterflies. “I have a lot of butterflies,” she agrees, and points at the stained-glass orange one embedded in the window, four dangling in the net curtain, a blue one pinned to the wall. “Because butterflies mean freedom.” She finds it interesting that there were none at Terezín – “only lice and bedbugs”. It was while watching a butterfly settle on a flower as she stumbled up the hill to her fourth and final concentration camp, Mauthausen, that Helga reached a simple decision: she wanted to live. Of the 15,000 Jewish children under the age of 15 deported to Terezín, Helga was one of a mere 100 ever to see Prague again. Helga – now Helga Hosková-Weissová, her married name – is, incredibly, a survivor of Terezín, Auschwitz, Freiberg and Mauthausen; an artist, a widow and a great-grandmother; and, in her 84th year, the published author of a remarkable journal describing her girlhood as a prisoner of the Nazis. If it seems surprising that such a diary should surface at this point, it should be explained that parts of it were published in the Sixties, in a Czech anthology, and Helga had no idea anyone was interested beyond that. In Czechoslovakia, no one cared about the Jews: “First of all, no one figured on us returning,” she explains, and in 1948 there was the Communist coup, at which point, “the situation for Jews here was pretty ugly”. Yet talking to Helga, it becomes possible to imagine what it might be like chatting with Anne Frank, also born in 1929, had she lived. “We were sitting here and heard the knocking on the door. It always happened at night. There were already rumours that this evening someone from the Jewish community would distribute the summons, so we expected it. After 8pm it was forbidden to go outside. No Jew would come up those stairs, nor an Aryan. So when there was a knock, it couldn’t be anyone else.” It was December 4 1941. Extract from book -

If the holidays have got you down or you need a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle, why not try a visit with the Holiday Guys? In a relaxed, cabaret setting, two abundantly talented performers charm the stockings right off the mantelpiece and help the Hanukkah bush bloom early this year. Want a taste of clever musical arrangements, excellent voices, and great on-stage chemistry? Get some tickets to Happy Merry Hanu-mas, sit back and enjoy the show. That’s right, this is a swell evening celebrating the ecumenically friendly ‘Hanu-mas’ – equal parts Hanukah and Christmas, plus a whole lot of fun. Only the Scroogiest Scrooge of all would not be captivated by Jeffry Denman and Marc Kudisch, the aforementioned Holiday Guys. This tag team variety show takes on everything that makes this holiday time the most wonderful time of the year, with a heavy emphasis on the music. Kudisch, Broadway vet (and Helen Hayes winner) returns to Signature Theatre sporting a booming baritone (and folksy tenor, when required.) The fleet-footed and sweet voiced Denman is an award-winning performer and choreographer known for stints in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, The Producers and Cats. These two friends put their heads and considerable talents together as ‘the Holiday Guys’ for a pre-New York City tour to work out the kinks for this party-like, cabaret show. I am happy to report, there is nothing kinky going on and, lucky for us, Denman and Kudisch have moved into Signature’s Ark from December 11 to 16. They have brought a casual vibe to their guy-den set, complete with a virtual fireplace and his and his stockings. Kudisch gets a cozy recliner and Snuggie; while the dapper Denman, makes himself at home in a leather easy chair. Kudisch, proudly Jewish – or member of “the Tribe,” as he put it – and Denman said their aim was to remind audiences what the holidays were really about: spending time with loved ones and sharing. In a very breezy and entertaining two hours, they go about their mission. Along the way, they sing and play guitar, ukulele, and kazoos. They find time to crack jokes, share some heart-warming stories, and even prove that to give is better than receive during a sequence they call “Re-gift!” Who knows, you might end up the recipient of a re-gifted slanket-blanket or other gently used gift from under the Hanu-mas tree. Audience participation aside, the music is the true star of the show. Kudisch, Denman and their stellar band take on a variety of songs with creativity, wit and huge doses of heart. Their flexible song list (“List of songs in no particular order to be performed as the spirit moves us”) includes traditional tunes, special material, and even songs from those stop-motion Christmas specials, like “Rudolph the Red-nose Reindeer” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” Tap shoes get a workout during “Put One Foot in Front of the Other,” while Denman gives Kudisch a quick dance lesson. When Denman claims to hate another claymation Christmas tune, “Holly Jolly Christmas,” Kudisch gives it a Calypso treatment. A couple of novelty songs pop up, too, such as Denman’s rendition of “My Simple Christmas Wish” (a paean to greed) and Kudisch’s sardonically hilarious “Lonely Jew on Christmas” (penned by “South Park”’s Trey Parker and Matt Stone). In the spirit of Hanu-mas, there is also a vigorous mash-up of “O Hanukkah” and “O Christmas Tree” which the gentlemen tear up like a loosely wrapped gift. The Holiday Guys: Happy, Merry Hanu-Mas Closes December 16, 2012 The ARK at 4200 Cambell Avenue Arlington, VA 22206 1 hour, 30 minutes without intermission Thursdays thru Sundays Tickets or call 703.820.9771 The traditional songs of the season are given the deluxe treatment, with fresh arrangements that shine new light on both music and the words. “The Christmas Song,” “Jingle Bells,” “Christmas Time is Here,” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” all take on new life as performed by Denman, Kudisch and their stellar combo Timothy Splain (piano), Adam Neely (bass), and David Murray (percussion). If I had to name favorite moments with the Holiday Guys, their funky, folk version of “God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen” and the simplicity of “Peace on Earth” (the David Bowie part in that famous duet with Bing Crosby) have to be right up at the top. I felt a tear of reminiscence as Marc read a page from the Denman family’s Christmas journal. In that moment, I knew their wish of reminding the audience what the holidays were all about had come true, for at least for one person, and I’m pretty sure I was in excellent company. In the midst of big musicals, annual revivals of A Christmas Carol, and other entertainment choices, you couldn’t go wrong taking time to share Hanu-mas with the Holiday Guys before they head to New York. The Holiday Guys: Happy Merry Hanu-Mas . Featuring Marc Kudisch and Jeffry Denman . Presented by Signature Theatre . Reviewed by Jeff Walker.

Rev. Eric Elnes, Ph.D. July 23, 2017 Nevertheless She Persisted: Listening to Women of the Bible Part 6: Mary Magdalene Nevertheless She Persisted: Listening to Women of the Bible Part 6: Mary Magdalene by Rev. Dr. Eric Elnes Countryside Community Church July 23, 2017 Scripture: Luke 7:37-39, 8:1-3; John 3:16-17 - Myth Buster #1: Was Mary Magdalene a Prostitute? Last Thursday evening Melanie and I were laying in bed talking about an upcoming trip to Cancun this October to attend Countryside member Tim Kerrigan’s wedding (which I’m helping to officiate). In the course of our conversation she asked if our passports were up-to-date. “Yes, they are,” I confidently answered. But then I asked myself, “How do I know that they haven’t expired?” I reconsidered my response. Walking downstairs, I opened our travel file and readily found the passports. Melanie’s doesn’t expire until 2023. But mine expires on July 29, 2017! Had my only trip out of the country been to Cancun in October, I could have simply renewed my passport for $60 and had it back within six weeks or so. But given that I am co-leading a retreat in Northern Ireland just three weeks from now, I was horrified. Happily, agencies exist for the sole purpose of helping people like me – for a price. In the end, the $60 renewal cost me $370 – and I was grateful. A couple weeks from now it would have costed $700! Unexamined assumptions can be costly. They can cost us dearly, and they can cost others as well. Can you imagine what would have happened if I had showed up at the airport the day of the Ireland trip only then to learn of my expired passport? I doubt this would have happened, but I shudder to think of the consequences for me and 23 others! Unexamined assumptions we make about others can be costly, too – for both them and us. Take, for instance, the assumption many make about Mary Magdalene’s profession before she became one of Jesus’s closest allies and disciples. What was her profession? If your answer is “a prostitute”, you may want to ask yourself where this assumption came from. Did you read it in the Bible? Actually, there is no reference in the Bible whatsoever to Mary Magdalene’s profession! In fact, if you scour the whole canon of early Christian literature you will find that it wasn’t until the 6th Century – a full five centuries after Mary’s time – that Christians in the West began to think of Mary Magdalene as a prostitute. And the Eastern Orthodox Church has never believed this was Mary’s former profession. (By the way, her official “feast day” was yesterday, July 22nd.) Indeed, in the first several centuries of Christian tradition, you’ll find lots of admiration – and even adoration – of Mary Magdalene. She is depicted as pious, loyal, and a particularly close friend of Jesus. Some even believed that Mary was the author of the Gospel of John, since the author is identified not by name but only as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” and certain non-biblical texts written in the 2-3rd Centuries claim that Jesus loved Mary more than the rest of the disciples. This note has also led to theories that Jesus was married to Mary. More on this later! What caused the tide of public opinion about Mary’s background to change was a sermon delivered by Pope Gregory the Great in the 6th Century in which he claimed that Mary was a prostitute. Gregory’s evidence? He pointed to a story in Luke 7 where an unnamed woman tearfully bathes Jesus’s feet in her tears, wiping them away with her hair. This unnamed woman is referred to as “a sinner”, which many assume to mean “prostitute”. So, in essence, Pope Gregory made an assumption based on the weakest, most circumstantial evidence. He assumed the woman in Luke 7 was a prostitute, and further assumed she was Mary Magdalene even though she was unnamed. What seems to have happened with respect to her name is that the pope conflated the story in Luke 7 with a similar story in another gospel in which a woman named Mary cleanses Jesus’s feet, only with perfume, not tears. The only problem with this conflation is that the Mary in this story is Mary of Bethany, not Mary of Magdala – where Mary Magdalene gets her name. While labelling Mary Magdalene as a prostitute may have suited the pope’s agenda for that particular sermon, the trouble is that a sermon pubished by a pope – even a 6th Century pope – has a tendency to remain in the pubic eye for all time – kind of like any of our posts on the internet. Once they’re out there, they tend to remain there forever. Yes, unexamined assumptions we make about others can be costly! They can tarnish a person’s name for a very long time. And perhaps even more sadly, they keep us from appreciating the gifts that a person’s unique character, personality, and life story could offer us. What unexamined assumptions do you make about others? At what cost? - Myth Buster #2: Was Mary Married to Jesus? Another myth we find about Mary, especially in recent years thanks to Dan Brown’s wildly popular book, The Davinci Code, is that Mary was married to Jesus and that this fact was deliberately hidden by patriarchs of the early church. Being married to Jesus may be a more positive belief than that she was a prostitute, but it does create a largely unexamined bias against the early church – or even the modern church. In fact, when people these days tend to talk about Jesus and Mary secretly being betrothed, it is often with a bit of conspiratorial glee in their voice, as if the sins of 2,000 years of Christendom have finally been revealed. If you happen to be one of those gleeful souls, I hate to burst your bubble. While the Bible offers a lot of evidence to suggest that Jesus and Mary were quite close, there is not a shred of evidence to suggest they were married. Nearly all such theories, therefore, must rely on texts that were written a full 100-200 years after Jesus’s death, none of which actually claim they were married. Instead, these scant writings refer to Mary as a “companion” of Jesus, or assert that Jesus loved Mary more than the rest. But they never state outright that they were married. Now, the Gospel of Phillip, written in the 2nd or 3rd Centuries, does claim that Jesus kissed Mary. Dan Brown alleges that the Gospel of Phillip states that he kissed Mary “on the mouth”. But unfortunately for Dan Brown, the word “mouth” is not in the text. The text we have is badly damaged right where it mentions that Jesus kissed Mary. It is broken right where we read that Jesus would “kiss her on her […]”! While Brown imagines “her mouth”, most scholars believe the missing word is “hand” or “cheek” or even “foot” as a show of respect. So if Mary Magdalene wasn’t a prostitute, and wasn’t married to Jesus, who was she anyway? Mary’s name indicates she was from the town of Magdala on the shore of the sea of Galilee between Capernaum in the north and Tiberius in the south. She is specifically mentioned twelve times in the gospels – more than most of the apostles. We know that Mary was among a handful of women who witnessed Jesus’s crucifixon, and a handful of women who were the first to witness Christ’s resurrection. The gospels of Mark and John even assert that the risen Christ was revealed to Mary alone, at first. So we may surmise that they were quite close. Based on Luke’s gospel, we may further surmise that Mary was a woman of wealth, as she is listed among a group of women in Luke 8 who travel with Jesus and financially support his ministry. In this list, Mary is also identified as a woman “from whom seven demons had gone out” (Luke 8:2). Thus, while she may not have been a prostitute, she evidently had been a deeply troubled woman before meeting Jesus. Having been a minister now for over twenty years, I have observed a great number of people who have had the modern-day equivalent of “demons” exorcized from their system. These modern “demons” – which I suspect are quite similar to the ancient variety – include various forms of addiction, such as to intoxicating substances, or to food or sex, or more sophisiticated addictions like materialism, narcisism, greed, envy, anger, or despair. What I have noticed is that when a person makes a break from any of these addictions, the “demons” may leave, but they like to stick around and poke at a person. And they like to wait for moments of weakness when one’s resolve weakens long enough for them to slip back inside more powerfully than before. Therefore, just because Luke says that Mary had been cured of seven different demons, I would suspect that as happy, compassionate and generous-spirited as Mary must have been as a result, she was probably a deeply troubled person at times. Whether or not Mary ever succumbed to her inner demons, I suspect that Mary was plagued now and then by regrets and shame; that she lacked self-confidence at times when she expected to be bold; that she spiraled now and again into fits of despair, believing hersef to be unlovable – unlovable to her peers, to Jesus, and most of all to God. If you were following Jesus around the country as closely as Mary was, wouldn’t your motivation have been, at least partly, to be constantly reminded of the fact that you are loved – and worthy of love? Good thing all our issues with unlovability have been worked out of our system … Or have they? Perhaps we should be paying attention to Mary’s story more closely than we thought. III. Busting Out I think the reason why so many people these days are captivated by the idea of Jesus and Mary Magdalene being lovers has less to do with the interest in Jesus’s sexuality – which seems entirely missing in the gospels – but with his humanity – which seems almost entirely missing in modern imagination. The earliest Christians had no trouble conceiving of Jesus as a full-blooded human being. But once Jesus was proclaimed to be “fully God, fully human” at the Council of Chalcedon in the 5th Century, the “God” part of the equation swiftly took over. Today, it seems almost blasphemous to suggest that Jesus was anything but all-knowing and all-powerful, or that he would experience any of the aspects that we associate most closely with our humanity – characteristics like vulnerability, insecurity … or desire. But if Jesus was truly human, he experienced all these things and more. While it is highly improbable that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married, I think that all the speculation over their relationship arises from wanting to fill a void that has been missing in much of the Christian tradition for centuries. Namely, Jesus’s humanity has gone missing. To wrap things up this morning, therefore, I’d like to offer a couple of ideas about Jesus that are admittedly speculative, but are far from “unexamined assumptions”. First off, as a human being subject to similar limitations that you and I have, Jesus could not have been absolutely certain that anything he either did or proclaimed was in accordance with God’s will, or of the effect he would have on human civilization. He probably had quite strong intuitions, for instance, that God desires for us to love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us, even though these intuitions run strongly counter to most of what human beings have believed throughout our history. Likely, Jeus tested and retested these intuitions many times before proclaiming them. But he could not have been absolutely certain that he was not crazy or at least misguided in his thinking. The same goes for what Jesus thought he was accomplishing on the Cross. As Jesus envisioned what would happen in the wake of his dying, he absolutely could not have been certain that his sacrifice would change the course of human civilization. In fact, I believe he had to seriously grapple with the idea that the significance of his death would not be noticed or understood by most of the world – or even his own people. It was far more likely that most people would shrug off his grand statement about God’s love and grace all together. After all, the idea behind it, that God loves all sinners – even those who would slay God’s Messiah – and seeks to be in loving relationship with them seems more like the crazy fantasy of a lunatic than of the Messiah long-expected by the Jews. So when Jesus was faced with the prospect of his own death, he would have been asking two simple questions that you or I would have asked. First, how sure am I that my assumptions about God’s compassion, love, and desire to be in relationsihp with us reflect Reality? And second, he would have asked how many lives would have to change in order for his sacrifice to be “worth it”? Would losing his life be “worth it” if it didn’t change the hearts of the entire world, but of the Jewish people alone? I think it’s pretty certain that Jesus would have thought the sacrifice would be “worth it” if only this happened. But what if it didn’t? Likely, it wouldn’t. So what if his sacrifice only changed the hearts of the thousands who followed him and considered him the Messiah? Again, I asssume he would have chosen the path he was on. But what if the message of God’s love and forgiveness was only embraced by his disciples – the twelve and perhaps the seventy or so that the Gospels identify as the closest followers of Jesus? In reality, he could not count even on their “getting it.” After all, one of his twelve closest disciples had betrayed him after spending the better part of three years absorbing Jesus’s message. No, I think that as Jesus made his own, internal calculations about what degree of effectiveness would make sacrificing his life worth it, he may very well have hoped that it would change the world, but he would have gone through with it if he expected it to change just one person. That one person would quite possibly have have been Mary Magdalene. For Mary is the one from whom seven terrible, life-destroying “demons” had been cast out, and likely those “demons” still afflicted her powerfully at times with thoughts of unworthiness, unlovabity, shame, regret, and feelings that she wasn’t really lovable, especially in God’s eyes. Such feelings are incredibly hard to shake once they’ve been with you for some years, even if the root of the problem has been eliminated. And Jesus loved Mary more than life itself. The idea that Jesus would have given his life if it changed the life of just one person, and that this person could have been Mary Magdalene, is pure speculation, of course. But consider the implications if this assumption rings true to Reality. For, if Jesus would have considered his sacrifice worth it if it only changed the life of one person, who is to say that he wouldn’t consider his sacrifice worth it if it only changed you?

DC This Week is on hold, but don't worry, I'll be back just in time to give you the skinny on New Year's parties for you and your crew. I will spend my Thanksgiving this year in the air for 24 hours traveling to Thailand to embark on an international volunteer project with Art Relief International for 3 weeks. It's an opportunity that I am thrilled to be a part of and I can not wit to meet the children in the program and spark their creative minds. Thanksgiving is the most important holiday for me because I have an immense amount of things in my life to be thankful for. I think we all often forget to reflect on what those things are: from our family to friends, mates, homes, travels, career and ability to live in wonderful city and country. This Thanksgiving I hope that as you sit around the table with your family and friends you'll each take the time to go around and say one or two things that you are thankful for. It's a tradition in my family that I like to enforce and I wont be able to enforce it from the air. And if you have the time this Thanksgiving please take the opportunity to volunteer. DC has some amazing places who serve the unfortunate who need volunteers like you just for a few hours. Here are some suggestions. Choc tee ka! Which means cheers in Thai! SOME (So Others May Eat) Food and Friends Capital Area Food Bank Bread For the City Salvation Army – National Capital Area Washington DC Jewish Community Center Turkey Trots in the Washington, DC Area

Placing Ourselves in the Passion Narratives Christ Before Caiaphas, by Giovanni Battista Caracciolo (c. 1615) I think there’s at least one thing that Christians of all kinds can agree upon. Whatever the faith tradition, whether one is a traditionalist, a conservative, centrist, moderate, liberal or post-modern, we all seem to agree that if Jesus came back to us today in the same way he came to us 2,000 years ago, it is a near certainty that he would be crucified all over again. The only catch is, we usually see someone else doing it. ”Surely not I, Lord…” In the Passion narratives read during Holy Week, it is no accident that we are the ones who read the part of the angry crowd. We are the ones who read the part full of anger, not God. In our model of atonement, if the meaning we are supposed to take out of The Cross is the reconciliation between God and Man, we might want to consider if it was us that needed to be reconciled to God, rather than God to us. In his short book, A Crucified Christ in Holy Week: Essays on the Four Gospel Passion Narratives, Fr. Raymond Brown wrote: AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION INVITED Personification of different character types in the passion drama serves a religious goal. We readers or hearers are meant to participate by asking ourselves how we would have stood in relation to the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. With which character in the narrative would I identify myself? The distribution of palm in church may too quickly assure me that I would have been among the crowd that hailed Jesus appreciatively. Is it not more likely that I might have been among the disciples who fled from danger, abandoning him? Or at moments in my life have I not played the role of Peter, denying Jesus, or even of Judas, betraying him? Have I not found myself like the Johannine Pilate, trying to avoid a decision between good and evil? Or like the Matthean Pilate, have I made a bad decision and then washed my hands so that the record could show that I was blameless? Or, most likely of all, might I not have stood among the religious leaders who condemned Jesus? If this possibility seems remote, it is because many have understood too simply the motives of Jesus' opponents. True, Mark's account of the trial of Jesus conducted by the chief priests and the Jewish Sanhedrin portrays dishonest judges with minds already made up, even to the point of seeking false witness against Jesus. But we must recognize that apologetic motives colored the Gospels. Remember our official Catholic teaching (Pontifical Biblical Commission in 1964) that, in the course of apostolic preaching and of Gospel writing, the memory of what happened in Jesus' lifetime was affected by the lifesituations of local Christian communities. One coloring factor was the need to give a balanced portrayal of Jesus in a world governed by Roman law. Tacitus, the Roman historian, remembers Jesus with disdain as a criminal put to death by Pontius Pilate, the procurator of Judea. Christians could offset such a negative attitude by using Pilate as a spokesman for the innocence of Jesus. If one moves consecutively through the Gospel accounts of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John, Pilate is portrayed ever more insistently as a fair judge who recognized the guiltlessness of Jesus in regard to political issues. Roman hearers of the Gospels had Pilate's assurance that Jesus was not a criminal. Another coloring factor was the bitter relationship between early church and synagogue. The attitudes attributed to "all" the Jewish religious authorities (Matt 27:1) may have been those of only some. In the group of Jewish leaders who dealt with Jesus it would be astounding if there were not some venal "ecclesiastical" politicians who were getting rid of a possible danger to their own position. (The Annas highpriestly family of which Caiaphas was a member gets low marks in Jewish memory.) It would be equally amazing if the majority did not consist of sincerely religious men who thought they were serving God in ridding Israel of a troublemaker like Jesus (see John 16:2). In their view Jesus may have been a false prophet misleading people by his permissive attitudes toward the Sabbath and sinners. The Jewish mockery of Jesus after the Sanhedrin trial makes his status as a prophet the issue (Mark 14:65), and according to the law of Deuteronomy 13:1-5 the false prophet had to be put to death lest he seduce Israel from the true God. I suggested above that in assigning ourselves a role in the passion story some of us might have been among the opponents of Jesus. That is because Gospel readers are often sincerely religious people who have a deep attachment to their tradition. Jesus was a challenge to religious traditionalists since he pointed to a human element in their holy traditions-an element too often identified with God's will (see Matt 15:6). If Jesus was treated harshly by the literal-minded religious people of his time who were Jews, it is quite likely that he would be treated harshly by similar religious people of our time, including Christians. Not Jewish background but religious mentality is the basic component in the reaction to Jesus.

Happy National Ravioli Day! Interesting Food Facts about Ravioli - The first mentions of Ravioli was in the 14th century Venus. - The word ravioli is from an old Italian word riavvolgere (“to wrap”) - Canned ravioli was pioneered by Chef Boyardee in the 1930’s - “Fresh” packed ravioli lasts up for several week while fresh made lasts for just a few days. - Italian tradition is to serve vegetarian ravioli, particularly on Fridays. Meats is served as a side or later in the meal. Ravioli appears in In India, a popular dish called Gujiya is similar to ravioli, however it is prepared sweet, with a filing of dry fruits, sugar and a mixture of sweet spices, then deep fried in vegetable oil. Ravioli nudi, or “naked ravioli”, refers to simply the filling without the pasta shell. Jewish cuisine has a similar dish called Kreplach, a pocket of meat or other filling covered by egg pasta. Today’s Food History - 1602 The Dutch East India Company was established and the Netherlands granted it a monopoly on trade with Asia. - 1727 RIP Sir Isaac Newton It is said that an apple fell on his head inspired his theory of universal gravitation. The apple is thought to have been the green skinned ‘Flower of Kent’ variety. - 1932 RIP Ilya Ivanovich Ivanov,a Soviet biologist. Others had previously shown it was possible to artificially inseminate domestic animals, Ivanov developed the practical procedures in 1901. - 1941 ‘All That Meat And No Potatoes’ was recorded by jazz musician Fats Waller. Check out my book!

Summary: Do you choose to be a fossil or to be fuelled with the Spirit? Does anyone know what this is? It’s a Belemnite - lets call him Bob. Bob the Belemnite. We are going to come back to Bob in a little while. Our Acts reading that [insert name] read for us is great reading, but for those of you who haven't read the whole book of Acts, it might not make much sense. So lets go back to the beginning. It’s a few years after Pentecost. The church is spreading like wildfire amongst Jews and converts to Judaism but has remained so far a Jewish Sect. One day Peter is fast asleep on a friend’s roof garden when God speaks to him in a dream. Three times a sheet is lowered full of food that Peter would have found disgusting - like snakes and insects and bacon sandwiches. And three times God says “take and eat” and Peter says “I can’t eat that - it’s unclean” And God says “Don’t call unclean what I have called clean” And just then Peter is woken by the doorbell - It’s messengers from a Roman Centurion called Cornelius, and unclean gentile called Cornelius - saying he too has had a dream and asking Peter to come preach to him and his family. And so we get to our reading - where before Peter can even finish his sermon the Holy Spirit comes on Cornelius and his family. They are speaking in tongues- possibly dropping to the floor under the power of the Spirit, possibly overcome by tears or peace or laughter - we don’t know exactly what happened - but we know it was dramatic. We know it was visible. So without waiting to circumcise anyone, or even giving them a lecture on the intricacies of kosher, there and then, from the oldest adult to the youngest baby, Peter baptises every one of them. Now we are dirty unclean gentiles. Without this event that happened to Cornelius and his family, none of us would be Christians today. I want you to think back to the person without whom you wouldn’t be a Christian today. It might be a friend who invited you to church. It might be a grandparent or parent who prayed with you or took you to Sunday school. It might be the Sunday School teacher or the person who led the confirmation class. It might be someone who put a leaflet through your door inviting you to church. Think back to that person. How do you feel about that person? Those are all positive things you are saying about the person who led you to Christ. If I asked you what you felt about doing evangelism, you might well say that you felt scared or anxious about how your friend would react if you told them about Jesus. Yet listen to those beautiful positive phrases you are saying about the people who introduced you to Jesus. Evangelism is often easier than we expect. When a group of carols at tube station - each year we have ended up with passers by being prayed for and I have had people on the streats ask me when we are going to be doing it again. When we did a carol service in the Black Horse Pub, some of the locals were a bit suspicious but by the end of it they were all joining in and we had several really profound conversations with locals afterwards. When Peter goes and preaches to Cornelius. What’s the last verse we read? Is it “how dare you push your views down our throat?” - no, it’s “they invited him to stay for several days”. No it’s “They invited him to stay for several days” They are overjoyed to have heard about Jesus. So Evangelism’s easy, yes? Yes! But there’s a “but” There’s a “but” - Before we get to the “but” - I interrupt this sermon with an important public service announcement. That’s not me. That’s the Holy Spirit. Peter - fab preacher Peter - is preaching a fab sermon - and the Holy Spirit interrupts. And Cornelius and his friend begin speaking in tongues- possibly dropping to the floor under the power of the Spirit, possibly overcome by tears or peace or laughter - we don’t know exactly what happened - but we know it was dramatic. We know it was visible - we know the Holy Spirit interrupted big time. The Holy Spirit interrupts. The Holy Spirit Disrupts On the day of Pentecost the disciples were having a quiet early morning prayer meeting, when the Holy Spirit interrupted, the Holy Spirit disrupted. They began praising God in other tongues - so ecstatic in the Spirit that some passers by thought they were drunk - But the result of that disruption. 3000 people became Christians on that day.

Relatives and friends are mourning the deaths of 10 Americans, including two families, killed in a New Year's Eve plane crash in Costa Rica. The dead included two doctors from Clearwater, Florida, and their two children, and a couple from the New York suburb of Scarsdale who were traveling with their three sons. One family included two Florida doctors and their two children A rabbi says five victims were members of a temple in Scarsdale, New York Another victim was 33-year-old Amanda Geissler, a travel guide who led families on tours of Costa Rica, her family said. Drs. Mitchell and Leslie Weiss were on the plane with their children Hannah and Ari, according to a rabbi at the synagogue they attended. Mitchell Weiss was a vascular and interventional radiologist and his wife, Leslie, was a pediatrician and neonatal hospitalist, their employers said. "Mitch was a tremendously skilled interventional radiologist who will be sorely missed by his partners, his medical team and the patients whose lives he touched. It was an honor to practice medicine with him," said Dr. John Fisher, president of Radiology Associates of Clearwater. "We all grieve for the tragic loss of not only Mitch but his wife, Leslie, and his children, Hannah and Ari." "This is a tragic event for their family, for our congregation and synagogue community as well as the Pinellas County community. They will be sorely missed," said Rabbi Jacob Luski of Congregation b'Nai Israel of St. Petersburg. Bruce and Irene Steinberg and their three children, Zachary, William, and Matthew were also killed. They were congregants at Scarsdale's Westchester Reform Temple, Rabbi Jonathan Blake wrote in a statement posted on Facebook. "This tragedy hits our community very hard. Bruce, Irene and their children have been devoted members of WRT since 2001." the statement said. The Facebook post does not include the family members' ages. It says the Steinbergs were active in Jewish organizations in the community and were "cherished members" of the Sunningdale Country Club in Scarsdale. "They're just loving people," their neighbor, Susan Adler, told CNN affiliate WCBS. "When I moved in, she was very welcoming, brought me a cake, offered her friendship, and it's just devastating news." Another neighbor, Lisa Flicker, told WCBS it doesn't feel real. "It's so devastating because they're great people, and the kids are great, and I feel like they're the family you look to to emulate," Flicker said. Geissler's family said she had an adventurous spirit and lived life with no regrets. "Amanda's love for the outdoors, setting goals and crushing them, and adoration for her family and friends are like no other," the family's statement said. "She is loved by many, and with a heavy heart it will be hard to say goodbye. If Amanda could leave us all with one thing it would be -- write down whatever it is you want to do ... and make it happen." Also killed in the crash of the single-engine turboprop were the two Costa Rican pilots, President Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera said in a statement posted on social media. One of the pilots was the cousin of former Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla, she said on her Twitter account. Crash in a wooded area A spokesperson for the US State Department confirmed the deaths of "multiple US citizens." "We express our condolences to all those affected by this tragedy. We are in contact with Costa Rican aviation authorities and will continue to monitor the situation," the spokesperson said. Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Security posted several images of the aftermath of the crash on its official Facebook page, showing smoke billowing from burning wreckage in a wooded area. It was not immediately clear what caused the crash, which happened Sunday afternoon in Nandayure, a town in Guanacaste province on the Nicoya Peninsula, on Costa Rica's western coast. Authorities said Sunday they were focusing on recovering the victims' bodies and would begin an investigation into the cause of the crash Monday. The plane took off from the Punta Islita Airport at 12:10 p.m. Sunday bound for Costa Rica's capital, San Jose. Officials received reports of the crash around 12:20 p.m., 10 minutes after takeoff, CNN affiliate Teletica reported, citing civil aviation authorities. Heavy winds earlier in the day had forced the plane's pilots to land at another airport and delay their arrival in Punta Islita, Teletica said. President vows to help victims' families Costa Rica's President expressed his condolences on Twitter. "The government vows to do everything necessary to help the victims' family members in whatever they need in this difficult moment and sends them the solidarity of all the Costa Rican people," Solis said. The private aircraft, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan registered as TI-BEI, was part of Nature Air's fleet, officials said. Officials from the airline could not be immediately reached for comment. The Caravan is a popular utility aircraft that's routinely used for carrying passengers or cargo. More than 2,500 have been built since the aircraft entered service in 1984, according to the Aviation Safety Network. - Two US families die in Costa Rica plane crash - URGENT - 10 US citizens killed in Costa Rica plane crash - 10 Americans among 12 dead in Costa Rica plane crash - Hedge fund exec among Costa Rica plane crash victims - Costa Rica overwhelmed with Nicaraguan asylum seekers - Florida woman visiting Costa Rica is missing - In Costa Rica, conservative gets thumbs down in presidential runoff - Costa Rica – Serbia: ¿quién ganará el partido? - Costa Rica – Serbia: sigue la jornada mundialista - Los mejores memes del partido Costa Rica – Serbia

Israel is Taboo. Criticising anything Israel does is akin to political suicide in this modern day. What hold does Israel have on the world that as soon as Israel enters a confrontation, politicians en masse immediately feel the need to express their support for it? There are countless wars taking place across the world but nothing can guarantee the unity of world leaders more than the killing of Muslims in Palestine. Why is it that if Apartheid is mentioned anywhere else in the world then it is greeted with hysterical protest and opposition? However, despite the fact that Apartheid has been taking place in Israel for decades now, whenever the topic is raised it is greeted with mute silence? Why is it that despite the murder of thousands and thousands of Palestinians over the course of the life of the illegal state of Israel, that these deaths are not as fresh in the mind as the holocaust committed by the brutal Nazi regime over 60 years ago? Is the world unanimous in its acknowledgement that a Jewish life is more valuable than a Muslim life? Why is it also, that popular news channels such as ABC feel the need to lie and show images of the destruction in Palestine and sell it as destruction in Israel caused by Palestinian “bombs”? The answers to these questions are elusive. Demonstrations have spread throughout the world in anger over the wholesale slaughter of Muslim life. But our subjugated leaders have predominantly failed to act. So what can we do as Muslims to fight the oppression that is being inflicted time and again upon our brothers? Do we demonstrate for sympathy? Do we look to the sympathy of notable non-Muslim characters for their anti-Israel opinion so as to wave it in the faces of the oppressors and the supporters of those oppressors? We do not want the sympathy of the world. We have had sympathy for the past few decades and it has achieved nothing. We have long since stopped expecting the international community to enforce its own laws on Israel. We know that the world claims it sides with Israel because of a sense of guilty conscious for allowing the holocaust to take place. What we want is recognition that we are in a war: a war that has two sides, not a peace loving country being terrorised by uncivilised Arabs. The use of the word terror is noteworthy. The oxford English Dictionary defines terrorism as follows: “The unofficial or unauthorised use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.” The use of the word unofficial is interesting as it implies that violence committed by an official body such as an organised state army is not terror. However using this definition in general, Israel’s action of the collective punishment of Palestinians regardless of it being provoked or unprovoked fits very snugly. But are the Palestinians living in terror? It is critical to note that despite having one of the most advanced military divisions in the world and a full intention to terrify, starve and intimidate the Palestinians into submission, the Muslims do not feel that terrorised. In order to be terrorised the fear factor is required. For the Palestinians, there is no fear factor. Maybe there is a fear that the next strike will lead to the death of a loved one. Maybe there is the fear that the next air raid will destroy homes and leave women and children without sanctuary. But, that next strike is coming. As inevitable as night and day, that next strike is coming. If you know that the next strike is coming and you know that the military aircraft that is strafing over your home could be carrying your ticket to martyrdom, and you have been living this life for over 30 years, tell me where the terror is. If you are born in this battlefield and have grown watching family pride at the Shuhadā and learning to recognise the sound of a fleet of Israeli war planes, tell me where the terror comes from. The real people who are in fear and have trouble functioning are the Israelis. The capabilities of the resistance are nothing compared to the advanced military of the Israelis. If you compare the two military forces from a technology and resource perspective then the Israelis are like the Romans fighting the barefooted, nomadic Arabs. However the truly fearful ones are the Israelis. “They fight not against you even together, except in fortified townships, or from behind walls.” The cowardly Israelis have also assumed that Ramadān is a good month to carry out a punishing attack since the holy month of Ramadān is when Muslims are understandably more tired due to fasting. They have neglected to remember that the month of Ramadān is synonymous with Jihād. The Battle of Badr was fought on the 17th of Ramadān. They shall indeed reap the reward of the tyranny they practise. If not in this life at this time, then in the hereafter. We should never despair of the victory of Allāh. Look at this situation we have had in Gaza recently and compare it to a situation of a different time and place. If we think that the situation of the Muslims in Gaza is untenable then how do you think the Prophet sala Allāhu ‘alayh wasalam and his beloved Siddīq felt when they were in the cave of Thawr having just escaped from Makkah? An open manhunt is taking place, a great reward has been advertised. There are even people at the door of that cave. Imagine the thoughts of Abū Bakr at this time. In this instance, maybe his thoughts were of despair. Never for himself, but for his beloved Messenger sala Allāhu ‘alayh wasalam and the Da’wah. Maybe he thought that capture was inevitable when the pursuers had to but look down and they would see their quarry. What does Allāh reveal at this instance? “If you do not aid the Prophet – Allāh has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, “Do not grieve; indeed Allāh is with us.” And Allāh sent down his tranquillity upon him and supported him with angels you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allāh – that is the highest. And Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.” So what can we do to support our brothers in Palestine? Should we do like those 100 or so Zionists who have flocked to join the IDF? Is physical aid the answer? Let me ask a different question: is your uninformed, untrained physical aid the answer? We have no knowledge in war craft, we have even less knowledge in the wisdom and Islamic knowledge and ethics required to wage war. But that is not to say we cannot make Jihād. In many instances in the Quran, Allāh refers to the Mujāhidīn as those who strive in the cause of Allāh with their lives, but also their wealth. “Not equal are those believers remaining [at home] – other than the disabled – and the Mujāhidīn, [who strive and fight] in the cause of Allāh with their wealth and their lives. Allāh has preferred the Mujāhidīn through their wealth and their lives over those who remain [behind], by degrees. And to both Allāh has promised the best [reward]. But Allāh has preferred the Mujāhidīn over those who remain [behind] with a great reward.” The charity that you give to Gaza, Syria, Iraq, Burma, Afghanistan, Kosovo or any other place is Jihād. It might not contribute directly to the war effort, but it most certainly looks after the hungry, the starving and the injured in these conflicts enabling the fighters to pursue their goal of lifting oppression in general and the siege on Gaza in specific. “Say to (them): “If the home of the Hereafter with Allāh is indeed for you specially and not for others, of mankind, then long for death if you are truthful.” But they will never long for it because of what their hands have sent before them (i.e. what they have done). And Allāh is All-Aware of the Ẓālimūn (polytheists and wrong-doers).” Notes: http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Washington-unifies-in-support-of-Israels-Protective-Edge-362342 http://www.itv.com/news/update/2014-07-09/prime-minister-uk-staunchly-supports-israel/ http://ejpress.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=49717&catid=2 http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182721#.U8G9UPldUVY http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-apartheid-wall-israel-continues-to-defy-the-international-court-of-justice-icj-with-impunity/5390862 http://electronicintifada.net/blogs/rania-khalek/abc-news-tells-viewers-scenes-destruction-gaza-are-israel http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/terrorism?q=terrorism http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/derek-stoffel-amid-israeli-offensive-gaza-life-goes-on-1.2704475 Al-Qur’ān 59:14 Al-Qur’ān 9:40 Al-Qur’ān 4:95 Al-Qur’ān 59:94-95

Trends in Jewish giving — among individuals as well as large foundations — are shifting. As Jews become more globally conscious, and open their wallets to more nonsectarian causes, their impact on the wider community becomes more pronounced. But Jewish institutions, now sharing a finite pool of funds with the world at large, may find themselves trying to satisfy the needs of their own community with fewer resources. In 2009 and 2010, 24 percent of the dollars donated by Jewish foundations went to Jewish institutions, according to a study published by the Institute for Jewish and Community Research in February 2012. “Jewish institutions,” for purposes of the study, were defined as any “charitable organizations that serve the Jewish community directly or serve the general community with an expicitly Jewish mission.” All grants made to organizations in Israel were considered “Jewish.” Although the amount of money given to Jewish causes did increase by 3 percent from the previous IJCR study, foundations are still giving the bulk of their money to organizations either without a Jewish mission, or that do not directly serve the Jewish community. Individual Jewish donors also are giving to nonsectarian causes at higher rates than they are giving to sectarian causes. “How do we explain the decision of Jews to channel so much of their money outside of the Jewish community?” asked Jack Wertheimer, professor of American Jewish history at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. “It has to do with the declining sense of responsibility that some Jews feel about taking care of their own.” Organizations such as the American Jewish World Service and Avodah work to fight poverty in the developing world and in impoverished areas of the United States. They see their missions as a reflection of the Jewish mandate of tikkun olam (repairing the world). But are Jews who donate to these types of organizations doing so at the expense of the institutions that funnel their dollars directly to the Jewish community? “Some Jewish organizations are promoting repair of the world rather than repair of the Jewish world,” Wertheimer said. “They claim what they’re doing is drawing people in, that giving to nonsectarian causes is a Jewish thing to do.” Aaron Dorfman, vice president of programs of the AJWS, does not view the question of Jewish giving as an either/or proposition in regard to sectarian and nonsectarian causes, and says that mindset is a “red herring.” “We should be doing both [kinds of giving], and more of it,” he said. The AJWS has been running an online campaign called “Where Do You Give?” The initiative, which includes blogging about giving and a tzedaka box design contest, is aimed at sparking conversations about the future of philanthropy in the Jewish community so that people can be “more intentional with their giving,” Dorfman said. “We wanted to expand our collective universe of obligation, and how we think about who we’re obligated to in the world,” Dorfman said. “Our tradition teaches us to care for the stranger. AJWS interprets that as a directive about the poorest people in the world, and those who face the greatest challenges. That’s our mandate.” “I think the American Jewish community is answering the charge,” Dorfman continued. “We are increasing awareness of what is happening around the world, and there is a correlated obligation that goes with that. I think the younger generation is committed to figuring out their responsibilities in a globally connected world.” The evidence shows that the Jewish world indeed has been answering the charge of groups like AJWS. The organization is funded by several foundations including the Jim Joseph Foundation and the Geffen Foundation as well as individual donors, Dorfman said. And young Jews from throughout North America are volunteering their time to travel to underdeveloped countries to do hands-on tikkun olam. “There is a significant opportunity to expand what the definition of philanthropy means, not just giving money, but giving time and passion to causes,” said Lisa Eisen, national director of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. “Young people don’t necessarily have a lot of dollars, but they want to make a difference.” Eisen sees the trend in hands-on philanthropy as just one among many that is shaping the world of Jewish giving. “Over the past two decades, there have been tectonic shifts [in Jewish philanthropy],” she said. Changes that Jewish organizations will need to consider when planning for their future include the increase in the number of family foundations, the rise of online giving, and an upcoming shift in generational wealth. In short, more dollars will be available for charitable causes, but a new generation will make the decisions as to where those dollars should go. By the year 2052, some $42 trillion will change hands as Americans pass on their accumulated assets to the next generation, according to the U.S. National Philanthropic Trust, and many family foundations will be run by the progeny of their founders. The generational wealth transfer has already begun, and in many cases the children feel less obligated to Jewish causes than did their parents, according to Eisen. Eisen cautioned that organizations should expect — and be prepared for — the shifting priorities of the next generation. “We need to be thinking about educating the next generation of family members in family foundations and the next generation of Jewish donors,” she said. Jewish institutions that depend on foundation donations should also be aware that many of those foundations are coming into spend-down periods. “A number of Jewish foundations are in ‘sunsetting’ or spend down periods,” she told the Chronicle, “and there is a likelihood that there will be a significant infusion of resources into the community as a result.” “The reverberations will be dramatic,” Eisen wrote in the February 2011 issue of Philanthropy News Digest. “An unprecedented amount of wealth will soon enter the world of Jewish philanthropy, and significant players will look with greater urgency and intentionality at their spending to ensure they are creating an enduring legacy and impact.” Also impacting Jewish giving is the increasing ease of being able to donate online to specific causes, Eisen said, allowing philanthropy to be a tool of everyone, not just the very rich. Websites such as Facebook allow many organizations to launch online appeals that permit donors to donate their money in accordance with their specific concerns. “Online giving has revolutionized who can be a donor,” she said. “There is a shift away from bricks and mortar and federated giving toward more ‘byte and click’ philanthropy.” While shifts are occurring in patterns of Jewish giving, statistics show that North American Jews still make Israel a priority. Thirty-six percent of total dollars donated by Jewish foundations to Jewish causes went to Israel-related organizations, according to the recent IJCR study, with the average grant to Israel-related organizations being over 60 percent larger than those to other Jewish organizations. Israel advocacy, including trips to Israel, accounted for 24 percent of all dollars to Israel, and the percent of Jewish foundation dollars donated to Israel-related organizations has increased from 32 percent to 36 percent since the previous IJCR study. “In two Israel emergency campaigns in the early 2000s during the intifada, and in 2006 during the second Lebanon war, we raised more than $700 million for Israel,” said Joe Berkofsky, managing director, communications and media relations, strategic marketing and communications of the Jewish Federations of North America. Jews are not only committed to Israel, according to Berkofsky, but also remain committed to their local federations. But while Berkofsky claims that “many communities have seen growth in their annual [federation] campaigns (including Pittsburgh), and overall giving across North American has remained constant,” Wertheimer is more cautious in his assessment. “Jewish institutions are increasingly reliant on a shrinking and aging donor base,” Wertheimer said. “A number of federations have seen declining rates of giving,” he said, adding that the shrinkage in funding has caused an “avalanche.” “There is also the question of Jewish priorities,” said Wertheimer. “In terms of the vitality of the American Jewish community, there is no question in my mind that Jewish organizational life is operating in a weakened condition and through a fair amount of demoralization for people who work in these institutions.” Still, with some planning and creativity, there is hope for the future. “I’m an optimist,” Eisen said. “I believe the future is bright. Our job is to capture the imagination of Jewish donors and help direct those dollars into Jewish giving.” (Toby Tabachnick can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.)

Note from Eric: Would you like to read through the Psalms with me this year? It’ll be easy… we’ll just read one Psalm a day for five days each week. Then once a week, in our regular Sunday messages on “This Day’s Though from The Ranch,” I’ll share with you something I’ve learned from one of the five Psalms from that week. As we’re reading through the Psalms, I’ll be looking particularly at how to have a more effective prayer life. Psalms is one of the most beloved books of the Bible and one of the most quoted books in the world. Why? That’s what we’re going to find out! You don’t need to do anything special to receive these weekly messages. Just look for the Sunday message each week, which you already receive as part of your subscription to “This Day’s Thought from The Ranch.” What you can do, however, is invite someone else to read through the Psalms with you this year! Just forward this email to them and ask if they’d like to sign up for our free daily emails as well. Your friends will get our inspirational quotes each day, just like you do, including this new series on the Psalms on Sundays. Just invite them to sign up for “This Day’s Thought from The Ranch” on the home page of our website at this link: http://theranch.org. We’ll start with Psalm 1 next Sunday, February 19th. I’m looking forward to this new series. I hope you are, too! Receiving God’s Guidance by Christian Cheong This is the story of how God guided Abraham’s servant to find the wife for his son Isaac. We’re going to learn some principles in receiving God’s guidance. Our God is a God who guides, and who wants to guide. • He did that for Abraham – bringing him out from his homeland to Israel. • He did that for Moses and the people – from Egypt to Canaan. • He did that for the wise men who wanted to see baby Jesus – so He showed them the way through a star in the sky. Today, God wants to guide you in your choices – if you allow Him. 2 Chron 7:14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Rom 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” It is not that God do not want to guide us, it is more often the case that we do not want to listen to His advice. We ignore His guidance. RETURN TO THE CABIN A flight attendant spent a week’s vacation in the Rockies. She was captivated by the mountain peaks, the clear blue skies, and the beautiful forest. She also was charmed by a very eligible bachelor who owned and operated a cattle ranch and lived in a log cabin. At the end of this week, after a wonderful time with this bachelor, she has to return home to her job. While on board the place, she was pondering, “Should I go back to the city or return to the woods and stay with this man in the cabin for the rest of her life?” She was struggling but believes that God will give her an answer. To refresh herself, she went into the rest room and splashed some water on her face. Just then, there was some turbulence, a ‘ding’ sound went off and then a sign in the rest room lit up: PLEASE RETURN TO THE CABIN. She did – to the cabin back in the mountains. …Modified from Reader’s Digest [1/81], p. 118. I hope this is not the way you make decisions in life. • Making the right choice is a dilemma for many people, including Christians. • How can you and I be certain that we are in God’s will and that the decisions we are making are the right ones? • This is an important subject for all of us since we all must make important decisions. This passage in Genesis 24 deals with this subject and problem. • In this chapter we not only see God providing guidance to His people in an important matter but we also see the conditions under which that guidance was provided. • These conditions, which could also be referred to as principles, are what I will discuss today. There are 4 key principles that can help us. The 1st principle for receiving God’s guidance: Knowing God’s Word. [See verses 3-4] We must know God’s will and purposes to help direct our actions and decisions. • And that knowledge comes first and foremost from God’s Word. • God’s Word reveals God’s plan, principles and purposes. • We need to start with that. Without this knowledge, you might as well do whatever you want. Abraham knew right at the start what he was looking for. • He gave very clear instruction to the servant where to find a wife for Isaac – not among the daughters of the Canaanites. • Boundaries have been set because Abraham knew what was right in God’s sight. Knowledge of God’s Word is the first step in the right direction. We see Abraham taking steps to see that God’s plan is fulfilled. • God promised to make him a great nation. • Isaac must marry and have children for the covenant blessings to be received. • Abraham understands this, so he doesn’t sit idly and wait for God’s plan to be fulfilled. • He does his part and takes appropriate action; in this case he begins to look for a wife for Isaac. Sometimes we think that if God guides us, it means we do not have to do anything. • Like people who are out of work and yet refuse to go look for a job because they are waiting for God to provide a job. • Such thinking is unbiblical. God wants us to do our part, but to do it while being guided by the knowledge of God’s Word. This was what Abraham did! • His search for a wife wasn’t based on human standards or desires but guided by his knowledge of God’s will. • Why did he insist that Isaac’s wife be from his own relatives and not from the local people of Canaan? Why did he insist on this condition? • Because he knew enough of God’s will to know that God wouldn’t bless a marriage to a Canaanite woman. God did not tell him specifically, “You cannot take a Canaanite woman for Isaac.” • Although no specific command, God did reveal to Abraham the wicked character of the people of Canaan. • And he knew that to marry one of them would not be pleasing to God. • Although no clear command from God, he did have enough information to make reasonable inferences. In other words, we apply biblical principles to the situation. • There are many situations in life that we do not have a specific command in the Bible, but we are to apply the principles we come to know from the Scriptures. • And make a decision that is in line with the character of God. So, the first principle for receiving God’s guidance is: Knowing God’s Word. • Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” NO LIGHT ON THE RUNWAY Consider the experience of a friend of mine, who was a recreational pilot when he was younger. On one occasion, he flew his single-engine plane toward his home base at a small country airport. Unfortunately, he waited too long to start back and arrived in the vicinity of the field as the sun dropped behind a mountain. By the time he maneuvered his plane into position to land, he could not see the hazy runway below. There were no lights to guide him and no one on duty at the airport. He circled the field for another attempt to land, but by then the darkness had become even more impenetrable. For 2 desperate hours, he flew his plane around and around in the blackness of the night, knowing that probably death awaited him when he ran out of fuel. Then as greater panic gripped him, a miracle occurred. Someone on the ground heard the continuing drone of his engine and realized his predicament. That merciful man drove his car back and forth on the runway to show my friend the location of the airstrip. Then he let his lights cast their beam from the far end while the plane landed. …James Dobson shared this about his friend in The New Strong-Willed Child, p. xi. It is very critical that we know the will of God. • Jewish proverb: “It is better to ask the way ten times than to take the wrong road once.” • “For a painter, he cannot do without a brush. For a carpenter, he cannot do without a hammer. For us, our life can do without God’s Word.” The 2nd principle for receiving God’s guidance: Be Committed to God’s Will. [See verses 5-6] We have to DECIDE, right at the start, to keep to God’s plan. • Abraham was serious about doing it right. It is one thing to know, it is quite another to be completely committed to it. • It would not be easy to get a wife who is willing to follow the servant back, but he was committed to staying within the boundary lines. • And it was a success. This story shows us that God guides us when we are committed to His will and not our own. “If no woman is willing to come to this land (so far), can we just take Isaac back home and settle there?” • The servant is basically asking: Can we change plan if it doesn’t work? • Abraham said NO! God has already revealed to him that He is going to give him and his descendants this land. • So Isaac is not going to leave this ‘promised land’. Abraham makes it clear that he is totally committed to following God’s plan. • It makes the servant’s job very difficult, but Abraham is committed to doing it God’s way. • You see, he is determined to align himself to God’s plan, not the other way around. We don’t change plan and fit ourselves. King Solomon, the wisest man of all times, wrote Proverb 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” • NLT translates as “Seek His will in all you do, and (then) He (The Lord) will direct your paths.” • For a person with great wisdom to say this is special. He is so wise, and yet needs to consult God in all ways. God eventually worked supernaturally to fulfil His plan. • God will work supernaturally in your life to bring about His plans, but only when you are committed to doing His will. The 1st principle for receiving God’s guidance: Knowing God’s Word. The 2nd principle for receiving God’s guidance: Committing to God’s Will. The 3rd principle for receiving God’s guidance: Trusting in God’s Ways. [See verses 7-8] Faith is crucial. You must trust God. • Without that, you won’t keep to His plan. You don’t believe that it will happen as God promised. In verse 7 Abraham recounts that God had made promises that included his offspring staying in this land. Since God made that promise, Abraham expects Him to keep it by supplying a wife for Isaac. • His confidence is based on God’s promise, not on personal desire. • God honours those who trust in His Word! In verse 8 Abraham acknowledges that it may not happen as he expects. • This isn’t a lack of trust in God – just an acknowledgment that God may provide in a different manner that he expects. • Whatever it is, “only do not take my son back there.” We are not going to change God’s plan. We must have this determination to stay the course! • One way or the other God will provide for His will to be done without His people compromising on His Word! Many people express a trust in God but their trust is that God will provide what they want and desire, according to their own plans • Abraham really believes that God will provide on this trip, even though it looks extremely remote. • What are the chances that his servant can travel 800km, meet a qualified woman from Abraham’s own family, and convince her and her family to let her travel to a distant land and marry a man she or the family has never met? • Human insight or understanding would say, “No chance!” • Nevertheless, in verse 7, Abraham clearly expects God to do just this by sending an angel to guide and provide. • He is not trusting in his own understanding or insight but is rather trusting in God’s ways. King Solomon says (Prov 3:5): “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Whether the issue is marriage, career, studies, ministry, or some other life issue, we must trust God to supernaturally arrange the circumstances at the right time and in the right way. That’s the 3th principle for receiving God’s guidance: Trusting in God’s Ways. The 4th principle for receiving God’s guidance is to pray for God’s Wisdom. The servant did not assume that he would recognize the woman God had prepared. [See verse 12] He prayed. • Notice something – after travelling a 800km journey on camel, the servant arrived at the perfect place to meet a young, unmarried woman at the very time the women would be coming to the well to draw water. • What a coincidence. No, it’s what providence! • God had arranged the circumstances perfectly for His will to be fulfilled in this situation. Abraham’s knowledge, commitment, and trust were not in vain. • God was working behind the scene. • God will direct our circumstances so that His will is successfully fulfilled in our lives if we do our part to KNOW His Word, be COMMITTED to His Will, TRUST in His ways, and then PRAY for wisdom. • I believe many of you can look back on your life and see evidence of God working and guiding your circumstances in remarkable ways! • It is reassuring to see how powerful and wise our God is in directing our lives. The servant realizes that this is a divine opportunity, so he prays for success and guidance. • James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” • We miss God’s guidance and divine opportunities because they do not pray. Often we go through life just making decisions based on our own wisdom. • We need to recognize that we do not have the wisdom to direct our own paths or to make right choices; we need to pray for God’s wisdom if we are to receive His guidance. Continuing, James 1:6-8 “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” These biblical stories are recorded for our practical application today. We can receive God’s guidance if we have the knowledge of God’s Word, are committed to His will, trust in His ways, and pray for His wisdom.

On May 9 the House of Representatives passed a bill that could have a dramatic impact on America’s foreign policy and will certainly cost us a lot of money, but since any news of this legislation was virtually absent from the mainstream media, very few Americans are aware of it existence. H.R. 4133, the United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012, was slipped through the House under a rules suspension that allowed a quick vote with virtually no debate. The bill had bipartisan backing, being introduced by Democrats Howard Berman and Steny Hoyer and two particularly loathsome Republicans, who seem to owe their primary allegiance to Israel, Eric Cantor and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. (Actually, the bill had “tripartisan” backing, since the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Tel Aviv’s powerful instrument in America, helped write it.) The vote was 411-2, only Ron Paul (R) and John Dingell (D) voting against. How odd that our increasingly dysfunctional and divided government could achieve virtually unanimity on a bill, one that most Americans will never hear of. Anyone with a modicum of intelligence and honesty already knows what actions counter to our interests Israel’s stranglehold on Washington has forced upon us, but this bill represents a mind-numbing escalation of commitment to a state whose foreign and domestic policies are at odds with what this country presumes to stand for. In essence the bill is a blank check from the American taxpayer, who will now be obliged to support Israel’s “qualitative military edge” over all its neighbors combined, of course leaving it to Israel and its Congressional supporters (which is to say, almost all of Congress) to decide exactly what that vague phrase means. Certainly, one thing it means is that we will be sending more of our money out of the country in order to support activities of extremely questionable legality and morality. The legislation also affirms our commitment to the “security of the State of Israel as a Jewish state.” This is an interesting development in our “passionate attachment” (G. Washington) to Israel. We have of course spent decades squandering our money and international credibility on an “ally” whose value to American security and interests (apart from domestic politics) is not at all clear and which continually violates the international law we are pledged to uphold and the basic values that we trumpet to the world. But now we have pledged (for the first time in our history, I believe) to guarantee the religious/cultural nature of a foreign country. One might legitimately ask why we should care, unless it was to criticize an oppressive government, which we cannot do anyway in the case of Israel, but more than that, what exactly does this mean? When the Muslim minority in Israel’s citizen body becomes the majority, as it inevitably will, will the US have to intervene? When Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) are formally incorporated into Eretz Yisrael will we have to help enforce apartheid or deport all those Palestinians? If a majority of Israeli citizens voted to declare Israel a secular state, would we have to prop up a minority government? And exactly what is a “Jewish state,” especially when the majority of inhabitants of the state in question do not practice Judaism? The legislation requires the US to supply all sorts of equipment for the “defense” of Israel. Of course, Israel has always been able to utterly smash its enemies, requiring only resupply from a compliant Uncle Sam, and the only potentially threatening neighbor whose military might be improving is Egypt, whose major supplier, America, is hardly likely to provide her an edge. Included in the list are refueling tankers and bunker-busting bombs, which are obviously offensive weapons, unless of course your definition of defense includes preemptive strikes against other countries, which it does in the eyes of Israel – and increasingly the United States. What are now called “preemptive strikes” were traditionally labeled “wars of aggression.” I wonder if the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor can be called a preemptive strike? After all, American naval power was a threat to the continued existence of the Japanese Empire. One particularly frightening part of the bill is the expressed desire for Israel to play an increased role in NATO, included a presence at NATO headquarters and involvement in NATO exercises. The clear intention is that Israel ultimately become a member of NATO, thus dragging the entire European alliance into her wars and making it complicit in her continued violation of international law. With that Israel could attack Iran or any other country with impunity, because if the victim dare fight back, the United States and the rest of NATO would be required to come to her aid. This would be placing an assault rifle in the hands of an ill disciplined child. But it is hard to imagine Turkey signing on to this plan, and one hopes the majority of European members would also object. Of course, then Congress would begin looking at an actual treaty with Israel, though given the utter subservience of our politicians to Israeli interests, it would hardly be necessary. One final slap in our face. Washington has agreed to put up an additional $680 million (beyond the $3.1 billion we pay every year) to help Israel pay for her Iron Dome anti-missile system and the new F-35 fighter. Israel has also requested another $168 million for security measures, while the Obama administration has asked for $99.9 million on top of that. And to make sure poor Israel does not run out of American money the Iron Dome Support Act, introduced by Berman and the ever vigilant Ross-Lehtinen, would require our Treasury to keep shelling out the money. And here is the joke on us: Israel has this year cut its defense budget by 5% and intends to do the same next year! Oh, there is a second joke: the United States has absolutely no rights to the technology being developed for the Iron Dome system, which will be marketed to the world by Israel. Perhaps we can get a special deal. We have become a silly nation.

Gaucher disease is a rare genetic disorder in which a person lacks an enzyme called glucocerebrosidase (GBA). Glucocerebrosidase deficiency; Glucosylceramidase deficiency; Lysosomal storage disease - Gaucher Gaucher disease is rare in the general population. People of Eastern and Central European (Ashkenazi) Jewish heritage are more likely to have this disease. It is an autosomal recessive disease. This means that the mother and father must both pass one abnormal copy of the disease gene to their child in order for the child to develop the disease. A parent who carries an abnormal copy of the gene but doesn't have the disease is called a silent carrier. The lack of the glucocerebrosidase enzyme causes harmful substances to build up in the liver, spleen, bones, and bone marrow. These substances prevent cells and organs from working properly. There are 3 main subtypes of Gaucher disease: Bleeding because of low platelet count is the most common symptom seen in Gaucher disease. Other symptoms may include: The health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask about the symptoms. The following tests may be done: Gaucher disease can't be cured. But treatments can help control and may improve symptoms. Medicines may be given to: Other treatments include: For more information contact: How well a person does depends on their subtype of the disease. The infantile form of Gaucher disease (Type 2) may lead to early death. Most affected children die before age 5. Adults with the type 1 form of Gaucher disease can expect normal life expectancy with enzyme replacement therapy. Complications of Gaucher disease may include: Genetic counseling is recommended for prospective parents with a family history of Gaucher disease. Testing can determine if parents carry the gene that could pass on the Gaucher disease. A prenatal test can also tell if a baby in the womb has Gaucher syndrome. Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St. Geme JW, Schor NF. Defects in metabolism of lipids. In: Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St. Geme JW, Schor NF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 20th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 86. Krasnewich DM, Sidransky E. Lysosomal storage diseases. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 208.