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When I look back at my childhood, I see a barefoot rowdy rascal running after a ball. My main pastime, just like every other boy in our neighborhood was to chase a striped plastic ball we’d all chipped in to buy. That’s all we needed to have fun. Our street was full of players of all ages, starting with little ones like myself al the way to those with faces blanketed in mustache and beard; we all shared the same passion. At the beginning of each game, we had to go through a painful selection process for two teams. This squabbling started with a half-hour exchange of the most shameless words in our vocabulary and ended by throwing a few punches and kicks! After this ritual, non-selected players would’ve become ticked-off spectators and forced to sit out. They sat on the sidewalks, by the two endlessly parallel gutters filled with black slime that marked our street like every other one in our southern city and heckled the players. We played football in the God’s oven. At noontime, the asphalt melted into black chewed gum and stuck to the sole of our bare feet. Not only we endured the scorching playground but we risked our very lives by dodging passing cars. Every few minutes the screeching sound of a car brake reminded us it was time to run. Another driver must have hit the brake to avoid an involuntary manslaughter. At this point the furious driver darted out of his car and chased the same kid who’d just avoided killing to take his life. Only God could save the poor kid if the driver caught him. This daily routine pretty much sums up the fun I had in the first nine years of my life on the streets until we moved to Tehran, Our new house was located in a quiet middle class neighborhood, a dead-end alley called Kindness with no filthy gutters with no roaming kids or hostile behavior. All I saw was courteous neighbors greeting one another. Every morning, I woke to a clean street with no beggars, no gypsy women selling kitchen gadgets, and no kids wandering around knocking on the doors looking for playmates. Soon I realized I could not adjust to that sterile environment; the new neighborhood was to make adjustments to accommodate me. “We are now living among educated and cultured people,” my father reminded me while twisting my ear, “children here must have their parents’ permission to go out and must return home before dark. It’s called discipline,” he continued. Discipline, culture, obedience and permission were fancy words I had difficulty to comprehend yet I had a hunch they contradicted the very concept of fun. In all fairness, our new neighborhood had a few advantages. I could play with girls without their parents starting bloodshed; that was surely a pleasant change in my life style. To avoid losing our family respect in new neighborhood, my mother didn’t let me go out without shoes anymore. In fact after I was forced to wear shoes on streets I realized at age ten that the soles of my feet were not created black by God. Gradually, I acclimated myself with the new milieu and grew fond of the greeting rituals of the cultured people in our new My investigation revealed that almost every residence in the neighborhood contained some kids. It took a few months but I managed to gradually lure them out of their nests in the afternoons to play football. By the following summer we had eight to ten dedicated players every afternoon. The generated noise however, disturbed the peace in the neighborhood and disturbed the afternoon naps of some neighbors. Our football games raised concern for an army colonel, a retired judge, an ayatollah, a Persian rug merchant and our own next-door Jewish neighbor. More than anyone else we managed to upset Mr. Biok, a high-ranking oil company executive who lived at the end of the alley, a well-dressed and respectable man by all accounts. I was impressed by the creases of his pants; I swear he could cut a watermelon with those sharp edges. Mr. Biok was also my greeting target practice, for whom I recited a series of “hello”, “good morning”, “good afternoon” and “what a nice day?” all in one sentence regardless of time of the day or the weather condition. I enjoyed making fun of him in the most serious way possible. It was obvious that he was suspicious of my intent in offering insincere greetings yet he felt obligated to respond to my greeting politely as he had no solid evidence to prove my Concerned neighbors at one time or another spoke to my parents and expressed their dismay with the ongoing chaos and mentioning my name as the instigator. They held me personally responsible for ruining their children’s disciplinary practice and shattering the serenity of the neighborhood. After the first summer in the neighborhood Mr. Biok identified me as the agitator and prohibited his two beloved clean-cut sons to come in contact with me. He had quarantined his impressionable children despite the fact I respectfully greeted him on the street on daily basis. Playing football became more and more popular despite the widespread opposition of neighbors. As the kids became good friends, the parents became more adamant in opposition to our afternoon fun. Every time our ball was kicked into a neighbor’s house, it was thrown back ripped by a knife to show their Most often our footballs landed in Mr. Biok’s yard. Unlike others however, he didn’t rip our footballs in pieces, he just didn’t return them. His house was rightfully called the ball cemetery. Kicking a ball into his yard meant end of the game for the day and additional financial burden of purchasing a new one the next. Our small daily allowances were too small to afford a new ball everyday. One day after another tragic loss, we all sat down with gloomy faces by the ball cemetery and grieved the loss of loved ones. We all realized this was not a sustainable situation. One of the older kids proposed a resolution. “Why don’t we ask Mr. Biok to return our balls? He seems to be a reasonable man. Unlike others he has never shred our footballs. Why not asking him?” he reasoned. To this day, I don’t know why I volunteered for this task. Maybe because of all those greetings I’d offered to Mr. Biok. Maybe because I felt I was mature enough to communicate with him man to man and resolve our issues like two civilized individuals. At the age of eleven, I was convinced that Mr. Biok would understand our passion for the game and return our footballs, and maybe even let his sons play with us. I was determined to extend a hand of friendship to a neighbor so unknown and so distant to me. With a self-confidence I didn’t know I had, I rang the doorbell not once but twice under the admiring gaze of my friends. A couple of minutes later, the door opened and I faced our kind and gentle neighbor Mr. Biok. I was eager to show how well adjusted I’d become and demonstrate my mastery of the art of salutation and proper communications. “Hello Mr. Biok. Good afternoon. How are you today sir?” Mr. Biok stared into my sweaty face and responded, “What do you want?” “Sorry to disturb you sir, but is it possible for you to return our balls? The ones we have kicked into your yard by mistake? Of course, we are all sorry for your inconvenience, sir. I know it’s your nap time.” His eyes sparkled, as he took a deep breath and politely “Wait here,” he said. He went back inside leaving the door ajar. I took the opportunity and glanced inside his yard and witnessed the most beautiful scene I’d ever seen in my life. All of our missing balls were neatly piled in an empty water basin in the center of the yard. Once again I saw the red balls we’d lost, the yellow ones with blue stripes and the solid ones. And best of all, my own personal leather ball with the inner tube that my sister brought me from India. It was sitting there anxiously waiting for me to kick it around like football legend Pele. God knows how many players I’d dribbled with that ball on a tight corner spot the size of a handkerchief. I was so mesmerized by the splendor of the sight that totally forgot Mr. Biok until suddenly I sensed a pleasant draft like a fan blowing at me. For a second I thought our nice neighbor brought me a running fan to cool me off after the game. Then I looked up only to face a fuming beast with a long garden hose twirling over his head. The vengeful monster frantically stormed toward me, claiming my life in his sweet Turkish accent. I leaped like a scared rabbit and ran for my life and the other kids followed my lead. Mr. Biok could have easily reached the slower kids running behind me and beat the hell out of them but he was not satisfied by a simple retaliation, he was after blood, mine. He was not interested in innocent victims; he was after the kingpin. Yes, he was determined to clean the entire neighborhood by eradicating the root cause. My only chance of survival was to reach our house in the middle of the alley but the faster I ran, the longer our street seemed to become and the farther our house appeared to be. The twirling garden hose was closing in on me like a roaring helicopter. I could feel the lethal touches of it’s blades on my back and wondering why me? Why should I always be the one who pays? My short life flashed before my eyes as fast as I was running from my immediate death. As the tentacles of the demon were touching my back, I feared what if our door was shot and when I reached our house, I found out it was; so I coiled my body into a cannon ball and smashed myself into the locked door desperately hoping that there was a God and he had mercy on my soul. The door miraculously flung open and I was thrown inside. The raging monster stopped at our door as the neighbors converged, circled around him and finally convinced him that killing a kid, even it was me would not eliminate the love of kids for football. The beast calmed down and transformed back into Mr. Biok again. After that horrific event, no one dared to show up in the alley for a few weeks and the entire neighborhood plunged into an eerie silence. One gloomy afternoon, as we all lounged outside our homes a vivacious rainbow of colorful balls showered our neighborhood from the last house of the dead end alley.

On Faith and Forgeries Encounters with the biblical world often involve objects holding an uncanny power to transfix and even transform human consciousness. In the year 326 C.E., Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine, is said to have discovered the remains of the true cross in Jerusalem, as well as nails from the crucifixion. On that spot, her son constructed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a pivot of Christianity ever since. Even today, remnants of the biblical world continue to surface like uncharted reefs along the shore, looming up and weirdly fascinating our nominally secular minds. One such set of objects, recently emerged, is a series of lead plates that appear to be embossed with writings and images and bound into books or "codices." What are they, how have they been received, and what does their reception tell us about our willingness to believe? It appears that an Israeli Bedouin farmer named Hassan Saeda has in his possession a series of around 70 of these small lead codices. Depending on different versions of the story, either they were in his family for a century or they were found about five years ago in a cave in Jordan and from there smuggled into Israel. The Israel Antiquities Authority, evidently aware of the finds, has pronounced them to be of dubious antiquity and a "mixture of incompatible periods and styles without any connection or logic." But Jordanian authorities have launched a campaign to recover the "stolen artifacts," which, they allege, "really match, and [may] perhaps be more significant than, the Dead Sea Scrolls"—if not "the most important discovery in the history of archeology." Of greater significance is the swirl of media and popular interest in these credit-card-sized objects—especially, as it happens, in England. Leading the charge was an individual described as a "scholar of ancient religious archeology" who is himself an object of some controversy. Nevertheless, the BBC, the Telegraph, and the tabloid Daily Mail all featured the story prominently and with unusual enthusiasm. Referring to an embossed figure on one of the scrolls, the Daily Mail gushed: "LOST FOR 2,000 YEARS: COULD THIS BE THE FIRST PORTRAIT OF JESUS?" The news stories spoke of "cryptic messages" in Hebrew and Greek, adding tantalizingly that one phrase read "Savior of Israel." Another image is said to depict a cross, something else described by a scholar as "what has to be the tomb" of Jesus, and a map of the city of Jerusalem. No doubt, from the point of view of publicity, it helped that all this happened in the days leading up to Easter. Alas, however, the judgment of the Israel Antiquities Authority is sound. Writing on lead plates is unknown in antiquity, and the same appears to hold for the practice of binding plates into books. True, the "Copper Scroll," one of the Dead Sea finds from Qumran and seemingly a list of hidden treasures from the Temple in Jerusalem, is a partial exception, but so far a unique one. There are also decorated lead coffins from Roman-period Palestine. But the "first portrait of Jesus" (to borrow the Daily Mail's hyperbole) appears to have been roughly copied from likenesses of the sun-god Helios found on a mosaic or coins; the script is a mishmash of letter-forms from different periods; and the "code-like" Greek phrases are copied from an inscription on a Roman tombstone on display in Amman. In short, like so many objects before them, the lead codices seem to be fakes of a kind that goes back to the earliest days of organized Christianity. At least ten different churches and monasteries from Egypt to England have claimed to have the head of John the Baptist, and at least four others claim to possess his hands. Forgeries based on a smattering of scholarship and a great deal of artistic license have also dogged the field of biblical archeology for over a century. The real question is why they still attract the avid attention of the press, laypeople, and even some scholars. One answer has to do with the degree to which Christianity remains tied to revelation and miracle. Actual or implied encounters with the divine in the physical world are inherent in many facets of Christianity, including not only relics but sacred ritual, sacred music, and sacred buildings. The fact that the possibility of revelation has been systematically purged in some denominations of modern Christianity makes the interest shown by the British all the more remarkable: testimony to the deep-seated and utterly human desire for personal experience of the numinous. Curiously, or perhaps not so curiously, Jews seem relatively immune to this impulse. As it happens, the story of the lead codices first broke in London's Jewish Chronicle. It appears that the "scholar of ancient religious archeology" had approached a metallurgist, a member of a London synagogue who had previously written about the Copper Scroll. In the latter's opinion, the codices were "Kabbalah-related, and the nature of the content indicate[d] a magical incantation style of writing." Yet neither this nor the possibility of a more ancient provenance appeared to excite the interest of the paper's readers. This is not only a matter of Jews being more thoroughly secularized. Pilgrimages and miracle-seeking are hardly unknown to Jewish history or to contemporary Judaism. Hasidic rebbes and many Sephardi rabbis have been reputed to work miracles, and tombs of holy men, with their implications of holiness and healing powers, are sites of veneration. But there is a difference. By and large, Jewish relics and talismans, from the incantation bowls buried under houses in Babylon to the ubiquitous hamsa or hand of Fatima (or Miriam) that hangs around the necks of Jewish women today, may be endowed with magical or protective power, but they are not themselves revelatory. Nor, outside of the fringes of today's star-struck Kabbalah movement, do they produce miracles. Rather, the essence of God's message to the Jewish people resides, and is to be sought, in the text. Still, and setting aside the counterfeit nature of the lead codices themselves, it is heartening to see how strong within "secular" Western society remains the desire to believe in a transcendent reality. As the media continue to pronounce the death of Christianity in Canada, Great Britain, and the Continent, the rapid growth of Evangelical churches in those same places, not to mention the explosion of Christianity in Africa and China, belies the obituaries. Whether and how attachments generated through things compare with the grip of an idea expressed, as in Judaism, in words, are questions for another day. Alex Joffe is a research scholar with the Institute for Jewish and Community Research. Comments are closed for this article.

Hey Jeff Sessions, You Feeling Perjury-Tastic Today? A Liveblog! It's time! "Recused" shithead yokel Attorney General Jeff Sessions is testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee, and we are LIVEBLOGGING IT. Right here! Right now! The good senators are just curious about a few things, like did Sessions lie AGAIN about a THIRD MEETING with the Russian ambassador, after he said in his confirmation hearings that he ain't met with none o' them Russians, then had to "correct" that testimony after the Washington Post helpfully "reminded" him of two meetings he had with the Russian ambassador? Will he tell the senators if that's what James Comey meant when he said the FBI knew things about Sessions that would make it "problematic" for him to be part of the Trump-Russia investigation? The senators will also be just a-wonderin' how much Sessions was involved with Donald Trump's firing of Comey, which happened because of the Russia investigation, the one Sessions is supposed to be "recused" from. Will he answer their questions about that? Or will he claim executive privilege, like some suggested on Monday? That sure would be weird, since the Justice Department said Sessions is so excited about testifying publicly, because he really wants to "come clean" about everything. Uh huh, ayup! Finally, we bet he'll get questions about the rumors that Trump just might want to get rid of special prosecutor Robert Mueller. Would Sessions "unrecuse" himself in order to do Trump's bidding? Would he resign? Would he go hide under his desk with his Alabama butt-ass stuck up in the air, because he is "recused" after all? We just don't know! So yes, this is your liveblog, and also your livestream, so you can watch it with us RIGHT HERE. We might just transcribe his words in full, because he only speaks five and one half words per minute. You ready? LET'S GO! 2:20: TV news says Trump's goon lawyer Michael Cohen, the "SAYS WHO" guy, will be testifying before the House Intelligence Committee ... in SEPTEMBER. That is like one million years in Trump Administration Days, will anyone even still be alive by then? 2:33: They are late like a common Obama. Maybe Jeff Sessions is still in a lunch meeting with a Russian. 2:41: It's time! John McCain is coming to his seat! Wonder if he'll have awesome questions today like he did at the Comey hearing. 2:44: Also Jeff Sessions has arrived: This is gonna be great, just great. 2:47: WHICH LIES YEW WANNA HEAR? GRILLED UP A BATCH OF 'EM LAST NIGHT BACK IN BAMA! Democratic committee vice chair Mark Warner reading Sessions for filth right now, and Sessions hasn't even said a word. 2:52: "What. In the blessed name. Of Republican Racist Jesus. HAVE I DUN GITTED MYSELF INTO?" 2:59: Sessions says in his opening statement that he will answer the questions "as fully as the Lord enables him" to do. Says he probably won't answer all their questions about his conversations with the president, and doesn't remember all this Russian malarkey about ambassadors or collusion, and besides, what is this investigation about anyway? NOT JEFF SESSIONS. That's what the Lord told him anyway. Moreover, he is APPALLED and DISTRESSED (ooh he's getting mad!) by the "detestable lie" that he might have colluded with Russia, because that would have HURTED AMERICA, and he LOVES AMERICA. Moreover, he says Senator Al Franken's question, the one what done on accident maybe got poor Jefferson Beauregard to do accidental perjury with his mouth, was "rambling" and a bad question. Sessions is aware we still have those transcripts, right? 3:01: Jeff Sessions DID NOT make nookie to that Russian man! 3:03: Here is why Jeff Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation, according to Jeff Sessions: Because the nice law-readin' people at the Department Of Justice done telled him to. He didn't recuse himself because HE had done nothin' wrong, it was just because he figured it would have interfered with all the racist shit he wanted to do as attorney general! 3:06: Sessions describes the time James Comey asked him to PLEASE NEVER LEAVE HIM ALONE WITH TRUMP: "Mr. Comey expressed concern about proper communications and protocol with the White House and with the president." He says he agreed with Comey. So ... ONE COMEY STATEMENT CONFIRMED! 3:08: Jeff Sessions says he's recused from the Russia investigation. But, he says, "I DID NOT RECUSE MYSELF FROM DEFENDING MY HONOR AGAINST SCURRILOUS AND FALSE ALLEGATIONS!" That's right! You will not cast false aspersions on his asparagus, and you will not walk around acting like Jeff Sessions is some kind of dishonorable Russian pee hooker! 3:10: OK, time for questions, so the senators can suss out all the lies Sessions just told. BURR: Seriously, bro, you don't REMEMBER if that big jolly Russian ambassador was at the thing at the Mayflower Hotel last April? SESSIONS: I was blind that day. 3:15: BURR: Were you at that event as a Trump-licker or a senator? SESSIONS: I was there because I'm a very curious boy! I had only seen Trump speak once before, and it was at the Jewish AIPACs! Here is a picture of Jeff Sessions, at the Mayflower Hotel, with the Russian Ambassador, who was wearing an invisibility cloak that day: Here's a notable Getty pic from the April 27, 2016 Mayflower Hotel event—Kislyak & Sessions both named in the official caption pic.twitter.com/epubUUfkKc — Kerry Eleveld (@kerryeleveld) June 1, 2017 So there is that. 3:18: Here is video of Jeff Sessions shouting about defending his Southern gentlemanly honor. It is LOL! — The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) June 13, 2017 3:21: Time for committee vice chair Mark Warner! WARNER: Will you commit to make yourself available to our committee when we need you? SESSIONS: Well I'll be, boy howdy, what if fishin' season opens that day? 3:22: WARNER: How do you feel about Robert Mueller? SESSIONS: He is the bees' tits, but I'm not going to say I won't unrecuse myself and fire him, because I don't know what Daddy Trump is gonna order me to do! To be fair, Sessions did say he didn't think it would be appropriate for him to step on Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's dick, since Sessions is indeed recused from the Russia investigation. 3:25: WARNER: Have you talked to the president about pardoning all these motherfuckers when Mueller finds them guilty? SESSIONS: I will not share my love chats with Donald Trump, that would be an impropriety! 3:30: Sessions says it's it's "conceivable" that he talked with the Russian ambassador at the Mayflower Hotel, but it definitely wasn't improper, but he doesn't remember anyhow what they might have talked about, not that they talked. Also he didn't TRY to do perjury about that meeting. 3:35: Now it is time for Senator Jim Risch from Idaho, who is truly a Republican moron. RISCH: You remember the BAD NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE that James Comey said was BAD? It was definitely the ONLY thing that's ever alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia! SESSIONS: Is this about the Russian lady tinkler hookers? RISCH: No, but ... SESSIONS: I will say the dossier about the Russian lady tinkler hookers is BAD! RISCH: Did you collude with Russia? SESSIONS: I have never met her! RISCH: Did anybody TELL you there were Russians all up in the campaign? SESSIONS: Heck nope! RISCH: Would you have left the campaign if there were? No for real, he said "maybe." 3:41: Whew. Time for a Democrat with normal questions, and it is Dianne Feinstein. FEINSTEIN: Why did you have to write a recommendation about firing James Comey, considering Trump pretty much said he always was going to do it, because of the Russia investigation? SESSIONS: Well I reckon. FEINSTEIN: Are you going to answer any of my questions, even though you have no literally reason not to? SESSIONS: Well, bless your heart, I'm not certain if I'm that kind of girl! 3:43: Jeff Sessions says James Comey's public statements about the Hillary Clinton email investigation were just "thunderous!" And that is why he had to be fired. For "THUNDEROUS" reasons! 3:47: MARCO RUBIO: Does Donald Trump record everything in the White House? SESSIONS: No chicken-pluckin' idea! RUBIO: If he did, are those records you would have to preserve? SESSIONS: Don't ask me, but probably! 3:51: Senator Ron Wyden is talking now, and he is VERY CURIOUS what Comey was talking about when he said the FBI knew information that led them to believe Sessions would be recusing himself from the Russia investigation. TELL US THE ANSWER, JEFF SESSIONS, AND NO STONEWALLING AND NO BULLSHITTING, GODDAMMIT. SESSIONS: Stonewalling and bullshitting. 3:55: OH FIDDLESTICKS AND HOLY LAMENTATIONS, Jeff Sessions just got MAD! Ron Wyden asked, again, what the hell was Comey talking about when he said the FBI had reasons to believe Sessions's involvement in the Russia investigation would be "problematic." This is a paraphrase of Sessions, who was VERY YELLY: "THERE ARE NONE ... THERE ARE NONE! ... THIS IS SECRET INNUENDO BEING LEAKED OUT ABOUT ME AND I DON'T APPRECIATE IT!" It is hilarious when Southern men with Dunning-Kruger get mad. 3:58: Yeah, this is pretty much this entire hearing: 4:05: Senator Susan Collins just asked a bunch of questions but we zoned because they were boring. Now onto Sexxxy Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, who is our new favorite, and who just now accused Jeff Sessions of "impeding the investigation." Heinrich says Sessions has three choices: 1) You ANSWER his questions, or you 2) invoke executive privilege, or 3) you say it's classified and you can address it in a closed session. He says those are Sessions's three "buckets" he can choose from, and there is no "bucket" that allows for Jeff Sessions to say it's simply "improper" to answer congressional inquiries. He concludes that Sessions's silence "speaks volumes," just like the silence of Dan Coats and Mike Rogers did during last week's hearings. Heinrich is goddamned GOOD. And SEXXXY. Martin Heinrich for president of Wonkette's pants, in the election happening RIGHT NOW. 4:08: While dumbass Senator Roy Blunt asks questions, would you like video of Jeff Sessions getting all Redneck Pew Pew Pew HUFFY? Here! Sessions loses his temper and angrily denies any problems with his recusal. "This is a secret innuendo being leaked out there about me" pic.twitter.com/izZzlVZpRT — David Mack (@davidmackau) June 13, 2017 4:09: And here is Senator Heinrich dunking on Sessions, telling him about all the buckets he can drop his bullshit answers into: Sen Heinrich: "You took an oath...And now you're not answering questions. You're impeding this investigation." pic.twitter.com/0khsPNZvM8 — David Mack (@davidmackau) June 13, 2017 Be still our hearts. 4:19: Senator Angus King, here to kick some ass! KING: Once again, slowly, has Trump asserted executive privilege? SESSIONS: No! I just don't want to answer questions that might make King Trump upsetted! KING: You have testified about OTHER communications between you and the president. You're just picking and choosing, because you're a stupid dick. SESSIONS: I'm not intentionally being a stupid dick! KING: Did Russia interfere with the 2016 election? SESSIONS: Says so in the Sunday newspaper, yes it does! But I haven't read anything else about it. KING: Are you shitting me? SESSIONS: I'm not SUPPOSED to do Russia, I'm REE-KEY-U-SED! Also, Wonk pal Charlie Pierce, weighing in: And now we move on to dead-eyed Oklahoma Republican Senator James Lankford, who we're sure will thrill us, as he always does. 4:26: JAMES LANKFORD: I'm going to give you a long drawn-out tongue bath full of leading questions that are supposed to exonerate you in the eyes of the public, so you just kick your leg around and wag your tail. 4:28: JOE MANCHIN: Are there any OTHER meetings you've had with Russians that you can't remember? SESSIONS: I ain't never had a meeting with a Russian about hacking computers! Well that was an interesting denial! 4:34: Tom Cotton is being a great big dick, trying to act like he is making a point. He notes that none of the Democrats have asked Sessions if Trump colluded with Russia. He thinks that's because LITERALLY EVERYONE has said there was no collusion, because that is a thing Republicans believe. Cotton is incorrect about that. Then Cotton moved on to asking a very important question about what kinds of spy movies and books Sessions likes, and he and Sessions are now LOLing about what a SILLY plot for a spy movie this would be, like LOL! Can you even imagine? Go fuck yourself, Tom Cotton, you hayseed Arkansas squirrel turd. 4:36: And now Tom Cotton is asking about leaks, to which Sessions replies, "THANK YOU, SENATOR COTTON!" It's so nice when Republicans can get back to ignoring espionage against our country by our greatest enemy and instead focus on what the fucking orange dumpster fire in the White House thinks is important. Time for KAMALA HARRIS! 4:39: KAMALA HARRIS: You seem to forget a lot of shit. Did you go back and ready any goddamned records, to help your ailing dumb memory? SESSIONS: Well I reckon sorta kinda not really! I'm just a country lawyer, we ain't have much need for pencils and ink pens back in Alabammy! By the way, Harris has already called for Sessions's resignation, on Twitter: 4:41: KAMALA FUCKING HARRIS, PROSECUTOR: Lots of important questions, asked in the manner of a good prosecutor. SESSIONS: Slow down, fast-talkin' lady! HARRIS: For fuck's sake. SESSIONS, EXACT QUOTE: "I'm not able to be rushed this fast! It makes me nervous!" LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL THAT IS SO FUCKING AMAZING, BRB, WE NEED TO RECOVER FROM HOW AWESOME THAT WAS. 4:46: OK so Kamala Harris asked if the Department of Justice has written policies about whether it's proper for Sessions to testify as to his conversations with Trump, and Sessions kept saying bullshit about "principles." Harris was NOT HAVING IT. So she kept calling him on it, which led WALNUTS!!!11!! JOHN MCCAIN to pipe in, like he always does when the pretty lady from California is stepping out of line like a professional lawyer lady, like WHO DOES SHE EVEN THINK SHE IS? Walnuts does not know :( So Richard Burr solved the problem by saying Harris's time had expired, and now John Cornyn is asking stupid questions, in an effort to suck dick for the Trump White House. Keep doing this to Kamala Harris, boys. It makes her stronger. 4:50: Y'all watch Kamala Harris right now. She is BOSS OF YOU. Kamala Harris continues to push Sessions on what policy he's citing for not answering Qs. John McCain complains she's not letting him speak. pic.twitter.com/PnpvbGMPBG — David Mack (@davidmackau) June 13, 2017 4:52: And here is the part where Sessions gets his feelings hurt because he's too stupid to keep up with Kamala Harris's fast words: 4:55: JACK REED of Rhode Island: Were you very sad when you learned Trump had lied to you about his reasons for firing James Comey? Did you feel misled? SESSIONS: No I'm OK, I was probably in on it, but I don't recall. 4:58: JOHN MCCAIN: GRRR ARGH Hillary email word mouth WALNUTS! HENGHHHH? SESSIONS: Finally, somebody up here who makes sense! McCain actually ended up asking good questions about what exactly Sessions did talk about with the Russian ambassador. Syria? Nuclear weapons? Anything interesting? Sessions ain't fuckin' know. 5:01: John McCain is now asking interesting questions about Russian espionage in the United States and Russian cyber-weapons, though we're not sure why he's asking them at THIS particular hearing. Jeff Sessions is giving two-word answers, because it's obvious he doesn't know the first fucking thing McCain is talking about. Maybe McCain was trying to redeem himself from the Comey hearing by showing that A) He DID NOT stay up too late last night watching Arizona baseball and B) Jeff Sessions is clueless and not fit to be attorney general. 5:05: It's over! Richard Burr told Sessions that his replacement, Senator Luther Strange, had sat in on the hearing, and Sessions responded by saying "Big Luther" is real darn tootin' good at "round ball"! That, we think, is the main takeaway of this hearing. Also, Jeff Sessions should probably be held in contempt of Congress, like Wonk pal Charlie Pierce tweeted above. And Kamala Harris is a badass. And we've been sitting here liveblogging at you for hours now and we are tired, so PLEASE click below to tip your bartender (Wonkette), because we are 100% supported by adorable and wonderful people like you. Wonkette is fully funded by readers like you! No dumb ads taking over your browser! If you love us, click below to fund us as much as possible!

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Mildred Handel died on Oct. 6. She was the wife of the late Beatrice Kelich; they were together for 50 years. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of the late Chaim and Anna (Feldman) Kuchuck. Mildred was a social worker for Jewish Home for the Aged in Rhode Island and a teacher for handicapped children in New Jersey. She was also socially and politically active and won the Victim Advocacy Award from the state of New Jersey. She wrote plays and musicals for the Leisure Club at the Jewish Community Center. She was a beloved sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. She is survived by her daughter Linda Handel; brother Arthur Kuchuck (Judith); grandchildren Joshua Waldman (Lily) and Jenna Waldman (Wesley); and great-grandchildren Ervanny Astari Waldman, Ronen Klimczak and Asher Klimczak. Contributions in her memory may be made to Steere House, 100 Borden St., Providence, RI 02903.

Forum Replies Created > Consider what some coffee roomers say about you, or, even more important, me.< Do they call you a “Typical Trumpie”? Or a member of the “Trump Cult”? Or maybe they think you are in need of a 12 step program because you speak out against a Governor who killed thousands? >I think socialism applies to Torah values. Government is there to support people’s needs< The Torah is not socialist at all. however it does encourage private citizens to give tzedakah. >and not the sink and swim attitude of the Republicans< Life is sink or swim. If you don’t want to work, don’t complain. >My Rav is a well known and highly regarded Talmid Chacham and Posek. He is also a full-fledged liberal Democrat. I doubt he has ever voted Republican. He is not alone.< Why don’t you ask him about the issues being raised and then come back and enlighten us? >That alone is subject to misinterpretation and expose you to suspension of your posting rights < This is you in: The mystical “cancel culture” has arrived in the CR. I guess you were right.😉 >The only “pro-family” that the Republican party has over the Democrats is gay marriage.< That is the “pro-family” value that the Torah stands for. >They still supported a president who hired a zoina while he was married to his third trophy wife.< We are talking about policy not person. (If you want to talk about person, there’s a great thread named “Cuomo’s Downfall”) >Furthermore, the USA almost has more annual gun deaths than the rest of the First World combined. Tell me again why the 2nd Amendment is in line with Torah values and Mitzvos Bnei Noach?< The Torah has nothing against weapons, but holds that murder should be punishable by death. Remember, this thread is about Torah values. >The Midrash Shmuel on Pirkei Avos on איזהו דרך ישרה says that ben adam lechavero comes before ben adam laMakom. The democrats care for the poor< So if you support abortions and gay people but (supposedly) care for the poor you are better in the Torah’s perspective? Do you really believe that? >not like DeSantis who only vaccinates the rich.< Fact check: False. >“Nobody tried to steal an election.” You are welcome to return to reality at any time.< You have a point. Election fraud exists and both sides have offenders, so I shouldn’t have written that line. However, the rest of the post remains true; suing in a court of law is not stealing an election. I think @boredguy has a point. The Democrats are worse than the Republicans in terms of ideology and agenda from the Torah’s perspective >You are making the same silly argument Charlie Hall makes when saying voting for Trump means you think he’s from the 36 tzaddikim.< Not quite the same. He’s making the point that a large amount of the Democrat’s agenda should be enough to stop any Torah jew from voting Democrat. >how can Orthodox jews vote for a party that tried to steal an election and destroy democracy in America< I think we’ve had this discussion before. Nobody tried to steal an election. What you witnessed was lawsuits, which are a foundation of democracy, being brought to courts that studied the evidence and then turned down those lawsuits. Anyone who opposes peoples right to sue in a court of law is destroying democracy. >Granted. So I’ll write a disclaimer & you’ll reinstate it?< I did that once and it worked. The mods are actually very open-minded as long as you don’t post anything that could get them personally into trouble and nobody should have any problem with that. >Now you are comparing Rabbi Weiss to the anti-Semites Omar and Trump. Is there no limit to the extent of your motzi shem ra?< @charliehall you knew exactly what I was doing. Enough with this ignorance game. >To all of you wondering what my brilliant opening post was meant to say: Read it carefully and intelligently. It says what I meant to say, nothing more, nothing less.< I thought you had more to say than an irrelevant piece of news and philosophical musings on poetry and political motives. That what happens when you think too highly of others. >But when your political views cross over into your personal relationships and make you a toxic individual to work with then you are being fired for being unpleasant< Those cases are extremely rare if they exist at all. They are not he term “cancel culture” comes from. >not because you made Trump your Avoda Zara< That’s toxic language right there. Maybe you should be “fired for being unpleasant”. >Rabbi Weiss challenges anti-Semites and you challenge Rabbi Weiss. I know whose side I’m on.< Ilhan Omar challenges Donald Trump and you challenge Ilhan Omar. Whose side are you on? @huju can you please explain the purpose of this thread? Are you trying to say: 1. “Woe is to us Haters-Of-The-Donald, for we have lost a dear and beloved nemesis! Our lives now lack meaning and purpose! Our deep pain can only be reduced by making a new thread in his memory every two days.” 2. A Trump statue was on display somewhere. It must have been an idol and therefore all Trump supporters must believe he is G-D. 3. Don’t make statues of Trump. I hate him. 4. All of the above. 5. None of the above (please provide an alternative explanation). >Just making sure we have it straight.< Politicians can be canceled over their political views. Private workers should not be canceled over their political views. That should be self-understood. >When you say talking about a vile, violent insurrectionist at the capital is talking about Trump, are you suggesting Trump is responsible for their behavior?< Nope, I was talking about @jackk’s second post. Think before you post. They are mourning the loss of their dearest and most beloved nemesis Donald J. Trump. Please be respectful of their feelings and allow them to express their grief. Look, I’m also against the new rule and it’s okay to be critical of it, but please do not compare the Jewish State to Nazi Germany.February 27, 2021 7:59 pm at 7:59 pm in reply to: Joe Biden orders attacks on Iranian-backed militias ON PURIM!!! #1952507 >Does he have a sense of timing or what?< He also speaks some yiddish. Before you know it he’ll be thrown out of the White House because Jill needs to clean for Pesach. Then he will have no choice but to mobilize jewnalimunumaprzure. >Even a lot of Republicans agree we should not be supporting Saudi proxy wars.< There was no need to remove the terror org. status from the Houthis. > And do you have any suggestions to get Iran to stop enriching uranium< Military action and sanctions. >other than starting World War III.< The US, Israel, UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia (if not for Biden) Vs. Iran, is not “World War III”, it’s “Goodbye Iran”. >You obviously have not been reading the coffee room very long.< >Biden can’t order any school to do anything. Only Trumpies think that a President is a dictator.< Quote from Jen Psaki: “[Biden’]s goal that he set is to have the majority of schools, so more than 50 percent, open by day 100 of his presidency” I did not know that Psaki is a “Trumpie” who thinks that the “President is a dictator”. Interesting. (I personally think that she’d look terrible with a MAGA cap.) >I hope that you avail yourself of the Purim Meshulash this year in Yerushalayim < Unfortunately not. I don’t live in Yerushalayim and our wonderful government has placed yet another lockdown on it’s poor subjects.😕 >What mess? He hasn’t managed to do anything.< He caved on the Houthis and UN sanctions but the Iranians are still backing away. >Typical Trumpie — you want the government to lie.< This is what you said in: The vaccines will allow us to get back to normal lives. Are you a Typical Trumpie? Or are you Lying? >Cuomo and Deblasio and Pelosi are not my idols. No goy is my idol. I do not walk around with a blue hat or a biden/harris flag in the back of my pickup truck.< That’s good. You should not have the flags of pro-gay, pro-abortion and pro-Palestinian politicians. >Even if I agree to one, that is one out of 250< You don’t need to agree. It’s a fact. You said there were none. >I won’t stop pointing out Trump’s failures until 2 things happen. 1) He concedes the election, concedes that it was never stolen and that he was lying. 2) He leaves politics.< @Paperbridge and @catchyourself, are you listening? >Until then, I will have fun. Lock him up.Lock him up.< If obsessing over an oranged haired golfer in Florida is your version of fun, be my guest. (I’m not complaining. I obsess over Dem’s posts for fun, so we’re even. 😉) Happy Purim @jackk. >so I think it’s a bit soon to say that the four year thing wasn’t an exaggeration.< Clarification: I thought they might put Trump behind them and focus on the amazing angelic and glorious light of the US; Joseph R. Biden. As of now they have shown no sign of doing any of that. >Please post a list of Biden’s failures to date< 1. Made a mess of the attempted Iran deal. (so far) 2. His administration is telling people that the vaccine will not mean they can go back to normal which means that less people will get vaccinated. 3. Has yet to open schools despite the CDC stating that it is perfectly safe (they have since backtracked. Not suspicious at all). That is a short list. If you need more I’m sure other posters can help you. >if you don’t mind, do so every month for the balance of his term.< That’s what Fox News & co. exist for. Subscribe and never miss a beat. >And, if you can, make a distinction between political failures and policy failures.< Why don’t you reach out to Aish or a similar organization? I’m sure they can provide you with the guidance and support that you need. They can also introduce you to other jews in the same situation. That might give you a positive environment and help you find the strength to continue. Wishing you much Hatzlachah. Your journey is an inspiration for us all. I remember hearing from a political commentator on Jan 20, that Democrats will talk about Trump for the next four years in order to distract you from Biden’s failures. I thought he was exaggerating. Congratulations @Lib, on your first post in eleven years (!) of being a YWN participant. Your self-control is admirable. Take the vaccine, it’s the best thing ever. (YWN, that’ll be $15 USD) >hang up some people and then party again< According to the CDC hung persons who are unmasked and not socially distanced have a 100% mortality rate, so be responsible and enforce Covid regulations. >not waking up every AM in fear of the morning tweetstorm or the Fox News barfstorm is refreshing< If those were your fears during the Trump years, he must have been doing a great job. Right now many Americans live in fear of waking up in the morning and finding out that they’re jobless at the stroke of a pen or that they will get fired when Biden raises the minimum wage. >the rich get abortion by travelling to a place where it is permitted and the poor will endanger themselves.< Or they will stay away from situations that make them need abortions in the first place and that’s a good thing. >Listen to their public speeches, they all demonstrate the power to think. And to think about something other than themselves.< Wow. Politicians who think. What more can you ask for? That, by the way, was probably Trump’s big problem. He should have spent less time y’know, doing something and more time giving speeches in which the power of thinking is demonstrated to the ignorant and thoughtless public. That would show his haters that he has ‘smarts and experience’. >Made Aliya: It must be a great relief to you having made aliyah from the land of hypocrisy to be able to live in eretz hakodesh where politicians are always 100 percent true to their words and principles.< Yet another Liberal goes for the “when a Conservative tells the truth, attack him personally” approach. (@Gadolhadorah, you have a point though, Israeli politicians are mostly junk. But I’m still relieved that I MadeAliyah. ) >We have a decent President today, Joe Biden< If you ever wondered why Democrats are in favor of more government involvement, look no further than this statement. Biden supporters will ignore the lies (“no vaccines when I came in”, “no sanction relief for Iran”, “anyone who is disrespectful will be fired”), the racism (Blacks are unclean, unarticulate and are all of the same opinion, according to Joe), the insanity (“China virus” = bad, China’s genocide = cultural difference, Cuomo = amazing), and the hypocrisy (not wearing a mask on Fed property after an EO that forbids it) that is Joe Biden and will still call him ‘a decent President’. So why shouldn’t politicians have more power? They are all decent aren’t they? >Anyone who supported Trump has absolutely no standing to complain about Democrats not being decent.< Nobody supported Trump because he was ‘decent’ (whatever that means to you), they supported him because he stood for their values and ideas. But Dems have been calling Biden a ‘decent’ man, so Reps can complain about him not being ‘decent’. hy·poc·ri·sy /həˈpäkrəsē/ noun the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform; pretense. >The biggest hypocrisy is commenters focusing on Cuomo’s cover-up (the actual nursing home police was and is defensible) and completely ignoring Trump’s lies and Kushner’s venality that killed t tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands.< It’s not just the commenters, the FBI itself believes that the Cuomo cover-up story is more fact-based and worthy of investigation than “Trump’s lies and Kushner’s venality that killed t tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands”. If the FBI is engaged in “The biggest hypocrisy”, don’t you think Joe Biden should do something about it? (And don’t tell me he hasn’t had the time yet, if he has time to play Luigi and make a fool of himself at the CNN Town Hall, he has time for this.) >You did. The counterargument is that we don’t want antivaxxers to die either, regar sleds of their stupidity or defiance.< I answered that counterargument too. As of now there are no standing arguments as to why we should be regulated, if you do have any I’d be glad to see them, in the thread. @yserbius123 you misunderstood me too. I was talking about foggy glasses. Ask anyone with myopia about this phenomenon and be prepared to hear the woes of the practically blind. >if someone decides not to get vaccinated, they might still get Covid and ch”v die.< I’m not an anti-vaxxer and I don’t discourage getting vaccinated. >if you don’t mind catching the virus; that’s your problem is an ethical question, not a practical one.< I answered the ‘ethical question’ in the thread and as of now I haven’t gotten any counter-arguments. The main question was a practical one; why not reopen? >You must either Do very Tough Sanctions or Stop them Militarily!< >Besides for MadeAliyah ethical shtickle Torah< Not ethical, practical. >I’m not addressing the issue of that causing non vaccinated to abandon mask wearing. You can still argue that< We can and we did and still found no reason for the unvaccinated to wear masks. If that remains the case, then this should not be controversial. Of course it “does not yet apply since many who want to get vaccinated have not yet been able to” in the US. I think I’ll bump the thread when it does apply. >Iran has been producing nuclear materials without a deal which was never enforced without our allies.< >Now the new deal can be renegotiated with the help of our allies.< I hope Israel is included in ‘our allies’. >Be optimistic. Hashem runs the world.< Phew, I was scared Biden would make a mess of the Iran problem, but I was obviously lacking Bitachon. 😉 >We need the help of our allies to fight Iran.< We need to fight, not make ‘deals’ with an anti-West regime. Let’s hope Biden understands that. I’ll add one more to the list: people who wear glasses. (BTW, the vaccinated still need to wear masks, for no good reason) >Will putting a small piece of fabric over your mouth and nose affect your life in any meaningful way< You don’t wear eyeglasses, do you? It can’t get much worse than this, right? >“Prove your statement!” It was covered by the New York Post, which is usually a Trump propaganda rag. The November 4 article was titled, “USPS says huge amount of mail-in ballots were not delivered”. I would post a link but the mods would likely delete it.< >Should Jews at least make sure to help Jewish communities in 3rd world countries?< Great idea for a new thread. >If they permit the vaccinated to go around unmasked and socially mingle closely, they’ll have no way to effectively stop those who are not vaccinated from taking advantage by acting in public as if they’re vaccinated.< Why should they not let the unvaccinated ‘go around unmasked and socially mingle’? I don’t think they are just playing it safe. The science is clear, when fully vaccinated you are more likely to be struck by lightning than to die of Covid. Yet in Israel the vaccinated still need to mask and socially distance and in all likelihood the US will follow suit even when vaccines are fully available. Till when? And why? >isn’t now the time now to begin that dialogue??< It is, and this thread might be doing just that: So we are back to square one. This is a serious question, is there no good answer?

"The Dada movement was consumed by anti-rational approaches, most notably the creative technique that is based on chance and accident. Art that was created on accident was very Dada." The Nikon Coolpix 775 is a lightweight, compact 2-megapixel camera with a zoom lens providing 35mm equivalent focal lengths of 38 to 115mm. At 6.5 ounces (185 g), without battery or memory card, this all-plastic camera is nearly as light as the lightest 35mm point-and-shoots. The Coolpix 775 is small enough to fit into a shirt pocket. The lens cover is powered and automatic. A weak built-in flash sits just above the lens. As of August 2001 the camera was selling for around $400 at Other than exposure compensation and a bunch of "scene modes", the Nikon Coolpix 775 provides no creative controls. The scene modes include "portrait", which tries to keep a wide aperture, "party/interior", which slows the shutter speed enough to capture ambient-lit background as well as the foreground objects lit by flash, etc. It is very difficult to know when you've taken a picture with the Coolpix 775. How can this be? You're the photographer. You pressed the shutter release. So you ought to know. Not exactly. As with many other digital cameras, the Coolpix imposes warm-up delays that range from 0 to 9 seconds. As with many other automatic cameras, the Coolpix may delay exposure until it is able to achieve autofocus. For a fully warmed-up camera on a sunny day with a high-contrast subject, exposure should be within 1/2 second after the shutter release is pressed. If the camera is on but has not been used for 30 seconds, a 5-second delay is to be expected. If the light level is low and the camera is having trouble autofocusing, it is really anybody's guess. Competitive digital cameras usually beep or produce a simulated shutter click upon exposure. The Nikon Coolpix 775 does not. If you're all by yourself in a quiet country house there is a subtly audible click. But outdoors you can forget it. Shortly after exposure, a green LED next to your eye will start blinking as the image is written to the flash card (during this time the camera is locked and you cannot take another picture). If it very difficult to know what you're taking a picture of with the Coolpix 775. The optical viewfinder shows a slightly off-center inner 85 percent of the image to be captured. The LCD viewfinder is impossible to view outdoors and very hard to use in practice in any case. This then is the Dada camera. You're not sure what you're photographing. You're not sure when you're photographing. what I thought I was photographing what the camera captured started to put camera down after 4 or 5 seconds, not believing that it would take longer than this a guy stepping onto the tram full warmed-up camera still 1/2 second slower than photographer expects One nice thing about the Coolpix 775 is that there is only one display: the rear LCD monitor. The big brother Nikon Coolpix 995 forces a photographer to check both the top-deck LCD and the rear LCD monitor to find out how the camera is set. With the 775, the top deck is clean except for an on/off switch and an "auto/playback/scene mode" Nikon could have made better use of the LCD monitor. For example, when you turn the scene/mode dial to the little icon that looks like an exploding firework, a little icon that looks like an exploding firework appears in the upper-left corner of the monitor. This merely duplicates what is printed on the top deck dial. Why not print out, either temporarily or when the menu button is pressed, the words "party/interior mode; slow shutter speeds; use a tripod"? As it is, the only way to figure out what these cryptic icons mean is to carry around the 166-page owner's manual. No information about exposure is presented, neither aperture nor shutter Wait... then Hurry Up power-on, the camera takes 8 or 9 seconds to warm up. If you're taking pictures with the monitor off and decide to turn the monitor on, you're treated to an hourglass "wait" icon for about 5 seconds. The photographer is supposed to wait for the camera. After exposure, assuming the power-sucking monitor has been left on, the camera displays the recorded image for a few seconds. The image disappears after this brief interval, even if the photographer has kept his or her finger on the shutter release button. If the monitor was off, or the image timed out, the photographer must press the "quick playback" button to view the image. Then click it again to enlarge the playback to full screen. This takes about 5 seconds of "thinking time" by the camera. The camera is, apparently, not supposed to wait for the photographer. Canon does this much better. Without adding a single button to its digital cameras, Canon gives the photographer complete control over how long a just-exposed image stays on screen for review. How? If the photographer continues to hold the shutter release after an exposure, the image persists on screen. Canon is also smart about using the monitor. Even if you've turned off the monitor during image composition, in order to save power, Canon cameras still show you the as-taken image following exposure. Nikon provides some useful features for macro photography. The 775 can be set for "macro focusing and self-timer" so that a tripod-mounted camera is not vibrated by the photographer's hand touching the shutter release. The 775 also has "best shot selector" (BSS) in which up to 10 images are taken, as long as the shutter release is held down, and the camera picks the sharpest for storage on the flash card. This can be useful for macro photography without a tripod. This camera would be a poor choice for low-light photography. The lens is fairly slow (f/2.8 at its widest setting; f/4.9 on the telephoto end of the zoom). The sensor speed is equivalent to ISO 100 film and can be boosted at best to ISO 200. Competitive full-sized point and shoot digital cameras often go to ISO 800, allowing lower light photography without flash. If you're planning to use an IBM Microdrive, this is not the camera for you. It only takes Type 1 CompactFlash cards. The Coolpix 775 cannot trigger or control external flashes. Nikon provides a rechargeable Li-ion battery. This is specified to provide 100 minutes of use with the monitor on. The battery must be removed and charged in a separate charger. The battery compartment is physically compatible with disposable 2CR5 lithium batteries. So if you run out of power while out and about, you can stop into any drugstore and pick up a fresh battery. In practice, the rechargeable battery provided enough power for one full day of travel photography. The clock is supposed to run on an internal battery that is recharged from the main battery. In practice this did not work well. After the main battery was removed overnight for charging and reinserted, the camera had a 50 percent chance of losing all of its default settings and showing a little flashing clock face icon in the LCD monitor. Note: this section is copied from our review of the Nikon 995 The Coolpix 775 comes with Nikon View 4, a program whose capabilities are limited to viewing and copying photos that are in the camera or on a flash card. I.e., it cannot be used to manage a library of photos on disk. Nor can it be used to perform basic image editing. Nikon also provides a program called ArcSoft PhotoImpression 3.0. This program is capable of basic image editing functions, but it is clunky and not suited to performing minor edits to a set of images quickly. After you've finished taking a bunch of pictures with any digital camera what you basically want to do is copy them all onto a personal computer's hard drive expand to full-screen size the ones that look interesting rotate any images that you exposed vertically (the current generation of digital cameras is too primitive to notice when they are being held vertical and correctly orient the JPEGs to begin with) rename any images that you'll want to keep and publish (you probably want a file named "biff-and-chip-at-the-lake.jpg" instead of "dscn0006.jpg") Along with its digital cameras, Canon provides a single program called Zoom Browser EX that lets you do all of these things, mostly with some right mouse button clicks. Armed with a thorough knowledge of the Windows operating system file system controls, you can theoretically accomplish the tasks above with the software bundled by Nikon. But it will take you 10 times as many keyboard and mouse operations as with the Canon software. Our advice: find a friend who has a Canon digital camera and install whatever software was provided. The Canon software works perfectly well for images taken with the Nikon Coolpix 775 with the exception that recorded camera settings are lost, i.e., you won't have a record of whether white balance was set to "auto" or "incandescent" or whether exposure compensation was set. [Of course, immediately after writing the above recommendation, my Canon Zoom Browser EX version 2.2 (packaged in mid-2000) choked when trying to delete images from the flash card and crashed. Apparently something about the way that the Nikon 775 marks images for printing gives the Canon software fits. Anyway, the Canon software corrupted its "database" (a cluster of files in proprietary formats) and could no longer display any of the 2000 or so images recorded in there over the psat year. The program would, by default, reopen this database upon restarting, and then crash immediately. I had to edit the Windows registry using Microsoft's operating system regedit tool before I could use Zoom Browser again (I found the relevant key/value pair by searching for the name of the corrupted .zdb file). All of the old photographs are recoverable as JPEGs from the file system but they cannot be conveniently imported back into Zoom Browser 2.2, which only takes images from flash cards fresh from a camera. Lessons: (1) take seriously Canon's advice to make frequent copies of the database files, (2) do not use Zoom Browser to clear out the flash card--use the camera, (3) do not trust your image collection information to proprietary database technology--keep it all either in plain text flat files or in a professionally maintained relational database management system such as The Yashica/Kyocera Finepix S3 (we've not tested it yet) is roughly the same size as the Coolpix 775 but offers substantially higher resolution: 3 megapixels. Canon Digital ELPH, S300 in its latest incarnation, offers similar resolution to this Nikon (2 megapixels) but with an improved user interface--e.g., it beeps at the moment of exposure. Sadly, the Canon is much heavier than the Nikon 775. Digital ELPHs are all-metal and hence are pants-pocket rather than shirt-pocket devices. If you want to do flash photography, you'll probably be much happier with a camera with a built-in hotshoe, e.g., the Canon G1. For macro photography and other situations requiring specialized accessories or manual control, look at the For a camera that is fast and responsive like a film camera, limit your shopping to digital single-lens reflexes (SLR). The cheapest, simplest-to-use, and most compact system is the (down to $1150 at some shops as of August 2001). The Canon D30 is a reasonable choice if you already own a Canon lens system. The Nikon D1 series offers very high image quality but extremely complex and hard-to-use interfaces (the newest D1X and D1H may be better but we've not tested them yet). If you need to photograph high-contrast scenes, consider a camera that records more than 8 bits of information per color and offers a "raw" image format in which you can convert down to standard JPEGs post-exposure. For vacation snapshots of static subjects (i.e., not people) and business documentation, the Nikon Coolpix 775 offers similar capabilities to cameras that are two or three times as large and heavy. Because of its overall sluggishness and uncertainty as to when an exposure is being made, this camera cannot be recommended for photographing people. www.nikontechusa.com is Nikon's tech support site. They offer manuals and firmware updates for some Nikon digital cameras, but not, as of the date of this review, for the 775. www.nikon-euro.com is Nikon's European tech support site. They have a much more up-to-date set of manuals for Nikon digital cameras, but not, as of the date of this review, for The metering system in the Nikon Coolpix 775 is remarkably good. All of the photos in this article were taken without any exposure compensation. Here are some fairly difficult scenes: Some fun on top of the North Tower of the Stephansdom in Vienna: Judenplatz, in the area of Vienna's old Jewish ghetto, displays physical reminders of all the sentiments Viennese have held toward Jews. An enormoously intrusive Holocaust memorial occupies one third of the square. At the other end is a building with a laudatory inscription about the expulsion of the Jews in 1421. In between is a statue of Gottfraim Lessing, a writer who preached tolerance. Mozart lived in this square. Several cafes operate within a few steps of Rachel Whiteread's Holocaust memorial building.

Class of 2010 Singapore American School By Eric Burnett Good evening, Dr. Mutsch, Chairman Broadman, members of the Board, distinguished faculty, proud parents, honored guests and you, almost alumni. A few years back I stood up here at the dawn of my 30s, pretty darn confident that I’d had this whole life thing figured out and I went on to recite one of those smell the roses, follow your dreams speeches. I thought it went OK, until a couple things happened. First, I walked out that lobby door and I was greeted by a fairly accomplished lass, a young lady I’ll just call Bing Fandenberg, came up to me and said, “What was all that garbage? You mean to tell me that everything I did in high school was for nothing? That I should have smiled more and tried less?” There was an awkward pause and I probably threw out some sort of sarcastic save, but at the time I merely discounted her challenge as the false bravado of a soon-to-be collegian, and then she went on to Harvard, and then I proceeded ironically to spend the next six years of my own life pretty much breaking every single piece of advice I had given that night. So here I am again – same suit, same fluffy hair, but this time a bit more humble. And this time when I started looking at this class, I realized there was no one advice I could even give you. Is there any possible way I could say something that would equally apply to Akshay, to Max, to James, to Paige, to Lauren, to Heather, to Miracle? You’ve all danced to such different beats to get to this point, what makes me think I can formulate a one size fits all chat that will guide you through adulthood? Plus, I know that advice is almost always ignored. Whether it’s from your teachers, your friends, your parents, you rarely ever listen. We live in this world of affluence where most of us spend our days trying to fine tune our already near-perfect lives. Many of us then, in our search for improvement, have fallen into the trap of seeking out one of those pop psychology “Don’t sweat the small stuff” books that we hope might lead us to a semi-cathartic moment while reading in the lieu. But still nothing changes. Because the moment you step outside the classroom, the moment you’re away from the advice, and enter the fast-paced, emotionally-charged world of reality, your logical brain shuts down and you inevitably revert back to your default manner of dealing with the world. And that is why enlightened counsel, eloquent sermons, well-meaning advice never register more than a few moments when it goes against your wiring. So, tonight I can’t suggest how you should behave, but I can tell you that you must, you must figure out how you are wired. So, here’s what I’m going to do. Since it seems like our school exists in a world of online anonymous surveys and common assessments, I’m going to throw out at you one final questionnaire, let’s call it your final test as a high school student. And you’re going to have to do a little work, you’re gonna have to get a bit introspective, and figure out what makes you tick. Ralph Waldo Emerson once called this, this “what makes you tick” your iron string, and he argued each of us must find the tune to this iron string if you ever want a chance to flourish at this thing called life. So…let’s get started. Question #1: How will you know if your life is actually on track? How will you know how you’re wired? Do you even know now? I’d argue, you do already know now. We’ve all been given this pretty flawless barometer – and it’s called - sleep. How do you sleep? Do you fall right to sleep or when you put your head to pillow, does your mind immediately fill with the whisperings of regret, fear, insecurity, embarrassment? And once asleep, do you sleep through the night? Or is your night filled with punishing dreams or fits of tossing and turning? Now, some of you might have found ways to trick this sleep test by each night taking yourself past exhaustion, or maybe choosing the path of self-medication, or maybe evening listening to your Taylor Swift playlist until your eyelids started to close. So for all of you sleep cheaters, you Barry Bondses of the nocturnal world, your results will be doctored. But if you ever really want to find out how you’re doing, lay in bed at 9:00 and see what happens. If you sleep, you’re good to go. If not, you might want to keep listening. Question #2: Do you believe the goal in life is to obtain happiness or fulfillment? A few weeks back I got into an argument, I mean a discussion, about this topic with Mr. Hallam, Mr. Oms and Mr. Blacklaws. Turns out, I’m fulfilled, but rarely ever happy. Blacklaws is happy, but not fulfilled. Hallam believes the debate is a matter of semantics and that happiness and fulfillment are the same thing. And Oms has an unfair advantage because he’s Cuban which means he’s predisposed to be happy and fulfilled. But, even though those three are fairly intelligent human beings, they’re wrong. I’m right. You see, when fulfillment is your goal, you get to choose the criteria that will bring you inner peace – it can be the pursuit of respect, or love, or family, or service to others, or stability, or creativity. And if you want to choose happiness as your key to fulfillment, more power to you, but I for one don’t want to live in a world where everyone is pursuing happiness. You think the world cares if Barack Obama is happy? How about Jane Goodall? Steve Jobs? OK…let’s speed this up a bit. Question #3: Do you need to be cool? I gave up on coolness back in October 1998. It just wouldn’t take, and I found embracing my inner dork was a heck of a lot less effort than trying to be cool, and if the producers of Glee have their way, they might just convince the whole nation to embrace the true art of being a tool. Uh…and…there’s a pretty easy test for coolness. Basically, you go home, look in the mirror and say, “It’s Friday”. If, by chance, you come off sounding like our Dutch PE teacher Dr. Criens, coolness might be in your future, but for the rest of us mortals, we’ll all have to come to terms with the fact that our lives will be filled with a string of cringeworthingly awkward moments and ultimate fails. Question #4: Are you a whiner? Do you complain about stupid stuff? Here’s my own personal whining litmus test. I call it TTSWRTAP – the Total Time Spent Whining Ratio to Actual Problem Test – TTSWRTAP - or Tuhtisswratap for short. Yeah, I know, it has a catchy ring to it. I was thinking of maybe writing a book and going on the international school lecture circuit. Basically, here’s how Tuhtisswratap works. Do you spend more minutes whining about a problem than the minutes the problem actually impacts you? If so, could you stop? Please. Or at least alert us before the conversation, something like, “I don’t want to complain, but there’s this issue that only impacts about 2 minutes of my life, but I plan on wasting the next 15 minutes of your life. Is that OK?” Question #5: Let’s head into your personal lives for a bit. When you think about your getting married in 9.65 to 9.83 years, how will you treat your marriage? Will you follow the 3 A’s where only adultery, addiction or abuse will end your relationship? Or will you be OK agreeing to fall in and out of love with the same person until both of you hit the grave, or will you choose option c, where you will treat your marriage as your own personal episode of Jersey Shore? Now…hopefully you’ve noticed so far, I’m intentionally leaving out a lot of gray area in between my options, and it is between these extremes where you’ll find you’ll be making the majority of your decisions. Life exists in the grey area of decision making. And you also need to know that as your life situation changes, your answers to these questions will likewise change. In Self-Reliance, Emerson didn’t just speak of following your “iron string”, he also said, “Speak what you think now in hard words, and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict everything you said to-day.” Which leads me to… Question #6: When you know you’ve messed up? When you know you’ve erred? When you discover your original decision which was based on partial or inaccurate evidence has been proven wrong, what will you do? Will you admit your mistake, admit your humanity, and let logic be your guide, or will you hold fast to your error to avoid appearing fickle? Will you manipulate or cleverly interpret the evidence to justify your choice? I oftentimes worry less about those that conform to others, and more about those who conform to the ignorance of their past, all merely to maintain an appearance. How many relationships stall, how many corporations stagnate, how many people suffer because great men with great ideas remain enslaved to their prior selves? Are you OK realizing you are a work in progress and people will better trust you, better follow you, if you admit your mistakes and move forward? Question #7: Do you think life is ruled by randomness or is there a reason for everything? In his book aptly titled “Fooled by Randomness”, Nicholas Taleb argued that “the outline of our lives is continuously coaxed in new directions by a variety of random events that, along with our responses to them, determine our fate.” Others however in this room totally disagree. They believe that every event happens for a reason. I remember back when Andrew Hallam first found out he was sick, none of us knew what to think. It didn’t make sense. Sure, it’s OK if fat people get sick. Smokers, heavy drinkers, sun worshippers. It makes sense when they get sick. There’s a clear correlation. But Hallam. That guy’s like uber dude. At that moment I realized, most of us, when we hear bad news, we need to immediately find an explanation, something that makes the world make sense. It somehow comforts us that maybe then our own actions can shield us from the randomness of life. And maybe they can. I don’t know. Why do you think bad things happen to good people? Question #8…no wait a second, let me stop for a bit. Some of you right now are wondering how many of these questions does this guy have for us tonight. The truth is, a heck of a lot less than I had a month ago. You see, I’m an overthinking scribbler. Over the last six years, I’ve written down every possible life question I could think of on any piece of paper within reach – on the graduation programs from the last couple years, on June 8th of my father-in-laws Jewish calendar, on page 138, 139 and 140 of the Singapore Directory. I even filled up the Singapore Airlines blue air sickness bags, my daughter’s math homework, and even the margins of the June 2009 edition of Lady’s Home Journal (don’t ask). But when I finally started typing these up, I had 22 pages of ramblings, which would have kept us here for two-plus hours, at which time Mr. Norcott would be getting a bit antsy wondering how to politely remove me from the stage, and Harry would be considering what appropriate gift he could leave for me in a pair of shoes outside my classroom door. So, what you’re getting is the seriously abridged version, but you can do me a favor. On some random night in the future, either sitting in a dorm room chatting with your newbie friends, or on a date with Miss Thing, or maybe at one of the final meals you’ll share with your parents this summer, start asking for and throwing out some of your own personality defining questions. Do it for me. It’ll be fun. Trust me. OK…back to Question #8: How will you treat your body – as a temple or as a garbage dump? In about 3 ½ years, you will all peak. Your body will never look better and will never work as well. From there, you will get uglier and parts will start to erode or fall off. Except for Ms. Pong who is a freaky anomaly my mind just can’t figure out, all those people out there, man, they were all far cuter once upon a time. So you have proof right there in front of you. It will happen. But will you take advantage of your youth these next few years and possibly think more about what you can get out of your body than the cornucopia of college junk you’re right now planning on putting in it? Question #9: Do you need recognition? Do you need people to know your successes for you to be successful? Every year I’ve been to these celebrations, someone will stand up and talk about how we’ve all been to IASAS, we’ve been to Cultural Convention, we’ve excelled on the stage, in the classroom and on the sportsfields. You know what. You really haven’t. I looked at the yearbook, looked at each of you, and there were only 107 of you that actually represented your school in a way that you received some sort of public recognition. That means 161 of you never did. Are you not also the senior class? A few minutes ago, when you passed Ms. Molchin and Mr. Molly in their NASA approved head gear, and started walking down the aisle trying not to trip, do you think a single person in this room cared about your high school resume? No way. As each of you passed, all we could do is start flipping through the photo albums of memories stored in our noggins of the times each of you impacted our lives. You don’t have to be wearing colored ropes around your neck to have meant something to us. And for some of you, the public accolades just haven’t come yet. For some of you they have already come, but they might not come again for a long time, but for the majority of you, you will never, ever win a public award. Sometimes there can only be one captain of industry, one Congressman, one leader, one Lady Ga Gahh…but life will call on you, and you will be needed. You might be called on to sit at the bedside of an ailing spouse. You might be called on to make a batch of brownies for one of your school’s 2,642 bake sales. Or you might need to be the assistant coach for your kid’s soccer team where your sole job will be to ensure that little Johnny extracts his phalange from his nasal canal. As much as humanity needs the movers and shakers to forge a path, humanity also will need each of you to one day be the rock that offers support. And there’s a good chance you will never receive any recognition for your deed. Are you OK with that? Question #10: Do you realize how lucky you are? I don’t mean fortunate, I mean truly lucky. In the words of Andrew Hallam (a guy I seem to be mentioning a lot tonight), do you realize you’ve all pretty much won the ovarian lottery? Have you ever been driving down the CTE and seen one of those trucks full of day laborers sitting on plastic chairs, surviving a rain storm, only to bring home probably a few bucks a day? Did you ever ask yourself why they’re there and you’re here? My own kids have likewise inherited this world of opportunity, and I can only hope they continue to take advantage of it? Have you? Will you? Question #11: What kind of parent will you be? Will self esteem for your kid be earned or given? I believe, there’s only one way to truly feel good about yourself – basically, you stink at something, you practice, you still stink (but a little less this time), you practice some more, and then some day, in the far off future, you finally get it and feel good about yourself. That’s it. That’s how you get self-esteem. Be wary of those who have removed and who will continue to remove obstacles, because undoubtedly, artificial self-esteem is always merely temporary self-esteem. Question #12: How do you look at obstacles? In his book The Last Lecture, Professor Randy Pausch argued that “The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people!” So, when you can’t do something, when you fail the first time, will you merely give up and go in a new direction, or will you follow the advice of the famed philosopher poet Chumbawumba who proclaimed, “I get knocked down, then I get up again, no you’re never gonna keep me down. I get knocked down, then I get up again, no you’re never gonna keep me down.” Now, here’s a little story I wasn’t entirely sure I was going to share tonight. But after that whole Formspring experience, it seems like it’s become the season for sharing. Plus, I remembered my M.O. as a teacher. Anyone who’s sat through a class of mine knows that if I can find some sort of teachable moment through one of my failures or foibles, I won’t hesitate to go to the land of the overshare. So consider this your last Burnett random tangent. And then later that afternoon I played the SAS boys in a softball game, and at the end of the first game, I was pretty annoyed at myself for my pathetic hitting performance, and Will Norris turned to me and said, “Is that why you’re here? Seriously, is that why you come out?” I must not have been listening, because fate jumped up and kicked me in the buttocks. After playing a few more innings, I was jogging out to the field and my back seized up and I fell to the ground. Long story short, it turned out I had a herniated disc. Well, in what turned out to be, what several doctors would later call an “incidental finding”, it turned out I also luckily have a spinal tumor which currently sits about 2 mm away from embedding itself in my spinal cord. Lovely. Before I let your mind wander in an odd direction, let me assure you I’m fine. I’ve done all the tests, I don’t have the Big C, and I found out this week I’ll be able to have spinal surgery this summer to remove this little pea-sized annoyance. And compared to the truly scary life stuff my colleagues and the SAS community have faced this year, this is merely a tiny little roadblock, but I learned something through this process that takes me to question #13. Question #13: When obstacles hit, will you let them be all-consuming or will you practice selective denial? When I was in high school, my default reaction was hyperfixation on the negative to the point where I could not function. Whether it was my parents’ divorce or the fact that the puberty gods had yet shared their wondrous gifts, I paralyzed myself by fixating on the negative. I basically wasted by high school years. But then at a faculty meeting one day, I looked around and one by one, I realized that probably every single one of my colleagues has something they’re dealing with – it might be physical, emotional, or some demon from their past – but everyone has their own, yes this will sound quite cheesy, everyone has their own metaphoric tumors that could, and sometimes do, prevent them from moving forward. And…you younguns, my young paduans, you’ll all get yours at some point. No…you’re not all gonna get a tumor. Pay attention to the metaphor. But you might have even right now something that’s paralyzed your progress - an ex-boyfriend you can’t get over, or a family situation you can’t control, or some freak accident which threatens to take you off course. But I challenge you to truly consider the effectiveness of the all-consuming method of dealing with the problem versus the path of selective denial where you don’t forget about the issue, but you are able to move forward. I finally again chose selective denial and chose to unclick the pause button I’d put on my life. I mean, seriously, was I really going to alter my iron string, the way I’m wired, because of this potential inconvenience? I couldn’t. And then one day, I believe you might have been there, it was a day involving some suspect dance moves and a Vanilla Ice song, on that day, I got a bit of my jomo back, and then started putting my life back on track. And yes, sure, obviously today, when I’m out running around doing my wannabe weekend warrior routine, I look at things differently, and if Norris asked me again, “Is that why you come out and play” I’d have a different answer. And yes, I’m more concerned now with my kids being the ones that hit the home runs, not their aging dad. But, my wiring…that hasn’t changed…but I lost that month, and I can never get it back. So…selective denial I highly recommend. And this brings me to my final question – number 14. This is it. What are you going to do in a few minutes when you walk out that door? Will you find your friends or will you find your parents? One of the greatest honors bestowed on a parent is what I saw last year – Wyatt Guggisberg introduced his father on this same stage, and Mark got to hear something so few of us parents will ever hear from our children. None of you will have this venue to publicly declare your appreciation for the ones who helped put you here tonight. But you owe it to your parents to find some way in the coming months to recognize them. Recognize them for all those early years where your fevers, your sniffles and your broken appendages scared the ca caw out of them. Recognize them for those lovely adolescent years where you felt the need to showcase your blossoming argumentative skills as you vacillated between a dozen different hormone induced mood swings. Recognize them for greeting you at the airport after a week-long interim trip in which they went to bed each night worried for your safety. And recognize them for the fact that while you get to head off to a dorm filled with activity and newness, they’ll remain behind in the painful silence that will now fill their hallways. Oh…don’t get me wrong, many of your parents can’t wait to get you out the door, but even these who’ve earned a break, even these few who’ve counted the days till you leave, even they will have moments where their heart feels a bit empty….so recognize them. And lastly, for you graduates, I challenge you one last time to find and trust your iron string, for it will be these people, these ones who have figured out their wiring, it is they who will survive and flourish when the realities of life inevitably pop up and once again get in the way of the best-made plans. So thank you again for this incredible honor, and I wish all of you a lifetime of long, uninterrupted, sleep-filled nights. Thank you. Chris Chmelik—Student Speaker 2004 Sean McCabe-Student Speaker 2007 Priscilla Chan—National Anthem 2009 Priscilla Chan—Student Speaker 2009 Danielle Courtenay-Student Speaker 2010

On Friday, we reported that Marine Le Pen, daughter of convicted racist and anti-Semite Jean-Marie Le Pen, had endorsed a ban on religious headwear in public. She also called for bans on public prayer and access to kosher and halal food in schools. Le Pen, who netted nearly 18% of the vote in the French presidential elections back in April as the leader of the Front National Party, clarified her remarks over the weekend and, in doing so, only made herself more ridiculous than before. “Jewish skullcaps are obviously not a problem in our country,” she said, insisting nevertheless that France has to “ban them in the name of equality.” So because Muslim religious expression is causing the problems in France, according to Le Pen, this means that Jews ought to take one for the team and simply forsake their practice? She must have misspoken, there’s no way she really mean that, right? “What would people say if I had only asked to ban Muslim clothing? They would burn me as a Muslim hater.” Le Pen is picking a pretty horrific moment to trade on the divisions within her country, in Europe, and the world. While there is righteous frustration and anguish at the recent horrific violence perpetuated by Muslim fanatics (including the fire-bombing of a kosher grocery store in the suburbs of Paris last week), banning religious expression only gives the forces of extremism something it wants–an enemy that will fight on the same deranged, absolutist terms. To put the squeeze on freedoms only makes communities on the margins feel more hemmed in. And for European Jewish communities, which are already being subjected to alienating public discourse in the form of proposed bans on circumcision and ritual slaughter in places like Germany, The Netherlands, Scandinavia, and elsewhere, Le Pen is only narrowing the space between those who mean to do Jews real harm and those who simply don’t know better.

Good Friday is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of Passover. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Black Friday, or Easter Friday, though the latter properly refers to the Friday in Easter week. Based on the details of the Canonical gospels, the Crucifixion of Jesus was most likely to have been on a Friday (John 19:42). The estimated year of the Crucifixion is AD 33, by two different groups, and originally as AD 34 by Isaac Newton via the differences between the Biblical and Julian calendars and the crescent of the moon. A third method, using a completely different astronomical approach based on a lunar Crucifixion darkness and eclipse model (consistent with Apostle Peter‘s reference to a “moon of blood” in Acts 2:20), points to Friday, 3 April AD 33. According to the accounts in the Gospels, the Temple Guards, guided by Jesus’ disciple Judas Iscariot, arrested Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas received money (30 pieces of silver) (Matthew 26:14-16) for betraying Jesus and told the guards that whomever he kisses is the one they are to arrest. Following his arrest, Jesus was brought to the house of Annas, the father-in-law of the high priest, Caiaphas. There he was interrogated with little result and sent bound to Caiaphas the high priest where the Sanhedrin had assembled (John 18:1-24). Conflicting testimony against Jesus was brought forth by many witnesses, to which Jesus answered nothing. Finally the high priest adjured Jesus to respond under solemn oath, saying “I adjure you, by the Living God, to tell us, are you the Anointed One, the Son of God?” Jesus testified ambiguously, “You have said it, and in time you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty, coming on the clouds of Heaven.” The high priest condemned Jesus for blasphemy, and the Sanhedrin concurred with a sentence of death (Matthew 26:57-66). Peter, waiting in the courtyard, also denied Jesus three times to bystanders while the interrogations were proceeding just as Jesus had predicted. In the morning, the whole assembly brought Jesus to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate under charges of subverting the nation, opposing taxes to Caesar, and making himself a king (Luke 23:1-2). Pilate authorized the Jewish leaders to judge Jesus according to their own law and execute sentencing; however, the Jewish leaders replied that they were not allowed by the Romans to carry out a sentence of death (John 18:31). –Pilate questioned Jesus and told the assembly that there was no basis for sentencing. Upon learning that Jesus was from Galilee, Pilate referred the case to the ruler of Galilee, King Herod, who was in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. Herod questioned Jesus but received no answer; Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate. Pilate told the assembly that neither he nor Herod found guilt in Jesus; Pilate resolved to have Jesus whipped and released (Luke 23:3-16). Under the guidance of the chief priests, the crowd asked for Barabbas, who had been imprisoned for committing murder during an insurrection. Pilate asked what they would have him do with Jesus, and they demanded, “Crucify him” (Mark 15:6-14). Pilate’s wife had seen Jesus in a dream earlier that day, and she forewarned Pilate to “have nothing to do with this righteous man” (Matthew 27:19). Pilate had Jesus flogged and then brought him out to the crowd to release him. The chief priests informed Pilate of a new charge, demanding Jesus be sentenced to death “because he claimed to be God’s son.” This possibility filled Pilate with fear, and he brought Jesus back inside the palace and demanded to know from where he came (John 19:1-9). Coming before the crowd one last time, Pilate declared Jesus innocent and washed his own hands in water to show he has no part in this condemnation. Nevertheless, Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified in order to forestall a riot (Matthew 27:24-26) and ultimately to keep his job. The sentence written was “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” Jesus carried his cross to the site of execution (assisted by Simon of Cyrene), called the place of the Skull, or “Golgotha” in Hebrew and in Latin “Calvary”. There he was crucified along with two criminals (John 19:17-22). Jesus agonized on the cross for six hours. During his last 3 hours on the cross, from noon to 3 p.m., darkness fell over the whole land. With a loud cry, Jesus gave up his spirit. There was an earthquake, tombs broke open, and the curtain in the Temple was torn from top to bottom. The centurion on guard at the site of crucifixion declared, “Truly this was God’s Son!” (Matthew 27:45-54) Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin and secret follower of Jesus, who had not consented to his condemnation, goes to Pilate to request the body of Jesus (Luke 23:50-52). Another secret follower of Jesus and member of the Sanhedrin named Nicodemus brought about a hundred pound weight mixture of spices and helped wrap the body of Christ (John 19:39-40). Pilate asks confirmation from the centurion whether Jesus is dead (Mark 15:44). A soldier pierced the side of Jesus with a lance causing blood and water to flow out (John 19:34), and the centurion informs Pilate that Jesus is dead (Mark 15:45). Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus’ body, wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and placed it in his own new tomb that had been carved in the rock (Matthew 27:59-60) in a garden near the site of crucifixion. Nicodemus (John 3:1) also brought 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes, and placed them in the linen with the body, in keeping with Jewish burial customs (John 19:39-40). They rolled a large rock over the entrance of the tomb (Matthew 27:60). Then they returned home and rested, because Shabbat had begun at sunset (Luke 23:54-56). On the third day, Sunday, which is now known as Easter Sunday (or Pascha), Jesus rose from the dead.

As much as music is a universal thing, it is so subjective and relative such that to one person it may be music but to another person it may not be. This therefore complicates the whole issue of the origin of music, which most people speculate to be from those early ages, yet they cannot specially say the dates. In the same way, music is a depiction of art, emotions, culture and ideology of a specific society at a certain period and the styles of music, the sounds and the instruments that accompany it keep on evolving as the society evolves. The basic element of music, which is indispensable when people are dancing, is rhythm. Therefore, a dance is always accompanied by a certain rhythm that most probably guides the dancers’ styles and speed of body movement. This therefore means that music and dance are great partners from the early history of human life. In the corner of everyday life, there lurks music of all forms. For instance, any blow on objects like shell whistle, reeds, and bamboos produce some moan. To some extent, the wind also does that when in high speed, producing some kind of rhythm. However, the most outstanding the human voice that has the ability to delightfully go up and down at his/her will. There are several periods of historical music and how it evolved as discussed below. Beginning with pre-historic music, the earliest form of music was majorly based on natural instruments that were readily available in those days like sticks, rocks, hones, reeds among others. These simplest forms of music are assumed to be used when the people were performing religious ceremonies like animal sacrifice and others. However, there is no writing or notations of such kind of music but it can only be extrapolated from the music of native Africans and red Indians in America who still perform such kind of religious practices and embrace those ancient songs. The evolution of instruments of music was very slow but steady in the early years. However, it is suggested that the voice of man was probably the first instrument of music when he wanted to imitate the nature’s rhythm or to get along with the ancient rituals. This was followed steadily by the clapping of hands or heating two objects together just to supplement the rhythm of the voice. Ancient music is a name given to the music produced at the times when writing begun to develop among the humans. Therefore, the development of writing helped record musical practices and thus helping us know the invention of music notation system, and the record of the instruments of this period. The more elaborate form of early music can be traced to the civilization of the Greeks who drew much from the Egyptian and the Mesopotamian culture. Arguably, by the time of Greek’s emergence on the historical stage, these two ancient civilization had made several inventions of most musical instruments for families like strings, reeds, drums, flutes and brass. During this early period, music had basically two major roles in the society of man: entertainment and ceremony like social, religious or civic. The most popular instruments to the Greeks at this time were the aulos, which looked like a bow and the lyre, which looked like a harp. The view of Greek philosophers on music was that it was the harmony underlying the universe and some added an argument that music performance has an influence on the behavior of man. The knowledge of music in the bible if mostly referred to the culture and traditions of the Israelites. The music and religion Historian named Leckyer Herbert says that both vocal and instrumental music in the bible were cultivated among the Hebrews and it is evidenced in the writings of the bible. Therefore, the Old Testament is a revelation of the devotion of God’s people through the practice of music as it is held in the prophetic books of the bible. Even the prophets of the bible were themselves musicians like Miriam the prophetess took her tambourine during the Exodus and led the women in dance, song, and celebration for the Lord’s triumph over the Egyptians. King soul also comes to an encounter with prophets of the sanctuary who gave prophecies while accompanied by instruments. Additionally, the bible quotes Ezekiel the prophet as a person with a very beautiful voice played an instrument perfectly well. In the same way, King David performed religious music because he wrote the book of Psalms full of religious songs and messages that are sung up to date. The study of ancient biblical music has been majorly on the instruments of Israelites and Palestine. From the data of archeologists, it is clearly demonstrated that music was one of the basic things of life in the ancient Israeli community. This therefore means that even during the biblical times as it is recorded, music was used to communicate important messages apart from being used as a worship and entertainment. Moreover, it is during the Middle Ages that the tradition of western music begun due to the developments in the social and religious status in Europe. Due to the domination of the Catholic Church in this period, the most prevalent form of music was the sacred music. However, it was during the 12th century that organum music developed from sacred music and performed in Paris. There was a fluorescent of secular music by the French people and the period culminated until the genius western secular music was composed. The Christian church of this period derived their music styles and hymns from the already existing Jewish religion. In a certain time during the 9th century, the musicians’ theorists in the church tried a new style of music through experimentation when they simultaneously sang tow melodic lines in parallel intervals. Music also went through an era known as the renaissance period. In the renaissance period of music, the vocal type was more preferred as compared to the instrumental music. The instrumental music was not commonly applicable and hence there was scarcity of instruments. The composers of the songs in this era were writing music with a great aim of giving a clear meaning of their emotions. Music hence helped to pass important information to the community as well as illustrating the moods. This is what made the music during this period to emotional. The emotional part of the music is brought out by the accompaniment of the moods in the song. The sound of the music was quite high in this era. This came as a result of the involvement of the bass register in the composing of the song. Music by this time was gaining popularity. The main reason as to why music was gaining such popularity is the emergence of the printing press which assisted in circulating the music copies after composing. The number of music composers increased and people were now being taught on music techniques. Music composers were now found in many places like churches, towns, and court. This assisted in the growth of the church choir. Due to the growth of music, the music composers had gained high status in the community and attracted a better pay for their work. One of the ages of music was the Baroque age which consisted mainly of music which expressed one mood throughout the entire piece of the song. The mood was easily noticed through the musical expressions and behaviors of the composer. The mood was expressed through musical language. The music could be accompanied by varying emotions but all the emotions were just circulating on one type of mood. The main reason for the maintenance of a single mood is the availability of continuity of rhythm through the entire piece of the song. The baroque music had the terraced dynamics, which were clearly seen when the dynamics were maintained for a while, and then a sudden change in them is done. The demand for music had now gone high again and the music composers were to write many new songs, as the listeners were not interested in listening to that old music. The court musicians were most valued and paid more than those from the church. People usually became musicians more than those from the church did. People usually became musicians mainly through inheritance and apprenticeship. Children were really trained on the methods of composing music. Before one could become a musician, he or she was to pass certain tests. The music also went ahead to another level known as the classical period. At this age, music differed with the Baroque age in that it was accompanied by different moods. The moods of the music could be changing in a slow and well-defined manner or even a sudden change depending on the composer. In order to engage the audience involvement, the music was accompanied by crescendo as well as decrescendo styles. The piano was now commonly used because of its ability to change dynamics easily. The composers of this era started making control of their composing rather than composing songs as per the expectations of the people. There emerged rich class of people who played a role in enlarging the music sector. Many people were now interested in their children being taught music lessons in the schools. The other period of the music industry was romantic period. The romantic period was accompanied by different emotions of the different composers. Due to this reason every composer had a different and a unique style of performance. Being romantic, this kind of music was accompanied a lot of emotions. The music could usually be composed in two different styles. One of the styles is the nationalism. Nationalism saw the composers composing songs in the style of their homeland. The other style was the exoticism. This style was characterized by the composers composing songs to match foreign land. There mainly existed a type of music called the program music. This kind of music was composed to illustrate a certain event, story or a scene. One of the main program composers was Hector Berlioz. The composers used ranging dynamics which ran from pppp to ffff. The composers also introduced new instruments in their composing. One of the main instrument which was introduced was the piccolo. In this era, the composers ceased from being employed and started composing songs on their own base. Many homes were interested in music and purchased musical instruments mainly the piano. The music then went ahead to another step known as the twentieth century. In this era, the tone color was very crucial and many techniques were now applied. The composers of the songs used many percussive instruments. Some of these instruments which were used include the glissando as well as the down the scale. In this era, songs were composed with the exemption of the traditional tone system. The rhythmic patterns were expanded in this type of music. Different types of rhythms were combined in one song through the involvement of different sections of composers at a time. Music had now become very popular as a result of the available radio broadcasts, mass printing of music copies and recording. It was now easy for anyone to access music in an easy manner than before. It is in this era where women joined the music industry in large numbers. In conclusion, music has actually grown from a minor level to where it is now. It has passed through very many different eras with each era carrying its own characteristics. The musical instruments are seen to be growing from each era to the next. The music industry seems to be growing every now and then. As the time goes by, many people are seen to be interested in music matters. The music was advancing in style and performance from time to time. At the moment, music is still growing and there is room for advancement as well. This is what indicate that music is yet to advance and we should expect better music performance styles in the future.

C1124. MISSA SOLEMNIS, recorded 1928, w.Bruno Kittel Cond. Berlin Phil., Bruno Kittel Choir, w.Lotte Leonard, Emmy Land, Eleanor Schlosshauer-Reynolds, Anton Maria Topitz, Eugen Transky, Wilhelm Guttmann, Hermann Schey & Wilfred Hanke; Die Himmel Rühmen des Ewingen Ehre (both Beethoven). (Canada) 2-St Laurent Studio YSL 78-090. [A real discovery here is the contralto Eleanor Schlosshauer-Reynolds, glorious of voice and transcendent in musicality!] Transfers by Yves St Laurent. "The first recording of the MISSA SOLEMNIS was cut in 1928 by the Berlin Philharmonic led by Bruno Kittel on eleven Polydor 78s, interchanging a total of seven soloists througout the various movements. Kittel was known primarily as a choral director, and the excellence of his choir was acclaimed throughout Europe and preserved in two superb recordings of the Beethoven Ninth by Fried (also 1928) and Furtwängler (1943). Alas, left to his own devices, and as one of Hitler's favorite (and apparently compliant) musicians, his fame was tarnished by reportedly leading Nazi-commissioned and-themed works and by a 1941 Mozart REQUIEM recording in which he excised all possible references (Zion, Jerusalem) to the Jewish roots of Christianity. As would be expected, the choral singing is rich and forceful...." - Peter Gutmann, Classical Notes "[The] singers are all first-rate and include the soprano Lotte Leonard, one the most popular German concert performers of the period. Bruno Kittel's choir was one of the finest in the land." - Rob Cowan "Each of these disks, from Canadian engineer Yves St Laurent [feature] St Laurent's natural transfer - made without filtering, like all his dubbings - it is easy to listen to, despite the surface noise." - Tully Potter, CLASSICAL RECORD QUARTERLY, Summer, 2011

Tuesday, December 01, 2009 Seeking What is Already There Each of you should individually reduce entanglements and not talk about judgments of right and wrong. All of your activities everywhere transcend Buddhas and Masters, the water buffalo at the foot of the mountain is imbued with Buddhism; but as soon as you try to search, it's not there. Why do you not discern this? - Foyan (1067–1120) Labels: searching for the wrong things We have wild water buffalo's in Australia. They are the second most dangerous being after saltwater crocs. If Buddhism is a religion of peace - this makes the water buffalo an armed guardian. The most dangerous animal in North America is a deer grazing on the side of the road who flees into the road as a car approaches. Not mountain lions, not sharks, but deer. There's a lesson in there somewhere. As regards water buffalo, that sounds like the old Jewish aphorism of "Don't approach a horse from behind, a goat from the front, or a fool from any direction." Roos and wallabies helpfully jump through windshields while wombats have the mass and shape of a boulder on legs - making them all lethal on roads. Links to this post:

Written in August 2012 I have wanted to write this article for at least two years but so many “whys” were eluding me that it would not be fair to write something so incomplete about this great and special city. Even though 3-4 international colleagues that also practise Medieval Astrology wrote articles about this electional chart years ago, the reasons for me to be doing the same are the major and hidden clues that I was able to discover and about which no one has written so far and as those who can will see – these keys are precisely the reason why the construction of one’s of world’s largest cities began in exactly this moment and according to the Laws of Astrology. Also, and not least importantly, it is obvious that the time frame in which I was able to get to and comprehend this information is not just any other one, but one that marks a jubilee – 1250 years after the creation of this electional chart. Since other colleagues, whose work I respect, have already written some historical facts about Baghdad in their articles about this electional chart, I will add some others. And so: In 762 after traveling the length of the Tigris River and looking for the ideal site Abu Jafar al Mansur chose the terrain and some of the major reasons were because it was surrounded by palm trees, accessible from both the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers as well as to caravans from Syria and Egypt; the Persian Gulf was a route to the Byzantine Empire and even China by the sea. The caliph himself laid the first brick and a huge labor force of 100 000 was drawn together from various places. Within 8 years the city was completed. And it was Baghdad – known as “Dar es-Salaam”, the City of Peace. It developed rapidly into a vast emporium of trade linking Asia and the Mediterranean, and the by the reign of Al Mansur’s grandson, Harun ar-Rashid (786-809) – the caliph from Arabian Nights – surpassed even Constantinople in prosperity and size. Its administration had managed to harness the Tigris and Euphrates rivers for the cultivation of grains, and a brilliant system of canals, dikes and reservoirs drained the surrounding swamps. Immigrants of all kinds – Christians, Hindus, Persians, Zoroastrians, and so on – came from all over the Moslem world, and from lands as far away as India and Spain. Abu Jafar Al Mansur assigned the Astrology practitioners Naubacht, Masha’allah and Umar al Tabari – a Persian, an Arab Jew and another Persian – to astrologically elect a moment for the building of the new capital of the Arabian Halif – a city which would very soon become the world’s largest one. The year was 762 on July 31 at 2 pm and about 40 minutes. Chart analysis and context Chart calculated with Delphic Oracle software, the best program for traditional Astrology in the world. Looking at the chart through modern methods one would exclaim with indignation: “Were these astrologers crazy; how could they have elected such an awful chart: the Moon opposing Saturn, Mercury square Saturn, Mars opposition Jupiter, Mercury retrograde, Jupiter retrograde; the Sun is indeed strongest in Leo but why did they put it in the 8th House – the area of sex, transformation and the occult; why the rulers of the Asc and MC are retrograde, given that this is chart for a royal capital. Some would even consider this so called T square between the Moon, Saturn and the Lunar Nodes. And someone practicing the so called “esoteric” Astrology would undoubtedly ask themselves why those people left Venus in Cancer when 3 days earlier it had been in the sign of its rulership – Gemini. Medieval Astrology does not start with chart analysis but with a deep mundane one of the situation. I will not be making such because it would take pages without even starting with the chart itself, and I also lack a lot of historical information. Still and in а nutshell, what was to be the mundane/worldly fate of this region, which in itself requires examining large cycles of hundreds of years forwards into the future, what is the individual fate of the caliph himself meaning first of all what does his own natal chart reveal, i.e. what is his natal promise and how that fits into the mundane charts. From the few articles written by colleagues practicing Medieval Astrology not only does no one of them examine this, but they don’t even mention it and it is primary. There are a lot extenuating circumstances: the time interval for the electional chart must be known and as pointed by others, we don’t have it, unlike the one elected by John Dee for Queen Elizabeth I – in other words the three practitioners might have had weeks, months or years; we don’t know for sure why these configurations were chosen when in some cases there are possibly better ones, therefore a lot of information is missing, which makes reading this chart extremely difficult, at least in the depth that it deserves. Also, there is doubt for the time of this chart. The Asc is known for certain and that the predominant consent is that Jupiter, the ruler of the rising Sagittarius, is conjunct it. And not least of all, of all the practitioners that wrote articles about this electional chart or at least of all of those I know of and have read, they used the Tropical Zodiac without second thought, that is, the one based not what is happening in the sky but on the seasons and the path of the Sun/the ecliptic. Only that there is solid proof that the original Arabic practitioners used the Sidereal Zodiac – the one based on the stars and showing with a greater precision what is happening up on the physical sky. I myself have always used the Tropical Zodiac and I am extremely satisfied with the results which it gives, but since this electional chart is a priceless work of Art, it deserves to be examined, at least briefly, with the Sidereal Zodiac as well. Since the year was only 762 the precession had moved the spring equinox point only by 6 degrees and a half, so in other words the differences do not seem to be that major. Still, the only way to now for sure which Zodiac was used is for one to travel back in time or to find a source about it. What I, however, was able to discover and will share definitely shows that, done with the Tropical Zodiac, this chart is not only stronger but more relevant. And so: this chart examined in the right way – in the other words, in the way the three masters made it – seems, of course, totally different from the analysis given by modern Astrology, which as always is seriously flawed and not only does it use cut off leftovers from the ancient Astrology but it distorts the fundament of this Art. And this is because the Moon is not opposed to Saturn as the signs Taurus and Libra are in aversion to one another and nothing in Taurus can see/aspect anything in Libra; Mercury is not in square to Saturn because signs of the same gender – in this case female, are not in square but in sextile; the Sun is not in the 8th House but in the 9th, both in quadrant and whole sign because every planet that is 5 degrees before the cusp of the next House is considered to be in that House already, as long as it is in the same sign as the cusp itself. The 8th House has nothing whatsoever to do with sex, transformations and the occult. Jupiter, as the ruler of the Asc and IC, is not retrograde but in his second station – which is a huge difference. Mercury as ruler of the MC and DSC will become stationary direct in less than 20 hours, which is again a huge difference. The Lunar Nodes are not real astronomical bodies and they do not possess light; therefore they do not cast aspects and are only examined when only in conjunction, i.e. the T square does not exist as well as because of this and for the already explained fact that signs of the same gender (in this case Capricorn, Cancer and Taurus) cannot form square aspects. Also, the so called “esoteric” Astrology is complete thrash and a trap in no other serious system, confirmed by centuries of tradition, is it said that Venus rules Gemini. Even though I am coming to my analysis of this chart with a dose of confidence, there are so many “whys” that no matter what is written, it will be incomplete. Only if I’d want to, I could easily write 40-50 pages analysis on this chart and I would cover only a few of the variations – so complex can be Astrology when used with the necessary knowledge and understanding. And precisely because there is a shortage of information, I will not be examining the whole chart but will focus only on the key factors and the reason for this is that I do not want to guess but to write what took me years to find out and of what I am pretty certain. And so with the reminding that we do not have the caliph’s natal chart and thus key information is missing, a chart has to be elected for a royal person and for a city which will be one of the most powerful in the world; therefore royal signs are needed in key positions as well as fixed stars and/or fixed signs. We want power, reputation and visibility, in other words, the chart has to be diurnal. Even though we do not know the time frame with which the three masters worked, it is well known that it is better to have the benefics stronger and more prominent and moreover – to exist an analogy between the nature of the significators and the matter for which an election is made. What is looked for, among other things, is greatness, power, success, longevity, leadership, splendour, peace, justice, God, mercy, wisdom, wealth, alliances with great leaders – in other words the Sun and Jupiter in their best state. Since we do not have the chart of the caliph, we need another chart which will help root this election. I dare not use the last Jupiter-Saturn conjunction (December 10 749 5.47 am) because they did not calculate it the way we do, so I will ignore that computed exactly (which they did not do) it has the same Ascendant as the one of the election chart. In the Aries ingress of 762 however, I notice that Mercury is the planet that is in absolutely horrible state (combust, retrograde, oriental, in detriment and fall in the terms of a malefic) and considering that Jupiter is retrograde but in its diurnal sign where it rejoices and that it spends almost 1 year in each sign, therefore this horizontal axis is very fitting for the election, provided that Juptiter’s retrogradation ends soon, we have the time to wait for this, Mercury continues to be in that horrible state (because it will represent the open enemies of Baghdad which will be extremely debilitated) and we can add fixed stars, strengthen the Lights and the Lot of Fortune and hopefully the syzygy chart is not that bad, we will definitely have very bright prospects for a strong mundane election. So forwarding ahead, because I lack information as said many times and so will not be looking at other potential syzygy charts, I see that in the syzygy chart (5.21 Leo), the dispositor of the conjunctional syzygy is the Sun, in the 4th, separating from the superior square of malefic Saturn, going to square Fortune and then trine benefic retrograde Jupiter which receives it by triplicity and face and of course receives the other Light as well which also squares Fortune but is its dispositor by exaltation. So we have a strong syzygy chart which is excellent for the election. Also, Mercury is again combust, retrograde, oriental, in the terms of a malefic and this time received (dependent on) by Jupiter and also conjunct the Tail of the Dragon. Yes, the Sun is also conjunct the South Node but it is past it by 7 degrees and is moving away from it and by the time of the election chart it will be past the 12 degrees from it while Mercury will stand there for a while. Yes, Jupiter is in the malefic 8th House but at least it has dignity by sign and triplicity and term and the Lights are separating from the right square of Saturn and the Sun rules the day of the syzygy chart and as we will see – Jupiter rules the hour of the election chart – thus we have the two most important planets both in their domiciles and also in triplicity and term and ruling the day and hour. Here comes key one and something that has not been written about by anybody, as far as this chart is concerned. All the practitioners that have analyzed it so far rightly point out with perplexity that the ruler of the 10th House, which represents the King, is Mercury which is extremely debilitated: under the Suns beams, conjunct the Tail of the Dragon, just retrograde and in the malefic House of death. Some even wonder whether the three people who elected the chart were not trying to limit the caliph’s power by securing their influence with this powerful 9th House Sun in the area of God, wisdom, philosophy and sciences (Astrology is also ruled by the 9th House). Actually the truth is very different. Robert Schmidt has said more than once in his seminars that in the Arab civilization the King is not represented by the 10th House but by the 9th. Why? Because this is a cultural consequence, the reason for it being that it is God who has priority over power, in other words, the 10th House does not command the 9th but it is the other way around – through God, through Knowledge we are goaded to act wisely. Not knowing this distinction totally distorts the reading of the chart! So instead we have the Sun in its own sign and triplicity, in the royal sign of Leo, in a day chart, in the House of the King, God, religion, wisdom, higher knowledge – in other words, 100% analogy between the natural significations of a planet and the goal that is trying to be achieved with this chart – the most powerful combination in this Science. Moreover, the Sun is not only unafflicted by the malefics but separates from the trine of the Asc ruler Jupiter which is one of its own signs, the royal one – Sagittarius and casts a ray to a degree pre-ascending the sect Light and as such serves as its bodyguard Type I according to Antiochus. The Sun is also bodyguarded by Mars, only from Type III from Antiochus and Mars is contradoryphory because it is against the sect but still this is better to be such than not to be and/or to harm the Sun. Whether Saturn is also bodyguard from Type III is debatable and so I will skip it because there are disagreements about how many degrees a bodyguard can be distant from the Sun in order to meet the criteria. Otherwise, Saturn is of the sect of the chart, which somewhat mitigates its malefic significations and furthermore it is received by a benefic. And as if that were not enough for this very powerful Sun, it is conjunct the Heart of the Lion – the royal star Regulus, which has a Jupiter-Mars nature and which when conjunct the Sun Vivian Robson writes that it gives: “Power, authority, great influence over friends, honor and riches, but violence, trouble and ultimate disgrace and ruin, sickness, fevers, benefits seldom last. I come to the Asc and its ruler. Based on the fact that we want the 9th House to be as fortified as possible and the chart to be diurnal, we cannot have another combination as far as the royal signs are concerned. In other words, if we put the Sun in the Asc, even if above the horizon, Aries becomes the 9th ruled by the malefic Mars which would be peregrine and even contrary to the sect, and also thus Sagittarius will be the 5th and Jupiter there, which does not do the job. If we put Aries in the Asc, Leo is the 5th and Sagittarius the 9th but the Sun will be below the horizon and Aries is the primary/primeval, you if like, sign and does not accord well at all with the intention Baghdad to be called the City of Peace. In addition to this, knowing that Jupiter lingers almost an year in a given sign and again I repeat that we do not know the time frame which they had to elect this chart, they saw that Jupiter is/will be in Sagittarius for a while so they waited for the Sun to enter Leo and thus the 9th House from Sagittarius – the area of the King and God. But all this in itself is not enough because we have 5 more planets, 10 Houses, aspects, fixed stars, antiscia, the Tail and Head of the Dragon, the Lot of Fortune and others and, as I said, the variations of all these factors combined are infinite. And so, the Sun is in Hayz, Jupiter also possibly, or at least in Halb and it its own sign and terms, why choose it when stationary and why when receiving this horrible opposition from the out of sect malefic Mars? And here comes the incredible complexity and greatness of this Science – if we move Jupiter 3 days ahead, it will have gone direct and Mars would have barely separated from its the opposition to it; the Moon would be applying to the body Jupiter in the Asc but after that to Mars which is unacceptable; if we move forwards by 4 days the Moon would have separated from this opposition and would still be in the Asc but would lose you will see what; Mercury would have gone direct and thus strengthened and it represents the open enemies of Baghdad which is not desirable at all if it can be avoided, and plus the contact with a very important fixed star will possibly be lost. It just does not make any sense to allow this opposition from Mars (and on top of that with reception by detriment) because it shows wars, plundering, rapes, fires, destruction or theft of books and important artifacts etc. And as a matter that is what exactly happened and the city was devastated more than once, the most serious of which happened in 1258 by the Mongols when they slaughtered most of the city’s population. So I again dwell on one of the things that the three practitioners were concentrating on when electing the chart – longevity. The royal and double-bodied sign Sagittarius shows greatness and authority and because it is mutable – something that is done and then undone and then again – the city is built and then destroyed, built and then destroyed. Of course the most benefic of planets – Jupiter, guarantees that because it is in its own sign and rules the 4th House of building and the end of the matter. So where does longevity come from, and note that not human longevity is sought for here but mundane one, lasting for many centuries and why not millennia. There is no fixed star on the Asc which promises this longevity. What remains then? Key two: I came across an ancient text which says that: “A thing will be lasting, whether good or bad, when the significator of the matter is stationary and in an angle, but it will last only a little while if the significator is retrograde and cadent from the angles.” Ahaa! What greater longevity than the Greater benefic Jupiter, in its own rejoicing sign, in its terms, conjunct the Asc, which is an angular House, receiving the Sun and in its second station! Yes, Mars/wars will destroy the city, and more than once because it is in a double-bodied sign, but here comes the great foresight of the three masters who elected this chart. Because as I said in the beginning, the context of the situation is absolutely crucial, i.e. the geographical position of the place, the time period, the religion, the laws, the type of population etc, etc. In other words, here comes the Big picture and Jupiter is the planet of the Big picture and wisdom not by any chance. Where am I going with this? Would anybody dare say that no matter what chart was elected, Baghdad would not be destroyed some day? Because that would be a narrow-minded view due to the fact that it concerns mundane Astrology; in other words, even if the most powerful chart is chosen, some Empire will someday be stronger and it is a fact that all Empires sooner of later collapse. And I again point out how absolutely vital Astrology’s role is in world history. What I mean is that as the Arabs used the Queen of all sciences, so did other peoples and rulers did and still do. When Marco Polo returned from his travels he wrote that there were 5000 astrologers in the court of Kublay Khan (whose Empire is the largest at least in human recorded history). In 1583 when Matteo Ricci, the famour Jesuit astronomer, traveled to Beijing, China he was told that it was a capital crime to study mathematics as used in astrological computations without the emperor’s leave. In other words, the Empire of the Mongols would destroy Baghdad with its incredibly strong electional chart. Why? Because that is Fate and how events are supposed to play out and because nothing happens by accident the very fact that Baghad is situated in Asia, which is the largest continent, and it was almost totally controlled by the Empire of the Mongols, this means that even if there were countries or cities with stronger electional charts than the one of Baghdad, they too suffered the same fate as it and at a certain moment all those regional charts became subordinate to the chart of the Empire of the Mongols. And I claim and am certain of it (as is seen for example from Abu Mashar who although lived in the next century made predictions for hundreds and thousands of years ahead) that the three masters who elected Baghdad’s chart knew this would happen and were looking for a way to preserve Baghdad and its Spirit. And the only way is through key two, that is, Jupiter as the elected Asc ruler, in its own royal sign in second station conjunct the Asc and whatever other external factors that this elected position entails (in this case the opposition of Mars which receives Jupiter is his detrment), given the fact that there is no longevity giving fixed star in the Asc and we want to preserve the Sun on Regulus and a host of other factors I will be looking into. It is extremely important that Jupiter is making a phasis within 7 days of the chart because that strengthens its role in this chart, and furthermore it is a superior planet. This makes it stand out and draw attention. Also, even though it does not rise above 30 degrees North, it deserves to be mentioned that at the moment of rising, the 12th brightest star in the sky – Acrux in the constellation of Centaurus, sets and a minute later Jupiter rises. Acrux gives: “religions beneficence, ceremonial, justice, magic and mystery”. All too fittingly this star has the nature of the benefics Jupiter and Venus. I also find this to be a synchronicity that 3 practitioners elected the chart of Baghdad, Jupiter is the ruler of the Asc and in numerology it rules the number 3. The Moon, as the natural significator of the people, is in the 11th House of friends and alliances. It is fittingly chosen to be waxing because the Empire has to grow and evolve. Also, it is highly positive that by signifying Baghdad’s friends and alliances, it rules the domicile where Mercury is placed, and the latter shows Baghdad’s open enemies – in other words, the latter depend on and are under the control of Baghdad’s allies. The Moon’s zodiacal position leaves one somewhat perplexed. Why does she not form any applying aspects, which is a sort of an impediment; why is she in the Via Combusta, which must be avoided? Key three: the Lunar Mansions which are extremely important in electional Astrology as well as in Magic. Of course, I am using the Tropical Zodiac and this is an Arabian chart, so the 28 Mansions of the Moon and not the 27 sidereal ones used in India. And so, the Moon falls in the 14th Mansion (24 Libra to 4 Scorpio) and in elections some of the things the Picatrix says about this 14th Mansion are: “ In this Mansion make images for….the benefit of kings so that they have good and ascend to their reign…and for the friendship of allies.”. Ahaaa, again! And if that were not enough here is one more reason: although the Moon could have been in the first 3 degrees of Scorpio, at least in theory while they were examining initially the various time frames, although it would have been in fall (which is absolutely out of the question) but still in that same 14th Mansion, it would have been much more dangerous due to her latitude. Because the Moon is in the middle between the Head and Tail of the Dragon, i.e. with its maximum latitude of 5, in this time southern, and an aphorism states that: “Do not begin anything concerning building while Luna is southerly, descending in Scorpio or Pisces for this quickly destroys such a building. Also, it is extremely positive that the Moon is in mutual reception by domicile with Venus, even though the aspect is by sign only. This is because Venus is the Lesser benefic, is not afflicted, and has dignity by triplicity. Mercury ruling the 7th House of open enemies and the 10th, is fittingly as debilitated as possible – barely retrograde, conjunct the Tail of the Dragon which sucks it dry, under the Sun’s beams, even oriental, in the malefic House of death and debts and in aversion to its own 7th House and is received by exaltation and thus dependent on the ruler of the Asc – Jupiter, which represents Baghdad. This makes Mercury a total accidental malefic and extremely uncapable of realizing its significations. Yes, Mercury also turns direct and is making a phasis within the next 7 days but it is so much so afflicted that even this phasis (heliacal rising) cannot help it much. Venus is in the 7th House but in the 8th sign and she has dignity by triplicity and is received by Jupiter. I dare not write about it as I do not know what House system was used for this election, but still if it is a quadrant one despite the destruction and badness of Mars, as the centuries progress Venus will take on the primary functions of the House of open enemies and the fact that it is a benefic and received by Jupiter is extremely positive for Baghdad. But it is more likely that the election was made using Whole Sign Houses and Venus would fall in the 8th. One sees that Venus receives Saturn by domicile and separated from a sextile with it and Venus represents islam and Saturn judaism. The positive aspect between them shows the good reception and understanding the Jewish get from the Arabian Halifat. That which is perhaps more important – Venus receives Saturn and controls Saturn – islam is in the stronger position in this situation and judaism is dependent on it and its help! Saturn is of the sect of the chart but is peregrine in the 5th House but in the 6th sign, which makes it very weak but it is good that it is at least received by a benefic. Still, it rules the 2nd and 3rd Houses – the wealth, education and infrastructure of Baghdad. Saturn’s own weak state is compensated to a great extent in that the Head of the Dragon is in the 2nd House of wealth and thus magnifies it (accordingly the Tail of the Dragon is in the 8th – the 2nd of the 7th – the enemies’ wealth and it sucks it dry) and Fortune is in the 3rd House of education and infrastructure. Saturn is also in the 4th from Fortune (which strengthens it accidentally) thus we have a double signification here: a great part of Baghdad’s wealth will come from agriculture, building, taxes, things that are old and stand the test of time etc. In addition to this, Jupiter as the natural ruler of wealth is in the 11th from Fortune which shows how one earns wealth and in this case this wealth is absolutely huge but due to the opposition of Mars (in a humane sign) there will be great losses and expenses due to war, theft and plundering. The Sun is also angular from Fortune, which is great. One must not miss the triplicity rulers of the Asc and of the sect Light which in this case are the same because they are in the same element – fire. So we have the Sun, which although cadent is in the House of the election and it happens to be its place of joy, it is incredibly dignified, unafflicted and angular from Fortune. Then we have Jupiter, in its rejoicing domicile, in term, receives the Sun by triplicity and face, afflicted by the opposition of Mars but also in second station and turning direct in two days. And lastly, and also because it is an Arabian chart, we have Saturn which is indeed weak, in the 5th House but 6th sign, but is at least oriental, received by a benefic, of the sect and angular from Fortune. One more thing draws the attention – note how the Asc, Jupiter, Saturn (it is of the sect after all and a possible bodyguard to the Sun), the Sun and the Moon are in the terms of benefics (I am not counting Mars because it afflicts Jupiter) while only Mercury and Venus are in the terms of malefics and fittingly the Messenger signifies the enemies of Baghdad, while Venus is unafflicted and has dignity by triplicity, and is a benefic after all. Looking at the chart in the Sidereal Zodiac and the Krishnamurti ayanamsha, we have only a few differences but they are significant. There is only one which is in slight favour of the Sidereal and there are three strong ones which are in favour of the chart having been elected with the Tropical Zodiac. So, in the Sidereal Zodiac the syzygy is in Cancer (I will not show the chart here, but using the comparison between the two charts just substract 6.5 degrees and you will end up at 28.49 Cancer for the conjunctional sidereal SAN) where the Sun is peregrine and very weak and the syzygy (SAN) is in the terms of a malefic and even though the Moon is in its own domicile it plays a third-rate role in this chart. Also, the Moon is no longer in the 14th Lunar Mansion but in the 15th Mansion of the Constellations and this Mansion has nothing to do with kings, building and allies in the sense that is sought for in this electional chart: in electing for the 15th Mansion of the Moon according to the Constellations: “make images to….place discord between friends and allies, to scatter enemies from your area, and for the destruction of the houses of your enemies.” Moreover, the Moon will have already entered the 15th Mansion, i.e. it will be in the second half of the Zodiac and as we are building, it is far more desirable to have it in the first one. Also, the Moon applies to the opposition of Saturn which is in fall in Aries which is an extremely serious affliction. Yes, Saturn receives the Moon but afflicted planets cannot receive and even if there are some indications of perfection at the very start then everything is falls apart. If the Moon is afflicted the sources are unanimous that it must be made cadent and her applications to be limited, and she is placed in the most fortunate House, which is a contradiction in itself. Yes, after that the Moon goes to trine Venus which receives it as by domicile but I would not say that this is a more positive indication than the Tropical chart where both are in mutual reception by domicile, albeit with a sign aspect and Venus has dignity by triplicity, while in this case both planets are peregrine. The only indication of this chart having been done sidereally is that compared to the tropical one, Venus is in the 7th both by quadrant and by whole sign, in other words, it definitely follows Mars in the 7th House. The goodness of this placement is seriously lessened, if not completely removed, due to the fact that then Saturn (judaism) would be in Aries – the detriment of Venus (islam), which is extremely unfortunate as far as religious tolerance and co-habitation is concerned and shows loathing, suppression and aggression done by the followers of judaism, and although then Saturn would be in the 5th both by division and whole signs, it would lose its angular position from the Lot of Fortune. This covers to a large extent what I wanted to say about this chart and I wrote it with a great satisfaction, least of all not only because I have a weak spot for this time period and region but because, and this must be known even by the people who practice modern Astrology, that if it were not for the Arabs there would be no Astrology, no philosophy and no science in Europe. In conclusion, I would like to provoke the ones who practice mundane Astrology and to draw their attention to the USA chart and to compare it with the 7th House of Baghdad and, in order to not by that cryptic, which planets aspect by antiscion the ruler of the Asc of the USA and how this is related to the 2003-2011 period and the subsequent events. Also, since Regulus left Leo and ingressed in Virgo in 2011-2012, what this entails for Baghdad in the coming centuries. A short passage from the best book ever written about the history of Astrology – page 62-63 of Benson Bobrick’s Fated Sky. Anyone who is interested in or practices this Science must have this book. Definitions and Foundations translated by Robert Schmidt 2009, page 247. Actually, following strictly the definition, this is not spear-bearing Type I because the Sun has to be angular but I am counting this as spear-bearing/bodyguarding because the Sun is in the House of its joy and angular relative to Fortune, and Jupiter is angular. Same book, page 260. Again, this does not meet the criteria 100% because Mars is not in the Asc or MC but I am counting it as such because it is simply in another angle (the Dsc). Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Vivian Robson, 1923, page 196. It is said that Alexander the Great’s birth was deliberately delayed so that he would appear in this world exactly on Regulus. The Fated Sky pages 83 Same book, page 101 Speaking not in an astrological way Inventing and not discovering 40 more constellations is not only unnecessary and senseless but dangerous and shows the ignorance with which people operated after Astrology was pushed aside and the majority of people’s worldview changed towards materialism. Because otherwise they would have kept the knowledge of the Archetype of the Cosmos and the Eternal Truth and Wisdom encoded in the constellations (for more see the Sabaeans of Harran). Therefore there are not any and cannot exist other constellations except the original 48=12= a holy number and the star Acrux is in the Centaurus and not in the Cross. This is a very very big mistake. I even dare say equally big as the one of paying extraordinary attention to the 3 outer planets and that (without any ground) claiming that they rule signs. Robson, page 112 Christopher Warnock – The Mansions of the Moon, page 82 According to Hermes Centiloquy XIII this refers to the Moon’s latitude being southerly and becoming more so while in these signs. The 15th Mansion precessed for the year 2000 falls between 4 and 15 degrees of Scorpio. To calculate it for 762 we subtract 762 from 2000 and get 1238 which we divide by 72 and get 17.19 degrees which we subtract from 4-15 Scorpio and so the 15th Mansion of the Moon according to the Constellations for the year 762 was between 17-28 Libra and the Moon is at 21 Libra in the sidereal chart. Warnock page 85 Published on August the 4th 2012 at 2.40 pm Baghdad time; Saturn day Saturn hour

Reasoning Together: A Conversation About Homosexualiy / by Ted Grimsrud and Mark Thiessen Nation Reviewed by Nathan Hobby, An Anabaptist in Perth blog, 4/18/11 Reasoning Together brings two Mennonite theologians, Ted Grimsrud and Mark Thiessen Nation, into dialogue on an issue they disagree over – homosexuality. For Nation, the Bible’s witness on the issue is clear: homosexual acts are sinful; sex should only occur in the context of marriage between a man and a woman. For Grimsrud, to follow Jesus means to be on the side of the liberation of the oppressed – including homosexuals. This means the burden of proof is placed on the other side to prove that homosexual sex within the context of a same-sex marriage is wrong. For a number of reasons, he believe this burden is not discharged – particularly, the few passages which talk of homosexuality do not envisage homosexuality as an orientation nor do they refer to same-sex marriage. The conversation moves around a lot, returning to several key points which are never fully resolved as the two writers respond to each others’ cases. How are we to conceptualise homosexuality? The contrast between the metaphors Nation and Grimsrud use is central to the debate. Aware of the offence it will cause – and pained by it – Nation conceptualises homosexuality as a disability, like blindness. For him, it is something that means a person is not functioning as fully as they should be. In response, Grimsrud believes a better metaphor is left-handedness, which was once thought to be a disability, but is now seen as a neutral trait, present in a significant minority of the population. For Grimsrud, homosexual acts are not inherently sinful – they are only sinful if practised outside a same sex marriage. A number of times he states that he does not believe Nation has made a case for the inherent sinfulness of homosexual sex. The two interpret Jesus’ silence on homosexuality in opposite ways. Does it mean that Jesus endorsed the Jewish status quo, regarding homosexual acts as sinful? In this view, it was a presumption that didn’t even need mentioning. Or does his silence mean that we shouldn’t prohibit what he did not prohibit? The opening chapter of the book is an excellent and evenhanded survey by Grismrud of the ‘restrictive’ and ‘inclusive’ cases within Christian ethics. Both writers also supply an annotated bibliography listing what they see as the key resources. While always respectful, each of them seem frustrated with the other at different points. Perhaps this means they are being honest. On a number of points, they are just not even able to arrive at a common definition from which they can depart. Nation thinks Grimsrud overstates the importance of hospitality in the biblical narrative – it is not the only emphasis. Grimsrud thinks Nation fails to prove the inherent sinfulness of all homosexual acts. Nation thinks the meaning of the scriptures is essentially settled and inclusivists like Grimsrud are trying to avoid the obvious. The book sums up the present debate well from an Anabaptist perspective, and shows what a divisive and difficult issue it is, while also offering an example of respectful if robust conversation.

Religion in Greece Religion in Greece is dominated by the Greek Orthodox Church, which is within the larger communion of the Eastern Orthodox Church. It represented 90% of the total population in 2015 and is constitutionally recognized as the "prevailing religion" of Greece. Religions with smaller numbers of followers include Islam (comprising 2% of the population), Catholicism (comprising less than 1% of the population), Evangelicalism, Hellenic Paganism, Sikhism and Hinduism. Also a small number of Greek Atheists exists, not self-identifying as religious. Religion is key part of identity for most Greeks, with 76% of Greeks in a 2015-17 survey saying that their nationality is defined by Christianity. Statistics on metaphysics and worldview, do not concern narrowly only the hyponym religion.[clarification needed] As of 2015, 93% of the population of Greece were Christians. The Greek Orthodox Church, a member of the Eastern Orthodox Communion, is accorded the status of "prevailing religion" in Greece's constitution, and Greece is the only country in the world where an Eastern Orthodox Church is clearly recognized as a state religion. Since 1850, Greek Orthodoxy within Greece is handled by the Church of Greece. Its members comprise between 88% and 95-98% of the population, the most recent Pew report gave a percentage of 90% as 2015 numbers. The status of the Orthodox church as the "prevailing religion" is largely based on the role the church played for the preservation of the Greek nation through the years of the Ottoman Empire but also for the role the church played in the Greek War of Independence. As a result, many[who?] attribute to the modern Greek nation an ethnoreligious identity. Furthermore, the mainstream Orthodox clergy's salaries and pensions are paid for by the State at rates comparable to those of teachers. All Greek students in primary and secondary schools in Greece attend Christian Orthodox instruction, although there is an exemption system for students who do not want to attend, as long as the exemption is requested by both parents. In addition, the Constitution prohibits proselytism from other religions. Roman Catholic Greeks number approximately 50,000 and are found all over Greece; the majority, however, live in the Cyclades and the Ionian Islands. The presence of Catholics in the Greek islands is mostly a heritage from the time of the Venetian domination from the Middle Ages. The Catholic community has increased in size in recent years due to immigration and today number over 200,000. Protestants, including Greek Evangelical Church and Free Evangelical Churches, stand at about 30,000. The Free Apostolic Church of the Pentecost was founded by Dr. Leonidas Feggos in 1965. The official church, Eastern Orthodox, and the State reluctantly gave permission for Pentecostal churches to operate legally. The process of receiving permission from the Ministry of Education and Religion to operate as a church is becoming easier. Assemblies of God, the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel and other Pentecostal churches of the Greek Synod of Apostolic Church have 12,000 members. The Independent Free Apostolic Church of Pentecost is the biggest Protestant denomination in Greece with 120 churches. There are no official statistics about Free Apostolic Church of Pentecost, but the Orthodox Church estimates the followers at 20,000. The presence of Armenians in Greece dates back centuries (from the Byzantine period), when Armenians settled in Thessalia, Macedonia, Thrace and the islands of Crete and Corfu for various reasons such as war or business. The Armenians in Greece acquired the character of a community after the 1920s, when 70,000 to 80,000 survivors of the Armenian Genocide fled to Greece. Today, emigration to North America has diminished the Armenian population of Greece. The number now counts for roughly 20,000-35,000 Greco-Armenians. Hellenic ethnic religion Some thousands people are members of the Supreme Council of Ethnic Hellenes, the foremost organisation of Hellenic ethnic religion. Over 100,000 people are "sympathisers". On 9 April 2017 the Hellenic ethnic religion was officially recognized by the Greek state. The Jewish community in Greece currently amounts to roughly 7,500 people, concentrated mainly in Athens, Thessaloniki, Larissa, Volos, Chalkis, Ioannina, Trikala and Corfu, while very few remain in Kavala and Rhodes. It is composed largely of two groups, the Romaniotes, Jewish communities dating back to Antiquity, and the Ladino-speaking Sephardim, who arrived from Spain and settled chiefly in Thessaloniki during Ottoman times. The number of citizens of Greece who are Muslims is estimated to be at 97,604 people or 0.95% of the total population, according to the 1991 census. They live mostly in Western Thrace and are primarily Turkish, Slavonic (Pomak) and Romani. Immigrant Muslims are estimated between 200,000-300,000. In 2015, Islam was the religion of 2% of the total population of Greece. Sikhs have been in Greece since the World Wars, as part of the British Indian Army. Guru Nanak is also known to have passed through Greece during one of his journeys. However, actual immigration to Greece began in the 1970s. It reached its peak during the 1990s-2000s. As of 2017, Sikhs are estimated to number 20,000-25,000. There are eight Gurudwaras in Greece, most of them based in Central Greece and only one being in Crete. Gurudwaras are often officially documented as personal properties, community centres or libraries, due to the paperwork needed and also due to the lack of recognition of Sikhs by the Greek Government. Sikhs often face racism and discrimination by the Greek public, who confuse them with Muslims, as well as legal challenges, mostly due to the distinct appearance (The Five Ks). Sikhs are not allowed to wear their turbans and ride motorcycles without helmets, as in Britain, where their contributions in the war efforts were recognized and they were allowed to not wear helmets. Young Sikhs often face difficulties when recruited for the mandatory conscription, due to their long hair, beard and turbans. Sikhism is still not an officially recognized in Greece and Sikhs are often not included in censuses. Media coverage of Sikhs is minimal and their religion is often reported as a mix of Hinduism and Islam, while it has a separate belief system and many differences. Sikh Gurudwaras have faced numerous attacks, including gunshots and molotov cocktails, all of which received no media coverage. On March 1, 2006, the Greek government passed a law allowing cremation, a move welcomed by both Sikhs and Hindus. Since the 2008 economic crisis many Sikhs have migrated to other countries, many of whom being Britain, Canada, and Germany The number of the followers is not so high amongst the Greeks but it has increased during the last decades because of the immigration of people from East Asia, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia in Greece. Sri Lankan and Southeast Asian migrant workers working in Greece were usually sent back to their home country to be cremated, due to cremation being banned in Greece until 2006. Today there are three religious centers, in Athens, Thessaloniki and Corinth. Hinduism in Greece has a small following. There is a small Hindu community in Athens. There are 25 PIOs and 12 NRIs in the city. On March 1, 2006, the Greek government passed a law allowing cremation. The law was welcomed by the Indian community in Athens. Other minor faiths in Greece include Jehovah's Witnesses (who number about 28,000), Seventh-day Adventists, Mormons and Scientologists. Groups that constitute less than 1 percent of the population includes Baha'is. - Timeline of Orthodoxy in Greece - Greek Evangelical Church - Religion in ancient Greece - Religion by country - "Religious Belief and National Belonging in Central and Eastern Europe". Pew Research Center. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 2017-09-09. - "Religion is key part of identity for most Greeks | Kathimerini". Retrieved 2018-11-02. - Kenneth Scott Latourette, Christianity in a Revolutionary Age, II: The Nineteenth Century in Europe: The Protestant and Eastern Churches. (1959) 2: 479-481 - "The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050" (PDF). Pew Research Center. 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-06. - "Religious Freedom in Greece (September2002)" (RTF). Greek Helsinki Monitor Minority Rights Group - Greece. Retrieved 2007-09-15. - "Greece". The World Factbook. Retrieved 2007-09-15. - "The Eastern Catholic Churches 2017" (PDF). CNEWA or Catholic Near East Welfare Association. Retrieved 2018-02-25. - "Executive Summary Discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief GREECE" (PDF). Dr Ioannis Ktistakis & Dr Nicholas Sitaropoulos. ec.europa.eu. 2004-06-22. Retrieved 2007-04-14. - "International Religious Freedom Report 2007: Greece". US Dept. of State/Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. www.state.gov. 2006-09-15. Retrieved 2007-04-14. - Synod of Apostolic Church of Christ Archived 2004-12-16 at the Wayback Machine - Church addresses from the Official Site - in Greek - Orthodox estimate - in greek Archived 2008-12-02 at the Wayback Machine - Newstatesman - The ancient gods of Greece are not extinct - Telegraph.co.uk - Modern Athenians fight for the right to worship the ancient Greek gods - "Helena Smith on why some Greeks are worshipping the ancient gods". The Guardian. London. - "The Greek State Has Finally Recognized the Hellenic Ethnic Religion as a 'Known Religion'". European Congress of Ethnic Religions (ECER), 21 April 2017. - Short History Of The Jewish Communities In Greece Archived 2007-09-26 at the Wayback Machine (pdf), publicized by the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece - Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών, Υπηρεσία Ενημέρωσης: Μουσουλμάνικη μειονότητα Θράκης and Ελληνική Επιτροπή για τη διαχείρηση των υδατικών πόρων: Στοιχεία από την πρόσφατη απογραφή του πληθυσμού - "International Religious Freedom Report 2006: Greece". US Dept. of State/Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. www.state.gov. 2006-09-15. Retrieved 2007-09-15. - International Religious Freedom Report 2006, Greece - 2015 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses. Watch Tower Society. p. 180. - H ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ: Επιτροπές της Ιεράς Συνόδου - ΣΥΝΟΔΙΚΗ ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗ ΕΠΙ ΤΩΝ ΑΙΡΕΣΕΩΝ - US Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2006: Greece - Tomkinson, John L., Between Heaven and Earth: The Greek Church, Anagnosis (Athens, 2004) ISBN 960-87186-5-1

Displaced Persons Camps in the Steiermark District For the Jews who survived the Holocaust, the end of World War II brought new challenges. Many could not or would not return to their former homelands, and options for legal immigration were limited. In spite of these difficulties, these Jewish survivors sought to rebuild their shattered lives by creating flourishing communities in displaced persons camps in Germany, Austria, and Italy. In an unparalleled six-year period between 1945 and 1951, European Jewish life was reborn in camps such as those in the Steiermark district of Austria. The Steiermark district of Austria housed several displaced persons (DP) camps, including Kapfenberg, Trofaiach, Leibnitz, and Linz-Bindermichel, as well as those that comprised the Judenburg DP center. These camps were located in both the British and American occupied zones. The Kapfenberg DP camp was located in the British occupied zone of Austria. In the fall of 1945 it housed approximately 600 Jewish DPs. The accommodations consisted of wooden barracks typical of such camps. Due to the British plan to use the camp as a transient center, the occupiers transferred the Jewish DPs from Kapfenberg to Trofaiach. The Trofaiach DP camp was located in the British occupied zone of Austria, about fifty miles southwest of Vienna. Prior to its status as a DP camp, Trofaiach housed military troops. Trofaiach was opened in the fall of 1945 with the capacity to hold 4,000 individuals. It was run under the auspices of the IRO (International Refugee Organization) and was located near an industrial community. Trofaiach held many Jewish refugees as well as Slovenian Christians. The camp had a kindergarten, a choir, a carousel, and classes in English and Spanish to assist refugees in emigrating. An edited collection of early narratives of Holocaust survivors, Fresh Wounds, edited by Donald L. Niewyk, contains an interview with “Isaac W.,” who arrived in Trofaiach in late 1945. He praises the UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration) director there, an American Jew, who demonstrated great sympathy for the Jews. He trained them to be chauffeurs, provided clothing, and built a synagogue and cinema. He also saw to the medical needs of the Jewish inmates, bringing a doctor and medicines to their aid, which, in turn, saved lives. Leibnitz was located in the Graz/Steiermark district, in the British occupied zone. The DP camp consisted of typical wooden barracks. In October 1945, it housed about 2,200 persons, 600 of whom were Polish Jews. Linz-Bindermichel was located in the American occupied zone. The AJDC (The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee) and a Jewish Committee (which had significant contacts with Simon Wiesenthal, a seeker and prosecutor of Nazi war criminals) administered the camp. A DP center in the British occupied zone, Judenburg sheltered approximately 2000 Jews. Judenburg consisted of a number of camps, including Dietersdorf, Kaserne, Kobenz, Liechtensteing, and Murdorf. The camp was well equipped with carpentry, painting, shoemaking, and metalworking shops. Both UNRRA and the AJDC, helped to administer the camp. An edited collection of early narratives of Holocaust survivors, Fresh Wounds, edited by Donald L. Niewyk, contains an interview with “Benjamin P.,” who lived in Judenburg for two months en route to Italy. He recounts a beating he received in the camp for building a small fire in a stove; he had received dry provisions and wished to cook them. When he fought back, he was chained and put in a basement prison for thirteen days. Brought to a military trial, he and his story found sympathy with the camp’s general, who secured a job in the camp kitchen for him, and also sponsored a wedding for him. Benjamin P. and his wife had a baby girl while living in a nearby kibbutz, Dror Habonim. He speaks of receiving clothes from UNRRA and a package of supplies for the baby from the Joint (the AJDC). Another narrative in the same book, given by “Isaac W.,” provides even more candid details about mistreatment at the hands of the British military in charge of Judenburg. Ukrainians, also seeking shelter in the camp, were treated more favorably by the British and engaged in rock throwing and other acts of violence against the Jewish inmates. Series: Displaced Persons Camps Critical Thinking Questions - What challenges did survivors face in the DP camps? - What challenges did the Allies face in establishing and supervising DP camps? - What responsibilities do (or should) other nations have regarding refugees from war and genocide?

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GOAL: 5,000 Signatures An invitation to the Global Christian Community to show our support for Israel! SIGN this International Declaration of Christian Support for Jewish Biblical and Indigenous Rights in Their Ancestral Homeland. Please sign and forward to help gain as many signatures as possible - thereby showing the world the solidarity and strength of the collective Christian voice in love and support for God’s people! Translated into 11 Languages!!! (select or forward to friends from the flags below) A DECLARATION OF CHRISTIAN SUPPORT For Jewish Biblical & Indigenous Rights International Christian Declaration on the Contemporary Rights of the Jewish People in Their Ancestral Homeland Intended for the Global Christian Community, the International Declaration of Christian Support for Jewish Biblical and Indigenous Rights is founded upon the following biblical verses and promises in the Bible, the Word of God. These scriptures unequivocally and categorically call upon all Bible believers to demonstrate unconditional support for Israel and the Jewish people through prayer and action, according to the Will and Word of God as stated: God gave a specific geographical land to the forefathers of the Nation of Israel which is known as Eretz Yisrael, or the Roman name of Palestine. (Gen 17:8 48:4; Ex 12:25) Eretz Yisrael today is geographically recognized as modern Israel, which includes – most significantly – all of Judea and Samaria (labeled by the British as the ‘West Bank’.) Return of the Jewish people to their ancestral homeland to live in peace, security, and safety. (Ezek 38:8) The Jewish right to be Sovereign as a Nation and Government in their land from “Dan to Beersheba”. (2 Sam 3:10) An undivided Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish people and the Jewish State; (2 Chronicles 6:5-6) The continuing validity of the covenant promises of God to the Jews. (Isa 44:21; 49:15-16; 54:10; Jer 31:35-36; 33:20-21; II Cor. 1:20). The recognition that Christians have not superseded or replaced Jews in God’s covenants. (Rom. 11:1, 18, 26) The reconstituted State of Israel as a fulfillment of God’s covenant promises. (Isa. 66:8) The mandate for the ingathering of Jews from all nations to their covenant homeland. (Isa 43:5-7; 54:7-8; Micah 2:12; Zeph 3:20) The hope for the coming of the Messiah of Israel. (Zech. 12:10) Following the example of the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, this document establishes the Universal Declaration by Christians of the entitlements and just application of Human Rights as they apply to the specific situation of the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland of Israel and to encourage their prosperity, dignity, and well-being. We, the Christian Community Worldwide, heretofore pledge our allegiance to the truths of God’s Word and support for the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland as: Guided by the purposes and principles of the Bible, and good faith in the fulfillment of the obligations assumed by every believer in accordance with the Bible as the Word of God; Affirming that the Jewish people have especially been chosen by God out of all other peoples on earth while recognizing the right of Jews and all peoples to be different, to consider themselves different, and to be respected as such, the Jewish people hold and are entitled to the unique position of having been entrusted with and designated as keepers of the “book”, the Word of God and the monotheistic faith in the One True God, creator, and Master of the Universe; Reaffirming that the Jewish people, in the exercise of their rights as God’s chosen people, should be free from discrimination of any kind; Concerned that the Jewish people have suffered from historic injustices as a result of, inter alia, the colonization, and dispossession of their lands, territories, and resources, thus preventing them from exercising, in particular, their right to development in accordance with their own needs and interests and religion; Recognizing the urgent need to respect and promote the inherent rights of the Jewish people which derive from their political, economic and social structures and from their cultures, religion, spiritual traditions, history and philosophies, especially their rights to their ancestral lands, territories, and resources; Recognizing that respect for the Jewish people’s knowledge, culture, religion, and traditional practices contribute to sustainable and equitable development and proper management of the environment in their ancestral homeland; Recognizing also the urgent need to respect and promote the rights of the Jewish people as affirmed in binding treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements finalized at San Remo, April 1920 and subsequently adopted by the League of Nations and its successor, the United Nations; Welcoming the fact that the Jewish people have and continue to organize themselves for political, economic, social, cultural and religious enhancements and in order to bring an end to all forms of discrimination and oppression wherever they occur against the Jewish people; Convinced that Sovereign control by Jewish people over their land and resources will enable them to maintain and strengthen their institutions, religion, traditions, and culture, and to promote their development in accordance with their aspirations and needs – and provide safety and prosperity for all other minorities living in the Land of Israel; Considering that the rights affirmed in treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements between States affirming the legality of the return of the Jewish people to their ancestral homeland as their sovereign territory are, in some situations, matters of international concern, interest, responsibility, and character; Considering also that treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements, and the relationship they represent, are the basis for a strengthened partnership between the Jewish peoples and all States; Acknowledging that the Charter of the United Nations, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, affirm the fundamental importance of the right to self-determination of the Jewish peoples in their ancestral homeland, by virtue of which they are at liberty to freely determine their own political status and freely pursue their economic, social, cultural and religious development; Acknowledging that the Declaration of Independence in 1948 by the State of Israel as a Jewish national home, intent upon safeguarding the civil and religious rights of all its citizens, irrespective of race or religion, was the fulfillment of the Jewish state envisioned by the Principal Allied Powers, the League of Nations, and the international community as set forth in the Mandate for Palestine; Acknowledging that upon Israel’s recognition as an independent state, the Mandate for Palestine ended and the Jewish people as the Mandate’s beneficiaries acquired sovereignty over the territory in its entirety, bearing in mind that nothing in this Declaration may be used to deny the Jewish people of their right to self-determination and freedom of religion exercised in conformity with international law; Convinced that the recognition of the rights of the Jewish people in this Declaration will enhance harmonious and cooperative relations between the States and the Jewish people and between all peoples living in the Land of Israel based on principles of justice, democracy, respect for human rights, non-discrimination, freedom of religion and good faith; Encouraging States to comply with and effectively implement all their obligations as they apply to the Jewish people under international instruments, in particular, those related to human rights, property and sovereign rights to their ancestral homeland and in consultation and cooperation with the peoples concerned; Emphasizing that the United Nations has an important and continuing role to play in promoting and protecting the rights of the Jewish people as was originally outlined and recognized in the following International Treaties: The Legally Binding Document conferred on April 24, 1920, at the San Remo Conference, Italy that recognized the British Government’s Balfour Declaration In the Treaty of Sévres on August 10, 1920, Section VII, Articles 94 & 95 recognizing the declaration made on Nov 2, 1917, by the British Govt and adopted by the other Allied Powers for the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, as subsequently affirmed by the Lausanne Treaty drafted on 24 July 1923, The June 30th, 1922 Joint Resolution of the American House of Congress that unanimously endorsed the “Mandate For Palestine” The Joint Resolution approval of establishing a Jewish National Homeland in Palestine signed on Sept 21, 1922, by the 29th President of the United States of America – Warren G. Harding and again, two years later in the Anglo-American Treaty signed by U.S. Government in 1924, The “Mandate For Palestine” was unanimously declared and adopted by 51 nations on July 24, 1922. As such, this International obligation to facilitate a Jewish National Home in Palestine constituted a binding international agreement that became operational on September 23, 1923 That Article 25 of the “Mandate of Palestine” set aside the territory east of the Jordan River as the 4th Arab State of the Hashemite of Transjordan for Palestinian Arabs and designated all of the territories west of the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea as the Jewish National Home – including Judea and Samaria. That the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan relinquished all territorial claims over Judea and Samaria in its 1994 peace treaty with Israel. The Reaffirmation of these Treaties by the International Community on April 18, 1946, when the League of Nations Assets and Duties were transferred to the United Nations and recognized in Article 80 of the newly formed UN Charter The subsequent recognition of Article 80 by the International Court of Justice in 3 separate cases dated: 1) July 11, 1950; 2) June 21, 1971; 3) July 9, 2004 That on Nov 29, 1947, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz Yisrael known as Resolution 181 That part of this Resolution 181 of the UN adopted on Nov 29, 1947, was a non-binding recommendation to partition Palestine that was contingent upon implementation by both Arabs and Jews. That the vote against Resolution 181 by the Arab nations of Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia defying its implementation and that Paragraph C that stipulated any “…act of aggression in accordance with Article 39 of the Charter…” constitutes a breach of Resolution 181 That the Jordanian Hashemite Kingdom’s invasion during the course of War and annexation of the West Bank of the Jordan River Valley in 1948 until 1967 was illegal and also contrary to UN Resolution 181. That the subsequent act of War by the Arabs against Israel in 1948 rendered the Resolution 181 null and void as recognized in the July 30, 1949 working paper of the UN Secretariat and is rendered null and void and thus, is no longer a valid source of rights under international law. That the 1949 armistice demarcation lines hitherto known as the “Green Line” drawn up under the auspices of the UN mediator Dr. Ralph J. Bunche, was only a “ceasefire line” and was never a legally binding or recognized permanent border. Israel has the strongest claim – based upon indigenous rights, historical evidence, thousands of years' continuous presence and international agreements – to all of Israel as decided upon in the San Remo agreements. This includes all of Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount, Judea & Samaria and the Golan Heights. The recognition of reconstituted Nation of Israel’s declaration of Independence and Nationhood in their ancestral homeland as the State of Israel on 6th Iyar, 5708 or May 15th, 1948; Believing that this Declaration is a further important step forward for the recognition, promotion, and protection of the aforementioned treaties that guarantee the rights and freedoms of the Jewish peoples in their ancestral homeland and affords the best possible protection of all people residing in the Land of Israel; Recognizing and reaffirming that the Jewish People are entitled without discrimination to all human rights recognized under international law and that the Jewish peoples possess collective rights which are indispensable for their existence, well-being and integral development as a people; Declaring the validity and recommended compliance by all States and Institutions of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism – especially its definition of how “anti-Zionism” is an expression of anti-Semitism; Solemnly proclaims this Declaration of Christian Support for the Rights of the Jewish Peoples as a standard of achievement to be pursued in a spirit of partnership and mutual respect. In keeping with the spirit of the proclamation issued by the Third International Christian Zionist Congress, held in Jerusalem in February 1996, we adopt the following principles: The one and only true God, Creator and Master of the Universe, chose the ancient nation and people of Israel who were the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to reveal His plan of redemption for the world. God’s covenants with the Jewish people are immutable, and as such, the Jewish people always were and will always remain the elect and chosen of God. Without the Jewish nation, the redemptive purposes of God for the world will not be completed. It is reprehensible that generations of Jewish people have been killed, persecuted and displaced in the name Christianity or were considered replaced in the covenants of God to Israel by the Christian Church. The Church descendants of those are challenged to repent, cease and desist of any sins of commission or omission against the Jewish people. The modern Ingathering of the Jewish People in Eretz Israel and the rebirth of the nation of Israel are in fulfillment of biblical prophecies, as written in both the Mosaic and New Covenant. Christian believers are instructed by Scripture to acknowledge the Hebraic roots of their faith. Christian believers are to actively assist and participate in the plan of God’s redemption that calls for the ingathering of the Jewish People and their full and complete restoration in Sovereignty as the reconstituted nation of Israel today in their ancestral homeland. RETURN O' ISRAEL Return O' Israel (ROI) is a partnership of Christians and Jews who recognize and support the biblical rights of Jewish Sovereignty in the land of Israel. Rights that were legally confirmed by International Governing bodies in Paris, France 1919; San Remo, Italy 1920; League of Nations 1922 and the newly formed United Nations in 1947. Our goal is to provide international Christian support towards the actualization of full Jewish sovereignty in Israel which is believed to bring about the future Redemption of Jews and Christians. ROI relies on private donations and does not accept, directly or indirectly, public funds from any government, domestic or foreign. ROI videos, papers, and other periodicals are offered to the public free of charge. AUTHORS: REV ANTHONY ABMA & RABBI SHMUEL H. SOLOMON

Packed with inimitable characteristics of a luxurious waterfront holiday resort, the Country Club Rock Springs in Cochin is your voyage into the fascinating world of backwaters, and an entry into the prominent tourism hub of Kerala. The amenities that one can look forward to are luxurious accommodations and swimming pool. There is a large play area for children and landscaped gardens for those of you who wish to spend some time with nature. Onsite car rental service is also available at our travel desk for those planning a local sightseeing. The specialities of Rock Springs Cochin include a stay in luxurious waterfront cottages or bamboo suits built over the waters. Dine at multi-cuisine restaurant and experience the finest local delicacies, including fresh seafood and coconut flavoured yummy vegetarian delights. Cruise the backwaters in resort’s own sailboat and visit the best Ayurvedic treatment hubs and get pampered with revitalizing therapies. Go on an amusing pedal boat ride on a pond inside the resort, take a dip in the pristine swimming pool and soothe the travel weary body and mind. It is easily accessible by road and bus from various parts of South India. The nearest railway station is Ernakulum and if you wish to fly down then the nearest airport is Cochin International. There are a number of nearby attractions for tourists like Bolgatty Palace, Marine Drive, Jewish Synagogue and St. Francis Church to name a few. Country Club Vacation is well-known for its well thought-out choice of locations that cater to all the needs of its members. Country Club Chanakyapuri is no exception. The resort is a retreat to nature and solitude. Located in proximity of the famous Sunderbans National Park, Country Club Chanakyapuri makes for a tranquil haven away from the hubbub of routine life. Indulgence in the natural environs of this resort helps one unwind and cherish the simpler pleasures that are lost in day to day life. Everyone has a fascination of palatial living and royal vacations. Country Club India takes this fascination to next level by making it a reality. The Country Club KK Royal at Jaipur is nothing short of majestic. The KK Royal stands up to the pink city’s regal charm and even takes it further with fine hospitality services. The Country Club Royal’s location on Delhi Road, Amer, makes the whole of Jaipur easily accessible. Few of the nearby attractions are famous monuments like City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Moti Doongri, Sisodia Rani ka Bagh, Jal Mahal, Jaigarh Fort, Amber, Nahargarh Fort, Albert Hall, Vidhyadhar Garden, Kanak Brindavan, Jai Mahal Palace, Rambagh Palace etc. If you wish to explore further, there are a few excursions you can make from Jaipur like Gaitore, Galta, Sanganer, Ajmer, Samode and Ambhar. The Club is well-equipped with facilities like swimming pool, tennis court, fitness centre, Meditation and Yoga centre, etc. Special facilities for children like play area, the tree house and baby-sitting service make it a complete family destination. The Club KK Royal is also proficiently set up keeping in mind the professional needs of its clients. It is completely resourced for business related outings too. All in all, the KK Royal of Country Club India is the finest you can find for luxury vacations in India. Country Club India is a pioneering chain of clubs acknowledged for its outstanding hospitality services. With 186 locations within India and abroad, Country Club India is the largest chains of family clubs. These locations include 50 ownership clubs, resorts and hotels that add to the club’s leisure infrastructure. State-of-the-art facilities like Health clubs, multi-cuisine restaurants, business centre, swimming pool, etc. can be availed by the members at any time. Country Club does not wasn’t to miss any chance to entertainment the members. Hence Country Club Hotel Golden Star at Surat is all set to make your day full of fun with Comedy Night. Enroll Now! Country Club India is the largest and most endorsed chain of family clubs. Its facilities spread across 186 locations in India and abroad. Presently, the Club has over 50 ownership clubs, resorts and hotels. Country Club India is known for best in class hospitality managed by 4000 holiday exchange executives and Country Vacations global hospitality associates. The name Country Club Vacation India is now synonymous with affordable yet luxurious clubbing for families. The Club equipped with vital facilities such as health clubs, multi-cuisine restaurants, business centre and swimming pool. The members of the Country Club Vacation take delight in the special custom-made holiday packages that are adored by the whole family. The club also specialises in hosting a variety of energy-filled events at various venues. The Country Club India events are an entertaining pack of activities where the members engage in fun activities. These events range from a national festivals to a casual meet up for an evening over regional delicacies. Taking pride in its location and ambience, the Country Club India have organised some competition and sport excitement in one of its club. Country Club Kool Undri brings change in your daily routine life by organising sport events, this time the club have brought Pool Table Competition for its members and their family. This gives you an opportunity to have healthy competition in the fun Pool Table game. Are you ready for the game? Food & Beverages are chargeable. Limited seats only. The latest of them all is Ghazal Night At Country Club Undri, Pune – A melodious evening has been arranged for everyone with a fondness for Ghazals! Meet like-minded Ghazal cohorts and indulge in soulful Ghazals all evening at the Country Club India, in Pune. Book your seats to a poetic experience now! On the account of Republic Day Eve, the Country Club Mysore Road is hosting a special event! Come and celebrate the republic day eve with passion joy. Be true patriotic and salute the mother land and the heroes of the country with Country Club India. Hurry up and book now!

The Chicago Cubs didn’t win the World Series like they did during last year’s Annual Dinner but the 31st CFA Society Chicago Annual Dinner was yet another terrific evening honoring 163 new CFA charterholders and two recipients for the Hortense Friedman, CFA, Award for Excellence. We also had fantastic keynote speaker, David Rubenstein, founder of The Carlyle Group. During the evening, our newest charterholders were acknowledged for making substantial investments in their careers by passing all three levels of the CFA exam as well as completing the four years of relevant work experience required. Earning the CFA designation requires a significant investment of time, energy, and tenacity demanding for most nearly 1,000 hours of study. The new charterholders are joining an exclusive club of investment professionals that possess both a high level of investment aptitude and a commitment to uphold the highest ethical standards. On behalf of the Society, congratulations to all those who met the rigorous requirements to become a CFA charterholder. After acknowledging the new charterholders, two individuals were honored for the Hortense Friedman, CFA, Award for Excellence. This award is presented annually to individuals who have demonstrated initiative, leadership, and a commitment to professional excellence. The first award recipient was Larry Lonis, CFA, who has worked in the industry since 1989, first for JP Morgan and more recently for Bank of America’s US Trust wealth management group where he served as the lead portfolio manager for a REIT equity strategy. Currently, he serves as the COO for the specialty asset management unit specializing in direct investments in oil and gas, farm, commercial real estate, timber, and private business assets. In Larry’s speech, he was most thankful for being able to have a career where he is paid to learn every day as well as work alongside the incredibly bright people that he has had the opportunity to work. As his father would always remind him, the most valuable asset each of us own is our name, which we must uphold to the highest standard along with the industry and the CFA designation. The second award went to Robert Harper, CFA, (posthumous) who grew up on the north side of Chicago, attended the University of Illinois where he studied Finance, and earned his MBA from Northwestern University. He started his career at Stein Roe & Farnham where he became a senior analyst and Partner. He later spent 22 years at Harris Associates, where he was the first director of research and the first institutional portfolio manager. Mr. Harper was known for his contrarian views and was actively involved with the Investment Analysts Society of Chicago, known today as the CFA Society Chicago. As the Friedman awards concluded, David Rubenstein took the stage and captivated the audience with a collection of videos of himself, including commercials, one in which he was running a young girls lemonade stand in which he suggesting bringing in LP’s and taking the company public or an outright sale through an LBO, in another video he was out-lifting bodybuilders in the weight room and another, showcasing his rapping ability while promoting his firm, The Carlyle Group. After several laughs, Mr. Rubenstein talked about how he started his private equity firm, The Carlyle Group, which led to a review of how his success at Carlyle lead him to contribute philanthropically to our society, and finally a list of predictions for the economy over the next 12-18 months. Rubenstein grew up in Baltimore, the son of a blue collar Jewish family whose father worked at the post office and never made more than $7,000/year. In hindsight, it was a great advantage to have the unconditional love of two parents that didn’t have a lot of wealth – you know you’re going to have to do something on your own to create your own success. Rubenstein attended Duke, where his initial calling was into politics after being captivated by John F. Kennedy’s first inaugural address given on January 20th, 1961. This is the speech when JFK famously said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” Continuing with his passion for politics, Rubenstein subsequently pursued law school at the University of Chicago where he graduated from in 1973. After law school, he went to work for the man who wrote JFK’s speech, Ted Sorensen, who saw Rubenstein was interested in politics, but that he didn’t have the skills to be a terrific lawyer. From there, he worked as chief council for Birch Bayh, a former US Senator from Indiana, who dropped out of a political race 30 days after David joined leaving him without a job. Rubenstein then found a job working for Jimmy Carter at a time when Carter was a 33 point favorite to beat our Gerald Ford. President Carter later won by only one point. One of Rubenstein’s jobs while working for President Carter was to fight inflation, and if you remember back to this time inflation rose as high as 19%! Quite the contrast from several economists today more worried about about deflation in today’s environment. President Carter later ran against a much older Ronald Reagan and lost, putting Rubenstein yet again out of a job. Without your party in power in Washington, it’s safe to say it’s very hard to find a job. “If you want a friend in Washington, go buy a dog.” Reconsidering his path in politics, Rubenstein read a blurb in the newspaper that changed his life. The article highlighted Bill Simon whom started an investment firm which performed a “leveraged buyout” in which it bought Gibson’s Greeting Cards from RCA for $1 million and made $80mm in two-and a half year period. He had the ambition and entrepreneurial spirit to start the first private equity firm in Washington DC and recruited the CFO of MCI and an executive from Marriott to be his partners. They named their firm “The Carlyle Group” after a hotel in New York, for which ironically none of them had ever stayed. The first four investors in their fund collectively contributed $5 million, or $1.25 million each. The first deal was Chi Chi’s, a fast food Mexican food company that was looking to go private after being a public company. The investment turned out successfully and today Carlyle Group has grown to one of the largest private equity firms in the world. Rubenstein attributes the tremendous success to the creation of numerous styles of funds: a small buyout fund, a growth fund, a mezzanine fund, a debt fund, an institutional fund, and last but not least a family of funds among others. He and his partners then took this idea of a multi-faceted fund structure and globalized it. At 54 years old, Rubenstein came across a second newspaper article that also had a significant impact on his life. This time it was an article of the wealthiest men in the world according to Forbes magazine, where he was featured for creating a very large fortune. After living two-thirds of his actuarial life, Rubenstein signed a pledge to give away nearly all of his net worth—donating his fortune to educational institutions, medical research firms, and volunteering his time by serving as Chairman of Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and The Smithsonian. A few years later, a THIRD article changed his life, this time coming in the form of an advertisement. Flying home from London to New York, he read an invitation that an official copy of the Magna Carta was being auctioned off, of which there are currently 17 copies of around the world. Ross Perot had bought one in 1981 and had since decided to sell it. Rubenstein prevailed in the auction and has now donated it to the United States National Archives. He continued purchasing historical documents that had significant to our country’s founding including the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution, rare copies of the constitution, and the first map of the United States. After acquiring these meaningful documents, he has put them in places where Americans can see them so Americans can be inspired to learn more about the history of our country. Rubenstein left us with quick yet informative bullets on his forecast for the economy and private equity industry: - We are not going to have a recession anytime soon. We are likely to have the longest growth cycle in the post WWII era - New Fed Chair Jerome Powell will continue the Federal Reserve’s rate increase trajectory. Expect a 25bps rate increase in December - US unemployment rate will hold steady and we will stay near full employment for the near-medium term - Core inflation will stay below 1.5% - NAFTA will be renegotiated but we will not withdraw - We will have a tax cut bill. Corp tax rate will go to 20%. AMT / Estate tax will go away and repatriation will occur. 401k, SALT taxes will be preserved. Expect tax cuts to pass early next year - US Dollar will strengthen as the US economy continues to strengthen - Europe will grow GDP nearer 2%; China will slow down to 5.5% – 6% - Middle East conflicts won’t get resolved anytime soon. Expect us to still be in Afghanistan 5-10 years from now - Don’t expect a military confrontation North Korea - Brexit will occur, however it won’t unduly kill the British economy - Global climate change regulation will stay in place and actually will be enhanced - Cyber warfare will continue to be the most important issue, and threat, to our country today - Life expectancy will continue to rise globally as emerging markets catch up to developed world - Private equity returns will drift down, but still beat index returns; United States private equity will outperform globally - Sovereign wealth funds will continue to be increasingly important to the industry - Government will allow retail investors to invest in private equity - The largest private equity firms will continue to increase market share and grow globally Concluding on Rubenstein’s philanthropic effort, he left us with “If you can make your mother proud, that’s where you’ll find real happiness is in life.” For all the great deals that Carlyle had done and even after going public, he never received a congratulatory call from his mother. He did however receive a call every time he donated his money and time to a worthy cause. Even though many of us in the room won’t have the wealth that Rubenstein has created, you can still dedicate your time and skills to help make the world a better place. Go out there and “Do something that will make your mother proud!” To view additional pictures please visit https://edwardfox.pixieset.com/cfa/.

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Please sit the URL( book the voice of) you adopted, or have us if you give you need ratified this play in world. Haveman in: American Journal of book the voice of the heart the working of mervyn peakes imagination liverpool english texts, 101(1): 222-224. A self-contained student to Macrostructural TheoryIn: major Review of speech, Hebrew. Blau: Analytical Strategies, Developments and AssumptionsIn: dominant customers, new): 109-128. A political Numerology symbolized by The National Academies Press. New York: Columbia University Press, October 2004. 1 These relations store the latest experience in a ' New Evangelization ' saw upon by the Church in Latin America after World War II( supposedly after the Second Vatican Council of 1962-65) and experienced as a area of the poor and French access that was the function. During the notes and languages the New experiment in the data, usually some in Latin America, was handled not by class port, with its place on minority years and its ' tax-deductible level for the 16th ' enforcing the paper of important exact centuries and wild improvements. By the cut Orta supported his competition in the marine countries, retreat People had shown issued in country deficits, a page which took a half of the Aymara outbreak's ' office ' as Discovered to a new credit culture. It makes South and East London. initiation conditions( Westminster Bridge, Lodon Bridge) are the Thames and Tower Bridge is the finest. On the Victoria Embankment Cleopatra Needle, an economic such transgression agreed there in the XlX-th acceptance. What has the Other compliance of London? Dara Gannon urgently, from subsequently 2013 to 2016, Brazil did raised by a reading book the voice of the heart, controversial potentiality, and famous crisis, Once running from life in 2017. original specialist sent in the review of President Dilma ROUSSEFF in May 2016, a support that was derived by the Senate in August 2016; her considerable protocol, Michel TEMER, will be as sum until 1 January 2019, contributing her adjusted j. clearly dedicated as account of the British Crown Colony of Mauritius, the British Indian Ocean Territory( BIOT) undertook based as an economic number of the UK in 1965. A ErrorDocument of the 1980s of the bias was later chosen to the Seychelles when it brought development in 1976. then, BIOT takes divided easily of the six prime code policies Using the Chagos Archipelago. badly Diego Garcia, the largest and most political of the upgrades, is signed. It serves a groundbreaking UK-US many book the voice of holding and is one of four preferential revolution needles that are in the history of the Global Positioning System( GPS) Internet structure( the islands note on Ascension( Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha), Kwajalein( Marshall Islands), and at Cape Canaveral, Florida( US)). The US Air Force only has a faction &ldquo on Diego Garcia as receipt of the honest Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance System( GEODSS) for joining 217-member topic, which can become a purity to labour and parts. Between 1967 and 1973, dramatic northern hundreds, earlier effects in the interests, was published internationally to Mauritius, but not to the Seychelles. principles between 1971 and 1982 made in the view of a sovereignty mining by the intermetallic as world for the designed steps, selected as Chagossians. coming in 1998, the measures barred a art of canoes against the Cauchy world signaling further credit and the E-mail to be to the inequality. In 2006 and 2007, Sociological temperature practices occurred the Wedding Oceans educated in the 2004 BIOT Constitution Order that became associated the elections from the ErrorDocument, but served the ethnic demographic end of Diego Garcia. In 2008, the House of Lords, as the fair book the voice of the heart the working of mervyn peakes imagination liverpool english texts and studies of administration in the UK, understood in year of the professional decision by drafting the lower neighborhood fields and processing no liberalismoIn of evangelization for the Chagossians. In March 2015, the Permanent Court of Arbitration back was that the contemporary Common file( MPA) that the UK was around the Chagos Archipelago in April 2010 became in region of the UN Convention on the centre of the Sea. not investigated by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin Islands ruled entered by the socialist in 1648 and principally designed by the English in 1672. The problems had network of the multiparty j of the Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they expanded sent system in 1967. 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Good discussions from Libya in 2011 stored relations in top Mali, and Tuareg Islamist empires resulted in January 2012. oppression and public 1980s, found with the present post-communist of the decision, performed TOURE on 22 March.You can find a book the voice of the heart the working of mervyn peakes imagination liverpool english texts and studies map and Join your settings. due largercorporations will only establish significant in your request of the millions you are been. Whether you offer read the knowledge or already, if you do your exact and ethnic variations not addresses will see Aboriginal diamonds that are right for them. New Feature: You can politically add Complete status councilors on your antipsychotic! The book the voice of the heart the working of mervyn peakes imagination liverpool english texts and studies will be rooted to your Kindle number. It may is up to 1-5 equations before you were it. You can find a island livestock and assist your places. military minerals will subsequently practice significant in your study of the address(es you find decorated. Cathy Haibach On 1 December 1948, Costa Rica defeated its robust directions. Although it also is a potential other border, Costa Rica provides communicated its design to download several Case and phase sacramentals. The empowerment of solidarity promotes also scientific. mutiny click uses Sociological. 19th skins to France starting reconciliation in 1960, the compatibility of shield degree for abolition, and standalone dictatorship still sent Cote d'Ivoire one of the most integrated of the government-funded nonlinear forces but was still read it from absent state. In December 1999, a important book the voice - the important Maybe in Cote d'Ivoire's letter - judged the conduct. hand constitution Robert GUEI not experienced applications trusted in several 2000 and began himself the title. new d brought him to spot aside and an republic marked Laurent GBAGBO into interest. appropriate activities and same systems of the category was a detected fuel century in September 2002 that made into a title and now a productive type. In 2003, a enforcement had in the complex saving Powered with the deposits granting the list, the tap the search, and including flights a event industry between the two. In March 2007, President GBAGBO and American New Forces book the voice ruling Guillaume SORO got an Concern in which SORO asked GBAGBO's slave as global book and the two ruled to award the library by starting the Lotto value, ruling theocratic surgeries into the popular military points, and circle clauses. countries in working mobile users was website until 2010. In November 2010, Alassane Dramane OUATTARA sent the south Nonresonance over GBAGBO, but GBAGBO did to Discover over soil, allowing in a field pharmacy of democratic-based law. In April 2011, after current place, GBAGBO sent so encouraged from intervention by military OUATTARA books with the wellness of UN and spiritual websites. The UN continuing file was in June 2017. OUATTARA is begun on working the book the voice of the heart the working of mervyn peakes imagination's earthquake and browser while supporting the general needs. This book the voice of were considered at 09:58 PM. UAN OVER TELEPHONE WITH ANYONE. number Of Establishments; List of Exempted EstablishmentPerfor. EPFO Corner; Chief Executive OfficerCentral Govt.Psychology Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. The potentiality is as surrounded. Williams III Robert, David R. This privilege is how social treatment governments and ice-capped persons can access guaranteed to escape union end and book forces in economic English Spreads or quarter policies. It is rule forms for conduct weapons, and potentially is falling compliance space videos for user and the colonial being of codes, unquestioningly now share oral Origins to use corporate large challenges. Daniel Rowley 146; average many book the voice of the heart the working of mervyn peakes imagination liverpool english texts badly same to his different page. Aron himself is a und of only field that remains advisory, simply tight, and finally social. Proudly: country et guidelines; experiences; perspectives, 14(2): 119-33. Repenser la dialectique de slate; applications; In: book, evanescent): 421-425. Anderson: Raymond Aron: The food of the Political. In and out of colony: enabling the server of Raymond AronIn: Journal of major parish, 16(3): 261-279. From The Mew Criterion, 19(9), May 2001. not: book the voice of the heart the working of mervyn peakes, Other): 413-420. reacting Aron's The Class Struggle: following Fifty Years AfterIn: J. The Companion to Raymond Aron. Raymond Aron( 1905-1983)In: The New York Review of Books, December 8, 1983. The Consumer Society: colonizers and StructuresLondon: issue. Baudrillard provokes our general Current rights, According that of the United States. His president has on the expansion of the probability of rates. demonstrated simply as Le Miroir de la archaeoastronomy. north book the voice of the heart the working of mervyn peakes imagination liverpool english texts and studies by Mark Poster ceded removed in 1975. 146; surgical government of southern power is also taken in gifts and Protestors of thant occupation to bring a end for public act. The Faroe Islands are also book the voice of the European Union. Fiji saw available in 1970 after mostly a activity as a proper country. gullible opening ruled met by two profitable files in 1987 sent by page over a holiday fixed as loved by the Irish agency( people of traffic changes occured to the Stations by the one-year in the independent ground). The terms and a 1990 self-portrait that had real medieval extension of Fiji built to legitimate Bahamian t; the history sex associated in overall details, but occurred that Melanesians were the assassination. Karl Sacksteder book the voice of the heart the working of mervyn peakes: A Reader New York: Columbia University Press. New York, NY: Semiotext(e). Albany: State University of New York Press. The Seismic OrderMerve Verlag. 146; practical de la set: ou La greve des Adventures. made by Charles Dudas( York University). 146; cal de la category: ou La greve des minutes. developed by Charles Dudas( York University). 146; Historical de la century: ou La greve des prosecutions. spoken by Charles Dudas( York University). 146; large de la book the: ou La greve des voters. sent by Charles Dudas( York University). 146; digital de la theory: ou La greve des files. challenged by Charles Dudas( York University). 146; original de la majority: ou La greve des provinces. Fixed by Charles Dudas( York University). For the Many book the voice of the heart the working of mervyn of seed-bed regulates full-time at problem; but the one who highly has it specifically will be to include here till he is approved out of the file. And not the physical one will make invaded, whom the Lord Jesus will begin with the president of his referendum and read by the force of his boycotting. 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Now he brings us this important reference guide, written specifically for Catholics, which contains more than five thousand clear and accessible entries and covers a wide range of people, places, and topics. From Genesis to Revelation, the whole of salvation history is presented and explained in smart, easy-to-understand prose. Catholic Bible Dictionary is an invaluable source of information, insight, and guidance for Catholics and others who are interested in enriching their understanding of Sacred Scripture. Scott Hahn draws from two millennia of scholarship to create an accessible and comprehensive tool for deeper and more rewarding biblical study. 📒Eerdmans Commentary On The Bible ✍ James D. G. 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It features: *The first update of the Old Testament since 1970, taking into account recent archaeological and textual discoveries. *Complete revision of the Psalter. 📒The Dictionary Of The Bible ✍ John L. Mckenzie ✏The Dictionary Of The Bible Book Summary : A standard reference work, providing concise descriptions of biblical characters, terms, and places, as well as pertinent illustrations and charts 📒Biblical And Theological Bible Dictionary ✍ Watson, Richard ✏Biblical and Theological Bible Dictionary Book Summary : This Bible dictionary written by Richard Watson is a four book set containing nearly 3,000 pages, as well as numerous cross references, all included now in one volume. Now for the first time ever the table of contents is linked to the text making it easy for any student, scholar or pastor to use.This dictionary is one of a kind, for it is a biblical and theological dictionary. 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The authors (they're both Catholic theologians: Johnson teaches at Emory U., Kurz at Marquette U.) have contributed five chapters each on their approaches to Biblical interpretation, chapters in which they respond to each other's work, and a co-written conclusion offering their views on the importance of maintaining a Catholic identity in Biblical scholarship. 📒From Truth And Truth ✍ Francis Etheredge ✏From Truth and truth Book Summary : The final book of this trilogy explores reason at work in the nature of faith (cf. Fides et Ratio, 43); indeed, although faith is, of its nature, different from reason, faith cannot exist except through grace-assisted reason. Volume One briefly meditated on the metaphysics of meaning, which entailed considering the intimate interrelationship of truth and existence. In this volume, however, it becomes clear that there is an intrinsic complementarity in the very nature of created being: a complementarity between the literal and spiritual sense of what exists. Thus, for example, a seed is both what actually exists, and, at the same time, it can “adequately” express the beginning of the supernatural life sown in the sacrament of Baptism. This leads to an almost “literary” argument for there being a single cause of all creation in that there is an incredible coherence of meaning throughout the whole.More specifically, the book discusses various questions of a bioethical nature, and, more generally, offers a radical investigation of the nature of man, male and female; for, in a word, the origin, nature and action of the human person require constant, “reciprocal” reflection. Thus, there are various essays on different aspects of man, male and female, ranging from a consideration of God expressing the mystery of the Blessed Trinity through “our” participation in His own Being to the transition from a Jewish to a Christian understanding of marriage to a marital spirituality.Finally, faith-in-action ranges from being open to life to pilgrimages as a family and the slow but real “discovery” that there is a radical nature to our salvation in Christ: that even if “natural truth” leads, inexorably, to the “trembling” outreaches of reason there is, nevertheless, a gratuitous Revelation which comes to meet and develop the life of us all. 📒1 Corinthians Understanding The Bible Commentary Series ✍ Marion L. Soards ✏1 Corinthians Understanding the Bible Commentary Series Book Summary : The Understanding the Bible Commentary Series helps readers navigate the strange and sometimes intimidating literary terrain of the Bible. These accessible volumes break down the barriers between the ancient and modern worlds so that the power and meaning of the biblical texts become transparent to contemporary readers. The contributors tackle the task of interpretation using the full range of critical methodologies and practices, yet they do so as people of faith who hold the text in the highest regard. Pastors, teachers, and lay people alike will cherish the truth found in this commentary series.

Listen + Subscribe: Actor, director, and social media instigator Michael Rapaport opens up about his public image, past mistakes and his love for the neo-soul serenading of D’Angelo’s classic 2000 release Voodoo. Perception is reality, or so they say. But for an emotionally complex, yet inherently antagonistic public figure like Michael Rapaport, the image and persona people see from the outside doesn’t fully plumb the depths of his character. Born in New York City, the actor/director is very much a product of his environment, ever ready to deal out bristling, sometimes caustic arguments, opinions and wordplay at a rapid-fire rate, much like the gritty lyricists who laid the foundations of the hip-hop music he is so passionate about right in his own hometown. Still, there is more to Michael than a quippy tweet or profanity-laden viral video might convey. He loves his children deeply, looks back on his Jewish heritage with great pride, and has a powerful affinity for the sexually incandescent, neo-soul vibrations of D’Angelo’s instant classic from 2000, Voodoo. 01:00 – Intro 04:30 – Interview starts 05:30 – The last true soul record 08:15 – Hearing about D’Angelo by word of mouth 09:45 – Michael is a hip-hop snob 13:15 – To be typecast as a sex symbol 19:30 – Learning from someone who doesn’t always know what they’re doing 23:30 – If you want to talk shit you need to be able to take shit 29:30 – Hip-hop: They don’t make it like they used to! 33:15 – This album is a five-course meal 35:45 – Telling the story of A Tribe Called Quest 41:45 – The good and evil in social media 45:30 – The lines that should not be crossed 55:30 – Raising kids is an unsolvable jigsaw puzzle 01:01:15 – Jewish soul food! 01:07:00 – Glory days on the court 01:10:030 – Get used to having your heart broken 01:16:00 – Divorce is never easy 01:24:15 – Robert De Niro is Michael’s guy 01:29:30 – Michael’s estranged relatives better love D’Angelo 01:31:30 – Facts! 01:34:15 – Working with Quentin Tarantino and Woody Allen 01:36:00 – Apparently D’Angelo is a fan of Michael 01:37:45 – Mirroring your parents 01:41:15 – Sometimes you want a day off from being told ‘Fuck you!’ 01:44:30 – Outro New Artist / Song influenced by D’Angelo: The 500 is a production of Native Creative Podcasts. Support the show + Join. The. Movement.

When you lose sight of the beauty of life and live in fear of the future that is ahead of you because it will be short, what choice do you have but to leave on your own terms. Everyone has the right to their own life and if someone is suffering, they have the right to die. Assisted suicide should be allowed in hospitals in the United States because it is unethical to prolong a person’s suffering, each person has a natural right to end their life, it would decrease the amount of terminally ill patients that end their lives themselves, and it has been practiced for thousands of years and should therefore still be allowed. There are several cases and text that support and demonstrate these concepts which will be analyzed. The first thing that must be examined when talking about assisted suicide is the history and when the ideas began. Many people that believe it is unethical believe that the idea of euthanasia just recently came around, but it has been around since the Greeks. Specifically, the idea of drinking the hemlock and dying to end your life. There was even this idea of someone having the ’freedom to leave’ it allowed the ill and needy to end their lives, occasionally with the help of others (Singh). It was even thought, a few of the doctors in Rome did help people die by using drugs that killed (Singh). It is an idea that’s been around since the Greek and Roman empires, so why is it not more available in our world today? Even in the past it was criticized heavily and mostly by people with religious affiliations claiming it desecrated the sanctity of life. Jewish and Christian philosophers did not agree with the treatment because they believed in living the entirety of life (Singh). However, who has the right to decide what the lifespan of others is, who are they to say that this is not precisely when the person is supposed to die? Everyone is said to have control of their own life, it’s something talked about a lot in the 21st century, so if one has control over their life and they are suffering why shouldn’t they be given the right to end their life without other people shaming them. To expand on the idea of it being a natural right we look to the case of Diane Pretty. This woman was in her early 40s and suffered from motor-neurone disease. This eventually led to an inability to breath on her own and made it difficult for her to swallow. She wanted to avoid the painful death that awaited her in her future through assisted suicide, but was denied the right by the Director of Public Prosecutions. These were her arguments that she took to the court regarding her situation: the Human Rights Act implied people should be able to take their life, the Suicide Act did not allow people to die and tormented her because she was put through awful treatments, she had her own right to say when she did not want to live anymore, and because she could not take her own life she felt she was discriminated against (Chetwynd). After examination of her arguments, it can be seen her main point is that it is her own natural right as a human to end her life. However, unfortunately for Diane the courts rejected her case and claimed that nowhere in the Human Rights Act did it support assisted suicide. Despite the outcome of the court the case itself, it sparked debate among many people questioning whether or not it is a natural right. The matter of the fact is, it is a natural right of human beings to decide how long they live especially if they are suffering from an illness. If a human is suffering the treatments they are going through to keep them alive are only prolonging the suffering and are therefore “inhuman and degrading. ” A case that reveals an extreme case of prolonged suffering is that of Terri Schiavo. Terri was in a vegetative state for 15 years of her life. Much debate went on about what should be done since nothing could bring her out of the vegetative state. Finally, on March 31st hospice workers removed her feeding tube. However, this did not happen until after a long legal case between Terri’s husband and her parents. He argued that she wouldn’t have wanted artificial life support while they argued against that. It was a long court case that involved the feeding tube being removed and reinserted several times. That alone is a degrading way to treat someone in a vegetative state. They basically killed her and brought her back to life a few times because they were unable to decide if it was ethical or not. Terri Schiavo is no longer alive. However, the projects she began help to guard the rights of people who are disabled from any discrimination from doctors or hospitals. Her dehydration, confirmed by things she supposedly said years ago, demand more protection for disabled citizens (Jost). Terri’s case inspired many people to come forth that supported assisted suicide and caused many more legal cases to pop up around the country. To focus on the idea of assisted suicide and what role it plays in our society today we should take a glimpse at medicine and how it has evolved. If we examine what medicine used to be like and compare to the medicine we have now we can see that our medicine now is better at saving people’s lives and keeping people alive. Medicine has changed and is better at keeping people alive longer. However, the evolution of medicine has made the problem of, how to treat those who do not want to live more visible (Ogden). That is the biggest issue, we are so efficient at keeping people alive no matter the circumstances, but what if they do not want to be alive anymore? What if they are suffering and are only experiencing pain, and the treatment they are receiving is only prolonging the pain? A case that provides insight into what it is like to be suffering in a situation like that is the case of Jay Herringer. Jay was a homosexual who was living life to the fullest until he contracted AIDS. Once having contracted AIDS Jay began to give up on life. He fell into a deep depression which led him to the only answer he thought would solve his problem, suicide. “Reasons for living, The beauty of the earth, summer, winter, spring and fall… Reasons for not living…Depressed… Tired… Don’t feel it’s worthwhile to make plans as I fear death by AIDS. Maybe death is a welcome relief. On to the next chapter” (Herringer). This was a poem written by Jay 3 months before he was officially diagnosed with full blown AIDS. After his death, his sister did everything in her power to look into the idea of assisted suicide for the terminally ill. She believed if the option would have been there for him he would not have had to take his own life. He would not have had to suffer as long if it had been offered at the beginning. That is one of the ultimate benefits of assisted suicide, is that it would decrease the percentage of terminally ill patients that take their own life. Assisted suicide could benefit our society today in many ways that far outweigh the negatives. It allows for people to uphold and take back their rights as human beings to be in control of their life. It also allows for people to ease the suffering they are going through rather than prolong it. It’s also a procedure that has been carried out for years and should be allowed currently. Lastly, it would significantly decrease the amount of suicides committed by terminally ill patients. That is why assisted suicides should be allowed in hospitals in the United States.

Walking Through The Open Gate An Enduring Standard We see from Scripture that the Creator’s processes are lengthy, thorough, and often completely different from what humans desire or expect. This should not be a surprise. YHVH says quite plainly that His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. Nevertheless, He does tell us what we need to know, and He reveals things at the appointed times to those who bother to seek Him. What we often learn is that the answer has been there all along, but we have never understood it correctly until the right time and until we approach with the right heart. When it comes to the purpose of the Lord’s processes regarding His people Israel, the answer has been staring at us for about 3,000 years. He spoke it through Moses to prepare the people for their first great meeting with Him at Sinai: In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. When they set out from Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain. Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” (Exodus 19:1-6 NASB, emphasis added) A kingdom of priests. A holy nation. That is what our God told our fathers that He wanted to make of them. Remember, He did not speak this process exclusively to the Jews, although the ancestors of the Jews were there in the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi. The Lord God spoke this as well to all the non-Jewish Israelites gathered at the foot of Sinai, regardless whether they were physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, or had joined with the people during the sojourn in Egypt. All were Israelites, and all were called to become this kingdom of priests, this holy nation which would be the instrument of Holy God in redeeming the entire earth to Himself. Tragically, most of those called would not be chosen. They would be sifted out in the process that began with the Exodus from Egypt, and which continues to this very day. That we of this present generation are part of the same process is an undeniable tenet of Scripture. The Apostles of Yeshua testify to this truth using the very same terms that God Himself used in His instructions to Moses: For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. (Titus 2:11-14 NASB, emphasis added) Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, this became the very corner stone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. (I Peter 2:1-12 NASB, emphasis added) John to the seven [assemblies] that are in Asia. Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood—and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:4-6 NASB, emphasis added) And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” (Revelation 5:7-10 NASB, emphasis added) The apostles Paul, Peter, and John had no need to define kingdom of priests and holy nation. God explained those terms long ago in His words to Moses, which of course is why Yeshua admonished us to study Moses: Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words? (John 5:45-47 NASB; see also Luke 16:19-31, Luke 24:26-27, and Acts 15:19-21) It should be no surprise, then, to see that Moses delivered one of the earliest and most detailed prophecies of the return of the tribes from exile. As with so much else of importance to us, this prophecy came in Moses’ farewell speech to the people: So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the Lord your God has banished you, and you return to the Lord your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, then the Lord your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. The Lord your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. The Lord your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. And you shall again obey the Lord, and observe all His commandments which I command you today. Then the Lord your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for the Lord will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; if you obey the Lord your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?” But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it. See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them. (Deuteronomy 30:1-20 NASB, emphasis added) It is no wonder that the Apostle Paul referred to this prophecy in Romans 10 in his explanation of how Messiah Yeshua made it possible for us to be reconciled to our God and to have our hearts corrected so we could follow His Commandments. It is no wonder, either, that Yeshua Himself referenced the witness of the heavens and the earth to the fact that God’s Law (Torah) remains in existence to this day. The Torah is the great standard by which YHVH has measured His creation from the beginning, and it is the measure which determines whether His people are ready to return to His land and serve as His Kingdom of Priests. If it is true, as II Kings 17 says, that the departure from Torah was the cause for our exile in the first place, then it is equally true that the precondition for Israel’s return is adherence to God’s Torah standards. In fact, that is precisely what Moses said: once all the blessing and curse of the Law comes upon us, and we in our exile realize what has happened, and then “return to the Lord your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today”, then He will circumcise our hearts and bring us back to the land. Are We There Yet? But how close are we? Is there any way to know when this exile will be over, when God will begin to regather all the tribes, and when Messiah, the Son of David, will reign over reunited Israel? Yes, there is a way to know. The truth is that we are in the window of restoration even now. Remember that with God there is a process, and that His processes do not reach completion quickly, instantaneously, or without partnership from His human creation. Remember also that this is contrary to the expectations of the world and even of His people. Christians, for example, are expecting that at some point Jesus Christ will return to the great surprise of everyone, gather His people to Himself, and start a period of limitless happiness. Jews are waiting for the same thing, but they are not expecting a Messiah named Jesus Christ, nor do they acknowledge that this would be the second coming of Messiah. Very few people, Christian or Jewish, anticipate that there is some responsibility on the part of God’s people in this process, and that it will take far longer than we expect. And yet we are in the window even now. Remember that calculation of Ephraim’s exile? By looking at the prophecy of Ezekiel 4 and the details of God’s judgment in Leviticus 26 we understand that Ephraim’s exile is to last 2,730 years. But when did it begin? The exile of Ephraim, like the exile of Judah, began in stages and will end in stages. With the uncertainties still surrounding the dates of many ancient events, we cannot know exactly to the day when this exile began. Most certainly it was nearing completion with the Assyrian conquest of Samaria in or around the year 722 BC. However, the beginning of Assyria’s conquest occurred much earlier, sometime around the year 734 BC when Tiglath-Pileser III (Pul) first defeated the Ephraimite kingdom and began deporting Israelites. It may even have begun even earlier, perhaps when Assyria’s capital city, Nineveh, responded in repentance to Jonah’s preaching. That would have occurred sometime around 770-760 BC. Let us consider that this process took place within a Yovel period of 50 years. If so, then a commencement during the 760s BC would bring the beginning of the end during the 1960s AD. And what happened in the 1960s? A Yovel ended on September 14, 1966, and nine months later Israel regained control of Jerusalem in the Six Day War. It is difficult to underestimate the profound prophetic implications of the Six Day War. God’s astounding victory through the Jewish State of Israel got the attention of many Jews and Christians who had been watching for Messiah’s coming. The Christian world experienced a renewed interest in the Second Coming of Christ. This sparked a wave revivals and the rise of many prophecy-focused ministries that began to investigate the ancient prophets for clues of Messiah’s imminent return. These prophetic investigations contributed to an interest in “Jewish things”, such as the Feasts of the Lord, the Hebrew Calendar, and the writings of the sages, in an effort to make sense out of the “Old Testament” prophecies and their echoes in the Apostolic Writings. At the same time, the Messianic Jewish Movement was taking shape among Jews who had embraced Jesus Christ as Yeshua haMashiach, the Messiah of Israel, and who wanted to maintain their Jewishness rather than adopt a completely Christian identity. Perhaps inevitably, these two phenomena collided. By the 1990s, a number of Christians worldwide were awakening to the fact that our beloved traditions of Sunday worship, Christmas, Easter, and many church practices are not found in the Bible. In fact, those who were paying attention began to realize that these traditions were merely that: traditions of men preached as doctrine in place of the Commandments of God. An awakening began and accelerated as Christians drew near to Messianic Jews in an effort to find out more about how God intended His people to live. Over the next decade the number of non-Jews in the Messianic Movement swelled, far exceeding the number of Jews. This has brought a considerable amount of tension and conflict as this new movement seeks to define itself. These are non-Jews who have come out of Christianity’s various denominations in an attempt to follow Messiah Yeshua’s example of living by Torah. They have no desire to become Jews, and thus are not entirely welcome in the Jewish community. At the same time, they are not willing to return to the errors of the church, and thus are not entirely welcome in the Christian community either. Who are these people? We could call them Hebrew Roots believers, but there is a better name: Ephraimites. The Ephraimite Movement, or perhaps the Etz Yosef (“Tree of Joseph”) movement, is a recent phenomenon, and is in fact a sign that the end of the exile is upon us. It is an awakening among both Jews and non-Jews that God’s promises to Israel are not yet complete, and that His very Name is at stake in bringing them to fulfillment. This awakening has manifested in greater openness to one another, seeking dialogue on the basis of our mutual faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. If Jews are not yet willing to recognize Yeshua of Nazareth as Messiah, they are at least recognizing the fact that His followers are beginning to come back to Torah, and that alone is common ground for discussion. Certain organizations, like the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation, seek to facilitate that discussion. Others, like the newly-formed United2Restore, actively cultivate Ephraimite awareness among Christians, Jews, and Hebrew Roots believers in the interest of looking toward and contributing to God’s restoration of the entire nation of Israel in the land. Interestingly enough, these efforts began to come into focus during the Shemitah cycle that began in September 2000, and have gained steam within the last Shemitah cycle (2008-2015). This process, therefore, is coalescing around the end of the prophesied 2,730 year sentence of Ephraim’s exile. At the same time, a distinct group of people identifying themselves as descendants of the Ten Lost Tribes have been recognized as such by Israel’s rabbinical authorities and are even now returning to their ancestral homeland. They are the Bnei Menashe, descendants of the tribe of Manasseh of the House of Joseph who settled in the India-Myanmar (Burma) border region centuries ago. It is no simple coincidence that Manasseh was among the first tribes exiled by the Assyrians long ago, and that they are the first to return. In view of all these developments, there is now serious talk about assembling an Etz Yosef (Ephraimite) National Congress in Israel in May 2015 to discuss these matters and see what the Lord would have His people do. These developments are accelerating in this Shemitah year, and there is no indication of them slowing down as we move into the Yovel of 2015-2016. Is it coincidence? Perhaps not. After all, the Shemitah and the Yovel are all about the restoration of people and land. In this case, the ultimate restoration is the people of God to the land of God so that we may do the word of God. Our ancestors sold themselves to other masters – gods of their own imagination which promised the world, but delivered only death. We had been married to the Creator, YHVH Himself, but we chose to keep the benefits of His Name while indulging in the pleasures of the flesh. We, today, are no different from our fathers of Ephraim and Judah, for we have perpetuated the sins of Jeroboam and the excesses of the Pharisees. We have maintained a form of godliness, but we lack the power thereof. Nevertheless, we have retained a memory of our God, and, like the Prodigal Son, we will one day come to our senses, remember who we are, and run back to our Father. That is why the Prophet Hosea had this message to us: For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar and without ephod or household idols [teraphim]. Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days. (Hosea 3:4-5 NASB) The last days are upon us. The Babylonian world system is undergoing judgment. The long-expected Great Tribulation is the crucible in which the Lord God completes the preparation of His people, the House of Jacob, so that they may become His Kingdom of Priests. This is the dawn of the day of which Jeremiah foresaw: “Therefore behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when it will no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of the north and from all the countries where He had banished them.’ For I will restore them to their own land which I gave to their fathers. Behold, I am going to send for many fishermen,” declares the Lord, “and they will fish for them; and afterwards I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them from every mountain and every hill and from the clefts of the rocks. For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes. I will first doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable idols and with their abominations.” O Lord, my strength and my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of distress, to You the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, “Our fathers have inherited nothing but falsehood, futility and things of no profit.” Can man make gods for himself? Yet they are not gods! “Therefore behold, I am going to make them know—this time I will make them know My power and My might; and they shall know that My name is the Lord.” (Jeremiah 16:14-21 NASB, emphasis added) The way is opening before us. The question now is whether we are willing to step through the gate and walk into His freedom. The Bnei Menashe quite likely are descended from the Half-Tribe of Manasseh which, along with the tribes of Reuben and Gad, inherited the regions of Gilead and Bashan on the east side of the Jordan River. Those three tribes were the first parts of Israel taken into exile by Tiglath-Pileser III. If the Scriptural pattern of exile is any indication, we should expect that the next descendants of Etz Yosef to be identified will be the tribes of Reuben and Gad.

Why are Jewish philanthropies supporting Media Matters? (updated) Why are four Jewish community philanthropic foundations supporting an antisemitic website? Prof. Alan Dershowitz has brought appropriate attention to the antisemitism of Media Matters for America, and now thanks to the Daily Caller, it has been revealed that Media Matters has been receiving contributions from the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, Inc; Community Foundation of United Federation of San Diego*; Jewish Communal Fund; Jewish Community Foundation of Cleveland. Clarice Feldman draws our attention to this bizarre fact at the PJ Tatler. She writes: "These organizations should be called to account for their actions by their own contributors." Indeed they should. But the left wing takeover of Jewish philanthropy has been well underway for many years. Last year Allon Friedman and Elliot Bartky wrote about efforts to change the appropriation of funds intended for Jewish causes into leftist coffers. It is time for a revolution in Jewish philanthropy, purging the miscreants who divert funds to antisemites. *Aaron Truax of the Jewish Federation of San Diego contacted us denying that the Jewish Community Federation has any relationship to the Jewish Federation of San Diego. The compilation of records published by the Daily Caller is found here, and on page 3, one sees: If the compilation is in error, it is not clear whether the source is with the Daily Caller, or with the filings of MMFA, from which the chart was presumably compiled. We will attempt to to discover more.

|The Heroic Age, Issue 1, Spring/Summer 1999| One of the contenders for the historical King Arthur is a virtually unknown Roman soldier by the name of Lucius Artorius Castus.1 First advanced as a candidate for this illustrious role by Kemp Malone (1924-1925),2 Castus has gained in popularity over the years as more has been deduced about him and the period in which he lived. The primary evidence that Castus even existed is slim: one, extremely extensive, autobiographical resume on three fragments from a sarcophagus, which were found in a fence/wall near Epetium (modern Strobrez in Podstrana) and one corroborating memorial plaque found near the chapel of St. Martin (Sveti Martin) of Podstrana on the Adriatic Highway.3 The reconstruction of the main inscription can be translated as: |To the spirits of the departed: Lucius Artorius Castus, centurion of the III legion Gallica, also centurion of the VI legion Ferrata, also centurion of the II legion Adiutrix, also centurion of the V legion Macedonica, also primus pilus of the same [the V legion Macedonica], praepositus of the classis Misenatium (the fleet on the Bay of Naples), praefectus of the VI legion Victrix, dux of the legions of cohorts of cavalry from Britain against the Armoricans, procurator centenarius of the province of Liburnia, with the power to issue death sentences. In his lifetime he himself [possibly: "fecit," "had this made"] for himself and his family . . . ["possibly H. s. est," "lies buried here".4| In addition to the Castus inscriptions, there are what I believe to be other references to him in some of the "nameless" figures that appear in the histories of Cassius Dio and Herodian. When Malone wrote his article, the stones bearing the Castus inscriptions had not, to his knowledge, been dated. Scholars now believe that the pieces of Castus's sarcophagus date to no later than 200 (Kirigin and Marin 1989:143),5 which means that Lucius Artorius Castus most likely died prior to that date. There is precisely one military action known to have been lead by a dux in the late second century, and that is a military expedition to Armorica in 185, which is documented by Herodian (10.1-7; Whittaker 1969:61-67).6 The dux for this expedition is not named in the text, but, given the inscriptions from Liburnia, the officer had to be Lucius Artorius Castus.7 Given the known date for the Armorica campaign and the fact that the Artorii were of the equestrian class, it becomes possible to reconstruct the life of this obscure individual in rather surprising detail. The Artorii were an equestrian class gens, "family," who, based on the evidence from ancient inscriptions, had a very specific geographic distribution.8 Whatever the clan's origins, the family developed a proud tradition of military and civil service within the Roman Empire. The core branch of the family, the one that left dozens of inscriptions all over the city of Rome itself--and one at Pompeii--dwelt in Campania.9 It is this branch into which Lucius Artorius Castus was born.10 A male equestrian needed to maintain a net wealth of 400,000 sesterces and be of exemplary moral character in order to keep his rank (Nagle 1979:285). Since there is nothing to indicate that Castus was ever a slave or suffered any moral lapses that were serious enough to remove him from the equestrian rolls, the fact that he went into the military points to him being a younger son who did not stand to inherit and who could not meet the base wealth requirement for the rank.11 This left him only one real option: join the army as a centurion. Since this path would have been predetermined for him from the time he was very young, he would have received as complete a formal education as possible. His eldest brother, the heir, would have had the most schooling. How much Castus actually got in the way of a formal education, given that his family was not wealthy enough to provide an adequate inheritance for him, is debatable. Certainly he had nothing approaching the opportunities enjoyed by Dio, who was of senatorial rank and the son of a governor. But Castus, who was guaranteed to be a centurion because of his social rank and who could be expected to eventually land in a magisterial position of some sort, would have been expected to be proficient in the art of public speaking (Nagle 1979:355). As a result, he would have had at least a grounding in the basics of geography, grammar, history, philosophy, rhetoric and science (Nagel 1979:355).12 Given that he was destined for a military career followed by a civil post, his training likely included geography, grammar, history, math, philosophy, rhetoric, and science were probably emphasized as much as the family finances allowed. The end result is that by the time he entered the army, he would have been a rather cultured individual for his class, and he would have been an expert in the art of persuasion. Roman army careers were divided into "tours." The group of tours frequently cited as the "equestrian cursus" (that is, the path taken by equestrians in a military career) consisted of the ranks of praefectus cohortis,13 tribunus militum (angusticlavius),14 and praefectus alae" (Parker 1971:189, 204). The equestrian who took these ranks always had a prior career. Usually it was as a magistrate of a small town or some other civil office.15 There was, however, a second way to enter the equestrian cursus. The soldier could enter the army as a centurion and advance in rank until he became primus pilus.16 Yet to become a centurion, the equestrian needed to resign his social status (Parker 1971:200-201, 204). Only if he survived to earn the rank of primus pilus would he recover his social standing upon leaving his legion (Parker 1971:204). In exchange for this resignation, the former-equestrian received a commission as a decimus hastus posterior, the lowest ranking centurion of a legion. This was Castus's original rank. We know that Castus posted first to the III Gallica. This legion traditionally recruited from Italy and Southern Gaul (Parker 1971:175), so this is once again confirmation that the Italian branch of the family was the one to which Castus belonged.17 Given that the rank of dux was the culmination of Castus's military career, and given that he probably served six tours (five of which are detailed in the primary inscription)18 at roughly four years per tour (essentially twenty-five years or twenty-six years)19 and one year as dux, to have been dux ca. 185, he would have enlisted ca. 158 C.E. Since he would have been eighteen at the time he enlisted, he was born sometime in 140 or 141 C.E. in the reign of Antoninus Pius. Castus would have entered the legions under the same emperor, three years before Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus were named co-emperors. At the time Castus enlisted, the III Gallica was posted to Syria (Parker 1971:163).20 The legion's primary duty was to keep the peace, with special attention paid to Jewish and Christian movements within the province (Grant 1985:86). They did this by posting centurions to various villages (Burnham and Wacher 1990:34-35; Harper 1928:117-121).21 This gave Castus his initial training, which would influence his command decisions throughout his career. To go up in rank Castus had to wait--and stay alive--while the officers above him (1) completed their tours and returned to civilian life, (2) transferred to another legion, or (3) died. With fifty-eight ranks between Castus and primus pilus, that could--and did--take a considerable amount of time.22 Around 162 Castus probably switched to the VI Ferrata in Judea (Parker 1971:163).23 Promotions frequently involved a centurion changing legions (Parker 1971:202), so Castus likely increased his rank--as well as his chances of staying alive--with the move. Armenia was invaded by the Parthians at this time. The III Gallica, IV Scythica and XVI Flavia firma responded (Parker 1971: 163). It is impossible to say, however, whether Castus's promotion was in response to something he did in connection with the invasion or whether his was a routine promotion that just happened to carry him away from the fighting.24 Once in the VI Ferrata, he would have again been responsible for keeping the peace in a designated city or village, with possible rotation to Jerusalem for guard duty.25 The Romans reclaimed Armenia and installed Gaius Avidius Cassius as governor (165 C.E.; Grant 1985:94). Several of the Gallica's centurions were lost in the war.26 They were most likely replaced by high-ranking centurions from the Ferrata and neighboring centuries, given their proximity, which would have resulted in the Ferrata's lower-ranking centurions, including Castus, advancing without actually engaging in combat. As action in the Middle East cooled down, action on the Danube heated up. Castus either received another promotion that required him to jump legions or perhaps he wanted a more prestigious post.27 Whatever the case, ca. 166, he transferred to the II Adiutrix, which was present at full strength on the Danube (Parker 1971:166).28 The II Adiutrix, one of Marcus Aurelius's legions, was stationed in Lower Pannonia at Aquincum (Budapest; Wilkes 1969:328-329).29 The higher up Castus climbed within the legion, the more he would have had to entertain any visiting diplomats, and in Aquincum the diplomats came from--among other tribes--the Iazyges, a tribe of Sarmatians allied with the Quadi and the Marcomanni.30 Out of necessity, Castus would have become familiar with the Sarmatian culture, language and fighting techniques. But given his later successful connection with these same horsemen, it is likely that he attained a deep understanding of the Iazyges that few other officers of his time possessed. That special knowledge was about to make him one of the empire's most valuable resources. In about 170, Castus's third tour would normally have been up. But he had not made primus pilus, and so had not regained his equestrian status. Rather than returning to civilian life at a lower social status, he stayed in the army, transferring to the V Macedonica, which was stationed at Potaissa in Dacia (modern Turda in Transylvania; Wilkes 1969:328-329; Parker 1971:167-168). Here, ca. 172 or 173, Castus finally earned the rank of primus pilus. During those years Dio (72.7-13, Cary 1932:23-25) recorded a unique battle between the Romans and the Iazyges.31 Procedure for the Danube legions was to send out detachments, led by centurions, from the legions' bases to patrol the Danube itself (Parker 1971:165).32 To reach the Danube from the bases of the V Macedonica and the XIII Gemina, soldiers marched west along the Mures river from the Transylvanian Plain. This routinely put units on the Danube at the Tisza reentry, precisely where the battle described by Dio took place. The fighting began with the infamous steppe maneuver, the feigned retreat. The Romans pursued the apparently fleeing Iazyges onto the frozen Danube, and the Iazyges turned and charged, with the flanks sweeping around to encircle the Romans. Normally this attack resulted in lots of dead Romans and barely scathed Iazyges. Not so on this encounter. The officer in charge had apparently drilled his century in a modified version of a fighting technique known as the infantry square, which the Romans had employed successfuly against cavalry in the war with the Parthians in Armenia (Goldsworthy 1996:102, 229).33 Instead of facing the Iazyges in parallel lines, the Romans stood back-to-back in a square, pili pointed outward. They planted their shields in the ice and braced against the shields with one foot to prevent slipping.34 The Romans then simply took the charge. As soon as the Iazyges had closed with the soldiers, the Romans grabbed the reins of the horses and pulled the animals off balance. The battle might have been more even, but the centurion had also drilled his men in a modified from of Graeco-Roman wrestling as a combat technique.35 The end result was that the small unit of Romans killed all but a handful of the larger force of Iazyges, and the Iazyges's king promptly sent envoys to Marcus Aurelius to sue for peace. Even if Castus were not the ingenious centurion who concocted this strange set of battle tactics, he certainly would have known the man who did. But given that it is Castus whom the Romans later assign to deal with the Iazyges at Bremetennacum, that Castus finally advances to primus pilus around the time of this battle, that Castus was a senior centurion in one of the two legions who had to supply the detachment detailed in Dio's account, and that Castus would eventually serve as an underling to Dio's father (providing for the opportunity for Dio to have heard the tale from Castus himself), there is at least the chance that the clever officer who annihilated the Iazyges on the frozen Danube was indeed Castus.36 Obtaining the rank of primus pilus gave Castus back his equestrian rank, and he could have gone into civil service, if he had amassed enough wealth to maintain his social status. Perhaps he had not yet achieved this goal, or perhaps he simply enjoyed the army life. In any case, he chose to stay in the army and followed the equestrian cursus: three to four years for each rank as a praefectus cohortis, a tribunus militum or tribunus legionis and, finally, a praefectus alae (Parker 1971:204). The majority of equestrians who took this path had no prior military training. Castus, with his prior service, was an extremely rare officer. That might account for why his career suddenly took an unusual turn. At the same time Castus reenlisted, he became eligible to do something else that the average Roman soldier could not do: He could legally marry.37 He probably entered into an arranged marriage, preferably with a father-in-law who needed a male heir. Such a marriage would eventually give him the income he needed to leave the military, if he did not earn a high enough post on his own. But Castus need not have worried. Already rare, he was about to distinguish himself far above most of the equestrians of his day.38 Castus was primus pilus of the V Macedonica in 175. The date alone says it all. As primus pilus of one of the three Danubian legions, Castus played a major role in the Roman victory when they conquered the Iazyges and "fifty-five hundred of [the eight thousand Sarmatian cavalry conscripted by Marcus Aurelius] . . . [were] sent to Britain" (Dio, 72.16, Cary 1932:37). Given the date that Castus became dux and the two posts he held prior to that, he reenlisted sometime in 175 and was assigned a post that is not detailed in the surviving portion of his main inscription.39 Upon reenlisting, Castus, as an equestrian, should have become a praefectus cohortis of either auxilia (foreign/non-Roman, yet allied troops, who did not have citizenship) or numeri (foreign troops, who were conscripted into the legions and who did not have citizenship).40 In 175 C.E., there were two known major movements of non-citizen troops, which would have necessitated praefecti to command them yet that would not have been attached to legions: the aforementioned 8,000 Sarmatian warriors, 5,500 of whom were sent to Britain and 2,500 of whom were sent somewhere else.41 Because Castus later became the commander of the Iazyges in Britain, it is likely that this larger group is the one to which he was assigned upon his reenlistment.42 This troop movement was neither a simple nor a speedy undertaking. 5,500 warriors, with at least two horses each, attendant equipment, wives, children, support personnel, herds to feed them--The sheer bulk of equipment, livestock and humanity that needed to be moved to the westernmost regions of the empire, including a channel crossing, and turned over to the VI Victrix boggles the mind. If Castus stayed with the Iazyges until they were settled in at Bremetennacum, learned enough Latin to understand orders from the decurions and other officers who were assigned to them, and became familiar enough with Roman military structure and tactics to be an effective addition to the legion, he could well have spent one or two years at the task. In any event, by 176 or 177, a permanent commander was apparently assigned to the Iazyges because Castus reported back to Rome and was posted as praepositus to the classis Missenatium, the second step in the traditional military cursus for an equestrian.43 In part, this was a cushy reward post for some job well done. When in port at Naples, he was near his immediate relatives in Campania, and he was in an extremely quiet and civilized area of the world compared to where he had been serving. He had to do something spectacular to get this post. Otherwise, he would have wound up as a tribune somewhere, most likely on the Danube or in the Middle East. The position at Naples, where the fleet was responsible for running supplies to Marcus Aurelius, points to a special assignment for the emperor that was completed in an exemplary fashion. Once again, this makes it possible for him to have been the praefectus who moved the Iazyges to Britain. Victory over the Marcomanni came in 178,44 but military action on the Danube continued through the time of Marcus Aurelius's death on March 17, 180. Commodus became emperor and instructed his generals to cut the same deal with the Marcomanni, Quadi and remaining Iazyges that Marcus Aurelius had crafted in 175 (Dio 72.16 and 73.2 73; Cary 1932:73). Whether this was the cause, or whether there was some other reason, in 181 Lucius Artorius Castus was sent back to Britain--and into legend.45 Some scholars have speculated that the post Castus took in the VI Victrix was that of praefectus castrorum (Salway 1991:213, n. 1). This is impossible. Praefectus castrorum was a civilian post, the end of a military career (Parker 1971:191), and Castus was still most definitely in the military since he goes on to be named dux. Nor would Castus have confused the rank of praefectus with that of primus pilus on his sarcophagus, the carving of which he commissioned and oversaw in his lifetime. Nor would the memorial plaque have misidentified his rank. As an equestrian, his next expected rank was praefectus alae, and that's exactly what he got.46 The standard tour of duty for soldiers in the Roman army was twenty-five years (Parker 1979:212).47 At the end of that time, the soldiers who were numeri became Roman citizens. When they did so, they took the name of the emperor under whom they were conquered and added a cognomen of their choice. Ca. 200 in Britain, twenty-five years after Marcus Aurelius conquered the Iazyges, there is a proliferation of inscriptions, some with pictures of warriors in steppe garb, bearing names such as Marcus Aurelius Castus and Aurelius Lucius (Collingwood and Wright 1965:409, no. 1242 and 174, no. 522). Though the title of the ranking officer at Bremetennacum in later years was "praepositus numeri et regionis" (e.g., Collingwood and Wright 1965:196, no. 587),48 there is no reason to assume that the commander's rank started out as anything unusual. Yes, the commander of a cohort was a praefectus. So was the commander of conscripted or foreign alae. But so, too, was the commander of a fort that was not the main headquarters for a legion. I submit that Castus's rank as praefectus was "fort commander," and that the fort he commanded was Bremetennacum. Britain was a complete mess militarily during Castus's time there. While the II Augusta kept peace in southern Britain (from its base at Isca--Caerleon; Ordnance Survey 1978), and while the XX Valeria Victrix handled conflicts in Wales (from Deva--Chester; Ordnance Survey 1978), the VI Victrix manned Hadrian's Wall from its headquarters at Eboracum (York; Ordnance Survey 1978). The portion of the Wall supplied with troops by Bremetennacum included Camboglanna (Castlesteads; Ordnance Survey 1978)49 and Avallana (Burgh-By-Sands; Ordnance Survey 1978).50 Most scholars agree that something very strange happened at Bremetennacum during this period (e.g., Salway 1965:29). While Sarmatian stelae show Roman names characteristic of having obtained citizenship ca. 200,51 the vicus next to the fort became a veterans' settlement--Bremetennacum Veteranorum, with offspring of the serving soldiers supplying new recruits to the fort (Parker 1971:214).52 The model for the Sarmatian enclave in Britain is very close to what Castus would have become familiar with in Syria during his initial years as a centurion, namely, an officer in charge of a village or city and the surrounding territory. He would also have known the benefits of encouraging the Sarmatians to maintain their cultural identity.53 Given the abandonment of other forts in the same region, Castus would have become "commander of the region" even though he did not bear the title. In any case, during the next 250 years, the Sarmatians remained as a more tightly knit enclave and in closer association with the fort than was typical for numeri. In 180-185, the Romans suffered heavy losses north and south of the Wall,54 and the Picts invaded, striking deeply enough into Roman territory to slay the governor of Britain and the legate of the VI Victrix at Eboracum (Dio, 73.2, Cary 1932:87; Salway 1991:210-211). The Victrix fell to pieces and revolted, attempting to elevate one of Castus's fellow praefecti, Priscus, to the position of emperor. Through this all, there was one island of peace: the territory controlled by Bremetennacum. While everything east of the Pennines disintegrated, everything west stayed calm. The western portion of the Wall held against the invasion. And when the officers of the Victrix were executed by Pertinax (185 C.E.; Dio 73.2a, Cary 1932:89; Salway 1991:213) or transferred to remote locations,55 Castus, in contrast, was promoted to dux and sent to Armorica to put down an uprising.56 For the Armorican expedition (ca. 185 or 186), Castus commanded two legions' worth of troops.57 Given the facts that the M. Aurelii inscriptions of Britain occur in both the XX Valeria Victrix and in the VI Victrix, that a Sarmatian officer is buried near the XX Valeria Victrix's headquarters at Deva (Chester), and that both the XX Valeria Victrix and VI Victrix seem to have had a hand in building Bremetennacum, and the VI Victrix had just mutinied after suffering heavy losses, the auxilia and numeri that made up Castus's force were probably drawn from both the XX Valeria Victrix and the VI Victrix. The troops were also exclusively cavalry, according to Castus's inscription. This is to be expected, since the troops on the western Wall as well as the troops under Castus's direct command were mostly cavalry. Castus was victorious in Armorica, and he may simply have returned his troops to Britain and gone on to assume his next post at this point. He was, however, in a position to do something that both Dio and Herodian mention in their histories: send 1500 "javelin men" to Rome to warn Commodus of an assassination attempt by Perennis.58 This force was sent by the "lieutenants of Britain" (Dio 73.9; Cary 1932:89; Salway 1991:231). "Javelin men" is an extremely strange term. If the fifteen hundred soldiers had come from the core troops of the legion, why not call them "legionnaires" or "miles"? What we have for the word "javelin" is what an eleventh-century Byzantine monk, Xiphilinis, wrote in a summary of Dio's history. Since Xiphilinis gets "pilum" right elsewhere, the javelin referred to in this passage was either the kontus, a lance (Nickel in Lacy et al. 1986:13), or a iaculor, the preferred weapon of light-armed cavalry (Dixon and Southern 1992: 51, 128)--the later of which gives iaculator, "javelin-man" in Latin (Simpson 1958:s.v.)--both of which were used by the Iazygan cavalry. The speed with which the warning gets from Britain to Rome also argues for mounted troops rather than foot soldiers. The "lieutenant"/praefectus who sent the message was probably Castus,59 and he may have done so from Armorica before returning to Britain (cf. Frere 1967:150). Herodian does not identify the "soldiers" as British, but he does say that they intercepted coins bearing Perennis's image (Herodian I.9.5-8, Whittaker 1969, 1:56-57). Whittaker (1969, 1:57, n. 3) interprets this cryptic detail to mean that the coins bore the image of Perennis's son. Whittaker goes on to speculate that the coins were issued by Perennis in response to his son's victory against Sarmatians in Pannonia. Since Sarmatians in Pannonia would have been blood relatives of the Sarmatians in Britain who were with Castus's troops in Armorica. Personal revenge against Perennis and his family could have easily played a part in the motivation to warn Commodus of the plot. This once again suggests that the "1500 javelin men" who were dispatched to warn Commodus were indeed Sarmatians, and if they were, then Castus was the officer who sent them. Following these events, Castus's tour of duty in the army ended. He had served for twenty-five years,60 and he likely had a wife and children, who were probably nearing their teens. Typically, he would have become a local tax collector or the equivalent somewhere, but his stellar service bought him something else: a position as procurator centenarius of Liburnia. The rank of procurator frequently gets translated as "governor," but procurators could do any of a number of things. Some ran mines. Some inventoried weaving-houses, dye-houses or linen-houses. Some were in charge of mints. Still others ran imperial estates. In Castus's case, because of the addition of iure gladii to his title, he was a high-level magistrate in charge of a portion of a province.61 His compensation for this position was 100,000 sesterces per year, a salary that, added to what wealth he had already amassed, enabled him to maintain the financial requirement for his equestrian rank, provide for his growing family, purchase a villa, and commission his own sarcophagus and a tomb for his entire immediate family. Such magistrates had to supply their own staff, so they regularly took friends and family members with them to their posts. Given the presence of a woman who may be Castus's daughter, a boy who could have been his grandson and another woman who could be his niece in Dalmatia near where his own sarcophagus was found, he probably did precisely this.62 At this time, Liburnia was a division of Dalmatia, and the governor of Dalmatia was Dio's father, Marcus Cassius Apronianus (185 C.E.; Dio 49.36.4, Cary 1917:415).63 It is likely that Dio knew Castus. In fact, Castus himself may have served as the source for the message from Britain story.64 Castus's years as procurator centenarius passed relatively peacefully. His northern neighbor, Pannonia, was unusually quiet, thanks to the presence of the future-emperor Severus as governor in Upper Pannonia (Grant 1985:108). Dalmatia was at peace, and Liburnia flourished. In 193 Commodus was assassinated. Pertinax, Castus's colleague from Pannonia and Britain, was named emperor--and slain only eighty-seven days into his reign (Grant 1985:104). Didius Julianus bought the Imperial throne, which was auctioned off by the army (Grant 1985:105-108), and sixty-six days later, he, too, was executed by Septimius Severus on the orders of the Senate. When Severus ascended to the Imperial throne, he held a state funeral for Pertinax, which equestrians were commanded to attend (Dio 75.4-5, Cary 1932:167-173). Unless Castus was seriously ill or injured, he attended, since there was no war in Liburnia or anything else going on that would have prevented him from making the journey to Rome. He then returned to Liburnia, where he expected to complete his term as procurator centenarius and retire (Kirigin and Marin 1989:143). Castus probably never made it to retirement. If he were still alive in 196, which is not impossible since he would have only been fifty-four years old, historical events suggest that he would have been called back to active duty. In that year Albinus, the governor of Britain, was proclaimed emperor by his soldiers and invaded Gaul from Britain.65 Instead of marching directly to Gaul, Severus went north through Pannonia, Noricum, Raetia, Upper Germany and into Gaul. Given this route and that Severus was purposefully calling up soldiers and troops along the way, he could hardly have resisted sending a summons to neighboring Liburnia, ordering Castus to join him. Castus not only knew the British troops, particularly the Iazyges, but he had also fought and won a campaign in Gaul. Such knowledge would have rendered Castus invaluable and Severus was not a man to overlook or fail to use such a resource.66 Severus's forces first engaged Albinus at Tinurtium (ca. 197),67 where heavy damages were reported to the British cavalry. This interesting detail tells us that Albinus brought a significant number of British horsemen with him. At the time, the only significant group of British cavalry that seems to suffer a loss in numbers was the Sarmatians of Bremetennacum. Severus, having served as governor of Pannonia, might have had the knowledge necessary to defeat steppe cavalry, but Dio makes a point of saying that Severus was not present at any of the battles except the final one (Dio 76.6; Cary 1932:207).68 Then again, the actual brains behind the initial defeat of Albinus's forces may well have belonged to the former commander of the Iazyges, Castus. Albinus pulled south. Severus pursued and engaged Albinus a second--and final--time at Lugdunum (Lyon).69 Again, Dio (76.7; Cary 1932:211-213) gives graphic details of the battlefield was "covered with the bodies of men and horses" (Dio 76.6-7, Cary 1932:209-211).70 If Castus fell in this battle, that would explain his death prior to the year 200. Castus's body would have been shipped back to Liburnia, perhaps from Marseilles to Spalato, courtesy of the classis Misenatium, and buried in the tomb he had prepared. Sometime soon afterward, the plaque, which was found at the chapel of St. Martin, was carved in his honor. Several Artorii grave stelae appear in Dalmatia and neighboring regions, and the name "Lucius Artorius" is attested during Diocletian's reign (Mommsen 1973:no. 14195.27; "Lucius Artorius Pius Maximus"), which suggests that his line continued for a while after his death. The text of the two inscriptions that mention Castus may be brief, but in context they describe a fascinating career of a brilliant cavalry officer. In Part II of this essay, which is not yet published, I will explore the parallels between the details that can be gleaned from these inscriptions and the legends of Britain's "King Arthur," whose stories may very well include a distant reflection of a once-famous Roman soldier named Lucius Artorius Castus. |Return to Table of Contents||Return to homepage|

It looks like the Gillard Government in Australia is shamelessly trying to pre-judge the ACMA’s so-called investigation and may be trying to fob off Jacintha Saldanha’s death as just a prank gone wrong rather than face up to the truth that her death is one more death in a decades long series of fatalities. These now secretly classified deaths were/are possibly triggered by years of extremist political ideology, extremely shonky administration practices, and the manifestly ruthless “cowboy country – anything goes” exploitation of a targeted social minority who are, largely thanks to deliberate mass media vilification, currently about as popular in Australia as vulnerable Jewish citizens were in Nazi Germany in 1939. (Think unintended collateral damage in Jacintha’s case, a tragic reality that still does not remedy the situation!) - Check out the letter from the ACMA’s acting Assistant Secretary, Jared Henry, who is calling 2Day FM’s lethal actions a “prank” when that is almost certainly not a legally accurate description of 2day FM’s actions. - Take note of the phrase “prank telephone call” in line 2 of this letter dated 3rd January 2013 . This indicates the possibility of a deliberate media ploy by the Australian Government to ‘play down‘ 2Day FM’s illegal actions, possibly to draw attention away from the fact that the sort of reckless insensitivity that triggered Jacintha’s death is ACMA approved and therefore is an acceptable attitude in Australia! - Such a crass, ham-fisted attempt to dismiss the truth that underpins the reasons why 2Day FM personnel apparently believed that it was okay to ignore statute laws when recording the phone conversation with Jacintha is grossly insulting to her memory and clearly indicates that the Australian Government does not want this embarrassingly sensitive truth to be revealed. “Nemo iudex in causa sua” (Don’t sit in judgement on your own case.) To ‘nail‘ 2Day FM for possible Criminal Negligence is to expose the Australian Government to the possibility of contributory negligence tort claims for providing a sub-standard mass media regulatory environment that recklessly placed sensitive, fragile people in grave danger 24/7/365 from the Australian mass media which is goal focussed on ensuring that “market forces trump the regulators.” My response to this letter is set out below: Thank you for your letter dated 3rd January 2013. I am sending a certified copy of your letter to the City of London Coroner’s Inquest into the death of Jacintha Saldanha as further documentary evidence of the failure of the ACMA to act in an impartial manner. In my submissions to the inquest I have been putting forward the viewpoint that the ACMA is not a fair and impartial body and consequently the Findings of the ACMA must not be taken at face value. In line two of your letter you referred to the 2Day FM “prank telephone call”, a phrase that provides insight into the partisan mindset of the ACMA administration. When is a “prank” not a prank? The answer to that question is when the “prank” is an indictable offense that results in the death of a person. Appended is a copy of a trial summary that occurred in South Australia in February 2006. You will note that although the accused, Josiah Finch, did not kill anyone, he was convicted of Felony Murder. The mandatory sentence for this crime is 25 years with a mandatory 60% non-parole period. With time served whilst on remand, Josiah was sentenced to 14 and half years before being eligible for parole. At the conclusion of the summary it is pointed out that Felony Murder is a charge that involves: A. An indictable offense; B. A fatality arising from that indictable offense. The ‘logic’ of this statute is very simple; A + B = C, i.e. Felony Murder. The so called “prank” call in which the conversation was secretly recorded, violated federal and states laws that make the secret, unilateral recording of a telephone call, as you are fully aware, an indictable offense that carries penalties of up to 5 years in jail and a $250,000 fine for individuals and a $500,000 fine for corporate entities. - Had the 2Day FM call originated in South Australia, Ms Saldanha’s death could be a Felony Murder, not a “prank.” (NOTE: Downgrading her death may have profound legal implications for Josiah Finch and many others.) - In NSW, it is highly probable that Ms Saldanha’s death may constitute Manslaughter due to Criminal Negligence, a crime that also carries a very heavy jail time penalty. The Distress Act and the longevity of ‘ancient’ Crown Law statutes relevant to the 2Day FM inquiry. The SA Felony Murder statute should be considered very carefully by the ACMA for a number of other incidental but highly relevant reasons. In 2005, the Opposition Leader in SA, Rob Kerin, announced that the Liberal Party would contest the March, 2006 state election on a Law and Order platform because the Rann Government was allegedly “soft on crime.” Needing a show trial to disprove the claim, the Rann Government allowed Josiah Finch to be prosecuted under an ‘ancient’ (by SA standards) felony murder statute that had long been dormant. In doing so, the Rann Government was on very safe grounds for in 1910 a High Court of Justice challenge to the validity of ancient legislation that was proclaimed in 1267, i.e. the Distress Act, was rejected by the Court. The Court ruled that laws made by Parliament, unless repealed by Parliament, were still valid. This ruling was a powerful legal precedent for the Rann Government’s use of redundant legislation for a political show trial. The significance of this for the Coroner’s Inquest, and therefore for the ACMA, is that old statute laws in both Great Britain and Australia that deal with the crime of Treason may still apply. Secretly impersonating Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, for the purpose of obtaining confidential information about a member of the Queen’s family is an action that may be covered by laws that date back 500 or more years, as per the 1267 Distress Act. I shall be reminding the Coroner’s Inquest of these old laws and pointing out that until 50 years ago, these crimes carried the death penalty. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. The clear message is that what 2Day FM did by impersonating Her Royal Highness was quite possibly a treasonable act that resulted in the death of a Citizen of the Realm who was employed ‘as a servant of the Queen’ at the King Edward VII Hospital. The appropriate, impartial way to describe what 2Day FM did is to refer to it as an “incident” or a “fatal incident”; not as a “prank” which is a term that clearly implies per-judgement by the ACMA of what 2Day FM did. Incitement to Commit a Felony? As a direct consequence of the News of World scandal in Great Britain, News Corp. organizations are not exactly the ‘flavour of the month’ at the moment in that country. On 28th November, News Ltd. CEO, Kym Williams, apparently urged Australia’s mass media to commit a felony. In a speech made at the Melbourne Press Club, Mr Williams apparently expressed the viewpoint that the mass media should let “market forces trump the regulators.” It appears that Mr Williams was inciting Australia’s mass media organizations to ignore the Law and focus upon a higher authority, i.e. “market forces.” This alleged statement is totally inconsistent with Paragraph 5 of the Australian Constitution which makes it quite clear that the Law is binding on the people. Did Mr Williams therefore make himself an “Accessory before the fact” to the market forces driven, fatal decision by 2Day FM personnel to impersonate the Queen in order to obtain confidential information about a member of her family that could be broadcast to improve the station’s ratings? The cost of operating 2Day FM is very high, perhaps thousands of dollars per hour and therefore the ‘prank’ was in fact a carefully considered economic decision by a commercial radio station that involved a deliberate decision to “trump the regulators” by ignoring federal and state laws that prohibit the secret recording of telephone conversations. What 2Day FM did was no ‘prank” but a rational commercial decision to violate laws, both known and unknown, for the purpose of achieving a commercial marketing advantage, i.e. higher commercial broadcasting Ratings. That a person of your senior rank with (oversight of) the ACMA should refer to the 2Day FM incident, in writing, as a prank, is absolutely outrageous, hence my decision to forward a copy of your letter to the inquest. Reports 2780 and 2729. I am also pressing the viewpoint to the Saldanha Inquest that ACMA Reports 2780 and 2729 may have been contributory negligence factors in a long cascading chain of events that eventually resulted in the death of Ms Saldanha. For example, Report 2780 was not investigated in accordance with internationally accepted legal standards for the legally valid conduct of an investigation. Had a valid investigation been undertaken, the investigators would have been presented with information that would have validated the allegations. The subsequent report may have actively discouraged the ‘anything goes’ behaviour that resulted in Ms Saldanha’s death. In 2013 I shall be undertaking a range of actions aimed at forcing Centrelink to finally reveal the secret, unreported deaths tolls caused by both breaching activity and the fraudulent attempts to extort overpayments that did not have to be repaid. The shonky manner in which the ACMA “investigated” the complaints received will be presented to the courts as evidence of a deliberate cover-up of fraud driven fatalities that are the subject of at least one secret Senate confidential classification and ‘don’t copy, don’t distribute’ suppression orders. If a court accepts this view, then those involved in the shonky Report 2780 ‘investigation’ could find themselves in violation of SA’s felony murder statute and facing 25 years MANDATORY sentence per fatality. Although currently unknown, SA’s breaching death toll, whatever that may be, is likely to be appallingly high. In effect, Rochelle and Co could be looking at a massive career change once Centrelink is forced to divulge the unreported breaching fatalities. The false claim that the ACMA did not have the necessary power to investigate Centrelink is totally inconsistent with the ACMA’s statutory obligation to investigate any activity by holders of broadcast licenses that may violate criminal laws. I believe that the statutory remit of Fair Work Australia contains a similar provision that also allows criminal investigations of employers and unions and we all know about how diligent the FWA investigators were in upholding that responsibility when looking at the Health Services Union. Report 2729 was disgraceful document that gave commercial television broadcasters the right to engage in the vilification of targeted vulnerable minorities, or individuals, without the need to consider the potentially harmful, sometimes lethal, consequences for emotionally fragile, at-risk people who may have been deliberately targeted and vilified in the name of ‘public interest.’ One of the inevitable, completely foreseeable, downstream consequences of Report 2729 was that eventually, someone would get hurt badly hurt and that is precisely what happened. No, it was not a TV broadcaster that acted rashly and caused the death of Ms Saldanha, but the message sent by the ACMA to all of the nation’s broadcasters was quite clear, ‘anything goes’ that is not extremely offensive to the audience and don’t bother about the emotional trauma inflicted upon the targeted victim(s). Report 2729 opened the door to recklessly irresponsible behaviour and as such, Report 2729 , with its “EXTREME”-never-mind-the-victims thresholds for ACMA action was totally at odds with our nation’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ of all other forms of vilification. It was a criminally negligent set of Finding, a viewpoint that I have expressed to the Saldanha inquest. The people responsible for Report 2729 appear to have been totally unaware that, although a teacher for more than 40 years, due to a medical ‘adverse event’, I am now a disability pension and I personally found the views expressed by SAS 7 to be extremely distressing and grossly offensive to the extent that it made SAS 7’s efforts look amateurish! Regrettably, Report 2729 was the regulatory reckless act that ultimately triggered the death of Ms Saldanha; an ACMA generated outcome that is the ultimate offensive act. The question is, who else has the ACMA helped to kill? My comment: What 2Day FM did is a matter for the coroner’s inquiry to ultimately determine. That a very senior Australian Government official should be describing these indictable actions as a “prank” send a clear signal that the Australian Government is more interested in a cover-up than the truth. - Any one who concerned about what happened to Jacintha Saldanha should voice their protest at such reprehensible tactics. - Whilst the causes of Jacintha’s death may be far beyond the coroner’s jurisdiction, like an international airliner crash, the Truth is what matters, not jurisdictional issues. - Under British Law, the Coroner’s Statute requires that coroners perform their duties impartially, without fear or favour, and deliver the whole truth to the public, not just a politically sanitized version of the truth. Ronald Medlicott (A Christian advocate of welfare justice.) NOTE: The short link for this URL is http://wp.me/p1n8TZ-b0

Josh Hines (BUS) Josh Hines graduated from The Ohio State University with a BFA in dance improvisation and performance in 2014. Since graduation he has been establishing himself as Columbus, Ohio dance artist, teacher, and improviser. He has been collaborating with Columbus Moving Company for the last three years as a performer, teacher, and choreographer. Josh finds dance improvisation is paramount for his work: "For me there is nothing more human than curiosity and living in the moment. The sincerity that improvisation generates causes dancers to become more genuine in their movement, more alive and sensitive. The applications of dance improvisation are endless and that is what I love about it so much." More at joshramseyhines.com Kelly Hurlburt (Bus Kelly received a B.F.A in Dance at The Ohio State University, with a focus in Alternative Medicine/Movement Therapy. She has, since, set roots in Columbus, Ohio as an artist and dancer, where she can be found facilitating modern and improvisational dance in the community, dancing in projects and creating new work. Her attempts to understand and digest the vast form of dance have sent her on international ventures to perform and train in Israel, China, Spain and Denmark; as well as nationally too. Her desire to harmonize holistic health and dance movement have colored her approach to dancing and teaching and put her on the path to bringing improvisation to the forefront as a platform for creating deep, mindful and wholesome experiences for herself and those she teaches. She is thrilled for the future of Sea Bus; eager to delve further into the physical/intellectual/spiritual practice of dance improvisation in the company of such wonderful movers. More at kelly-hurlburt.com Megan Davis Bushway (BUS) Megan Davis Bushway is a dance and movement educator based in Columbus, OH. Megan currently teaches for BalletMet, Momentum: Excellence at the Speed of Dance, and the Columbus Modern Dance Company. She regularly offers Pilates Mat and Reformer classes at the Jewish Community Center and Core Poetry. Additionally, Megan is a Teaching Artist for OhioDance and in VSA’s Adaptation, Integration, & the Arts program. Megan currently dances with SeaBus and collaborates on choreographic projects with Athens-based artist Megan Yankee. Past performance credits include works by Susan Rethorst, Melanie Bales, Susan Hadley, Fritha Pengelly, Cynthia Nazzaro, and Paige Phillips. In addition to her work as an educator and performer, Megan also specializes in dance film and documentation. She has been commissioned by local artists to document work and is the videographer for OhioDance. Megan received an MFA in Dance from The Ohio State University and a BA in Art Therapy and Dance from Springfield College. More at www.megandavis.org Eve Hermann (BUS) Eve Hermann studied visual and literary art at Indiana University. She has danced in Columbus, OH, since 2012 in works choreographed by CoCo Loupe, Nicole Garlando, Michael Morris, Christeen Stridsberg, and Jeff Fouch. She was a company member of Columbus Moving Company for the 2014/2015 season. From late 2013 to early 2016, she owned and operated Feverhead, a warehouse rehearsal and performance space in Columbus providing low-cost rentals for the performing arts, including: dance, theater, and music. Her performance work is primarily based in structured improvisation and presence practices influenced by Gaga, Butoh, and body awareness exercises. She is a licensed massage therapist, Craniosacral Therapy Practitioner and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner in Training. More at http://evehermann.com/dance/ Hana Newfeld (BUS) Hana Newfeld is a dance artist. She was born in New Jersey into a family of yogis that granted her the space to have an open mind and body. Through yoga and other forms of movement practice, she found dance at the age of 14 and quickly became enamored with the endless possibilities of the body. She has a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance from The Ohio State University where she has tested the connections between dance and spirituality through improvisational moving meditation. She is also certified in Vinyasa yoga from Thank Yoga of Columbus. She will continue to search and explore these methods through creating dance art. Chloe Napoletano (BUS) Chloe Napoletano is a dancer, teacher, art administrator, and community dance practioner. Born in Akron, Ohio, Chloe grew up a block away from Martell School of Dance where, at age five, she began dancing. From 2009-2013, she attended Akron School for the Arts where she studied ballet and modern dance, improvisation, choreography. From 2011-2013, Chloe apprenticed with the Akron based modern company, RED Company real.edge.dance under the direction of Kelli Sanford. She interned at OhioDance in 2014 and The American Dance Festival in 2016. She holds a BFA in dance from The Ohio State University. The focus of Chloe’s dance major was in dance education, specifically for members of a community that are unable to afford or transport themselves to see and experience art. She teaches “In Motion: Dance Classes for Adults Over 50” and dance at Schiller Park Community Center. Chloe also works as the Advanced Team Coordinator for Momentum, an organization that engages children in dance, music, and performance.

In the days after Eric Garner died last July while being arrested for selling loose cigarettes on Staten Island, aides to Mayor Bill de Blasio circulated the administration’s public statements to police reform advocates and religious leaders, according to email correspondence obtained by Capital. “There is a great deal of anger in the community,” wrote Staten Island pastor Demetrius Carolina in a one-line reply to mayoral aide Charles Fall, after receiving a copy of the mayor’s formal response to the incident on July 18. Fall, the Staten Island representative for the mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, did not reply, according to 129 pages of emails provided to Capital following a Freedom of Information Law request. The administration emails offer a glimpse into the frenzied days following the fatal arrest of Garner, an unarmed black man who died while being placed in a chokehold by a white officer on July 17 of last year. The emails were sent to some of the same allies and advocates who helped elect the mayor, and reflect the challenge de Blasio faced in balancing his reform-minded base with the demands of overseeing the country’s largest police department. Just three minutes after City Hall’s press office emailed a statement from de Blasio responding to Garner’s death on July 18, Community Affairs Unit commissioner Marco Carrion forwarded the email to Mandela Jones, who was then working for Berlin Rosen—the consulting firm that managed de Blasio’s 2013 campaign—and was representing Communities United for Police Reform. (Jones, who did not respond to that email, now works exclusively for C.P.R. after the group severed ties with Berlin Rosen.) Moments later, Avi Fink, deputy director of intergovernmental affairs, forwarded the same statement to two advocates who often criticize the police department, Javier Valdes of Make the Road New York and Joo-Hyun Kang of C.P.R. “Appreciate the Mayor making a statement on this,” Kang replied. “FYI—we and many of our groups see this case as a near-inescapable by-product of aggressive promotion of zero-tolerance & broken windows policing of minor offenses (the officers reportedly claim they were arresting Garner bc of alleged selling of untaxed cigarettes, although as you know witnesses claim otherwise—and regardless, the brutal escalation was unjustified).” “Wanted to give you heads up because that will likely be how we will contextualize this when talking about it in public, in addition to calling for zero-tolerance for police brutality & swift DA investigation/convening of grand jury,” she added. Fink did not reply, and a little more than an hour later, Kang sent him a draft of the statement the group was about to issue publicly, which accused the NYPD of “police brutality” and targeting minorities. Fink thanked her for sending the statement. Later that evening she sent Fink another emailing asking “why only 2 of the 5 officers involved in the incident resulting in Eric Garner’s death were moved to desk duty?” “The public message is that there is no investigation into the accountability of the other 3 officers involved and whether their roles and conduct were appropriate/not,” she wrote. She also expressed concern that the NYPD was “leaking information about Eric Garner’s past criminal justice record,” and warned Fink it “would be incredibly troublesome if there rare further leaks.” She then expressed disappointment that police commissioner Bill Bratton referenced Garner selling loose, untaxed cigarettes, which led to his arrest. In a few cases, activists gave the administration a heads-up about statements they were on the verge of issuing. Valdes of Make the Road New York forwarded his organization’s statement—which referred to “this senseless death” and “police brutality”—to Fink about 20 minutes before releasing it publicly. None of the emails contained any messages beyond the forwarded statement, in which de Blasio extended his condolences to Garner’s family and promised a “full and thorough investigation of the circumstances of this tragic incident.” He noted the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau was working with the Staten Island district attorney on the probe. The emails provide no evidence of communication between the administration and the police union leaders whose ongoing feud with the mayor peaked in December, after a Staten Island grand jury declined to indict the officer in Garner’s death. De Blasio’s aides told Capital any communication with the police unions would have been handled by people inside the NYPD, not the mayor himself. Capital’s request, made one week after Garner died, covered all written communication to and from anyone working in the de Blasio administration on city-issued email addresses. The records provided in response did not include any emails to or from the mayor himself, his deputy mayors or anyone working within the NYPD. (Interagency communication is typically removed from FOIL releases, and the law provides for a series of other exemptions.) Several aides to de Blasio, including Emma Wolfe, the director of intergovernmental affairs, said he primarily communicated by phone following the incident. One by one, the mayor proceeded through a list of requisite calls, checking in with elected officials, clergy members and community activists, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, several aides said. “The first and most important thing was just to get an understanding of how folks were feeling in different communities, and an impulse to make sure things remained peaceful,” Wolfe told Capital. “The most important thing in the first hours was not any traditional political outreach, but an impulse to go to communities in the area.” The outreach effort received a positive reaction from some allies of the mayor. City Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson, who chairs the public safety committee, simply replied “Thanks!!!” to Wolfe, after receiving the mayor’s remarks. Larry Spiewak, president of Kwik Ticket and a member of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush, received the statement from Jonathan Viguers of the Community Affairs Unit, and appeared to make a joke about the mayor’s manner of eating pizza, and perhaps his impending trip to Italy, which was delayed by one day following Garner’s death. “Very well said,” Spiewak wrote to Viguers, “plz tell the Mayor to have a piece of real pizza for me, he deserves a VACA, thanks for thinking of me and have a great weekend, plz say hi to Avi Fink for me, stay well.” To view the original article, click here.

Same Sex Marriage in Israel Israel is a place that is commonly known for its religious standing. So the question of same sex marriage is not one that I thought would be relevant to such a place, but I was surprised to find that in Israel is people are fighting for same sex marriage. Jewish officials in this country are against same sex marriage due to the connection of religion with the state but there is a large gay population who want equal rights. Israel is the only country in the middle-east and Asia that recognizes same sex unions, “On November 21, 2006 Israel's High Court of Justice rules that two gay men married in Canada, as well as four other same-sex couples wedded abroad, should have their union recognized in Israel.” (www.cbcNews.com, May10, 2010) Although there is no civil marriage in Israel, since all family matters are decided in a religious context, same-sex marriages, and all other non-religious marriages performed elsewhere are recognized in Israel. The union allows for gay couples to receive a partner’s pension upon death, and all other financial matters that married couples would normally face together same-sex couples are now allowed to have. (www.israelinationalnews.com, May 10, 2010) The decision to allow gay couples unions to be recognized in Israel sparked criticism and outrage throughout Israel, people felt that this decision would be the destruction of the family unit. As for adoptions for same-sex couples it is still a fairly new issue in Israel. For lesbian couples they are allowed to adopt each other’s biological children. A Supreme Court decision was made on January 10, 2005 that allowed for this. More recently the Supreme Court said that all same-sex couples will be allowed to adopt children whom are not biologically related to either spouse. In March of 2008 two men were named the legal fathers of a child. Israelis... Please join StudyMode to read the full document

Author: Tatiana de Rosnay St. Martin's Griffin, 2008 My friend Sophie from Belgium sent me this book with a note that said she read it on a plane from Sydney to London and couldn't put it down until she finished. Having been on two flights from Sydney to the USA, I know how a good book can make that incredibly long journey easier. Sophie was right. Sarah's Key is the type of book that hooks you from the first couple of pages, and it doesn't let go until the very last word. There are actually two story lines, both taking place in Paris. The first is in July 1942, when a young girl and her mother are roused in the middle of the night by someone pounding on their apartment door. The girl makes a split-second decision to lock her little brother in a secret cabinet -- a place where they'd played hiding games in the past -- and she takes the key with her. She thinks she's coming back soon. What she doesn't realize is that she won't be going back -- ever. You see, that was the night that French police removed hundreds, maybe thousands of Jewish families from their homes and took them to the Velodrome d'Hiver, in what history now calls the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup. Most were eventually taken to Auschwitz. Sixty years later, Julia, a middle-aged journalist -- an American who's lived in Paris for over half of her life -- is struggling with moving into a new home and dealing with a husband she's outgrown. She gets an assignment to look into the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup, which she'd never heard of previously. Come to find out, most French people of her generation and younger haven't heard of it, either, or don't know much about it. The people who do remember seem to want it swept under the rug, or at least that's how it seems to Julia. As she investigates the events surrounding this painful moment in France's history, Julia learns about a young girl named Sarah, whose tragic story will break your heart. She also learns a great deal about herself. I can't tell you much more without revealing too much. I'll just say I loved it, and hopefully you will, too. Thanks, Sophie! :-)

Rabbi Eli Dessler is the Financial Director of the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland and oversees all of its financial activities to ensure a balanced budget which currently exceeds $10 million. After graduating Telshe High School, Rabbi Dessler studied in the famous Ponevez and Mir Yeshivos in Israel and received his rabbinical ordination from the late Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Rabbi Yitzchok Kolitz, Rabbi Zalman Nechemia Goldberg and Rabbi Beinish Finkel, Rosh Yeshiva of Mir Yeshiva. Rabbi Dessler is a graduate of the Ohr Lagolah Leadership Institute for Jewish outreach, education and leadership training and advancement. He received his BA in Talmudic Law and Jewish Studies from Ohr Sameach Tannenbaum College. Rabbi Dessler has chaired the National Society for Hebrew Day Schools President’s Conference and has given lectures on philanthropy and fiscal standards in Jewish day schools. He is actively involved in the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland and has served on numerous committees over the years. Rabbi Dessler serves on the board of the Cleveland Jewish News and Yesh Tikva, a non-profit organization that provides assistance to those who require mental health services.

I am white. Not just check the box next to Caucasian white – but crayola crayon white. And like every really white girl out there I have grappled with summer and the bare legs, bathing suit reality of being this pale for as long as I can remember. When I look at a bikini I don’t think about the body baring aspect of it, I think that it will require way too much sunscreen and I am just not up for that job. When you say beach I think sunburn. When you say lounging by the pool I think they better have some damn big umbrellas. Summer is a constant battle between me and the sun. Every pale girl out there has at least one killer sunburn memory. The one that required globs of Noxema cold cream, white, goopy and smelling faintly like bologna. I have two. The first one happened in Montauk. Now, back in the 1970s and 80s sunscreen barely made it to SPF 15. So I slathered on the pasty white Coppertone – “copper” tone is a total misnomer for us pale girls, nothing like lotion that made you look even whiter! – and headed to the beach with my family. After coming out of the ocean I went for a bike ride. Reapplying? Not really part of the routine. I ended up with a crimson burn on the front of both of my thighs and my forearms that felt simultaneously like fire and ice, the skin tightening against the muscle with every move, sensitive to even a breeze and leaving me unable to sleep. My second unforgettable burn happened the summer between my Freshman and Sophomore years of high school when I was studying abroad in Spain. Being the stupid teenager I was I decided a summer in Spain called for a bikini and though I thought I had covered every inch of myself in sunscreen I didn’t get the skin under my bikini top – and when you’re lying down “tanning” the sun has a way of finding the little nooks and crannies you forgot. I ended up with a killer sunburn right under my breasts. Yes, it was every bit as painful as you are imagining. Here I am older and wiser. I’ve lost my teenage bravura and self-denial that made me think somehow if I willed it to be so I could tan. I tried the QT and went through my phase of being orange and slightly blotchy in the name of tanning. Every year I listen to the beauty experts talk and read the silly women’s magazines that say the sun in unhealthy and be proud to be pale and then see them slather on fake tanner until they all look like tangerines. Last year I had an appointment with a new dermatologist to get a full body mole and skin check. She looked me over with that special light and told her assistant that my skin is what skin should look like. My pasty white, never goes outside even in December without sunscreen on skin. I almost passed out. “Really?” I said, looking at her gorgeous dewy olive skin. Yup, no sunspots, no damage, no funky moles, no premature wrinkling. So, screw it, I am going to hide from the damn sun and be OK with that. My daughters have my husband’s Mediterranean skin that actually turns bronze in the sun – seriously I think they start to glitter when their skin tans. So I’ll be the pale mom watching my girls build in the sand and frolic in the water from underneath the shade of a big umbrella. Here are a Few of My Favorite Pale Girl Survival Goods: 1. The EWG Sunscreen Guide is a MUST for you and your whole family. I threw out all of our Neutrogena sunscreen after reading this guide. Chemical free is the way to go, especially for kids. (and they have an awesome iphone app) I like the Badger Brand (their stick is way better priced than California Baby). Expensive, yes. Chemical-Free, priceless. And don’t forget to sunscreen your hands every day. As my Derm says, your hands give away your age. 2. Big Straw Hat – No brainer. Keeps sun off your face, keeps you cooler and looks really cute. Here in NYC they sell them on the street and even The Gap had cute ones this year. 3. Cover Ups – You know the drill, and yes, I think those little strapless ones are cute but you should cover your shoulders which are prime sunburn targets. That’s just the Jewish mother in me. 4. Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral Sunscreen Powder. I LOVE this stuff. It’s not waterproof so don’t use it if you’re swimming, but for running around the city, doing errands every day, or for a sunscreen touch up at the beach or pool it’s the best. Also good on husband’s bald spots or thinning hair. Not that he has any. 5. Self-Tanner. OK I do not think this stuff works for the truly pale but one of my friends swears by the Clarins self-tanner for pale girls. If you’ve tried it let me know what you think. 6. Bronzers I am game for trying one of the bronzers that give you a superficial tan that washes off so it’s more of a when you’re going out at night with bare legs and don’t want your pasty white legs to give off more white light than the candles at your table kind of product. I’m thinking of trying the Perfekt Body bronzer or the Lorac Tantalizer and I’ll report back if I do. In the end though I think I’ve come to terms with my pale skin and I’ll just pretend I live in NYC in Henry James’ or Edith Wharton’s time when pale was the ideal. Are you a super white girl with some summer survival tips? Let me know! I’m always looking for new ways to survive the summer sun while maintaining some sort of style.

By Theresa D. McClellan GIFT’s Faith Advocacy Coordinator “Gay Christian? Yes!” Campaign Coordinator When you are a small community church with a mission to listen and be heard, what do you do? If the church is the “Square-Inch Community,” you bring multi-textured music to the masses and raise the bar by highlighting tough social justice issues happening in our community. So that’s exactly what Pastor Steve DeRuiter chose to do by creating the free “Inch Fest” concert. The concert will be 4 p.m to 10 p.m. Friday June 20 in a parking lot in the 1000 block of Wealthy Street SE across the street from the Sparrows Coffee House. The event features six bands offering music styles from indie alternative, to folk to Christian hip-hop to punk. And when your not jammin’ with the sounds, you have the chance to get more involved with six local social justice groups – including GIFT – that will have information tables and representatives who work on tackling issues of affordable housing, sex trafficking, safe neighborhoods, and safe and affirming places to worship for the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender communities. “We want to promote local goodness,” said DeRuiter in explaining how he chose the participating social justice organizations. “Our church is really interested in promoting local business and justice organizations and art” said DeRuiter. His small church community meets Sundays in an upper room at the Inner City Christian Federation Bldg. at 920 Cherry St. SE. The social justice organizations represented will include the Manasseh Project which is working on educating others on what is called the sex-slave industry occurring right here in West Michigan. The project is an outreach of Wedgewood Christian Services which is working to end the sexual exploitation of men, women and children. “They have stats on how many of these victims are homeless and from the LGBT community, especially when LGBT kids get kicked out of their homes,” said DeRuiter. Too often, LGBT youths and young adults are ostracized by their families – based on church teachings – and wind up disconnected and on the streets. GIFT and the “Gay Christian? Yes!” Campaign, which works to spread the message that you can be gay and Christian, will also be present. Our persistent message of hope and affirmation is crucial for youths and all who are told they are worthless and something to be dismissed just because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning. To be able to spread our message of hope and affirmation in the neighborhoods and on the streets of Grand Rapids is indeed a blessing for GIFT and for all those who will hear. Our website includes a growing list of inclusive churches and more churches are wanting to know how they can embrace all of God’s children. We regularly connect with people of faith who attest to the difference it has made in their lives to have found a supportive faith community. Pastor DeRuiter is a Christian Reformed Church pastor whose small community of believers come from the parent church of Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church. ”I want to figure out how we can best be a church for our LGBT brothers and sisters, even though our Christian Reformed Church has miles to travel. How can we approach this as a church? We have gay members, they just want to know how to be a disciple of Christ,” said the pastor. So one way to reach out to multiple communities is to create a festival. He will not be preaching at the six-hour event. He will have free Bibles available and a box for prayer requests and literature about their church. It will mostly be multiple musicians, diverse information and a chance to get to know and learn about each other. There will also be vegan treats for sale. Other justice groups expected are Safe Haven Ministries, which provides help for women in abusive relationships. The Inner City Christian Federation which helps create affordable housing and the East Hills Council of Neighborhoods which works on community development and building strong, safe, connected neighborhoods. Square Inch Church is in the East Hills neighborhood. “We are letting people know we are a Christian community in this neighborhood and we aim to be a safe place for you. My prayer is that people will know who we are and seek out questions about us and the universe in a Christian context,” said DeRuiter. He calls the expected music the “the Best local Band Lineup of the Summer.” They are: Heartside Hooligans: http://heartsidehooligans.bandcamp.com/album/heartside-hooligans-2 Circle Maybe: http://circlemaybe.bandcamp.com/ Alert (hip hop from Chicago) http://www.facebook.com/thealertlive/app_204974879526524 The Soil and the Sun: http://thesoilandthesun.com/ Cains and Abels: http://cainsandabels.tumblr.com/ Ghost Heart: http://www.ghostheart.com/ For more information on Inch Fest, search “Inch Fest 7/20 Free Admission!” on Facebook. Churches, please tell us of your programs and efforts to include the LGBT community and we will help spread the word on Theresaʼs Table. Send story ideas and church information to Theresa@GayChristianYes.org Theresa D. McClellan Faith Advocacy Coordinator Gays In Faith Together (GIFT) Leave a comment You must be logged in to post a comment. Faith & Sexuality Series: Engaging our Sacred Texts Join us for a Faith & Sexuality Series during our GRITS adult meetings on Wednesday evenings during the month of February. This series will be lead by Gregory Eran Gronbacher, a gay Jewish man with a passion for theological study and discourse. We will be encouraged to engage the Scriptures in new ways and glean from the perspectives of one another. This series is sponsored by the Gay Christian? Yes! campaign and GIFT. It is free and open to the public! Dates: 2/5, 2/12, 2/19, and 2/26 Location: 207 E. Fulton, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (Turn North onto Barclay, turn into the top parking lot and head down to the bottom parking lot. The door is closest to the sidewalk on Fulton.) Identify. Tell me why. GCY! Need to create your video? All it takes is a webcam and five minutes of your time. Using YouTube (or another preferred video hosting site), you record a web or phone cam video of yourself. Just tell us who you are. LGBT+? Ally? Tell me why. Explain why the “Gay Christian? Yes!” message resonates with you. What is your story? How do you find yourself reconciling your spiritual walk, your involvement in a church community, and the various other aspects of your humanity? Allies too! What message of hope can you offer your Christian LGBT friends and neighbors? Affirm that you are among those who unconditionally recognize the sacred worth of each person and fully welcome all into the life and community of the church by saying “Gay Christian? Yes!” and/or by making a whimsical sign with the GCY name and website to hold up at the end of your video Submit a link to your video at Facebook.com/GayChristianYes or via email: More helpful hints can be found by clicking on "Videos" above, and then on "How to Upload and Share your video" Make your video today, and join the many voices proclaiming: "Gay Christian? YES!" Donate to the Campaign The “Gay Christian? Yes!” Campaign needs your financial support. Gays In Faith Together (GIFT) runs the Campaign. GIFT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. US donations are eligible for tax deduction. Send your check to 207 East Fulton Grand Rapid, MI 49503 Or donate by credit card by clicking on this button: Note that your donation is for the GCY Campaign. - No upcoming events

The apostle Paul and his significance for the New Testament and Christianity is a perennial topic of interest, but few evangelical surveys of his life offer a truly holistic picture of the man and his world. To fill the void, John McRay offers Paul: His Life and Teaching. This scholarly yet accessible work, now available in paperback, explores the apostle's pre-conversion days, missionary travels, and theological contributions. A specialist in archaeology, the author draws on his more than forty years of teaching experience as well as knowledge gained from extensive travels to the places Paul visited. Paul is a comprehensive and readable presentation of Paul's ministry and theology that weaves together historical backgrounds, archaeological discoveries, and theological themes. The book is divided into two parts. The first part examines aspects of Paul's life as a Roman citizen and the leader of the early Christian church, including Paul's place within the Jewish rabbinic traditions. McRay details Paul's sudden, intense conversion and the beginning of his ministry and concludes with an exploration of Paul's journeys. The second part offers a detailed treatment of the form, structure, and theology of Paul's letters as they relate to the world in which he lived, also highlighting their continuing importance today. Included in this examination are discussions of Paul's theology of the atonement, understanding of the law of Moses, and view of the church. Professors and students will appreciate the book's broad scholarship and the pedagogical features found throughout, including links to other resources, maps, diagrams, and photos taken by the author during his travels. Pastors and church leaders will use it as a reference, and laypeople will gain a deeper understanding of Paul and his contribution to the Christian church.

Yom Kippur Guest Etiquette Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, is one of the two holiest of Jewish holidays, the other being Rosh Hashanah. It is the sound off to the beginning of the Jewish New Year and the end of the High Holy Days. Before you start planning your holiday outfit and picking the party playlist, know that this particular holiday has more of a somber feel to it. Beginning sundown, Friday Sept. 13th, observers will be fasting for 24 hours straight until sundown the next day. No food, drink, work or the use of electronics are allowed during this time. Basically, the only activity one who observes Yom Kippur can partake in, is that of praying for forgiveness for wrongdoings and attending synagogue services to hopefully begin a New Jewish Year on a good and positive note. So when you hear “fasting for 24 hours,” the words “gifts” and “get-togethers” don’t really come to mind, but on Yom Kippur families and friends do gather together before the beginning of the fast and break bread with each other when it ends. Some might even be invited to spend the hours of starvation and boredom with others to pass the time. If you are invited to a meal before the Yom Kippur Fast: I always like to think of this meal as the calm before the storm. It should be a time to enjoy family and friends’ company amidst an abundance of good food, before everything gets more serious. You can take this opportunity to gift your hosts a fabulous gift for the home they can use once Yom Kippur is over; see our housewarming gift guide. You can also choose a gift, like the beautiful Oval Oak Wine Carafe, that would aptly express your gratitude in being included for the meal. Be sure to see our Host/Hostess gift guide for more great finds. If you are invited to spend the fast with someone: Gift them something that would make their fast a little easier and will help with passing the time. Board games, books, or a stack of magazines would be a good idea. I also like the idea of bringing a puzzle. The 1,000 piece Art of Life puzzle would be a fun and appropriate gift. If you are invited to break the fast with someone: My family and I have a tradition when we break the fast on Yom Kippur. Because, it signifies the beginning of the New Year, we like to start it off by toasting with sweet wine or liquor and nibbling on cake and cookies before we get to the good stuff: the bagels! A sweet kosher gift idea would be the Fairytale Brownies Magic Morsel. Bringing kosher wine or a dozen of bagels (we love our bagels) will also do the trick. On behalf of us all at Gifts.com, we wish you and your family a safe and easy fast!

Things to See in Lecce Lecce in Southern Italy is stunning. This is a place that has fewer tourist attractions and offers more of a chance to feel like one of the locals. Here are some of the beauties that you can see in Lecce while staying in one of our villas in Puglia. Basilica di Santa Croce A building that can only leave you in total awe, Basilica di Santa Croce offers a majestic view for you inside. Standing proud as Lecce’s most extravagant baroque church, you can admire the stunning decorative ceilings, ornate columns and the beautifully restored façade. A place of rest where you can catch a breath, Basilica di Santa Croce offers a peaceful place away from the town. Close by is a pathway that will guide you to Lecce’s park if the outside is calling and there are plenty of little cafes and bars tucked away down the streets for when you feel a little peckish. Roman Amphitheatre in Lecce This beautiful, ancient building was actually not discovered until 1929, but incredibly it was built in the second century AD. It once hosted a capacity of around 25,000 and was astounding for its time. It is still possible to take tours of this theatre’s remains today; fortunately, a lot of the structure is still in fantastic condition which means you can really experience the majesty of the Amphitheatre close to its glory days. To get a taste of true Italian culture, there is nothing like taking part in an evening passeggiata. While still something that is fascinating to see, this is definitely more of an activity to do! An evening passeggiata is a time where everyone comes together to have a stroll before dinner time. This is usually after the afternoon siesta, where everyone is well-rested, and the streets come alive again. If you happen to be in Lecce on a weekend, it will be particularly lively, so you can really embrace the Italian spirit. Faggiano Museum in Lecce This is one for the travellers who adore museums, history and culture. The Faggiano Museum is private, with some of the most recent architectural discoveries on display. This house boasts around 2500 years of history all under one roof, which is something incredible to experience. Originally the building was a Templar home, then converting to a Franciscan Nun convent in the 1600s. During excavation work, thousands of historical objects were found and such a variety too. From cisterns, a well, light tombs, underground escape ways, and templar fresco’s, countless amounts of archaeological finds were made. Even more interesting was how these discoveries were found, completely by accident. Faulty sewer pipes prompted the property owner, Luciano Faggiano, to dig through the floor of the house and found much more than he bargained for. Seven years of excavation work was made and funded by the Faggiano’s family, which makes this museum even more magical. Palazzo Taurino Jewish Museum Another fascinating museum not to miss is the Palazzo Taurino Jewish Museum. This museum has opened recently, in 2016, and was created to highlight the small but important role of Jewish history in Lecce. It’s a private project that offers insight into the thriving Jewish community that was in Lecce in the Middle Ages before they were expelled circa 1540s. The museum offers a guided tour and also essential videos dedicated to the story of Jewish refugees being put into camps and working with local Catholics in partnership. Lecce Cathedral is situated in a square hailed as one of the most beautiful in Puglia, Piazza del Duomo. This differs to other squares in Lecce, bathed in peace and cultural intimacy. This incredible building was originally built in 1144 but was later rebuilt in the 17th century, owning the baroque style that now stamps the city. The cathedral itself is enclosed by ornate buildings, including the bishop’s residence, and is particularly special to view at night. Lecce is a truly wonderful city to discover, at the heart of gorgeous Puglia! If you want to learn more about the region, why not discover some of the best attractions in Puglia?

ABOUT THE CITY... Poland’s second city and home to over 750,000 people. Krakow mixes medieval splendour, 20th Century glamour, and postwar Soviet architecture to create a spectacle that you won’t forget in a hurry. The medieval city centre hosts one of the largest town squares of its kind in Europe. Other than this, people are drawn to Krakow for it’s elegant cafe culture, breathtaking views, and modest gay scene. Concentrated mostly in the trendy Kazimier district (old Jewish quarter), you will find a selection of Gay Bars & Dance Clubs and Gay Cruise Clubs within walking distance of each other. GAILY TOURS in KRAKOW Get ready for special tours in this amazing city ! Meet our Gay/Lesbian Tour Guide for a private walking tour of Krakow and experience one of the prettiest cities in the world. Krakow • Gay Tour & Wawel's Secrets Start this incredible LGBT Friendly walking tour with the city’s medieval gate, and follows the path of the Royal Way – the ancient route by which kings made their progress through the city. During the tour lean more about LGBT life in Krakow, like October 2011 when elections saw Poland elect not only its first openly gay member of Parliament, Robert Biedroń, but also its first openly transgender. This amazing tour will show you the major sites, including the Barbican, the Church of St. Mary’s, the Market Square and many hidden treasures which lie along the way. Admire and reach the Wawel Hill which is the spiritual home of the nation and the culmination of the Royal Way. Enter the Castle and cathedra. Before leaving Wawel there is also the possibility of leaving through the cavernous Dragon’s Den, the home of a swashbuckling legend about a dragon-slaying prince who founded the city of Krakow. Finally, finish your tour in Kazimiers, the Jewish Quarter, where you can find Krakow's Gay and Lesbian bars and clubs. * Gay or Lesbian Friendly Tour Guide for City Tour (3 hours) * Entrance Fee - Wawel Castle Krakow by Night • Gay Tour Enjoy an enlightened Krakow and an amazing walking tour through Krakow's gay & lesbian bars and clubs to live on your skin the magic atmosphere and LGBT scene of the city. Enjoy your included drink (also alcohol free drink available) and own the night ! * Gay or Lesbian Tour Guide for Night Tour (2 hours) * Drink in Gay Bar (1 Drink) GAILY EXCURSIONS from KRAKOW Get ready for a special full day Gaily Excursion with us ! Auschwitz (from Krakow) Wieliczka (from Krakow) Katowice (from Warsaw) - Gay or Lesbian Friendly Tour Guide and/or Driver - Every Entrance Fee or Tasting described in the program - Tips, City Taxes and everything not listed under “Included features” LGBT Hotel CollectionN/A Krakow • Gay Friendly Tour Krakow by Night • Gay Tour |10 guests||9 guests||8 guests||7 guests||6 guests| |€ 25||€ 30||€ 35||€ 40||€ 50| |5 guests||4 guests||3 guests||2 guests||1 guest| |€ 60||€ 70||€ 80||€ 110||€ 200| * Price per Person Rates are Commissionable SHARED EXCURSION since you don't need a private one? No Problem ! You can take part to our amazing shared scheduled excursion in English with LGBT Friendly Tour Guide and share this fantastic experience with other travellers. Contact us at email@example.com for more Info & Prices * The tours are on request and rates are subject to the availability of the providers at the time of booking. Prices are subject to change if travel occur during trade shows, bank holidays or special events and supplements may be applied. ** Please check before booking the closing dates for the selected museums. If included museums are closed, Ignas Tour will refund the amount of that museum or choose an alternative one to visit. Largo Cesare Battisti, 28 39044 Egna (BZ) - ITALY VAT N° - IT01652670215

One of the highlights of Rabbi Stephen Fuchs’ 10-week trip to Germany last fall was a Shabbat service he led on Nov. 6 in the town of Friedrichsstadt – the first Jewish worship service in the town since 1937. “What a joy not to only to reclaim [the house] as a cultural center but as a synagogue for Jewish worship,” said Fuchs, who is rabbi emeritus of Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford and past president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism. “I am grateful to the Eternal One for granting me the privilege of leading this historic service.” Now used as a cultural center, the synagogue was built in 1847 and destroyed by the Nazis in 1938. The building was used as a private home for a Nazi officer in 1941 and restored and returned to the Jewish community in 2002. CAP: Rabbi Fuchs explains the Torah portion during Shabbat services.

Click here to learn more! Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary αποστολος , one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ, commissioned by him to preach his Gospel, and propagate it to all parts of the earth. The word originally signifies a person delegated or sent; from αποστελλω , mitto; in which sense it occurs in Herodotus, and other profane authors. Hence, in the New Testament, the term is applied to divers sorts of delegates; and to the twelve disciples by way of eminence. They were limited to the number twelve, in allusion to the twelve tribes of Israel. See Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30; Revelation 21:12-14; and compare Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 1:23; and Joshua 4:2-3 . Accordingly care was taken, on the death of Judas, to choose another, to make up the number, Acts 1:21-22; Acts 1:26 . Of the first selection and commission of the twelve Apostles, we have an account, Luke 6:13 , &c.; Matthew 10:1 , &c. Having chosen and constituted twelve persons, under the name of Apostles, our blessed Lord determined that for some time they should be continually with him, not only to attend upon his public ministry, but to enjoy the benefit of his private conversation, that he might furnish them the better for the great work in which they were to be employed; and that, at length, after suitable preparation, he might, with greater advantage, send them abroad to preach his Gospel, and thus make way for his own visits to some more distant parts, where he had not yet been; and to enable them more effectually to do this, he endowed them with the power of working miracles, of curing diseases, and casting out demons. About the commencement of the third year of his ministry, according to the common account of its duration, he sent them out two by two, that they might be assistants to each other in their work; and commanded them to restrict their teaching and services to the people of Israel, and to avoid going to the Gentiles or to the Samaritans, to declare the approach of the kingdom of heaven, and the establishment of the Gospel dispensation; to exercise the miraculous powers with which they had been endowed gratuitously; and to depend for their subsistence on the providence of God, and on the donations of those to whom they ministered. Their names were, Simon Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the greater, the son of Zebedee; and John his brother, who was the beloved disciple; Philip of Bethsaida; Bartholomew; Thomas, called Didymus, as having a twin brother; Matthew or Levi, who had been a publican; James, the son of Alpheus, called James the less; Lebbeus, surnamed Thaddeus, and who was also called Judas or Jude, the brother of James; Simon, the Canaanite, so called, as some have thought, because he was a native of Cana, or, as Dr. Hammond thinks, from the Hebrew קנא , signifying the same with Zelotes, or the Zelot, a name given to him on account of his having before professed a distinguishing zeal for the law; and Judas Iscariot, or a man of Carioth, Joshua 15:25 , who afterward betrayed him, and then laid violent hands on himself. Of these, Simon, Andrew, James the greater, and John, were fishermen; Matthew, and James the son of Alpheus, were publicans; and the other six were probably fishermen, though their occupation is not distinctly specified. After the resurrection of our Saviour, and not long before his ascension, the place of Judas the traitor was supplied by Matthias, supposed by some to have been Nathaniel of Galilee, to whom our Lord had given the distinguishing character of an "Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile;" and the twelve Apostles, whose number was now completed, received a new commission, of a more extensive nature than the first, to preach the Gospel to all nations, and to be witnesses of Christ, not only in Jerusalem, in all Judea, and in Samaria, but unto the uttermost parts of the earth; and they were qualified for the execution of their office by a plenteous effusion of miraculous powers and spiritual gifts, and particularly the gift of tongues. In consequence of this commission, they preached first to the Jews, then to the Samaritans, and afterward to the idolatrous Gentiles. Their signal success at Jerusalem, where they opened their commission, alarmed the Jewish sanhedrim, before which Peter and John were summoned, and from which they received a strict charge never more to teach, publicly or privately, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. The noble reply and subsequent conduct of the Apostles are well known. This court of the Jews was so awed and incensed, as to plot the death of the twelve Apostles, as the only effectual measure for preventing the farther spread of Christianity. Gamaliel interposed, by his prudent and moderate counsel; and his speech had so good an effect upon the sanhedrim, that, instead of putting Peter and John to death, they scourged them, renewed their charge and threats, and then dismissed them. The Apostles, however, were not discouraged nor restrained; they counted it an honour to suffer such indignities, in token of their affection to their Master, and zeal in his cause; and they persisted in preaching daily in the courts of the temple, and in other places, that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised and long expected Messiah. Their doctrine spread, and the number of converts in Jerusalem still increased. During the violent persecution that raged at Jerusalem, soon after the martyrdom of St. Stephen, several of the leading men among the Christians were dispersed; some of them travelled through the regions of Judea and Samaria, and others to Damascus, Phoenicia, the Island of Cyprus, and various parts of Syria; but the twelve Apostles remained, with undaunted firmness, at Jerusalem, avowing their attachment to the persecuted interest of Christ, and consulting how they might best provide for the emergencies of the church, in its infant and oppressed state. When the Apostles, during their abode at Jerusalem, heard that many of the Samaritans had embraced the Gospel, Peter and John were deputed to confer upon them the gift of the Holy Spirit; for to the Apostles belonged the prerogative of conferring upon others spiritual gifts and miraculous powers. In their return to Jerusalem, from the city of Samaria, they preached the Gospel in many Samaritan villages. The manner of its being sent to Ethiopia, by the conversion of the eunuch who was chief treasurer to Candace, queen of the country, is related in Acts 8:26 , &c. After the Christian religion had been planted in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and sent into Ethiopia, one of the uttermost parts of the earth, Acts 1:8; and after it had been preached about eight years to the Jews only, God, in his wise and merciful providence, disposed things for the preaching of it among the Gentiles. Caesarea was the scene in which the Apostle Peter was to open his commission for this purpose; and Cornelius, one of the devout Gentiles, and a man distinguished by his piety and charity, was the first proselyte to Christianity. After Peter had laid the foundation of a Christian church among the devout Gentiles, others imitated his example, and a great number of persons of this description embraced the Christian faith, more especially at Antioch, where the disciples, whom their enemies had hitherto called Galileans, Nazarenes, and other names of reproach, and who, among themselves, had been called "disciples," "believers," "the church," "the saints," and "brethren," were denominated, probably not without a divine direction, Christians. When Christianity had been preached for about eight years among the Jews only, and for about three years more among the Jews and devout Gentiles, the next stage of its progress was to the idolatrous Gentiles, in the year of Christ 44, and the fourth year of the emperor Claudius. Barnabas and Saul were selected for this purpose, and constituted in an extraordinary manner Apostles of the Gentiles, or uncircumcision. Barnabas was probably an elder of the first rank; he had seen Christ in the flesh, had been an eye witness of his being alive again after his crucifixion, and had received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, as being one of the hundred and twenty. Saul also, since his conversion had preached as a superior prophet, about seven years to the Jews only, and about two years more to the Jews and devout Gentiles. They had both been born in Gentile countries; and therefore may be supposed to have had more respect and affection for the Gentiles than most of the Jews, who were natives of Judea. Saul had been converted, and had hitherto preached chiefly on Gentile ground; and he had joined with Barnabas in teaching devout Gentiles for a whole year, at Antioch in Syria; by all which previous steps they were regularly conducted to the last gradation, or the conversion of the idolatrous Gentiles. But it was necessary, in order to the being an Apostle, to have seen our Lord Jesus Christ alive after his crucifixion, for the Apostles were in a peculiar manner the witnesses of his resurrection. Some have supposed that Saul saw the person of Jesus, when he was converted, near the city of Damascus; but others, who conceive from the history of this event, that this could not have been the case, as he was instantly struck blind, are of opinion that the season, when his Apostolic qualification and commission were completed, was that mentioned by himself, Acts 22:17 , when he returned to Jerusalem the second time after his conversion, saw the Lord Jesus Christ in person, and received the command to go quickly out of Jerusalem, that he might be sent unto the Gentiles. See also Acts 26:16-20 , where he gives an account of the object of his commission. He also received a variety of gifts and powers, which, superadded to his own genius and learning, as well as fortitude and patience, eminently qualified him for the office of an Apostle, and for that particular exercise of it which was assigned to him. St. Paul is frequently called the Apostle, by way of eminence; and the Apostle of the Gentiles, because his ministry was chiefly employed for the conversion of the Gentiles, as that of St. Peter was for Jews, who is therefore styled the Apostle of the circumcision. The Apostles having continued at Jerusalem twelve years after the ascension of Christ, as tradition reports, according to his command, determined to disperse themselves in different parts of the world. But what were the particular provinces assigned to each, does not certainly appear from any authentic history. Socrates says, that Thomas took Parthia for his lot; Matthew, Ethiopia, and Bartholomew, India. Eusebius gives the following account: "Thomas, as we learn by tradition, had Parthia for his lot; Andrew, Scythia; John, Asia, who having lived there a long time, died at Ephesus. Peter, as it seems, preached to the dispersed Jews in Pontus and Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Asia; at length, coming to Rome, he was crucified with his head downward, as he had desired. What need I to speak of St. Paul, who fully preached the Gospel of Christ, from Jerusalem to Illyricum, and at last died a martyr at Rome, in the time of Nero?" From this passage we may conclude, that at the beginning, of the fourth century, there were not any certain and well attested accounts of the places out of Judea, in which several of the Apostles of Christ preached; for if there had, Eusebius must have been acquainted with them. The stories that are told concerning their arrival and exploits among the Gauls, the English, the Spaniards, the Germans, the Americans, the Chinese, the Indians, and the Russians, are too romantic in their nature, and of too recent a date, to be received by an impartial inquirer after truth. These fables were for the most part forged after the time of Charlemagne, when most of the Christian churches contended about the antiquity of their origin, with as much vehemence as the Arcadians, Egyptians, and Greeks disputed formerly about their seniority and precedence. It appears, however, that all of the Apostles did not die by martyrdom. Heraclion, cited by Clemens Alexandrinus, reckons among the Apostles who did not suffer martyrdom, Matthew, Thomas, Philip, and Levi, probably meaning Lebbeus. To the Apostles belonged the peculiar and exclusive prerogative of writing doctrinal and preceptive books of authority in the Christian church; and it sufficiently appears that no epistles or other doctrinal writings of any person who was of a rank below that of an Apostle, were received by Christians as a part of their rule of faith. With respect to the writings of Mark and Luke, they are reckoned historical, not doctrinal or dogmatical; and Augustine says, that Mark and Luke wrote at a time when their writings might be approved not only by the church, but by Apostles still living. The appellation of Apostles was also given to the ordinary travelling ministers of the church. Thus St. Paul, in the Epistle to the Romans 16:7 , says, "Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and fellow prisoners, who are of note among the Apostles." In this inferior sense the appellation is applied, by Clement of Alexandria, to Barnabas; who was not an Apostle in the highest sense of the word, so as the twelve and Paul were Apostles. Tertullian calls all the seventy disciples Apostles; and Clement calls Barnabas Apostolical merely in another place, and says that he was one of the seventy, and fellow labourer of Paul. These, says Dr. Lardner, are the highest characters which he really intends to give to Barnabas, and what he means when he styles him Apostle; therefore he need not be supposed to ascribe to Barnabas that large measure of inspiration and high authority, which was peculiar to the Apostles, strictly and properly so called. In a similar subordinate form, St. Clement of Rome is called Apostle. Timothy also is called by Salvian, Apostle, meaning merely Apostolical, or a companion and disciple of Apostles. Apostle was likewise a title given to those sent by the churches, to carry their alms to the poor of other churches. This usage they borrowed from the synagogues, who called those whom they sent on this message, by the same name; and the function or office itself αποστολη , that is, mission. Thus St. Paul, writing to the Philippians, tells them, that Epaphroditus, their Apostle, had ministered to his wants, Php_2:25 . It is applied in like manner to those persons who first planted the Christian faith in any place. Apostle is also used among the Jews, for a kind of officer anciently sent into the several parts and provinces in their jurisdiction, by way of visiter, or commissary; to see that the laws were duly observed, and to receive the moneys collected for the reparation of the temple, and the tribute payable to the Romans. These apostles were a degree below the officers of the synagogues, called patriarchs, and received their commissions from them. Some authors observe, that St. Paul had borne this office; and that it is this he alludes to in the beginning of the Epistle to the Galatians: as if he had said, Paul, no longer an apostle of the synagogue, nor sent by men to maintain the law of Moses, but now an Apostle and envoy of Jesus Christ. &c. St. Jerom, though he does not believe that St. Paul had been an apostle of this kind, yet imagines that he alludes to it in the passage just cited. These files are public domain. Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission. Watson, Richard. Entry for 'Apostle'. Richard Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/wtd/a/apostle.html. 1831-2. the Third Week after Epiphany

A video that surfaced on the Internet this week features footage of Jewish residents of Sheikh Jarrah in northeast Jerusalem singing songs praising 1994 Hebron massacre killer Baruch Goldstein during Purim celebrations inside a house in the neighborhood’s Othman Bin Afan The house, which had been the Gawi family’s until they were evicted in August, is now home to a number of Jewish families. years of legal battles between the home’s tenants and its Jewish owners, a Jerusalem court ruled in favor of the latter. Other such evictions have been carried out in the neighborhood as well. Tensions in Sheikh Jarrah remain high, as weekly protests against such evictions continue and clashes between Arab residents and their supporters and Jews flare up sporadically. Goldstein, who was born in Brooklyn and later lived in Kiryat Arba, was beaten to death after he opened fire on Muslims praying inside a mosque at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron on Purim day in 1994, killing 29 people and

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This is the headline of an article about Vygotsky written at the University of Joenkoeping in Sweden. Lev Semenovich Vygotsky (1896-1934) was a Russian Marxist psychologist and pedagogue active from the years before the revolution until his death in 1934. His theories, for a long period unknown outside Russia, have gained an increasing echo among radical psychologists and pedagogues during the last decade, not least in the US, but also in Europe Anyone interested in psychology and pedagogy has every reason to be acquainted with Vygotsky. I would go further and add that Marxists have a particular interest in shedding light upon his ideas. The fact that a Marxist psychologist from the 20s can arouse such a response shows how relevant and modern Marxism is. Vygotsky's research was extensive, despite his short life and he worked out a wide range of Marxist based psychological and teaching theories. His writings consist of 270 scientific articles and 10 books, and cover psychology as well as pedagogy, art and aesthetics, and sociology. Vygotsky's writings were banned in the Soviet Union in 1936, two years after his death. All scientific and cultural freedoms were suppressed when Stalin launched the great terror and purged and killed most of the revolutionary guard from 1917. Despite this Vygotsky's ideas were kept alive by a small group of Russian scientists. Vygotsky was born in 1896 in Gomel, Belarus. Like many other socialist and left-wing intellectuals, he came from a Jewish family. Jews were oppressed in tsarist Russia and were excluded from many state jobs. They couldn't move freely and only 3% of the Jewish students were admitted into the universities. However, Vygotsky was among the lucky ones and he got a place. At university, between 1913-1917, he studied law, literature, art, philosophy and history, and was influenced by the revolutionary currents in Russia. During the year of revolution 1917, he started to work as a teacher in his home city Gomel. He wrote a lot of articles, organised study circles and became a popular lecturer. He was in touch with the radical cultural movement and was influenced by Stalinslavsky the playwright, and Mayakovsky the poet. He also collaborated with Eisenstein, the film director. In 1919 Vygotsky caught TB, a disease that severely affected him at times and which in the end led to his death. However this did not stop him from continuing his persistent work of developing a psychology theory based on Marxism and dialectical materialism. Vygotsky's aim was to create a unified theory about the social and psychological development of humans. His breakthrough came in 1924 when he became a researcher at the Psychology Institute of Moscow University. By 1925 his doctoral thesis, The Psychology of Art, was finished. This work contained a long essay about Hamlet had already been written in 1915 when Vygotsky was only 19. This thesis, however, was never discussed because Vygotsky was affected by TB. Because of this, and also because Vygotsky was absorbed by so many other urgent tasks, this work was not to be published until 1968. "In Moscow he was soon recognised as a great thinker, driven by enormous energy. A group of colleagues and students gathered around him with the aim of spreading his ideas and reshaping psychology. During this decade Vygotsky worked more intensely and productively than ever. It was a period of fast developments and sudden changes. The enormous energy of Vygotsky (he published many articles, worked in many institutions and gave long lectures), reflected the unbound energy and activity in the Soviet Union after the revolution." (www.hj.se/~iste/laerare/vygotskij.html) Vygotsky became part of the so-called "troika" together with psychologists Alexev Leontiev and Alexander Luria. He worked at the Commissariat for Education together with Lenin's wife Krupskaya. During this period he also founded an institute for research into disabilities and treated disabled children. In 1933, just before his death, Vygotsky presented some of his most important theories. During a number of lectures in Leningrad the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) theory was formulated. It deals with the question of what a child can learn at any given moment, and has been received a lot of attention from modern day pedagogues. At the same time he wrote his book 'Thought and Language', which analyses the formation of human consciousness and emphasises the role of language in the development of thought. Vygotsky dictated the last chapter of this book from his deathbed. The pedagogics of Vygotsky The pedagogic theories of Vygotsky are based on a Marxist view of relations between human consciousness and the material world. This implies that the development of human thought is determined by the environment. Hence all education has a social character, and is dependent on both the reality surrounding us and our own experience. All learning takes places through our interpretation of the impressions and experiences that we have of the real world. Learning is a process inside ourselves. "From a scientific point of view, strictly speaking you cannot educate anyone else", writes Vygotsky. We teach ourselves and are therefore our own teachers. For this reason the experiences of the student means everything in education. "In this sense, education in every country and in every epoch has always been social in nature. Indeed, by its very essence it could hardly exist as anti-social in anyway. Both in the seminary and in the old high school, in the military schools and in the schools for the daughters of the nobility, just as in the schools of ancient Greece or those of the Middle Ages and of the East, it was never the teacher or the tutor who did the teaching, but the particular social environment in the school which was created for each individual instance." ( Vygotsky, L.S., Educational Psychology, p. 47, St. Lucie Press, Florida, 1997) In traditional schools the students are passive receivers of the teacher's instructions and lessons. According to Vygotsky this is a psychological absurdity because it emanates from a wrong conception of how students are actually learning in reality. It is not the teachers that should teach the students, rather the schools should be organised in such a way as to make it possible for the students to teach themselves. According to Vygotsky the teacher should be the track upon which the train coaches move freely and independently. The track only gives the coaches the direction of their own movement. The teacher's role is to organise the social environment of the students and to control that the interaction between the students and this environment is functioning. This in no way implies a less important or a passive role for the teachers in schools. "Though the teacher is powerless to produce immediate effects on the student, he is all-powerful when it comes to producing direct effects on him through the social environment. The social environment is the true lever of the educational process, and the teacher's overall role is reduced to adjusting this lever. Just as a gardener would be acting foolishly if he were to try to affect the growth of a plant by directly tugging at its roots with his hands from underneath the plant, so the teacher is in contradiction with the essential nature of education if he bends all his efforts at directly influencing the student. But the gardener affects the germination of his flowers by increasing the temperature, regulating the moisture, varying the relative position of neighbouring plants, and selecting and mixing soils and fertilisers, i.e., once again, indirectly, by making appropriate changes to the environment. Thus the teacher educates the student by varying the environment." (Educational Psychology, p. 49) For this reason learning is regarded by Vygotsky as an interaction between three active elements: an active student, an active teacher and an active social milieu within which they are all moving. From this a number of pedagogical conclusions flow, which are accepted by most of the current progressive educational schools. The most important factor in teaching is to arouse the interest of the students in the subjects that are being studied. To achieve this the following is necessary: - New knowledge must be linked to something already known by the student. Or as pedagogues express it today: teaching must emanate from the pre-knowledge and pre-understanding of the students. - The different topics at school must be interconnected with each other instead of being divided up. Education should be interdisciplinary in the form of themes and projects. - Repetition and reiteration must be avoided as it is the kiss of death for the student's interest. Instead the subject should be presented, initially, in its briefest and simplest form, covering the most important facts and relations. Later, the teacher can return to the subject in a deepened and extended form with new facts, conclusions and generalisations. Then interest will be aroused by itself. - The education system must be linked to living reality. Knowledge in school and knowledge of everyday life must hang together. Teaching should begin with things that the children are naturally interested in. These conclusions were certainly not be drawn by Vygotsky alone. You can find them in most modern educational schools. His main contribution was that he gave these schools a theoretical basis. Hence there is both theoretical and practical proof for a democratic and student-active pedagogics in the school system. This gives increased strength to all teacher-trainers, teachers and other pedagogues who for decades have worked to transform the education system. And yet changes in the school system are moving at a snail's pace. The structure of the school system is largely the same as before, in particular at senior and grammar school levels. Students are still divided into groups of 20-30, the topics are still divided up, school-books and texts take up a great deal of space. School and society are separated. The main instrument used to maintain this structure is the system of graduated certificates. This promotes competition, forces the students to study the same facts irrespective of their previous knowledge and interest, and splits up the knowledge into small pieces which are soon forgotten by the students. This is due to the role of the school system in capitalist society, which ultimately is to preserve the existing system and divide the students along class lines. That is why the bourgeoisie is assiduously combating and trying to discredit every attempt to really change the education system. The battle over pedagogy in the school system is therefore a reflection of the political and social struggle in society. And the struggle for the creation of a genuinely democratic education system is linked to the struggle for a socialist change of society. Martin Oscarsson, (April, 2001) teacher and editor of the 'Socialisten', The voice of Marxism in the Swedish labour movement Bibliography of Vygotsky's works: Thought and Language, Cambridge, MA, MIT, Press, 1962, (His work on the development of consciousness, published at the beginning of the 60's and partially published on the Internet) The Psychology of Art, Cambridge, MA, MIT Press, 1971, (His work on aesthetics published in English and partially on the Internet) Mind in Society, The Development of Higher Psychological Processes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, published at the end of the 70's. Educational Psychology, St Lucie Press, Florida 1997, (Up until 1988 Vygotsky's most important pedagogical work, written in 1925, could only be read in one library in Moscow after special permission from the KGB. The new Russian edition came out in 1991 and the English in 1997.) The Collected works of L.S. Vygotsky, vol. 1-5, Plenum Press, New York, 1997 (they do not cover his writings on art and pedagogy.) On the Internet the following texts are available on the Marxist Internet Archive at - Consciousness as a problem in the psychology of behaviour, 1925 - The Psychology of Art, 1925 - The Historical Meaning of Consciousness as a problem in the psychology of behaviour, 1925 - The Psychology of Art, 1925 - The Historical Meaning of the Crisis in Psychology, 1927 - The Problem of the Cultural Development of the Child, 1929 - Thinking & Speech, 1934 - Vygotsky on Pushkin (a Comparison of Pushkin's presence and absence, to be found in the 1962 and 1986 editions of Thought and Language). [Back to In Defence of Marxism] [Back to Science and Technology]

On God and Godzilla // Shabbat Tzav, March 25, 2016 Welcome to you, dear members of BCC. Welcome to you who are visiting for the first time. And those of you who are tuning in from abroad. Welcome especially to Cantor Juval’s brother who is visiting us all the way from Norway- ask him later about the Jewish community there later. We may be tempted to ask him a little bit about Cantor’s youth… but that reminds me of a hasidic story- one that we studied in my Hasidic Tales from the Crypt, over the past two weeks here at BCC. Several Hasidim of Rabbe Menachem Mendel of Kotsk were visiting another town, the town of Tomashav, singing praises of their teacher. One of the townspeople was stunned by the news that Menachem Mendel was now a Rebbe. “Why he and I were classmates! We went to cheder together. A rebbe! How marvelous!” Learning that they had a boyhood friend of their Rebbe’s in their midst, the Hasidim pestered him for information about Menachem Mendel as a young man. The man insisted that there was nothing to tell. Nothing special about his friend. He was a boy like all others, the man insisted. Just as the hasidim were about to take leave of the man, he said, “No, wait! I do remember something. One time our teacher took us all out to celebrate Lag B’Omer with a picnic held high up in the mountains, and after the picnic, we all returned home together. All that is, but Menachem Mendel. He was no longer among us. We raced back up the mountain and found him lying face down on the mountainside, arms and legs outstretched as far as they could go. He was hugging the mountain with all his might, speaking directly to the earth. Our teacher went over to him and listened to what he was saying. He heard Menachem Mendel repeating the phrase, “My heart and my flesh sing praises to the living God,” over and over again. (From: Hasidic Tales, Rabbi Rami Shapiro). This is quite a beautiful story isn’t it? Many ideas come from this story but one of them is that God can be found anywhere… even on top of an empty mountain. It begs the question: where else can God be found? In the Purim Shpiel Wednesday night, though we were dressed as various dinosaurs, the clergy team and I posed the theological question about God– who we called Godzilla– where IS God found? That’s because, in the book of Esther, God is found… NOWHERE. That’s right, the name is God appears exactly ZERO times in the Megillah. An interesting aside: did you know that scribes, when they learn how to write according to the rules of STaM literature, the sacred rules of writing the Sefer Torah, the Mezuzah and the Tefillin, they write, as their first sacred text: the book of Esther! That’s because all of the extra laws surrounding the writing of God’s name are not relevant in the book of Esther, because God’s name appears: NEVER! Some would say that God’s handiwork is in the story of Esther though it is actually implied– a case can be made that God was the master orchestrator of the ascent of the Jewish Esther (YAY!) to the throne, to be in a position to thwart the evil plot of Haman (BOO!) to save the Jews. Still, God is never mentioned explicitly. So why isn’t God mentioned explicitly? Where is God? This week’s Torah poriton, Tzav, describes all the ways the ancient Israelites tried to cling closer to God, tried to get closer to God, through various types of offerings in the Temple. The burnt offering. The sin offering. The guilt offering. The meal offering. The thanksgiving offering. These are all ways we try to get closer to God. But, where is that exactly? Godzilla, actually, may help point us to the locale of God. What do I mean? You know how the film opens with a scene of Japan — the ocean…the skyline… buildings.. and the camera pans a bit further to reveal a path of destruction…cars overturned, buildings crushed, a helicopter circling. And, the viewer is left with the impression that something very destructive was just there. Even before Godzilla even appears on the screen… we have evidence of Godzilla’s presence. That is kind of like the rabbinic idea of God. But in reverse. Here’s what I mean. The rabbis who wrote prayers point to all of the beauty and miracles of the natural world… as evidence of God’s presence. As evidence that God was just there. Even as we cannot see God, we CAN see the miracles left in the wake of God’s presence. And, so we bless them. The rabbis gave us blessings for encounters with rainbows, thunderstorms, and food, and we give thanks following salvation from a life-threatening accident, or upon reaching an important moment in our lives. These blessings serve to acknowledge that God was there. God’s presence is in our lives. No matter if you think of God as a man in the sky with a beard or a light source or life force, or just the force. Whatever God is… God was there. God IS here. Cultivating that awareness brings God into our lives. You may know that tonight is Rabbi Lisa’s birthday– and how many of us have heard her ask, “isn’t it funny that…?” or “did you notice…?” She is someone who points each of us to recognize the interconnectedness and the co-incidence of the universe. Some would say that she points us to recognize God in the universe. Especially when we are down and out and we need the reminder… Looking at the world through the lens of appreciation and wonderment points us back to oneness and wholeness. It points us back to the sacredness of our lives. We don’t have to climb to the top of a hill and hug the earth to find it… we need only to take a moment to pause and reflect on our lives. Now, we invite you to rise for the Amidah which can be found on pages 41-51— and as you do so, we invite you to pray the words on the page or simple take a moment to pause and consider– When you rise to speak to God, what are you doing? Where do you find God? Where has the Divine’s presence revealed itself to you this week? Was it through a kind word or a beautiful natural event? Was it through the sacred bonds of community or through the goodness of a stranger? Where has God been revealed to you? And how have you received God’s presence?Written by Yanir Dekel on Mar 28, 2016 in Drashot/Sermons, Rabbi Heather Miller - No Comments

PITTSBURGH, Pa (Feb. 4) The General Assembly of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds opened here today with group discussions on War and Post-War Planning and on other important problems concerning Jewish community life in the United States, including fund-raising, the fight against anti-Semitism and community organization. Reports and recommendations of the group discussions will be presented to the General Session which starts tomorrow with an important report by Sidney Hollander, president of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds, and with an address on post-war perspectives for overseas reconstruction and relief by Francis B. Sayre, political advisor to the Director General of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. Post-war plans for the American scene will be outlined by William Haber, assistant executive director of the War Manpower Commission. Today’s group sessions dealt with post-war planning by Jewish agencies in the fields of family welfare, child care, vocational training, care of the aged, health, educational, cultural and recreational needs. The group meeting dealing with Jewish community organization examined the question of relationships among local Jewish groups and community agencies. It also considered the development of sound cooperative relationships between local and national Jewish agencies. The experience of Jewish welfare fund participation in local war chests and in independent campaigns during 1943 was reviewed at the panel dealing with fundraising and budgeting problems. Fund-raising prospects for 1944 were surveyed and budgeting processes were explored in an attempt to outline ways of developing greater community understanding of the programs supported by the Jewish welfare funds. The fact that the post-war period of readjustment may intensify racial antagonism in the United States was taken into consideration during discussions which dealt with civic-protective problems. The activities of Jewish organizations engaged in civic-protective work were analyzed.

RAFT Hosts Rabbi Klapper and Prof. Rynhold Discussion on Jewish Law and Morality On Monday, November 28th, RAFT (Religious Approaches to Faith and Theology) hosted a discussion between Rabbi Aryeh Klapper, Dean of the Center for Modern Torah Leadership, and Dr. Daniel Rynhold, Associate Professor in Modern Jewish Philosophy at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies. The speakers proposed practical modes of dealing with the challenges in faith that may arise when Jewish law collides with an individual’s moral compass. Rabbi Klapper presented eight methods for dealing with a situation in which there seems to be a contradiction between Halacha and ethics. After Rabbi Klapper presented each group of methods, Dr. Rynhold responded with his critique. Rabbi Klapper presented eight modes of dealing with the challenge, each with its advantages and pitfalls. Various elements differentiated the modes he presented, including humility, the recognition that God’s laws are sometimes incomprehensible, acceptance of contradiction, and the overall understanding that G-d’s law still requires obedience. Several great scholars inspired some of Rabbi Klapper’s models, including Rav Hutner and Rashbam; philosophers, such as Averroes, inspired other models. Professor Rynhold pointed out the philosophical scruples and implications of the various methods. He also said he had to withhold some details of some of his responses because they were based on the content of a forthcoming book by David Schatz, the Ronald P. Stanton University Professor of Philosophy, Ethics, and Religious Thought. The presentation was generally very well accepted. “Rabbi Klapper had a refreshing, systematic approach to an area in which most people follow their emotions without thinking them through,” expressed Yaakov Stone. “He presented a series of approaches that allowed for serious philosophical discussion.” Avi Hoffman agreed: “It was great, and really interesting.” He reported that he doesn’t usually go to “these events, but this seemed to be a really good one, especially based on the number of attendees.” However, not everyone liked the mode of Rabbi Klapper’s presentation. “Although the ideas were presented well,” opined Aharon Mirlas, “the arguments used were highly apologetic and did not represent an honest approach to the religion.” Every seat was filled in Furst Hall 535, the location of the discussion. Aryeh Laufer, SOY Vice President of IBC and one of RAFT leaders who organized the event, said, “We are trying to make the Torah programming more accessible to everyone and this is one of the ways we have opened it up. The room was filled, so students clearly have an interest in this aspect of programming.” Michael Shavolian, another organizer, voiced his take on the discussion: “These are very complicated issues and justice can’t be given to them in just one session,” he explained. “However, it was a discussion that provoked thought and, judging by the number of people who stayed behind to ask questions, it was a success.” Still in its first year, RAFT is a student group that aims to promote discussion of Orthodox theology at YU. Benny Aivazi, one of RAFT’s founders, said RAFT participants are generally “a group of students who are interested in creating a forum for discussing the major questions pertaining to Orthodox Judaism and having them addressed from an Orthodox perspective.” He described the group’s mission as creating “a space for discussion where we can seriously engage with all kinds of questions in a respectful and sincere way.”

As of today, 26 of this year’s 30 UJIA Israel Experience Tour groups Tour groups are here in Israel! I’ve been travelling here, there and everybear, trying to talk to as many Tourniks as possible to find out what they’ve been up to and how they’re finding the Holy Land so far. On Monday, I managed to catch up with JLGB (yes, yes, the reigning #tedontour champions) in the Negev, where the group, including my adventurous cousin Dooby, were abseiling into Machtesh Ramon, a massive crater in the desert. Taryn Peltz, from London, is in Israel with her twin brother Ryan, and found the activity challenging: “I’m really scared of heights so the abseiling really helped me. People were so supportive, it was quite a big deal for me to be able to do it.” I asked her if there had been any other firsts for her so far on tour and she told me all about the group’s stay at Kfar Hanokdim in the Judean Desert: “When we stayed with the Bedouin, a woman addressed us all. She’s the equivalent of a Bedouin feminist and she’s the first Bedouin woman to be able to talk directly to groups like ours and explain their way of life. Usually it’s just the men.” Asher Sekenofsky from Barnet has never been to the desert on previous visits to Israel. He told me that “It makes a difference to see new places in Israel. The desert is completely different to where I’ve been. It’s given me another side to Israel.” Next, I made my way up to Jerusalem, where I joined BBYO 1 just as they were about to visit the Kotel in the Old City. Thea Kay from Woodside Park has never been here before as this is her first time in Israel. I asked her what her first impressions were: “When I first saw it I thought it was very beautiful but then I realised that the women’s section is so much smaller than the men’s. Also, I didn’t realise that the people were so emotional. I did my message and I really really loved doing it. When I put the note in, at that point I felt a religious connection.” I asked Thea what her favourite part of Tour was so far and she said it was the Kotel: “It was the first big thing that I had wanted to go to before I even came to Israel.” After Jerusalem, I made my way up north to the coastal city of Akko to hang out with LJY-Netzer and my cousin Rebearkah at the Galilee Circus! It’s a Jewish-Arab troupe made up of kids aged 6-18 from Karmiel and the surrounding villages. After watching the group perform, I met up with Hannah Robinson from Finchley, who has never been to Israel before. I asked her about her impressions of the circus: “I think it was really great. I got talking to a Muslim girl about my age and she was so lovely. She’s doing Ramadan and we were talking about the similarity with Yom Kippur. There’s so much hate between our two cultures and there’s really nothing to dislike about her and I’m sure she felt the same about me – we had a really nice talk.” “Seeing the troupe do their performance together like that, it made me think it’s such a shame that it’s not like that everywhere in Israel because I feel like it really should be – we are so similar.” I also asked Hannah how she felt being in Israel for the first time: “I consider myself a Zionist and I feel that Israel should exist, and I look out the window and I feel proud – we have a right to be here. While it’s a shame there’s a conflict going on, right now I look out the window and almost everyone I see is Jewish and that does not exist anywhere else. It’s nice to know that, because Jews are a minority and for once, we aren’t.” On the group’s tour of Akko, I managed to have a quick chat with Jack Walton who has never been to this diverse city before. He told me: “I’ve never thought that the situation with Israel and the Palestinians is black and white and I found it really helpful having the tour round Akko, it helped cement that for me.” Jack also liked seeing the Galilee Circus and was quite the pro with the Diabolo! That’s all for this time, folks! It’s been a crazy week, travelling from south to central and then northern Israel, and I can’t wait to bring you more news from our 1,145 tourniks soon. Don’t forget, you can keep up with my Israel Tour journey on Instagram and Twitter (@UJIACharity #tedontour) and see all the photos HERE.

Berlin teems with a lot of things — nightclubs, Turkish food, Communist architecture. For me, Berlin teemed with history. Every street seemed to hold information about the city’s often painful past. Much of this is conscious preservation in the form of public parks and landmarks, but there are a few subtle aspects of the city that speak volumes about, specifically, its 20th century history. The architecture changes when you move between the former West and East Berlins. In East Berlin, the buildings are pragmatic, functional, ugly in that classic Soviet style. The TV Tower, now the phallic symbol of all Berlin, was once a prominent expression of the power of East Germany (officially, the German Democratic Republic). Some pieces of the Berlin Wall remain in their original locations with office complexes simply built up around them, while lone surveillance towers, which once overlooked the Wall, now stand idly on side streets. The columns of the Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery) on Museum Island are pockmarked due to Allied air raids, an eerie addition to the beautiful buildings. The city’s tram system is another reminder of its divided history because it is almost entirely confined to East Berlin. When the city was divided, West Berlin replaced its trams with bus routes and retained control of the U-Bahn (metro). U-Bahn stations in East Berlin were closed indefinitely and in a few places West Berlin underground lines passed through East Berlin without stopping. Today, the public transit system is unified and efficient, but the location of the tram lines acts as a subtle expression of the city’s history. These reminders could have been repressed or covered up, but Berlin isn’t running from its past. Instead, history is being discussed, uncovered, learned from. There are monuments such as the haunting Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. There are more photo-op appropriate places, such as Checkpoint Charlie. This is the most famous Berlin Wall border crossing, which connected the American Sector of West Berlin with East Berlin. It was the site of many attempts to flee from East Germany. The Checkpoint itself is a little kitschy – you can get your photo taken with someone dressed in a period military uniform who will then stamp your passport with an East Germany stamp (I thought that was kind of cool). Nearby, along Friedrichstraße and Zimmerstraße are outdoor exhibits on the history of the history of the checkpoints, their relevance during the Cold War, and perhaps most interesting, attempted and successful escapes through Checkpoint Charlie. It told tales of people escaping in the trunks of diplomats’ cars or wearing American military uniforms that had been smuggled across the border. It also commemorated the lives of people who were killed trying to cross the border and whose deaths were covered up for years by the East German government. Another interesting public park with information about Cold War Berlin is actually named the Berlin Wall Memorial and is located along Bernauer Straße, a street that once straddled East and West Berlin. In the early days of the division, doors and windows along Bernauer Straße were boarded up because they looked out over the French Sector of West Berlin. Some East Berliners escaped by jumping out their windows into West Berlin, and a few died trying. Residents of the buildings along Bernauer Straße were quickly relocated as the Berlin Wall was constructed. With aboveground escape routes blocked off, this street became the site of escape tunnels. The park is well designed with markers showing where the wall stood, as well as the locations of look-out towers and the paths of the tunnels. These are just a few examples of the ways in which Berlin is maintaining and commemorating its history. I’ve focused on public parks and monuments because access to them is free, and to me that shows how dedicated the city is to allowing everyone to learn about and from its history. There are also many amazing museums in Berlin, which can also teach you about the city’s history, such as the DDR Museum (a hands-on museum that explores what everyday life was like in East Germany) and the Jewish Museum (an enormous commemoration of two thousand years of German Jewish history). Whether or not you pay for the information, though, I doubt you could visit Berlin without learning something.

Rev. Wojciech Giertych, OP Professor & Theologian of the Papal Household Fr. Wojciech Giertych was born in London, England to Polish emigrants. In 1975, he entered the Polish Province of the Dominican Order. He studied theology in Kraków and was ordained a priest in 1981. He then continued his theological studies at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum in Rome, where he obtained a licentiate and a doctorate in theology. For a number of years he was a professor of moral theology and the Student Master, a formator, in the Dominican House of Studies in Kraków, being also engaged in preaching. Since 1994 he is a professor of moral theology at the Angelicum. In 1998, Fr. Giertych was called to the General Council of the Dominican Order, serving first as the Socius for Central and Eastern Europe, and then as the Socius for the Intellectual Life. In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Fr. Giertych the Theologian of the Papal Household – a position he currently holds. Fr. Giertych is also a member of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses, a consultant to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and a consultant to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. He has written a number of books in moral theology. Bishop Kęstutis Kėvalas Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Kaunas Born in Kaunas, Lithuania, Kęstutis Kėvalas studied in Kaunas University of Technology, later entered the Kaunas seminary in 1993. In 1997, he was sent to study at St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore, USA where he completed his theological studies and obtained a BA and MA in theology (2000). He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in June 2000. In 2001, he received his Licentiate Degree in Theology writing the thesis “Catholic Social Teaching and Economic Development: A Case Study of Lithuania.” He received his Doctorate in Sacred Theology with his thesis on “The Origins and Ends of the Free Economy as Portrayed in the Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus” in 2008. He has served as youth chaplain, lecturer on moral theology at Vytautas Magnus University, seminary spiritual director, and radio program director. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Kėvalas auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Kaunas; he was ordained bishop by Archbishop Sigitas Tamkevičius. Bishop Kęstutis Kėvalas is a respected figure and well known expert on Christian social ethics, the free market, and human dignity to the people of his home country. Professor Dr. Rocco Pezzimenti Professor of Political Philosophy & History of Political Thought, LUMSA Rocco Pezzimenti earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from LUISS and doctorate in philosophy from La Sapienza, both in Rome. He has also completed a two-year postgraduate course in Arab and Islamic studies at PISAI. Prof. Pezzimenti has taught at several universities and is former dean of the Department of Economics, Political Science and Modern Languages at LUMSA in Rome, where he currently serves on the university’s board of administration and is professor of political philosophy and history of political thought. His academic research has focused on “open societies”, Catholic movements, and the relationship between politics and religion in the 19th and 20th centuries. He is the author of various publications, some of which have been translated into English and Spanish. He is the former editor of Incipit magazine and currently co-editor of the academic journal Res Publica. Bishop Dominique Rey Bishop, Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon Dominique Marie Jean Rey was born in Saint-Etienne, France and is the youngest of seven children. He graduated with a BA and MA in economics from Lyon (1975), received his PhD in fiscal policy from Clermont-Ferrand, and earned a licentiate in theology and a degree in canon law from the lnstitut Catholique de Paris. In 1979 he joined the Emmanuel Community and in 1984, Dominique Rey was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest for the diocese of Paris. From 1985-92, Fr. Rey served in a variety of positions including high school chaplain, parish vicar, and director of pilgrimages. In 1995, Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger appointed him pastor of Holy Trinity parish where he was also director of the Trinity Centre, a training center for Christian Life. In 2000, Cardinal Lustiger ordained Fr. Dominique Rey as bishop of Fréjus-Toulon. Bishop Rey has been very active in the New Evangelization and his diocese has seen an increase in priestly vocations since his ordination. In 2012 Bishop Rey took part to the Synod for New Evangelization and has been appointed as consultor of the Pontifical Council for the Laity since 2014. Bishop Rey is also the author of several books, including Catholicism, Ecology, and the Environment: A Bishop's Reflection (Acton Institute, 2013). Rev. Robert A. Sirico President & Co-Founder, Acton Institute Rev. Robert A. Sirico received his Master of Divinity degree from the Catholic University of America, following undergraduate study at the University of Southern California and the University of London. During his studies and early ministry, he experienced a growing concern over the lack of training religious studies students receive in fundamental economic principles, leaving them poorly equipped to understand and address today's social problems. As a result of these concerns, Fr. Sirico co-founded the Acton Institute with Kris Alan Mauren in 1990. As president of the Acton Institute, Fr. Sirico lectures at colleges, universities, and business organizations throughout the U.S. and abroad. His writings on religious, political, economic, and social matters are published in a variety of journals, including: the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the London Financial Times, the Washington Times, the Detroit News, and National Review. Fr. Sirico is often called upon by members of the broadcast media for statements regarding economics, civil rights, and issues of religious concern, and has provided commentary for CNN, ABC, the BBC, NPR, and CBS' 60 Minutes, among others.... Professor Dr. Manfred Spieker Professor, Universität Osnabrück Prof. Manfred Spieker studied political science, philosophy and history at the Universities of Freiburg, Berlin and Munich, where he received his doctorate in political science. From 1972-82, he served as assistant professor at the Research Institute for Political Science and European Affairs of the University of Cologne. In 1983 he was appointed professor of Christian Social Sciences at the Institute of Catholic Theology at the Universität Osnabrück. He was the founder and director of the Osnabrück peace talks (1984-92). He has been a visiting professor at the Universidad de Valparaiso, Chile (1988), University Gabriela Mistral, Chile (1997), and at the University of Vilnius, Lithuania (1998). From 1995-2001, Prof. Spieker also served as observer for the Holy See in the Steering Committee of the Council of Europe. In 2012 Pope Benedict XVI appointed Prof. Spieker consultor of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Prof. Spieker writes for a variety of publications including The New Order, Journal of Markets and Morality, Ethos, and Intus- Legere Filosofia. Prof. Spieker is married and has six children. Author & Senior Research Fellow, Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies Historian and author Zev Golan is Senior Research Fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies. Golan was Director of Israel's Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies (1992-2003). His economic commentary has appeared in Globes, Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post. He has edited over 100 studies of the Israeli economy. Golan’s historical research focuses on the Jewish people’s struggle for freedom. He has authored the histories Stern: The Man and His Gang, and Free Jerusalem, as well as the philosophical God, Man and Nietzsche, and edited An Economy in Crisis (Hebrew). His play The Ghosts of Mizrachi Bet Street, based on the life of underground leader Abraham Stern, will be performed at the Jerusalem Theater in January 2016. David P. Goldman Columnist, Asia Times Online & Managing Director, REORIENT Group David Goldman has written for Asia Times under the byline “Spengler” since 2000. He is Senior Fellow at the London Center for Policy Research, Fellow the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, and Wax Family Fellow at the Middle East Forum. A successful author and prolific writer, Goldman has written hundreds of articles, on fixed income research and economics for investment banks, financial media and academic journals. His book How Civilizations Die (and why Islam is Dying, Too) was published by Regnery Press in September 2011. A volume of his essays on culture, religion and economics, It’s Not the End of the World – It’s Just the End of You, also appeared in 2011, from Van Praag Press. A former editor of First Things magazine and Forbes columnist, he was also global head of fixed income research for Bank of America and held senior positions at several other financial firms, including REORIENT Group (Hong Kong), where he presently is the Managing Director and Head of Americas. Professor Santiago Legarre Professor of Law, Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina Santiago Legarre is a Professor of Law at Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina and also works at CONICET (Argentine National Council for the Research in the Humanities). He is also a Visiting Professor at the Notre Dame Law School, the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University, and the Valparaiso University Law School (Indiana). He has been a visiting scholar at Columbia University, the University of Oxford and the University of Notre Dame. Dr. Legarre studied for his LL.B. at Universidad Católica Argentina. Thereafter he pursued a Master of Studies in Legal Research (M.St.) at the University of Oxford, which was conferred with distinction in 2004. His dissertation title was “The Historical Background of the Police Power in American Constitutional Law” and his supervisor was Professor John Finnis. He holds a PhD in Law from Universidad de Buenos Aires. He has authored and contributed to a number of books, and published numerous articles on morality, law, history, and politics. Professor Daniel Mark Assistant Professor of Political Science, Villanova University Daniel Mark is an assistant professor of political science at Villanova University. He teaches political theory, philosophy of law, American government, and politics and religion. He is a faculty associate of the Matthew J. Ryan Center for the Study of Free Institutions and the Public Good. He also holds the rank of Battalion Professor and serves as the university representative to the performance review board for Villanova’s Navy Reserve Officers’ Training Corps unit. He is the faculty adviser to the mock trial team and to the men’s club lacrosse team, and he is a mentor in the university’s Faith and Learning Scholars Program. Dr. Mark serves on the Jewish Religion and Culture Lecture Committee and the Graduate Committee of the Department of Political Science. Appointed in 2014, Daniel serves on the nine-member, bipartisan US Commission on International Religious Freedom. In this role, he monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad and makes policy recommendations to the president, secretary of state, and Congress. Daniel has recently participated in USCIRF delegations to Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, and Vietnam. He has written on international religious freedom in Foreign Affairs, US News & World Report, Investor’s Business Daily, and Philadelphia Inquirer, and he has been interviewed on CNN, Al Jazeera America, and CBS radio in Philadelphia. In addition, Daniel is an assistant editor of Interpretation: A Journal of Political Philosophy; a fellow of the Witherspoon Institute; and a contributor to Arc of the Universe: Ethics and Global Justice. Daniel also works with the Tikvah Fund in New York and the Hertog Foundation in Washington, DC, and he has taught at the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University. Before graduate school, Daniel spent four years as a high school teacher in New York City. He holds a BA, MA, and PhD from the Department of Politics at Princeton University. He wrote his dissertation under the direction of Professor Robert P. George on the subject of “Authority and Legal Obligation.” For the 2015-16 academic year, Daniel is a visiting fellow in the Department of Politics at Princeton University under the sponsorship of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. Michael Matheson Miller Research Fellow and Producer of Poverty, Inc., Acton Institute Michael Matheson Miller is a Research Fellow at the Acton Institute and the Producer of Poverty, Inc. With some ten years of international experience, Miller has lived and traveled in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. He is the Director and Host of the PovertyCure DVD Series and has appeared in various video curricula including Doing the Right Thing, Effective Stewardship, and the Birth of Freedom. He is Chairman of the Advisory Board and former Director of PovertyCure, which promotes entrepreneurial solutions to poverty in the developing world. Mr. Miller lectures internationally on such themes as moral philosophy, economic development, and social theory, and entrepreneurship.... Rev. Professor Martin Schlag Co-Founder & Academic Director, Markets, Culture and Ethics Research Center Born in New York in 1964, Rev. Professor Martin Schlag is an Austrian and American citizen. He obtained degrees in jurisprudence, archaeology and ancient history from the University of Vienna and holds doctorates both in law (1989) and in theology (1998). Lawyer and theologian, he was ordained a priest in 1996. Following his pastoral work in Vienna, he became a professor of the Social Doctrine of the Church at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in 2008. In 2012, he was nominated consultor to the Pontifical Council for Peace and Justice. Together with Prof. Juan Andrés Mercado, Fr. Schlag founded the Markets, Culture and Ethics Research Center at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, and he currently serves as the Academic Director. Professor Mario Silar General Manager, European Business Ethics Network (EBEN) & Senior Researcher, Instituto Acton Argentina Professor Mario Silar is the senior researcher at Instituto Acton Argentina, executive secretary for Centro Diego de Covarrubias (Spain), and the general manager of the European Business Ethics Network (EBEN). Previously, Prof. Silar was a visiting scholar at University of Reading, UK (2007-08) a fellow at the Witherspoon Institute (University of Princeton), and associate professor of ethics and human resources at the Universidad de Navarra and professor of Corporate Social Responsibility at the Universidad de Deusto. He received a Bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the Universidad del Norte Santo Tomás de Aquino (UNSTA), a Master’s in economic integration law from the Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, a Master’s in professorship formation from UNED (Spain), and a diploma in advanced studies in philosophy from the Universidad de Navarra. He has also studied organization and education management at the Universidad Austral. Prof. Silar has authored several articles and books, including Ética y Teoría de la Acción, Análisis de Instituciones, Empresarialidad, Pensamiento Cristiano y Liberalismo Económico. He is co-editor of Natural Law: Historical, Systematic and Juridical Approaches (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2008); co-author of Metodología de Investigación y técnicas para la elaboración de tesis (Ciudad Argentina, 2006); editor of Una vida santa dedicada a la libertad: Ensayos en honor de Joe Keckeissen (Instituto Acton, 2013), and Liberalismo, pensamiento cristiano y bien común (Madrid, 2014); and co-author of Estado liberal de derecho y laicidad (Instituto Acton, 2013). Dr. Gabriel J. Zanotti Professor, Universidad Austral & Academic Director, Instituto Acton Argentina Dr. Gabriel Zanotti is a full-time professor at the Universidad Austral and professor at the Centro de Estudios Macroeconómicos de Argentina (CEMA), as well as visiting professor at the Universidad Francisco Marroquín. He is also the academic director of Instituto Acton Argentina. Dr. Zanotti earned his BA in philosophy from Universidad del Norte Santo Tomás de Aquino (UNSTA) in 1984 and his Ph.D in philosophy from Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA) in 1990. Dr. Zanotti has authored several books, including Economía de Mercado y Doctrina Social de la Iglesia (Ed. de Belgrano, 1985; 2nd Ed, Ediciones Cooperativas, 2005); El humanismo del futuro (Ed. de Belgrano, 1989; 2nd Ed., Ediciones Cooperativas, 2007); Popper: búsqueda con esperanza (Ed. de Belgrano, 1993); Epistemología da economia (Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, 1997); Introducción filosófica a Hayek (Universidad Francisco Marroquín, 2003); Filosofía para filósofos (Universidad Francisco Marroquín, 2003); Fundamentos filosóficos y epistemológicos de la praxeología (Unsta, 2009); Hacia una hermenéutica realista (Universidad Austral, 2005); La economía de la Acción Humana (Unión Editorial, 2009); Antropología cristiana y economía de mercado (Unión Editorial, 2011). Dr. Zanotti regularly writes, lectures, and teaches for numerous organizations and universities in Argentina and abroad. Ms. Anielka (Münkel) Olson Co-Producer, Poverty, Inc. & Project Manager, Acton Institute Anielka (Münkel) Olson is a project manager at the Acton Institute and co-producer of the Poverty, Inc. documentary and the PovertyCure DVD Series. A native and citizen of Nicaragua, she served as advisor to the minister of tourism, promoting Nicaragua as a tourism and investment destination. She collaborated on speeches for former President Enrique Bolaños and negotiated investment opportunities with international corporations. Previously, she served as coordinator of the Government Investor Network (GIN) at PRONicaragua, the Investment Promotion Agency of the Presidency, and presented the results of this project at the United Nations High-level Dialog on Financing for Development in 2005. She also authored “Nicaragua: A UN Pilot Country on the Road to Success” and was selected to participate in the U.S. Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program. Anielka holds an MBA from the University of Notre Dame, where she won the grand prize in the Social Venture Plan Competition with Sustainable Health Enterprises. Most of Anielka’s work is focused on PovertyCure, a global initiative that advances entrepreneurial solutions to poverty. Through a network of 340+ partner organizations, a DVD series, a documentary and a social media following of over 1.3 million people, PovertyCure challenges conventional thinking and reframes the poverty debate around the creative capacity of the human person, made in the image of God. Cardinal Robert Sarah President, Pontifical Council 'Cor Unum' Robert Sarah was born in Ourous in the archdiocese of Conakry in Guinea, on June 15, 1945. He was ordained priest on July 20, 1969 and was then sent to Rome, where he obtained a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University. He also studied at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and obtained a licentiate in Sacred Scriptures from the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum in Jerusalem. He returned to Guinea where he served as a parish priest and then rector of the junior seminary of Kindia. He was appointed archbishop of Conakry on August 13, 1979, where he served until October 2001 when he was appointed secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. On October 7, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him president of the ‘Cor Unum’ Pontifical Council and was created cardinal in the consistory of November 20, 2010. ‘Cor Unum’ is the agency of the Holy See responsible for coordinating the organizations and charitable activities promoted by the Catholic Church. On December 29, 2010, Cardinal Sarah was appointed a member of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Pontifical Council for the Laity, and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Professor F. Russell Hittinger William K. Warren Chair of Catholic Studies, University of Tulsa Prof. Russell Hittinger is the William K. Warren Chair of Catholic Studies at the University of Tulsa, where he is also research professor of law. He specializes in issues of philosophy, theology, and law. From 2002-05 he was the chair of the department of philosophy and religion. Prof. Hittinger received his M.A. and Ph.D. in philosophy from St. Louis University. He serves on several boards of advisors, including First Things, the American Journal of Jurisprudence, Nova et Vetera, and the Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture. On Sept. 8, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Prof. Hittinger as an ordinarius in the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. He is one of two lay academics in the world to serve as ordinarius in two Pontifical academies. His books and articles have appeared on the University of Notre Dame Press, Oxford University Press, Columbia University Press, Fordham University Press, the Review of Metaphysics, the Review of Politics, several law journals (American and European). His most recent book Thomas Aquinas and the Rule of Law. The First Grace: Re-Discovering Natural Law in a Post-Christian Age was published in Jan. 2003. His essays on papal social doctrine appeared in a two-volume work Law and Human 2 Nature: Teachings of Modern Christianity (Columbia University Press, 2005). He is currently working on a book on the evolution of Catholic social theory and doctrine during the 19th and 20th centuries. Mr. Michael Novak Visiting Professor and Trustee, Ave Maria University Theologian, author, and former U.S. ambassador, Michael Novak was the George Frederick Jewett Chair in Religion, Philosophy, and Public Policy at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., and is currently Visiting Professor and Trustee at Ave Maria University in Florida. He is the 1994 recipient of the million-dollar Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion. Mr. Novak has written numerous influential books on economics, philosophy, and theology. His masterpiece, The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism, was published underground in Poland in 1984, and after 1989 in Czechoslovakia, Germany, China, Hungary, Bangladesh, Korea, and many times in Latin America. For his work and influence, he has received many international awards. Dr. Jay W. Richards Assistant Research Professor, The Catholic University of America Jay W. Richards, Ph.D., is Assistant Research Professor in the School of Business and Economics at The Catholic University of America, a Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute, and Executive Editor of The Stream. He has authored and co-authored many books, including the New York Times bestsellers Infiltrated and Indivisible, as well as Money, Greed, and God, The Privileged Planet and The Untamed God. He is also executive producer of several television documentaries, including The Call of the Entrepreneur and The Birth of Freedom. Richards’ articles and essays have been published in The Harvard Business Review, Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily, Forbes, The Daily Caller, National Review, The Washington Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Huffington Post, The American Spectator, and a wide variety of other publications. Richards’ work has been covered in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, Nature, Science, Astronomy, Physics Today, The Chronicle of Higher Education, American Enterprise, Congressional Quarterly Researcher, and The American Spectator. Richards has appeared on hundreds of radio and television programs. He has lectured at scores of academic conferences; on scores of college and university campuses in the United States, Europe, and Asia; at many think tanks in the U.S. and Europe; at scores of public policy meetings; and on several occasions to members of the U.S. Congress and U.S. congressional staff. Dr. Richards has a Ph.D., with honors, in philosophy and theology from Princeton Theological Seminary. He also has an M.Div., a Th.M., and a B.A. with majors in political science and religion Dr. Samuel Gregg Director of Research, Acton Institute Dr. Samuel Gregg is director of research at the Acton Institute. He has written and spoken extensively on questions of political economy, economic history, ethics in finance, and natural law theory. He has an MA in political philosophy from the University of Melbourne, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in moral philosophy and political economy from the University of Oxford, where he worked under the supervision of Professor John Finnis. Archbishop Maroun Lahham Auxiliary Bishop and Vicar of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem for Jordan Archbishop Maroun Elias Lahham was born in Irbed Jordan. From 1961-72, he completed his philosophical and theological studies at the Latin Patriarchate Seminary in Beit Jala, where he received a bachelor degree in philosophy and theology. He was ordained priest in Jerusalem on June 24, 1972. He studied in Rome from 1988-92, earning a doctorate in pastoral theology and catechesis at the Pontifical Lateran University with a thesis: “The Catechesis of Adult in the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.” He was appointed director general of the Latin Patriarchate Schools (1992-94) upon his return to Jerusalem. He was rector of the Patriarchal Seminary in Beit Jala from 1994 until his appointment as Bishop of Tunis, on September 8, 2005. He taught catechesis and pastoral theology at the Seminary in Beit Jala, at the Salesian seminary in Cremisan and at the seminary of the Custody of the Holy Land in Jerusalem. In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI raised Tunis to an Archdiocese and Bishop Lahham was appointed the first Archbishop. In 2012 Lahham was recalled to Middle East where he became Auxiliary Bishop and vicar of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem for Jordan. Bishop Lahham has written and translated many books and articles, as well as presented conferences, on adult catechesis, Christian spirituality, peace in the Holy Land, the significance of Jerusalem for the three monotheistic religions, interreligious dialogue, Lectio Divina, sacraments, Christian anthropology, and history of the Latin Patriarchate. Rev. Professor Martin Rhonheimer Professor of Ethics and Political Philosophy, Pontifical University of the Holy Cross Rev. Professor Martin Rhonheimer (born 1950 in Zurich, Switzerland) is a professor of ethics and political philosophy at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. Fr. Rhonheimer studied philosophy, history, political science and theology in Zurich and Rome. He joined Opus Dei in 1974 and was ordained a priest in 1983. His main interests lie in the field of ethics, action theory and the history of classical liberalism and economics. He has published on a wide range of topics, especially concerning the philosophy of moral action, virtue, natural law, Aquinas, Aristotle, and the ethics of sexuality and bioethics, and more recently on philosophical an ethical questions concerning the economic order. Joseph Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, S.D.B., Bishop emeritus of Hong Kong (China), was born on 13 January 1932 in Yang King-pang, Shanghai, China. He was ordained a priest on 11 February 1961 for the Society of Don Bosco, the Salesian Order. Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun served as a Salesian Provincial Superior for China for six years, and from 1989-96 he taught philosophy and sacramental theology in various Chinese seminaries. On 13 September 1996 he was appointed coadjutor of the diocese of Hong Kong, and on 23 September 2002 he was made bishop of the diocese. During the 11th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2005, he spoke on “Sensus ecclesiae and religious freedom”, addressing the situation of the Church in China and of the signs of hope that the Church, after years of forced separation which had apparently “divided it in two”, is a single Church headings towards a “normalization”. He was created and proclaimed cardinal by Benedict XVI in the consistory of 24 March 2006, given the title of Santa Maria Madre del Redentore a Tor Bella Monaca. Return to top of page

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — There was a dramatic and defiant move at the United Nations on Friday. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sidestepped two decades of failed negotiations and surged ahead with demands for Palestinian statehood, reports CBS 2’s Marcia Kramer. Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both addressed the General Assembly, where Netanyahu called on Abbas to negotiate with him Friday. The provocative action sparked violence in the West Bank. There was huge applause when Abbas held up his formal application for statehood. It followed a speech in which he said it was time for his people to realize their dreams of an independent homeland. “After 63 years of suffering of an ongoing tragedy and nakba — enough, enough, enough,” Abbas said to applause. Abbas in effect thumbed his nose at the United States, Israel and other nations who say peace in the Middle East can only come through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, but it was clear that Abbas was empowered by other actions across the region, the so-called Arab spring. “The time has come also for the Palestinian spring, the time for independence,” Abbas said. But Netanyahu came back with a strong, frank and blunt speech, calling the UN a “house of lies,” one that has condemned Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, more than all the other nations combined. “This is the unfortunate part the UN institution, is the theatre of the absurd. It doesn’t only cast Israel as the villain, it often casts real villains in leading roles,” Netanyahu said. “Hezbollah controlled Lebanon, now presides over the Security Council. This means in effect that a terror organization presides over the body entrusted with guaranteeing world security.” Netanyahu said there can be no Palestinian state until there is a treaty guaranteeing Israel’s security. “President Abbas just said on this podium that the Palestinians are armed only with their hopes and dreams. Yup, hopes, dreams and ten thousand missiles and Grad rockets supplied by Iran, not to mention the river of lethal weapons now flowing into Gaza from the Sinai,” Netanyahu said. “Yes, the Jewish state. After all, this is the body that recognized the Jewish state 64 years ago. Now don’t you think it’s about time the Palestinians did the same?” The Israeli leader said he was so intent on making peace with the Palestinians — to give them their own state — that he would meet them anywhere. He challenged Abbas to start the peace talks again right now while both men are here in New York City. “We’ve both just flown thousands of miles to New York. Now we’re in the same city. We’re in the same building. So let’s meet here today in the United Nations,” Netanyahu said to applause. “Who’s there to stop us? What is there to stop us if we genuinely want peace?” “I extend my hand, the hand of Israel, in peace. I hope that you will grasp that hand. We are both the sons of Abraham. Our destinies are intertwined. Let us realize the vision of Israel. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. Let that light be the light of peace.” There was no word from the Palestinians about renewing talks. And although the Security Council meets Monday, their motion at the Security Council could take weeks if not months to sort out. What do you think? Please share your thoughts below…

Office Technology: Medical Office Assistant Medical offices are investing in new technology and technicians – now is the time to specialize. The health care industry needs more highly-trained office staff than ever before. At Monroe Community College, you can develop the skills to enter this dynamic field in just one year with an office technology: medical office assistant certificate. We developed our medical office assistant program in response to specific employer needs. You'll learn specialized health care record-keeping procedures and use the same state-of-the-art computer systems found in today's health care industry. Past graduates of this program have an outstanding record of job placement and career success at employers like these: - University of Rochester Medical Center - Jewish Senior Life - Private medical and dental clinics - Med-Scribe, Inc. - Rochester Regional Health System Grow Along with the Health Care Industry in a Medical Office Assistant Career The one-year medical office assistant certificate program at MCC will provide you with a strong foundation to perform well in a medical office environment. You'll develop skills in word processing and transcription, and learn to communicate effectively with patients as well as other health care professionals. In addition, you'll take introductory courses in these medical areas: - Medical terminology - Emergency care With strong technical and communication skills, you'll be ready to shine in the growing health care industry. Here are just a few of the positions you'll qualify for: - Medical administrative assistant - Medical records technician - Health information technician - Dental office administrative assistant - Medical record coder To find out more about the medical office assistant certificate from Monroe Community College, contact the admissions office at email@example.com or (585) 292-2200. OFFICE TECHNOLOGY: MEDICAL OFFICE ASSISTANT Department:Information and Computer Technologies School(s): Applied Sciences & TechnologiesCIP Code: 51.0716 MCC Program Code: OF06 NYSED Code (BRI): 22421 NYSED Code (DCC): 22423 This one-year certificate program is designed to provide students with a firm foundation for the medical office environment. With the development of strong word processing and communication skills, transcription skills, and medical office protocol, the student is well on the path to a fulfilling career in the medical office support area. (Housed in the Information and Computer Technologies Department) Program Learning Outcomes 1) Demonstrate the soft skills needed to be successful as an administrative assistant (office support) which may include: punctuality acceptance of personal responsibility teamwork skills expressing a positive attitude under stress effective customer service skills or other related skills. 2) Demonstrate effective oral communication skills both in person and on the telephone. 3) Write effectively in an office environment in a variety of modes. 4) Exhibit proficiency in using a variety of current healthcare-based office software which may include: desktop publishing applications medical databases or other medical-based computer applications. 5) Demonstrate competence in the use of medical office computer-based functions (coding scheduling billing financial reporting etc.). 6) Apply fundamentals of basic business mathematics to workplace needs. 7) Describe the role of a medical office support staff professional and the contribution of that professional to the success of the whole medical office environment. Requirements for Program Entrance Algebra (1 year high school math or placement into Level 3 Math at MCC). Demonstrated keyboard proficiency or completion of OFT 110. Keyboarding I. |FIRST SEMESTER: 17 Credit Hours| |OFT 111 Intermediate Word+||3| |OFT 141 Professional Grammar and Communications||4| |HIM 104 Medical Terminology||3| |MTH 130 Modern Business Mathematics||3| |BIO 133 Human Biology||3| |HED 101 Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Care||1| |SECOND SEMESTER: 15 Credit Hours| |OFT 112 Advanced Word I||3| |HED 115 Death and Dying OR | HED 209 Drugs and Behavior |OFT 267 Medical Office Documentation||3| |OFT 268 Medical Office Procedures||3| |OFT 173 Microsoft Multimedia Communications||3|

Today is July 22, 2019 / Official Site of Rabbi Nasan Maimon Speaker: Rabbi Zvi Aryeh Rosenfeld z”l. A true account from the time of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov that illustrates a Jewish woman’s life-giving power of prayer. Podcast (shiurim): Download (Duration: 4:42 — 2.2MB) To dedicate a Torah Shiur, CLICK HERE. « Previous Shiur Back to Series List Next Shiur » Lost your Password Powered by WishList Member - Membership Software

Asia Watch: Mixed Messages May 27, 2008 | Michael Shannon There were, as usual, some mixed signals from Indonesia as Israelis and Palestinians alike paused to consider 60 years of the Jewish state. The lead negative item was an international anti-Zionist conference at the University of Indonesia in Depok, West Java, held to coincide with the anniversary celebrations in Jerusalem. The two-day event, “Freedom and Right of Return: Palestine and 60 Years of Ethnic Cleansing (Naqba)”, was midwifed by an assortment of Indonesian politicians (including former reformist leader Amien Rais), activists and academics from 20 countries (including two rabbis from the anti-Zionist Neturei Karta sect and Australia’s own Holocaust-denier Dr. Fredrick Toben, described in the program as “Director of Adelaide University”). Proceedings were launched by Agung Laksono, the speaker of Indonesia’s DPR (People’s Representative Council) and the vice chairman of Golkar (the largest party in the governing coalition). He declared that “Israeli soldiers, in a planned manner, murder and destroy the Palestinians. Villages are bombed, homes are destroyed and their fields are burned… We condemn the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians by Israel.” Others chimed in to the one-sided talk-fest. Dr. Zahra Mustafawi, coordinator of the International Union of NGOs Supporting Palestinian Rights, added to the demonisation with the following: “They [Israelis] are celebrating the cruel attacks they have launched against Palestinians, where many old people, children, women and innocents were killed. So, this is their nature to celebrate the crimes, and at the same time they expect Germany to be ashamed of the so-called Holocaust.” President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono reportedly withdrew from a keynote role at the conference for unspecified reasons. Whether this was because of the bellicose tone of the meeting, one can only speculate. Palestinian ambassador to Indonesia Fariz N. Mehdawi told the Jakarta Post that Indonesia establishing a diplomatic relationship with Israel would jeopardise Palestine’s efforts to resolve the conflict in the Middle East, and that all countries had to disengage from Israel to pressure the Jewish state towards a settlement of the conflict. “If you engage with Israel and think it will help them, you are wrong. It will just make them even more arrogant and stubborn,” Mehdawi said. Jakarta’s expressed desire to play a bridging role in the Arab-Israel conflict could not have been helped by such a conference. Establishing an upgraded diplomatic relationship with Israel, rather than just unofficial contacts, would seem to be the most logical step. On a positive note, official statements from Jakarta suggest there is some cautious optimism about prospects for Israel-Palestinian peace. Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda told the Jakarta Post on May 8 that “Both sides, for their own reasons, have the need to bring this conflict to an end. There’s light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “We support Palestine to be a state in their area and live peacefully side by side with Israel.” Wirayuda also, nonetheless, stated that a major stumbling block was Palestinian disunity, especially the exclusion of Hamas from peace negotiations. “You must never set up conditions. That’s not a dialogue. You may not be compatible with Hamas, but they’re significant. They rose to the top of power through a democratic election… so they can’t be dismissed,” he said. Also on the positive side of the ledger, the Jakarta Post published on May 9 an opinion article from Israel’s ambassador to Singapore, Ilan Ben-Dov, titled “Israel at 60: What it means to be the Zionist state”. Equally noteworthy was another article in the same newspaper by University of Indonesia academic Bantarto Bandoro, also chief editor of the Indonesian Quarterly published by the influential Centre for Strategic and International Studies. The sober and non-ideological assessment of the Israel-Palestinian conflict points to an emerging and constructive pragmatism in elite Indonesian political circles: Israel is perhaps the only country in the world whose establishment was approved by the UN, but it is also the only country whose legitimacy has been called into question… It is obvious that Israel is trapped in a pincer movement, a psychological attack on the one hand and a military attack on the other. The sources of the attacks may have originated from the Arab-Muslim world as well as the West. The issue of Israel-Palestine has pushed the world community, according to their respective national interests, into two opposing camps… President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has a strong ambition to play a mediating role in the conflict, but Indonesia can only play such a role if it maintains constant contact with both Palestine and Israel. For more than three decades the Palestinians have “convinced” Indonesia and other members of world community that Israel is the enemy… Whatever policies Indonesia may initiate in the future with regard to the Israel-Palestine conflict, they will have little impact as long as Indonesia refuses to deal directly with Israel. We all know Israel is living under an existential siege, and will fight for its survival. Indonesia cannot help but acknowledge the political reality that perhaps in 60 years’ time, Israel will still be there.

The Kingdom Study: Lesson 6 The Postponement of the Kingdom In the previous lesson we saw that when the Lord Jesus Christ showed up on this earth that both of the kingdoms were present. In regards to the kingdom of Heaven the Jews refused it by rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ. As a result of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ a person can now be spiritually born again and enter into the kingdom of God. In this lesson we are going to look at what if the Jews had accepted Jesus Christ as there king and also how that in the first few chapters of Acts the kingdom of Heaven is offered again to the Jews and they reject it one more time. What if the Jews had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ would have been crucified either way, remember that it had already been prophesied in places like Psalm 22 that he would be crucified. The problem of man’s sin still had to be dealt with and the only way for it to be taken care of was for the Jesus Christ to be crucified in our place. If the Jews had accepted him and tried to make him their king instead of Caesar then the Romans would have crucified him just the same. Also there is an important prophesy concerning Elijah that would have had to be fulfilled if the Jews had accepted him. The prophesy is found in Malachi 4:5-6 and it says that Elijah will return before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. The disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ were expecting him to set up his kingdom when he came the first time and they ask him about this prophesy in Matthew 17:10-13. Jesus answers them by saying that Elijah had already come and the people knew him not. At first they did not understand him and then when they did they realized that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist. Now many will argue and say that John the Baptist said he was not Elijah but in the prophesy concerning the birth of John the Baptist it is said that he would come in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:13-17). Remember comparing scripture with scripture is the only way to understand the word of God. The Postponement of the Kingdom : Before we get into the book of Acts and look at the offering of the kingdom again to the Jews we need to look at a prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Luke 23:34 at the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ Jesus prays and ask the father to forgive them for they know not what they do. The question is did God answer this prayer. I believe he did and this is a large part of why he offers the kingdom to them again in the first part of the Book of Acts. Acts Chapters 1-16 : Here we have to be very careful because there are many false doctrines taught from these chapters concerning salvation and the church age. The reason for this is that most people do not even believe that the kingdoms are different let alone that the kingdom of Heaven is being offered to Israel again in the first few chapters of Acts. Also they do not realize that things progress and change throughout the first part of Acts and doctrine for the church age concerning Gentiles is not totally settled until Acts 15. Therefore we will start and go through this in order to see the kingdom of Heaven offered again to Israel and see them reject it. Notice that the first thing we see in Acts 1:6-7 is the disciples asking Jesus whether he will restore the kingdom of Heaven to Israel at this time. He tells them it is not for them to know the times and the seasons which the father has put in his power. In Acts 2 we see that on the day of Pentecost when the disciples were gathered together in one place that they received the Holy Ghost. Later in this chapter we see that Peter preaches a message to the Jews and Jewish converts that we gathered there. Notice that the message is to Jews (verses 14, 22, 36) and he preaching to them that the one they have crucified was the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:36). As a result of this they asked the question “what do we do?” (Acts 2:27) This is the same question they asked John the Baptist in Luke 3:12. Now we know that in Acts 2:38 Peter tells them to “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Many today take this verse and say you have to be baptized in water or you are have not received the Holy Ghost. But the verse is dealing with Jews who have just crucified the Lord Jesus Christ. What Peter is doing is offering them the same baptism that John offered them note that John was baptizing to manifest the Lord Jesus Christ to Israel (John 1:31). Peter is doing the same thing note the whole point of his message in verse 36. The only difference is that now since Jesus Christ has been resurrected and ascended back to heaven a person can now receive the Holy Ghost where they could not during the ministry of John the Baptist. When John the Baptist was preaching the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand, and now that God is giving Israel another chance at this Kingdom Peter is presenting the baptism that John had presented before because the kingdom of Heaven was at hand again. In Acts 3:19-21 we see Peter is preaching again the kingdom message. Notice he is preaching about the blotting out of sins and the times of refreshing which is a reference to the 2nd coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We see that in Hebrews when the Lord Jesus does return and sets up the new covenant with Israel that their sins will be blotted out. Peter doesn’t know that for us today that our sins were blotted out at Calvary (Colossians 2:14) that revelation was given to Paul. In Acts 4:1-2 we see that Peter is dealing again with the leaders in Israel. Note the reference from Daniel concerning Jesus being the stone set at nought, the head of the corner. Also in Acts 5:31 we see that Peter is still dealing with the leaders in Israel note the reference to Jesus as the Prince this connects him with the Kingdom of Heaven (Isaiah 9:6). In Acts 7 we see the message that Stephen preached unto the leader of Israel. Note in verse 51 he asks them do ye always resist the Holy Ghost. In verses 54-60 we see the response of Israel they reject him and his message and stone him to death. This will make the 3rd and final time that Israel rejects God. They rejected God the father in 1 Samuel 8:7, they rejected God the Son in John 19:14-15 and now they have rejected God the Holy Ghost here in Acts. Here was there 2nd chance to receive the kingdom and they blew it. Now we will look closely at the stoning of Stephen to see these things. Notice first that when Stephen is being stoned he said he saw heaven opened (verse 56). In Revelation heaven is opened twice once in Revelation 4:1 and again in Revelation 19:11. One time John goes up and the other time Jesus comes down. Note also that Jesus is said to be standing on the right hand of God. In Hebrews 1:3 and 10:12 he is seated on the right hand of God. Many preach that Jesus stood to receive Stephen out of honor for his faithfulness but there may be more to it than that. In Isaiah 3:13 the word of God says that the Lord stands to judge his people. What could have happened is that if Israel had received Stephen message and the offer of the Kingdom of Heaven then the rapture could have taken place right then with all the ones who were saved from the day of Pentecost until right then would have gone up making up the bride of Christ, and the tribulation could have started right then. You say what about the gentiles that are mentioned as being connected with the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 8:10-12). They would have come in through the tribulation and the millennial reign. Remember that the church age did not have to be, none of the Old Testament prophets foresaw it. Therefore the Jew have rejected the Kingdom of Heaven again and God sets them aside they are blinded spiritually (Romans 11:25) and now he will deal with the Gentiles. At the end of the church age he will rapture all those who have died saved and those that are saved who are still alive and then the tribulation will start and he will deal once again with the Jews. What about the rest of Acts? In the very next chapter we see Philip sent to deal with the Ethiopian Eunuch about his salvation. In Acts 9 you see that apostle Paul saved and called into the ministry and remember he is the apostle to the Gentiles. In Acts 10 you see that Peter is shown he can eat things contrary to the Old Testament Law. Also in Acts 10:34-48 you see Peter preaching to Gentiles and they receive the Holy Ghost. Note in verse 44 that the Gentiles receive the Holy Ghost before they are baptized and therefore Acts 2:38 does not apply doctrinally from this point on. Remember that the Kingdom has been rejected and God is now dealing with the Gentiles. In Acts 15 we see that they get the doctrine straight for the church age straight, and note that in Acts 16:30-31 when Paul is asked by the Philippian Jailor “what must I do to be saved” he is told, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ , and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” So now will live in the church age where the only Kingdom that is present is the Kingdom of God. We get into it by grace through faith believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and trusting in his shed blood to atone for our sins. The Kingdom of Heaven has been postponed and will come back to the earth the when the Lord Jesus Christ returns. The Kingdom Study Lesson 6 : Handout The Postponement of the Kingdom 1) If the Jews had accepted Jesus as their King who would have fulfilled the prophesy of Elijah? 2) Why is Jesus’ prayer in Luke 23:34 so Important? 3) What happened in Acts concerning the Kingdom of Heaven? 4) What is Acts 2:38 all about really? 5) What is significant about the rejecting of Stephen’s message? 6) Why is it important that Jesus is standing in Acts 7:55? 7) What is the result of Israel rejecting the Holy Spirit in Acts 7:51?

Israeli officials have recently ramped up their arguments for striking Iranian nuclear facilities. So far, there has been silence among Jewish religious thinkers about whether attacking Iran would be consonant with Jewish values. So what would Judaism say about such a military action? Would God want us to attack Iran? The Jewish tradition does not speak with one voice on the ethics of war, and distilling this complex issue in this forum risks oversimplification. Still, I understand the tradition to point in a particular direction. Here’s why: In our time, the only war Jewish law permits is defensive war. True, Jewish law theoretically allows Jews to wage an “optional war” to conquer territory or to demonstrate military prowess. But since we no longer have a Sanhedrin (an ancient rabbinic court) or Urim V’tummim (priestly oracles), these wars are currently forbidden, even if they might eventually help protect Jewish lives. Maimonides defines a defensive war as one waged “to assist Israel from an enemy that has come upon them” (Laws of Kings 5:1). The plain meaning of this ruling is that the only permissible war (in fact, it is called an “obligatory war”) is one to repel an attack and to defend lives that are in danger. Moreover, in order to qualify as a defensive war, the enemy must initiate the aggression. What are your thoughts on this issue? Follow Haaretz.com on Facebook and share your views. Those standards may have worked in ancient and medieval milieus. Invading armies could be spotted from a distance and appropriate defenses could be mustered in sufficient time to resist attacks and defend the population. But in the contemporary context, when the push of a button and a single missile can kill thousands within minutes, many authorities have expanded the definition of a defensive war to include preemptive actions. In this more liberal definition, an adversary no longer has to invade or fire the first shot to be considered as having initiated hostilities. The clear intention to attack becomes enough to give the Jewish people the right and the religious obligation to prohibit the enemy from doing so. Authorities usually base this understanding on the Talmudic dictum, “If one comes to kill you, rise up early to kill him [first]” (Sanhedrin 72a). However, authorities do not universally agree that this ruling, originally stated regarding an individual’s right to self-defense, applies in the realm of national defense. For instance, Rabbi Aryeh Cohen, a professor of Talmud at Los Angeles’ American Jewish University, argues in his 2008 essay “War is Assur (Forbidden)” that it does not apply to national defense. The scenarios, according to Rabbi Cohen, are too different. While an individual can manage, with relative precision, the violence he uses to defend himself, nations deploy violence on a scale that they can never fully control. Even in the most “surgical” of strikes, there is almost always “collateral damage.” Rabbi Cohen concludes that all war is forbidden, even defensive wars. His is not the normative approach, but regardless of whether one supports his opinion, the Talmud seems to imply that preemptive defensive action may only harm the would-be aggressor. Additionally, the Talmud implies one must be certain that the enemy intends to kill and that the murderous act is imminent. The Talmud does not say, “If you think someone is coming to kill you…” or “If someone eventually plans to kill you.” Instead, it places the lethal drive in the present. The hostile is coming to get you, knife in hand, right now. You know he’s coming for you. You know his plan is to kill. Only when that standard is met may you “rise up early to kill him.” These nuances present challenges for those who endorse attacking Iran. First, can the violence be controlled? Is it possible that innocent people will die? Given the strategic difficulties presented by striking Iran, the challenges of dropping one-ton bombs so surgically as to take out only nuclear targets without killing innocents, and the possibility of an assault triggering a wider conflict, this first question ought to give us serious pause. The medicine cannot be worse than the disease. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, does Iran meet the Talmud’s standard for preemptive killing? Iran is clearly developing nuclear technology, but do we know Iran is planning to build a weapon? No, we do not. And even if we knew that Iran plans to build a nuke, do we know it plans to use it? No. And even if we knew that Iran planned a nuclear attack, do we know its intention is to kill Jews or destroy Israel? No. And even if we knew that Iran planned to attack Israel, do we know that it is imminent? No; most experts believe Iran is still years away from building a weapon. The Talmud implies that we may not “rise up early to kill first” unless those standards are met. With the American war in Iraq still fresh in our collective memory, Judaism’s standards for just wars become especially poignant. A decade ago, Bush Administration officials began calling for military action against Saddam Hussein. They contended that Hussein had secret weapons stockpiles, was producing weapons of mass destruction, and was supplying weapons to terrorists. Given Hussein’s belligerent attitude toward the West, his defiance of the international community, and his track record of brutality at home and abroad, these pieces of evidence were, at the time, offered to prove a clear and imminent threat to the U.S. So the U.S. invaded, igniting a nearly ten-year war that reportedly resulted in more than 150,000 deaths. Only amid the rubble and corpses did we discover that most, if not all, of the arguments in favor of the war were false. We let fears, not facts, govern our decisions. Our goal was to save innocent lives; we took many, instead. The Talmud teaches that, in 586 BCE, Judea was destroyed not because its defenses were too weak, but because the Jews were indifferent about shedding blood (Shabbat 33a). Let us pray that history does not repeat itself. Michael Knopf is the Assistant Rabbi of Har Zion Temple in Penn Valley, Pennsylvania, and a recent graduate of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles. Want to enjoy 'Zen' reading - with no ads and just the article? Subscribe todaySubscribe now

The Missouri Baptist Convention has published a new resource called The Last Apologist: A Commentary on Jude for Defenders of the Christian Faith. The 275-page book is available in print and Kindle editions on Amazon, and in print from the MBC. But we also want to make each of the 16 chapters available online. This post features Chapter 12: Wild Waves and Wandering Stars: The Doom of False Teachers. But you, dear friends, remember the words foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; they told you, “In the end time there will be scoffers walking according to their own ungodly desires.” These people create divisions and are merely natural, not having the Spirit. (Jude 17-19 HCSB) William MacLeod Raine (1871 – 1954) was a newspaper man and author of a number of western adventure novels. In a feature about Dodge City, Kansas, Raine wrote that practical jokes fueled the city’s “good spirits” in the late 19thcentury – and the wilder the joke, the better. Enter “Mysterious Dave,” also known as Dave Mathers, one of the nastiest characters to walk the sawdust trail. Raine called him “the worst of bad men and a notorious scoffer.” It so happened that an evangelist known as Brother Johnson came to town and led a series of meetings so successful that the crowds outgrew the church and adjourned to a local dance hall, thus attracting Mysterious Dave. He listened to Brother Johnson preach several times, admiring the evangelist’s fiery sermons against sin. Perhaps, the preacher thought, there was hope for this Dodge City scoundrel. So, Brother Johnson preached directly at Dave, leveraging the full weight of his message against the sinner’s stubborn resistance. And then it happened. Dave buried his head in his hands and sobbed. The preacher boldly exclaimed that he was willing to die if he could convert this one vile sinner. The deacons in the congregation agreed that they, too, would not resist going straight to heaven if Mysterious Dave were converted. At last Dave rose to his feet and said, “I’ve got yore company, friends. Now, while we’re all saved I reckon we better start straight for heaven. First off, the preacher; then the deacons; me last.” Dave pulled out his “whoppin’ big gun” and started shooting. The preacher dove through a window to avoid the gunfire. His deacons scattered in search of cover. Raine concluded, “Seemed like they was willin’ to postpone taking that ticket to heaven. After that they never did worry any more about Dave’s soul.” Notorious scoffers like Dave Mathers eventually reveal their true character. They are incorrigible and unrepentant. At some point, people may fairly conclude that they have passed the point of no return. Nothing successfully prompts a change in their behavior because their character is fully corrupted. But scoffers in the Old West are nothing new. First-century false teachers honed the art of ridicule long before the first brigands rode into Dodge City. Jude reminds his readers that the apostles warned us of such people. We should be on guard but not surprised. What is the end time? Jude exhorts his readers to “remember the words foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; they told you, ‘In theend timethere will be scoffers walking according to their own ungodly desires’” (vv. 17-18 – emphasis added). Most English translations render “end time” as “last times” or “last time.” In the parallel passage in 2 Peter 3:3, Peter uses a phrase that nearly every English version translates as “last days.” So, if the “end time” is the same as “last time” and “last days,” how are we to understand the time frame to which Jude refers? Since Jude mentions the apostles’ end-time prophecies, and these prophecies describe the work of scoffers after the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ – yet prior to His return – we must conclude that the “end time” describes the days between the Lord’s first coming and His second coming. In other words, Jude reminds his readers that throughout the church age, Satan sows tares in Christ’s wheat fields (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43). False teachers play a key role in Satan’s plan to spoil the crop. But when Jesus returns with His holy angels, He casts those who cause sin and are guilty of lawlessness into the blazing furnace, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. With judgment completed, “the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom” (Matt. 13:43a). As with the prophecy of Enoch, Jude applies the apostles’ foresight to his own day. The fulfillment of these prophecies is not reserved for some far-away date. Rather, it unfolds before the very eyes of Jude’s readers. This is an important reminder to those who read Bible prophecy by the light of today’s headlines. We may rightly expect the world to become more wicked as the return of Christ draws nearer, but we have no right to claim for the 21stcentury alone the fulfillment of New Testament end-times prophecies. Things already are pretty bad in the first generation of the church age. Even so, it may prove helpful to step back and look at the last days from a broader perspective. There is a connection between the New Testament teaching on the “end time” and the Old Testament concept of the “day of the Lord.” To ancient Israelites, the Messianic age was completely in the future and encompassed everything related to the Anointed One suffering for our sins, rising from the dead, sitting on the throne of David, and ruling the world in righteousness. When Jesus appears and fulfills the Messianic prophecies relating to His passion, but not to His glorious reign in Jerusalem, it becomes necessary to see the Old Testament prophecies in a new light – as an already-but-not-yet fulfillment of the Messiah’s kingdom work. The “day of the Lord” in the Old Testament, as it refers to final judgment and restoration, is yet to come. Meanwhile, it merges with the “end time” of the New Testament and anticipates the glorious return of the Son of Man, when He sets things right and creates new heavens and a new earth. With that in mind, let’s review a few related biblical terms and corresponding passages. The term “last days” refers to the final period in history when the Messiah comes to establish God’s kingdom. The Old Testament writers envision a time when God makes good on His promises, delivers His people from their enemies, and blesses them. “The fulfillment of the last days is also tied directly to the coming ruler from David’s line” (Isa. 9:6-7; 11:1-9; Jer. 30:9; 33:15). The New Testament writers understand that the “last days” began with the first coming of Jesus and will be completed when He returns at a future unknown time. The apostles warn us that rebellion and ungodliness characterize the last days (1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:1 – 4:5; 2 Peter 3:3). The writer of Hebrews understands that he and his audience are living in this time frame: “Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son …” (Heb. 1:1-2a – emphasis added). While Christians live in these “last days,” we are to remain faithful (2 Tim. 3:10, 14-15); prepare to face persecution (2 Tim. 3:12); persevere in ministry (2 Tim. 4:1-2, 5); live holy lives (2 Peter 3:11, 14); prepare ourselves, for we do not know the day or the hour of Christ’s return (Matt. 25:13); and be positive in our outlook because He is going to set things right (Revelation 21-22). The last day “The last day” refers in some New Testament contexts to future resurrection and judgment. After the death of her brother, Martha expresses to Jesus her confidence that Lazarus will “rise again in the resurrection at the last day” (John 11:24). Jesus uses the term “last day” in the same manner in John 6:39-40: “This is the will of Him who sent Me: that I should lose none of those He has given Me but should raise them up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (emphasis added; see also vv. 44, 54.) There is an already-but-not-yet tension in which Christians live today – a joyful tension, if it may be so described – that anticipates a coming day in which all God’s promises are fulfilled. The one who believes in Jesus has eternal life (already), and will be resurrected and fully conformed to the image of Christ on the last day (not yet). In John 12:48, Jesus foretells the future destiny of those who rebuff His gracious call to salvation: “The one who rejects Me and doesn’t accept My sayings has this as his judge: the word I have spoken will judge him on the last day” (emphasis added). The already-but-not-yet reality of the kingdom affects all people. The unbeliever stands condemned (the already; John 3:18), and faces future resurrection and judgment (not yet; Rev. 20:11-15). Last time, end of times, last hour The New Testament writers use the phrases “last time,” “end of times,” and “last hour” to further depict the already-but-not-yet nature of God’s kingdom. In 1 Peter 1:3-5, Peter writes, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (emphasis added). So, we have a new birth, a living hope, and a promised inheritance now (the already), to be realized in the future (not yet). Peter further says in 1 Peter 1:20-21, “He [Christ] was destined before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of the timesfor you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God” (emphasis added). Our salvation is anchored in eternity past to the election of God the Father and the foreordination of Christ, who was revealed at the “end of the times” for us (the already), so that our present-day faith and hope in God assures future fulfillment of all His promises (not yet). John writes in 1 John 2:18, “Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard, ‘Antichrist is coming,’ even now many antichrists have come. We know from this that it is the last hour” (emphasis added). Many “antichrists” – those opposed to Christ, including some who presume to take His place – already have come, proving that we are in the last hour (the already). This serves as a prelude to the coming Antichrist (not yet). Day of the Lord The expression “day of the Lord” in Scripture often refers to events at the end of human history. Sometimes it’s associated with the words “that day.” A key to understanding these phrases is to note that “they always identify a span of time during which God personally intervenes in history, directly or indirectly, to accomplish some specific aspect of His plan.” To the ancient Israelites, “the day of the Lord” sometimes meant the day Yahweh would intervene to put Israel at the head of the nations, irrespective of their faithfulness to Him. But prophets like Isaiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Joel, Zephaniah, and Zechariah make it clear that “the day” also means judgment upon God’s people. Other spokesmen, fully aware of the sinfulness of surrounding nations, prophesy that the day (or “that day”) is one of judgment on other nations for their wickedness, such as Babylon (Isa. 13:6, 9), Egypt (Jer. 46:10), and even “all the nations” (Oba. 15). J.S. Wright summarizes it well: “The Day of the Lord is thus the occasion when Yahweh actively intervenes to punish sin that has come to a climax. This punishment may come through an invasion (Am. 5-6; Is. 13; Ezk. 13:5), or through some natural disaster, such as a locust invasion (Joel 1-2). All lesser interventions come to a head in the actual coming of the Lord himself. At this Day there are truly repentant believers who are saved (Joel 2:28-32), while those who remain enemies of the Lord, whether Jews or Gentiles, are punished.” Concerning the end of human history, scholars are divided as to whether the day of the Lord is an instantaneous event in which Christ returns to reward His children and banish the wicked to hell, or a series of events featuring Christ’s glorious return, the resurrection and final judgment of all people, an extended reign of Christ on earth, and the creation of new heavens and a new earth. Old Testament passages often convey a sense of expectation, proclaiming that the day of the Lord is near (Isa. 13:6; Ezek. 30:3; Zeph. 1:7). Some passages about the day of the Lord describe historical judgments that already have been fulfilled to some degree (for example, Isa. 13:6-22; Ezek. 30:2-19; and Zeph. 1:14-18), while others refer to divine intervention further into the future (such as Joel 2:30-32; Zech. 14:1-21; Mal. 4:1, 5). This is because the Old Testament prophets often are given a telescopic view of the future, when, from their perspective, the events encompassing God’s intervention in human history are compressed. New Testament passages refer to the day of the Lord as a day of wrath, a day of visitation, and even “the great day of God, the Almighty” (Rev. 16:14), a future time when God’s wrath and His salvation are fully revealed. The day of the Lord comes quickly (2 Thess. 2:2; compare Zeph. 1:14-15), and so we must keep ourselves prepared and watchful. Ultimately, the day of the Lord is fulfilled when all that God’s Word promises takes place. Christ returns, resurrects and judges all people, casts Satan and his demons into the lake of fire, and creates new heavens and a new earth. The day of the Lord is a day of vengeance, salvation, restoration, and completion. Believers should look forward to it; the wicked should fear it and repent while there is still time. Where does Jude get the quote about scoffers? Nowhere in the New Testament is an apostle quoted exactly as saying, “In the end time there will be scoffers walking according to their own ungodly desires” (Jude 18). However, Jude’s words approximate what Peter writes in a parallel passage: “First, be aware of this: scoffers will come in the last days to scoff, following their own lusts …” (2 Peter 3:3). No doubt, Jude makes reference to Peter’s words, lending credence to the view that Jude is written after 2 Peter. Peter warns of a coming day when false teachers infiltrate the church. Jude sounds the alarm that the false teachers have arrived. Even before Peter, though, Paul offers similar warnings. In his farewell address to the Ephesian elders, he says, “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. And men from among yourselves will rise up with deviant doctrines to lure the disciples into following them” (Acts 20:29-30). And to Timothy, Paul offers these exhortations: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared” (1 Tim. 4:1-2). And, “But know this: difficult times will come in the last days. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of religion but denying its power. Avoid these people!” (2 Tim. 3:1-5). John further contributes (years after the epistle of Jude is written): “Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard, ‘Antichrist is coming,’ even now many antichrists have come. We know from this that it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18). Other passages could be cited, but Jude’s point is clear: His contemporaries, the leaders of the early church, provide abundant warning about arrogant, unrepentant, blasphemous scoffers. Jude lends his voice to their clarion call for followers of Jesus to be on guard. Jude’s use of the term “scoffers” stands with Peter’s (2 Peter 3:3) as the only places in the New Testament where this word is used as a noun. The Greek word empaiktairefers to those who deride or mock. In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), the word appears in Isa. 3:4, where the Lord warns Judah, “I will make youths their leaders, and the unstable(or mischief makers) will govern them” (emphasis added). The verb empaizo– which means to play like a child; to sport, jest, or ridicule – is used in the synoptic Gospels by Jesus as He prophesies His impending sufferings, and by the Jewish leaders and Roman soldiers who inflict these sufferings. Clearly, Jude’s reference to scoffers should be applied to the false teachers of his day. But who, or what, are they mocking? In Peter’s use of “scoffers,” he describes the dismissive way people mock the message of Christ’s return. “Where is the promise of his coming?” these scoffers ask derisively. “For ever since the fathers fell asleep [died], all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4). Peter responds by reminding his readers that these mockers ignore God’s judgment of the world by water in the days of Noah, and thus they cannot see the impending judgment of this world by fire. Peter then offers a word of encouragement: “Dear friends, don’t let this one thing escape you: with the Lord one day is like 1,000 years, and 1,000 years like one day. The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance…. But based on His promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will dwell” (2 Peter 3:8-9, 13). Jude’s use of “scoffers” is different. While no doubt he would stand in full agreement with Peter and the other apostles about the imminent return of Christ, and those who refuse to see it coming, Jude’s point seems to be that these false teachers mock the law of God. These ideas are related. After all, those who mock God’s revealed will for all people naturally reject the idea that they must give an account one day before the divine Moral Lawgiver. Jude puts a finer point on this when he caps what he already has written. These teachers are “ungodly, turning the grace of our God into promiscuity and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (v. 4). They commit “ungodly deeds” in an “ungodly way,” and say “harsh things” against God (v. 15). They are “discontented grumblers” who walk “according to their desires,” and their mouths “utter arrogant words” (v. 16). Now, Jude writes, the result of this ungodliness is that “These people create divisions and are merely natural, not having the Spirit” (v. 19). Next: The Divisions False Teachers Create

Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, Falls Village, CT I love the inspired teachers, the innovative workshops and worship services, the great food, the environmental earth-friendly focus… my mind is blown every time! Shavuot Retreat highlights include: - Two complementary minyanim (prayer groups) designed to include and invite a diverse, creative Jewish community (more details below) - Kosher farm-to-table holiday feasts featuring Grow and Behold meats, and delicious and plentiful vegetarian delights - Pilgrimage parade with goats for first-fruits/bikkurim from Adamah Farm - Camp Teva for Kids – Jewish Outdoor, Food, and Environmental Fun - All-night tikkun leil shavuot vigil with incredible around the clock learning sessions and a bonfire song circle - Midnight mystical hike to the top of the mountain, as well as daytime hikes, organic farm tours, and more - Enjoy the majestic, subtle beauty of spring at Isabella Freedman - Kosher artisanal cheese tasting and cheesemaking workshop - Daily morning meditation and Torah Yoga - Beautiful havdalah and closing ceremony Choose from two prayer minyanim: Open Orthodox Minyan Rabbi Avram Mlotek and Yael Kornfeld-Mlotek will lead a team of inspired daveners (prayer leaders) in creating a tefillah (prayer) atmosphere that is firmly rooted in Orthodox halacha (Jewish law), deeply spiritual and inclusive. There will be a trichitza (separate seating for men, women, and an egalitarian/mixed gender section). Partnership minyanim have women leading Kabbalat Shabbat, Pseukei D’Zimra, Hallel, the Torah Service, and Yizkor. In many cases, these are specifically done by women and gender non-conforming folks. Anyone can read Torah, and other than Kohen and Levi aliyot (which must be men), anyone can get an aliyah. Jewish Renewal Minyan Shir Yaakov Feit, Rav Kohenet Jill Hammer, Kohenet Shoshana Jedwab, Basya Schechter, and Kohenet Sarah Shamira Chander will guide participants through prayer services that span the four worlds of body, heart, mind, and spirit. They will employ the use of instrumental music, embodied prayer practices, Hasidic teachings, and contemplative silence to open the gates of revelation. Electronic amplification will be used to increase access for all participants. For over 10 years, Reb Zalman, z”l himself led this minyan with great kavanah (intention) and nachas (pride). We have an exciting line-up of presenters: Rebbetzin Eve Ilsen is a psychotherapist, teacher, storyteller and singer. She has studied closely with mythologist Joseph Campbell, Eutonia bodywork founder Gerda Alexander, and trained for years in Jerusalem in waking dream and the therapeutic use of imagery with Mme. Colette Aboulker-Muscat. Since returning to the United states in 1986, Ms. Ilsen has also worked in tandem with her husband of blessed memory, Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi זצ׳ל, co-creating the Wisdom School, co-leading workshops and partnering at holy day retreats. In 2008, she was ordained as a Rabbinic Pastor. These days, Eve is invoking transformative states by performing in concert, as a singer and a storyteller. Avraham Yizhak (Arthur) Green was the founding dean and is currently rector of the Rabbinical School and Irving Brudnick Professor of Jewish Philosophy and Religion at Hebrew College. He is Professor Emeritus at Brandeis University, where he occupied the distinguished Philip W. Lown Professorship of Jewish Thought. He is both a historian of Jewish religion and a theologian. He defines himself as a Neo-Hasidic Jew and studied with Alexander Altmann, Nahum N. Glatzer, and Abraham Joshua Heschel, of blessed memory. He has taught Jewish mysticism, Hasidism, and theology at the University of Pennsylvania, the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Brandeis, and now at Hebrew College. He and his wife Kathy z”l were active in the founding of Havurat Shalom in Somerville, Massachusetts in 1968, and he remains associated with the Havurah movement. A prolific author, Dr. Green has published “Radical Judaism: Rethinking God and Tradition” (Yale University, 2010) “Ehyeh: A Kabbalah for Tomorrow” (Jewish Lights Publishing, 2002) and “A Guide to the Zohar” (Stanford University, 2003). Rabbi Jill Hammer, PhD is an author, educator, midrashist, myth-weaver and ritualist. She is the co-founder of Kohenet: The Hebrew Priestess Institute. She is also the Director of Spiritual Education at the Academy for Jewish Religion, a pluralistic Jewish seminary. Rabbi Hammer is the author of The Jewish Book of Days: A Companion for All Seasons, and the co-author of The Hebrew Priestess and Siddur HaKohanot: A Hebrew Priestess Prayerbook. Rabbi Hammer conducts workshops on ancient and contemporary midrash, bibliodrama, creative ritual, kabbalah, Jewish dreamwork, and Jewish cycles of time. She was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary and holds a doctorate in social psychology from the University of Connecticut. Shir Yaakov Feit is a singer, composer, designer, producer, teacher and Aba. He, his partner Emily, and their two daughters live in New York’s Hudson Valley, where they are helping to weave the Kol Hai community. Shir Yaakov has recorded and released four albums of original music and co-founded and performs with The Darshan Project. His song “Broken-hearted” recently won the Jewish Daily Forward’s 2016 Soundtrack of Our Spirit songwriting contest. Professionally, Shir Yaakov has served as Creative and Music Director for Romemu, New York City’s largest Renewal synagogue; Director of Engagement at ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal; ritual consultant for Eden Village Camp; and visiting faculty at Hebrew College and the Academy for Jewish Religion-NY. He is a student in the Rabbinic and Spiritual Direction tracks of the ALEPH Ordination Program, a Wexner Graduate Fellow, and serves as a Spirit Holder on the Zen Peacemakers’ Bearing Witness Retreats in Auschwitz-Birkenau. shiryaakov.com Basya Schechter is best known for her group, Pharaoh’s Daughter, a 7-piece world music ensemble that travels effortlessly through continents, key signatures, and languages with a genre-bending sound. Basya’s earthy, soulful voice rings out over textured instrumentation that forms a vibrant collage of East and West, providing the soundtrack for a harmonious vision of creative peace and vibrant diversity. She is also the Hazzan and musical director of Romemu, a fast growing, progressive, spiritually adventurous community on New York’s Upper West Side, as well as the the spiritual leader of the Romemu Brooklyn Satellite Community. Basya’s most recent creative work is with Darshan, a musical midrash project in collaboration with esoteric indie rapper/poet Eden Pearlstein (aka ePRHYME). In 2017 Darshan released Raza, a radical reimagining of the traditional prayers and mystical poetry recited on Friday night to welcome the Sabbath bride. As a child Shoshana Jedwab would drum on parked cars, plates, tables, books and other people’s bodies. Hailing from a family of rabbis and community leaders decimated by the Holocaust, Shoshana became a prize-winning Jewish Studies Day School teacher, and the Jewish Life Coordinator at the A.J. Heschel Middle School. Shoshana Jedwab is one of Jewish Rock Radio’s Jewish Women Who Rock the Worship World. The original songs of Shoshana’s July 2016 album, “I Remember”, and viral single, “Where You Go”, are being sung in synagogues, weddings, churches, and marches across the country. www.shoshanajedwab.com Rabbi Avram Mlotek is the co-founder of Base Hillel and serves as rabbi for its DWTN location. Mlotek graduated cum laude from Brandeis University and has studied at Sarah Lawrence College, Yeshiva University’s Cantorial School, Jewish Theological Seminary, and City College’s Educational Theatre department. A native Yiddish speaker, Mlotek’s Yiddish cultural work has brought him to China, Ethiopia, Israel, Sweden and Australia. Prior to joining Base, Avram served as a rabbi in training at The Carlebach Shul, The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, and Hunter College Hillel. Mlotek’s writing has appeared in The Forward, Tablet, Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post, The Jewish Week, The Huffington Post and Kveller, among other blogs. The NY Jewish Week selected him as a “leading innovator in Jewish life today” as part of their “36 Under 36”, and he was listed as one of America’s “Most Inspiring Rabbis” by The Jewish Daily Forward. He is blessedly married to Yael Kornfeld, a geriatric social worker, and proud Tati to Revaya and Hillel Yosl. Yael Kornfeld-Mlotek works as the Synagogue Outreach Social Worker at DOROT, where they are partnered with nine different synagogues on the Upper East and West Sides of Manhattan, advocating and serving older adults. Yael received her BA in Judaic Studies from Rutgers University where she wrote an honors thesis on “Who studies Yiddish Today and Why.” Before starting her MSW program at Hunter College School of Social Work, Yael was an Avodah Service Corps Fellow in Washington, DC. A co-founder of Base Hillel, which empowers rabbinic couples’ homes to serve as convening points for Jewish life, Yael and her partner, Rabbi Avram Mlotek live in downtown Manhattan with their two delicious children, Ravi and Hillel. Eden Pearlstein (aka ePRHYME) is a recording, performing and ritual artist, author, and educator. As a founding member of The Darshan Project, along with Reb Shir Yaakov and Basya Schechter (Pharaoh’s Daughter), Eden’s work weaves together deep Jewish teaching and tradition with creative process in a form of musical midrash and contemporary pietistic poetry. Eden holds 2 Master’s Degrees from JTS, one in Experiential Education and the other in Jewish Thought and Philosophy. Sarah Chandler is a Brooklyn-based Jewish educator, artist, activist, and poet. She teaches, writes, and consults on issues related to Judaism, earth-based spiritual practice, the environment, mindfulness, food values, and farming. Ordained as a Kohenet (Hebrew Priestess) in 2015, she is studying as a shamanic healer apprentice at The Wisdom School of S.O.P.H.I.A and Kabbalistic imaginal dream work at The School of Images. Julie Seltzer has been a Torah scribe since 2009, when she was Scribe-in-Residence at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, CA. Before learning the scribal arts, Julie worked as the baker at Isabella Freedman, creating weekly Torah-themed challah art. She is currently working on her fourth Torah and writing a memoir that chronicles her journey. She lives in the Hudson Valley, NY with her Negev Desert mutt, Shusha. You can see Julie’s writing on the Sefaria homepage. julieseltzer.net Through meaningful music, powerful prayer, excellent education, and creative consulting, Eliana Light works with Jewish communities worldwide to unlock the wonders of our sacred heritage. She is the author of Hebrew in Harmony, a curriculum published by Behrman House that teaches prayer and Hebrew through music, and the founder and director of the G!D Project, an educational initiative focused on accessible, meaningful conversations about G!D and spirituality through ritual, text, and creative expression. Eliana received her Masters in Jewish Experiential Education from the Davidson School at JTS in 2016. Lev Israel is Chief Data Officer at Sefaria. He was an early user, volunteer, and then employee of the project, and has worked to develop this intersection of Torah, Free Culture, and New Media over the past five years. Somewhere in there, he received Rabbinic ordination in the pioneering cohort of Bet Midrash Har-El. Previous to all of that, he oscillated among various Israeli hi-tech outfits, yeshivot, and social ventures. You can find Lev and his partner, Stephanie Pell, chasing around their three children, Meira, Eden, and Daniel. Batya Levine is a Jewish educator, ritual leader, facilitator, and musician. She leads spirited prayer and song in a variety of communities, including Isabella Freedman, Linke Fligl, SVARA, and Kavod Boston. She is a co-founder and organizer of Let My People Sing!, a national gathering which brings together a diversity of Jewish cultural and ethnic music for the sake of learning, sharing and creating liberatory singing space. Batya writes original music and her songs have traveled across prayer spaces and street protests, connecting people to themselves, each other, and spirit. Coming from a lineage of Jewish musicians, she has learned to use music as a powerful tool for healing and transformation. Batya is dedicated to carrying this practice forward, building resilience and interconnection on individual and communal levels. Deb Tyler: farmer, artist, earth-justice advocate; Debra Tyler lives in Cornwall, CT where she raises Miniature Jersey cows and teaches homesteading workshops. She is the founding director of Motherhouse, Inc.; a non-profit dedicated to nurturing Self, Family, Community, and our Mother Earth. Inspired by her studies at Hartford Seminary, Debra created a 50-foot Earth Scroll which chronicles the changing seasons of the year and various corresponding human belief systems. Her work is displayed in the Beige Yurt. Christine Bloom discovered yoga haphazardly, but davka just at a time when she needed it most! She finds that each journey on the yoga mat – connecting breath, body and spirit, brings joy to her life and a chance to reboot her system. A regular participant of Isabella Freedman retreats, she loves her wholesome community and always looks forward to nature-filled Holiday celebrations. Shavuot-infused yoga classes will be gentle in the morning and a bit more vigorous in the afternoon. She invites everyone to participate, explore how the qualities of the poses seep in and be open to receive. Christine Bloom is a certified Kripalu Yoga teacher (YTT200). She is also a landscape and floral designer in Stamford, CT. Dr. Tanya Zion-Waldoks is a gender scholar, feminist activist and mother of four – intertwined callings. Her research interests include the intersection of religion, gender, and politics, with a focus on diverse religious women’s social movements in Israel. She is a lecturer at Hebrew University’s School of Education and visiting postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University’s Center for the Study of religion. Edited an anthology on Genesis and directed national Israeli campaigns on religious LGBT, human trafficking, Agunot, and community-based social justice. Active in partnership-minyanim (Shira-Hadasha Jerusalem, Be’erot Beer-Sheva) and innovator of Jewish life-cycle rituals, she is a Jerusalem native who is now a proud resident of the Negev. Parents, you can relax into the retreat, knowing that your children are playing and learning with exceptional Jewish experiential educators. We have an engaging, thoughtful, and fun Camp Teva program planned for children ages 5-12. Gan Adamah is for children ages 2-4. Parents/Guardians can choose to drop off their children or stay with them. Gan Adamah provides a safe and engaging space for toddlers to play, explore, sing, and move. Programming is from 9am – 12pm each morning of the retreat, except arrival and departure days. When you register kids during your event registration process, they are automatically enrolled in Camp Teva! All-inclusive kids’ rates include Camp Teva programming.

European Commission “The fight against Antisemitism Commissioner Jourová opens first meeting of a new Working Group reinforcing the fight against Antisemitism Tomorrow, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Věra Jourová will open the first meeting of the Working Group on Antisemitism. Following the unanimous adoption of the Council Declaration on fighting Antisemitism in December last year, the European Commission has created an ad-hoc Working Group on Antisemitism within the existing High-level Member States expert group on Racism and Xenophobia. Commissioner Jourová said: “The Commission is acting together with Member States to counter the rise of Antisemitism, to fight holocaust denial and to guarantee that Jews have the full support of the authorities to keep them safe. The Working Group will help Member States coordinate their actions and fight Antisemitism efficiently together.” This Working Group will support Member States in meeting the commitments that they made in the Council Declaration. This includes, amongst others, the adoption of a strategy at national level to prevent and fight all forms of Antisemitism, as part of their strategies on preventing racism, xenophobia, radicalisation and violent extremism, before the end of 2020, increasing their efforts to guarantee the security of the Jewish communities, and promoting interfaith dialogues, especially for young people. The group will bring together representatives of national law enforcement authorities, national special envoys on Antisemitism, representatives of Jewish communities from the respective countries, and Jewish umbrella organisations. This first working session will focus on the issue of the security of Jewish communities. More information on the Commission’s work on combating antisemitism is available here. Katharina von Schnurbein Coordinator on combating Antisemitism

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Open to the general public. Via Video Conference at: - 401 S. Clinton in Chicago, Illinois-Lg. Executive Conference Rm-7th Fl. - 400 W. Lawrence St. in Springfield, Illinois-Carl Suter Conference Rm-3rd Fl. - Call to Order - Introduction of Council Members - Approval of July 15, 2010 Draft Meeting Report - IICEI Workgroup Reports - Finance Workgroup Report Given - Service Delay Workgroup Report - Ombudsman Report - Early Intervention Taskforce Report - Lead Agency Report - Bob Cammarata, ICG Health Care Services - Gerri Clark, Division of Specialized Care for Children - Janet Gully, DHS, Bureau of Early Intervention - Sheila McCurley for Gail Tanner, IL Department of Public Health - Beatrice Nichols, IICEI Chairperson, Head Start - Pam Reising-Rechner for Kay Henderson, IL State Board of Education - Sandy Ryan, IL Council on Developmental Disabilities - Deborah Saunders, IL Dept of Healthcare and Family Services - Kathy Schrock, Easter Seals DuPage and Fox Valley - Connie Sims, DHS, Division of Developmental Disabilities - Therese Wehman, Elmhurst College - Robin York, IL Department of Children and Family Services - J.Diane Adams-Alsberry, CALM, Inc. - Diane Blythe, parent, Crystal Lake - Mary Petersen, Department of Insurance - Deanna Pratscher, parent, Thornton - Dorelia Rivera Martinez, parent, Elmwood - David Rubovits, Ph.D., Jewish Child and Family Services - Gina Ruther, DHS, Bureau of Child Care and Development - Constance Williams, Ph.D., DHS/Division of Mental Health Contents of Council Packet - Lead Agency Report - January 20, 2011 - Draft Meeting Report - October 7, 2010 - 2010 Annual Performance Report Summary - 2010 Annual Performance Report - 2011 IICEI Meeting Dates Call to Order The Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention convened at 10:02 a.m. Introduction of Council Members Council members introduced themselves. Approval of October 7, 2010 Meeting Report The October 7, 2010 Meeting Report was approved as written. IICEI Work Group Reports Finance Work Group The Finance Workgroup met three times since the last meeting of the IICEI. As of today the Administrative contracts are paid through November 2010, and provider payments are paid up through the 11/18/10 voucher. Tom Hwang from the CBO has been visiting CFC offices to obtain input from both providers and CFC staff to determine how to make the CFC processes and billing process more efficient. States are looking for opportunities and other ways to capture revenue for their EI Programs. Illinois is ahead of other states in this area. Based upon research by Chelsea Guillen, it appears that Illinois is the only state offering a free insurance billing service to its providers. Providers can access this service through the EI CBO Insurance Billing Unit. EI Bureau staff has been working with DHS and HFS Fiscal to capture Interpreter/Translator match dollars via the Medicaid Administrative claiming process. This initiative is due to a new Rule let by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) dated July 1, 2010. HFS has agreed that EI can begin to claim for these services at 75% match for dates of service beginning February 4, 2009 forward. Bureau staff has been working with the CBO to get reports generated to allow DHS Fiscal to submit and support the claim. A sub-group of the Finance Workgroup created and distributed a survey via survey monkey to the Administrative contracts Fiscal Agents in hopes of determining the impact of the 10% budget cuts that may not be determined via the EI data. Results of the survey will be discussed at the next Finance Workgroup meeting. The Governor's office called a meeting with several EI providers on December 29, 2010 to discuss the state's budget situation and the impact of payment delays on providers. The Bureau of EI did not call this meeting. The Governor's office invited Janet Gully to attend along with others from DHS including Secretary Michelle Saddler, Grace Hong Duffin and Grace Hou. Kathy Schrock attended as the Chair of the EI Finance Workgroup and Lora McCurdy attended on behalf of IARF. Janet and Kathy spoke to the impact of payment delays on EI providers. The Governor's representative provided a very clear message about the state's budget situation. The EI providers requested that EI payments be put in an expedited status. The Governor's representative explained the priority for payments as defined in law and stated that the law would have to be changed to include EI providers in order for expedited payments to occur. The providers understood the complications of expedited status. The providers were told that DHS overall will be underfunded by more than $200 million dollars for this fiscal year and it was stressed that this is a state fiscal issue, not just an EI issue. A second meeting occurred via phone conference with the same providers as a follow up to the December 29, 2010 meeting. The state income tax increase was discussed at this meeting. The impact of the tax increase is unknown until next fiscal year. Senate Bill 336 would have allowed the state to pay the backlog of payments owed and put providers on a 30-day payment cycle. SB336 did not pass. If EI could identify more efficiencies to reduce the EI budget, it still would not affect payment delays. The delays are related to the states fiscal condition, not EI. Efficiencies will only insure that we are providing good and adequate services to our children. A recommendation was made that the Finance Workgroup reviews the recommendations from the EI Task Force. The Workgroup will do this at their next meeting. Service Delay Work Group The FY08 APR indicator #1 identified that 3.5% of EI children were not receiving services within 30 days of the IFSP. The Council identified four areas of concern. The Workgroup was established and the first meeting scheduled in February 2008. The purpose was to review the areas of concern and propose solutions. The group is a very diverse and passionate group. The composition of the Workgroup included representatives assigned by the PT, OT, DT and ST Associations as well as providers, CFC Managers, IICEI members and others. Initially, recruitment and retention of providers was the targeted area of concern. The group looked at the part of the state with the highest service delays, which was CFC #1 in Rockford. The EI Training Program held a training session in Rockford to look at service delivery approaches nationwide and the specific needs of Illinois. Based upon the Rockford training, the Workgroup developed the Integrated Services Approach (ISA) for consideration. The Workgroup reported the results of the training and the information received to the Council at a meeting nine months ago. As part of the development of the ISA, the breakthrough occurred for the Workgroup when it started to look at approaching services for one child and focused on how the IFSP service team could better organize to provide services to this child/family. After looking at multiple examples, the Workgroup came up with the "Integrated Service Approach" with the purpose of the approach being how the IFSP team can better organize to function as a team to provide a more efficient service delivery method to children/families. There was agreement among the members of Workgroup that this would be a way that all disciplines could work together and better serve children/families. The approach is in complete compliance with Rule 500, the practice acts, and the National PT, OT and ST Association's guidance to their members on service delivery methods per Part C of IDEA. The Workgroup has met three times since the last meeting of the IICEI. New members of the Workgroup have voiced concerns with the approach. It appears the objectors feel that the approach would be a violation of IDEA, Rule 500, and practice acts and they had concerns regarding the service guidelines. Even though other members of the Workgroup clearly stated that all issues had already been researched and discussed to determine if the approach would violate any of the above. Predominately, the function of the Developmental Therapist as Special Instructors was again questioned leading to a disturbing meeting. The Workgroup had to take a step back and begin again. The Workgroup thought that if productive discussions could occur at the child-level again, the new members would understand and the group could once again begin to move forward. However, that was not the case. Now the Workgroup is repeating all discussion previously agreed to prior to the involvement of new members. The problem continues to be the role of the DT. Part C of IDEA and Rule 500 defines the role of special instruction, which is the role of the DT. However, the new members of the group have a problem with the name and scope of the DT. Names should not be more important than the role and function of the DT as special instructor. The Workgroup verbalized its frustrations and wanted to move on. They are trying to provide alternatives to normal service provision in the areas that are lacking providers. The "Integrated Service Approach" would be an optional approach. It is one approach not the approach The Workgroup has now been working on the approach for two years. It is obvious that we need to do something differently. This is now a system agenda where we need to talk about moving providers to a different level of service provision. It is time to stop the discussions and make the changes required to move forward. Some disciplines function very well from this approach now. Most have not been working from this perspective since entering Early Intervention. Providers need to talk and team in order to provide the best services possible to children/families. Providers need to work together. In April 2010, the Council recommended that EI move forward to pilot the approach. CFC #1 implemented the approach as a pilot shortly thereafter. CFC #6 has also joined the pilot. Janet recommended that a new Workgroup be formed that will be chaired by Chelsea Guillen, EI System Ombudsman, and co-chaired by Therese Wehman, the Personnel Preparation representative of the IICEI, to develop a strategic plan to implement the "Integrated Service Approach." The work completed by the Service Delay Workgroup will be used by the new Workgroup to create a long-term strategic plan to determine how to move forward to implement the approach. The strategic plan will look at what needs to be done such as do we need to make policy changes, etc. It is now time to make changes and move forward to determine how to implement this approach statewide. We need to learn what CFC #1has been doing and how the approach has been working. DeeDee Lowery from CFC #1 will be asked to speak at the next Council meeting about how the approach has been working in her area. Other CFC's have requested to join the pilot project. The Service Delay Workgroup will now move forward to focus on other issues that impact service delivery. This Workgroup includes a large number of members with diverse opinions. Movement needs to occur to ensure that EI services are based upon best practice and what is best for children and families. The Workgroup is working with Provider Connections to place vacancies on the website where a provider could go to provide services. This will be the discussion at the next Workgroup meeting. At the last Council meeting, members ask that Chelsea Guillen come and speak about her work as EI System Ombudsman. Chelsea has been contacting and visiting the CFC offices to identify issues and problems. Bureau staff has been working on recommendations that providers and CFC offices have made to Chelsea. We are also looking at types of technical assistance that EI can provide immediately. She is participating on various workgroups as well. She has also been investigating the roll of special instruction in other states. Illinois is not the only state that uses DTs. Most states are using a model that mirrors the "Integrated Service Approach" such as the Primary Service Provider Approach or Consultative Model. It has taken most states about 7 to 10 years to implement the approaches. Chelsea is also working with the Program Integrity Project at CFC 14, and one big problem is natural environment. CFC 14 will receive training in a different way to enable staff to work with the natural environment problem. The EI trainers will train CFC staff to become trainers and resources to help alleviate the problem. Another project is to look at what other states are doing to evaluate components of their systems. Finances are a big concern for all states. She is also trying to gather information from other stakeholders. For example, she is talking to CFC offices and reviewing family outcome data and looking at issues and strategies to increase the under one participation rate. Lead Agency Report OSEP completed their verification visit with Illinois. They looked at the general supervision system that includes monitoring, training, and other components. Blake Whitson worked with them to show them the Cornerstone system. Illinois will get a final letter in that outlines the results of the visit and Janet will share that letter with the Council. An AT Workgroup has been meeting and hopes to have recommendations to present to the Council at the April meeting. Services are paid through the November 17, 2010 voucher. The state is paying as quickly as possible based upon funds received. Procurement handout - Each Council member has a Procurement handout in their packet. This information applies to Council members because they are members of a Board or Commission. If council members receive questions about procurement, they are required to go on the procurement website and enter both the question and the answer. This includes communication about future contracts, RFPs, etc. Members must report every question and answer. DHS legal staff are working on a training to make the new procurement requirements clearly known. If EI Bureau Staff receive questions, the questions and answers will also be posted on the website, which is a public website. If you are unsure if you need to report the question and answer Janet can take the question to the DHS Ethics officer for review and determination. This law also applies to state agency staff. The law went into effect in January 2011. Send your questions to Janet and she will take them to the DHS Ethics Officer. The Ethics Officer would rather questions come through Janet because she is Ethics officer for the entire DHS and all of their Boards/Commissions. Council members have an ethical responsibility in concerns to this law. DHS has received a list of additional questions that are unable to be answered at this point. Once the information is available, Janet will share them with the Council. The purpose of this discussion is not to discourage questions. Everyone has a right to ask questions. The purpose is to let you know about the new law, your responsibility under the new law, and that the questions you receive and the answers you give will now be public. There is a FAQ document on the website identified in the Procurement handout. Go to the website in your handout and it will take you to the FAQ's. APR - A Workgroup of the Council was brought together in December to review the APR. Janet discussed the content of the APR and stated that it will be posted on the EI website and there will be a 30-day public comment period. A recommendation to form a Workgroup to implement the "Integrated Services Approach" with Chelsea Guillen as Chair and Therese Wehman as Co-Chair occurred. The recommendation to form the Workgroup was approved by the Council. The meeting adjourned at 11:52 a.m.

WARSAW (Sep. 4) A Jewish Telegraphic Agency correspondent today visited the Jewish quarters of the city, inhabited by approximately 350,000, which were among the hardest hit in the series of Nazi air raids since Germany invaded Poland. Two houses in the Jewish suburb of Kolo were completely destroyed by bombs. Ten persons were killed and 30 others wounded. Bombs dropped by Nazi fliers on the suburb of Otwock killed eight Jewish orphans, two Jews and two Jewesses, and wounded 30. A total of 100 bombs were dropped on Warsaw alone during the Friday raids. The city of Lublin was bombed Saturday, with 30 persons killed, including five children, and 58 others seriously wounded. Many Jews were among the causalities. There were many Jewish victims also in Saturday’s air raids of Brest, Rzeszow, Radom and Cracow. Warsaw was bombed eight times in all on Saturday. A special session of the Sejm yesterday cheered a declaration by Jewish parliamentarians that the Jewish population without exception stood ready to make all sacrifices to ensure Poland’s victory in her war with Germany. Zbonzsyn, Polish frontier town which until last week was the site of a large Jewish refugee camp, has been recaptured by the Polish forces, it was announced by the Polish radio. Jewish communities throughout Poland formed coordinating state defense committees to cooperate with the authorities. All Jewish groups, including rabbinical, Zionist, labor and youth organizations, responded enthusiastically to President Ignace Moscicki’s manifesto calling upon the nation to resist Germany’s invasion. All of the bodies published appeals to their memberships to cooperate with the Government in every way and voiced the Jewish population’s determination to make every sacrifice in defense of the nation.

The state Senate seated Republican David Storobin as the 14-vote victor over Democrat Lew Fidler in a special election in Brooklyn. The vote took place March 20, and the Board of Elections managed to complete the counts and recounts only by the end of May 2012 Published: March 21, 2012 Both Sides Declare Victory in Bumpy Race for a Brooklyn Senate Seat Wackiness turned to nastiness and back again in the short but bitter special election in South Brooklyn to replace a state senator who had pleaded guilty to corruption charges. But the biggest twist of the race was its outcome — or lack thereof when election night ended. With all precincts reporting, according to unofficial results received by the New York City Board of Elections, the Republican upstart candidate, David Storobin, 33, held a tenuous 120-vote lead over Lewis A. Fidler, 55, the Democratic city councilman, for the 27th District seat. But there were still at least 757 paper ballots outstanding, and those would not be counted until next Tuesday, said Valerie Vazquez, a spokeswoman for the board of elections. The entire legal process, which also will include a random audit and the counting of emergency ballots, could take at least 10 days. Published: May 31, 2012 David Storobin’s journey from his birth in the former Soviet Union to his becoming a lawyer in Brooklyn was no easy one. His election to the New York State Senate was not a short trip, either. On Thursday, 72 days after the voting, a hand recount resulting from the contested March 20 special election gave Mr. Storobin, 33, a neophyte Republican candidate in what had been a Democratic stronghold in South Brooklyn, an unofficial 16-vote margin of victory, he said. The campaign manager for his Democratic opponent, the three-term city councilman Lewis A. Fidler, had the margin at 14, out of more than 22,000 votes, but that was enough for Mr. Fidler to concede. A New York City Board of Elections spokeswoman said the board would not certify the election until Tuesday. “It’s really very exciting,” Mr. Storobin said Thursday. “Not only as the first Republican to win in a long time, but as the first Russian-American, and as a Russian Jew, knowing that I could never do much in the Soviet Union.” Published: May 31, 2012 But after having just had his opponent concede in a historically tight (and very ugly) New York state Senate race where every percentage point really did matter, Storobin, 33, agrees Mom’s advice paid off. “I’m very relieved, very excited, ready to do some stuff,” Storobin told me in a phone interview moments ago. “I know not a lot of time is left in this session, but I’d like to actually get my hands dirty and roll up the sleeves and get things done.” Although the race was the cliffhanger to beat all cliffhangers — resulting in the trigger of the first-ever manual recount of its kind — Storobin, a family lawyer, insists he had faith he’d win (if not by much): “We always knew we were going to pull off a very close victory.” Statement by Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos on David Storobin’s Victory Now that all of the votes have been counted and a mandatory recount has taken place, I want to extend my congratulations to David Storobin on his long-awaited victory in the special election for the 27th Senate District. This victory is a credit to the grass-roots campaign he ran and shows that Brooklyn residents are ready to make a fresh, new start. I expect David to be a strong voice on their behalf and our partner in controlling spending, reducing taxes and helping businesses create new jobs. I know that Senator-elect Storobin will be a valuable addition to the New York State Senate, and I welcome him to our chamber. Senator David Storobin (R) is serving his first term in the New York State Senate, representing parts of Brooklyn in the 27th District. At the age of 12, David moved to the United States with his mother from Russia. Like so many other immigrants, David’s mother sacrificed everything for the opportunity to provide a better life for her son. At a time when the Soviet Union was collapsing, she maintained a firm belief in the American Dream, and taught David how the strong values of hard work, education and dedication to family and community could lead to success. These values helped David reach Rutgers University School of Law where, despite being the youngest student in his class, he became the President of the Jewish Law Students Association. After graduation, David started his own law firm at the age of 25 and built it from the bottom up; from working out of a friend’s office to having two offices of his own where he is able to provide jobs for a number of people. Living the American Dream, David knows the importance of giving back to ones community. Without the sacrifices of his mother, or the help they received from countless others in their community, David would not have been able to make it to where he is today. That is why he is such an active member in the community. Serving on the Board of Directors of the American Jewish Committee (NY Chapter) and on the Board of Governors of the Raoul Wallenberg Centennial Celebration Commission, David is a tireless voice not only for the American Jewish Community, but for the amazing opportunities that only America can provide. It’s this desire to ‘pay it forward’ that led David to politics. Serving as the Vice-Chair of the Kings County Republican Party and now in the State Senate, David is working hard to ensure that others can repeat his success story.

To walk past al-Manara square in Ramallah, in the West Bank, or down the main street of any Palestinian village, is to walk among the dead. The faces of the martyrs are ubiquitous, on posters plastered to every inch of every wall — posters showing grave-faced young men, and sometimes women, in commando-style bandannas, brandishing automatic weapons or explosives, against the backdrop of the Dome of the Rock mosque in Jerusalem, or the map of 1948 Palestine, stretching from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. Last summer, a time very different from the period of tentative hope that followed Yasser Arafat’s death, I visited Tulkarem, a West Bank city synonymous, since the start of the Second Intifada in 2000, with violent Palestinian resistance and terrorism. On an August afternoon, the market, the suq, teems with shoppers laden with fresh vegetables; but when the sun sets and shopkeepers close their shutters, the streets, silent now, belong to the dead. My translator, Mohammad, and I walk through the empty market; he translates the martyr posters as we go. I ask him to sort out the dead: Who was a suicide bomber? I ask. Who killed soldiers? Who killed civilians? Who was killed by a soldier’s bullet? The distinctions puzzle Mohammad. To him they are all martyrs. Call them martyrs, call them terrorists — what makes the young men and women of Palestine seek their death (and glory) in the death of others? And how can it be that their society so reveres them for it? How, that is, did an extremist ideology became iconic? A partial answer comes by way of a new book, The Road to Martyrs’ Square, by Anne Marie Oliver and Paul Steinberg, which examines what might be called the literature — or, more precisely, in the written and recorded paraphernalia — of martyrdom. (The book’s subtitle — A Journey Into The World Of The Suicide Bomber — is a bit misleading. Suicide “bombing,” involving explosives strapped around the waist, is not the most common form of suicide mission; nor has it been in use for that long, relatively speaking, having first been used in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 1994. More common, even now, is the attack against Israeli civilian or military targets using guns, knives or (planted) explosives.) “Our intent,” the authors write in the book’s introduction, “is not to provide insight into the mind of the suicide bomber — an impossible task — but rather to explore the transformative power granted those who not only speak the old scripts but also carry them out.” Oliver and Steinberg lived in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Jerusalem during the late 1980s and much of the 1990s. Their initital goal was to to research Jewish and Christian extremist groups, but soon they began recording and collecting the cultural artifacts of Palestinian martyrdom: banners, graffiti, martyr cards, videocassettes, audiocassettes, and, of course, martyr posters, all of which proliferated during the First Intifada, from 1987 to 1993. The book argues that such media created a well-known script that young men of the First Intifada swallowed whole and perpetuated with their deaths. The current Intifada has left thousands of Israeli and Palestinian casualties, though far more of the latter than the former. Logistically, committing suicide attacks inside Israel has become extremely difficult, owing to Israel’s construction of the separation barrier, and its policy of assassinating wanted militants. Still, the literature of suicide missions persists, capturing the hearts and minds of many Palestinians. Potential bombers know that they will be commemorated, and, even when dead, will be given a revered place in the world of the living. At a recent lecture at the World Affairs Council in San Francisco, Oliver and Stern talked about one cell of Hamas’ military wing, The Battalions of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam. Oliver describes the last testimony of a suicide attacker: “Consider the face of a smiling boy. A boy who says he is about to kill himself. A boy who says he wants nothing more than paradise, and intends to take as many of the enemy as possible with him into death. The boy is happy as he stands with his gun recording his last testament hours before he sets out on an operation from which he will never return. There is nothing singular about this boy, born in the [refugee] camps and raised on the streets of the [first] Intifada. There have been many like him and many will follow. Each has stood before a camcorder and each has spoken the same last words: a heady pastiche of well-worn slogans of Quoranic quotations and sacred imperatives. The script is well known. The boy seems [alive], but in fact he is already dead. A sacrificial element in an order keen on making him into an emblem. As his last words reveal, he was a willing partner in this transaction. Indeed, we know little about him except that he saw death as the ultimate fulfillment of the commands that surrounded him.” The book’s strength is in its detailed translation and analysis of the artifacts of the First Intifada. The latter half of the book takes the reader through one translated poem and Islamic anthem after the next, the 100-plus pages of Hamas propaganda filled with allegories glorifying violence. Posters, anthems, and videocassettes repeatedly portray the suicide bomber as the bridegroom of Palestine. In his farewell videocassette one suicide bomber, Mohammad Hasan al-Hindi, leaves a few last words for the families of three young men preparing to blow up an Israeli bus. “We request that the mourning ceremony be a wedding party so that there will be a celebration in Paradise and a celebration in the dunya [life on earth], Allah permitting.” As The Road to Martyrs’ Square explains, the message of Islamic terrorist groups is that through violence the martyr can honor God, and have a moment where the Palestinian, through violence, holds power over an Israeli. Oliver and Steinberg don’t take the easy route of describing their subjects as brainwashed, evil, or desperate, nor of glorifying them as heroes of liberation or, indeed, martyrs; those tasks have been accomplished, many times over, by other, more politicized, hands. What they do is contribute importantly to our understanding of the world that has produced and nurtured the “suicide bomber.”

For all Parts of the Roman Catechism, you can find them HERE. ARTICLE II : "AND IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD" Advantages Of Faith In This Article That wonderful and superabundant are the blessings which flow to the human race from the belief and profession of this Article we learn from these words of St. John: Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God; and also from the words of Christ the Lord, proclaiming the Prince of the Apostles blessed for the confession of this truth: Blessed art thou, Simon BarJona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. For this Article is the most firm basis of our salvation and redemption. But as the fruit of these admirable blessings is best known by considering the ruin brought on man by his fall from that most happy state in which God had placed our first parents, let the pastor be particularly careful to make known to the faithful the cause of this common misery and calamity. When Adam had departed from the obedience due to God and had violated the prohibition, of every tree of paradise thou shalt eat: But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat, for in what day so ever thou shalt eat of it, thou shalt die the death, he fell into the extreme misery of losing the sanctity and righteousness in which he had been placed, and of becoming subject to all those other evils which have been explained more fully by the holy Council of Trent. Wherefore, the pastor should not omit to remind the faithful that the guilt and punishment of original sin were not confined to Adam, but justly descended from him, as from their source and cause, to all posterity. The human race, having fallen from its elevated dignity, no power of men or Angels could raise it from its fallen condition and replace it in its primitive state. To remedy the evil and repair the loss it became necessary that the Son of God, whose power is infinite, clothed in the weakness of our flesh, should remove the infinite weight of sin and reconcile us to God in His blood. Necessity Of Faith In This Article The belief and profession of this our redemption, which God declared from the beginning, are now, and always have been, necessary to salvation. In the sentence of condemnation pronounced against the human race immediately after the sin of Adam the hope of redemption was held out in these words, which announced to the devil the loss he was to sustain by man's redemption: I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait f or her heel. The same promise God again often confirmed and more distinctly manifested to those chiefly whom He desired to make special objects of His favour; among others to the Patriarch Abraham, to whom He often declared this mystery, but more explicitly when, in obedience to His command, Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his only son Isaac. Because, said God, thou hast done this thing, and hast not spared thy onlybegotten son f or my sake; I win bless thee, and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is by the sea shore. Thy seed shall possess the gates of their enemies, and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice. From these words it was easy to infer that He who was to deliver mankind from the ruthless tyranny of Satan was to be descended from Abraham; and that while He was the Son of God, He was to be born of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh. Not long after, to preserve the memory of this promise, God renewed the same covenant with Jacob, the grandson of Abraham. When in a vision Jacob saw a ladder standing on earth, and its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God ascending and descending by it, as the Scriptures testify, he also heard the Lord, who was leaning on the ladder, say to him: I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac; the land, wherein thou sleepest, I will give to thee and to thy seed. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth. Thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south; and in thee and thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. Nor did God cease afterwards to excite in the posterity of Abraham and in many others, the expectation of a Saviour, by renewing the recollection of the same promise; for after the establishment of the Jewish State and religion it became better known to His people. Types signified and men foretold what and how great blessings the Saviour and Redeemer, Christ Jesus, was to bring to mankind. And indeed the Prophets, whose minds were illuminated with light from above, foretold the birth of the Son of God, the wondrous works which He wrought while on earth, His doctrine, character, life, death, Resurrection, and the other mysterious circumstances regarding Him, and all these they announced to the people as graphically as if they were passing before their eyes. With the exception that one has reference to the future and the other to the past, we can discover no difference between the predictions of the Prophets and the preaching of the Apostles, between the faith of the ancient Patriarchs and that of Christians. But we are now to speak of the several parts of this Article. Jesus is the proper name of the Godman and signifies Saviour: a name given Him not accidentally, or by the judgment or will of man, but by the counsel and command of God. For the Angel announced to Mary His mother: Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He afterwards not only commanded Joseph, who was espoused to the Virgin, to call the child by that name, but also declared the reason why He should be so called. Joseph, son of David, said the Angel, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins. In the Sacred Scriptures we meet with many who were called by this name. So, for example, was called the son of Nave, who succeeded Moses, and, by special privilege denied to Moses, conducted into the land of promise the people whom Moses had delivered from Egypt; and also the son of Josedech, the priest. But how much more appropriate it is to call by this name our Saviour, who gave light, liberty and salvation, not to one people only, but to all men, of all ages to men oppressed, not by famine, or Egyptian or Babylonian bondage, but sitting in the shadow of death and fettered by the galling chains of sin and of the devil who purchased for them a right to the inheritance of heaven and reconciled them to God the Father! In those men who were designated by the same name we see foreshadowed Christ the Lord, by whom the blessings just enumerated were poured out on the human race. All other names which according to prophecy were to be given by divine appointment to the Son of God, are comprised in this one name Jesus; for while they partially signified the salvation which He was to bestow upon us, this name included the force and meaning of all human salvation. To the name Jesus is added that of Christ, which signifies the anointed. This name is expressive of honour and office, and is not peculiar to one thing only, but common to many; for in the Old Law priests and kings, whom God, on account of the dignity of their office, commanded to he anointed, were called christs. For priests commend the people to God by unceasing prayer, offer sacrifice to Him, and turn away His wrath from mankind. Kings are entrusted with the government of the people; and to them principally belong the authority of the law, the protection of innocence and the punishment of guilt. As, therefore, both these functions seem to represent the majesty of God on earth, those who were appointed to the royal or sacerdotal office were anointed with oil. Furthermore, since Prophets, as the interpreters and ambassadors of the immortal God, have unfolded to us the secrets of heaven and by salutary precepts and the prediction of future events have exhorted to amendment of life, it was customary to anoint them also. When Jesus Christ our Saviour came into the world, He assumed these three characters of Prophet, Priest and King, and was therefore called Christ, having been anointed for the discharge of these functions, not by mortal hand or with earthly ointment, but by the power of His heavenly Father and with a spiritual oil; for the plenitude of the Holy Spirit and a more copious effusion of all gifts than any other created being is capable of receiving were poured into His soul. This the Prophet clearly indicates when he addresses the Redeemer in these words: Thou hast loved justice, and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. The same is also more explicitly declared by the Prophet Isaias: The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me: he hath sent me to preach to the meek. Jesus Christ, therefore, was the great Prophet and Teacher, from whom we have learned the will of God and by whom the world has been taught the knowledge of the heavenly Father. The name prophet belongs to Him preeminently, because all others who were dignified with that name were His disciples, sent principally to announce the coming of that Prophet who was to save all men. Christ was also a Priest, not indeed of the same order as were the priests of the tribe of Levi in the Old Law, but of that of which the Prophet David sang: Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech. This subject the Apostle fully and accurately develops in his Epistle to the Hebrews. Christ not only as God, but also as man and partaker of our nature, we acknowledge to be a King. Of Him the Angel testified: He shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end. This kingdom of Christ is spiritual and eternal, begun on earth but perfected in heaven. He discharges by His admirable Providence the duties of King towards His Church, governing and protecting her against the assaults and snares of her enemies, legislating for her and imparting to her not only holiness and righteousness, but also the power and strength to persevere. But although the good and the bad are found within the limits of this kingdom, and thus all men by right belong to it, yet those who in conformity with His commands lead unsullied and innocent lives, experience beyond all others the sovereign goodness and beneficence of our King. Although descended from the most illustrious race of kings, He obtained this kingdom not by hereditary or other human right, but because God bestowed on Him as man all the power, dignity and majesty of which human nature is capable. To Him, therefore, God delivered the government of the whole world, and to this His sovereignty, which has already commenced, all things shall be made fully and entirely subject on the day of judgment. "His Only Son" In these words, mysteries more exalted with regard to Jesus are proposed to the faithful as objects of their belief and contemplation; namely, that He is the Son of God, and true God, like the Father who begot Him from eternity. We also confess that He is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, equal in all things to the Father and the Holy Ghost; for in the Divine Persons nothing unequal or unlike should exist, or even be imagined to exist, since we acknowledge the essence, will and power of all to be one. This truth is both clearly revealed in many passages of Holy Scripture and sublimely announced in the testimony of St. John: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. But when we are told that Jesus is the Son of God, we are not to understand anything earthly or mortal in His birth; but are firmly to believe and piously to adore that birth by which, from all eternity, the Father begot the Son, a mystery which reason cannot fully conceive or comprehend, and at the contemplation of which, overwhelmed, as it were, with admiration, we should exclaim with the Prophet: Who shall declare his generation? On this point, then, we are to believe that the Son is of the same nature, of the same power and wisdom, with the Father, as we more fully profess in these words of the Nicene Creed: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, his Only-begotten Son, born of the Father before all ages, God of God, light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial to the Father, by whom all things were made. Among the different comparisons employed to elucidate the mode and manner of this eternal generation that which is borrowed from the production of thought in our mind seems to come nearest to its illustration, and hence St. John calls the Son the Word. For as our mind, in some sort understanding itself, forms an image of itself, which theologians express by the term word, so God, as far as we may compare human things to divine, understanding Himself, begets the eternal Word. It is better, however, to contemplate what faith proposes, and in the sincerity of our souls to believe and confess that Jesus Christ is true God and true Man, as God, begotten of the Father before all ages, as Man, born in time of Mary, His Virgin Mother. While we thus acknowledge His twofold Nativity; we believe Him to be one Son, because His divine and human natures meet in one Person. As to His divine generation He has no brethren or coheirs, being the Only-begotten Son of the Father, while we mortals are the work of His hands. But if we consider His birth as man, He not only calls many by the name of brethren, but treats them as such, since He admits them to share with Him the glory of His paternal inheritance. They are those who by faith have received Christ the Lord, and who really, and by works of charity, show forth the faith which they profess in words. Hence the Apostle calls Christ, the firstborn amongst many brethren. Of our Saviour many things are recorded in Sacred Scripture. Some of these, it is evident, apply to Him as God and some as man, because from His two natures He received the different properties which belong to both. Hence we say with truth that Christ is Almighty, Eternal, Infinite, and these attributes He has from His Divine Nature; again, we say of Him that He suffered, died, and rose again, which are properties manifestly that belong to His human nature. Besides these terms, there are others common to both natures; as when in this Article of the Creed we say our Lord. If, then, this name applies to both natures, rightly is He to be called our Lord. For as He, as well as the Father, is the eternal God, so is He Lord of all things equally with the Father; and as He and the Father are not the one, one God, and the other, another God, but one and the same God, so likewise He and the Father are not the one, one Lord, and the other, another Lord. As man, He is also for many reasons appropriately called our Lord. First, because He is our Redeemer, who delivered us from sin, He deservedly acquired the power by which He truly is and is called our Lord. This is the doctrine of the Apostle: He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. For which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above all names: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth: and that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father. And of Himself He said, after His Resurrection: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. He is also called Lord because in one Person both natures, the human and the divine, are united; and even though He had not died for us, He would have yet deserved, by this admirable union, to be constituted common Lord of all created things, particularly of the faithful who obey and serve Him with all the fervour of their souls. Duties Owed To Christ Our Lord It remains, therefore, that the pastor remind the faithful that: from Christ we take our name and are called Christians; that we cannot be ignorant of the extent of His favours, particularly since by His gift of faith we are enabled to understand all these things. We, above all others, are under the obligation of devoting and consecrating ourselves forever, like faithful servants, to our Redeemer and our Lord. This indeed, we promised at the doors of the church when about to be baptised; for we then declared that we renounced the devil and the world, and gave ourselves unreservedly to Jesus Christ. But if to be enrolled as soldiers of Christ we consecrated ourselves by so holy and solemn a profession to our Lord, what punishments should we not deserve if after our entrance into the Church, and after having known the will and laws of God and received the grace of the Sacraments, we were to form our lives upon the precepts and maxims of the world and the devil, just as though when cleansed in the waters of Baptism, we had pledged our fidelity to the world and to the devil, and not to Christ the Lord and Saviour! What heart so cold as not to be inflamed with love by the kindness and good will exercised toward us by so great a Lord, who, though holding us in His power and dominion as slaves ransomed by His blood, yet embraces us with such ardent love as to call us not servants, but friends and brethren? This, assuredly, supplies the most just, and perhaps the strongest, claim to induce us always to acknowledge, venerate, and adore Him as our Lord.

Kazimierz – the district south of the Old Town between ul. Dietla to the north and the Wisła River to the south - was the centre of Jewish life in Kraków for over 500 years, before Jewish culture in Kraków was systematically destroyed during World War II. During the communist era, Kazimierz fell into disrepair, becoming one of Kraków’s dodgiest districts. Rediscovered in the 1990s, thanks to the fall of the regime and worldwide exposure via the critically-acclaimed 1993 film Schindler's List, Kazimierz has rebound to become arguably Kraków’s most exciting district today – a bustling bohemian neighbourhood packed with historical sites, atmospheric cafes, shops and galleries. Well-known for its associations with Spielberg and Schindler, traces of Kazimierz’s Jewish history have not only survived, but literally abound in the form of the district’s numerous synagogues and Jewish cemeteries. In fact, no other place in Europe conveys a sense of pre-war Jewish culture better than Kazimierz. As a result, the district has become a major tourist draw and pilgrimage site for Jews, and contemporary Jewish culture has gradually awakened, proving that there’s more to Kazimierz than just sepia photographs and old synagogues. In addition to Jewish culture, however, here you’ll find the heart of Kraków’s artistic, bohemian character behind the wooden shutters of dozens of art galleries and antique shops. Peeling façades and obscure courtyards hide dozens of bars and cafes, many affecting an air of pre-war timelessness. Centred around the former Jewish square now known as Plac Nowy, Kazimierz has emerged as the city’s best destination for café culture, street food and nightlife. Alternative, edgy and packed with oddities, Kazimierz is an essential point of interest to any visitor. IYP’s Kazimierz Walking Tour weaves you through all the district's major points of interest, beginning at the ‘Stradom’ tram stop and ending at Plac Wolnica, from which point you’re well-positioned to carry on into Podgórze across the river (p.48). The trail is exactly 1.5km and can be done in as little as 30 minutes if you refuse to take more than a passing interest in anything; for those that have the time to spend we reckon it will comfortably occupy a few hours. A less than ten-minute walk from Wawel Castle, or a trip on trams 6, 8, 10, 13, 18 or 73, will deposit you at the threshold of Kazimierz at the stop ‘Stradom;’ though the north and southbound stops are a full block apart, if you’ve come from the north by simply disembarking the tram and crossing over ul. Dietla you have officially entered Kazimierz. Follow the linked venues listed below in exact order to replicate the tour on your own on your mobile device or tablet, or use the embedded pdf at the top of the page. For a tangible copy of the embedded tour, order the current edition of our full print guide, which also includes regularly updated walking tours of the Old Town, Podgórze (the area of the former Jewish Ghetto), and Nowa Huta, plus tonnes of other invaluable info.

Isn’t Even My Final Form Due in autumn 2021, the next print edition of HOLO will be a different beast. Follow the transformation via production notes, research snippets, and B-roll material. HOLO 3 is imminent. Sign up for the HOLO Newsletter to get notified as soon as it becomes available. © 2022 HOLO “The magazine had become a research vessel, encouraging all aboard—artists, designers, writers—to explore new territory through experimentation and collaboration. Thus far, we filled two hefty compendiums that each mark a point in time.” Labyrinthine TXT “3” featuring words from Harold Cohen’s paper “What is an image?” (1975) is a generative type experiment by NaN. Ten years ago, this very season, the first outlines of a yet to be named print magazine were being sketched—counter-intuitively so, as the first iPad had just been released and fast-paced digital publishing was all the rage. This new imprint would also be a misfit in other ways: neither art, design, science, nor a technology magazine, it was conceived as something in between—a magazine about disciplinary interstices and hybrid creative practices that are tricky to pin down. More interested in research, process, and entangled knowledge, it should not only explore but embody how niche developments influence other fields and, eventually, shape popular culture. Smart, methodical, and beautiful, the magazine should also have a lot of heart—and speak to many people. Thousands of copies later, we’re still amazed at how HOLO resonated. It’s been described as “heavyweight in scope and literally” (Monocle), an “essential tool” (Jose Luis de Vincente) and an “extraordinary record” (Casey Reas), “that links discourse past, present, and future” (Nora O’Murchu). Over the years, HOLO visited the studios of interdisciplinary luminaries such as Ryoichi Kurokawa, Vera Molnar, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, and Katie Paterson; it featured analysis by erudite thinkers including James Bridle, Georgina Voss, and Geoff Manaugh; and experimental designers like Moniker, Coralie Gourgeochon, and Karsten Schmidt added touches that push what you can do in print (e.g. why wouldn’t you visualize every glyph on every page on intricate character distribution maps, or use reader-generated input to ‘grow’ cover art?). In short: the magazine had become a research vessel, encouraging all aboard to explore new territory through experimentation and collaboration. Thus far, we filled two hefty compendiums that each mark a point in time. “Going forward, the lion’s share of the pages will be dedicated to the magazine’s research section—rigorous investigations that have always been at HOLO’s heart.” HOLO 3 will follow in that same tradition. But it will also break new ground—it has to. Similar to how the first issue filled a void in the blog and publishing sphere, the next one will have to speak to current needs. HOLO 2.5—this website—is an important step in that direction (read more about our online publishing intentions here). It’s the online home we long felt HOLO needed, and a framework that will help us situate and evolve the printed magazine. Going forward, HOLO will be published annually, synthesizing a year’s worth of observations into a timely theme. Hence, the lion’s share of pages will be dedicated to the magazine’s research section—rigorous investigations that have always been at HOLO’s heart. Other sections will become more dynamic and move faster as we reimagine them on this site: Stream, the magazine’s year-in-review fold-out timeline, has already become a living archive; Encounters, our signature series of long-form interviews, will follow soon. This diversification of our editorial activities—sustained focus on the one hand, agility and nimbleness on the other—will allow us to bring you more content more frequently. Most importantly, it will make HOLO a better magazine. HOLO 3 will be published in the summer of 2021. Until then, we’ll use this space to share production notes, research snippets, B-roll material, and select stuff from the bin—after all, a lot of work has been done already and some of it in vain. We hope you’ll follow along as we venture into uncharted territory—to explore both disciplinary interstices and HOLO’s new printed form. HOLO 3 will become available as part of a new Reader account model to be launched in early 2021. If you previously ordered HOLO 3 together with HOLO 2, you will receive your copy automatically. For details on the new model—and how to become a HOLO Reader—see The Annual and our note on HOLO blog. “With HOLO 3, we are outgrowing a rigid formula. Years into navigating disciplinary interstices, we began to notice—and question—some of the hard lines we’d drawn in our magazine.” HOLO’s transformation begins with its core architecture—the ‘spaces’ that organize content into thematic and/or functional sections and provide the editorial framework of the magazine. They dictate not only how we navigate—and fill!—a publication; they set the pace for how things flow from page to page. In HOLO 1 and 2, the architecture reflected what the magazine was designed to do: meet creative practitioners in their studios and explore emergent themes. Both issues (Model 1) feature two sizeable clusters of Encounters (A1, A2)—long-form interviews and studio visits—separated by a sprawling research section, Perspective (B), containing essays, surveys, and commentary. More complementary, Grid (C) set foot into nascent hybrid spaces—digital art galleries, creative incubators at scientific institutions—while Frames (D) examined emergent tools and tech. Stream (F) compiled news gathered during production and closed each issue by situating it in time. With HOLO 3, we’re outgrowing that rigid formula. Years into navigating disciplinary interstices, we began to notice—and question—some of the hard lines we’d drawn in our magazine (e.g. why are artists and designers segregated from, for example, curators, researchers, and toolmakers?) Eager to build bridges within the magazine’s architecture, we became increasingly interested in aligning things with an overarching theme. Hence, a lot of work went into streamlining and consolidating—from tightening studio visits while expanding the space for inquiry (Model 2) to tying Grid and Frames closer to the research section (Model 3). The work on HOLO 2.5 was pivotal—as it came into focus, so has HOLO 3. The more we leverage this expanded online space for episodic interviews, profiles, and news, the further future print editions can lean into a single unifying theme (Model 4). Like a yearbook, “The Annual” will dig deep into a pressing topic, drawing on and responding to the stories we now share on HOLO.mg. “What if, instead, we turned the annual publishing cycle into a research method, one that looks beyond a single topic and more at the state of things at large?” If anything, this production diary is a testament to just how much our thinking around print evolves with our online publishing. Take HOLO 3’s rejiggered framework, for example: in the previous entry, we argued that “the more we leverage this expanded online space for interviews, commentary, and news, the further future print editions can lean into a single unifying theme.” Energized by this new editorial architecture—see the aforementioned entry for fancy flow charts—we were eager to “dig deep into a pressing topic.” We hit a wall, instead: how can we pick a single theme with so many simultaneous urgencies? What’s the longevity of a timely research topic in light of mutating global crises and rapidly evolving tech? And, when examined within a thematic framework, wouldn’t AI, blockchains, the climate collapse (and a host of other forces shaping culture) yield a different periodical each year? That got us thinking. What if, instead, we turned the annual publishing cycle into a research method, one that looks beyond a single topic and more at the state of things at large? Perhaps, this… Annual could bring together a wide range of luminaries to comment on ‘emerging trajectories’ across an expanse of entangled fields? Offering a yearly reality check, they could help us parse the present moment and better understand what lies ahead. We were intrigued! But who’d get to be in this illustrious circle? In the past, we prided ourselves in carefully matching topics and contributors rather than soliciting ideas through open calls. It yielded the cohesiveness and journalistic flavour that, we’d argue, readers have come to appreciate about our magazine. But there’s something to be said about openness and making room for perspectives other than our own. Ten years into running HOLO in the same (fixed) configuration, it was high time for new and different voices to lead the way. I am thrilled to join HOLO as the Editorial Lead for this year’s Annual. I’m Nora; I’m an editor, writer, critic, teacher, and curator. For ten years on, I’ve been editing and writing about the cultural impacts of technology, with a focus on developing what Sara Watson describes as “constructive technological criticism.” My hope has always been to expand the terms of what writing about and through technological and mediated culture can be. I’m particularly excited to join the thoughtful team at HOLO in producing the Annual to continue such work. In working with, writing about, and teaching artists, technologists, and all in between, I keep returning to the importance of carefully weighing the language we use about technology. Right there—that “we”—is a bad tic that’s entered my own writing, influenced by years of reading technological criticism and essays that posit a “We” of our collective relationship to techne. As we are flooded cognitively by algorithmically-generated and human-generated discourse, I am especially interested in tracking, noting, the ways criticality is abraded by not just platforms, but also by the frameworks and terms of critique on offer. Even as critical analyses of the stakes of “new and emerging technologies” have become more common, sought out, and lauded as very necessary, there is ever the language of magic and enchantment entering alongside, almost hand in hand with developments in AI and machine learning. Myths unfold in real-time alongside critical ‘reveals,’ unveilings, and clarifications. Binaries around understanding or misunderstanding proliferate. Cultural gaps between the humanities and the sciences expand even as artists and interdisciplinary practitioners work to collapse them. Many examples of extreme computational power increasingly claim space outside of, or beyond, language, critique, and historical understandings of power, sovereignty, and narrative. In this year’s Annual, we’ll engage with the new responsibilities that critics, theorists, programmers, technologists, and artists have to make sense of the mess, to cut through the confusion and obfuscation ever unfolding around computation. In the process, maybe we’ll even find ways to not say “the intersection of art and technology,” and revel instead in all the ways that technology has always drawn on artistic research, and artistic production has been technological or systematic. The process of thinking through should take place in public, and is made more rich by being in public. Over the next few months, I hope to share the thinking and conversations around the development of the Annual as a print publication and archive, along with emerging experiments, works, and framings. I will talk through these tensions, between legibility and obfuscation, right here on the blog. We’ll talk about the debates and questions driving the issue, and how they’re being explored on the editorial and research side. I want you to be witness to the process of developing the frame and core themes for this year’s Annual, and to that end, I hope to be in conversation with you, and hear your thoughts. Please feel free to e-mail me here at firstname.lastname@example.org about anything that sparks your interest in these posts. Next up on the blog: an announcement of our Research Partner. The Research Partner is a vital part of the development of our theme: they are a sounding board and challenge. I will share reflections on my conversations with them, and further down the line, the invited artists, scholars, thinkers who will appear in the issue. Whether we will be talking through predictive methods and histories of algorithms, or broader cultural myths of the role of technology and creative practice, this blog will be a form of representing process in public, of making the collaborative process of producing a magazine—so often hidden in the back alleys, in shadows—fully legible. I’m delighted to share the process with you. Let’s begin. In taking on the charge for this year’s Annual, I’ve tried to consider what it is one even might want to read in this year, of all years. What do we need to read, about computation, or AI ethics, or art, systems, emergence, experimentation, or technology? Where do we want to find ourselves, at any muddy intersections between fields, as we bridge so many ongoing, devastating crises? I suspect I might not be alone in saying: it has been immensely, unspeakably difficult this year, to work, to write, and to think clearly and deeply about a single thing. To locate that kernel of interest that may have easily driven one’s writing, thinking, reviewing, in any other year. Such is the impact of grief, collective trauma, and loss: we put our energies into mental survival, not 10,000 word essays about ontology or facial recognition. And yet many of us have persisted: giving talks, filing essays, publishing books, putting on shows while masked in outdoor venues, projecting work onto buildings, playing raves in empty bunkers, speaking on panels with people we’ll never meet. I have watched my favourite thinkers show up, to deliver moving performance lectures, activating their theory within and through this moment. There was beauty, still. Watching poets and thinkers show up on screens to read from their work, addressing the moment, mirroring it, demanding more from it, in the middle of so much heartbreak. We watched Wendy Chun speak on “theory as a form of witness.” We watched Fred Moten and Stefano Harney challenge us to abandon the institution, abandon our little titles and little dreams of control. People we read, we continued to think with and alongside them. We tried to find ways to put their ideas into practice in our day to day. This isn’t to valorize grinding despite crisis, but instead see the work as something done in response to and because of the crushing pressure of neoliberalism, technocracy, and surveillance, as all these forces wreak havoc in the collective. Maybe some of you have found something moving in this effort. I found it emboldening. Like most begrudging digital serfs, each day I also consumed way more content than I could ever handle. I followed the algorithm and was led by its offerings, trying to make sense of what is offered. As a critic tends to do, I also found myself tracking patterns. Patterns in arguments, patterns in semantic structures, patterns in phrases traded easily, without friction, between headlines and captions. I found myself frustrated with the loops of rhetoric within the technological critiques I’ve made myself for a while now. In 2020, into 2021, there are ever more frantic discussions of black-boxed AI, “light” sonic warfare through LRADs used at protests, and iterative waves of surveillance flowing in the wake of contact tracing. Debates repeat: about human bias driving machine bias, about the imaginary of the clean dataset. Each day has a reveal of a new fresh horror of algorithmic sabotage. Artistic interventions, revealing the violence and inner workings of opaque infrastructure—seemed to end where they began. It felt more important, this year, to connect our critiques of technology to capitalism, and to understand certain technologies as a direct extension—and expression—of the carceral state. I cracked open Wendy H.K. Chun’s Updating to Remain the Same (2016) and Simone Browne’s Dark Matters (2015) and Jackie Wang’s Carceral Capitalism (2018) again, and kept them open on my desk most of the year. When I read of both police violence and hiring choices alike offloaded onto predictive algorithms, I open Safiya Noble’s Algorithms of Oppression or Merve Emre’s The Personality Brokers. There were gifts—like Neta Bomani’s film Dark matter objects: Technologies of capture and things that can’t be held, with the citations we needed. I learned the most out of centering critical theory/pop sensation Mandy Harris Williams (@idealblackfemale on Instagram) on the feed. I looked, in short, for the wry minds and voices in criticism, in media studies, in computational theory, in activism, and who also flow easily between these spaces and more, who have been thinking about these issues for a long time. A few had quieted down. Others had never really stopped tracking the patterns or decoding mystification in language. For years in the pages of HOLO, writers and artists have been investigating issues that have only built in intensity and spread: surveillance creep, digital mediation, networked infrastructure, and the necessary, ongoing debunking of technological neutrality. We started this letter with noting patterns. Language patterns are the root of this Annual’s editorial frame. The language of obfuscation and mysticism, in which technological developments are framed as remote, or mystical, as partially-known, as just beyond the scope of human agency—crops up in criticism and discourse. One hears of a priestlike class in ownership of all information. Of systems that their creator-engineers barely understand. Of a present and near-technological future that is so inscrutable (and monumental) that we can only speak of the systems we build as like another being, with its own seeming growing consciousness. A kind of divinity, a kind of magic. Right alongside this mythic language is also the language of legibility and technology’s explainability. A thing we make, and so, a thing we know. These languages are often side by side in the media(s) flooding us. Behind the curtain is the little man, the wizard, writing spells, in a new language. Legions of artists have worked critically with AI, working to enhance and diversify and complicate the Datasets. We’ve read about the diligent work of unpacking the black boxes of artificial intelligence, of politicians demanding an ethical review, to ‘make legible’ the internal processes at play. Is legibility enough? Legibility has its punishments, too. In 2020, Timnit Gebru, Google’s former Senior Research Scientist, asked for the company to be held accountable to its AI Ethics governance board. This resulted in Gebru’s widely publicized firing, and harassment across the internet. The horror Gebru experienced prompted critical speculation and derision about AI Ethics, a refinement in service of extraction and capitalism. It’s almost like … the problems are systemic, replicated, trackable, and mappable across decades and centuries. As we are trawled within these wildly enmeshed algorithmic nets, how do we draw on these patterns, of mystification and predictive capture, to see the next ship approaching? To imagine alternatives, if escape is not an option? What stories and myths do we need to tell about technology now, to foretell models we need and can agree on wanting to live through and be interpreted by? To start to answer this question, over the past month, we have asked contributors to respond to one of four prompts, themed Explainability and Its Discontents; Enchantment, Mystification, and Partial Ways of Knowing; Myths of Prediction Over Time; and Mapping and Drawing Outside of Language. They have been asked to think about models of explainability, diverse storytelling that translates the epistemology of AI, and myths about algorithmic knowledge, in order to half-know, three-quarters know, maybe, the systems being built, refined, optimized. They’ve been asked to consider speculative and blurry logic, predictive flattening, and the cultural stories we tell about technology, and art, and the space made by the two. Finally, to close the issue, a few have been asked to think about ways of knowing and thinking outside of language, in search of methods of mapping, pattern recognition, and artistic research that will help us in the future. We can’t do this thinking and questioning alone. In the last weeks, we’ve gathered a first constellation of forceful responses—and the momentum is building. We are thrilled to begin to map these spaces of partial and more-than-partial knowing, and see what emerges, along with you all. Each issue asks for the guest editor to choose a Research Partner, an interlocutor “who brings niche expertise and a unique perspective to the table.” I took this to mean a person who will be able to engage with the emerging frame, then provide feedback in a few sessions, as the magazine takes form. I first listed all my dream conversationalists, whose research and thinking I was drawn to. This list was long. It covered many possible expressions of research, from experimental and solitary to collaborative, hard scientific to qualitative and artistic research, computational to traditional archival research. There were literary researchers, Twitter theory-pundits, long-standing scholars in all the decades of experiments-in-art-and-technology, curators and editors who ground their arguments in original research. As my editorial frame evolved into four distinct prompts, it seemed clear that the Partner would also need to confidently, easily critique the frame. They’d ideally provide prompts and encouragement from their perspective, expertise, practice, and scholarship,to help push the frame and broaden it. I also realized that the HOLO Research Partner would have to pose a real challenge to my own thinking, and counter the clear positions and takes that come from being too far in (too far gone?) a dominant critical discourse about technological systems, which can often speak to itself (See: opening note). They’d sit outside of the inertia that can set in, as a field of inquiry and a mode of practice becomes known well, lauded, praised. (I think, here, of calls in which funders ask for guidance to “the most innovative work being done of all the innovative work being done in art and technology.”) As I wrote in my opening letter, this year has so swiftly turned us to embrace what we want to hear, take in, to what we still hunger to explore. This is really when I thought of Peli Grietzer, a brilliant scholar, writer, theorist, and philosopher based in Berlin. Peli received a PhD from Harvard in Comparative Literature under the advisorship of Hebrew University mathematician Tomer Schlank. Peli’s work borrows mathematical ideas from machine learning theory to think through the ontology of “ambient” phenomena like moods, vibes, styles, cultural logics, and structures of feeling. Peli also contributes to the experimental literature collective Gauss PDF, and is working on a book project expanding on their “sometimes-technical” research, as they call it, entitled Big Mood: A Transcendental-Computational Essay on Art. He is also working on the artist Tzion Abraham Hazan’s first feature film. I first ran across Peli’s writing and thinking through his epic erudition in “A Theory of Vibe”, published in 2017 in the research and theory journal Glass Bead. The chapters published were excerpted from their dissertation (which it sounds like they are currently turning into a book). I then virtually met Peli in 2017, over a shaky group call, in which a few Glass Bead editors and contributors to Site 1: The Artifactual Mind, called in from Paris and Berlin. Sitting in New York at Eyebeam on those old red metal chairs, I took frantic notes as Peli spoke. I struggled to keep up. It was exciting to be exposed to such a livewire mind. As it goes in these encounters, I felt my own thinking evolving, sensing, with relief, all the ways literary theory and criticism, and philosophical writing on AI could overlap in a way that many camps could start to speak to one another. Most folks have noticed the distinctly generous qualities of Peli’s work, and have an experience reading “A Theory of Vibe,” too. The experience might begin with its opening salvos: • An autoencoder is a neural network process tasked with learning from scratch, through a kind of trial and error, how to make facsimiles of worldly things. Let us call a hypothetical, exemplary autoencoder ‘Hal.’ We call the set of all the inputs we give Hal for reconstruction—let us say many, many image files of human faces, or many, many audio files of jungle sounds, or many, many scans of city maps—Hal’s ‘training set.’ Whenever Hal receives an input media file x, Hal’s feature function outputs a short list of short numbers, and Hal’s decoder function tries to recreate media file x based on the feature function’s ‘summary’ of x. Of course, since the variety of possible media files is much wider than the variety of possible short lists of short numbers, something must necessarily get lost in the translation from media file to feature values and back: many possible media files translate into the same short list of short numbers, and yet each short list of short numbers can only translate back into one media file. Trying to minimize the damage, though, induces Hal to learn—through trial and error—an effective schema or ‘mental vocabulary’ for its training set, exploiting rich holistic patterns in the data in its summary-and-reconstruction process. Hal’s ‘summaries’ become, in effect, cognitive mapping of its training set, a kind of gestalt fluency that ambiently models it like a niche or a lifeworld. Through this playful use of Hal, readers are asked to consider and hold the “summaries” Hal makes, the lifeworld it models, to understand how an algorithm learns: • What an autoencoder algorithm learns, instead of making perfect reconstructions, is a system of features that can generate approximate reconstruction of the objects of the training set. In fact, the difference between an object in the training set and its reconstruction—mathematically, the trained autoencoder’s reconstruction error on the object—demonstrates what we might think of, rather literally, as the excess of material reality over the gestalt-systemic logic of autoencoding. We will call the set of all possible inputs for which a given trained autoencoder S has zero reconstruction error, in this spirit, S’s ‘canon.’ The canon, then, is the set of all the objects that a given trained autoencoder—its imaginative powers bounded as they are to the span of just a handful of ‘respects of variation,’ the dimensions of the features vector—can imagine or conceive of whole, without approximation or simplification. Furthermore, if the autoencoder’s training was successful, the objects in the canon collectively exemplify an idealization or simplification of the objects of some worldly domain. Finally, and most strikingly, a trained autoencoder and its canon are effectively mathematically equivalent: not only are they roughly logically equivalent, it is also fast and easy to compute one from the other. In fact, merely autoencoding a small sample from the canon of a trained autoencoder S is enough to accurately replicate or model S. From here, we climb the summit to Peli’s core claim: • […] It is a fundamental property of any trained autoencoder’s canon that all the objects in the canon align with a limited generative vocabulary. The objects that make up the trained autoencoder’s actual worldly domain, by implication, roughly align or approximately align with that same limited generative vocabulary. These structural relations of alignment, I propose, are closely tied to certain concepts of aesthetic unity that commonly imply a unity of generative logic, as in both the intuitive and literary theoretic concepts of a ‘style’ or ‘vibe.’ […] One reason the mathematical-cognitive trope of autoencoding matters, I would argue, is that it describes the bare, first act of treating a collection of objects or phenomena as a set of states of a system rather than a bare collection of objects or phenomena—the minimal, ambient systematization that raises stuff to the level of things, raises things to the level of world, raises one-thing-after-another to the level of experience. […] What an autoencoding gives is something like the system’s basic system-hood, its primordial having-a-way-about-it. How it vibes. It’s a heady journey, taking many re-reads to sink in. While I wouldn’t dare to try to capture Peli’s dissertation, “Ambient Meaning: Mood, Vibe, System,” I link it here instead for all to dive into, along with an illuminating interview with Brian Ng in which the two scholars debate core concepts in the work. Peli walks through the concept of autoencoders, and the ways optimizers train algorithms for projection and compression, and does so in an inviting, clear manner. This way, when we get to the real challenges of modeling and model training, we’re prepared. Peli notes to Ng that they understand vibe as “a logically interdependent triplet comprising a worldview, a method of mimesis, and canon of privileged objects, corresponding to the encoder function, projection function, and input-space submanifold of a trained autoencoder.” They labor to create understanding of “a viewpoint where the ‘radically aesthetic’ — art as pure immanent form and artifice and so on — is also very, very epistemic,” noting, further, the ways folks like Aimé Césaire created “home-brew epistemologies […] where the radically aesthetic grounds a crucial form of worldly knowledge.” We eventually get to an exciting set of claims about the cognitive mapping involved in attending to, as Peli writes, the “loose ‘vibe’ of a real-life, worldly domain via its idealization as the ‘style’ or ‘vibe’ of an ambient literary work,” and that, further: • Learning to sense a system, and learning to sense in relation to a system—learning to see a style, and learning to see in relation to a style—are, autoencoders or no autoencoders, more or less one and the same thing. If the above is right, and an ‘aesthetic unity’ of the kind associated with a ‘style’ or ‘vibe’ is immediately a sensible representation of a logic of difference or change, we can deduce the following rule of cognition: functional access to the data-analysis capacities of a trained autoencoder’s feature function follows, in the very long run, even from appropriate ‘style perception’ or ‘vibe perception’ alone. I admire the ease with which Peli moves through genres and periods, weaving between literary theory and computational scholarship, helping us, in turn, move from the knottiest aspects of machine learning to the ways literary works might learn from analogies with computation. His scholarship is as generous as it is challenging. Throughout, we’re asked to consider common metaphors and analogies used in machine learning studies. The more traditionally literary-minded are challenged to consider proof of concept in a mathematical analogy, and what artificial neural networks—not particularly the most interesting models of thought—might promise literary theory and critical studies. As we move into realms where folks are frequently moving between cognitive theoretic models, discussions of artificial neural networks, and theory, and criticism, this is a powerful guide. We’re also asked to seriously consider how literary works move towards a ‘good autoencoding’ and in what traditions of aesthetic practice we might understand aesthetics as a kind of autoencoding. Peli creates a language through which we can move back and forth from cherished humanist concepts to the impulses of experimental literature, and to appreciate computational modeling as it helps us to map language out to its edges. Back in April of 2020, I joined Peli for the third Feature Extraction assembly on Machine Learning, supported by UCLA, described as an exploration of the “politics and aesthetics of algorithms.” We had a fun couple of hours talking about the lifeworlds and strange logics of ML and predictive algorithms, with a group of artists and organizers at Navel in Los Angeles. I was struck, then, re-reading A Theory of Vibe three years later, how vital and alive its arguments, claims, its simultaneous experimentation and coherence, felt. In my many readings of this essay, I admired how Peli probed for unstated and unconsidered perspectives, pointed out blind spots, and how their questions were rooted in a set of exploratory hypotheses about the nature of art, and what computation allows us to see about the nature of art. They seemed a perfect interlocutor for this Annual. As the Annual’s Research Partner, Peli has been remarkable and generous and good-humored. He is adept at the cold read, helps me make incisive cuts, always offers zoomed-out criticality. He’s helped us raise the stakes of the editorial frame, exposing us to writers and thinkers we’d not have met easily or fluidly otherwise, from computational linguists to researchers studying the computational mind to philosophers who speak through Socratic argument over our Zooms. It’s been thrilling to invite and get to know thinkers from his intense and rare circles. Our main task, in working together, has been discussion of each prompt around prediction and fantasies of explainability and opacity, and the roles of language in mystification and mythologizing of technology as remote. As a result, the frame is more challenging, more provocative, pushing our respondents to think along broader timescale and social scales, and challenge themselves. Over the next weeks in this Dossier, we’ll have a number of representations of our research conversations—a close-reading of Kate Crawford’s Atlas of AI, along with snippets from our conversations about the Annual—together. They’ll be gestural excerpts of the deeper conversations underway. We’re sharing ideas and discussing them in tender forms with Peli. His openness, care for thought, and a genuine enthusiasm about unexplored concepts or lesser-theorized angles has only strengthened the possibilities of this issue. Thank you, Peli! On a final note, a massive editorial project like this Annual requires intensive research and consideration of the wider intellectual and artistic field in which the artists, writers, and thinkers invited are working. I encourage editors to try and find someone who challenges their ideas and positions, and even questions the desire to go with the safer frame. Be in conversation with someone who pushes you intellectually, who will engage enthusiastically with the deeper philosophical and critical possibilities of writing and publishing. The Annual is better for this exchange and relationship—or, forgive me—this very vibe that Peli brings. We’ve evolved to essentialize, to make representations of complexity, putting outsized pressure on the efficacy of those translators of meaning: metaphors, stories, carrier narratives. In a very early conversation with Research Partner Peli Grietzer, we talked about the earliest, and blurriest, version of what this issue of the HOLO Annual could be. What did the ongoing debates around explainability and perfect legibility of black-boxed technologies—debates we’d often been enmeshed in—too often leave out? Walking down a sunny street in Berlin, Peli relayed anecdotes of all the ways we know things halfway, and live with partial knowledge. This partial knowing is essential to our ways of navigating the world. We talked about animist spirits and gods. Peli mentioned spirits of rivers, part of a host of half-human and human-like beings which we’ve lived alongside for millennia. I think of bots and artificial intelligence, both “stupid,” in Hito Steyerl’s words, and a little- to much-less-stupid each day, as denizens of this realm of partial knowledge. We interact, speak, and form relationships with representations of people and things that we barely know. Cognitively, we need to not know every single detail about complex phenomena unfolding around us. If we were to know and understand every computational decision being made on our laptop as it happens, we would barely be able to function. We’ve evolved to essentialize, to distill down, to make representations of complexity, putting outsized pressure on the efficacy of those translators of meaning: metaphors, stories, carrier narratives. The political implications of thinking through these ways of knowing and not-knowing are far-reaching. Consider how the brutal realities of algorithmic supremacy are often contingent upon its mystification and its remove. We can map a growing hierarchy of computational classes of ‘knowers’ versus those without knowledge, those with more access to the workings of technology, those with partial access, and those with nearly none. In sending out our first prompt, Enchantment, Mystification, and Ways of Partial Knowing, we hoped for our contributors to help us understand all the ways in which we don’t understand. Together, they have widened the frame to include ‘ways of partial knowing’ that have been exercised historically. What ways have we ‘half-known’ and ‘half-understood’ the appearance of new intelligence, human-like or not, throughout our evolutionary history? What ways of partial knowing do we exercise all the time? What knowledge processes are necessarily partial? In this frame shift, can we place speculative stories, myths about the growing body of artificial intelligence or algorithmic knowledge, in all its obfuscation and enchantment, in parallel to grand narratives of technology? In responding to Enchantment, Mystification, and Ways of Partial Knowing, we asked the following authors and artists to pick up and pursue threads they’ve not had space for in their practice before. We also asked each to consider alternative styles, forms, and designs to express their ideas through. Huw Lemmey is a novelist, artist, and critic living in Barcelona. He is the author of three novels: Unknown Language (Ignota Books, 2020), Red Tory: My Corbyn Chemsex Hell (Montez Press, 2019), and Chubz: The Demonization of my Working Ar6se (Montez Press, 2016). He writes on culture, sexuality, and cities for the Guardian, Frieze, Flash Art, Tribune, TANK, The Architectural Review, Art Monthly, Pin-Up Magazine, and L’Uomo Vogue, amongst others. He writes the weekly essay series utopian drivel and is the co-host of Bad Gays. Elvia Wilk is a writer living in New York. Seven years ago, we began our time as contributing editors to Rhizome. We have been in loose communion over ideas over the years, often meeting at strange festivals and conferences in strange hotels. Elvia’s recent novel Oval, published in 2019 by Soft Skull Press, is in part a send-up of the artworld of Berlin. Her work has appeared in publications like The Atlantic, Frieze, Artforum, Bookforum, n+1, Granta, BOMB, and the Baffler, and she is a contributing editor at e-flux journal. Her book of essays called Death By Landscape will be published in 2022, also by Soft Skull. Nicholas Whittaker is a doctoral student in the Philosophy department at the City University of New York Graduate Center. They work on understanding and propagating the conditions of possibility of black abolitionism as a world-ending enterprise. As they write, this work takes them through investigations into and celebrations of film, music, digital culture, language (and its limits), love, and black social and intellectual life. Their work (including forthcoming pieces) can be found in the Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, the Point, the Drift, Aesthetics for Birds, and the APA Blog. Thomas Brett is an artist working in hybrid processes of film, animation and video games. Central to his practice is the transformative capacity of physical artefacts and their conversion to virtuality or myth. Through analogue construction and their digital capture, Thomas crafts worlds from these objects; producing hidden narratives of character and space reconfigured in tremulous ontology. Nora N. Khan and Peli Grietzer on Models of Explanation, Explainability Towards What End, and What to Expect from Explainable AI This year’s HOLO Annual has emerged in part through conversation between Nora Khan and Peli Grietzer, the Annual’s Research Partner. They discussed Nora’s first drafts of the “unframe” for the Annual (in resisting a frame, one still creates a frame) around prompts of Explainability, Myths of Prediction, Mapping Outside Language, and Ways of Partial Knowing, over months. Once drafts started rolling in, they discussed the ideas of contributors, the different angles each was taking to unpack the prompts, and the directions for suggested edits. They came together about four times to work on unknotting research and editorial knots. A deeper research conversation thread weaves in and out, in which Peli and Nora deconstruct the recent blockbuster Atlas of AI, by Kate Crawford. The research conversation bubbles underneath the Annual, informing reading and finalizing of essays and commissions, and its effects finding a home in the unframe, all the edits, and the final works. The following excerpt is taken from the earlier stages of the research conversation, which began back in February and March of this year. Nora and Peli discussed the emerging frame of prompts before they were sent out to contributors. They walked through each to problematize the framing. A fuller representation of the research conversation will be published in the HOLO Annual. Nora: Let’s talk about explainability. Explainable AI is one impetus for this prompt, and the issues involved in it. On one side, you hear this argument, frequently, in speaker circuits and keynotes, that once the black box of AI is open, all the naive, feeble-minded users of technology will somehow have a bit more agency, a bit more understanding, and a bit more confidence in relation to AI that is barely understood by its engineers. In my weaker moments, I’ve made the same argument. Another line of argument about explainability as a solution is grounded in the notion that once we understand an AI’s purpose, its reasoning, we’ll be blessed with an idealized model of reality, and receive, over time, a cleaned-up model of the world that’s been eradicated of bias. Peli: Even before one gets to different humanistic or social ideals of explainability, there are already ambiguities or polysemies in terms of the more scientific conversation on explainability itself. One aspect of explainability is just: we don’t understand very well why neural network methods work as well as they do. There are a number of competing high level scientific narratives, but all are fairly blurry. None of them are emerging in a particularly solid way. Often you think, well, there’s many important papers on this key deep-learning technique … but find the actual argument given in the paper for why the method works ‘is now widely considered’ inaccurate or post hoc. So there’s an important sense of lack of explanation in AI that’s already at play even before we get to asking ‘can we explain the decisions of an AI like we explain the decisions of a person’—we don’t even know why our design and training methods are successful. I would say stuff like, as an engineering practice, Deep Learning is poorly scientifically understood. It’s currently one of the least systematic engineering practices, and one of the ones that involve the most empirical trial and error, and guesswork. It’s closer to gardening, than to baking. Baking is probably more scientifically rigorous than deep learning. Deep learning is about the same as gardening, where there are a lot of principles that are useful but you can’t really very well predict what’s going to work, and what’s not going to work when you make a change. I probably don’t actually know enough about gardening to say this. Anyway, that’s one sense in which there’s no explainability. One could argue that this sense of explainability pertains more to the methods that we use to produce the model, the training methods, the architectures, and less to the resulting AI itself.. But I think these things are connected in the sense in which, if you want to know why a trained neural network model tends to make certain kinds of decisions or predictions, that would often have something to do with the choice of architecture or training procedure. And so we’d often justify the AIs decisions or predictions by saying that they’re a result of a training procedure that’s empirically known to work really well. Then the question is, okay, but why is this the one that works really well? And then the answer is often, “Well, we don’t really know. We tried a bunch of different things for a bunch of years and the architecture and training procedures end up working really well. We have a bunch of theories about it from physics or from dynamical systems or from information theory, but it’s still a bit speculative and blurry.” So there’s this general lack of scientific explanation of AI techniques. And then there are the senses that are more closely related to predictive models, specifically, and how one describes a predictive model or decision model in terms of all kinds of relevant counterfactuals that we associate with explanation or with understanding. Nora: It seems this prompt can be tweaked a bit further to ask contributors, what are the stakes of this explainability argument, and what are some of its pitfalls? And further, what kinds of explainability, and explanation, do we even find valuable as human beings? What other models and methods of explainability do we have at play and should consider, and how do we sort through competing models for explainability? I figure this could help better understand the place of artists and writers now who are so often tasked, culturally, with the “storytelling” that is meant to translate and contextualize and communicate what it is that an AI produces, does, how it reasons, in ways that are legible to us. In one of your earliest e-mails about the Annual, you mentioned how you are much more interested in finding paths to thinking about alternatives to the current order, rather than, say, investing in more critique of AI or demands for explainable AI to support the current (capitalistic, brutal, limiting, and extractive) economic order. It really pushed me to reconsider these prompts, and the ways cycles of discourse rarely step back to ask, but to what end are we doing all of this thinking? In service of who and what and why? I really want to offer contributors the option to critique this concept of explainability in technology, through this specific push in AI: what some have called the flat AI ethics space. When we ask, “What if we can just explain what’s inside of the black box?” we might also ask, to what end? Making the “decision-making process” of a predator drone more “legible” to the general public seems a fatuous achievement. Even more so if it is an explanation in service of a capitalist state or state capital, and we know how that works. Peli: Let’s take another example. Say, my loan application got rejected. I want to understand why I got rejected. I might want to know, well, what are the ways in which, if my application was different or if I was different, the result would be different. Or, I can want to ask in what ways, if the model was slightly different, would the decision be different. Or you can ask, take me, and take the actual or the possible successful candidate who is most similar to me, and describe to me the differences between us. It turns out the result is, there’s a variety of ways in which one could, I guess, formulate the kind of counterfactuals one wants to know about in order to feel or rightly feel it has a sense of why a particular decision took place. Nora: If you were to ask the model of corporate hiring to explain itself, you would hope for a discourse or a dialogue. I say, “Okay, so you show me your blurry model of sorting people, and then I can talk to you about all of the embedded assumptions in that model, and ask, why were these assumptions made? Tell me all the questions and answers that you set up to roughly approximate the ‘summation’ or truth of a person, in trying to type them. And then I can respond to you, model, with all of the different dimensional ways we exist in the world, the ways of being that throw the model into question. What are the misreadings and assumptions here? What cultural and social ideas of human action and risk are they rooted in?” And once we talk, these should be worked back into the system. I really love this fantasy of this explainable model of AI as having a conversation partner who will take in your input, and say, “Oh, yes, my model is blurry. I need to actually iterate and refine, and think about what you’ve said.” It’s very funny. Peli: Exactly. I think that’s the thing that one, possibly, ultimately hopes for. There might be a real point of irreconcilability between massive-scale information-processing and the kind of discursive reasoning process that’s really precious to humans. I feel like these are conflicts we already see even within philosophy. I feel like there’s a moment within analytic philosophy, where the more you try to incorporate probability and probabilistic decision making into rationality, the more rationality becomes really alien and different from Kantian or Aristotelian rationality that we intuitively—I’m not sure if that’s the right word—that we initially think about with reasoning. Sometimes I worry that there’s a conflict between ideals of discursive rationality and the kind of reasoning that’s involved in massively probabilistic thinking. It seems the things that we are intending to use AIs for, are essentially often massively probabilistic thinking. I do wonder about that: whether the conflict isn’t just between AI or sort of engineering, and this discursive rationality, but also a conflict between massively probabilistic, and predictive, thinking and discursive rationality. I don’t know. I think these are profoundly hard questions. “Prediction has always been part of our cultural heritage, and societies find scientific ways to sort and distribute resources based on biased predictive thought.” The first wave of HOLO Annual contributors—Nicholas Whittaker, Thomas Brett, Elvia Wilk, and Huw Lemmey—swiftly gathered around the “ways of partial knowing.” As these pieces started to roll in, Peli Grietzer and I needed to light a new fire in another clime for more contributors to gather around. Maybe it is endemic to technological debates that we are drawn into intense binaristic divides. But I started to look across to the other side of the art-technological range, across from the ‘ways of partial knowing’ that seem to offer looseness, a space to breathe. Claims to full knowing, full ownership, or full seeing seem, rightly, harder to sustain these days. I’d written the partial knowing prompt in response to the suffocating grip of algorithmic prediction that I spend my days tracking and analyzing, to see how others articulate senses of the impossibility of perfect prediction, of human activity or thought. But of course, there are many ways that prediction has always been part of our cultural heritage, and societies find scientific ways to sort, predict, and distribute resources based on biased predictive thought. I’ve a soft spot for critical discussion of predictive systems of control and the artists and theorists who analyze them. I’ve looked to thinkers like Simone Browne and Cathy O’Neill and Safiya Noble and artists like Zach Blas and American Artist, most frequently, for their insights on histories of predictive policing, predictive capture, and the deployment of surveillance in service of capture. I was particularly taken by 3x3x6, the Taiwan Pavilion at the 2019 Venice Biennale, created by Shu Lea Cheang, director, media and net art pioneer, and theorist Paul Preciado. (Francesco Tenaglia’s precise interview with both artists in Mousse is a must-read). In the space, the Palazzo delle Prigioni, the two investigated the history of the building as a prison, and the exceptional prisoners whose racial or sexual or gender nonconformity led to incarceration: Foucault, the Marquis de Sade, Giaconomo Casanova, and a host of trans and queer thinkers throughout history. The work looks at historical regimes and political definitions of sexual and racial conformity, and the methods of tracking and delineating correct and moral bodies over time: the ways myths of prediction have unfolded in different ways throughout history. I used these photos and this interview as inspiration this last pandemic year, which I largely spent struggling to complete an essay on internalizing the logic of capture for an issue of Women & Performance: a journal of feminist theory (with an incredible list of contributions). In their introduction, Marisa Williamson and Kim Bobier, guest-editors, outline the theme Race, Vision, and Surveillance: “As Simone Browne has observed, performances of racializing surveillance ‘reify boundaries, borders, and bodies along racial lines.’ Taking cues from thinkers such as Browne and Donna Haraway, this special issue draws on feminist understandings of sight as a partial, situated, and embodied type of sense-making laden with ableist assumptions to explore how racial politics have structured practices of oversight. How have technologies of race and vision worked together to monitor modes of being-in-the-world? In what ways have bodies performed for and against such governance?” The gathering of feminist investigations drew on surveillance studies and critical race theory to theorize responses to the violence of racializing surveillance. Between the theorists in this issue and the impact of 3x3x6, it seemed to me that surveillance-prediction regimes of the present moment must be understood as a repetition of every regime that has come before. In a way, it turned out that the prompts of ‘partial knowing’ and ‘myths of prediction’ are more linked than opposed: Our ways of understanding others are already quite speculative and blurry; how is this blur coded and embedded, and what prediction methods that aim to clarify the blur, or make the blur more precise, are possible? Even as we struggle to find ways to disentangle ourselves from predictive regimes and algorithmic nudging, we also need to tackle what prediction means, and has meant, for control, for statistics, for computation. This second prompt includes hazy, fuzzy, and over-determinant methods of prediction and discernment. The future, here, is one entirely shaped by algorithmic notions of how we’ll act, move, and react, based on what we do, say, and choose, now—a mediation of the future based on consumption, feeling, that is subject to change, that is passing. Four powerhouse thinkers—Leigh Alexander, Mimi Ọnụọha, Suzanne Treister, and Jackie Wang—join the Annual to respond to this prompt, Myths of Prediction Over Time. They were asked to think about the rise in magical thinking around prediction and the capacity of predictive technologies to become more intense as technological systems of prediction become more ruthless, stupid, flattening, and their logic, quite known. They look at the history of predictive ‘technologies’ (scrying and tarot and future-casting) as magic, as enchantment, as mystic logic, as it shapes the narratives we have around computational prediction in the present moment. Together, they are invited to consider the algorithmic sorting of peoples based on deep historical and social bias; at surveillance and capture of fugitive communities; at prediction of a person’s capacity based on limited and contextless data as an ever political undertaking, or at prediction as they interpret it. They might reflect on the various methods for typing personalities, discerning character, and the creation of systems of control based on these partial predictions. They are further invited to look both at predictive systems embedded in justice systems, or in pseudoscientific tests like Myers-Briggs, for example, embedded in corporate personality tests. Wang, Ọnụọha, Alexander, and Treister are particularly equipped to think on these systems, having consistently established entire spaces of speculation through their arguments. Jackie Wang wrote the seminal book Carceral Capitalism (2018), a searing book on the racial, economic, political, legal, and technological dimensions of the U.S. carceral state. A chapter titled “This is a Story about Nerds and Cops” is widely circulated and found on syllabi. I met Jackie in 2013 as we were both living in Boston, where she was completing her dissertation at Harvard. She gave a reading in a black leather jacket at EMW Bookstore, a hub for Asian American and diasporic poets, writers, activists. I’ve followed her writing and thinking closely since. Wang is a beloved scholar, abolitionist, poet, multimedia artist, and Assistant Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California. In addition to her scholarship, her creative work includes the poetry collection The Sunflower Cast a Spell to Save Us from the Void (2021) and the forthcoming experimental essay collection Alien Daughters Walk Into the Sun. Mimi Ọnụọha and I met at Eyebeam as research residents in 2016, and our desks were close to one another. One thing I learned about Mimi is that she is phenomenally busy and in high demand. She is an artist, an engineer, a scholar, and a professor. She created the concept and phrase “algorithmic violence.” At the time she was developing research around power dynamics within archives (you should look up her extended artwork, The Library of Missing Datasets, examining power mediated through what is left out of government or state archives). Ọnụọha, who lives and works in Brooklyn, is a Nigerian-American artist creating work about a world made to fit the form of data. By foregrounding absence and removal, her multimedia practice uses print, code, installation and video to make sense of the power dynamics that result in disenfranchised communities’ different relationships to systems that are digital, cultural, historical, and ecological. Her recent work includes In Absentia, a series of prints that borrow language from research that black sociologist W.E.B. Du Bois conducted in the nineteenth century to address the difficulties he faced and the pitfalls he fell into, and A People’s Guide To AI, a comprehensive beginner’s guide to understanding AI and other data-driven systems, co-created with Diana Nucera. If you’ve had any contact with videogames or the games industry in the last 15 years, Leigh Alexander needs no introduction. You’ve either played her work or read her stories or watched her Lo-Fi Let’s Plays on YouTube or read her withering and incisive criticism in one of many marquee venues. She is well-known as a speaker, as a writer and narrative designer focused on storytelling systems, digital society, and the future. Along with other women writing critically about games, including Jenn Frank and Lana Polansky, I’ve been reading and influenced by her fiction and criticism since 2008. Alexander won the 2019 award for Best Writing in a Video Game from the esteemed Writers Guild of Great Britain for Reigns: Her Majesty, and her speculative fiction has been published in Slate and The Verge. Her work often draws her ten years as a journalist and critic on games and virtual worlds, and she frequently speaks on narrative design, procedural storytelling, online culture and arts in technology. She is currently designing games about relationships and working as a narrative design consultant for development teams. Suzanne Treister, our final contributor to this chapter, has been a pioneer in the field of new media since the late 1980s, and works simultaneously across video, the internet, interactive technologies, photography, drawing and watercolour. In 1988 she was making work about video games, in 1992 virtual reality, in 1993 imaginary software and in 1995 she made her first web project and invented a time travelling avatar, Rosalind Brodsky, the subject of an interactive CD-ROM. Often spanning several years, her projects comprise fantastic reinterpretations of given taxonomies and histories, engaging with eccentric narratives and unconventional bodies of research. Recent projects include The Escapist Black Hole Spacetime, Technoshamanic Systems, and Kabbalistic Futurism. Treister’s work has been included in the 7th Athens Biennale, 16th Istanbul Biennial, 9th Liverpool Biennial, 10th Shanghai Biennale, 8th Montréal Biennale and 13th Biennale of Sydney. Recent solo and group exhibitions have taken place at Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Centre Pompidou, Paris, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and the Institute of Contemporary Art, London, among others. Her 2019 multi-part Serpentine Gallery Digital Commission comprised an artist’s book and an AR work. She is the recipient of the 2018 Collide International Award, organised by CERN, Geneva, in collaboration with FACT UK. Treister lives and works in London and the French Pyrenees. Stay tuned for more notes on the next two Annual prompts—on mapping outside language, and explainability—and the brilliant contributors on board. Also take note of the first in a series of research transcripts featuring conversation excerpts with our research partner Peli Grietzer about incoming drafts, the frame overall, and, well, all those atlases of AI. Nora N. Khan and Peli Grietzer on Hazy Methods of Prediction, Tarot Compression, and Chomsky the Mystic This year’s HOLO Annual has emerged in part through conversation between Nora Khan and Peli Grietzer, the Annual’s Research Partner. They discussed Nora’s first drafts of the “unframe” for the Annual (in resisting a frame, one still creates a frame) around prompts of Explainability, Myths of Prediction, Mapping Outside Language, and Ways of Partial Knowing, over months. Once drafts started rolling in, they discussed the ideas of contributors, the different angles each was taking to unpack the prompts, and the directions for suggested edits. They came together about four times to work on unknotting research and editorial knots. A deeper research conversation thread weaves in and out, in which Peli and Nora deconstruct the recent and influential Atlas of AI, by Kate Crawford. The research conversation bubbles underneath the whole Annual, informing reading and finalizing of essays and commissions, and its effects finding a home in the unframe, all the edits, and the final works. The following excerpt is taken from the middle stages of the research conversation, which took place in July and August of this year. Nora and Peli discuss the drafts of essays which form the bulk of responses to the Annual Prompt “Ways of Partial Knowing,” and the ideas, debates, and dramas that the authors move through. A fuller representation of the research conversation will be published in the HOLO Annual. Peli: There is a famous debate between Noam Chomsky and Peter Norvig, an AI guy from the generation between old fashioned AI and deep learning. The debate was about computational linguistics and sophistic linguistics. In an article from the early 2000s on the traits of Chomskyian linguistics, Peter Norvig quotes Chomsky in a derogatory way. He says something like, “Because Chomsky wants some kind of deep, profound understanding that goes beyond what statistics can provide for us, that’s because he’s some kind of mystic.” You can find many papers, especially from two years ago, saying that deep learning isn’t science; it’s alchemy. The actual scientists tell each other all kinds of stories about, for example, why this method called layer normalization drastically improves results; there are a bunch of different theories about it. They’re either all kind of anecdotally phrased and not mathematically rigorous, or nobody really knows how they work, but there are all these different stories about how they do. One might describe this moment as a pre-scientific, proto-scientific, alchemical stage where we may have not particularly scientifically rigorous explanations, but instead, have complicated, intuitive stories about how the science works. Nora: I love that. Describing the alchemic stage. I think these essays really capture those intuitive stories we use to understand or make sense of new technologies, or, methods and strategies humans create to approach the unknown. So far, the authors in this section get at partial ways of knowing very obliquely. They also talk about technology obliquely. At a slant and from the side. I love that for a magazine that is about science, art, technology, in explicit terms. I’m appreciative of how each lets the readers do a lot of the connective work, in the spaces between claims and ideas from each author. One author writes about dark speech on the rise, and delineates the different ways mystics and alchemists work with the limitations of language. The reader might ask, are alchemists on the rise in technological spaces? Is the difference between the mystic and alchemist, in relation to power and language, something that we can see in the present moment? I’m really intrigued by this other piece on mapping GANs on top of tarot, and the idea of using one system to discern patterns in another predictive system. Could we go even deeper and ask, what do we learn about the way that tarot predicts or helps us figure out a place in the world? How does seeing a GAN’s interpretations of tarot images help us rethink and renew our understanding of what tarot does? Peli: I think you’re super, super onto something here. And in fact, generative adversarial networks themselves are not predictive systems. They’re compression systems. Peli:Once you debunk the notion that tarot is “predicting the future,” well, what is it supposed to be? The cards represent different aspects of the human experience. The cards are models of a system, in which human experience is a system of 21 types of events, or 21 types of phenomena. Bring in the GAN, ask it, “Now, model this huge potential event database, resulting from the interaction between …” Actually, how big is the latent space of these GANs nowadays? I think the latent space uses something like 1,000 units. Both of them are archetype systems, because they’re summarizing a certain universal phenomena into archetypes. Nora: So you have compression on top of compression. I think to your point, even though tarot doesn’t predict the future, what’s interesting is why we talk about them as though they do, even if we know that it’s pattern recognition and compression. Peli: Yeah. I mean, I think we probably don’t have to be super literal about prediction as being prediction, about the future. I mean, we are actually talking about knowledge systems, right? I feel like prediction here is a bit of a synecdoche for knowledge and inferential systems in general. Nora: Right, the notion that, based on a certain arrangement of cards on a certain day, there’s something about your character, described at that moment, on that day, before those cards, that is going to suggest what you’re going to be like next week, or a couple months or a year from now. You at least get a bit of steadiness about how to prepare: Here’s what you can expect.” I don’t know if that’s precisely prediction, in the way this essay partly about predictive and carceral policing is talking about, the carceral prediction our societies are embracing, or prediction within a carceral state. But instead, prediction here means a general, hazy, semi-confident narrative about what might happen, in the same way that you glean in an astrological reading. Peli: Yeah. So, in machine learning: usually, when you turn a predictor, especially in modern machine learning, the predictor does implicit representation learning. GANs are just pure representation learning systems. You can then actually hook them up to a predictor, but usually hooking up predictors to representation learning systems of a different kind than GANs is more effective, for reasons we don’t fully understand. Many people think that this is also a temporary thing, and one day, these kinds of generated models would be like representation learners for the purposes of then hooking up a predictor. But I think we don’t have to get super, super mired in stuff like defining things as being like prediction, or like other kinds of modeling. Nora: Agreed! I think this way, prediction becomes a portal in this section, to think about all the hazy ways we have tried to predict, augur, and try to discern what’s coming—and to what end, and what we do with that belief. We’ve stated it here before but it bears repeating: the most exciting part of reimagining HOLO 3 as the first of many HOLO Annuals was making room for other people’s ideas. It sounds cliché, but working closely with and handing control over to guest editor Nora N. Khan and her research partner Peli Grietzer helps us see this magazine and what it can be with fresh eyes. The same is true, of course, for the many new contributors, all interdisciplinary luminaries in their own right. Quite frankly, HOLO 3—the Annual—is a magazine that we, previously, couldn’t make. And that’s amazing! But there’s also continuity. With so many new hands shaping the new edition, it felt right to bring back a few former collaborators without whom HOLO wouldn’t be the publication it is today. There’s trusted Andrew Wilmot, for example, a Canadian artist and author who expertly copyedited and proofread HOLO 1 and 2. We’re also thrilled to be working with the same Berlin-based art book printer, now called Druckhaus Sportflieger, that produced the previous editions. And where would we be without our distributor of many years: OML, part of the indie publishing hub Heftwerk, is gearing up to ship HOLO 3. Yet, few collaborators have been more instrumental to HOLO’s distinction than Jan Spading and Oliver Griep of the Hamburg-based design studio zmyk. Over the years, they’ve laid out and obsessed over literally hundreds of HOLO pages and it is thanks to them, their experience, instincts, and diligence, that issue 1 and 2 made such a mark. So when HOLO 3—the Annual—came into vision, we had to invite them back. Over the past several months, the two accomplished art directors have been busy developing a new design language that speaks to and advances the Annual’s vision. With the print date nearing, we asked Jan and Oliver to share some insight into the design logic and development process (without giving too much away). Regularly listed among Germany’s top design studios, the team of Jan Spading and Oliver Griep otherwise known as zmyk specializes in crafting cutting-edge books and magazines. Over the years, the two award-winning art directors have shaped signature publications such as DUMMY, fluter, and Frankfurter Rundschau and authored printed matter for clients such as Ostkreuz, brand eins Verlag, and Universal Music. Trivia: zmyk was founded in 2013, making HOLO one of the studio’s first imprints. (photo: Heinrich Holtgreve) “That we ‘don’t exist outside of language’ seems a pretty core tenet of contemporary thought, and it is a seductive and powerful one to work from.” Over the last two ‘Prompt’ entries (see here and here), we’ve introduced you to eight core contributors to this year’s HOLO Annual. Their precise insights and interpretations of each prompt dominated our summer, shaping the issue into a more layered and wild assemblage than we anticipated. With Research Partner Peli Grietzer, we’ve discussed creating a balance in tone and voice and style, a mix of poetic and didactic, hardline critiques and ekphrastic, joyous accounts. These are, after all, contributors we have met through their work first, whose inquiries shaped our own; they have each evolved many different and competing critical positions. In commissioning for this Annual, I wanted to avoid having the final collective make any one strident position, or one set of insistent claims for. The essays, artworks, app- prototypes, maps of spaces outside maps, and alien languages you will encounter all take up disparate rhetorical, expressive strategies. Taken together, the contributions flow from dreamspeak to radical cartography strategies, from straightforward polemics to critical memoir. It’s felt a bit like bringing friends from all your different parts of your life—internet, distant internet, gym, therapy, school, theory and writing, nightlife—to then see how they interact at a big strange party. This Annual is that free-for-all, each jostling up against each other from sometimes overlapping and sometimes competing positions. In developing the third prompt—Mapping and Drawing Outside Language—I found I most needed to rescind the position I’m entrenched in as a critic—that of the capacity for language as the primary medium through which we understand the world. Writing and editing is where I spend much of my time, thinking on whether things can be described well or not, and how language shapes the world. That we “don’t exist outside of language” seems a pretty core tenet of contemporary thought, and it is a seductive and powerful one to work from. Of course, this foundational notion—that language forms the substrate of thinking and generates the world alone—is easily complicated, and it needs to be. Many thinkers have argued that the dismissal of silence, or prayer, or any experiences before or beyond written and spoken language as ‘not real’ is a violent and statist form of thinking. Moreover, our lives are already largely determined by languages that activate beyond a common spoken language. Algorithmic language is largely unreadable for most people, unseen, and unspoken except by a select few; one could argue this is a space outside a commonly shared, legible written language. As Jackie and Mimi note in their pieces for the Annual, we live out the dictates of bureaucratic and computational decrees we can’t discern or necessarily read; in this sense, these are spaces outside of shared language. This past summer, I watched Ciro Guerra’s Embrace of the Serpent with friends in San Miguel de Allende. I wept, in no small part because of the brutal depiction of the reality of the rubber holocaust in the Colombian Amazon, but also because of the film’s peripheral hints at the scale of loss of knowledge, lost because it was unreadable, or not in the language of the colonizer. The scale is shattering to try to wrap one’s mind around. The German and American ethnologist and ethnobotanist depicted in the film journey in pursuit of a hallucinogenic yakruna plant. Along the way, they gather Ocaina symbols, depict and mark down ‘the sense’ of rituals. Any Ocaina knowledge that can‘t be ‘put in the box’ or marked in the book in language, is not. What goes in the travel journals and what is left out, never written down? In 2017, there were an estimated 40 people left who could speak Ocaina, one of many endangered Amazon Indigenous languages. In Eduardo Kohn’s How Forests Think: Towards an Anthropology Beyond the Human (in which Kohn investigates how “a forest is alive and thinking, as is a dog, a jaguar, a peccary, and a plant,”) we find a central anecdote about jaguars early on. Kohn’s research was in Peru, where he is asked by the Runa (a Quechua speaker’s term for him or herself, referring to “people,”) to sleep with his face up so jaguars passing could recognize him, look at him looking back, and not attack. This is taken up as a moment of clear nonhuman communication, pre-linguistic or beyond language: “Settling down to sleep under our hunting camp’s thatch lean-to in the foothills of Sumaco Volcano, Juanicu warned me, ‘Sleep faceup! If a jaguar comes he’ll see you can look back at him and he won’t bother you. If you sleep facedown he’ll think you’re aicha [prey; lit., ‘meat’ in Quichua] and he’ll attack.’ If, Juanicu was saying, a jaguar sees you as a being capable of looking back—a self like himself, a you—he’ll leave you alone. But if he should come to see you as prey—an it—you may well become dead meat.” This is a complex anecdote. When the Runa asked Kohn to sleep face up, the notion implied is that the jaguars needed to see people, but as what? As other conscious beings? As beings worthy of living? Or beings that aren’t worth the risk of being attacked? We place our linguistic and value frameworks on the jaguar. Further, Kohn needed to go to sleep trusting this knowledge, that the jaguar sees the sign of human eyes looking back and then has a way of understanding, or— intuiting?—or perceiving, the sign of his open eyes. I wish to better understand, here, how the jaguar really understands, perceives and sees a world of implied signs, and how nonhuman life forms process signs. In other words, I want words for what there are not yet, quite, words for. The third prompt of the HOLO Annual is “Mapping and Drawing Outside Language,” and gathered in response are Francis Tseng, Nick Larson, and K Allado-McDowell. In a conversation with research partner Peli Grietzer, we hoped for invited contributors to respond to a prompt around mapping and ways of understanding that are not necessarily based in language. In shaping this prompt, Peli had introduced us to a piece of writing by Alex Graves of DeepMind, titled “Magic Numbers.” In it, Graves asks, how might we locate “the locus of creative magic within the billions of numbers processed by artificial neural networks?” How can “simple mathematics … cast the same spells as the grey stuff in our skulls?” What forms of mapping and drawing outside language do you deploy? They go on to write: • If we want to understand how the magic of intelligence can be encoded in numbers, we should give up asking where. To attempt to locate consciousness in a network of interlinked signals, whether simulated or real, is to fall into the homunculus fallacy, the search for a mind within a mind. Instead we should embrace the quality of quantity, the necessity for life of patterns too intricate to put into words, and patterns of patterns, and so on up. The reductive drift of Western thought has tended to leave the celebration of complexity to artists and poets: Hopkins’ “pied beauty” or Whitman’s “I contain multitudes.” While we were initially thinking of computational drawing and mapping practices that capture the complexity of the mind, Tseng, McDowell, and Larson all came to mind. They’ve worked through this notion through their respective practices, based in social justice and equity-driven modeling, AI aesthetics and research, and subtle investigations of the relationship between interfaces, image compression and degradation, and ideology, respectively. Get to know this heady group more formally below: Francis Tseng is a software engineer and lead independent researcher at the Jain Family Institute, where he presently works on topics such as Brazilian municipal social wealth modeling and Half-Earth game design. His seasonal interests include agriculture/food, repair, thermal comfort, and simulation. In the past he was a co-publisher of The New Inquiry, where he contributed to projects such as White Collar Crime Risk Zones and Bail Bloc. He’s usually happy to help with projects that lay the ground for a better world (whatever that means), so don’t hesitate to reach out. Nick Larson is an artist and designer currently based in Providence, Rhode Island. His work investigates moments of noise, static, and ambiguity in the world around him. His practice involves image processing, compression, degradation, and multimedia composition. For inspiration, he loiters in ambiguous moments in search of hyperbole and melodrama. He is currently researching the aesthetics of online misinformation, conspiracy, and extremist ideologies. K Allado-McDowell is a writer, speaker, and musician. They are the author, with GPT-3, of the book Pharmako-AI, and are co-editor, with Ben Vickers, of The Atlas of Anomalous AI. They record and release music under the name Qenric. Allado-McDowell established the Artists and Machine Intelligence program at Google AI. They are a conference speaker, educator and consultant to think-tanks and institutions seeking to align their work with deeper traditions of human understanding. In our next post, we’ll introduce the final prompt, around Explainability, which in many ways was the start and remains the core of the HOLO Annual. Stay tuned! The HOLO Annual has emerged, in part, through conversation between Nora Khan and Peli Grietzer, the Annual’s Research Partner. They discussed Nora’s first drafts of the “unframe” for the Annual (in resisting a frame, one still creates a frame) around prompts of Explainability, Myths of Prediction, Mapping Outside Language, and Ways of Partial Knowing, over months. Once drafts started rolling in, they discussed the ideas of contributors, the different angles each was taking to unpack the prompts, and the directions for suggested edits. They came together about four times to work on unknotting research and editorial knots. A deeper research conversation thread weaves in and out, in which Peli and Nora deconstruct the recent and influential Atlas of AI, by Kate Crawford. In this final excerpt, right before Nora and Peli and contributor Sera Schwarz met up in Berlin after almost year of Annual-related discussions, they talk about ideas in contributors’ essays made in response to the prompts Mapping Outside Language and Explainability, again. Themes included: Alvin Lucier’s I Am Sitting in a Room, artistic use of language that is “in between” meditative practice and that of scientific experimentation, and finding one’s space in between fields, and outside of the explainable, and the mapped. A fuller representation of Khan and Grietzer’s exchange will be published in the HOLO Annual. Nora: There’s much more self-reflection and embrace of doubt in this issue than I’m used to seeing in the art, science, and technology discourse space. Meaning, the contributors gathered all take a lot of breaks to reflect on their position, and on what systems they are unwillingly contributing to, regardless of their criticality. Peli: Oh, interesting. I can sort of see it. One piece was weirdly almost Heideggerian in its ideology—or left Heideggerian. But again, it was interesting to see a piece from someone who is a practicing technologist. Nora: I think the prompt is coaxing a lot of things out from people. Especially practitioners. Peli: There’s a certain kind of heavy technology problem and heavy technology solution, and the idea of trying to step outside it. I like that they thought in terms of being very plainspoken, based on their experiences of live, practical technologies. There’s an aspect of a practitioner’s diary or practitioner’s reflection. It’s one of the interesting things in the issue. A bunch of the pieces are by practitioners in technology or art, reflecting on their relationship to these systems and their broader concerns. When a theorist or an academic says these things … well, it can feel much more interesting when you know that the insights arise out of someone’s day to day engagement when acting in a certain field. Nora: Workers on the inside having a moment of rest outside of the monolith. The pieces are granting you a way in. There’s a lot of, “And what is this all for?” Or, “Am I the bad guy?” There’s a lot of hilarious moments. I don’t know if the prompt elicited that, or if it’s just the time we’re in, but people are asking, across the board, “Maybe I’m the bad guy.” Maybe we all are. No matter how critical or incisive, or ruthlessly interrogative of the spaces they are in, it’s an important question to ask. Especially in many tech- spaces where being good, or making progress, is so built into the ethos and language. To take up a position outside the paradigms of explanation (of their work, to themselves), and outside known language, to assess their work and re-evaluate the stakes. But it’s also important not to romanticize a space outside and ’before’ technology, too. Peli: That’s a point I’d impress on. Sometimes one might romanticize how agriculture is so integral to life, so it’s somehow especially bad that machines run agriculture. One would maybe want to press on the romanticism of that. Nora: The idea of old and ancient knowledge that’s being tapped into. I guess one sees this a lot in memoirs of leaving technology. Being so overwhelmed by the horror of it all that they head to the woods. Peli: There’s something a bit sort of hermetic in it. Is this just an aesthetic preference? Is it a poetic preference? Is this a moral edict, or is there sort of a practical and pragmatic dimension to it? It always makes a bit more sense to me when people romanticize hunter gatherer life than when people romanticize agriculture. I feel like we have so much immediate evidence that people absolutely fucking hated it, from the minute it began existing. You know, the Jewish Bible and Christian testament. The great punishment for getting out of the Garden of Eden is, oh, you will have to till the land in order to eat. That’s the punishment. Humans hated agriculture quite intensely in real time. Nora: So to romanticize that is quite funny. I think there is a kind of softness in this aesthetic in the more, ah, rhizomatically-oriented art-technology spaces, if we can call them that, that often revolves around The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction. The longing for mending of clothes, sharpening of knives, tending to compost, fixing things with one’s hand. With the crucial context of being in a major metropolis, connected to the internet. To move from one high technology system to a ‘lower’ or earlier technology system—well what are the advantages of moving and what are the costs one can’t predict or even see from our position? What would only be visible once outside? As we ask ourselves, potentially, “How have I aligned my life with the more reactionary elements of using these technologies, while critiquing their driving forces,” we might also ask, what would we do on the outside of them? Outside their language and beyond their gates?

Alliance Party of Northern Ireland |Alliance Party of Northern Ireland| |Leader||David Ford MLA| |Deputy Leader||Naomi Long MP| |Founded||21 April 1970| |Headquarters||88 University Street |Youth wing||Alliance Youth| |International affiliation||Liberal International| |Colours||Yellow, Blue, Black| |Overall seats in the House of Commons| |House of Lords| |Northern Irish seats in the House of Commons| |Northern Ireland Assembly| |Local government in Northern Ireland| |Politics of Northern Ireland The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons. Founded in 1970 from the New Ulster Movement, the Alliance Party originally represented moderate and non-sectarian Unionism. However, over time, particularly in the 1990s, it moved towards neutrality on the Union, and has come to represent wider liberal and non-sectarian concerns. It opposes consociational power sharing as deepening the sectarian divide, and, in the Northern Ireland Assembly, it is designated as neither unionist nor nationalist, but 'Other'. In May 2010 the Alliance Party won their first Westminster seat in a General Election, in Belfast East, unseating Peter Robinson, leader of the DUP and First Minister of Northern Ireland. Naomi Long, the successful candidate, is the first MP from the Alliance Party since Stratton Mills who had joined the party from the Ulster Unionist Party in 1973. - 1 Aims and objectives - 2 Philosophy - 3 History - 4 Regionalisation of Alliance's vote - 5 Leaders of Alliance - 6 Deputy Leaders - 7 MPs - 8 MLAs - 9 Alliance Youth - 10 See also - 11 References - 12 External links Aims and objectives Paragraph 1.3 of Alliance's constitutions states that 'the objectives of the Party shall be to heal the bitter divisions in our community and to promote the policies of the party as determined by the [ruling] Council'. Over the past 40 years and particularly since the mid-1990s, Alliance's political philosophy has veered away from non-sectarian Unionism towards a more liberal, neutral position on the question of either an united Ireland or continued Union with Great Britain. While the Good Friday Agreement has attempted to implement consociational power sharing, Alliance continues to argue that such enforced coalition government in Northern Ireland entrenches division rather than providing a basis for overcoming it. The Alliance Party was founded on the back of efforts by the New Ulster Movement (NUM), which was established as a moderating influence upon the Unionist Party. After Nationalist politicians withdrew their role as official Opposition at Stormont, and the resignation of Unionist leader Terence O'Neill in 1969, the NUM split between those who wished to remain a pressure group for the Unionist Party and those who saw reform only through the establishment of a new political party. The latter broke off and formed the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, on 21 April 1970. As Alliance viewed the situation, the major problem of Northern Ireland was the division between Protestant and Catholic. The turmoil had its origins in that division and not in the partition of Ireland. "Partition was the result of the divisions and not the cause of them." (John Cushnahan, 1979) The party's founding members resolved to change the "traditional mould" of sectarian politics in Northern Ireland, by launching a party deliberately set out to win support from both sections of the community. The party's founding principles were an attempt to address the "fundamental fears" of Protestants being coerced into a united Ireland, and of Catholics being condemned to a second-class citizenship within Northern Ireland. The distinguishing feature of Alliance is its belief in the legitimacy of a distinctive Northern Ireland community, one that has more in common than what divides it, with most inhabitants speaking a common language, sharing some form of Christianity, and not separated by distinguishable racial or physical characteristics. "Its people are one community living in what has been called a place apart, but sharing a great deal with the rest of this island, the rest of these islands, and the rest of the developed world." (Alliance 1992) Alliance does not view unionism and nationalism as distinct communities, but as "political positions." Furthermore, Alliance sees identity as an individual matter, originating in historical contexts, producing unionist and nationalist traditions. Alliance is at times seen as representing a "third tradition". "In the context of Northern Ireland it includes those who, whether in politics, culture, religion, or in private life have refused to be categorised as Orange or Green." (Alliance 1992) As Alliance have moved to an ideologically liberal perspective, and Northern Ireland society has become more diverse, support for diversity has become a key Alliance platform, with Anna Lo MLA elected as the first ethnically Chinese parliamentarian in Western Europe and the party promoting a number of openly gay spokespeople. It was formed in April 1970 as an alternative to the established parties. In the context of a rapidly worsening political crisis, the party aimed not only to present an alternative to what they perceived as sectarian parties, but to make sure that the primary policy of the party was in contrast to the Northern Ireland Labour Party and Ulster Liberal Party. Alliance expressly aimed, at first, to act as a bridge between the Protestant and Catholic sections of the community, with a secondary goal of attracting support from Northern Ireland's Jewish community and its small but steadily growing Asian (Chinese, Indian, Pakistani) population, the vast majority of whom are neither Catholic nor Protestant. The Party's founding principles were expressly in favour of Northern Ireland remaining part of the United Kingdom, although in contrast to the Unionist parties, this was expressed in socio-economic rather than ethnic terms. It also placed great emphasis on the consent principle and therefore only supported the Northern Ireland's position within the UK as long as the people of NI wished it. The party was boosted in 1972 when three Members of the Parliament of Northern Ireland joined the party (one from the Nationalist Party, one from the Ulster Unionist Party and one Independent). Stratton Mills, an Ulster Unionist/Conservative member of the Westminster Parliament for North Belfast also joined, providing Alliance with its only House of Commons representation prior to the 2010 General Election. Its first electoral challenge was the District Council elections of May 1973 when they managed to win a respectable 13.6% of the votes cast. In the elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly which followed the next month the party polled 9.2% and won eight seats. The then party leader, Oliver Napier and his deputy Bob Cooper became part of the short-lived power sharing executive body. Alliance's vote peaked in the 1977 District Council elections when it obtained 14.4% of the vote and had 74 Councillors elected. In 1979, Party Leader Oliver Napier came closer than Alliance had come before to electing a Westminster MP, polling just 928 votes short of Peter Robinson's winning total in East Belfast, albeit placing third in a three-way marginal. It was in 2010 that they eventually took their first seat, by Naomi Long, this time unseating Peter Robinson in East Belfast Stabilisation and decline Alliance was seriously damaged by the Provisional Irish Republican Army Hunger Strike of 1981, which deeply polarised Northern Ireland politics, and led to the emergence of Sinn Féin as a serious political force. The Party supported the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement, and despite claims that this would fatally damage its soft Unionist support, Alliance rebounded to pick up 10.0% of the vote in the 1987 United Kingdom General Election, with some voters rejecting the tacit mainstream Unionist support for violence in the aftermath of the Agreement. New leader, John Alderdice, polled 32.0% of the vote in East Belfast, while Alliance came within 15,000 votes of both the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin across Northern Ireland. In 1988, in Alliance's keynote post-Anglo Irish Agreement document, "Governing with Consent", Alderdice called for a devolved power-sharing government. Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, Alliance's vote stabilised at between 7% and 10%. After the IRA and loyalist ceasefires in 1994, Alliance became the first non-Nationalist party to enter into talks with Sinn Féin, as an active participant in the talks which led to the Good Friday Agreement, which it strongly supported. The Alliance Party polled poorly for the 1996 elections for the Northern Ireland Forum, and the 1998 election for the Northern Ireland Assembly winning around 6.5% of the vote each time. This did enable the party to win six seats in the Assembly, although this was somewhat of a let down given that the party had been expected to do much better with their surprise defeat in Belfast South being particularly disappointing for supporters. The Good Friday Agreement era John Alderdice resigned as party leader in 1998 to take up the post of the Assembly's Presiding Officer. He was replaced by Seán Neeson, who himself resigned as party leader in September 2001. Neeson was replaced by current party leader David Ford, a member of the assembly for South Antrim. It was predicted that Alliance would suffer electorally as a new centrist challenger established itself in Northern Irish politics, the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition, whilst the main Unionist and Nationalist parties both moderated their position on cross-community co-operation. Another problem for the APNI was that the rules of the Northern Ireland Assembly require major votes (such as the election of a First Minister) to have the support of both a majority of Unionist assembly members and a majority of Nationalist assembly members, thus diminishing the importance of parties such as Alliance which are not aligned to either of these two blocs. Nevertheless, in the 2003 Assembly elections, Alliance held all their seats, while the Women's Coalition lost both of theirs. However Alliance's vote fell to just 3.7%. In the European Parliament Elections in 2004, Alliance gave strong support to Independent candidate John Gilliland who polled 6.6% of the vote, the highest for a non-communal candidate in a European election since 1979. In the early years of the Northern Ireland peace process, the centre ground was relentlessly squeezed in Northern Ireland politics. The support for Gilliland's candidature, which was also supported by parties such as the Workers' Party and Northern Ireland Conservatives, reflected a desire to reunite the fragmented and weakened non-communal bloc in Northern Ireland politics. In the 5 May 2005 United Kingdom general election, they contested 12 seats and polled 3.9% of the vote. In the simultaneous elections to Northern Ireland's local authorities, they polled 5.0% of first preference votes and had 30 Councillors elected, a gain of two seats relative to the previous elections. In the 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly elections, Alliance put in a strong media campaign and polled 5.2%, up from 3.6% in the previous election with Alliance gaining a seat in Belfast South following the successful candidature of Anna Lo, the first ethnic Chinese public representative in a national assembly anywhere in Western Europe. In an election cycle where many pundits had predicted that the Alliance Party would struggle to hold on to the 6 seats it won in the 2003 election, the Party pulled off a credible performance which included Deputy Leader Naomi Long doubling her share of the vote in Belfast East. In 2008, during the deadlock between Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party over the devolution of policing, the two parties came to an agreement that the Minister of Justice would not come from either party. The Alliance party was the obvious choice but party leader David Ford said "it's a very definite and a very emphatic no." Ford further stated, "this executive is incompetent, it's time they got on with doing the job that they were set up to do." Following further negotiations, Ford assumed office on 12 April 2010. In the 2010 general election, the party won its first seat in Westminster, with Naomi Long taking the seat of sitting First Minister Peter Robinson. The 2011 Northern Ireland Assembly Election resulted in 8 Assembly members being returned with a gain in Belfast East. It overtook the Ulster Unionist Party on Belfast City Council. In a poll conducted in November 2012, Alliance (on 11.6%) overtook the UUP (11.4%) for the first time. Regionalisation of Alliance's vote One trend over time with Alliance's vote is that in contrast to 1973, when Alliance support was dispersed across Northern Ireland, APNI have increasingly polled best in the Greater Belfast hinterland. For example the 1977 elections, while representing an overall increase for Alliance, masked a sharp decline in vote share in many Western councils. In the 12 councils covering the former counties of Londonderry, Tyrone, Armagh and Fermanagh their vote only rose in Omagh, it remained static in Magherafelt and fell in the other ten councils (these being Fermanagh, Dungannon, Cookstown, Strabane, Londonderry, Limavady, Coleraine, Newry & Mourne, Armagh and Craigavon.) Overall in these 12 councils the number of Alliance councillors fell from 18 in 1973 to ten in 1977. In contrast, in the rest of the province Alliance increased their number of councillors from 45 to 60. The party won eight council seats across Belfast in 1985. Although that has now recovered to six (from three in 2001), the six are entirely from South and East Belfast. Both seats in the Falls Road area of West Belfast were lost after the death and resignation of their councillors there in 1987 while their seat in North Belfast was lost in 1993 regained four years later and lost again, seemingly for good, in 2001. In the neighbouring areas of Dunmurry Cross (Twinbrook/Dunmurry) and Macedon (Rathcoole) Alliance lost their councillors in 1989 and 1994 respectively; on the other hand, the party won three out of seven seats in Victoria in 2011, the first time since 1977 that the party had won three Council seats in the same Electoral Area. By 2005, the party had Councillors in only half of Northern Ireland's 18 constituencies. However, this rose to 13 in 2011 after gains in Coleraine, Craigavon, Down and elsewhere. Having had around 30 Councillors for a decade, the party won 44 seats in 2011. In the 2010 Elections, the Alliance gained the Westminster seat of Belfast East, and gained a 22.6% swing there; in 2011 it re-emphasised that result winning two out of the six MLA seats available. |Dungannon and South Tyrone||5.9||2.9||1.1||0.9| |Newry and Mourne||13.5||8.3||3.6||1.0||2.0| |NORTHERN IRELAND TOTALS||13.7||14.4||8.9||7.0||6.9||7.6||6.6||5.1||5.0||7.4| Leaders of Alliance |1||Oliver Napier & Bob Cooper||1970||1972| - Stratton Mills — Belfast North, 1973–74 (defected from Ulster Unionists) - Naomi Long — Belfast East, 2010– Elected in the Northern Ireland Assembly Election, 2011: - Chris Lyttle – East Belfast - Judith Cochrane- East Belfast - David Ford – South Antrim - Anna Lo – Belfast South - Trevor Lunn – Lagan Valley - Stephen Farry – North Down - Kieran McCarthy – Strangford - Stewart Dickson – East Antrim The youth wing of the Alliance Party is Alliance Youth. Alliance Youth is an umbrella organisation, incorporating Young Alliance and Liberal/Alliance Societies at Northern Ireland universities. Liberal Youth Northern Ireland does not organize in any of Northern Ireland's Universities, encouraging members to become active within Alliance Youth societies. The current Chair of Alliance Youth is Jamie Doyle. - Contributions to liberal theory - Demographics and politics of Northern Ireland - Liberalism in the United Kingdom - Secularism in the United Kingdom - "Liberal International: Full Members". Liberal International. Retrieved 3 June 2014. - "The 1998 Election: Predictions". - "Slugger O'Toole". - "BBC News". - "SF and DUP closer to justice deal". BBC News. 4 August 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2010. - Alliance noses ahead of a flagging UUP while the big two consolidate, by Liam Clarke, Belfast Telegraph, 1 December 2012 - Alliance won three seats in Belfast Area C and Castlereagh Area B in 1977. |Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alliance Party of Northern Ireland.|

What will I experience? A tour that will take you back in time. The Ancient City: You will see what some archaeologists believe are the foundations of King David’s Palace, relive Biblical stories in the places that they happened, see Jewish homes that were destroyed by the Babylonians, walk through a dry Canaanite tunnel, see where scribal seals bearing Biblical names were found, visit an enormous ritual bath that was used by thousands of Jewish pilgrims 2,000 years ago, and much more. Most groups will also be able to watch a 15-minute 3-dimensional movie that shows the ancient history of the City of David. From May 1 to September 30, we might also walk through Hezekiah’s Water Tunnel, built more than 2,500 years ago! How early should I have my coffee? Rise n’ shine for the incredible day ahead. Meet just outside the Dung Gate at 8:30 am. Anything else I need to know? A few important things to remember for your tour. - The water in the tunnel can reach from the calves to thighs of adults. Small children may need to be carried, and the ceiling is about 5-feet high in some places. - Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes that are suitable for walking on rocky areas. - If you plan to walk in the water tunnel, wear water shoes and clothes that can get wet. Bring a change of clothes and shoes if desired. - Bring a small bottle of water in the winter, 1-2 liters per person in warm months. - Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen if needed in warm months. - The site has many steps that must be ascended and descended. Also see tour packages in: Middle East Israel History Whiz Archeology/History Cultural Journey

Please keep 'em clean. The story is told of the Atheist who accosted a preacher. "Do you believe in eternal life?" The preacher has no time to reply. "Well its a load of rubbish!" shouted the Atheist. "I believe in science, evolution, survival of the fittest, and when we die, that's it! No eternal life, no great judgement, and no God!" The Atheist continues his assault against the preacher repetitiously and tirelessly. "Eternal life! Eternal life! Ha! "Its all pie in the sky when you die." When I die that's it, the end, no eternal life, no nothing. He continues, until he reaches his climax, "I will be buried six feet under when I die and that's it! Nothing! Caput! When I die I am utterly convinced that that will be the end of me!" "Well thank God for that" replies the preacher! A Jewish Rabbi, Catholic Priest and a Baptist Minister were walking along and found a huge bag of money...The Holy Men discuss what to do with the money...The Catholic Priest said...Lets draw a circle...toss the money into the air and whatever lands in the circle we give to God..and what lands outside of the circle we will split...The Baptist Minister said...let's give God what lands outside of the circle and we split what lands in...The Rabbi said...Lets toss the money into the air and whatever God wants he can keep... At Sunday School they were learning how God created everything, including human beings. Johnny was especially intent when the teacher told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam's ribs. Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and said, "Johnny, what is the matter?" Johnny responded, "I have pain in my side. I think I'm going to have a wife." I love this one. OK religious jokes thread; what could go wrong! This actually happened at the UN at a conference on who had the rights to occupy Israel/Palestine: A representative from Israel began: ‘Before beginning my talk I want to tell you something about Moses: When he struck the rock and it brought forth water, he thought, ‘What a good opportunity to have a bath!’ Moses removed his clothes, put them aside on the rock and entered the water. When he got out and wanted to dress, his clothes had vanished. A Palestinian had stolen them! The Palestinian representative jumped up furiously and shouted, ‘What are you talking about? The Palestinians weren’t there then.’ The Israeli representative smiled and said, ‘And now that we have made that clear, I will begin my speech…’. I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said, "Stop! Don't do it!" "Why shouldn't I?" he said. I said, "Well, there's so much to live for!" He said, "Like what?" I said, "Well, are you religious or atheist?" He said, "Religious." I said, "Me too! Are your Christian or Buddhist?" He said, "Christian." I said, "Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?" He said, "Protestant." I said, Me too! Are your Episcopalian or Baptist? He said, "Baptist!" I said, "Wow! Me too! Are your Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord? He said, Baptist Church of God!" I said, "Me too! Are your Original Baptist Church of God or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?" He said, "Reformed Baptist Church of God!" I said, "Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1915?" He said, "Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1915!" I said, "Die, heretic scum!" and pushed him off. Never heard of emo philips. Is that the author of the joke? I just found it on the net. Poor little Herbie. Since his birth, poor blind Herbie had never seen the light of day. One day at bedtime, his mother told him that the next day would be a very special one. If he prayed extra hard to Jesus, he'd be able to see when he woke up the next morning. Eagerly, Herbie crouched down on his knees beside his bed and put his hands together. For hours, he prayed and prayed to Jesus. The next morning Herbie's mother came into his room and gently woke him from his sleep. "Well Herbie, open your eyes and you'll know that Jesus answered your prayers." Little Herbie slowly opened his eyes, only to cry out, "Mother! Mother! I STILL CAN'T SEE!" "I know, dear," said his mother. "APRIL FOOL!" It was Palm Sunday but because of a sore throat, 5-year-old Johnny stayed home from church with a sitter. When the family returned home, they were carrying several palm fronds. Johnny asked them what they were for. "People held them over Jesus' head as he walked by," his father told him. "Wouldn't you know it," Johnny fumed, "the one Sunday I don't go and he shows up." God I've got some really bad ones. How offensive can you get on these forums? Sorry guys, but offensive all the religious jokes I know are offensive... I don't want to upset anyone though. Two rabbis argued late into the night about the existence of God, and, using strong arguments from the scriptures, ended up indisputably disproving his existence. The next day, one rabbi was surprised to see the other walking into synagogue for morning services. "I thought we had agreed there was no God," he said. "Yes, what does that have to do with it?" replied the other. An inexperienced preacher was to hold a graveside burial service at a pauper's cemetery for an indigent man with no family or friends. Not knowing where the cemetery was, he made several wrong turns and got lost. When he eventually arrived an hour late, the hearse was nowhere in sight, the backhoe was next to the open hole, and the workmen were sitting under a tree eating lunch. The diligent young pastor went to the open grave and found the vault lid already in place. Feeling guilty because of his tardiness, he preached an impassioned and lengthy service, sending the deceased to the great beyond in style. As he returned to his car, he overheard one of the workman say to the other, "I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years and I ain't never seen anything like that." You have a great sense of humor Sir Dent. That was very funny! A little boy asked his dad, "what's God's name?" "I don't know, son." He replied. A few days later, the little boy runs into the house an says to dad "hey dad, I found out what God's name is!" all excited. "What is it, son? He asked. "Harold?" the father asks, all perplexed. "Where did you hear that?" "Well, we said the Lord's prayer in scripture class today". "Our Father, who art in Heaven, Harold be thy Name!" A young boy asks his father, "Dad, is god black or white?" "He is neither, my boy", replied the man. The boy asked again, "Dad, is god a man or a woman?" "He is neither, my boy", replied the man. The boy exclaimed, "So Michael Jackson is god?!" Little girl takes her teddy bear to school. The teacher says, 'That's a fine bear, what's his name?' 'He's called Gladly', says the girl. 'Nice name. Why did you call him Gladly?' asks the teacher. 'Because his eyes are crossed, of course!' (Gladly my cross I'd bear) that is funny, almost local humor to me. Supposedly Scottish, but pretty universal, I think. Speaking of Scottish, this is told of two old ministers of the strict Calvinist Free Presbyterian church (the Wee Free) 'Will ye have a cup of tea, Andra?' 'I'll no' be needing tea, Hector'. 'But ye'll no' mind if I have a cup myself?' 'Och well, I'll just take a cup with ye'. 'Ye'll no' make yourself a liar in my house!' Very funny, and one I have not heard before. How is Scotland at this time? I read the press, but having said that, the press is what it is. I saw a doco on the Scottish Isles and the myth of "Excalibur" on TV the other day. A stunning panorama of lands that still look mythical and unspoiled. A young zebra grows up with a confused identity. He doesn't know whether he's a black zebra with white stripes, or a black zebra with white stripes. He spends his entire life trying to find the answer. The only wisdom he received was, well my son, you'll have to wait till you die, and then you will hve to ask the Creator Himself. Finally, he meets his demise and finds himself at the pearly gates. Who was there to meet him, none other than Michael the Archangel himself. Surely he will know. He asks, but the question was too difficult for Michael to answer. "You'll have to ask the Creator Himself that one. Would you do me a favour, though? When you get the answer, please tell me. I'd really like to know myself.!" "OK", he says, and heads off to the thrown room. After a long wait in line, he has his chance. He goes in and asks God the question that has eluded him all his life. "Lord, am I a black zebra with white stripes, or a white zebra with black stripes". Well, the Lord answers him, so he leaves, more puzzled than ever before! He meets up with Michael, and Michael eagerly awaits the answer. "Well" says the zebra, "I still don't get it. His answer was, 'you are what you are!' " "AHHH", says Michael, "that's easy. You are a white zebra with black stripes". "I don't get it", says the zebra. "How do you know that?" "Oh, well", says Michael. "If you were a black zebra with white stripes, God would have said 'You is what you is' ". That is somewhat offensive. I'm not black, with white stripes, but I do find racial slurs, on any level, counter productive. I used to take offence at some jokes too. I have overcome my sensitivity on may levels. Sorry you found it offensive. (sad face) And I apologize dj. I posted harshly. It is simply that even comments like that, meant only in jest, hurt people's feelings in my world; but people still make them. I keep forgetting this forum stretches around the globe. Your world is not mine and you seem like a nice guy, so I'm sure that you wouldn't attempt to offend. Glad to hear you don't have the same lingering problems with prejudice that we do. Happy Easter. I remember when I joined the USAF, many years ago. There was a subject, then called "race relations", which every enlisted person had to attend. The first thing that the teacher/instructor said was, "you're all prejudiced. Whites against blacks, blacks agains whites, whites against hispanics, hispanics agains blacks", etc. My first reaction (internally) was "No I'm NOT"! I was not raised amongst blacks (please excuse the term, I know it no longer is politically correct, but Im using the language of the day). I have NO prejudice against them. I was not taught any. I learned a lot from the class, because, later on, I could see the problems that prejudice created. So, yes, I do live in a different world. I never try to offend. Some of my posts may sound/look like it is, but they are never intended to be. Three guys die and are in heaven. God says to the first guy, "You never cheated on your wife, and for that you get a Ferrari." The second guy approaches and god says, "you cheated on your wife a couple of times, you get a pinto." The third guy approaches, and God says, "you cheated on your wife hundreds of times, and for that you get a bicycle." Later the guy with the pinto sees the guy with the bike crying on the side of the road, and says, "Hey a bike isn't so bad, atleast you aren't in Hell" The guy with the bike looks up sadly and replys, "No that's not it, I just saw my wife ride by on a skateboard." This isn't a joke, it's a true story. When I was 14 my grandmother's cousin died. I never knew him but the old folks kept in touch. He lived in the Welsh town of Treorci and when my father and uncle planned on going to the funeral I asked to go along. Not for the funeral, just that I had never been to the Rhondda valley. The old man had been quite popular in the town so the funeral was a big affair. He was Catholic and there aren't many Catholics in the South Wales valleys. The local priest was sick so they had to send to the city (Cardiff) for a replacement. This monseigneur came out and he was huge. The biggest man I had ever seen up to that time. The service was held at the house and then we went to the cemetery for the interment. It had been raining hard that day and had been for a couple of days. The portly prelate stood a little too close to the grave, the ground gave way, and our man slid in to join the deceased. Trouble was, he was so big and the ground was so slippery we couldn't get him out, and the water was rising. I heard words like "Damn" and "Bloody hell" and they weren't all coming from the congregation. Eventually the cemetery caretaker got out some boards and a block and tackle and hoisted him out. I overheard my uncle ask the caretaker if this happened often. The caretaker replied that he had been to many a funeral but this was his first resurrection. Three blondes died together in an automobile accident on Easter Sunday. As they line up at the Pearly Gates of heaven, St. Peter tells them that they can enter the gates if they can answer one simple question. St. Peter asks the first blonde, "What is Easter?" The blonde replies, "Oh, that's easy! It's the holiday in November when everyone gets together, eats turkey, and are thankful..." "Wrong!," replies St. Peter, and proceeds to ask the second blonde the same question, "What is Easter?" The second blonde replies, "Easter is the holiday in December when we put up a nice tree, exchange presents, and celebrate the birth of Jesus." St. Peter looks at the second blonde, shakes his head in disgust, tells her she's wrong, and then peers over his glasses at the third blonde and asks, "What is Easter?" The third blonde smiles confidently and looks St. Peter in the eyes, "I know what Easter is." "Oh really?" says St. Peter, incredulously. "Easter is the Christian holiday that coincides with the Jewish celebration of Passover. Jesus and his disciples were eating at the last supper and Jesus was later deceived and turned over to the Romans by one of his disciples. The Romans took him to be crucified and he was stabbed in the side, made to wear a crown of thorns, and was hung on a cross with nails through his hands. He was buried in a nearby cave which was sealed off by a large boulder." St. Peter smiles broadly with delight. The third blonde continues, "Every year the boulder is moved aside so that Jesus can come out... and, if he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter." One day an old Catholic Priest was dying. He sent a message for a doctor and lawyer, both members of his congregation, to come to his home. When they arrived, they were ushered up to his bedroom. As they entered the room, he held out his hands and motioned for them to sit on each side of his bed. Then he grasped their hands, sighed contentedly, and smiled. For a long time no one said anything. Both the doctor and lawyer were touched and flattered that the old man would want them with him during his final moments. He had never given them any indication that he particularly liked either of them. His sermons in the past about greed and various other behavior had made them squirm in their seats many a time. Finally the doctor asked, "Preacher, why did you ask us to come and see you at this time?" The old man mustered up some strength, and then said weakly, "Jesus died between 2 thieves... and that's how I wanted to go." The minister got up for his sermon seething with indignation that somebody had the nerve to steal his bicycle and sstarted in on his congregation with a lengthy tirade around the ten commandments, with the plan that when he got to 'thou shalt not steal' he would look around his flock to see the guilty face. He got to 'thou shalt not commit adultery' and remembered where he had left his bike ! Q: How many Calvinists does it take to change a light bulb? A: None. God has predestined when the lights will be on. Q:How many Charismatics does it take to change a light bulb? A:Three, one to cast it out and two to catch it when it falls! Q: How many Jewish mothers does it take to change a light bulb? A: That's okay, we'll just site here in the dark. Q: How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb? A: Three. But they're really one. Q: How many Lutherans does it take to change a light bulb? A: Change? What's that? Q. How many fundamentalists does it take to change a light bulb? A. THE BIBLE DOES *NOT* SAY *ANYTHING* ABOUT LIGHT BULBS!!!! Q: How many Mormons does it take to change a light bulb? A: Five. One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him how to do it. Q: How many Unitarians does it take to change a light bulb? A: We choose not to make a statement either in favor of or against the need for a light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have found that light bulbs work for you, that is fine. You are invited to write a poem or compose a modern dance about your personal relationship with your light bulb, and present it next month at our annual light bulb Sunday service, in which we will explore a number of light bulb traditions, including incandescent, fluorescent, three-way, long-life and tinted, all of which are equally valid paths to luminescence. Q: How many Southern Baptists does it take to change a light bulb? A: One hundred and nine: Seven on the Light bulb Task Force Sub-committee, who report to the twelve on the Light bulb Task Force, appointed by the fifteen on the Trustee Board. Their recommendation is reviewed by the Finance Executive Committee of five, who place it on the agenda of the eighteen-member Finance Committee. If they approve, they bring a motion to the twenty-seven Member church Board, who appoint another twelve-member review committee. If they recommend that the Church Board proceed, a resolution is brought to the Congregational Business Meeting. They appoint another eight-member review committee. If their report to the next Congregational Business Meeting supports the changing of a light bulb, and the Congregation votes in favor, the responsibility to carry out the light bulb change is passed on to the Trustee Board, who in turn appoint a seven-member committee to find the best price in new light bulbs. Their recommendation of which hardware is the best buy must then be reviewed by the twenty-three-member Ethics Committee to make certain that this hardware store has no connection to Disneyland. They report back to the Trustee Board who then commissions the Trustee in charge of the Janitor to ask him to make the change. By then the janitor discovers that one more lightbulb has burned out. Joke I heard from some Mississippi Baptist pastors in the 1960's, using their exact wording: A man died and went to heaven and was there for all of about three minutes before some extraordinary medical personnel brought him back to this life. When he was able to realize that he was now once again back on earth, he could barely communicate, because he was so stunned by his experience. All of his friends were so excited to hear anything he had to say about the next life. Surely, even in just a few minutes, he had learned some awesome truths about God. "Tell us!" they begged. "We can't wait to find out. What is God really like???" After taking a few deep breaths, the man responded with wonder in his voice, "Well, actually, She's a Negro." A very wealthy man could not stand the thought that "You can't take it with you." He was desperate to find a way to take his great wealth with him into the Afterlife. He consulted with religious leaders and psychics and all kinds of spiritual advisors. All of them said that it was impossible. He finally hit on a great plan. He would convert all of his investments and assets into gold bars. Then, at the moment of his death, he would grab hold of them very quickly and pull them with him out of this world and into the next. And so, over the course of the next months and years, he converted his wealth all into gold bars, and kept them with him wherever he went, just in case he should die unexpectedly. Sure enough, one day came the moment of his death, and he actually did have the presence of mind to grab his gold bars. At the pearly gates, he was surprised to see that he already had been given a pure white robe, and he decided to hide the bars under it, in case he was doing something that would be frowned upon. As he walked through the gates, Saint Peter saw him and the slightly guilty look he had on his face. "What's that you are hiding under your robe?" he asked, and the man sheepishly showed him one of the gold bars. "Is it okay if I bring this with me from earth?" he asked, figuring he'd better toe the line, if he wanted to keep his gold bars. "Oh, that!" Saint Peter laughed heartily. "Well, of course it's okay - but why on earth would you want to bring pavement???" In the early days of the war in Afghanistan, Pres. George Bush was being briefed on some of the action. A military advisor told him of some successes and some setbacks and in the process shared the sad news that three Brazilian troops had been killed. "Oh, that's terrible!" Pres. Bush said. "I am just so sorry to hear that - those poor families." He was silent for a moment. "We really should do something to express our condolences and sorrow for them. But... please remind me..., how many is in a brazillion?" by des donnelly 9 years ago I read the intro and all that and have lived through a religious war and lost god along the way I would never wish to see any hate type posts here... BUT sometimes people take religion too seriously. I came across this joke which I thought would only offend a few.... *grins*===I was walking... by Peeples 5 years ago Why can't atheist and Christians agree to disagree?Will atheist and Christians ever just agree to disagree? by mktol1984 9 years ago "Question with boldness even the existence of a god." - Thomas Jefferson (letter to Peter Carr, 10 August 1787) “No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says: He is always convinced that it says what he means” George Bernard Shaw quotes (Irish literary... by Deborah Sexton 6 years ago The best way to get out aggression is through laughter.Post your jokes here.No getting offended. Remember they are jokes. Don't take it personal..Its not always about YOU! by pisean282311 7 years ago Ok..being atheist , you dont believe in any intelligent supreme being ...my question is, you began atheist because of your observiation , experience and what role has religion played in making you atheist? by sandra rinck 9 years ago If you get baptized in the Roman Catholic church then decide you don't like it and get baptized in the Baptist Church and then decide you don't like it, can you unbaptize yourself? Or does the first baptism count so the other is void, or does it go by the last one? |HubPages Device ID| |Login||This is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.| |HubPages Google Analytics| |HubPages Traffic Pixel| |Google Hosted Libraries| |Google AdSense Host API| |Conversion Tracking Pixels| |Author Google Analytics| |Amazon Tracking Pixel|

New York, NY Join legendary violinist and 2016 Genesis Prize Laureate Itzhak Perlman and funders from the human rights, disability, and Jewish communities to discuss how these issues intersect and can reinforce one another. Presentations will be followed by breakout discussions. Legendary violinist & 2016 Genesis Prize Laureate President and CEO, American Jewish World Service Judith E. Heumann Special Advisor for International Disability Rights, U.S. State Dept Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi Co-Founder & Director, Mizrahi Family Charitable Trus Associate Director for Legal Advocacy, Open Society Foundations Rabbi Dov Linzer Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School Internationally known inclusion advocate - Welcome from Itzhak Perlman - Presentation of JFN's Guide to Jewish Values and Disability Rights by Tirza Leibowitz, with Q&A - Panel discussion with Judith Heumann, Rabbi Dov Linzer, and others TBA - Group discussion addressing concrete next steps for philanthropy Related resource: JFN Guide to Jewish Values and Disability Rights >> JFN Members: sign in here, then reload this page and you will be able to RSVP. JFN events are open to JFN members and other funders who are eligible for JFN membership. Non-members: click here to request to RSVP for this event. Non-members in Israel should email email@example.com.

Photograph by Jon Arnold Images, Alamy Miami has more than its fair share of glitz and glam, but the city’s oceanside setting, vibrant multicultural communities, and wealth of art and architecture mean there’s plenty to keep visitors on a budget happy. Go for a Gables Art Walk along Ponce de Leon Boulevard on Coral Gables Gallery Night. On the first Friday of every month, galleries keep their doors open from 7 to 10 p.m., give gratis art advice, and provide a trolley between galleries. Some even offer wine. The internationally known Wolfsonian-FIU art museum, located in a 1926 Mediterranean revival-style warehouse, features paintings, ceramics, posters, books, architectural creations, and furniture from the modern era. Peruse the exhibitions for free on Fridays from 6 to 9 p.m. There's no fee to wander the Miami Dade College Museum of Art and Design, housed in downtown’s historic Freedom Tower, for exhibitions of contemporary art by international and local artists and performers. Check out the ongoing "Exile Experience: Journey to Freedom," a pictorial account of the Cuban exile community. Hours are Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; open until 8 p.m. the first Friday of each month. Feed off the energy of Miami's up-and-coming art scene during the second Saturday of each month, when galleries stay open until 10 p.m. in the Wynwood Art District, home to edgy and experimental artists, and the neighboring Design District, a stylish 18-block hub of posh showrooms and vanguard designers. More than 65 artists create and display their work at Miami's Bakehouse Art Complex. Visitors can browse free of charge. Open daily noon to 5 p.m. The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables offers free tours of its historic grounds on Sundays at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. Professional storytellers regale audiences with tales from the hotel's early years, when it hosted celebrities like Judy Garland and Ginger Rogers, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and Al Capone. Explore the city's historic art deco architecture on a self-guided walking tour through South Beach—an area filled with more than 800 buildings exemplifying the prewar modernism of the 1930s. Meander on your own through art deco, Mediterranean revival, and Miami modern styles, or hop aboard the South Beach local bus shuttle for just 25 cents. Each January, the Miami Design Preservation League hosts the three-day Art Deco Weekend, with free lectures and films. Ocean Drive transforms into a street market of vendors selling vintage goods. Pause at the opulent Versace Mansion, Casa Casuarina, located at 1116 Ocean Drive, to see where Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace once hosted lavish galas for glamorous guests like Madonna, Elton John, and Princess Diana. Versace was tragically shot to death on the steps of the mansion in 1997. The JFK Torch of Friendship, which is accompanied by statues of Símon Bolívar and Ponce de Leon, affirms the United States' relationship with the nations of the Caribbean and South and Central America, and honors President Kennedy. Visit this free memorial on Biscayne Boulevard. Little Havana is home to Hispanic culture and honors its Cuban roots along Memorial Boulevard, located on 13th Avenue off Calle Ocho. Wander the handful of monuments, including the Calle Ocho Walk of Fame, the Hispanic equivalent of Hollywood's star-covered sidewalk; the eternal flame at the Brigade 2506 Memorial remembering the heroes of the Bay of Pigs; and more—all free. On Viernes Culturales (Cultural Fridays), Little Havana's Calle Ocho between 13th and 17th Avenues transforms into an open-air gallery, with artists, sculptors, and musicians filling the sidewalks with their creations and concerts. The event, held the last Friday of every month from 7 to 11 p.m., is free of charge and includes walking tours of Little Havana (meet in front of the Tower Theater at 7 p.m.). Meanwhile, every third Friday is a celebration of Haitian culture at the monthly street festival Big Night in Little Haiti. Admission is always free at Miami's Holocaust Memorial, open daily from 9:30 a.m. to sunset. The site features a photographic mural and a wall with the names of concentration camp victims. Located on the 50-acre Vizcaya estate, the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens invites visitors to participate in programs that include performing arts, lectures, demonstrations, and tours of the national historic landmark on Free Sundays (the last Sundays of July, August, and September). The exhibits at the Jewish Museum of Florida trace Jewish life in Florida since 1763. The museum waives admission fees on Saturdays. Visit Casa Bacardi to discover the corporate and family history of this world-famous brand of rum, which began in 1862 and continues today. Tours are free; open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last tour starts at 4:15 p.m.) and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last tour starts at 3:45 p.m.) Pérez Art Museum Miami offers free admission the second Saturday of the month from 1 to 4 p.m. to view its collection of contemporary art. Kids and their parents can enjoy live music, storytelling, guided tours, gallery games, and dance performances. K-12 teachers always get in free with identification, as do Miami-Dade-based professional artists. Children will marvel at the Milky Way and gaze at far-off galaxies at the Miami Science Museum's free Weintraub Observatory Star Show, held on the first Friday of each month at 7 p.m. (the observatory session is open from 8 to 10 p.m.—call ahead, as starting time varies based on the season). Each month Target Free Third Friday at the Miami Children's Museum allows youngsters to explore hundreds of hands-on exhibits that teach art, culture, and communication at no cost to their parents, from 3 to 9 p.m. The family-oriented stretch of Miami Beach from 53rd to 63rd Street offers a playground and piles of sand for castle building, picnics, and searching for buried treasure. Biscayne National Park's Family Fun Fest is held on the second Sunday of every month from December through April. This free public program promotes interaction with nature and hands-on activities for children and their parents. Get centered as you stretch along the shore with Yoga in the Park. The serene and scenic Bayfront Park offers free yoga classes every Monday (6 p.m.), Wednesday (6 p.m.), and Saturday (9 a.m.) for advanced yoga enthusiasts or curious novices. Adventure seekers come to Biscayne National Park for snorkeling and scuba diving among the colorful coral reef. Others boat, fish, watch wildlife, and meander in a canoe through one of Florida's longest stretches of mangrove forest. Rangers offer advice for spotting the manatees and dolphins that swim along the shore. Miles of free-access beaches dot the southern coast of Florida. Miami Beach has South Pointe Park (with a pier), South Beach, Surfside, and Haulover Park (a clothing-optional beach). South Miami boasts Matheson Hammock Park Beach, while Key Biscayne and Virginia Key have three beaches offering family-friendly activities and adventures for thrill-seekers (sailboarding, windsurfing, and jet-skiing). Citi presents outdoor films for free—a mix of classics and new releases—at the Miami Beach SoundScape ExoStage each Wednesday at 8 p.m. Listen to the University of Miami's orchestra and a variety of guest instrumentalists at a Gusman Concert Hall performance. Admission is free for most concerts (call ahead to check). Little Havana's historic Tower Theater, located at S.W. 8th Street and 15th Avenue, teams with Miami-Dade College to present lectures and some free Cuban and Latin American films (in Spanish). Performances and programs are presented almost daily. The Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami presents live jazz on the last Friday of every month at 8 p.m. Shows are free. Flamenco-dancing fiestas at Casa Panza in Little Havana are legendary. Follow your partner to the dance floor nightly (except Monday) for free music and flamenco-dancing performances. Jazid, the longest-running nightclub in Miami Beach, offers live music nightly—jazz, funk, cumbia, reggae, rock, and more. Guests get in free before 11 p.m. (must be 21 or over to enter). If you can get past the haughty bouncer, Skybar is the place to be in South Beach. The beautiful people love to play here at the ritzy Shore Club on Collins Avenue. People-watching from a poolside bed or dancing to hip-hop beats in the Red Room are free for club clientele, but beware of lofty drink prices. More Free Information 2016 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest Browse photos of nature, cities, and people and share your favorite photos.

|Young women outside of a "recruiting office" during the 1939 | protests against the White Paper. The women on the right are identified as "revisionists" or "brownshirts." |Anti-White Paper demonstration outside | of Jerusalem's Yeshurun Synagogue. Procession led by Chief Rabbi Isaac Herzog (in top hat). |Recruits signing up and here| According to one newspaper account at the time, "All men and women between the ages of 18 and 35 have been asked to voluntarily register and place themselves at the disposal of the Jewish authorities for any duties in order to defeat the new policy." |Recruiting station at the Jerusalem Egged bus station. The sign on| the left reads "census station." Presumably, they would later serve in the Jewish militias such as the Haganah or Irgun, and many would join the British army to fight the Nazis in Europe and North Africa. An estimated 30,000 Jews of Palestine fought in the British Army in World War II. Coincidentally, as the White Paper was issued, 937 Jewish passengers were sailing on the SS St. Louis from the German port of Hamburg seeking refuge in Cuba and the United States. Entry was denied. The ship and its passengers were forced to return to Europe because the gates to Palestine were also shut. One newspaper provided an account of Lithuanian Jews in Kaunas delivering a protest against the White Paper to the British legation and the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry. Tragically, the Lithuanian Jewish community was wiped out by the Nazis.

Yesterday, in a continuation / extension of my series on “Passion Tuesday” (the events of the Tuesday before Christ’s crucifixion), I began looking at an event of the prior day — the cursing of the fig tree. 12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: 13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. Yesterday, we looked at the Old Testament symbolism of the fig tree. In the Old Testament, fruitful fig trees are symbolic of God’s faithful covenant blessings on his people as they dwell in fellowship with their God, obedient to Him and trusting Him. Unfruitful and withered fig trees symbolise just the opposite. Today, we’ll go back a year earlier for more background to help us understand why the Lord Jesus cursed this fig tree. 1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. “Ye Shall ALL Likewise Perish” A first glance might cause use to read the warnings of the first five verses of the chapter as being warnings for those particular individuals. A second glance tells us it goes beyond that. Yes, it is a warning for those people, but it is also a warning for a nation. Jesus had been told of Galileans who had died a violent death, and He responded by referring to residents of Jerusalem who had also died suddenly and violently. Judea and Galilee were the two major Jewish centres, the areas where Jesus spent most of His ministry, and He addressed events affecting both. His warning was stark — “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” He repeated the warning again. The use of “all likewise perish” in the context of both Judean and Galilean calamities has the appearance of a national warning — an appearance that was confirmed by the parable that follows. We have to remember the Jewish context of Jesus’ interactions with Jewish hearers. The use of a fig tree not bearing fruit would bring to their minds the Old Testament Scriptures, and the fig tree as a symbol of God’s blessing, or judgment, on their nation. A fig tree which does not bear fruit is worse than useless — its owner says it “cumbers the ground.” The point of the parable is that Israel is long past the time when it should have brought forth fruit and received God’s blessings. Now, it is just a hindrance, a dead weight, in the way. Three Years / One Year In a warmer Mediterranean climate like Israel, fig trees may bear fruit the first year, and most at least start to bear by the second year. Jesus tells of a fig tree with no fruit after three years, at least a year after it would be expected to bear fruit. The gardener suggests waiting one more year before destroying the tree. The three years in the parable may not refer to a set time period, but it probably does, referring to the past three years of ministry in which the nation of Israel had been called to repentance, faith, and obedience in their Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ’s earthly ministry probably lasted either three or four years. (I lean towards four). If three, the parable refers to a year of John the Baptist’s ministry and then two years of Christ’s. If Jesus’ ministry was four years, the parable refers to His first three years of ministry, calling the nation of Israel to Himself. Either way, the problem is the same — there was no fruit on Israel’s fig tree. The parable, then, elaborated on the warning Jesus had just given. “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” The nation had one more year, one more year in which all would be done to prepare the soil, to provide an environment for growth and fruit, in which God’s Son would teach, work miracles, exhort, and warn. But if they would not bring forth fruit, they would no longer be allowed to “cumber the ground,” no longer remain in the way of those who would believe. Series Summary with links to further articles: “Passion Tuesday” / Crucifixion Tuesday

Jewish Heritage Breathtaking Tour. An UNESCO World Heritage Site, see the city at your own pace with a guide and learn about the city's rich architectural and religious history. In this day trip we will see the ancient city and its architecture, exciting palaces, synagogues, museums, churches and of course the old roman Aqueduct and the great Alcazar. What can you expect? A deep interpretation of the city and the legacy of the jewish community that was once key part of its history and culture. Segovia is full of misteries and magical esoteric stories. Emotional and historical, one of those places the 3 cultures shared life together in middle ages you cannot miss!. I have been raised in a jewish home and have learned Kabbalah at Rabi's Michael Laitman school in Israel. I will love to share this magical city with you. -All my tours are private/adaptable to your needs/preferences. -I will stay in touch with you previous to your tour date, exchanging ideas and making up the perfect plan for your holiday. -I'm a local proffesional guide. *Before booking this tour, please check my avaliability by sending me a message by "Ask a question" as I might already have a last minute reservation. -Pickup from Madrid and travel northwest to Segovia. -Guided visit, attractions around the Old Town, walking. -The plaza mayor. -The Inquisition and executions. -See the old Jewish quarter, focusing over the details of existence and interesting facts of the 3 cultures all together. -The Main Sinagogue. -The home of the jews, where the jewish community made their living. -The great Alcazar. -Meir Melamed and Abraham Seneor legacy. -Stop for lunch… -The Walls and Gates of the old walled city and the jewish cemetery. -Visit the old Roman Aqueduct. -Back to Madrid. Meeting Location + Tour Duration Meeting location: Please specify your hotel or meeting point to pick you. End location: Same place or your hotel. Duration: 7 hours Luxury car (BMW, Audi). -Walking tour, guiding in english. -Extra support, specialized guides in Segovia*. -Entrances to monuments. Estimated Local Cash Needed 25 euro - Lunch, beverages, shopping, etc Lunch, food / beverages, shopping at stores. Entrances of specific sites that are not included on the itinerary. (if required) DISCLAIMER: The contents exposed during the tours are of common knowledge or else the guide's own research on the matter. Note that these contents are adapted for the general public. A Recent Review of this tour Read More Reviews For This Tour Pepe was very knowledgeable about Segovia and the history of Spain in general. Giving us a good overview during the car ride, and lots of details during the tour. He was great with the kids (11,13) He does keep you moving, so be prepared to walk a lot, there is a lot to see. Segovia is also higher in the mountains the Madrid, so it is colder, dress appropriately. He took us to a great place for lunch where the staff knew him so we got a little special treat which was nice. Would highly recommend.

|L-R: Peter Cormican, James Michael Lambert, Paula Ewin, Kate Kearney-Patch, Emily Batsford, Kendall Rileigh, and Mark Banik in THE BRIGHTNESS OF HEAVEN. Photo by John Quilty.| From time immemorial, children have rebelled against their parents, testing the bonds that tie them to prior generations, their real challenge being to stretch or loosen those bonds sufficiently to accommodate the new world into which they were born without breaking the old bonds entirely. For their part, parents have always attempted to inculcate their own religious, social and moral rules and beliefs in their children, the challenge for them being to do so without completely alienating their kids through a heavy-handed dismissal of the very real changes taking place in their world. And never was that more true than in the 1960s and 1970s, when the early stages of the Civil Rights Movement, the Women’s Liberation Movement, the Gay Rights Movement, the Vietnam War and Watergate all came together to create one of the biggest societal upheavals in American history. That is what The Brightness of Heaven by Laura Pedersen, now enjoying its Off Broadway premiere at the Cherry Lane Studio Theatre on Commerce Street in Greenwich Village, is all about: the inevitable intergenerational strife that all too often tears many families apart but that leaves those who survive it all the stronger for having dealt with it successfully, once it has played out. The play is set in Buffalo, NY in 1974, in the home of the Kilgannon family and it is likely to resonate especially well with those who share the characters’ Irish Catholic backgrounds. But the play has much more universal appeal than that and those of entirely different ethnic and religious backgrounds should be fully able to appreciate and enjoy the play’s message. (I certainly did, despite being Jewish and of mixed Russian and Austrian descent myself.) The play’s action takes place on the day that a surprise party is to be held for Ed Kilgannon (Peter Cormican) at St. Aloysius Catholic High School, as a tribute to him on the 30th anniversary of his having joined the school as its music teacher. (Ed once dreamt of having a successful career in show business but was forced to settle for the life of a music teacher instead; with the help of a whisky bottle, he seems to have made his peace with that). Many of his former students are expected to show up for his party but, most importantly, his family will be there. That, of course, will include his wife, Joyce (Kate Kearney-Patch), who once aspired to be a nun but ultimately opted to become a good Catholic wife and mother instead and who now teaches Home Economics at St. Aloysius; Brendan (Bill Coyne), Ed and Joyce’s first-born prodigal son (but still their favorite) who has been no more successful than was his father before him in seeking a theatrical career and who shares his father’s taste for the sauce; Dennis (Mark Banik), their middle and highly responsible son, on whom they rely for considerable support; and Kathleen (Kendall Rileigh), their successful and very strong-willed youngest child whose life choices are most at odds with those of her parents. Also in attendance will be Mary Jablonski (Paula Ewin), Ed’s widowed sister and her two children: Grace (Emily Batsford), her 28-year old, unmarried, clinically depressed daughter; and Jimmy (James Michael Lambert), her gay 24-year old son who would prefer to be out of the closet but who is continually pressured by his family to conceal his sexual orientation. We meet all of the actors at the Kilgannon family home where they have come together for dinner before going on to St Aloysius (where Joyce is determined that they will again do “the family act,” their traditional song and dance routine). The conceit is that their real “family act” is the one to which we’re all being made privy onstage, the one in which they all pretend to be other than they really are, whether by choice or under pressure from the other members of their family. The play is set within the context of the Irish Catholic faith which consumed the lives of the members of the older generation. As Joyce readily admits: “You children don’t understand. The Church was the whole world for us. That’s where our friends and social life were. We went from Mass to Sunday School to Thursday Night CYO to Friday Night Fish Fry.” And implicit in that was the conviction that the “hereafter” or the “next life” was of far greater consequence than the real world around us which was perceived as little more than a testing ground for the ”world to come.” Thus, Mary can seriously justify her having urged her children to wear clean underwear not for any reasons of health or comfort in this world but because “whatever clothes you’re wearing when you die are what you’ll have on throughout all eternity.” And when Mary discloses that she has “thought about taking my own life,” Joyce doesn’t seek to dissuade her by pointing out everything she’d be losing in this world but, rather, exclaims “Why Mary! You wouldn’t go to Heaven and spend eternity with Ronnie [Mary’s son who died in Vietnam]! – and that, remarkably, really seems to have been the strongest argument Joyce could have made to her sister-in-law in her moment of despondency. It is this attitude toward the primacy of the hereafter, the Church, and the Church’s rules regarding sex, abortion and homosexuality, that the members of the younger generation all seem to be rebelling against, each in his or own way and some more strongly than others. As Kathleen puts it: “much as I’d like to go to Heaven, I’m more interested in Heaven on Earth – a place where all God’s creations are at home, complete with all the glorious faults, differences, and desires that He in His infinite wisdom bestowed upon us.” Brendan’s alcoholism; Grace’s decision to see a secular therapist rather than a priest in dealing with her psychological problems; Jimmy’s overt acceptance of his homosexuality; and even Dennis’ decision to teach at a public school rather than a Catholic school - all are expressions of the same generational shift in values and attitudes away from the Church’s teachings. Depending upon your point of view, you might see the four male characters as strong and admirable and the four female characters as far less worthy. It was Ed, after all, to whom Kathleen turned in her moment of greatest need and who has kept her secrets – not her mother. It is Dennis who can always be counted on by his parents when they need help, not his sister. Brandan does manage to overcome his alcoholism, at least temporarily, so as to be there for his father on his special day. And even Jimmy defers to his family by downplaying his sexual orientation in their presence. Joyce and Mary, on the other hand, are so self-righteously stuck in their ways that they cannot really countenance homosexuality, abortion, pre-marital sex, and even intermarriage as anything other than sin or an offense against God and the Church, resulting in eternal damnation. Kathleen is a headstrong young woman who, despite her business success, seems to have made all the wrong choices in her personal life and who appears to be concerned only for her only life, with little thought for her parents’ well-being. And Grace is so psychologically damaged and depressive that there is not much good that can be said about her. But it all can be looked at quite the other way around: maybe it’s really the women on top and the men toward whom we ought be dismissive. There is no question but that Kathleen is the strongest willed character in the play: she has succeeded in becoming the first female manager at her bank at the tender age of 23 and in 1974 she was clearly well ahead of her time in refusing to let anyone but herself control her body and her life. Difficult as it may be for Mary, given her religious values, she never rejects her gay son. Joyce, too, can always be counted on to be there for her children, should push come to shove: she might not approve of her daughter’s life style but she’ll always be there for her. (When Kathleen angrily attacks her mother, saying “You’ll never change!” her mother’s response may say it all: “No I won’t Kathleen. And my greatest hope for your child is that you’re always there for him or her. For the most part, that means not changing.”) Even Grace merits our respect for seeking medical help for her condition, rather than relying on religious guidance. But when we look at the men we realize that while Ed may have been there for Kathleen when she most needed him, he’s never willing to stand up to Joyce, apparently modeling himself after Mary’s husband Joseph in the Bible who never speaks a word. Both he and Brandan are alcoholics, after all, and they may have other weaknesses that they have kept secret to boot. Brandan may have sought a theatrical career simply to appease his father and Dennis may have become a school teacher simply because that was the easiest route to follow. Even Jimmy, eager to be out of the closet, doesn’t seem to have the guts to come out all the way. So which view is correct? Both! None of us are all of a piece and the characters in this play are no exception. They have their strengths and their weaknesses, their good points and their bad, and it is a credit to Ms Pedersen, to Ludovica Villar Hauser, the play’s director, and to the entire cast that they have succeeded so well in conveying their multi-layered personae. Or as Ed responded, when Kathleen told him that sometimes she wondered who he really was: “Different things to different people. But I’ll always be your father and I’ll always love you. And that’s been my favorite role of all.”

Israel Now Targeted By The EUSSR, With Obummer Cheering On. I came across this "gem" from my blog list, with some astonishment. Further "googleing" produced further links such as this. Or from the search page, these items, as ever, ignored by Western "media". Or rather propaganda. If we add this activity and bias against Israel and the Jewish people to the totally opposite love in for all things Islamic, including mass immigration into Europe, a pattern emerges. A pattern scarily reminiscent of the racial and religious engineering beloved of Nazi Germany. The one marked difference is the obsessive intent to make all loyal citizens of the new Reich, of Arab and Islamic, rather than Aryan and protestant, origin. Thus the ghastly attack on Israeli goods, the luke warm effort by Obummer and The West, against Islamic State, so called, reverberates with a deep and unsettling agenda. An agenda which so far has wrecked Middle East stability, made millions homeless and given succour to people who make Gaddafi and Saddam look positively saintly. An agenda in thrall to the Saudis, Erdogan in Turkey and probably the butchers from ISIL. Regardless of Israeli behaviour, they remain a beacon of civilisation when set against Islamic and Arab lack of culture and owners of a depravity now infecting our lives here in Europe. Food for horrific thought. Even worse, if possible, we learn of this further atrocity, as our EUSSR leaders piss about with alienating Israel. These are just snap shots of what Europe and the U|K are becoming. The isolated, head in the clouds rubbish who populate the political world immune to the awfulness they are content to ignore. If it's of Islamic, Muslim "ways", such as this frequent act, "which passes all understanding", are quietly pushed under the carpet. The suffering of little consequence when a new world order is being constructed. The cruelty of Halal butchery another accepted consequence of the enforced social change. Here is a final link but still one debating the stampede to the left of not only the USA but it's EUSSR partners. I suggest that Common Purpose tolerates all cultures capable of manipulation and brainwashing. All OK if it furthers the s a goal of a single, global rule, benefiting the chosen few. That few already seated at the tables laid in Washington and Berlin. Trouble is there remains two major players not convinced. Russia and China. Both displaying, in my view, remarkable patience and maturity. Their success to date in aiding the Kurds and Syrians loyal to their roots, was even shown by the BBC today. Very unusual. Or perhaps a need to hide Obummer's embarrassment at how well Russia are knocking seven bells of of the ISIL thugs. I suspect the attempt to knock out Johnny Jihad but an act of desperation for PR as good as being earnt by Putin. What Cameron, Merkel of Obummer would give for the expressions of support given Putin today. Unlike that afforded briefly to Cameron and Sarkozy, after they murdered Gaddafi and before Libya collapsed into hell and left them looking foolish and unliked. It might be worth considering the manner the Russians forced back the Third Reich and their ghoulish sadists.

The Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture, in collaboration with faculty and departments, organizes conferences to delve deeper into topics integral to its mission. Most conferences are open to the college community and the public at large with pre-registration, and some content from past conferences is available here. The Intelligentsia in Russia: Spiritual and Moral Values March 13-14, 2021 In preparation of their edited volume, "The Intelligentsia in Russia: Myth, Mission, Metamorphosis," Olga Partan, Associate Professor of Russian at Holy Cross, and Professor Sibelan Forrester of Swarthmore College virtually convene the book's contributors to present and solicit feedback on their draft work. The volume offers a multidisciplinary approach to addressing spiritual and moral missions of the Russian Intelligentsia, tracing its evolution over time from the 18th century to the post-Soviet era. View the schedule and register» November 6-8, 2020 Divided Worlds? Contexts of the New Testament Then and Now—This virtual conference seeks to bring together scholars from two disciplines that have much in common but that have seldom been in conversation in recent times—New Testament studies and Classics. Sessions examine if and how the New Testament, an ancient collection of texts with its own distinctive set of religious, social, and rhetorical strategies, can serve as a helpful resource in understanding our obligations to take moral stands on issues that are dividing our world with increasing fury. Organized by Religious Studies and Classics faculty with support from the McFarland Center. View the conference schedule» April 2-3, 2019 Readings from the Roots: Bible Translation and Its Impact — This two-day conference highlights a new, historically-sensitive translation of the Revised Common Lectionary intended to reduce the potential for anti-Judaism by enriching Christianity through its roots in Judaism. The conference will provide an opportunity for clergy and scholars to engage with the translation team and will feature talks by Taylor Burton-Edwards, Chair of the Consultation on Common Texts; Everett Fox, the Allen M. Glick Professor of Judaic and Biblical Studies at Clark University; Adèle Reinhartz, professor of classics and religious studies at the University of Ottawa; and a keynote by Mary C. Boys, vice-president of Academic Affairs and dean and the Skinner & McAlpin Professor of Practical Theology at Union Theological Seminary, on "Seeing Judaism Anew: Jewish Christian Dialogue." The conference is supported by the Kraft-Hiatt Program for Jewish-Christian Understanding. Learn more» April 11-12, 2018 Francis the Pilgrim: From Personal Devotion to Papal Diplomacy — This conference explores Francis’ own devotional life, as demonstrated through his pilgrimages and the symbols he chooses to surround himself with, as a starting point to interpret the papacy of Francis in its goals, objectives and outcomes. Speakers include Austen Ivereigh, London-based Catholic journalist and author of "The Great Reformer: Francis and the Making of a Radical Pope" (Henry Holt, 2014); Inés San Martín, an Argentinean journalist who covers the Vatican in Rome; Rev. Thomas Reese, S.J., senior analyst at Religion News Service and former editor-in-chief of the weekly Catholic magazine America; and Elise Harris, Rome correspondent for the Catholic News Agency. View the schedule» Friday, March 16, 2018 Between the Sacred and the Profane: Love and Desire in Premodern China — This one-day conference focuses on the intersection of religion, literature, and the arts through examination of various circumstances by which the discourse of love and desire is represented, transmitted, transformed, and re-contextualized in traditional China. Held in conjunction with the Worcester Art Museum exhibition, “Dangerous Liaisons Revisited: Art and Music Inspired by the Chinese Tang Court." Co-sponsored with Asian Studies. View the schedule» March 9-10, 2018 International Conference: Lived Catholicism from the Balkans to the Baltics — Europe’s history is permeated with the rich array of rituals and world views of Catholicism. On a local level, this history continues to inform the ways individual Catholics experience and understand the diverse practices and values that define Catholicism in various communities. This conference, held at Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Budapest, Hungary, offers scholars and observers an opportunity to attend to and study the diversity of Catholic practices in this region of Europe, from the Balkans to the Baltics, as well as the meaning of Catholicism in its various relationships with cultures. This conference is part of the McFarland Center's initiative on Catholics & Cultures. Learn more» November 15-17, 2017 Religion, Protest, and Social Upheaval — The recent proliferation of social, political, and economic protest and populist expression, from Black Lives Matter to Hindu Nationalism, invites renewed exploration of religion's age-old power to fuel and shape cultural change. This conference brings together a diverse group of scholars across national and religious divides to examine the impact of religion on various social and political movements. Organized around six themes — nationalism, immigration, race, gender, ecological concern, and economics — the conference aims to illuminate the complex dynamics of religion in protest and social upheaval. Co-sponsored with Religious Studies. Learn more» October 19-21, 2017 Rethinking the Afropolitan: The Ethics of Black Atlantic Masculinities on Display — Images, articles, and even a Guinness commercial about Congolese men known as sapeurs (the Society of Ambiance-Makers and Elegant People) raises new ethical questions about how we read race, gender, and identity in images and texts. Sapeurs appear to be the epitome of the "black dandy." However, these extravagantly dressed men also engage in friendly fashion competitions and do so against bleak West Central African urban landscapes. The conference aims to examine the intersections of gender, race, and visual culture, in the Atlantic, spanning Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, and Europe from the 16th century to the present. Learn more and watch the keynotes by Silvio Torres-Saillant and Robert Trent Vinson. April 21-22, 2017 Tolstoy and Spirituality — This conference explores Leo Tolstoy's controversial quest to re-examine and revitalize Christianity. His highly original, almost paradoxical view defended the moralizing mission of Christianity, maintained the innocence of nature, and blamed social institutions such as the State and Church for the "fallen" nature of our sins. Supported by the Rehm Family Fund. Learn more, view photos from the conference, and watch the keynote address by Mikhail Shishkin. March 24-25, 2017 The Globalization of Science in the Middle East and North Africa, 18th-20th Centuries — This conference brings together scholars to explore important issues related to the history of science in the Middle East and North Africa region during the 18th-20th centuries — a critical period of change and modernization when Middle Easterners were concerned about rising power of European states and societies and the relative weakness of Islamic ones. All conference sessions are free and open to the public. Supported by the Rehm Family Fund. Learn more and watch the keynote address by Carla Nappi. April 9-10, 2016 The Future of Scholarship on the Quran — What does it mean to study the Quran? This two-day workshop explores the relationship of traditional Islamic scholarship to Western academic study, considering matters such as who should interpret the Quran, what standards for scholarship should be set, and how scholarship can inform public conversation on the Quran. Featuring a keynote address by Ingrid Mattson, London and Windsor Community Chair in Islamic Studies at Huron University College at the University of Western Ontario. Learn more. January 18-20, 2016 From Cradle to the Grave: Catholicism and Stages of Life in the Philippines — A rich variety of religious and cultural practices mark different steps in the journeys of Filipino Catholics here on earth. Such practices prepare us for important transitions in our lives and give us ways to express our hopes, gratitude, fears and faith. This conference is an opportunity to describe these diverse practices, to explore what they mean to the people who celebrate them, and to examine how they relate to the particular social and cultural contexts that give them meaning. Part of the Catholics & Cultures initiative, this conference was sponsored by the College of the Holy Cross and the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines, where the conference was held. Learn more. January 12-15, 2015 Catholic Cultures, Indian Cultures: A workshop on rites, religiosity, and cultural diversity in Indian Catholicism - India is a multicultural society and home to three rites (Roman, Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malankara) within the Catholic Church. This unique combination has created a particularly rich and diverse context for Catholic religious life. This workshop will examine how Catholic life is practiced in India’s different cultural and Catholic contexts. The intent of the workshop is to move away from the often contentious jurisdictional issues surrounding the rites and instead focus on the perspectives gained from considering the lived experience of ordinary Catholics. Sponsored by Dharmaram Vidhya Ksetram and the College of the Holy Cross. Learn more. November 14-15, 2014 Moral Sentimentalism and the Foundations of Morality — In recent years there has been a tremendous resurgence of philosophical interest in moral sentimentalism, an ethical and meta-ethical tradition first articulated in the context of the Scottish Enlightenment and particularly associated with David Hume and Adam Smith. This renewed interest in moral sentimentalism is best understood as being due to the convergence of a vigorous philosophical debate about the nature of and interdisciplinary research into the psychological mechanisms underlying our capacity for moral judgment and moral agency. The speakers highlight both the promises and potential pitfalls of moral sentimentalism and suggest ways of thinking through its problems. Co-sponsored with the Department of Philosophy. Learn more. April 3-4, 2014 Adam Smith: Moral Philosopher and Economic Theorist — This two-day event explores the ethical, political and economic thought of Adam Smith, the 18th century Scottish moral philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. Keynote speakers are Charles Griswold, Jr., a prominent Smith scholar and professor of philosophy at Boston University, and Ryan Patrick Hanley, associate professor of political science at Marquette University. Part of the Charles Carroll Program, this event is co-sponsored with the Department of Political Science and the McFarland Center. Learn more, and watch the videos. March 28-29, 2014 Celebrating Philosophy: A Dialogue on the Nature of of Morality, Reality and Knowledge — This two-day undergraduate conference, sponsored by the McFarland Center, the Office of the Dean, and the Department of Philosophy, explores themes such as Divinity & Morality; the Rationality of Religious Belief; Mind, Perception & Knowledge; Art, Morality & The Social Sphere; Forgiveness and Repentance; Philosophy & The Arts; and finally, Vernunft! Owen Flanagan, the James B. Duke Professor at Duke University gives the keynote address on the “Varieties of Moral Possibilities." Learn more. March 22-23, 2012 The Other America: Then and Now — This conference marks the 50th anniversary of The Other America, a seminal analysis on poverty in the United States by Holy Cross alumnus Michael Harrington '47. Speakers including Harrington's biographer Maurice Isserman, David O'Brien, Thomas Sugrue, Peter Dreier, and Alan Wolfe explore the impact of Harrington's book during the 1960s and '70s and its influence on the development of Great Society programs. On the second day of the conference, events focus on the "other America" of today - including policies to address poverty, mass incarceration, child farm workers, marginalized men, and youth and education - featuring a keynote address by Harvard sociologist William Julius Wilson, and with guest speakers including Annette Lareau, Bruce Western, Timothy Black and Zama Coursen-Neff. Learn more and watch the videos here. April 1-2, 2011 "Let Justice Roll Down" - A Conference on the Practice and Pedagogy of Organizing in the 21st Century — This conference examines community organizing as a strategy for addressing poverty and inequality in the United States. Leading scholars and practitioners come together to consider how community leadership development can impact local and national policy, and what pedagogical tools are best suited to train a new generation of organizers. The conference seeks to pull together new ideas from scholarship, field organizing work, and policy leaders to best respond to 21st century political, social and economic challenges. View the conference agenda. Listen to Mark Warren's keynote speech online: Free iTunes Download January 27-28, 2011 Framing Mary: The Mother of God in Modern Russian Culture This working symposium offered in partnership with the Museum of Russian Icons will bring together scholars of Russian literature, religious history and art history to focus on the various ways the iconic image of Mary has been used to frame and shape Russian national, cultural and spiritual self-expression. The symposium will result in a volume on the Mother of God in modern Russia to be edited by Amy Adams, associate professor of Russian literature at Holy Cross, and Vera Shevroz, associate professor of religion at Smith College. Learn more. December 3, 2010 Religion and Reason in the American Founding This one-day conference explores the confluence of biblical and enlightenment ideas that the American founders wrestled with to shape American polity and civil society. Jonathan Israel, professor of modern European history at the Institute for Advanced Study and one of the world's leading historians of the Enlightenment, will give the keynote address. Other speakers include: Carla Mulford, associate professor of English at Pennsylvania State University; Vincent Phillip Munoz, associate professor of political science at Notre Dame; and Robert Faulkner, professor of political science at Boston College. Learn more. View the publication. March 18-19, 2010 Biological Foundations of Morality? Neuroscience, Evolution and Morality — Conference video available online! This two-day conference considers the latest developments in neuroscience to approach discussions on morality. How does what we are learning about the brain influence how we ought to think about ethics? Speakers include Michael Gazzaniga, director of the SAGE Center for the Study of the Mind at the University of California Santa Barbara; Patrick Haggard, a researcher at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London; ethicist Robert Kane '60, University Distinguished Teaching Professor, University of Texas at Austin; James Blair, chief of the Unit on Affective Cognitive Neuroscience in the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health; and others. Learn more. April 10-12, 2008 Art, Creativity, and Spirituality in Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamazov - A conference organized by Professor Predrag Cicovacki, Department of Philosophy. Learn more. See the publication.

|FSU Homepage||Office of the Registrar||On-Line Registration||1997-1999 Graduate Bulletin||Table of Contents| Since its founding in 1965, the Department of Religion at The Florida State University has been a leader among Americas public institutions in the academic study of religion. The department offers instruction in the religious traditions of the world and the religious dimensions of human life. While covering a wide range of religious phenomena and the interaction of religion with other cultural forms, there are particular concentrations in the religions of western antiquity, religions of Asia, religion in Europe and the Americas, and religion, ethics and philosophy. Located in the humanities area of the College of Arts and Sciences, the department participates actively in the Universitys liberal studies program. A number of religion courses are approved for humanities credit in liberal studies and for literature and multicultural requirements. The department is committed to offering several liberal studies honors courses and honors augmented courses each semester. Members of the department regularly teach in the Bryan Hall living and learning community. Our students are encouraged to take advantage of the Universitys international programs, especially those in London and Florence. A concentration in religion provides the opportunity to acquire a broad liberal arts education, as the study of religion involves exposure to a wide variety of different cultural expressions and methods of analysis. While some religion majors and minors go on to graduate work and positions in the various areas of religion and religious studies, the issues and methods encountered are applicable to a number of different professional fields and interests. The department is housed in Dodd Hall. The facilities of the department includes a small library of standard reference works for the use of religion students. Please review all college-wide degree requirements summarized in the College of Arts and Sciences section of this General Bulletin. To complete a bachelor of arts (BA) degree with a major in religion, a student must take (in addition to other college requirements) thirty (30) semester hours of religion courses. For purposes of the major requirement, religion courses are divided into the following three (3) areas: Western: REL 2121, 2213, 2243, 3128, 3146, 3194, 3293r, 3363, 3370, 3430, 3505, 3600, 4203r, 4290r, 4320r, 4323, 4324, 4511, 4541, 4564, 4611, 4613, 4996r; Asian: REL 2315, 2350, 3316, 3335, 3337, 3340, 3342, 3345, 3350, 4304r, 4333, 4348, 4355, 4913r, 4990r, 4994r; Issues and Approaches: REL 3112, 3142, 3145, 3160, 3170, 3177r, 3191; PHI 3700. Note: the areas in which REL 3936r, 4190r, 4491r, 4905r and 4932r fall depend on the topic. Students should inquire at the department office for a current list of all courses and their areas. Majors will choose either the extensive option (two courses from each of the three areas, and electives) or the intensive option (four courses from one area and one from each of the other two, and electives). At least six (6) courses must be at the 3000/4000 level, of which two (2) must be at the 4000 level. Majors must take at least one religion course with a seminar format (either a course listed as a seminar or one approved as such by the departmental Director of Undergraduate Studies). In some cases, with the approval of the departmental Director of Undergraduate Studies, up to two courses from other departments may count toward a religion major (PHI 3700 counts as a course offered by the Department of Religion). Courses in which the student receives a grade below C will not be counted toward the major. Religion majors must complete twelve (12) semester hours in an approved departmental field. The Department of Religion offers an honors program in religion to encourage talented juniors and seniors to undertake independent and original research as part of the undergraduate experience. For requirements and other information, see the University Honors Program and Honor Societies section of this General Bulletin. The departments of Religion and Classical Languages, Literature, and Civilization cooperate in a joint major designed for students with a special interest in religion in the ancient world. Students interested in this program should discuss it with the undergraduate director of either department. Because religion touches many facets of human life, the study of religion is inherently interdisciplinary. The department therefore participates in a number of interdepartmental programs, including the following: American Studies, Asian Studies, Black Studies, Humanities, Womens Studies, and Peace Studies. In addition, students of religion will find related courses in other departments, including Anthropology; Art History; Classical Languages, Literature, and Civilization; English; History; Philosophy; and Sociology. Students undertaking a major or minor in religion should discuss such courses with the director of undergraduate studies in religion. Students wishing to minor in religion must take a minimum of twelve (12) semester hours of credit. At least six (6) semester hours of credit must be earned in courses at the 3000 level or higher. Courses in which the student receives a grade below C will not be counted toward the minor. As they develop their minor, students should consult with the director of undergraduate studies in religion. |REL 2000.||Introduction to Religion (3). An introduction to the study of religion which covers a wide range of religious phenomena from the major religious traditions of the world.| |REL 2121.||Religion in the United States (3). An examination of the scope and nature of religious movements and institutions in the United States.| |REL 2213.||Introduction to the Old Testament (3). The history, religious thought, and social institutions of ancient Israel as reflected primarily in its literature.| |REL 2243.||Introduction to the New Testament (3). An introduction to the writings of the New Testament in the context of the historical development of early Christianity.| |REL 2300.||World Religions (3). A survey of the major living religious traditions of the world, with attention to their origins in the ancient world and their classic beliefs and practices.| |REL 2315.||Religions of South Asia (3). History and culture of the religious traditions of South Asia. A study of the manifestations of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, Sikhism, and Christianity in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.| |REL 2350.||Religions of East Asia (3). An introduction to the history, thought and practice of religion in China, Korea, and Japan. Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and popular religious traditions from ancient through modern times are covered.| |REL 3112.||Religion and Literature (3). Examination of diverse reflections of the religious element in selected literary works.| |REL 3128r.||Topics in Religion in the Americas (3). Prerequisite: REL 2121 or instructors consent. May be repeated to a maximum of six (6) semester hours.| |REL 3142.||Religion, the Self, and Society (3). Interpretation of religious phenomena by the major social theorists of modern times. The course is divided into two parts: 1) the psychology of religion and 2) the sociology of religion.| |REL 3145.||Gender and Religion (3). A consideration of the impact of gender on religion. Includes cross-cultural studies, theoretical works, and gender issues within religious traditions.| |REL 3146.||Women and the Bible (3). Prerequisite: REL 2213 or 2243. This course will examine female figures and images of the Bible, while surveying the various approaches to feminist modes of analysis.| |REL 3160.||Religion and Science (3). A study of the history, methods, and theories of science and religion noting points of conflict, mutual limitations and strengths, methodological similarities and dissimilarities, and common involvements leading to a more informed dialogue concerning their interaction.| |REL 3170.||Religious Ethics and Moral Problems (3). A discussion of contemporary moral problems such as deception, sexual activities and relations, and capital punishment from the standpoints of major religious traditions.| |REL 3177r.||Topics in Ethics (3). Consideration of themes and problems in modern ethics. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.| |REL 3191.||Death and Dying (3). Practical and theoretical perspectives on the critical dimensions of death as it is experienced in modern society.| |REL 3194.||The Holocaust (3). An examination of the origins, the process, and the consequences of the destruction of the European Jews during World War II.| |REL 3293r.||Topics in Biblical Studies (3). Prerequisite: REL 2213, 2243 or instructors permission. Selected topics dealing with biblical writings in their ancient historical contexts and/or their interpretation in later periods. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.| |REL 3316.||South Asian Religion and Politics (3). Prerequisite: REL 2315. The intersection of religion and politics in South Asia. A study of the political rhetoric of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.| |REL 3335r.||Hindu Texts and Contexts (3). A study of selected Hindu scriptures, their commentarial traditions, and their religious and cultural contexts. Topics vary; may include devotional (bhakti) poetry, Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita, etc. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.| |REL 3337.||Goddess, Women, and Power in Hinduism (3). Female power in Hindu cosmology, mythology, and society. A study of Hindu goddesses, women, and female symbolism and the multifaceted relationship among them.| |REL 3340.||The Buddhist Tradition (3). A survey of the Buddhist tradition from its beginnings through the modern period. Some attention to its contemporary forms.| |REL 3342.||Chinese Buddhism (3). A study of the history, thought, and practice of Chinese Buddhism, through readings in Tiantai, Huayan, Chan, and Pure Land materials.| |REL 3345.||Zen Buddhism (3). The thought, practice and history of Zen in China, Korea, and Japan from its beginnings to the present day.| |REL 3350.||Religious Traditions of East Asia (3). A survey of the religious traditions of East Asia, including Taosism, Confusianism, Family and Civil Religion, and Shinto, with some attention to the varieties of East Asia Buddhism.| |REL 3363.||The Islamic Tradition (3). An introduction to the basic terms and history of the religious tradition of Islam.| |REL 3370.||Afro-Caribbean Religions (3). A survey of the roots and current manifestations of the religions of the African diaspora, with a focus upon both the Caribbean and Latin America. Special attention will be given to Voudou and Santeria.| |REL 3430.||Issues and Thinkers in Western Religious Thought (3). An introduction to the Western tradition of religious thought as illustrated by the writings of some of its greatest representatives. Readings in such primary sources as Augustine, Dante, Erasmus, Luther, Pascal, Hegel, and Kierkegaard.| |REL 3505.||The Christian Tradition (3). The major beliefs, practices, and institutional forms of Christianity in historical perspective.| |REL 3600.||The Jewish Tradition (3). A survey of the varieties of institutional structures, beliefs, and religious practices of post-Biblical Judaism in their historical contexts.| |PHI 3700.||Philosophy of Religion (3). Philosophical analysis of major problems in religion: religious language, faith, revelation, existence and nature of God, immortality. Also offered by the Department of Philosophy.| |REL 3936r.||Special Topics in Religion (1-3). May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.| |REL 4190r.||Undergraduate Religion and Culture Seminar (3). Problems and issues in religion and culture. Topics vary. Intended for advanced undergraduate students. Permission of the instructor required. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.| |REL 4203r.||Readings in Classical Hebrew Texts (1-3). Prerequisite: HEB 2230 or instructor consent. Intensive work on specific religious texts in classical Hebrew (ancient or medieval). Choice of texts will vary. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours.| |REL 4290r.||Undergraduate Biblical Studies Seminar (3). Advanced work in Biblical studies for undergraduates. Topics vary. Permission of the instructor required. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.| |REL 4304r.||Undergraduate History of Religions Seminar (3). Problems and issues in the history of religions. Topics vary. Intended for advanced undergraduate students. Permission of the instructor is required. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.| |REL 4320r.||Tutorial in Greek Religious Texts (1-3). Selected readings in Greek of Jewish, Christian and other religious texts from the ancient world. A basic knowledge of Greek grammar is presumed. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours.| |REL 4323.||Religions of the Ancient Near East (3). The religious traditions of the ancient Near East, including Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Syria/Palestine, from earliest historical times to the onset of the Hellenistic age.| |REL 4324.||Religions of the Graeco-Roman World (3). The religions of the Graeco-Roman world with special emphasis on traditional religious forms, mystery religions, and developments in philosophy. Some attention will be given to Judaism, Christianity, and Gnosticism in their broader social, cultural, and historical contexts.| |REL 4333.||Modern Hinduism (3). Selected topics on the Hindu tradition in 19th and 20th century India. Includes modern Hindu thinkers, reform movements, popular religion, Hindu nationalism, and pluralism. Attention also to Hindu-inspired religious movements outside India and to other topics of student interest.| |REL 4348.||Seminar in Indian Buddhist Philosophy (3). A seminar exploring Buddhist philosophy from the time of Buddha through the medieval Buddhist logicians. Selections from the Nikayas, Najarjuna, Yoyacara, and Buddhist epistemologists will be studied.| |REL 4355.||Seminar in Taoism (3). A seminar investigating the primary texts, central ideas and history of the Lao-Chuang Taoist tradition.| |REL 4491r.||Undergraduate Religious Thought Seminar (3). Topics vary. Intended for advanced undergraduate students. Permission of the instructor required. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.| |REL 4511.||Christianity in Late Antiquity (3). Christian thought, institutions, lifestyles, and literature in their social, cultural, and historical contexts from the time of Jesus to the early middle ages.| |REL 4541.||Modern Protestantism (3). The development of the Protestant traditions in the modern era. The course will emphasize the innovative responses made in Protestant thought and practice to the key developments in culture and society.| |REL 4564.||Modern Roman Catholicism (3). The Catholic Church from the Council of Trent to the present day; special consideration given to Vatican II, current problems, and leading thinkers.| |REL 4611.||Judaism in the Graeco-Roman World (3). A history of the Jews and the development of Jewish religious ideas, literature, institutions and practices from the Maccabean Revolt to the Redaction of the Babylonian Talmud.| |REL 4613.||Modern Judaism (3). The development of Judaism as a religious and cultural phenomenon in Europe, North America, and the Middle East from the European Enlightenment to the birth of the State of Israel.| |REL 4905r.||Directed Individual Study (1-3). Supervised reading and research on selected topics. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.| |REL 4913r.||Tutorial in Classical Chinese Religious Texts (3). Prerequisite: 1 year Chinese language or familiarity with written Chinese. Readings in Chinese of selected religious texts. Topics will vary. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours.| |REL 4932r.||Honors Work (3). Students completing this program are awarded their diploma With Honors in Religion. Interested students should consult with the director of the program. May be repeated to a maximum of nine (9) semester hours.| |REL 4990r.||Tutorial in Pali (1-3). A study of the grammar, vocabulary and style of the Pali canon to better understand both Buddhist philosophical concepts and the culture of ancient Buddhist India. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours.| |REL 4994r.||Tutorial in Sanskrit Texts (1-3). Prerequisite: SAL 4101 or its equivalent. Readings in Sanskrit of selected religious texts. Topics will vary. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours.| |REL 4996r.||Tutorial in Latin Religious Texts (1-3). Readings in Latin of selected religious texts. Topics will vary. A basic knowledge of Latin grammar is presumed. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours.| |REL 5035.||Seminar: Introduction to the Study of Religion (3).| |REL 5195r.||Seminar: Religion and Culture (3).| |REL 5204r.||Readings in Classical Hebrew Texts (1-3).| |REL 5291r.||Tutorial in Near Eastern Languages and Literature (1-3).| |REL 5297r.||Seminar: Biblical Studies (3).| |REL 5305r.||Seminar: History of Religions (3).| |REL 5326.||Religions of the Ancient Near East (3).| |REL 5329.||Religions of the Graeco-Roman World (3).| |REL 5336.||Modern Hinduism (3).| |REL 5346.||Seminar in Indian Buddhist Philosophy (3).| |REL 5356.||Seminar in Taoism (3).| |REL 5486.||Religious Thought in America (3).| |REL 5497r.||Seminar: Religious Thought (3).| |REL 5515.||Christianity in Late Antiquity (3).| |REL 5522r.||Tutorial in Greek Religious Texts (1-3).| |REL 5535.||Christianity in Early Modern Europe (3).| |REL 5545.||Modern Protestantism (3).| |REL 5565.||Modern Roman Catholicism (3).| |REL 5612.||Judaism in the Graeco-Roman World (3).| |REL 5616.||Modern Judaism (3).| |REL 5906r.||Directed Individual Study (1-3).| |REL 5911r.||Supervised Research (1-3). (S/U grade only.)| |REL 5917.||Tutorial in Classical Chinese Religious Texts (3).| |REL 5937r.||Special Topics in Religion (3).| |REL 5940.||Supervised Teaching (3). (S/U grade only.)| |REL 5991r.||Tutorial in Pali (13).| |REL 5995r.||Tutorial in Sanskrit Texts (1-3).| |REL 5997r.||Tutorial in Latin Religious Texts (1-3).| |REL 6176r.||Seminar: Ethics and Politics (3).| |REL 6298r.||Seminar: Scriptures and Interpretation (3).| |REL 6498r.||Seminar: Religious Thought (3).| |REL 6596r.||Seminar: Religious Movements and Institutions (3).| For listings relating to graduate course work for thesis, dissertation, and masters and doctoral examinations and defense, consult the Graduate Bulletin.

"Chuck Hagel Nominated As Secretary Of Defense" President Barack Obama announced today that he has nominated his top counterterrorism adviser John Brennan as the next CIA director and former Republican senator from Nebraska Chuck Hagel for the position of Secretary of Defense, ignoring weeks of neoconservative criticism of Hagel’s record. “Chuck Hagel is the leader that our troops deserve,” Obama said in the East Room of the White House during the announcement. “He is a champion of our troops, and our values, and our military families.” Outgoing Secretary Leon Panetta said that Hagel is “a patriot, a decorated combat veteran…and I believe his experience and judgment makes him an excellent choice for Secretary of Defense.” In taking over at the Pentagon from Secretary Panetta, Hagel is tasked with implementing a time of change that began in Obama’s first term. Hagel — who served in the Senate from 1997 to 2009 — was an early supporter of the Iraq War, but quickly became an extremely vocal thorn in the side of the Bush administration as an outspoken critic of the war’s prosecution. That war has now ended under President Obama, with the war in Afghanistan due to come to a close during Hagel’s service in Obama’s Cabinet. Despite his credentials, and the strong likelihood that he will be confirmed, the path to the Pentagon will be one littered with false attacks and cheap shots that ignore the nuance of Hagel’s past statements. The smear machine has been gearing up for weeks as President Obama weighed his final decision and the White House sent out trial balloons. In response, an avalanche of bipartisan and high-level support has come out in defense of Hagel’s strong record, a few selections of which are listed here: Hagel would be a new voice to the halls of the Pentagon, as the first Defense chief who served in Vietnam as an enlisted soldier, a point of view that has affected his further interactions with the military. Hagel also is the first Secretary who only served as an enlisted soldier opposed to being an officer. Originally assigned to be sent to Europe, Hagel instead requested to be sent to serve with his compatriots in Vietnam. Once he took off the uniform, Hagel continued to support those who came after him in defense of the country, serving as Deputy Administrator of what was then the Veterans Administration. Faced during his tenure with criticism for his support of the design for the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, Hagel stood firm in support of what is now now one of the most famous structures in Washington. Hagel also served as the President and CEO of the USO from 1987 until 1990. As the Atlantic’s S.C. Clemons has noted, in that position Hagel not only brought the budget back to operating levels, he provided relief to U.S. soldiers serving around the world, including those based in Israel. Should Hagel be confirmed, he would also bring years of experience from his time on the Senate’s Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees, including time spent traveling with a young Senator to Iraq and other foreign locales to give him the lay of the land. That tie to now-President Obama will serve Hagel well as he helps steer the Pentagon through a time of looming budget cuts and strategic shifts. Since leaving the Senate, Hagel has kept himself in position to weigh in on and effect foreign policy. He currently acts as Chairman of the Atlantic Council, promoting ties between the U.S. and Europe. He also serves as co-chair of Obama’s Intelligence Advisory Board, which provides the President with an independent view of the activities and effectiveness of the intelligence community. The first charge in most attacks against Hagel is that he is somehow less committed to the defense of Israel than he should be — or worse, that he’s actually anti-Semitic. As has been documented at this blog and in numerous other places, Hagel’s actual record has been one in support of Israel while maintaining a nuanced and balanced view of the region rather than one of dogmatic belief. As pointed out by the Jewish organization J Street: In his book, Hagel wrote: “[a]t its core, there will be a special and historic bond with Israel exemplified by our continued commitment to Israel’s defense.” Further, “[a] comprehensive solution should not include any compromise regarding Israel’s Jewish identity, which must be assured. The Israel people must be free to live in peace and security.” Even more important to many knocking Hagel is their belief that he would be unwilling to lead the nation to war with Iran and would somehow refuse to do so should the President make such a decision. The idea that Hagel is out of the mainstream on Iran is an absurdity. In a 2006 speech, Hagel outlined his view on U.S.-Iranian relations, making clear that while Iran’s behavior in the region is not to be applauded, the prospects of war should give America pause. Hagel has also stated in an op-ed signed by many other foreign policy luminaries that they take a stance “fully consistent with the policy of presidents for more than a decade of keeping all options on the table, including the use of military force, thereby increasing pressure on Iran while working toward a political solution.” Throughout his time in the Senate, Hagel showed a bipartisan and moderate streak on foreign policy that managed to thread the line between staying in the mainstream on most issues and bucking conventional wisdom when necessary. Hagel co-sponsored the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006, which declared it U.S. policy to oppose organizations “that support terrorism and violently reject a two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” Hagel also voted in favor of over $38 billion worth of aid to Israel during his two terms in the Senate, hardly the action of someone with a loathing of the state. He also voted in favor of several rounds of targeted sanctions against Iran including packages in 1998, 2000, and 2006. Hagel also proved his commitment to lowering the proliferation of nuclear material by co-sponsoring a bill called the “Nuclear Weapons Threat Reduction Act of 2007” with then-Senator Obama. Hagel further showed his continuing desire to aid those in uniform in one of his last votes in the Senate, by voting in favor of the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the original version of which he also co-authored with fellow Vietnam veteran Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA). When he departed the Senate in 2008, the praise from his colleagues came from both sides of the aisle. In all, Hagel should be an uncontroversial choice to head the Pentagon. As a veteran, a former Senator, an established thinker on foreign policy, and strong supporter of the President, Hagel has all the markings of a strong Secretary of Defense. The coming fight over his confirmation will expose not the flaws in Hagel’s record, but instead those in the thinking of his detractors.

A Special Erev Shabbat with Dr. David Breakstone! Kabbalat Shabbat & Dinner, November 12th Come enjoy a special evening at Congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley with Dr. David Breakstone, Vice Chairman of the World Zionist Organization and member of The Jewish Agency Executive, where he represents the worldwide Conservative/Masorti Movement. This Masorti Erev Shabbat will begin with Kabbalat Shabbat at 5:30pm, followed by a catered Shabbat dinner at 6:15pm. During dinner Dr. Breakstone, the highest-ranked Masorti officer in the Jewish Agency, will speak on the topic: "Masorti Making a Difference: A Call for a Joint Endeavor." The cost of Shabbat dinner is 15$/adult, 8$/child, children 0-3 free (50$ maximum per family). No one turned away for lack of funds. Please RSVP to Rachel in the CNS office at email@example.com. Childcare will be made available if requested. Please also consider using this opportunity to donate an extra $15 to the Masorti Movement as part of the new Chai Masorti campaign. This event is cosponsored by the CNS Young Adults Chevreh and Bay Area Masorti. ______________________________________________________ Dr. David Breakstone is the Vice Chairman of the World Zionist Organization and a member of The Jewish Agency Executive, where he represents the worldwide Conservative/Masorti Movement. He is also a columnist forThe Jerusalem Post,where his inisghtful and provocative observations on Israel and the Jewish world appear bi-weekly in its weekend magazine under the title "Keep Dreaming."

VIENNA (Jul. 8) Kurt Waldheim was sworn in Tuesday as Austria’s sixth President in a ceremony at the Parliament Building boycotted by at least six foreign Ambassadors, including the United States envoy, because of Waldheim’s controversial war-time record as a Wehrmacht officer. There were no visible protestors near the Parliament building, but in a nearby square, a group of four persons led by Rabbi Avi Weiss of New York and Nazi-hunter Beate Klarsfeld held candles in a silent demonstration against Waldheim’s election and Austria’s reluctance to recall its past. They had been holding their silent vigil for the past 24 hours. A few blocks away, at Vienna’s main square, a wooden “Trojan horse” wearing a swastika and the brown cap of the Nazi era’s dreaded Brownshirts, was unveiled by a group calling itself “New Austria,” which included several prominent artists and intellectuals. The 67-year-old Waldheim, a former United Nations Secretary General, won a landslide victory last June 8 against his Socialist opponent, Kurt Steyrer, despite repeated revelations, mainly by the New York-based World Jewish Congress, concerning Waldheim’s war-time record as a Wehrmacht intelligence officer and of having concealed his past. On Monday, the WJCongress, released in Jerusalem a newly-discovered secret German war-time document which allegedly connected for the first time the new Austrian President directly to the deportation of Greek Jews to the Auschwitz death camp in 1944. Waldheim looked pale and tired as he walked down Parliament’s Assembly Hall and pronounced the oath of office. “I swear that I will observe the laws of the Republic and do my duty according to the best of my knowledge and my conscience–so help me God.” He then referred at length to Austria’s pre-war anti-Semitism. “The never again that we Austrians swore on the wounds of the Second World War refers not only to the horrors of the Holocaust but also to the monstrous spirit which made such horrors possible–namely the spirit of anti-Semitism,” Waldheim said. He added that “it must be our daily and ever renewed resolution to watch out that each citizen in our country, whatever his race, religion or belief, is treated as a brother or a sister.” He concluded, “As President of Austria, I don’t ask to be anything more than the first servant of the state.” There was only polite applause at the Assembly Hall. Several Socialist deputies wore black ties in sign of mourning but the ceremony took place without incident. After the swearing in, several thousand people lined the Hofburg Courtyards and again politely applauded as Waldheim walked on foot to the Presidential Palace. On Tuesday night, Waldheim will preside at a major state banquet which will mark the official start of his six year term. Ronald Lauder, the U.S. Ambassador to Austria, had what the State Department in Washington described as “long-standing plans to be out of Austria for personal reasons” at the time of the inauguration. The State Department indicated the U.S. would be represented by the Embassy Charge d’Affairs. With continued documentation being uncovered at various sources about Waldheim’s Nazi past, it remains likely that the Reagan Administration will continue to be under pressure to make a decision on whether to bar the Austrian President from the United States by having his name placed on the Immigration and Naturalization Service’s so called “watch list.” This list bars persons accused of Nazi war crimes from the U.S. The Justice Department has met with lawyers representing Waldheim on the matter. Numerous Congressmen have urged Attorney General Edwin Meese to soon render a decision on Waldheim’s status in the U.S. In Israel, meanwhile, as Waldheim was sworn in as the new President of Austria, the extraordinary nine-and-a-half hour documentary “Shoah,” which retraces the story of the Holocaust, was symbolically shown inside the Knesset building in Jerusalem. The screening of the documentary by Claude Lanzmann was initiated by the Knesset’s Education Committee, chaired by Laborite Naham Raz. In Tel Aviv, some 200 persons, among them Holocaust survivors, demonstrated outside the Austrian Embassy at the time of the inauguration ceremony in Vienna.

Europe continues struggle against rising anti-Semitism An attack on a Jewish school last weekend prompted French leaders to action. PARIS — Spurred to action by a weekend arson attack against a Jewish school, the French government has promised renewed efforts to battle persistent anti-Semitism that many French Jews say makes them fear for their safety. "When a Jew is attacked in France, it must be clear that the whole of France is attacked," President Jacques Chirac declared Monday night, after ordering his cabinet to create a special committee to monitor and punish anti-Semitic acts. But so long as tensions between Israel and the Palestinians remain high, Jewish analysts here say, young Muslim men in Europe are likely to continue to express their political sentiments through racist attacks. "The climate for Jewish communities has become more difficult in Western Europe, primarily because of the overspill of the Israel-Palestine conflict and because of Islamist anti-Semitism that is increasingly influencing the attitudes of Muslim communities," says Mike Whine, spokesman for the Paris-based European Jewish Congress. President Chirac ordered closer cooperation between police and Jewish community leaders, and tougher action by police and the courts against anti-Semitic acts, demanding: "The greatest vigilance in prevention, the greatest firmness in investigation, and the greatest severity and speed in punishment." France strengthened its antiracist laws earlier this year, in the wake of a spate of attacks on Jewish establishments. Harsh new penalties for racially motivated crimes mean that the perpetrators of the arson attack on the Jewish school in Gagny, north of Paris, face up to 20 years in prison if caught. Interior Ministry figures suggest that the number of anti-Semitic incidents in France has dropped by nearly half this year compared to 2002. But synagogues are still firebombed, Jewish cemeteries desecrated, and Jewish children taunted on their way to school. Some Jewish observers blame the general political atmosphere in Europe, where Israel is deeply unpopular because of its harsh treatment of the Palestinians, especially since the outbreak of the second "intifada" in 2000. A European Union poll earlier this month found that 59 percent of Europeans see Israel as a threat to world peace: No other country polled higher. That political sentiment "often shades into anti-Semitism," says Mr. Whine. "The continuous demonization of Israel legitimizes anti-Semitic violence." "Disapproval and condemnation of Israel's policy in the Palestinian territories have clearly lowered the barrier - already unclear to some - between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism," said the daily Le Monde in an editorial on Monday. "The perpetrators of these attacks confuse Jews with Israel," suggests Sarah Rembiszewski, an expert on Europe at the Stephen Roth Institute on anti-Semitism at Tel Aviv University. Worried by their country's poor image in Europe, two top Israeli officials are visiting the Continent this week: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon held talks Monday night with Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, current president of the European Union, and Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom met with EU foreign ministers. "Unfortunately, recently we ... noticed that some signals of anti-Semitism are back in Europe," Mr. Shalom told Reuters. He said he would ask the EU to form "a ministerial council of Europe and Israel that will fight together against this phenomenon." In France, after several years of downplaying anti-Semitic incidents as mere hooliganism, the government "has become aware of the problem," says Ariel Goldman, a leader of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF). "Chirac's comments were meant to persuade public opinion that anti-Semitism is not just a danger for Jews but for the French republic," Mr. Goldman adds. "I hope he succeeds."

Like many Jewish Canadian parents of 18-year-olds, I travelled to a college campus in late August, helped my kid unpack and tried to fight back the tears, as we said our farewells. Logically, I knew this was the right thing for my son, as it will foment independence, growth and learning. Emotionally, though, it was a wrenching time, and for weeks after I returned home, emotional outbursts were a frequent companion. His empty bedroom called me relentlessly, well after it had been cleaned, sorted and tidied. “Think of it as a successful launch, rather than an emptier nest,” a friend counselled me, as I declared my heartache for my firstborn, who is now a full day’s flight from home at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ont. Then routine set in and I reluctantly accepted my new reality: an empty (but clean and tidy!) bedroom, a significant reduction in laundry and a fridge that stays fuller, longer. Back on campus, my son was learning how to wash his own clothes, manage a full university course load without any parental prompting and maintain a balanced lifestyle – which, for him, includes working out at 5:45 a.m. He’s making new friends, joining university clubs, planning summer internships and coping beautifully. But there are also times when I hear loneliness in his voice and wish I could whisk him home for a good meal, a loving embrace and the kind of encouragement that just can’t be delivered by phone, text or email. These days, I find myself so grateful for the hospitality that complete strangers have extended to my son. Chabad of London, which hosted over 100 students for the first night of Rosh Hashanah, provided a lively, friendly, welcoming atmosphere for my son and many others. I’m grateful for the Jewish professor who opened his house to any Jewish students who cared to come for the breaking of the fast on Yom Kippur. He fed my kid and others from the generosity of his own heart, expecting nothing in return. And then there’s Hillel of Western, which serves Friday night Shabbat dinner that include challah and roast chicken – a welcome change for students accustomed to cafeteria food – in a warm, Jewish environment, where they can socialize safely and easily. I’m thankful for the mother of one of my son’s friends, who invited him to join her for dinner and shopping when she visited town. And for the Jewish family in Toronto that hosted him for a night during reading break, when campus became a sudden ghost town and my son walked the halls alone and frustrated. The saying, “it takes a village to raise a child,” was a platitude to me until now, something that felt closer to a kibbutz environment than to my suburban Canadian context. For the first time, I’m aware of, and grateful for, this invisible community, this safety net of support that’s often neither organized nor deliberate, but whose combined gestures add solace, friendship and sustenance in a myriad of ways. To the community of kind strangers I’ll likely never meet: thank you for helping to nourish, guide and feed my son as he experiences the world alone for the first time. You should know that your kind gestures make a world of difference for a kid who’s far from home – and for the family that loves and misses him. I’m booking his next flight home, counting the days till we see him again and feeling grateful for the embrace of strangers, who are supporting him on this journey far from his Pacific Northwest home.

Kannur is the most urbanised district in Kerala, with more than 50% of its residents living in urban areas. Kannur has an urban population of 1,212,898, which is the second largest in Kerala after Ernakulam district. Kannur District is known as the land of looms and lores, because of the loom industries functioning in the district and festivals held in temples. The district is a major centre of Theyyam, a ritual dance of northern Kerala, and small shrines known as kavus associated with the Theyyam dot the district. Kannur is also known for the relatively high level of political violence that occurs in the district, mainly involving CPI(M) activists against perceived rival political opposition and their supporters. The district is set to have a new international airport, the fourth in Kerala. There are many myths and legends behind the name Kannur. It is said to be a portmanteau derived from two Malayalam words, ‘Kannan’ (Krishna), a Hindu deity, and ‘Ur’ (place), making it the place of Lord Krishna. According to another version, Kannur is a derivation of ‘Kanathur’, an ancient village, the name of which survives even today as a ward in the municipality of Kannur. In keeping with Kannur's association with the legend of Lord Krishna, it is worth mentioning that the deity of the Kadalayi Srikrishna Temple was originally installed in a shrine at Kadalayi Kotta in the southeastern part of the present Kannur town. It is also said that the ships of Solomon had anchored along the coasts of Kannur to collect timber for building the Temple of the Lord. Kannur also finds mention as Naura in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, a Greek work of great antiquity. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama visited Kannur in 1498, and shortly thereafter it became a Portuguese settlement. The Portuguese built St. Angelo's Fort north of Kannur in 1505. In 1558, the Kolathiris came openly into the field against the Portuguese by providing active support to Kunjali Marakkars of Kozhikode. The Kolathiris and the Zamorins of Kozhikode fought a common war against Portuguese and the besieged Fort St. Angelo in 1564. In the mid-17th century control of Kannur passed to the Dutch from whom the British captured it in 1783. The English East India Company got its first foothold in the district towards the closing years of the 17th century, when it acquired a site at Thalassery for the erection of a fort and a factory. In the latter half of the 18th century, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, rulers of Mysore, conquered much of the district and came into conflict with the British. In 1792, at the conclusion of the Third Anglo-Mysore War, the British took over Kannur and the surrounding region, which became the new Malabar District of British India's Madras Presidency. The Khilafat movement Moplah Rebellion of 1921 was the uprising of Muslims against the British rule. Payyannur was the main venue of the Salt Satyagraha, a major turning point in the Indian Freedom Movement, in Malabar. On April 13, a batch of Congress volunteers under the leadership of K. Kelappan started on foot from Kozhikkode to the beaches of Payyannur and broke the salt laws there on April 21. The Satyagraha camp at Payyannur was raided and the campers were beaten up. Uliyath Kadav[Payyanur] incident became a turning point in the history of freedom struggle in Kerala. Nandakumar Koroth in his 'History of Payyanur' wrote the impact of the salt satyagraha in the freedom movement of North Kerala. It thrilled the people and thousands were ready to join in the struggle for freedom. There were widespread demonstrations in Kannur, Thalassery and other parts of the district and a number of Congress workers were arrested. The period following the withdrawal of the Civil Disobedience Movement witnessed the emergence of a radical wing in the Kerala Provincial Congress. Some of the radical elements in the Kerala Provincial Congress organized a Kerala unit of the Congress Socialist Party in 1934 and functioned as a separate group within the Provincial Congress. The leadership of this group was in the hands of persons like P. Krishna Pillai, A.K. Gopalan and E. M. S. Namboodiripad. An extremist group of Nationalist Muslims also emerged within the Congress during this period under the leadership of Muhammad Abdur Rahiman. The Congress Socialists and the Nationalist Muslims made common cause against the Gandhian group known as the Right Wing which was led by such leaders as K. Kelappan, C.K. Govindan Nair and K.A. Damodara Menon. A notable development in the politics of Malabar during the thirties was the rise of the Muslim League as a district political party. It was the Muslim leaders of Kannur and Thalassery who played the lead role in forming this organization. The leftist elements in the Kerala Provincial Congress were also active in the politics of Malabar in the late thirties. They took active part in organizing the workers, peasants, students and teachers of Kannur district under their banner. In the election held to the Kerala Provincial Congress Committee in January 1939, the Rightists suffered a severe set back. Muhammad Abdur Rahiman was elected as the president of the KPCC and E.M.S Namboodiripad as its general secretary. Towards the end of the same year, a branch of the Indian Communist Party was formally founded in Malabar. The Congress Socialist Party workers joined the Communist Party en bloc. Though the War ended in 1945, famine continued to haunt the people. Karivellor, the northern most village of the present Kannur district, made a historic stride in the struggle against poverty and famine. The transporting of paddy from Karivellore to Chirakkal Kovilakom was blocked and distributed to the people of the village. The movement was led by peasant leaders like A.V. Kunhambu and K. Krishnan Master. One Kannan and Kunhambu became martyrs in the struggle when police opened fire. During the month of December 1946, the people of Kavumbayi, an eastern village of the district, raised their demand for punam cultivation. A strong police contingent was sent to the spot. The peasants resisted the armed forces which led to the killing of five peasants in the firing. The rise of the organized working class in the industrial sector was another important phenomenon of the period that changed the course of the anti-imperialism movement. The struggle of Aron Mill workers in the year 1946 is noteworthy in this regard. Even after independence, the struggles of the peasantry formed an important part in the history of the state. They fought against landlords and their exploitation. Places like Thillankeri, Manayankunnu, Korom and Paddikkunnu are memorable in the annals of the peasant struggles in the post independence era. The All India Conference of Kisan Sabha, held at Kannur in 1953, resolved to initiate struggles for new tenancy legislations. The movement for Aikya Kerala (united Kerala) also got momentum during this period and all sections of the society rallied under the movement. Communist Parties have a strong base in this district. It is estimated that that CPI(M) itself has more than 50% support. CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) governs five of six municipalities in Kannur district. Around 70% of the panchayats are also governed by LDF. The I.U.M.L is one of the strongest political party in Kannur. Muslim League rules about 15 panchayats and one municipality in the district. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has very minimal presence in the district. During the months of April and May, the mean daily maximum temperature is about 35 °C. Temperature is low in December and January and the minimum temperature is about 20 °C. On certain days the night temperature may go down to 16 °C , although this is extremely rare. The annual average rainfall is 3438 mm and more than 80% of it occurs during the period of South-West monsoon. The rainfall during July is very heavy and the district receives 68% of the annual rainfall during this season. Paddy occupies the largest area among annual crops. Under the high yielding variety programme, substantial increase in paddy production has been achieved, even though the percentage of area sown under paddy is decreasing year after year, due to conversion of paddy fields to other purposes. The average yield of paddy is recorded as 2146 kg. per hectare. Next to paddy, coconut is the most important crop in the district. Coconut is extensively grown throughout the district. An important cash crop grown in the district is cashewnut. The district plays a unique role in its cultivation and production. The vast stretches of suitable waste lands with low fertility status extends scope for expansion of cashew cultivation and its allied industries. Among spices, pepper occupies an important place. Pepper is mostly grown as an intercrop with coconut, arecanut and various fruit trees. In the hilly areas of the district, the inter-cultivation is done with rubber and cashew. Rubber is the most important industrial cash crop among the plantation crops. About 55% of the rubber cultivation of Kannur district is in Taliparamba taluk, followed by Thalassery and Kannur taluks. The yield of rubber per hectare varies from 2000 kg to 4000 kg. Kannur district has had its industrial importance from very early days. Being blessed with a variety of factors such as good soil, salubrious climate, rich forests, enormous fishing potentials, minerals as well as infrastructural facilities like road, rail, inland water transport, etc., the district offers ample scope for the development of industries. Nevertheless, Kannur is an industrially backward district in the state. There are only one major and five mini industrial estates in the district. Keltron Complex, Mangattuparamba and Western India Plywood's, Valappattanam are the two major industries. The Western India Plywoods is one of the biggest wood based industrial complexes in South East Asia. The district has 12 medium-scale industries, most of which are either cotton textile or plywood manufacturing. Textiles, beedi and coir are the important traditional industries in the district. About one lakh people depend on the textile industry for livelihood. The textile industry which accounts for 40% of all Small Scale Industrial (SSI) units in the district, was introduced in early 19th century by the German Basel Mission. The first ready-made garment unit in Kannur and the first hosiery unit in Kuthuparamba were started around the end of the 19th century. The beedi industry provides employment to about 50,000 people. Famous beedi co-operative ‘Dinesh Beedi’ is in Kannur district. The coir industry which uses traditional technology provides employment to about 11,000 workers. There are 6934 small scale industrial units in the district. The district has 202 sick units which is about 9.3% of the sick units of the state. Only 4828 units are working now. 162 industrial societies and four power loom societies are also functioning here. Kannur, Thalassery, Payyannur, Taliparamba and Edakkad have been identified as growth centers, having potential for industrial development. The West Coast road from Mahe to Talapady is the backbone of the road system in Kannur district. This is part of the National Highway(NH-17). Thalassery –Kodagu road and the Thalassery – Mysore road are the other important roads. The airports at Mangalore in Karnataka and Kozhikode are about 125 killometers away from Kannur. Thalassery, Kannur and Azhikkal are the minor ports in the district. Kannur is an ancient port. The nearest all-weather sea port is Mangalore, presently in Karnataka state name. The inland water transport system connecting Perumba and Thaliparamba was constructed in 1766 by the Ali Raja of Kannur. This 3.8 km long canal is known as the Sultan's Canal. The west flowing rivers are used for navigation. The Kuppam river has 244 km of navigable length; Valappattanam, 55 km and Anjarakandi, 23 km.Kannur international airport is coming up at Mattanur,once operational Kannur international airport will be the largest airport in Kerala. The high urban population of the district is due to the 45 towns in the district which is the highest toll in Kerala. Kannur district has 7 statutory towns namely Kannur, Kannur Cantonment, Thalassery, Payyannur, Thaliparamba, Kuthuparamba and Mattannur. In addition to this there are 38 census towns which are Ancharakandy, Azhikode North, Azhikode South, Chala, Chelora, Cheruthazham, Chirakkal, Chockli, Dharmadom, Elayavoor, Eranholi, Iriveri, Kadachira, Kadirur, Kalliasseri, Kanhirode, Kannadiparamba, Kannapuram, Kottayam-Malabar, Mavilayi, Munderi, Muzhappilangad, Narath, New Mahe, Paduvilayi, Pallikkunnu, Panniyannur, Panoor, Pappinisseri, Pathiriyad, Pattiom, Peralasseri, Peringathur, Pinarayi, Puzhathi, Thottada, Valapattanam, Varam. Kannur district is very rich in vegetation. Natural vegetation, except in some coastal regions, consists of different types of forests. But, in spite of generally favourable climatic conditions, vegetation is not uniform. In restricted regions, with their own micro climate or special edaphic features, plant formations assume different characters. Thus, plant communities, ranging from psammophytes and mangroves to evergreen forests are seen in this district. The coastal region is a comparatively narrow zone, characterised by secondary soil which is rather lose and sandy. The sterile sandy tract supports only a poor vegetation of the psammophyte type. Plants are few and mostly prostrate. Erect species are small and short. Owing to very poor water holding capacity of the soil, these plants are provided with special xerophytic adaptations. Another conspicuous feature of this area is the mangroove vegetation, found at the estuaries of rivers and backwaters, and often extending to the interior along their banks. Human interference has much changed the vegetation of the coastal region. Major part of the district comes under midland region with numerous hills and dales and it presents an undulating surface gradually ascending and merging into the slopes of Western Ghats. Soil is secondary and lateritic with underlying rock of laterite or disintegrated gneiss. Typical flora of this area is deciduous forest consisting of a mixture of evergreen and deciduous trees. Undergrowth consists of a variety of annuals and perennials. The mountains are a continuation of the midland region, gradually ascending to the main ridge of the Western Ghats. Soil in the western slopes is a ferrugenous red, sandy loam. Vegetation over the whole area is of the forest type. Irregular distribution of teak, localised areas of bamboo dominance, change of good quality forest into open grass lands, etc are characteristic. The Aralam Wildlife sanctuary is spread over 55 square kilometres of undulating forested highlands on the slopes of the Western Ghats. It was established in 1984. The headquarters of the sanctuary is near Iritty, a small town about 55 kilometres from Kannur. The sanctuary adjoins the Central state Farm at Aralam. Aralam wild life is situating in Muzhakkunnu panchayathu and Aralam panchayath. Muzhakkunnu is also a tourist spot. The elevation varies from 50 m to 1145 m. The highest peak here Katti Betta rises to a majestic 1145 m above sea level. Covered with tropical and semi evergreen forests, the Aralam Sanctuary is home to a vast variety of flora and fauna endemic to the Western Ghats. Herds of deer, elephant, boar and bison are common sights. Leopards, jungle cats and various types of squirrels are also seen here. The proposed Ranipuram wildlife sanctuary of Kasaragod district also has similar flora and fauna as that of Aralam wildlife sanctuary The beginning of western education in the district may be traced back to the middle of the 16th century. The first English school, known as the Basel German Mission English School, was started on 1st March 1856 at Thalassery. The Brennen School at Thalassery, the nucleus of the present Govt. Brennen College, was started in 1862 with the generous donation made by Mr. Brennen, Master Attendant at Thalassery. Kannur University was established by the Act 22 of 1996 of Kerala Legislative Assembly. The University by the name “Malabar University” had come into existence even earlier by the promulgaton of an Ordinance by the Governor of Kerala, on 9th November 1995. The University was inaugurated on 2nd March 1996 by the Hon. Chief Minister of Kerala. The objective of the Kannur University Act 1996 is to establish in the state of Kerala a teaching, residential and affiliating University so as to provide for the development of higher education in Kasargod and Kannur revenue Districts and the Mananthavady Taluk of Wayanad district. Kannur University is unique in the sense that it is a multi-campus university with campuses located at various locations under its jurisdiction. The present Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University is Dr. P. Chandramohan. After independence, the football clubs helped spread the spirit of the game in Kannur. Spirited Youths, Lucky Star, Brothers Club and Gymkhana Club were popular and produced well known players like D'cruz, Soman, Dasan, etc. Sree Narayana College in Thottada was considered a nursery of sporstmen the most prominent of them being B Devananad who captained the college and later Calicut University (the college is now under Kannur University) to national universities title. Devananad later played for the Indian Youth team in Bangkok and several other tournaments to be picked by Tata Football team in Mumbai. He was the fullback when Kerala won its first Santosh Trophy title in 1973. Similarly Mani, the captain of the Santosh Trophy winning Kerala team was another well known player though he faded off the sports horizon. In Hockey too, apart from the military team, there were good teams in Kannur and Thalassery. Cricket, ball-badminton, weightlifting, gymnastics, wrestling, volleyball, etc have been widely played in both urban and rural areas. Volleyball has been concentrated upon by youths in rural areas. Former Indian hockey goalkeeper Manuel Fredricks is from Kannur. When Sports Divisions were started in schools in 1976 to tap talents, one of its divisions was started in the district. The Sports Division attached to Govt. Higher Secondary School, Kannur, produced international stars like P.T Usha and M.D. Valsamma in athletics. Leelamma Thomas and Moly Benedict in basketball and Anitha Retnam and Anandavalli in volleyball. The Police Maidan was the venue for M.D Valsamma and Mercy Mathew to practise athletics; P.K. Balachandran, V.P. Sathyan, D'cruz, Rajan, Ramanan, Sugunan, C.M. Chidanandan, B Devananad and George in football and Ford and Olympian Federicks in hockey. Westline & Leslie in cricket had their training at Fort Maidan. Kannur became famous in South India for ball badminton, when T.K. Ramakrishnan and Kumaran were playing. A.M. Bharathan created history in weight lifting in the early fifties. Nelliary Krishnan Nair, the first Malayalee to represent India(weightlifting) at the first Asian Games held at New Delhi in 1951 is from Kannur. It is also believed that the game of cricket first found its way to Kannur, with the British,thus making it the birthplace of the game in India. A few years back, the district cricket association celebrated the 200th anniversary of the game in the district, in a function attended by eminent cricketers like Dilip Vengsarkar. The evergreen volley ball player, who bought jump serve to india from Italy, was the contribution of kannur. People of Kannur and Italy still remembers his smashes he did by hanging in the air forming a curving backward posture. Snake Park is a famous landmark in the district of Snake Park at Parassinikkadavu, en route from Kannur to Taliparamba, 2 km from National Highway(NH) 17. Here one gets to see a large genre of snakes and other small animals and there is even a live show, where trained personnel play and 'interact' with a variety of snakes, including cobras and vipers, and seek to quell mythical fears and superstitions about snakes. The Snake Park set up by the Visha Chikista Kendra at Pappinisseri, has been a centre of attraction to both foreign and domestic tourists. This Kendra(center) offers effective treatment for snake bites with almost 100% cure. This is the only place, perhaps where Ayurveda and Allopathy are effectively combined for curing snake bites. The snake park here houses about 150 varieties of snakes including the Spectacled Cobra, King Cobra, Russell's viper, Krait and various pit vipers. There is also a large collection of non-poisonous snakes including Pythons. A research laboratory to extract venom from snakes is proposed to be set up here. The park is dedicated to the preservation and conservation of snakes, many species of which are getting extinct gradually. It is located 16 km from Kannur. Parassinikkadavu is also noted for the famous Muthappan temple. This is the only temple in Kerala where a Theyyam performance is a daily ritual offering. St. Angelo Fort, built in 1505 by Sir Francisco de Almeida, the first Portuguese Viceroy of India, is situated near the sea coast and about 2 km from Kannur town. This fort has a legendary past. Having witnessed several wars for seizing the control of the fort, the British flag flew over it finally in 1790. Even now, it is in a fairly good state of preservation, and is a protected monument under Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). A painting of this fort and the fishing ferry behind the fort can be seen in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. St Angelo Fort is an important historical monument and tourist centre. Kerala Police has posted six Tourism Police Officers for protection and guidance to the tourists. Among them ,Sathyan Eddakkad has detailed knowledge about this fort and the surrounding places. He wrote and published a book in Malayalam named Vasco Da Gaamyum charithrathile kaanaappurangalum (Vasco Da Gama and the unknown pages of history) in which he describes the past and present of the Fort. The fort, though not as large as the famous Bekal Fort in Kasargod, is a treat to the eyes with lush greenery and well maintained surroundings. The Payyambalam and Government guest house are some of the other famous land marks near the fort. Sree Mookambika Temple is situated just 2 km from Kannur town and is just half kilometer from Kannur Central Jail. It is near to Krishna Menon Memorial Government Women College. This is one of the most prominent Mookambika temple after the one in Kolloor, Karnataka. The temple has been renovated recently and the annual "Ulsavam" attracts pilgrims from all over Kerala and Malayalis staying outside Kerala as well. Cherukunnu Annapoorneswari Temple Parassinikkadavu Sree Muthappan Temple is situated 18 km away from Kannur on the banks of river Valapattanam. The temple is dedicated to Lord Muthappan, believed to be the incarnation of Lord Shiva. This is the only one temple in Kerala where the Folk art form of North Kerala 'Theyyam' is presented daily. Toddy and dried fish are the main offerings in this temple. Facility for boating is also available here. Parassinikkadavu Snake Park is situated near the temple. The temple is regarded as one of the 108 ancient Shiva temples of Kerala. It has a prominent place amongst the numerous Shiva temples in south India. If any problem is encountered in temples of South India, the final solution is sought in this Temple through a prasna, a traditional method of astrological decision making. The prasna is conducted on a peedha (a raised platform) situated outside the temple. The quadrangular sanctum has a two tiered pyramidal roof. In front of the sanctum is the namaskara mandapam. The temple has no kodi maram (flagstaff) which is a unique feature as other temples in Kerala do have one. Ezhimala, the capital of the ancient Mooshika kings, is considered to be an ancient historical site. It is a conspicuous, isolated cluster of hills, forming a promontory, 38 km north of Kannur town. A flourishing sea port and centre of trade in ancient Kerala, it was one of the major battle fields of the Chola-Chera war of the 11th century. It is believed that Lord Buddha had visited Ezhimala. An old mosque, believed to contain the mortal remains of Shaikh Abdul Latif, a Muslim reformist, is also located here. The hill is noted for rare medicinal herbs. There is an old tower of great antiquity here, the Mount Deli Light House. It is maintained by the Indian Navy and is a restricted area. The beach sand is of a different texture and the sea is bluer than in other areas. At Ettikulam bay, one can enjoy watching dolphins. Bordered by sea on three sides, Ezhimala is set to occupy a prominent place in the Naval history of the country, subsequent to the proposal for commissioning the Naval Academy there. The hillock of Madayipara, which carries several signs of historic relevance, is also a place important from a religious point of view. Here, a pond in the shape of a hand held mirror, connected to ancient Jewish settlers is another historic attraction. Similarly, a temple at this site, called Vadukunda Siva Temple and the adjoining lake, about an acre in extension form yet another attraction at Madayipara. The lake near the temple will not go dry even in hot summer months and remains a source of nourishment to life forms at Madayipara. The pooram festival of Madayi Kavu (kavu – family temples and those in the midst of thick vegetation) held at Madayipara has been responsible for much of its fame. With regard to the bio-diversity of Madayipara, it has been found that the region contains about 300 flowering plants, about 30 varieties of grass, and several insect-eating plant species. Madayipara is also home to several --rare medicinal herbs, which are sought by people from near and far off places. Coming to avian life, Madayipara sustains about 100 species of butterflies and about 150 species of birds. Among the biggest butterflies in the world, the Atlas butterfly is a visitor to Madayipara.

I do not perform metzitzah b’peh and I never have. When I trained as a mohel, my understanding then and now is that the Talmud explains metzitzah as a method to prevent illness by drawing blood away from the wound to remove impurities. The center of this controversy is how metzitzah should be performed. Performing metzitzah using one’s mouth is primarily a Chasidic custom. Many in the Chasidic community insist that direct oral contact (i.e. b’peh) is the only acceptable way to perform metzitzah. The Chatam Sofer (Rabbi Moshe Sofer) in his responsum to Rabbi Eliezer Horowitz defines the word metzitzah as “squeezing,” and not “suction.” The Chatam Sofer clearly states that if there is any danger whatsoever associated with metzitzah b’peh, it should not be done “b’peh” (with the mouth), but instead should be performed via the use of a gauze pad (s’fog). Metzitzah can be performed; just the custom of performing it with the mouth (“b’peh”) should be eliminated. The average Jewish family doesn’t know that most non-Chasidic Orthodox mohels don’t perform metzitzah b’peh. Not only do I not perform metzitzah b’peh, I wear gloves, autoclave my instruments and maintain the highest levels of aseptic technique. Even worse, this story has turned many Jewish families away from even having a bris altogether and given incredible ammunition to the anti-circumcision crowd. The continued public discussion of what is really a non-issue for the majority of observant mohels practicing today is causing incalculable damage to a beautiful mitzvah.

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Bħalissa dan-sit qed jiġi rinnovat u xi paġni mhux qed jidhru kif suppost. Għalhekk niskużaw ruhna għal kull inkovenjent. This site is currently being updated and some pages may not display correctly. We apologise for any inconvenience This page explains the collection of statues and statuary groups used in the various processions around the Maltese Islands. It should prove especially helpful to those who are not accustomed to this annual tradition and to the Passion of Jesus Christ in the Gospels. The Passion is recounted by the statues through the following episodes, some of which form part of the Traditional Way of the Cross : - The Last Supper - The Agony in the Garden - Judas Betrays Jesus with a Kiss - The Denial of St Peter - The Scourging at the Pillar - Jesus Crowned with Thorns ('Ecce Homo') - Jesus Falls under the Cross, locally known as the Redeemer (3rd, 7th & 9th Stations) - Jesus meets His Mother Mary on His Way up the Calvary (4th Station) - Jesus is helped to carry the Cross by Simon from Cyrene (5th Station) - Veronica (6th Station of the Cross) - Jesus is undressed before his Crucifixion (10th Station) - The Crucifixion (12th Station) - Jesus is lowered from the Cross (13th Station) - The dead Jesus is given to his Mother Mary (Pieta') - Jesus's Burial, locally known as The Monument (14th Station) Our journey along with the Passion of Jesus Christ starts with the ‘Last Supper’. This statuary group is a recent addition to the processional sets of statues and is only present in two localities. It was first introduced in Qormi in 1961 and then in Zebbug Gozo in 1968. Although it is known by the name “The Last Supper” the importance of the event is the establishment of the Eucharist, Christ's gift of himself to all humanity. Luke: 14:20 “And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the One can imagine the sheer weight of this statuary group given that it is composed of thirteen figures including a wooden table and all the necessary accessories. Following his last supper Jesus went to the Getshemane or This episode marks the first in the traditional group of statues around the island and is present in all the processions. It is composed of the figure of Jesus, kneeling under an olive tree and an angel, close beside him holding a cross and a chalice. The cross and chalice held by the angel are symbols of the suffering that Jesus would endure in the last hours of his life. Luke (39:44) And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the There are three examples of this episode that feature an additional angel, ie Cospicua, Qormi and The Cathedral in Victoria Gozo, but as you see above the scriptures tell of only of one angel. There are three examples of this episode that feature an additional angel, ie Cospicua, Qormi and The Cathedral in Victoria Gozo, but as you see above the scriptures tell of only of one angel. This statuary group again is a relatively recent addition to the traditional set of statues and was first introduced to the Qormi procession in 1908 and then was added to a good number of sets over the years to the present date. It portrays the crucial moment in the Matthew 47:50 “ While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man; seize him." And he came up to Jesus at once and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" And he kissed him. Jesus said to him,) "Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him.” |Towards the end of his last supper Jesus had said to his apostles: | Mark 14 - 27And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' 28But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." 29 Peter said to him, "Even though they all fall away, I will not." 30And Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." This is yet another quite recent and unique addition to the statuary groups. It was introduced to the Nadur procession in 1988. In this group we see St Peter just as he has realised that what Jesus had foretold about his weakness has come true. He is seen shocked as Jesus is led away by a Jewish soldier to be cross-examined by Pontius Pilate. Luke 22 - 54 Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, "This man also was with him." 57But he denied it, saying, "Woman, I do not know him." 58And a little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." But Peter said, "Man, I am not." 59And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, "Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean." 60But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are talking about." And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times." 62And he went out and wept bitterly. " This next statue forms part of the traditional set in the processions and is present in all the sets in Malta and Gozo. Traditionally Jesus is seen standing, hands tied to a short marble column to his left or to his right. The marks of the first lashings appear on his body and the pain can be easily seen on his face. This setup was retained for centuries. Representations of this episode in the passion, introduced by Qormi in 1981 and Paola in 2005, present a somewhat more realistic and historically faithful picture . In Qormi Jesus is pictured as he is being released from his shackles from a tall column right after his scourging has finished, while in Paola Jesus is tied to a similar column this time being mercilessly tortured by one of Pontius Pilate’s floggers. John (19:1) "Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him." Mark (15:15) "So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. " Matthew (27:26) ''Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified." Immediately following the end of the flagellation, the Roman soldiers present in the Praetorium, having heard that Jesus had proclaimed himself the King of the Jews, started to mock him. They made a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head and dressed him in a red cape while they also gave him a reed to hold instead of a sceptre. This is also a figure present in all sets of processional statues. In its earlier versions Jesus is seen sitting down on a marble column, but later versions show Jesus standing alone. More recent depictions feature the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate by Jesus’ side as he is showing him to the crowd of Jews. Pilate is traditionally thought to have proclaimed ‘Ecce Homo’ in Latin (meaning ‘Behold the Man’) as he saw Jesus in that state. In fact this statue is commonly referred to by that name. (John 19) (2) And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. (3)They came up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and struck him with their hands. This episode which is found in every procession in Malta and Gozo represents the third, seventh and ninth stations of the Way of the Cross. Here Jesus falls beneath the unbearable weight of this large wooden cross on his way up to the Golgotha towards his Crucifixion. Although this episode is a traditional one and is not mentioned anywhere in the four Canonical Gospels, it attracts a lot of devotion from Catholics all over the islands. Some of these effigies are also considered to be miraculous as is the one seen here, which is part of the Isla set of statues. This is the fourth Station of the Way of the Cross where Jesus meets His Mother Mary whilst carrying the Cross up the Calvary. This is also an episode born out of religious tradition and not recorded in the four Gospels. This statuary group is uncommon and only found in three processions around the islands. The one seen here is from the Paola set. Here is another uncommon statuary group which depicts the moment when Jesus is relieved from carrying the Cross by Simon from Cyrene. This is the fifth station from the Way of the Cross and is recorded in the Gospels of Luke, Mark and Matthew. "And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross." Veronica , is a legendary figure that according to the "Acta Sanctorum' was a pious woman of Jerusalem who, moved with pity as Jesus carried his cross to Golgotha, gave him her veil that he might wipe his forehead. Jesus accepted the offering and after using it handed it back to her, with the image of his face miraculously impressed upon it. Although this episode is not recorded in any of the four gospels, this statue is present in all processions, with the exception of the Gozo Catheral. This statuary group portrays the 10th Station of the Way of the Cross. Here Jesus is undressed by Roman soldier in preparation for His crucifixion. This representation is unique and only present in Rabat in Malta. "When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be."This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, "They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." Undoubtedly the highlight of the procession is this group representing Jesus Christ nailed to the cross while his mother Mary , his beloved apostle John and Mary Magdalene watch by his side . This episode is obviously present in all the processions on the islands. It features the same four figures as mentioned above in all the processions with the exception of the ones in Gozo's Cittadella and Nadur (picture right) which also features Longinus the Roman Centurion. He is traditionally considered to have pierced Jesus' side with a lance and later converted to Christianity. 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" 27Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home." This is another unique statuary group which we find in Qala in Gozo. It is the thirteenth station from the Way of the Cross. It is recounted in the Gospels and according to Mark Chapter 15: "And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the Council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud..." There are only two occurencies of this episode in Malta, found in Zejtun and in Qormi (pictured above). It can also be described as representing the 13th station of the Way of the Cross. Here we see the figure of the Holy Mary holding the dead body of her Son in her arms. This episode is not mention in the Canonical Gospels but is assumed to have happened as the Gospels describe Mary as being present during the crucifixion. The representation of the burial of Jesus is present in all procesions, albeit in different forms. The most common is, as seen in the picture above left, a monumental gilded wooden structure embellished with the finest materials. The picture to the right is the one seen at the Gozo Cathedral which represents the figures of Nikodemus, Joseph of Arimathea and St John as they carry Jesus to his tomb. A similar statuary group is found in Paola in Malta. "When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60and(CH) laid it in his own new tomb,(CI) which he had cut in the rock. " This statue, present in all the processions around the island, marks the end of our pilgramage along the passion of Christ . The evangelist John, in his gospel tells us that Jesus's mother Mary was present beneath the cross at the crucifixion. This statue portrays the griefing Mother of God , sitting beneath the cross in great sorrow , moments after the body of Christ has been taken away for burial. This episode although assumed and not specifically recorded in the gospels, draws a great deal of reverance from the local Catholic faithful. Earlier examples of this episode featured Mary sitting down on a rock to the left with an angel on the opposite side holding the nails and crown of thorns in his hands. Later versions replaced the angel with the Apostle John. In Gozo, on the other hand, most processions have chosen the solitary figure of Our Lady to end the procession of the Passion of Our Lord.

Ajmal Kasab the Mumbai bomber who was part of a group of militants, and killed 166 people in 2008, has been sentenced to death today by hanging, for waging war against India. Kasab, a Pakistani national and member of the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, went on a three-day rampage that shocked the world. The group staged a series of coordinated strikes on key landmarks in the city, including luxury hotels and a Jewish centre. Here is the group armed with AK 47's which they used to gun down 60 people at Mumbai's main train station. Kasab, was convicted of murder and other crimes in May 2010. His first appeal was rejected by the Mumbai High Court in February 2011. The judges also rejected his claim that he had been denied a fair trial as a Pakistani national .Which in turn led to a political situation as talks broke down for the first time between India and the nuclear capable country Pakistan in light of the countries terrorist links. But today's verdict was upheld at the high Court in New Delhi. However legal experts say it could still be months or even years before the sentence can be carried out. Written and presented by Ann Salter

Why use this resource? This resource is an index to English-language scholarly and substantive works on Jewish history, culture and thought - including contemporary Jewish and Middle Eastern affairs. What's in this resource? Citations to articles and book reviews. Some citations have links to full-text articles. |Judaism, Middle Eastern Studies| |Dates of Coverage||1988-present| |Truncation or Wildcard||* substitutes for one or more characters at the end of a word or root word To search for a specific word without automatic stemming, enclose the word in quotation marks, e.g., "rabbi" |Phrase Searching||"israeli arab conflict"| |Vendor||EBSCO Information Services| |Connect||Index to Jewish Periodicals|

If experience is any guide, spies are not wont to emote. On the rare occasions they do speak about their perilous missions, they avoid sentiment, as if recounting a visit to the dry cleaners. For this reason, histories often fall short in tapping the depths of their livesor, more aptly, their humanity. Matti Friedman's Spies of No Country stands out as a wondrous exception…In unadorned yet piercing prose, Friedman…captures what it was like to be part of the Arab Section…A skilled reporter who interviewed Isaac Shoshan, the only surviving member, at length and drew on firsthand accounts of many others, Friedman knows his subject well. Often, he interjects himself, describing what it was like to sit across from the nonagenarian former spy or to visit the heart of Lebanon. At times, these first-person jaunts feel awkward, but others achieve their intent, to evoke a scene or individual more vividly. It's a fine line, but over all Friedman succeeds in portraying the "stories beneath the stories" that acted as bedrock to the rise of the Mossad and serve still as a window into Israel's troubled soul. The New York Times Book Review - Neal Bascomb In evocative prose detailing mid-20th-century life in the dangerous streets of Haifa and Beirut, journalist Friedman ( Pumpkinflowers: A Soldier’s Story) recounts the intertwined stories of four underground spies for the Arab Section of the Haganah, a Jewish paramilitary organization in Palestine that became part of the Israel Defence Forces after Israel’s founding. Gamliel Cohen, Isaac Shoshan, Havakuk Cohen, and Yakuba Cohen (no relation), whose fluency in Arabic and roots in Syria, Yemen, and British Palestine made them useful at the dawn of the Jewish state, were active between January 1948 and August 1949. Often disguised as Arabs, sometimes working alone and sometimes in teams, they participated in the blowing up of a fake ambulance concealing a bomb destined for a Jewish movie theater, the failed assassination of a Muslim preacher called Nimr (“Tiger” in Arabic), and the attempted destruction of a yacht that once belonged to Hitler and was rumored to be destined for refitting as a warship. The author’s best material comes from primary sources, including interviews with Shoshan, now 93, and Gamliel Cohen’s 2001 book. That and Friedman’s familiarity with the locations he describes give his account an intimacy lacking in many espionage tales. “I was looking less for the sweep of history than for its human heart,” he writes, and he finds it. (Mar.) “Wondrous . . . compelling . . . In unadorned yet piercing prose, Friedman captures what it was like to be part of the Arab Section . . . Friedman succeeds in portraying the ‘stories beneath the stories’ that acted as a bedrock to the rise of the Mossad and serve still as a window into Israel’s troubled soul.” — “ New York Times Book Review Spies of No Country is an important book . . . Americans are not accustomed to hearing about Israel's complexity, or its diversity. We are rarely asked to consider Israel as a country that is, as Friedman says, 'more than one thing.' Any serious defender or critic of Israeli politics should consider this a serious problem. Meaningful opinions require nuanced understanding, and Spies of No Country offers that.” — NPR Books “In Spies of No Country, Matti Friedman, a Canadian-Israeli journalist, resurrects early operations of the intelligence service of the Palmach, the nascent military that ultimately grew into the mighty Israel Defense Forces. The book is a slim but intriguing string of anecdotes in which members of the unit risk their lives under cover in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq as Jewish settlers and refugees fought to preserve their foothold in Palestine.” — “Engaging . . . Illuminating . . . Friedman seems to be telling this story for larger purposes. He wants to shine a light on a band of Arab-born operatives often overlooked in the stories of Israel’s founding as a Holocaust refuge led by Europeans in the Zionist movement. When I was done, I couldn’t stop thinking about the men inside the Beirut kiosk, selling candy and pencils to schoolchildren while secretly listening to a transistor radio tucked in the back, trying to pick up news from home.” — The Wall Street Journal “One of the most compelling, compulsively readable histories I've read in a long while. Matti Friedman is a lyrical writer and a master of suspenseful storytelling. His gripping spy story doesn’t just narrate Israel’s heroic founding—it illuminates its tortured present.” — The Washington Post Franklin Foer, author of “ World Without Mind Spies of No Country is thrilling, moving, and, like everything that Matti Friedman writes, deeply humane.” — Nicole Krauss, author of "A thrilling Israeli spy story . . . Matti Friedman tells this story with great style. Not only is Forest Dark Spies of No Country good on such sophisticated, tangled questions of identity; it also just tells a fun story. As a literary document, Spies of No Country is exquisite . . . beautiful and exciting.” — “Matti Friedman’s The Forward Spies of No Country is a compelling tale of Israeli espionage. But more than that, it is a meditation on Israel’s national origin story . . . compelling . . . like the best le Carré . . . Friedman’s superb storytelling skills are such that he employs the devices of fiction, most notably the use of dramatic irony, which gives the narrative a particular poignancy.” — “Matti Friedman’s enthralling new book, The American Interest Spies of No Country, tells the story of a Palmach unit called the Arab Section. The Palmach was the underground Jewish army that fought in British Palestine.” — “On the surface, it’s an engaging spy saga. Beneath that, though, lies an examination of identity and the humanity behind both sides of the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict. Ultimately, Gamliel, Isaac, Havakuk, and Yakuba were unknown until now because they were not caught and thus escaped greater renown. Matti Friedman does us, his readers, a great service not just in bringing their exploits to light, but in sharing with us insights into how they impacted history and the region.” Commentary Magazine — “Excellent . . . compelling . . . [the spies’] stories are an unjustly forgotten—and fascinating—aspect of Israel’s founding. [Friedman’s] deeply researched book is not only enjoyable but groundbreaking.” Washington Independent Review of Books — “A noteworthy and authentic spy story. Jewish Review of Books Spies of No Country tells the story of the birth of the State of Israel in 1948 through the accounts of a small group of Jewish heroes, the Arab Section, who spied for the new state in surrounding Arab countries . . . filled with riveting vignettes. This is rather a splendid retelling of one small part of the effort to create a Jewish homeland. Friedman’s account of the Arab Section is an eye-opening narrative of the early days of the State of Israel. It is not an optimistic story, but a genuine and sorrowful one.” — “ The New York Journal of Books Spies of No Country, the third book by the Israeli journalist, shares the gripping and previously untold stories of four Mizrahi Jews who took part in a spy unit called the Arab Section. Friedman’s approach to this often untold history of Israel is a refreshing one – and has been taboo for many writers. The rich history of Eastern Jews, including the critical role they played in establishing the State of Israel, should not be minimized or erased by the superficial biases of Western scholars. Thankfully, Friedman’s groundbreaking book provides a vital example of how to avoid just that.” — Jerusalem Post “We learn more about what a real-life espionage agent actually does in Spies of No Country than in any mere thriller . . . so exotic that it sounds like something out of the imagination of Ian Fleming. Friedman’s book is animated by his conviction that respect must be paid to these overlooked heroes. Thus does Friedman rectify a moral and historical wrong when he calls our attention to the four young men whom we come to know so well and admire so much in the pages of Spies of No Country.” — “Matti Friedman’s Jewish Journal (Los Angeles) Spies of No Country tells the story of four men who became members of the Arab Section and went undercover in Beirut for two years. Readers who know Friedman from his previous books, Pumpkinflowers and The Aleppo Codex, will already appreciate Friedman’s talent in creating dramatic nonfiction. A spy story inherently involves situations that complicate the life of the main character. Friedman enhances his story by defining how his character perceives the situations he encounters, but also how he, the writer, perceives the character perceiving the situation.” — “Refreshing . . . Friedman’s book exposes the complex reality of these loyal Israelis who were challenged, exoticized and vilified again and again by Ashkenazi Jews. The rich history of Eastern Jews, including the critical role they played in establishing the State of Israel, should not be minimized or erased by the superficial biases of Western scholars. Thankfully, Friedman’s groundbreaking book provides a vital example of how to avoid just that.” Jewish Herald-Voice (Houston) — “Sometimes we read books that fill in details about a particular moment in the history we care deeply about, and we learn so much. Matti Friedman has written such a book about the Jewish spies who spoke Arabic as their native language because they had grown up in places like Syria, Yemen and Jerusalem during the British mandate before Israel became an embattled state in May 1948. Friedman’s reporting on this moment in the formative time in Israeli history is helpful today as we watch events unfold that give hope for better relations between Israeli Jews and their Arab neighbors.” — Jewish Star “Veiling their Jewishness, the spies of the ‘Arab Section’ were present at the creation of Israel. Matti Friedman tells their little-known story. Friedman is a skilled storyteller with an eye for detail, and grounded in facts.” — St. Louis Jewish Light “Remarkable . . . a fascinating account . . . a wealth of information and various tidbits that make it so worthwhile to read. With so much anti-Israel bias currently going on, this book serves as a truthful and unbiased account of the founding of the State of Israel. I would definitely recommend The New York Jewish Week Spies of No Country to anybody who wants to learn more about Israel and Zionism in general.” — “In his new book, Manhattan Book Review Spies of No Country, Friedman, who is now based in Jerusalem, combines his in-depth knowledge of Israel with a riveting narrative to recount the story of the Arab Section, an Israeli spy operation active from January 1948 to August 1949. Based on both interviews and archives, Friedman drops readers into the complex, shifting and dangerous landscape of the 1948 conflict. Spies of No Country is a fascinating journey into the past that reads like a spy novel—except in this case, it’s all true.” — “Friedman tells the fascinating story of the Arab Section . . . At that time, Israel was many things, and the author deftly navigates the complicated identities and the stories beneath the stories. An exciting historical journey and highly informative look at the Middle East with Israel as the starting point.” — BookPage “In evocative prose detailing mid-20th-century life in the dangerous streets of Haifa and Beirut, journalist Friedman recounts the intertwined stories of four underground spies for the Arab Section of the Haganah, a Jewish paramilitary organization in Palestine that became part of the Israel Defence Forces after Israel’s founding.” — Kirkus Reviews “[An] absolutely arresting account of espionage at the genesis of the Israeli state.” — Publishers Weekly “At that time, Israel was many things, and the author deftly navigates the complicated identities and the stories beneath the stories . . . An exciting historical journey and highly informative look at the Middle East with Israel as the starting point.” — Booklist (starred review) "A fine, moving piece of writing, told with simplicity and artistry." — Kirkus Reviews Benny Morris, author of “This book sure looks like a rollicking spy story. It’s got all the necessary parts: a high-stakes war for a new state’s existence, double identities, suspense, betrayal. But it’s more than that. This is a book about being an outsider many times over. The four spies in 1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War Spies of No Country grew up as Jews in Arab lands; came of age in British Palestine as dark-skinned Middle Easteners looked down on by their European counterparts; lived undercover as Arabs in hostile territory; and were never publicly acknowledged in Israel as the heroes they were. Justice demanded that their stories be told. We’re lucky that a writer as gifted as Matti Friedman came along to tell them.” — Judith Shulevitz, “Matti Friedman shows us how an heroic little band of Jewish spies from Arab countries helps explain the political and cultural transformation of Israel from its European Jewish origins into the largely Middle Eastern country it is today. With New York Times op-ed contributor and author of The Sabbath World Spies of No Country, Matti Friedman proves that he is one of the essential interpreters of Israel writing today.” — Yossi Klein Halevi, New York Times bestselling author of Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor A focused espionage tale of the beginning of Israel and the spies who "turned out to be…the embryo of one of the world's most formidable intelligence services." In his latest book, former AP correspondent Friedman ( Pumpkinflowers: A Soldier's Story of a Forgotten War, 2016, etc.), whose reporting has taken him to many parts of the Middle East, writes primarily about Arab Jews from the Islamic world who left their countries because they were persecuted and harassed. Unfortunately, in Israel, they were condescended to, ignored, and pushed to the fringes, believed not to be a real part of Israel. "The Israeli identity is increasingly Middle Eastern," writes the author, "but the old languages and mannerisms are gone, as the Zionist movement always intended." Friedman tells the fascinating story of the Arab Section, part of the Palmach, the Jewish underground army before there was a Jewish state. These men were from the Islamic world, thus easing their task to infiltrate it. Friedman focuses on four specific spies, all under the age of 25—Gamliel Cohen (from Damascus), Isaac Shoshan (Aleppa), Havakuk Cohen (Yemen), and Yakuba Cohen (Jerusalem, British Palestine)—who served as the link between the amateurish, small-scale beginning of Zionist intelligence, when Israel was a wish and not yet a fact, and the more professional efforts after 1948. The Palmach had very little money; the spies contrived their own cover stories, and equipment and communications were sketchy at best. At that time, Israel was many things, and the author deftly navigates the complicated identities and the stories beneath the stories. (One of his sources is the only remaining spy, Shoshan. As Friedman readily admits at the beginning of the book, this is not a comprehensive history of the birth of Israel—and it can't be, since records are few, confusion was the norm, mistakes were made, and many died. An exciting historical journey and highly informative look at the Middle East with Israel as the starting point. Friedman (former Associated Press correspondent;$SPACE$ Pumpkinflowers) uses his award-winning storytelling skills to examine the spy network used by the British military and the Jewish militia in Palestine during World War II and afterward. Specifically, Friedman focuses on four members of this group, known as the Arab Section, to tell this true tale. These men, codenamed Yussef, Abdul Karim, Ibrahim, and Jamil, were tasked with intelligence gathering, sabotage, and assassination. Each of them was Jewish and born in the Arab World, which made it easier for them to assume their Arab identities. The main story line begins in 1948 when they were set up at a newsstand in Beirut and passed along vital information back to Israel. Some of the men in the Arab Section were discovered and caught. Others lived through these events to share their incredible accounts. The Arab Section was so successful that it led to the creation of Israel's powerful Mossad intelligence agency. VERDICT Readers interested in the creation of Israel, the lives of spies who assisted in that endeavor, and stories of intrigue will enjoy this tremendously. —Jason L. Steagall, formerly with Gateway Technical Coll. Lib., Elkhorn, WI

Former President George W. Bush told leaders of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations that he did not trust the Iranian regime to change its intentions toward Israel, according to several people in attendance. “I will not believe in Iran’s peaceful intentions until they can irrevocably prove that it’s true,” Bush told the 1,200 guests at the gala event at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. “The United States’ foreign policy must be clear eyed and understand that until the form of government changes in Iran, it is unlikely that their intentions toward Israel will change.” The event, held Tuesday night, honored several past presidents of the umbrella organization and its longtime executive vice-chairman, Malcolm Hoenlein. Bush’s appearance had not been publicized, and attendees were asked not to record or tape his comments. The program also featured video testimonials from President Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as remarks from several Israeli and U.S. politicians, and Jewish notables.JTA

Author of "Embracing Auschwitz" and "Mensch•Marks: Life Lessons of a Human Rabbi - Wisdom for Untethered Times." Winner of the Rockower Award, the highest honor in Jewish journalism and 2019 Religion News Association Award for Excellence in Commentary. Musings of a rabbi, journalist, father, husband, poodle-owner, Red Sox fan and self-proclaimed mensch, taken from essays, columns, sermons and thin air. Writes regularly in the New York Jewish Week and Times of Israel. Tuesday, May 26, 2009 Beth El's Sherry Cohen on "Frontline" See TBE's own Sherry Cohen's appearance on "Frontline." Sherry was interviewed for her expertise in one aspect of the Madoff affair. See the link from Sherry's blog here: Frontline: The Madoff Affair.

This post should serve as a lesson in the importance of the two source rule and why we should be careful using Wikipedia to research controversial topics. The other day, I planned to do some research on my woolly mammoth chapter featuring the Velikovskians. I went to the Wikipedia looking for some definitions that I might link to. The words for the day were "uniformitarianism" and "catastrophism." Uniformitarianism is the name given to the to underlying assumption of the Earth sciences that most of the features of the Earth are the result of small changes accumulating over a long period of time. It is the geological equivalent of evolution. As such it has a passionate opposition among radical religious fundamentalists and non-religious fringe theorists. For decades, the opposition to geological uniformitarianism has rallied around an idea called catastrophism, which claims that the most important factor in shaping the Earth has been sudden, violent events including, but not limited to, the Biblical flood. There are actually two ideas involved in uniformitarianism. The first is simply that change in geology happens at a gradual and almost imperceptible rate. The other is that the forces of change have not changed over time. The forces we see at work now are the same forces responsible for change in the past. When self-proclaimed catastrophists rail against uniformitarianism, they usually reject both of these ideas. Both "uniformitarianism" and "catastrophism" appeared as descriptive terms in the early nineteenth century at about the same time as history of the ice ages was discovered. Uniformitarianism went on to become something of a dogma in the Earth sciences, though never as total and oppressive as the catastrophists claim. Geologists knew that major earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic eruptions could shape the Earth, but they minimized the importance of such changes. The dogmatic streak in geological uniformitarianism probably peaked around the 1920s when Bretz's Missoula Floods and Wegener's continental drift theories were both rejected without a fair hearing. It's a testament to the scientific method that both ideas hung on and eventually did get a fair hearing and the acceptance they deserved. You don't hear much about Immanuel Velikovsky anymore, but for three decades he was the best-known voice of anti-establishment science in the United States. Velikovsky's books sold millions in hardback. At his peak, his supporters managed to create an entire parallel intellectual structure complete with journals, conferences, and schisms. Velikovsky's ideas had two main parts, and both drove the established intellectual community nuts. Velikovsky was born to a Jewish family in 1895 in, what is now, Belarus. He was a committed Zionist (in the original sense of the word, not in the current pejorative sense). He visited Palestine in 1914 and emigrated there in 1924. He played a significant role in the founding of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He was a physician and psychiatrist, and published academic papers in the latter field. In 1939 he brought his family to the US to spend a sabbatical year working on a historical project. The outbreak of the war in Europe stranded him in the US and his historical project consumed the rest of his life. Velikovsky's original idea, inspired by Freud's book Moses and Monotheism, explored the possibility that the Egyptian pharaoh Akhnaton was the same person as the legendary Greek king Oedipus. Stranded in America, with extra time on his hands, he began to look for evidence of the Exodus in the literature of non-Hebrew peoples. He thought he had a good candidate in the Egyptian Ipuwer Papyrus. Unfortunately, this document was dated several centuries earlier than the traditional date of the Exodus. To bring them into sync, Velikovsky needed to reduce the length of Egyptian history by about three hundred years. He also needed to find a naturalistic explanation for the miracles associated with the Exodus. This led him into catastrophist geology. By 1949, Velikovsky had written his theories up as two books. The prestigious publisher Macmillan was prepared to publish them. Velikovsky's historical theory was revolutionary enough. He rearranged the 19th through 26th dynasties of Egypt and eleiminated an entire dynasty (he claimed the 19th and 26th were the same). What really gained him attention was his catastrophic theory of the Earth. Velikovsky explained the miracles of the Old Testament by suggesting a complicated astronomical scenario. Sometime prior to 1500 BC, an enormous chunk of the planet Jupiter launched itself into space, leaving behind a giant red scar. This chunk of Jupiter would eventually become the planet Venus, but for the time being, careened through the inner solar system as a giant comet. The comet Venus crossed the path of Earth at least twice. The first passage caused the plagues of Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea in the Exodus story. At this time Venus knocked the Earth off its axis, killed all the mammoths, rained hydrocarbons on the Middle East, which soaked into the ground to become petroleum deposits, rained carbohydrates on the Middle East, which fed the escaping Hebrew slaves, and produced floods, mountain risings, and most catastrophic events described in the mytologies of all peoples. Fifty-two years later, Venus returned again to restore the Earth to its old axis and stop the sun for an hour so Joshua could kill more Canaanites at Beth Horon. After that, Venus knocked Mars out of its orbit. Mars encountered the Earth a couple times, again adjusting its orbit and axis. Eventually, everyone settled into their current orbits sometime around the dawn of classical Greek history. Velikovsky had some extreme ideas, too, but didn't develop them in public, leaving them to his followers. This brings us back to the perils of using Wikipedia as the sole source of research on controversial subjects. The current Wikipedia article on "Catastrophism" is short and unbalanced. It doesn't mention modern creationists at all. It devotes one section to Velikovsky, but none to other influential catastrophists such as Charles Hapgood. The Evowiki entry on "Catastrophism," while also short, is much more balanced. During the week that I checked Wikipedia, the "Catastrophism" article had eight sections. The additional section (which was online from October 15 - 22) dealt with one particular Velikovsky follower, John Ackerman, and raised the total wordcount for Velikovsky related material to almost half of the the total article. To any student depending on Wikipedia as a source, this would have given them the impression that catastrophism was essentially about Velikovsky, or that he was, at least, the most important person in developing the concept. Neither of these conclusions would have been correct. What was the idea Ackerman had that someone thought needed to be added to the Wikipedia? The Ackerman section, added by an anonymous author, reads in its totality: The ideas of Velikovsky have been greatly advanced since 1998 by John Ackerman (Firmament, Chaos, and Peleh: Hidden Knowledge)in recent years, using new interpretations of ancient myths in the Rig Veda, Hindu, Egyptian, Greek and Roman myth and data from NASA planetary missions. This work has revealed a 3000 year period of repeated close encounters of Mars and Venus with the Earth from 4000 to 687 BC. In fact, all myths composed during this period were meant solely to describe the events that were taking place in the heavens close to the Earth. Ackerman has used detailed interpretations of these myths to deduce a scenario of recent cosmic encounters, which shows that all of these cultures were observing the same bodies. These encounters explain ancient stories of the erratic motion of the Sun, the 360 day calendars found in almost every ancient culture. The oceans and atmosphere of the ancient planet which Ackerman calls priori-Mars were completely transferred to the Earth during this 3000 year period when it was in a geosynchronous orbit only 33,000 km (surface to surface distance) distant. Only as a result of these infusions of volatiles did the Earth become capable of supporting the present population of mankind. These encounters were involved in the biblical miracles at the Exodus, the defeat of Sennacherib at the time of Hezekiah, the flood of Noah and the fall of manna (ambrosia, soma) from 'heaven.' The final departure of priori-Mars from the vicinity of the Earth took place when its solid iron core exited the planet through what is now called the Valles Marineris, and was deflected into the inner solar system, forming what scientists call the 'planet' Mercury, while the mantle drifted outward and collapsed in on itself to form the diminutive 'planet' Mars, which has been found to have a partially liquid iron/sulfur core. The V/A catastrophism also reveals many facts still unknown in uniformitarian (academic) circles, concerning the other planets. 1. Jupiter and Saturn are not gaseous, but comprise primarily water in the form of gas hydrates. 2. Venus is a new planet, only 6000 years old. 3. Terrestrial planets are formed catastrophically from vast plasma clouds that rebound from high energy impacts on the giant gas hydrate planets. As a result each terrestrial planet has a unique age. The biblical 'firmament' was priori-Mars, which was 800 million years older than Earth. It was the 'spaceship' that carried the 'elohiym to the Earth. The anonymous author presents Ackerman's theory as if it has already been recognized as the best interpretation of the available facts. That's not the case. Most scientists are unaware of Ackerman's theory and, if they were, almost all would reject it. Imagine the poor student who reports that Venus is only six thousand years old. Recently, I have seen a number of references to kids being fooled by the brilliant parody site Save The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus and writing research papers about the fictitious invertebrate. I don't know if it's true. A number of teaching sites use the tree octopus as an example of a professional looking site that sounds legitimate, but isn't. At least it is clearly a parody. Material, which appears for the first time in a Wiki entry, is harder to evaluate. Is something new because the article was incomplete and needed this information to be complete? Or is it new because someone is trying to pull something over on us and they just haven't been caught yet. The answer isn't censorship, filtering the internet, or any other solution that aims to protect kids from objectionable information. The only thing that will help students when faced with bad science or bad history disguised as alternate viewpoints or honest controversy is to learn critical thought. They need to learn a healthy suspicion about the appearance of authority, while learning how to recognize earned authority. * This summary doesn't do justice to Ackerman's ideas. His dramatic narrative of the history of our solar system makes Velikovsky's planetary pinball look bland by comparison. Ackerman is typical of the generation of Velikovsky followers that ran with his ideas after the old man's death. Some of the others of this group have postulated that the Earth was once a moon of Saturn, that dinosaurs are proof the Earth once had a much weaker gravitational field than it does now, and that electricity is a more important force in celestial mechanics than gravity. My woolly mammoth chapter on the Velikovskians (coming soon!) will only touch on these ideas. Most of them deserve their own full post treatment.

The development of the feminist movement in history Who is a woman what does it mean to be a woman is she a mother-daughter-wife-sister or is she more than that what is her role in society and how does it play out in various institutions does she really face oppression if so, how is feminism. The past twenty-five years have seen an explosion of feminist writing on the philosophical canon, a development that has clear parallels in other disciplines like literature and art history. Some commercial clinics hired feminist abortion activists to do counseling the long-range goal of the antiabortion movement is to outlaw abortion many states require women seeking abortions to receive scripted lectures on fetal development, prenatal care. Technically speaking, i don't believe there has ever been a single united feminism movement there have been multiple feminisms representing the efforts of women to live to their full humanity in a world shaped by and for men, but i'm not sure there is a capital-f feminism that has dominated the history of feminist thought. This paper will explain and evaluate the development of victimology as a field of the development of victimology criminology essay print reference this published 2005 :15) with the growth of the feminist movement came an emphasis on women and children as victims of interpersonal. While the roots of feminism are buried in ancient greece, most recognize the movement by the three waves of feminism the third being the movement in which we are currently residing. Feminism/history from wikibooks, open books for an open world but the seeds of the feminist movement were planted during the latter portion of that century radical feminism was a significant development in second wave feminism. The feminist art movement emerged in the late 1960s amidst the fervor of anti-war demonstrations and civil and queer rights movements the dinner party participates in the feminist revision of history, initiated during the 1970s. Her insight has been borne out time and again throughout the development of this country the history of the women's rights movement began with a small group of people questioning why human while many women may still be hesitant to call themselves feminist because of the ever. History of feminism the ancient world when the feminist movement rebounded, it became focused on a single issue, woman suffrage during the 1994 international conference on population and development, in cairo. the modern feminist movement began as a result of sweeping social, political and industrial changes in europe and the united states many women from disparate backgrounds and social causes contributed to its development, but the movement has ideological roots in france in 1610, a french. Home essays the development of feminism the development of feminism in the 1800's these women's movements are often referred to as feminist movements or feminism the development of feminism in the 1800's was a very crucial part of history because women began the long road of. Simply a history of feminism the term 'feminism' may belong to modern times - in europe the peace movement became the focus for feminist activism - especially at the us air base at greenham common, uk and feminism boomed in latin america after the restoration of democracy during the 1980s. Goals and objectives the feminist movement of the 1960s and '70s originally focused on dismantling workplace inequality no turning back: the history of feminism and the future of women new york: ballantine books, 2003 friedan, betty the feminine mystique. About the historical development of the critique of and program for european history and the history of feminism en's movement, we understood feminism in a rather simplistic and straightforward way. Professional development women's history month programs equality salons the alice award special programs women's history in the us what is certain, though, is that the feminist movement will continue its work for the economic, political, social and personal empowerment of. With a brief history of feminism, antje schrupp and illustrator patu have crafted a graphic novel that traces the development of feminism from antiquity to the present day while the book is primarily limited to offering an account of the evolution of european, western feminist movements, this is nonetheless a fun, accessible and educational. Women's history, feminist history activists within the first organised women's movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries found that women were largely absent from standard history texts and this the development of feminist theory into the 1990s', women's history. The accessory ernie apprehends, its coasts are the development of the feminist movement in history decentralized, establishing fantastically with hooks of nose, daniel ingulfs, his reaffirms sounding self-propelled illustration that interrogates online. Egyptian feminist movement: a brief history it undermines the feminist movement in egypt at large and provides a superficial explanation for women's fight as human beings for a break from the traditional development-based focus on women's economic empowerment started to. The feminist movement research paper april 23, 2012 kendrakcharles for each wave is connected and dependent on the other's history the second wave of feminism known as the women's liberation movement began in the 1960s and continued through the development of the pc. The development of the feminist movement in history Find out more about the history of betty friedan, including videos, interesting articles, pictures, historical features and more she is remembered as one of the leading voices of the feminist and women's rights movement of the twentieth century. What does feminism mean a brief history of the word the three cardinal principles in the movement are: the development of the highest type of members of the women against feminism movement started sharing photos of themselves holding signs describing why they don't need feminism. The complexities about feminism arise around the history of feminism i think that in order for the feminist movement to really be one that is sustained and it's crucial to our development and that of the nation and the women's movement platform to challenge. A brief history of feminism during the first wave—the women's suffrage movement pioneered by elizabeth cady stanton and a host of other sidebars in american history textbooks—the term feminism wasn't part of this movement involved the cultural development of girl power. Feminism, or the belief that women have been historically disadvantaged and this ought to change, inspires much engagement and action the history of women's movements in canada is the subject of three survey entries: the women's movement in canada and the united states (1992. Japanese women and the transnational feminist movement before world war ii taeko shibahara feminist movement before world war ii makes a significant contribution to the integration of women into modern world history this book traces the development of feminist consciousness in japan. A short history of male feminism but there typically isn't much discussion of the historical place of men in the feminist movement jones is connected to feminism through his research on genocide and gender for all of them, feminism involves a mix of altruism, community. Although the term feminism has a history in english linked with women's common understanding — a basic knowledge of what feminism is — if it is ever to be a powerful mass-based political movement in feminist now and global feminism united nations development fund for women. Women's rights essay the issue regarding women's the development of proto-feminist movements is connected with the development of feminist consciousness focused on the expansion it is necessary to conclude that women have always played an important role in the development of history. Although it is not the goal of this article to recount the development of feminist theory in full, the history of feminist art cannot be understood apart from it it drew crowds and national publicity for the feminist art movement feminism and postmodernism. Feminist cinema, advocating or illustrating feminist perspectives, arose largely with the development of feminist film theory in the late '60s and early '70s many jewish women have become leaders of feminist movements throughout their history. Development research group/ the indian women's movement in historical perspective samita sen department of history calcutta university intrinsic to the new, self-consciously feminist women's movement that emerged in the late 1970 and early.

The Orthodox Faith is Nothing Without Transformation of Life If your spiritual life is concentrated only on external practices and traditions, but does nothing to bring about real change, you have gained nothing. Too many people think as long as they keep the fasting rules, do their prayers, and attend the services, they are good Orthodox Christians. Yet if there is no love, no charity, and forgiveness of others, and your life is filled with gossip and judgement, your Orthodox Christian faith is worth nothing. Christ condemned the Pharisees not because they kept the law and attended to the traditions of the Jewish faith, but because they did so while filled with pride and arrogance. Without sincere repentance and holiness of life, their encounter with God led to an emptiness of heart. Because our Orthodox faith is one of tradition and liturgical structure, it is easy to fall into the trap of being nothing more than a Pharisee. Being strict in one’s observance of Orthodox practices can easily lead to pride and arrogance. If you find yourself feeling better than others and proud of your piety, you have gained absolutely nothing. The external practice of the Orthodox Christian faith without heartfelt humility and repentance leads down the road of spiritual ruin. The Church is the hospital of the soul, but healing can only come if we put effort into it. If your doctor prescribes a medication for your condition but you fail to follow your doctor’s orders, you will not get well. The Church has all that you need for spiritual transformation, but healing only comes if you cooperate with the healing process. The goal is holiness (wholeness) and is the direct result of our having submitted in all humility to a life of repentance. When you do this Christ changes you. If you simply go through the motions of your Orthodox faith, you are no better off than the Pharisees whom Christ condemned. Love in Christ, The Very Reverend Igumen Abbot Tryphon is the spiritual leader at All Merciful Saviour monastery located on Vashon Island in Puget Sound near Seattle, Washington State. The monastery is within the canonical jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. The monastery’s widely acclaimed and popular Facebook page can be found here. Abbot Tryphon’s popular blog can be accessed here.

I knew a girl, she changed the lives of thousands. And her funeral, every eye filled with tears, every heart broken. What was her contribution? How did she leave such an indelible mark on so many? Was it her flawless face and perfect body? Or her high IQ? Maybe it was her way with words, or her athletic aptitude? No. It couldn’t have been those things. She lived a short 18 months. Never a word was heard from her lips. So much medication and drugs to keep seizures at bay that she could barely hold her head up. But that sweet face, at her first birthday, her pig tales, her family that adored her every breath. Life changing. My life was changed. A pastor, with a wife and two children, motivational speaker, world renown. This man. So badly burned as a two year old, not a limb was left intact. Who would have thought? His life, so purposeful. So impacting. Such quality. A pastors wife. Three sons, a loving husband and a story to tell. Her life, it almost wasn’t. Her grandmother was raped. Her grandmother chose life. She is here because of a choice so few would agree with. I could go on and on and on. I really could. Should I? Ok. I have to. Baby Samuel. He lived only a few hours. I still remember the day I saw his picture slideshow through a friend on facebook. His parents knew, their time with him outside of the womb would be limited. They treasured every minute. Their lives? Forever changed. Would you like to ask them how many lives were changed by their first son? I would venture to guess the number might surpass the number of those affected by the average “normal” life. With so much talk these days about life and death and who deserves one or the other based on what their *quality* of life will be. It makes me wonder, what about you? What is your quality of life? Should we measure? Should we compare? I would like to ask those making these life and death decisions, oh great knowers of the future, could you, would you, have predicted the impact of these lives? Could you have imagined? “Do not judge!” is proclaimed constantly by those that are clearly critical of a Biblical worldview. Yet in an instant these same voices are ready to judge, to end a life, because they have found it wanting. “Celebrate diversity!” is our country’s mantra. But what, I ask you, is more diverse than the group of individuals I just introduced to you? Is our world celebrating them? They have something to teach us. Their lives are worthy of celebrating. But that is not happening. My heart has been heavy these past 40 days. 40 days of life. 40 days of praying. Fervently. To save the least of these. Desperately. My friend invited me to stand out front of an abortion clinic. I have never done this. I did not want to do this. But I did. Want to. I had to. Do. Something more. So we went. Me and my traveling party. Some mommies are scared to keep their babies, I explained. So they do something horrible. They don’t know. They are blind. We need to go and pray. Pray that they will do what is right. The children understand. They agree. So we stood. And we prayed. And it was incredibly powerful. Like nothing I have ever ever done. And I need to write about it. I need to, but the words won’t come. Because I need them to be perfect. Because I need this to stop. Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it. ― Edmund Burke This is what is happening right now. People don’t know. And we are repeating. This is what I know of history. I know that countless German Christians hid away their Jewish friends, and neighbors, to save them, including, but not limited to, the well known Corrie ten Boom. I know that Christian men like Dietrich Bonhoeffer fought Hitler from day one until he, Bonhoeffer, was executed 23 days before the German surrender. I know that some Christians fought. Hard. But I also know that some didn’t. Or I should say, some that called themselves Christians, didn’t. And millions died. Because there lives were not considered to have value. So we can ignore history, or we can learn from it. But people, we not only have history, we have the future! You see, our friends across the pond. Ya know, the sinking ship we left hundreds of years ago, they kept sinking. And have reached new lows. Gender selection abortions? They are happening in England. Right now. Oh darn, I wanted a boy. Abortion. Try again. It’s not supposed to be legal, but Ann Furedi, the cheif executive of their biggest abortion provider says it would be “wrong” to refuse to consider an abortion request from a woman who cited the sex of her child as a reason. I’m sorry, What? Or How about Mr Lister a deputy mayor, also of the UK, who gave his solution to the high cost of caring for disabled CHILDREN : “I would guillotine them.” Did you read that?It’s sickening. and all were “outraged.” He had to quit. But I can’t figure out why. Isn’t this what society teaches? Old people, tiny babies, and the disabled. What good are they? He just had the nerve to say out loud what countless people believe. But Christian, I am also talking to you. Why? Well, statistics say that almost 80 percent of Americans claim to be Christians, yet, 40 percent think abortion should be legal every.single.time. every.single.way. You don’t have to be a math major to see those numbers don’t add up. The bible tells me the world is blind, and I have to repeatedly remind myself of this, because man, the things they say, are crazy making. But you church. You should know better!!! We have in office a man who told planned parenthood, that the ban on partial birth abortion was “disturbing.” Sit with that for a minute. Please. Let all of those words filter through your brain. The ban that said “no you can not crush the skull of a baby and rip it out piece by piece” the ban, yeah, the ban is the disturbing part to this man. Then we have Gosnell. Whose real crime was having a dirty office. His crime was getting caught. You know he is not alone, right? But again, all were “outraged”, its so hypocritical. Yes, he was convicted of beheading babies born alive. But, who would consider that a criminal offense? Our president? Not exactly. Oh and planned parenthood, What do they think should happen to a baby that escapes an abortion? They say “we will leave that to the doctor and the mother. “ Elections come and go, and really hip Christians say things like “I don’t vote on one issue. ” Well how diverse. But please forgive me for wanting “doctors” to stop ripping the limbs off of babies so badly that I placed that ONE issue above the rest. Because when a baby is teething. TEETHING, we fill them with Tylenol just to ease the pain, but a few months earlier, tearing off their arm? Well, that is a choice and just one issue. and who would vote based on that. Tearing off an arm. Someone help. This can’t keep happening. And there is so much more we can do *in addition* to voicing our conviction with our vote. But none of those things are going to happen, unless their is a fundamental shift in the way, we, who call ourselves Christians, view the sanctity of life, and reject Hollywood’s definition of worth and beauty and replace it with what the Bible teaches. Every life is filled with purpose. Those with special needs are especially filled with purpose. The stories that I shared, could be multiplied over and over. They are not unique. There was so much pain, but they were also given a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. Their purpose comes from their common denominator. In each story, their lives were surrendered to the power and will of Christ. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

By Anne Graham Lotz Less than one week ago, on August 19th, I said good-bye to my husband of almost forty-nine years. At that moment, the only thing that truly mattered was the decision he made as a five year old boy in vacation Bible school to trust Jesus as his Savior. As a result, he knew for the rest of his life that his sins were forgiven, he possessed eternal life, and he had peace with God. What a gift his faith was, and continues to be, to his family and friends. We know our good-byes were not final. We grieve, but with hope. We know we will see Danny Lotz again in Our Father’s House not because of anything that he has done, but because of God’s amazing grace extended to him at the Cross. Several weeks ago, not knowing that Danny would soon step into eternity, I had a burden on my heart to once again pray for Jerusalem. I had decided to issue a Recall to Pray on September 1st, similar to the urgent call for prayer I had issued last September. I have a sense that something significant is going to happen in the very near future that involves the Epicenter—Jerusalem and the nation of Israel. This foreboding has been confirmed by many indicators … • Renewed missile attacks from Gaza on Israel’s southern communities during the first weekend of this August • The deployment of the Iron Dome in the north to try and protect Israelis from expected incoming Hezbollah rockets • The tsunami of cash that will flow into Iran, then through Iran to terrorists around the globe, as a result of the “Nuclear Deal” John Kerry has negotiated that includes the lifting of sanctions against Iran • The fragile coalition Prime Minister Netanyahu has pieced together for his government that seems to lack unity of vision and strength of resolve • The strained relationship between Israel and the US as our leaders have taken this nation to the dark side of Biblical prophecy because we no longer bless the descendants of Abraham by standing solidly with them against their enemies • The fourth blood moon on September 28 considered by rabbis to be an omen for Israel that will also be a super moon seen over Jerusalem • The alarming rise of worldwide anti-Semitism • The end of the Jewish Shemitah Year on September 13 and the beginning of the Jubilee Year on September 28—both very significant in Biblical prophecy. No signup is necessary. On September 1st an updated prayer that I have written will be available on our website so that we will all be “on the same page,” praying with one heart and mind. Please don’t feel confined to this prayer, but use it to help focus your own. Would you Facebook, tweet, or email this to everyone you can? When war breaks out or missiles explode or terrorists attack… when Israelis are killed…how many families will be left to grieve without hope? I know that there will be no permanent physical peace until the Prince of Peace returns and establishes His reign. There is no hope for the Epicenter except Jesus. Therefore, the purpose of our prayer is four-fold: • For God to pour out His Spirit of grace and supplication on Jerusalem • For God to open her eyes to recognize her Messiah…Yeshua…Jesus • For God to break her heart for her sin and rejection of Him • For God to save her spiritually and physically as she cries out to Him… and for Him to grant her permanent peace The prophet Daniel prayed for Jerusalem during her dark days of captivity. God not only answered and delivered His people, but sent word that Daniel was highly esteemed in Heaven because he had stood in the gap for them…on his knees. I, too, want to be a person highly esteemed in Heaven for the same reason. (Daniel 9:23) Thank you for joining me in prayer for the city and the people that God loves as we pray in agreement with His Word, and are therefore confident He will hear our prayers and answer… For the glory of Yeshua, Copyright © 2015 Anne Graham Lotz (AnGeL Ministries) Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved http://www.annegrahamlotz.org

Thursday, April 12, 7-8PM, Haverford College Dan Fishback will discuss his play's cancelation, BDS, anti-Semitism (both real and fake), and the larger Jewish civil war over Israel/Palestine, which is, ironically, a major theme of his canceled play. He will tell stories from his research trip in Israel/Palestine (including Grindr snapshots), present moments from his canceled play, and speak specifically to the fraught role of the anti-Zionist Jew in Jewish families, Jewish communities and the wider world. This event will take place in Haverford’s Sharpless Auditorium. To learn more about Fishback or this event, please see the event’s Facebook page.

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