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When we are mindful of our breathing, it helps us to calm the body and the mind. We are able to see things more clearly and with a larger perspective, all because we are a little more awake, a little more aware. And with this awareness comes a feeling of having more room to move, of having more options, of being free to choose effective and appropriate responses in stressful situations rather than losing our equilibrium and sense of self as a result of feeling overwhelmed, thrown off balance by our own knee jerk reactions. – Jon Kabat-Zinn, Full – Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness The Meditation Mantra of the Month is Pranayama – the movement of breath and energy. I have appreciated the Kabat-Zinn quote above for many years, but in the context of our present life I think immediately about George Floyd; physically unable to move, unable to choose any response to the situation because the full length of his body was pinned to the ground, and shouting out that he Could Not Breath At All. Lord, Have Mercy. When the body is in fight or flight mode, it makes it hard to make good choices at all because you are in biological SURVIVAL mode – Surviving Was George Floyd’s “Knee-Jerk Reaction”. Lord, Have Mercy. Your heart is racing so hard, it feels like it is going to burst out of your chest. And then you Literally Cannot Breathe because there is a full-grown man putting all of his weight on your neck? Lord, Have Mercy. How On Earth is a person supposed to “choose effective and appropriate responses in stressful situations” when the stress is that you are going to DIE?? Lord, Have Mercy. Lord, Have Mercy. Lord, Have Mercy. Now, I can’t pull the image of George Floyd crying out that he can’t breathe, and calling for his Mama, out of this Kabat-Zinn quote. Check out Kelly Latimore Icons. This gorgeous iconic image of George Floyd titled “MAMA”, and so many others are powerful meditations on our life, and point us to people, throughout history, who have changed the world, like George Floyd. The Meditation Mantra of the Month (pranayama – movement of breath and energy) also has me thinking about the current reality of the United States in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, that has overwhelmed and thrown us all off balance, by our own knee-jerk reactions. I don’t really know what to think anymore. My response is to stay home. Keep my people close in our little bubble. I don’t like any of the options of returning to school. Nor do I like the option of starting my own home-school, no thank you. The Corona Virus & The Racism Virus is in the air we breathe. We can’t NOT breathe it in. We aren’t immune to it, even if you think you have been there and moved on from it. It’s with us, and it isn’t going to go away any time soon. And all of the options of responding to the virus seem — UGH. Not enough. Too late. Misguided. Corrupt. Off-base. Exclusive. Not good for the Whole of Community — All Of Us, together. I think what seems lacking in all of the options is a fierce love for each other. A resilient commitment to compassion, mercy, and grace for each other. It seems like we are only going to Love Our Way Through These Pandemics of Racism and COVID-19. That’s it. Below is a super powerful poem that is often running in the back of my mind, or at least the first verse of it. It is by Aurora Levins Morales. Please Go to her website and check her out. She has lots more beautiful art that we need in this world. The title is “V’ahavta”. The V’ahavta, as I understand it, is a Jewish prayer that means You Shall Love. You Shall Love. YOU. SHALL. LOVE. Say these words when you lie down and when you rise up, when you go out and when you return. In times of mourning and in times of joy. Inscribe them on your doorposts, embroider them on your garments, tattoo them on your shoulders, teach them to your children, your neighbors, your enemies, recite them in your sleep, here in the cruel shadow of empire: Another world is possible. Thus spoke the prophet Roque Dalton: All together they have more death than we, but all together, we have more life than they. There is more bloody death in their hands than we could ever wield, unless we lay down our souls to become them, and then we will lose everything. So instead, imagine winning. This is your sacred task. This is your power. Imagine every detail of winning, the exact smell of the summer streets in which no one has been shot, the muscles you have never unclenched from worry, gone soft as newborn skin, the sparkling taste of food when we know that no one on earth is hungry, that the beggars are fed, that the old man under the bridge and the woman wrapping herself in thin sheets in the back seat of a car, and the children who suck on stones, nest under a flock of roofs that keep multiplying their shelter. Lean with all your being towards that day when the poor of the world shake down a rain of good fortune out of the heavy clouds, and justice rolls down like waters. Defend the world in which we win as if it were your child. It is your child. Defend it as if it were your lover. It is your lover. When you inhale and when you exhale breathe the possibility of another world into the 37.2 trillion cells of your body until it shines with hope. Then imagine more. Imagine rape is unimaginable. Imagine war is a scarcely credible rumor That the crimes of our age, the grotesque inhumanities of greed, the sheer and astounding shamelessness of it, the vast fortunes made by stealing lives, the horrible normalcy it came to have, is unimaginable to our heirs, the generations of the free. Don’t waver. Don’t let despair sink its sharp teeth Into the throat with which you sing. Escalate your dreams. Make them burn so fiercely that you can follow them down any dark alleyway of history and not lose your way. Make them burn clear as a starry drinking gourd Over the grim fog of exhaustion, and keep walking. Hold hands. Share water. Keep imagining. So that we, and the children of our children’s children

The snow swirled unexpectedly in cold cotton drifts. The German gods were having some Wagnerian pillow fight in the skies above Munich as Andrew and I took our first steps beyond the hostel wall. In other words perfect beer hall weather! Before that it was necessary to take the pilgrimage to Europe’s most over rated tourist attraction, the glockenspiel. Marienplatz was crowded with tourists all waiting expectedly as this marvel was to unfold above us. The glockenspiel itself placed into the neo-gothic architecture of the nues rathouse (an appropriate name for a building filled with politicians) looked down upon us, it’s mediaeval romantic figures carved from wood standing ready to begin the spectacle. Then at 5pm (well, about 5:07, no auto mechanism here, it’s all reliant on someone climbing to the top and flicking the on switch) the spectacle began. The wooden figures roared into a sudden flurry of slow motion activity, before two Knights one from Baveria and the other from Austria came charging toward one another at what can only be described as a grind of hooves. The bells beating out a tune, completely out of tune, were the perfect accompaniment to this craptacular display of clockwork. The Bavarian knight triumphant in his victory over the Austrian, it seemed like all was done. But then out of a very predictable nowhere the cooper figures below the joust began their dance to celebrate the end of the plague that had once ravished Munich. When the tiny owl above the glockenspiel finally flapped his wings, as if to say “show’s over, move along”, an inexplicable cheering and clapping erupted from the crowd. My only thought on why this happened is, having suffered through the glockenspiel together the people of the Marienplatz would now not have to endure the performance again until 10am the following morning. That’s if the operator could be arsed climbing to the top of the Rathaus to torture the unfortunates below once more. If there is one thing to be said about Australians and Germans it’s that we share a common love of beer. Munich is the beer capital of the world and Andrew and I both understood that some heavy drinking was about to ensue. We started with the Mecca of beer halls the Hoffbrauhaus. It certainly lived up to its reputation for rowdiness and intoxication. The warm, sweet, cosy atmosphere as you wander in combined with the oom pah pah band playing leaves you in no doubt about where you have come to. The beer in its heavy 1L stein is sweet and gentle, like many of the Bavarians we have met along the way. We eventually found our way into the infamous festall, the beer hall in which Hitler announced the birth of the NSDAP and unveiled the swastika. Munich for all its fun and frivolity makes no attempt to hide the scars of its 12 years of national socialism. It is a sobering thought that Munich with its romantic cathedrals, jovial beer halls and Bavarian kitsch was the birthplace of something so terrifying as the NAZI party. In Munich we also found the quiet signs of German resistance. Munich is where a small group of university students known as The White Rose Society were beheaded for distributing Anti-NAZI pamphlets. Also a little lane with a thin line of brass cobblestones remains as a monument to those, who seeking to avoid having to salute a Nazi shrine to the 1923 beer hall putsch, were beaten or killed for this small act of resistance. The Putsch shrine was guarded by two SS men 24hrs a day to ensure that passers by saluted as they were supposed to, an alley behind the shrine meant that people could quietly slip by without saluting, a small but important act of defiance. I was told that being aware of the alley way the Gestaupo placed a man there to catch those who used the alley more than once a day. If you got off lightly you were beaten to a pulp or sent to Dachau, if the officer was just in a bad mood you were executed on the spot. Despite all this the people of Munich continued to use the alley. A very quiet, but in my opinion, very proud and German act of defiance, lending a touch of irony to the name of the lane, which translates as “shirkers alley”. Andrew and I did visit Dachau whilst in Munich. I won’t go into great detail aside from to say, it is a place everyone should visit. Having passed through the horror of the camp itself, when you stand inside the little low ceilinged concrete box with its fake shower heads and feel the chill that seeps into your bones, you will know that if hell had a centre you are truly standing in it. Below are some photos I took in the camp. I offer no commentary on them, other than asking you to take a moment to look and reflect. I felt changed in some unalterable way by my experience here. There was an almost “there but for the grace of God, go I” sense. Given my political viewpoints, my love of the arts and some (1/8th) Jewish ancestry it is likely that, if I were a German or invaded by Germans, somewhere between 1933 & 45, I would have found myself in such a place. I walked away feeling saddened, but so much more steadfast in my belief that all human beings must be afforded their dignity and rights. As has been said before Germans make no effort to disguise their past, but having acknowledged it and continuing to do so, quietly and respectfully they are able to enjoy those things that make Germany great. The people of Munich are extremely friendly. On our last night in Munich, we found ourselves drinking at the Augustiner Keller. If the Hoffbrauhaus is the Mecca of beer halls then a pint from the Augustiner Keller is the holy grail of beers! So popular that allegedly it doesn’t have a marketing department, Augustiner is seldom exported beyond German borders. Sitting beneath the budding chestnut trees, we got talking with four of the local university students. We struck up an instant friendship as we discussed Australia and Germany and our many similarities. At which point the lights in the beer garden went to black and we found ourselves locked in! A quick limbo under the wooden gates though and we were out! It was then decided that no trip to Munich would be complete without a visit to the old town to ride the boar outside the gaming and fisheries ministry and to pay a visit to the statue of Juliet… As in Romeo and Juliet… There is nothing stranger in Munich than the statue of a shakesperian character gifted from Verona to a German city. Though perhaps here a point. Food, language, geography may change, but people remain the same. All capable of horrors, friendship, love and getting locked inside the Augustiner Keller. It is possible for us all to find the common ground and see our past not as something particular to Australia, Germany or Turkey, but a shared past, a communal pool from which we must drink and together seek a brighter future.

THE BRAILLE MONITOR Vol. 46, No. 4 April 2003 Barbara Pierce, Editor Published in inkprint, in Braille, and on cassette by THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND MARC MAURER, PRESIDENT 1800 Johnson Street Baltimore, Maryland 21230 Web site address: http://www.nfb.org NFB-NEWSLINE® number: 1-888-882-1629 Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, orders for NFB literature, articles for the Monitor, and letters to the editor should be sent to the National Office. Monitor subscriptions cost the Federation about twenty-five dollars per year. Members are invited, and non-members are requested, to cover the subscription cost. Donations should be made payable to National Federation of the Blind and sent to: National Federation of the Blind 1800 Johnson Street Baltimore, Maryland 21230 THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND--IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR THEMSELVES Louisville Site of 2003 NFB Convention! The 2003 convention of the National Federation of the Blind will take place in Louisville, Kentucky, June 28-July 5. We will conduct the convention at the Galt House Hotel and the Galt House East Tower, a first-class convention hotel. The Galt House Hotel, familiarly called the Galt House West, is at 140 N. Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202. The Galt House East Tower, or Galt House East, is at 141 N. Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202. Room rates for this year's convention are excellent: singles, doubles, and twins $57 and triples and quads $63 a night, plus tax. The hotel is accepting reservations now. A $60-per-room deposit is required to make a reservation. Fifty percent of the deposit will be refunded if notice is given to the hotel of a reservation cancellation before June 1, 2003. The other 50 percent is not refundable. For reservations call the hotel at (502) 589‑5200. Rooms will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations may be made to secure these rooms before June 1, 2003, assuming that rooms are still available. After that time the hotel will not hold the block of rooms for the convention. In other words, you should get your reservation in soon. Our overflow hotel is the Hyatt Regency at 320 W. Jefferson Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, phone (502) 587‑3434. Those who attended the 2002 convention can testify to the gracious hospitality of the Galt House. This hotel has excellent restaurants, first-rate meeting space, and other top-notch facilities. It is in downtown Louisville, close to the Ohio River and only seven miles from the Louisville Airport. The 2003 convention will follow what many think of as our usual schedule: Saturday, June 28Seminar Day Sunday, June 29 Registration Day Monday, June 30 Board Meeting and Division Day Tuesday, July 1Opening Session Wednesday, July 2 Tour Day Thursday, July 3 Banquet Day Friday, July 4Business Session Plan to be in Louisville; The action of the convention will be there! Vol. 46, No. 4 April 2003 Federal Appeals Court Rules against Mandated Described TV by Chris Danielsen Effective Dialogue in Albuquerque: A Positive Beginning by Melody Lindsey Blazing a Trail by Carissa Richards Getting Around Downtown Louisville by Dennis Franklin Touch the Universe: A Review by Carol Castellano Laptop Computers and Electronic Notetakers for the Blind: by Curtis Chong 2003 Convention Attractions Schedule of NOPBC-Sponsored Events for Parents, Teachers, and Youth at the 2003 NFB Convention by Barbara Cheadle UPS Delivers More Than Parcels: Braille Readers Are Leaders Celebrates 20th Anniversary by Sandy Halverson Dialysis at National Convention by Ed Bryant Copyright © 2003 National Federation of the Blind At the end of February the National Center for the Blind was the site of lots of leadership activity. On February 25 a group of interested people from the LEADERship Program of the Greater Baltimore Committee spent the day learning a bit about blindness skills during the Baltimore Leadership Transformation Seminar. They were introduced to cane travel, Braille, and techniques of daily living, all under sleepshades. The following day a group of Federationists from across the country arrived to begin a four-day leadership seminar. Community leaders learning about blindness and blind people learning about leadership--both are frequent activities at the National Center for the Blind. [PHOTO/CAPTION: Members of Baltimore's leadership community pour water under sleepshades.] [PHOTO/CAPTION: Members of the most recent NFB leadership seminar are seated in President Maurer's office, listening to what he is saying.] [PHOTO/CAPTION: Chris Danielsen] Federal Appeals Court Rules against Mandated Described TV by Chris Danielsen From the Editor: One of the NFB's policies which has most frequently been willfully misunderstood and misrepresented by our opponents has been our position on described television. Video description of films, plays, and other public events or forms of entertainment is a service that some blind people like very much and others are more or less indifferent to. We have therefore taken no stand against such efforts and, in fact, helped to ensure that one of the Clinton inaugurations was described for the television audience. We have always said that, since some people enjoy described television, we are pleased whenever the entertainment industry decides to create a program or series including description on the secondary audio channel. We have been far more insistent that on-screen print crawls or identification and information be voiced, since the absence of this material clearly deprives all viewers unable to read the print of the information provided to those who can read the small print. Moreover, it seems obvious to us that requiring the articulation of this material is a clear, achievable goal that demands a one-time modification in production equipment leading to complete access for blind and illiterate viewers. The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) did not agree with our position and ruled that the major networks must begin describing some prime-time and children's entertainment programming. This decision has now been overturned in the appeals court, and our position has been vindicated. Chris Danielsen is a practicing attorney in South Carolina and a leader of the NFB of South Carolina. In the following article he describes what has been happening in the described-television battle and places it in perspective. This is what he says: In 1989 Boston public television station WGBH began describing some of its programming on the air using the Second Audio Program (SAP) channel. The SAP feature was included on televisions and videocassette recorders so that additional soundtracks could be run to various programs, usually in foreign languages. The narrated descriptions (accurately denominated described television and not descriptive video) provided by WGBH filled in pauses in dialogue or commentary in a given program to provide the blind and visually impaired with a sense of what was taking place on the screen. How much description was enough and when it became an annoyance has never been satisfactorily settled. Some people, usually those who have lost sight recently, yearn for details of costume, scenery, and characters' expression and gestures. Those used to drawing conclusions about these things from the dialogue or ignoring them as superfluous have always wanted otherwise silent plot pivots only. In a very real sense there is no good way to satisfy the entire video-description audience, but the drift from the beginning seems to have been steadily toward including more information, even sometimes data not available to the sighted audience. In any case WGBH later expanded its description service to other public television stations and established the Descriptive Video Service (DVS). In 1992 the service began describing Hollywood movies on home video, and its efforts on that front were embraced by the blind community and became known as descriptive video. To be sure, some felt that such narration was not intrinsic to the enjoyment of filmed entertainment, but then those with such views could simply leave the SAP channel off and weren't required to purchase DVS's special home videos, which in any case didn't require use of the SAP feature. Many of us in the Federation have enjoyed films and television programs described by DVS. In particular the description of Hollywood movies can be a real enhancement to certain films where long sequences with no dialogue make it difficult for a blind viewer to follow the action. The National Federation of the Blind supported DVS in its efforts to describe Hollywood films. Since 1992 DVS Home Video has had a place in the exhibit hall at our national conventions, and usually a screening of one of the service's new releases is included on the convention agenda. Those who want to attend the screenings do so; those who don't enjoy them do not. But because demand for video description in film or on television was by no means universal among the blind, the Federation never felt the need to push for legislation mandating provision of this service for either medium. While the NFB has generally viewed described entertainment as enjoyable and useful to some, DVS has always viewed itself and its mission in more glowing terms. Its advertising campaigns (some of which were protested by NFB members) and literature have often implied that the life of a blind person is simply not complete without a descriptive soundtrack added to television programming. One ad went so far as to portray a blind man sitting in the dark, facing away from his television set with no companion but his cat. The implication was not only that the blind do not enjoy television without description, but that we lead lonely, unproductive lives that can be enhanced only by providing descriptions of television programs so that we will have something to brighten our dull existence. Needless to say, Federationists have never adopted that position towards described television. To put the matter bluntly, blind people have much larger concerns than whether they can follow the action on a prime-time television program. The high unemployment rate among working-age blind people, the falling Braille literacy rate among blind children, and the plight of blind seniors unable to get the independence training that would keep them out of nursing homes come immediately to mind. But DVS has had allies in its quest to make described TV a right rather than a privilege. The American Council of the Blind and others have decried the lack of described programming on network television. Apparently the chorus eventually grew loud enough that Congress asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to study the feasibility of adding description to network television programming. While the version of the act that emerged from the U.S. House of Representatives authorized the FCC to promulgate regulations for the description of television programming, the law which ultimately emerged from the Congress and was signed by President Clinton did not authorize such regulations. The version of the Telecommunications Act that ultimately went into the books did authorize the FCC to promulgate regulations mandating the provision of closed captioning for deaf viewers, but only authorized the body to issue a report on video description. This distinction made sense since closed captioning is a literal rendering of the spoken word and no more, while video description turns strictly visual information into words not created or even intended by the original writer. The FCC issued the report requested by Congress, which stated that "the best course is . . . to continue to collect information and monitor the deployment of video description and the development of standards for new video technologies that are likely to affect the availability of video description." But like Alice in Wonderland, the FCC didn't follow its own good advice and in 1999 issued a notice of proposed rule-making (the initial step in jumping through the hoops that federal agencies set themselves when they promulgate regulations) that would require broadcasters to include descriptions in their programming. The FCC had apparently concluded that described television would be beneficial to blind viewers. As the Federal Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit would note later, "The FCC primarily based this conclusion on the American Council [of] the Blind's submission, which contained more than 250 e-mails and letters of support for the rules." Not surprisingly, the FCC ignored comments from the National Federation of the Blind, as well as from other blind Americans which set forth the very good reasons for opposing mandated description of entertainment programming on TV and instead supported our position that blind people would be better served by a mandate that required articulation of text printed on the television screen. A few comments on the rationale for this position are in order here. There are many differences between television, sometimes referred to as the small screen, and the type of entertainment provided in Hollywood films shown in theaters--the so-called big screen. For one thing, the small screen, being more intimate, does not lend itself to the kind of visual extravagance which Hollywood likes to splash across the cinematic screen in the blockbuster films it releases. While television programming does include pauses in dialogue where visual action is taking place, they are typically neither as frequent nor as long as those in a Hollywood action adventure film. The other major difference between the Hollywood screen and the television screen is the type of message the two media are used to convey. For the most part movies are provided for our entertainment and diversion, a way to escape the realities of daily life and to follow a good story presented in spectacular visual style. This is not to say that theatrical releases don't address serious subjects or that they cannot make us think and feel and edify us in certain ways. However, the movie theater is primarily a place for us to be entertained. Television, on the other hand, is a medium which conveys information as well as entertainment. All of the major broadcast networks, many cable channels, and local television stations provide information to their viewers in various forms. Newscasts are the most common; the major networks and their local affiliates carry them regularly, and cable stations like CNN and MSNBC provide news exclusively. When television does provide entertainment, it nonetheless still has a mandate, by law and by simple morality, to inform its viewers of events happening in the community that may pose a threat to them or require urgent action. For that reason TV stations often superimpose upon prefabricated programming information such as weather bulletins warning of severe weather, ranging from thunderstorms to tornados. Printing text on the screen is a quick and easy way to provide urgent information to viewers without requiring the intervention of a news anchor. But such information, when provided in that form, is totally inaccessible to blind viewers. At best a blind viewer will hear a tone or other signal indicating that important information is being displayed but may have no way of finding out what that information is. While blind viewers might get the information from other sources, such as radio broadcasts, the immediacy of the information provided on the television screen is denied us. In addition to the textual information provided in emergency situations, other informational programming also routinely uses on-screen text as a way to convey all or part of the information being presented. News programs, for example, often include brief excerpts of interviews or sound bites in their reports on various subjects. The practice in newscasting is for the name and title, if any, of the speaker to be displayed at the bottom of the screen while his or her comments are being broadcast. In such situations a blind viewer has no way of knowing who is speaking or what it is about the speaker that makes what he or she has to say important or relevant to the news report being viewed. Other information such as the latest details in breaking news events, sports scores, and events in the viewer's community, also routinely appears on TV screens without any audible commentary or other indication that the information is being presented. Even advertisements often contain textual information; in some commercials text on the screen is the only way to know what's being advertised or, in the case of specialty products, the address or phone number one needs in order to get them. Such information may not be absolutely necessary to all blind viewers, but a blind viewer who's interested in the product in question is definitely placed at a disadvantage. For this reason the NFB opposed the mandating of described TV by the Federal Communications Commission. We argued by resolutions adopted at our conventions in 1996, 2000, and 2001 that description of entertainment programming should not be mandated. Instead, we argued, the FCC should focus on textual information presented on the screen that was otherwise inaccessible to blind viewers and should require that all such text be simultaneously voiced using the secondary audio channel. Translating text into audio form is at least as simple as translating audible dialogue into text. With the widespread use of digital speech technology, it would be easier than ever before for the television networks to broadcast such text over another audio channel. The blind would have something we actually need, as opposed to something we might perhaps enjoy. Nevertheless, the FCC went beyond its congressional mandate and not only produced a report on described TV but mandated that it be provided, while not mentioning mandatory voicing of the text printed on the screen, as sought by the Federation. The FCC specifically mandated that the major broadcast networks provide up to fifty hours of described programming per quarter in either prime-time or children's programming by the spring of 2002. Realizing that it would need to hire people to accomplish this task and therefore take a hit to the pocketbook, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), a lobbying organization for television and movie producers, immediately filed a petition with the United States Court for the District of Columbia opposing the mandate. In addition the MPAA, which is incidentally also responsible for the content-based rating of Hollywood movies, was concerned with the First-Amendment implications of the new regulation. After all, however noble the intent, described TV requires an alteration in the way the program is presented that its creators didn't plan or necessarily intend. We in the Federation, through our duly elected leaders, saw a good opportunity to speak to what the blind really needed as opposed to what some of us might like. In addition there was a real danger that, if a court decision came down against the FCC’s position that was too broadly worded, we might never see the commission or any other entity ever address the issue of requiring on-screen text. So the Federation filed its own petition with the D.C. District Court and a subsequent brief to the Federal Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, opposing the FCC mandate of described TV but specifically stating that the NFB believed the commission could and should legitimately mandate that on-screen text also be provided audibly. The entrance of the Federation into the described-TV litigation sent our detractors from various quarters into hysterics. The American Council of the Blind publicly attacked and ridiculed the NFB, and e-mails from its executive director, Charlie Crawford, blatantly mischaracterized our position. It was said that we were opposed not only to described TV but to the efforts of DVS to describe Hollywood movies in theaters and on home video--something which the NFB has never opposed in any way. Some also claimed that the NFB was taking a position contrary to that held by most of its members, who watched described programming. Again, not true--one can enjoy described programming and films and still not believe that the Federal government should use its power to mandate that they be produced. Members of the ACB and other blind people in favor of described TV attacked the NFB's position, even on e-mail lists owned and operated by this organization. Needless to say, spurious name-calling was included in these campaigns, and venomous personal attacks on President Maurer and other national leaders spewed forth. The brief submitted on behalf of the Federation by Daniel F. Goldstein and Joshua N. Auerbach of the Baltimore law firm of Brown, Goldstein, and Levy, which has often assisted the Federation in legal matters, pointed out two fundamental problems with the FCC's reasoning in adopting rules mandating the description of entertainment programming on television. First, we argued, the FCC's regulation was "arbitrary and capricious" because the commission simply assumed that described TV was something that blind people wanted and needed. This assumption flew in the face of three resolutions adopted by thousands of blind people attending NFB conventions and backed by the largest organization of blind people in the nation, which specifically opposed mandated description of entertainment programming on television. Second, the FCC had ignored the problem of on-screen text entirely, despite the fact that many comments supporting the rule specifically pointed out the lack of vocalization of text on the screen as a significant barrier to equal access to television programming by blind viewers. Even most of the comments submitted by people identifying themselves as members of the American Council of the Blind supporting the rules indicated that the primary frustration of blind television viewers was the lack of access to on-screen text. For example, the brief quoted an e-mail from the Memphis chapter of the ACB: "It is so frustrating for a blind person to hear a weather warning signal on TV and not know just what this alert is all about. It is also aggravating to be listening to a commercial about something that may be an item that one would like to purchase but can't because the phone number and/or address is flashed across the screen but not verbally announced." In short, we argued before the D.C. appellate court that the FCC had addressed a perceived need of the blind without finding out whether that need actually existed and ignored a need that did exist. Like so many well-intentioned attempts to help the blind, the FCC’s rule had ignored the views of the blind themselves, imposing what it believed would be good for us and substituting its judgment for our own views on the matter. To quote again from our brief: "Not only is the inaccessibility of on-screen text a more serious problem for blind television viewers than an inability to see events occurring on the screen, it is also a problem that is substantially less surmountable without accommodation. . . . Many people with visual disabilities have sufficient vision to discern events occurring on the screen but insufficient to read text that appears there. Those who do not have this level of vision can almost always understand what is occurring by paying attention to aural cues and dialogue." Fortunately for the blind and those who support us, the opinion issued on behalf of the three-judge appellate panel that heard the case argued orally before the court by Dan Goldstein substantially adopted our reasoning. The opinion by Judge Edwards struck down the FCC mandate of described TV. Looking to the language of the law passed by Congress, the court found that the FCC had not been authorized to implement rules requiring that broadcasters describe their entertainment programming. Furthermore, the court held that the FCC couldn't shoehorn in the described-TV requirement under its general power to regulate telecommunications, granted by the law which created the commission in 1934. The court reasoned that, because requiring broadcasters to run described programming had an effect on program content, the FCC's interpretation of the law conflicted with the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which generally forbids the government from regulating the content of speech. Quoting the dissent from the FCC rule by the commission's chairman, the court noted: "Video description is a creative work. It requires a producer to evaluate a program, write a script, select actors, decide what to describe, decide how to describe it, and choose what style or what pace. In contrast, closed captioning is a straight translation of dialogue into text." The court went on to say: "Ultimately, video descriptions require a writer to amend a script to fill in audio pauses that were not originally intended to be filled. Not only will producers and script writers be required to decide on what to describe, how to characterize it, and the style and pace of video descriptions, but script writers will have to describe subtleties in movements and mood that may not translate easily. And many movements in a scene admit of several interpretations, or their meaning is purposely left vague to enhance the program content. In short, it is clear that the implementation of video descriptions would entail subjective and artistic judgments that concern and affect program content." The court ruled that requiring broadcasters to alter their programming to include descriptions of the sets, costumes, and actions was, in effect, compelling speech, which the government is forbidden to do. This was different, the court held, from requiring broadcasters to translate information already contained in the program from one form to another. By this logic the FCC could legitimately mandate the provision of closed captioning for the deaf and by implication could mandate that on-screen text be transmitted in an audible form for blind viewers. When the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit handed down its decision on November 8, 2002, the histrionics started again. Some traffic on e-mail lists owned and operated by the NFB suggested that we had stabbed the blind in the back, both by opposing described TV and by causing a court decision to be issued, which would not even have given us what we said we wanted. If the FCC couldn't mandate described TV, how could it mandate that text on the screen be spoken? Those who wrote these invectives had obviously neither read the opinion nor attempted to understand our reason for entering the case. As mentioned earlier, the opinion specifically articulates the difference between described TV and closed captioning and all but tells the FCC that regulations to make programming accessible are fine as long as they do not change program content. Furthermore, the court might well never have considered the difference between closed captioning and described TV, and thus the difference between articulating on-screen text and describing on-screen action, if the NFB had not intervened in the litigation. Unlike the FCC, the court actually listened to what the blind had to say and showed a clear path that we can now take to give blind people the information that we need and that has been denied to us. Of course a court victory will not be the end of the matter. We, the organized blind, must now take action to make sure that the principles set forth by the court are put into effect. Our leaders are still considering the best course of action, but we fully intend to see that on-screen text is made accessible to the blind of the nation. As for described TV and films, DVS and other organizations continue to make Hollywood movies more accessible by providing audio description, and many broadcasters will probably continue to include description in their programming voluntarily. This is as it should be. The NFB has always believed that it is important to ask only for the accommodations that are an absolute necessity to our full integration into society. Other assistance, while we may accept and enjoy it, should not be mandated by the government. Instead, like any commodity, it should be regulated by demand. Ultimately we hope that prudent regulation by the FCC and the goodwill of the broadcast industry will combine to make television an enjoyable, accessible, and informative viewing experience for all blind Americans. The NFB has done what we could to define the issues and point out which are most important. The court understood our argument even if the FCC did not. Now we must consolidate our gains and insist on access to the visual information on television that everyone else takes for granted. [PHOTO/CAPTION: Melody Lindsey] Effective Dialogue in Albuquerque: A Positive Beginning by Melody Lindsey From the Editor: Sometime last year word began to circulate that the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) was going to sponsor a conference focusing on residential training centers for blind adults. This is a subject about which a growing number of Federationists know a good deal and about which many of us hold rather definite opinions. Not surprisingly, when the call for papers went out, a number of those who expressed interest in making presentations were staff members at programs that have been influenced by the Federation's philosophy of rehabilitation. I decided that this conference was going to be an event to watch. I asked Melody Lindsey to provide a report to the Braille Monitor about what happened. But even before I heard from her, I began picking up all sorts of comments. Mostly these were to the effect that this had been the most productive conference people had ever attended. But a very few were grumbles that the person had had to listen to a lot of presentations that did not reflect the speaker's views about rehabilitation. I understand that RSA Commissioner Joanne Wilson, upon receiving such a complaint, commiserated with the complainer by saying, "I know what you mean; I have been attending conferences and feeling that way for years." The pendulum now seems to be swinging in the other direction, and the result is fresh air and new thinking in this very important area of blindness rehabilitation. Melody Lindsey is the director of the Michigan Commission for the Blind Training Center. She is a longtime Federation leader and a dedicated blindness professional. Here is her report of the Albuquerque conference: In Ecclesiastes 3 King Solomon says in part, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven--a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak." On November 13, 14, and 15, 2002, rehabilitation counselors, teachers, and other professionals gathered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to participate in the first-ever conference sponsored by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) for residential training centers for the blind. The purpose of this conference was to give professionals the opportunity to present and discuss effective strategies and controversial issues surrounding training center policies and practices. It was a time to speak of philosophical approaches to rehabilitation and a time to keep silent and listen to others who had different views. It was a time to seek understanding of why we do what we do and a time to lose misconceptions about specific training programs. In the fall of 2001 at the biannual meeting of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind (NCSAB), Commissioner Joanne Wilson announced that RSA had been approached by many individuals who work with the blind about the possibility of a national forum to engage in dialogue about the various approaches to rehabilitation of the blind. In the spring of 2002 a planning committee made up of representatives from five state agencies for the blind, five private agencies for the blind, and two general state rehabilitation agencies began its work. The states represented were Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Texas, and Washington. The five private agencies were BLIND, Inc., from Minnesota; Carroll Center for the Blind from Massachusetts; Colorado Center for the Blind; Foundation for the Junior Blind from California; and Lions World Services for the Blind from Arkansas. The general agencies were represented by Georgia and Mississippi. The mission given to the planning committee was to recruit presenters and develop an agenda that would educate, challenge, and motivate participants to enhance the methodologies used in their training center programs. The title for the conference was "Cutting Edge Practices-–Expectations, Empowerment, and Employment: National Conference for Residential Training Centers for the Blind." We could call this the three E's of rehabilitation for the blind. Approximately eighty submissions were received and considered for conference presentations. After the selections were made, we were on our way to an exciting and stimulating meeting in Albuquerque. According to the participant list that each of us received at the conference, over 200 people were in attendance, representing thirty-six states and the District of Columbia. The conference opened on Wednesday morning with an inspiring and passionate address from Commissioner Wilson. In her speech, which was entitled "Empowerment through Personal Conviction: The Foundation of Effective Residential Training Programs for the Blind," she talked about the three components of the conference–-Expectations, Empowerment, and Employment. She also told the audience that she wanted to have participants talk about the controversial and difficult issues associated with rehabilitation training of the blind. She said she hoped that people would take issue with the topics brought up at the conference, for only through confronting the issues and conducting constructive dialogue could we ever hope to improve and strengthen the quality of rehabilitation for the blind and promote training that incorporates high expectations and individual responsibility. Commissioner Wilson got her wish! I have been to several meetings where people tiptoed around controversies. In the words of the old saw: no one was talking about the elephant sitting in the living room. At this conference several elephants were openly debated: the role of sleepshades/occluders in the rehabilitation program, informed choice in the determination of an individualized program, the inclusion or exclusion of consumer organizations in the rehabilitation process, determining the length of stay at a training center, blind mobility instructors, and various approaches to teaching mobility and other skills. Commissioner Wilson's keynote address was followed by a plenary session entitled "Residential Training Programs: Perspectives and Practices." Panelists from BLIND, Inc., the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Lions World Services for the Blind, and the Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness discussed the purpose of rehabilitation training, various philosophical approaches, and the implementation of those approaches in the training provided. Thursday and Friday saw two more plenary sessions. On Thursday the panelists for the plenary session dealt with the topic "Traditional and Progressive Approaches to Independent Cane Travel." Edward Bell, Dr. Ruby Ryles, Dona Sauerburger, and Dr. Bill Wiener engaged in a lively and interesting discussion of issues including safety and liability, using visual and nonvisual techniques for travel, the use of sleepshades, the structured discovery method and point-to-point instruction, the certification of blind travel instructors, the performance competency level of instructors, and teaching group mobility. As the director of a training center with some staff members who would like to do group mobility and other staff members who believe that group mobility is an activity with significant implications for liability, I found the question-and-answer part of this discussion very helpful. Dr. Wiener said that, if the agency policy or expectation promotes the use of group mobility when appropriate, he would have no problem supporting that agency if an incident occurred that did not involve gross negligence. Later one of my staff members who attended the conference said to me that he didn't know Bill Wiener believed that blind people could teach mobility and that he would have to rethink his own position on this issue. During his presentation Dr. Wiener said that many years ago he had opposed the concept of blind people teaching orientation and mobility. However, after observing and undergoing instruction with occluders from a blind mobility instructor in Nebraska, he had begun to understand that blindness in and of itself does not preclude someone from being a skilled and competent mobility instructor. Currently Dr. Wiener strongly advocates for opportunities for blind people to participate in AER-approved university training programs. This acceptance of blind mobility instructors is not fully embraced by everyone in the field, as evidenced by some of the postings on the orientation and mobility listserv. It was clear from this plenary session that much more needs to be done to educate current and future professionals in the orientation and mobility field about the issues and changing philosophy concerning instructional strategies. On Friday the plenary session addressed the topic "But We've Always Done It This Way: The Challenges and Rewards of Change in Training Centers for the Blind." The panelists in this plenary session were all at various stages of facilitating change in their organizations. Dave Eveland, Services for the Blind in Hawaii; Dr. Deana Graham, Criss Cole Rehabilitation Center–-Texas Commission for the Blind; Susan Ruzenski, Helen Keller National Center (HKNC); and Dr. Pearl Van Zandt, executive director of the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, discussed the cutting-edge changes they are making in their own programs and how these changes will improve the quality of training their blind consumers receive. They also talked about the challenges they are encountering as they implement changes in policies and philosophical approaches. In his presentation Dave Eveland described the challenges they face in Hawaii. He told the audience to imagine being in Hawaii at the training center for the blind. You are sitting in a lounge chair on the veranda with the warm breeze blowing gently. It is eighty degrees and the sun is shining. In the distance the waves are gently rolling onto the beach. Suddenly you hear a bell announcing that it is time for classes at the training center to begin. What are you going to do? This, he said, sets the stage for the most significant challenge they face-–motivating students to go to class. He also described their movement toward the use of sleepshades in all aspects of their program. Group instruction has become the norm. Students used to choose when and how often they came to class. Now the expectation is that students will participate in classes five days a week. The manual arts program is being revitalized. Dave stressed the importance of providing training to raise staff expectations of students. The center in Hawaii invited Joanne Wilson to talk about what components should be in a quality training center program. After these activities were completed and staff had a greater understanding of the direction management wanted to take the center in, they then began to develop a timeline and action plan for identifying and implementing their goals. Deana Graham described the changes being made at the Criss Cole Center in Austin, Texas. They are in the midst of a major transition from a custodial model to an educational one. Based on their experience, Deana advised that management must create a sense of urgency. Staff are not likely to change unless they understand why change is necessary. The second step was to develop a philosophy. My experience has been that rehabilitation professionals hesitate to discuss their philosophy of blindness. When I was a student at Florida State University taking education courses, we were required to write a paper in which we described and defended our philosophy of education. To my knowledge no one balked at this requirement. However, in the field of rehabilitation training for the blind, many professionals maintain that it is not necessary to have a "philosophy of blindness." In fact, a professional once said to me, "I don't have a philosophy of blindness; I just do the best job I can." I was very pleased to hear someone from another training center say that articulating a philosophy is a painful yet necessary step in raising expectations and improving the quality of services for the blind. Deana then outlined critical questions that will be asked and must be answered in order to encourage and nurture change. Why is change important? Why now? What is this new way of thinking? What does this mean to me and my job? Are you saying I have been doing things wrong all these years? Deana then made a profoundly significant statement. She said, "We ask our students to change every day; yet we ourselves are unwilling to change and find it difficult to do." Deana referred to this as the "bleeding edge" because change can be painful. It requires personal transformation. If effective change is to occur, it is absolutely imperative to identify and share with staff and other stakeholders this new vision. Everyone has to understand and support the new vision. Deana said that in Texas they needed to assess staff and management attitudes about blindness. They discovered three groups: those opposed to the very idea of change, those willing to make changes but unsure of the level of their commitment, and those in complete agreement with the proposed changes. Staff opposing change were usually those who had been in the business the longest. Management found that training was key. They met staff members where they were and tried to understand why they believed what they did. As a manager, Deana said that she had to empower others to act. They made a point of recognizing every advance, no matter how small. The staff must understand that this is how we are going to do things now. Susan Ruzenski talked about the exciting transformation HKNC continues to undergo. She said that change must be grounded in mutual respect and high expectations. The American Association of the Deaf Blind (AADB) has been a vital agent for change. In 1990 HKNC went through a shift in infrastructure. They now view themselves as a work in progress. They use the person-centered philosophy when developing student plans. In the past, assessments were used to determine a student's deficits; now assessments focus on determining abilities. They are now asking the question why not rather than why. Working with mentors has become a crucial part of the program. They have begun to examine practices to see which ones promote self-determination and which ones do not. HKNC now runs a two-week summer program for kids that focuses on self-determination and abilities. This philosophy is the cornerstone of the program at HKNC. Pearl Van Zandt discussed the challenges and outcomes of change in Nebraska, which she says are ongoing. They continually examine what they do and why they do it that way. In seven years 67.5 percent of full-time students have achieved employment; 22.5 percent are in academic endeavors. Only 10 percent are not fulfilling their expectations. Both consumer organizations participate in strategic planning for the agency. The training center has a basic curriculum that all students are required to take. Because field staff are the ones who introduce many consumers to the rehabilitative process, they take very seriously their responsibility to educate and prepare consumers for the expectations of a comprehensive adjustment to blindness program and the process of learning to deal with blindness. In addition to the three plenary sessions the conference sponsored concurrent breakout sessions and evening issues forums. Altogether thirty presentations took place in the breakout sessions and the evening issues forums. Here are some of the presentation titles: * Marketing Blind Rehabilitation Beyond the VR Agencies * Philosophical Approaches and Ethical Considerations for Providing Services Effectively to Minors in an Adult Training Center * Consumer Organizations as Partners in the Rehabilitation Process * Building Braille Speed for Braille Readers Who Learn the Code as Adults * Issues around Informed Choice within the Residential Center * Diversity of Clients: Secondary Disabilities-–How Do We Cope? * Whose Life Is This Anyway? Boosting Self-Confidence and Self-Determination through Summer Programs for Deaf Blind Teens * Home Management-–It's Not Just for Survival * Cognitive Learning Theory and the Structured Discovery Approach * A Legal, Philosophical, and Pedagogic Look at Liability, Negligence, and Safety Issues in Orientation and Mobility * Adaptive Technology Training Services in the Classroom and Online * The Leadership Challenge: Transforming the Organization toward Empowerment * Work Experience as Part of Rehabilitation and Employment: The Pot of Gold * Challenges of Providing Comprehensive Rehabilitation Training for the Legally Blind Senior Population: Experiential Learning and Integrating Community and Residential Instruction * Switching from a Dormitory to Apartments as the Way to House Students at the Washington State Department of Services for the Blind Orientation and Training Center * The Effect of Medicare Funding on VR Services * The ABCs of ABE (Adult Basic Education) These are just a sample of what was offered. Michael Gandy from the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, who served on the planning committee for the conference said, "We didn't know if this was a one-time deal. Therefore we would rather have too much to offer than feel that we should have provided more opportunities for learning and sharing." Commissioner Wilson said that she was impressed and gratified to see people participating enthusiastically in the evening issues forums after a long day of meetings. In the closing address of the conference on Friday morning, Dr. Fredric Schroeder talked about "fundamental versus incremental change." He said that it is important not to focus on skills as independent from attitudes. Universities today do not prepare teachers to deal with social attitudes about blindness. He also talked about the fact that some people make a virtue of low expectations. He believes that no blind person should have to go to work in a sheltered workshop because of believing that is the only opportunity available. We need to teach the skills that will support positive attitudes about blindness. In our programs we must challenge the limitations imposed by the external environment. We must constantly ask what message our behavior sends to our students. Staff must truly believe in the capabilities of and possibilities for their blind students. Is what we're doing really working? Is it giving control back to the blind person? Is it leading people to live normal lives after they leave our programs? We left the conference pondering all these questions. All conference participants received copies of a book written by James Omvig, entitled Freedom for the Blind: The Secret Is Empowerment. It lays out the components of a successful rehabilitation training program for the blind. I would encourage everyone who works at a training center to read this book. One of my staff members commented after reading Mr. Omvig's book, "I can't find anything in there with which I disagree. This is exactly what we need to be doing here." The conversations that we now have at our center revolve around questions like these: How do we get students to stay longer so that they gain the confidence and the skills to be in control of their lives when they return home? How do we get students to use sleepshades more effectively in their training? What adjustments can we make in our classes to facilitate greater achievement of independence and responsibility? This conference gave professionals from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to network and develop resources that will affect the services we provide. "This was an excellent conference. I met many people who were willing to discuss issues of blindness. All of us were exposed to other ways of thinking and of doing things," said Joyce Scanlan from BLIND, Inc. Joanne Wilson said that she was impressed by the enthusiasm and the genuine interest people showed in learning about other programs. "You don't see this at too many conferences." Ken Metz, who served on the planning committee from the Foundation for the Junior Blind, expressed his appreciation for the conference by saying, "The fact that people were talking and information was disseminated back and forth was a real plus for this conference." Pam Allen, executive director of the Louisiana Center for the Blind, observed, "We all learned a great deal by networking with other centers. It was refreshing to see all of the agencies having an open dialogue with each other and sharing ideas which will result in better outcomes for the consumers with whom we work." After reviewing the evaluations of the conference, the planning committee has recommended to RSA that conferences for residential training programs for the blind be conducted biennially. They also indicated that the next planning committee may want to look at the possibility of holding the next conference in a city where a residential training center for the blind is located. As a Federationist I was proud to take part in this conference, both as a presenter and as a listener. What I saw was what Dr. Jernigan talked about in his 1997 banquet address, "The Day after Civil Rights." He said, "We must be willing to give to others as much as we want others to give to us, and we must do it with good will and civility." I think everyone at the conference would agree with Dr. Jernigan's belief that "what we need is not confrontation, but understanding, and understanding that runs both ways. This means an ongoing process of communication and public education." I believe that communication and the beginning of understanding took place and characterized the conference in Albuquerque. As I was leaving, I heard Dona Sauerburger say to Commissioner Wilson, "We need to have more of these conferences, and more professionals need to be involved in the discussions. I know my eyes have been opened, and I think others need to have exposure to the same ideas I have heard this week." Yes, it was a time for sharing and a time for maintaining convictions. There was a time for agreeing and a time for confronting. The time had finally come in Albuquerque to move beyond differences and look at ways truly to empower our students to be in control of their futures. After participating in this conference, I could not think of a more appropriate maxim for what we do at training centers than the motto we have at the Michigan Commission for the Blind: "Changing Lives--Changing Attitudes." Have you considered leaving a gift to the National Federation of the Blind in your will? By preparing a will now, you can assure that those administering your estate will avoid unnecessary delays, legal complications, and substantial tax costs. A will is a common device used to leave a substantial gift to charity. A gift in your will to the NFB can be of any size and will be used to help blind people. Here are some useful hints in preparing your will: • Make a list of everything you want to leave (your estate). • Decide how and to whom you want to leave these assets. • Consult an attorney (one you know or one we can help you find). • Make certain you thoroughly understand your will before you sign it. For more information contact the National Federation of the Blind, Special Gifts, 1800 Johnson Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998, (410) 659-9314, fax (410) 685-5653. [PHOTO/CAPTION: Ruth Hirschfeld, left, and Hazel Phillips prepare food while blindfolded as part of a week-long retreat program teaching seniors who are losing their sight to cope with blindness. Those with some remaining vision wore sleepshades for the lessons.] Blazing a Trail A New Retreat Program Aims to Help Seniors Cope with Blindness by Carissa Richards From the Editor: The following story appeared in the Sacramento Bee on Friday, February 21. Bryan Bashin, the executive director of the Sacramento Society for the Blind, is a member of the NFB of California board of directors. Priscilla Ching, quoted in the article, is a 2000 National Federation of the Blind scholarship winner and holds a master's degree from the Louisiana Tech/Louisiana Center program in orientation and mobility. Perhaps this article will inspire affiliates and chapters across the country to develop similar programs. Here is the story: One Saturday two years ago Edith Gutierrez was reading the newspaper. Sitting in church the next day, she tried to read, and all she could see were wavy dark lines on the page. That's how quickly she lost her sight to macular degeneration, a progressive, irreversible disease that is the leading cause of blindness in seniors. Gutierrez, eighty-five, was forced to give up reading, and her daughter now shops for her. Such dependence can drain seniors' confidence and leave them feeling isolated. That explains why Gutierrez could be found recently sitting blindfolded in an Elk Grove home, waiting for a chance to chop an onion. Part of a pilot project, she's helping the Sacramento Society for the Blind launch a one-of-a-kind project. The free program, called Senior Intensive Retreat, will bring individuals fifty-five and older to live in this five-bedroom rented house for ten days. Here visually impaired staff members from the society will teach them how to live with blindness. Believed to be the only such retreat in the nation, it officially opens Monday with seven seniors from Sacramento, Woodland, and Davis. "It is a homey feeling, but believe me, we are not the so-called happy home for the blind," said Bryan Bashin, executive director of the Sacramento Society for the Blind. "We are as much of a boot camp as these guys will ever face." Gutierrez was part of a trial run of six seniors, ages seventy-five to eighty-five, from Sacramento, Citrus Heights, Roseville, Woodland, and North Highlands. They spent four days in the home recently, helping staff members fine-tune the program, which is open to seniors throughout the Central Valley. It is funded by a three-year, $1.2 million grant from the state Department of Rehabilitation. At the home group members slept two to a room. Brown and gray geometric prints or peach floral patterns decorated their twin-size bedspreads and curtains. A Picasso print and a drawing of a Victorian home hung on the dining room walls. While the digs were nice--large couches by a fireplace, a pool and hot tub amid lush foliage on a one-acre lot--this was no vacation. The seniors, who called themselves "The Trailblazers," learned how to do everything from cooking to applying makeup to walking using a white cane. When they felt comfortable, they covered their eyes with sleepshades to keep from relying on what vision they have left. Every waking minute was filled with instruction. Group members helped prepare meals, learning how to slice onions or sausage without cutting a finger. They learned how to work computer programs that could read text to them. And while these tips for daily living were helpful, the home's four staff members had more important goals. Priscilla Ching, the assistant director, said they were building confidence and a positive attitude about blindness. "I want them to gain a sense of independence and freedom--freedom of choice to live the way they want to live and not be dependent on family or friends or neighbors," she said, having just finished leading the group on a cane trip outside. "If we give them the tools, we give the choice back to them." After a couple of days at the home, the seniors went public. They showed up at Elk Grove's Old Spaghetti Factory and Target, sleepshades on and white canes in hand. At Target the six split into two groups and sought help from customer service employees. Debi Black, a staff member, said they need to learn where to turn for assistance. After comparing sizes of George Foreman Grills and shaking and smelling packages in the candy aisle, they headed for the doors, white canes tapping on the beige linoleum. Sighted customers walked by, their eyes traveling up the canes before stopping on faces wearing navy-blue eye shades resting just beneath gray hair. "You have to come out of the closet to admit that you can't see and have a problem, and then assume responsibility for yourself," said Ruth Hirschfeld, eighty-four, one of the group members. "The sighted people have to adjust to us. They are as scared of us as we are of total blindness. "They either overlook or underestimate us. That's where the cane comes in. It tells them we are blind and we will ask if we need help." Several of the six seniors also have glaucoma, the third leading cause of blindness, behind macular degeneration and diabetes, in people age fifty-five and older. The society's Bashin estimates there are 20,000 blind or visually impaired adults in Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, Yolo, and Sutter Counties. Half, he said, are over age fifty-five. "In the end this isn't about blindness," Bashin said. "This is about whether you are open to change and at what age do you close down to change." But change can be difficult, especially for seniors, he said. Traditional retreats are usually months long and held in an institutional setting, sometimes outside California. Seniors, he said, need a comfortable environment to help them ease into a new way of living. Nancy Burns, president of the National Federation of the Blind of California, said the Sacramento society's retreat is the first short-term residential program she has heard of. "It takes a real adventurous person to go to another state and stay at a center for six to nine months," she said from her office in Burbank. "And most seniors aren't ready for that kind of experience." Those in the trial-run program said the short stay and homelike setting were what they needed. "This is all so new to me, every aspect of it," Gutierrez said, sitting on a kitchen stool, eyes covered and waiting her turn with the knife. "I'm learning every day to continue to be independent. At our age you want to be free. This gives us that freedom." [PHOTO/CAPTION: The skyline of Louisville.] Getting Around Downtown Louisville by Dennis Franklin From the Editor: Dennis Franklin is first vice president of the Kentucky affiliate and a longtime Louisville resident. Here he takes the time to conduct a walking tour of the area around our headquarters hotel. This is what he says: Getting around downtown Louisville is relatively easy with a few simple directions. The streets are laid out in a grid pattern running either north/south or east/west. Traveling south on Fourth Street from the Galt House, you cross these streets: Main, Market, Jefferson, Liberty, Muhammad Ali Boulevard, Chestnut, and Broadway. Traveling east on any of these streets from Fourth Street, you cross Third, Second, First, Brook, Floyd, and Preston. Traveling west, you cross Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth. If you were doing all this traveling, what might you see along the way? Let's walk south along the east side of Fourth Street. After we cross Main, we come to a trolley stop, where we could board a trolley going to the Riverfront Wharf, which I will tell you more about later. Continuing south, just before we reach Market Street, we pass Kunz's Restaurant, a longtime favorite for lunch and dinner. Before crossing Market Street, we can turn left and travel one block east, cross Third Street, and arrive at the Old Spaghetti Factory. Crossing Market on the east side of Fourth Street brings us to the Kentucky International Convention Center, which covers that entire block. Crossing Jefferson, we find the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Continuing south across Liberty Street, we pass an office tower and come to the entrance of the Galleria, which we understand will be under renovation this summer. We will provide updates about the progress of this construction project at the Kentucky Information Table in the Galt House lobby. Since the Galleria will probably be unavailable to us, we will turn right on Liberty Street to avoid the construction and go west to Fifth Street. Here turn left and proceed south to Muhammad Ali Boulevard, where we can turn left to return to Fourth Street. Turning right on Fourth and crossing Muhammad Ali Boulevard brings us to the Seelbach Hotel, located on the west side of Fourth Street. Continuing south on the east side of Fourth Street, just before Chestnut Street is a Walgreen's Drug Store. Half a block after Chestnut Street we pass the Palace Theater. Across the street is Cunningham's Restaurant and then the Theater Square area, where several restaurants can be found that are particularly good for lunch. Beyond Theater Square and before you reach Broadway is the Brown Hotel with its restaurant, the English Grill, where a local favorite, the famous Hot Brown, was created. Another way to travel Fourth Street is the Toonerville II Trolley, which is free. It operates on weekdays from 7:15 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. It travels along Fourth Street between the Galt House and Theater Square, except that on its southward trip it travels along Third Street between Liberty and Muhammad Ali Boulevard, and on its northward trip it travels along Fifth Street between Muhammad Ali Boulevard and Liberty Street. After 10:30 a.m. every other trolley leaving Theater Square circles the Riverfront Wharf instead of going to the Galt House. If you want to go to the Riverfront Wharf, you can board this trolley at any northbound trolley stop, up to and including Main Street. You can ask the driver if he is going to the Galt House or the Riverfront Wharf, to be sure you are boarding the one you want. The Belle of Louisville is docked on the wharf at the foot (north end) of Fourth Street. Just east of the Belle is the Star of Louisville, which offers daily dinner cruises. Continuing east, we find Joe's Crab Shack, featuring excellent seafood in a casual atmosphere. Just past Joe's we arrive at the Waterfront Park, a large open space where festivals or fireworks sometimes take place, but it's always a nice place to take a walk or let the kids enjoy the playground equipment. As I said earlier, you can reach this area on the trolley or, if you prefer, you can walk. Go to the north end of the lobby level of the Galt House, and follow the pedestrian walkway, which passes under I‑64 and down the steps to the wharf. Now let's travel west on Main Street. On the north side, just west of Fifth Street, is the Kentucky Center for the Arts. Continuing across Sixth Street, you find a couple of blocks of restored nineteenth-century buildings. After crossing Seventh Street and going about half a block further, we come to the Louisville Science Center, which boasts many interactive displays for young and old alike. After crossing both Eighth and Main Streets, we find the Louisville Slugger Museum. Be sure to check out the world's largest bat, located outside this building. By traveling east on the south side of Main Street, about a half block from Fourth Street we come to Actors Theater of Louisville. About six blocks farther east on the north side of Main Street, is Slugger Field, the home of the Louisville Bats. You can also reach any of these points of interest on the Main Street Trolley, which is also free and which can be boarded at any trolley stop along Main Street (westbound) or Market Street (eastbound) between Tenth Street and Clay Street. This trolley operates on weekdays from 6:45 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and weeknights from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. when the Bats play at home and on Saturdays 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Unfortunately we do not yet have schedule information for the Kentucky Center for the Arts, Actors Theater, the IMAX Theater at the Louisville Science Center, or the Bats; but we should have the schedules at our information tables during the convention. Y'all come! [PHOTO/CAPTION: Carol Castellano] Touch the Universe: A Review by Carol Castellano From the Editor: Carol Castellano is first vice president of the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. Here is her brief review of an exciting new book: Many parents and teachers of blind and visually impaired children have been excitedly awaiting publication of Touch the Universe: A NASA Braille Book of Astronomy, after receiving word of the gala publication event held at the National Center for the Blind in Baltimore. This wonderful book is now available from the Joseph Henry Press in Washington, D.C. Images of the planets, stars, and galaxies captured by astronomers with the Hubble Space Telescope form the core of the book. These gorgeous, full-color images are also beautifully rendered in raised line form. Accompanying each illustration is a brief explanation in large print and Braille. Author Noreen Grice, an astronomy teacher and planetarium educator who also wrote the Touch the Stars books, writes in clear, simple terms easily understandable by children from third grade or so on up. Following each explanation is a brief guide to viewing the tactile image. Grice's enthusiasm for astronomy and wonder at the universe are evident throughout the book. Wonderful astronomy terms like "local supercluster," "gaseous nebulae," and "globular cluster NGC" add to the fun. The illustrations begin with the Hubble space telescope orbiting earth and proceed farther and farther away from our home planet, all the way to the most distant reaches of the universe ever photographed. How exciting that there is now a way for blind children to get a glimpse of a world they ordinarily would not get to see! I tried the book out on three blind students--a fifth grader, an eighth grader, and a senior in high school. One of the kids almost refused to give it back to me. I am sure blind adults would also appreciate and enjoy the book. If you've ever marveled at the size and complexity of the universe and if you'd like to awaken or nourish that wonder in your child, be sure to get this book. [PHOTO/CAPTION: Curtis Chong using a laptop] Laptop Computers and Electronic Notetakers for the Blind: by Curtis Chong From the Editor: Are you struggling to decide between buying a laptop computer and an electronic notetaker? Curtis Chong, who is now the director of field operations and access technology at the Iowa Department for the Blind, has compiled a very useful list of pros and cons for both of these electronic wonders. In his job Chong is responsible for internal information technology, vocational rehabilitation, independent living, and all programs dealing with access technology, including the department's Project Assist program, which provides tutorials to run software with specific versions of various screen-access software. Here is his distilled wisdom and experience on this important subject: Blind people often need portable electronic devices to perform such tasks as notetaking, dealing with e-mail, word processing, appointment management, and so forth. Traditionally the solution has centered on off-the-shelf laptop computers equipped with screen-access technology or specialized devices for the blind, often referred to as notetakers or PDAs (personal data assistants). This document attempts to provide a concise list of advantages and disadvantages for each class of device to enable potential buyers to make a more informed decision. Off-the-shelf laptop computers running Windows function very much like desktop computers except that they are smaller and more portable. Braille, talking, or magnification screen-access technology can be added to this class of computer. As a rule refreshable Braille displays are not built in, but portable displays can be obtained and connected. Synthesized speech is generated through the laptop's sound card; an external speech synthesizer can be attached if necessary. Advantages of Laptop Computers * Laptops are fully functional computers, able to run the same software as a desktop computer. In fact they can replace a desktop computer. * Technical support for laptop computers is widely available and not restricted to a vendor selling blindness products. * A typical laptop will have gigabytes of hard disk space and hundreds of megabytes of random access memory--significantly more than a typical PDA for the blind. * Laptops can read and burn CDs. * If the user knows how to operate a desktop computer, little additional training is required to use a laptop. *When using a laptop, it is much easier to exchange files with other people. *Laptops can more easily be connected to devices such as scanners or printers, and the technical support required for such connections is not limited to a specialized vendor selling products for the blind. *With appropriate software (e.g., ZoomText or MAGic), enlargement of information on the display is possible. Disadvantages of Laptop Computers *All of the components to make a laptop usable by a blind person are generally not available from one source. Typically the laptop is acquired from one dealer, and the access technology comes from one or two companies, depending on whether a Braille display is involved. *Laptops have a relatively short battery life (typically five hours). *It takes minutes to boot up a laptop computer, thirty seconds if resuming function from a sleep or hibernation mode. *Laptops are typically heavier and bulkier than PDAs for the blind. *Laptops do not provide direct Braille keyboard input--that is, a person who knows how to enter Braille but who cannot type would not be able to use a laptop without QWERTY keyboard training. *Selecting and then attaching a refreshable Braille display to a laptop requires some technical knowledge and support from specialized vendors. *It is relatively difficult to use a connected refreshable Braille display with no speech running--that is, laptops are harder to use by people who are deaf-blind. Personal Data Assistants for the Blind These devices are often referred to as "notetakers," although the actual note-taking function is a relatively small fraction of what they can do. They are truly personal data assistants. Devices which fall into this class include Braille 'n Speak, Type 'n Speak, Braille Lite Millennium (or 2000), Type Lite, BrailleNote (and VoiceNote), and PAC Mate. The Braille 'n Speak, Type 'n Speak, and VoiceNote do not have refreshable Braille display capability. The PAC Mate currently being shipped does not either, but plans have been announced to produce PAC Mates with built-in refreshable Braille displays. Advantages of Personal Data Assistants for the Blind *All accessibility is built in. There is no screen access software to buy. *Because they are designed for the blind, it is much more likely that documentation and training materials will be available in alternative formats. *Start-up time is very rapid. It takes seconds to get back into a file. *Battery life is much better than a laptop. Twenty-plus hours is typical. *Typically a PDA for the blind is smaller and more portable than a laptop. *The PDA for the blind and accompanying accessories can be purchased from a single vendor. *No additional effort or technical knowledge is necessary to get the Braille display to work when it is part of the unit. *Generally Braille displays can be used without speech running. *Direct Braille input is possible. Disadvantages of Personal Data Assistants for the Blind *PDAs for the blind have no visual display. Display magnification is simply not an option. *When using a PDA with direct Braille-input capability, one has to be concerned about forward- and back-translation issues, if files are to be exchanged with sighted classmates, friends, or co-workers. Though the promotional literature may make this seem easy, in reality the user must have a minimal knowledge of the issues involved with Braille grade translation. *Formatting material for visual use requires attention to details that a laptop user need not worry about. This is especially true for PDAs for the blind with direct Braille-input capability. *PDAs for the blind cannot read or create CDs. *Sharing files with classmates, friends, and co-workers is not as simple as it is when using a laptop. In most cases files created in the format native to the PDA are not easily read with mainstream technologies. *PDAs for the blind cannot run off-the-shelf applications which, on a laptop, have a good chance of working with nonvisual access technology. They certainly cannot run the full-function Microsoft or Corel Office suites. *Technical support must be supplied either by the vendor or by someone trained by the vendor. PDAs for the blind are not well understood or supported outside of the blindness field. *PDAs for the blind are not equivalent to laptop computers. They possess less storage and processing power and are not designed to be the primary method for information processing and exchange. While many laptops have more than 512 megabytes of random access memory, even the largest PDA for the blind has only about 100 megabytes. A laptop can contain more than forty gigabytes of hard disk drive storage capacity, whereas a PDA for the blind might today support a mini disk drive with about five gigabytes. So there you have it. No one answer is right for everybody, and no single choice can meet anyone's every need. Here, at least, are the issues that will help people make the most informed decisions for themselves. 2003 Convention Attractions From the Editor: Every year's national convention is an absolutely unique event. The agenda items, the exhibits, the new friends and business acquaintances: all these give each convention its own character and significance. Some activities lend a luster to the convention in part because they do take place every year and provide helpful fixed points in the whirl of events. In this category are the meetings of the Resolutions Committee and the board of directors, the annual banquet, and the many seminars and workshops of the various divisions and committees. Here is a partial list of activities being planned by a number of Federation groups during the 2003 Convention, June 28 through July 4. Presidents of divisions, committee chairpeople, and event presenters have provided the information. The pre-convention agenda will list the locations of all events taking place before convention registration on Sunday, June 29. The convention agenda will contain listings of all events taking place beginning that day. Agriculture and Equestrian Division by Fred Chambers Meeting, Monday, June 30, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. We are growing by leaps and bounds. Come snack on local produce, share stories, network, and meet some locals. Kentucky is one of the eighteen states with an AgrAbility Project. You'll hear from advisors and participating farmers. Learn about resources you can tap into to start or expand a career in agriculture's myriad fields. Our membership has a wide array of interests and a wide geographic distribution. From agroforestry, apiculture, and aquaculture, to composting, gardening, and landscaping, to firearms and hunting, to dairies and milk products, to ranching and riding, to tack and tractors, to vermiculture and zymurgy, we cover the map. Blind people are working, studying, and hobbying in every field while feeding and clothing the world. Put your boots on, roll up your sleeves, and join us. Tour: Saturday, June 28, 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. and Wednesday, July 2, 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. Always a highlight and a bargain, our Louisville agriculture and equestrian tours will be announced in an upcoming Braille Monitor. We're adding a tour of gardens and a farm, in addition to returning to Churchill Downs. Our past tours have included horseback riding and touring stables, carriage barns, thoroughbred ranches, urban organic farms, microbreweries, and much more. For more information contact president, rancher, and riding instructor Diane Starrin of Starrin Enterprises, 1042 Hawthorne Street, Redding, California 96002, phone (530) 223‑9084; tour coordinator and aquaculturist, Fred Chambers, phone (760) 505‑8500, e-mail <email@example.com>. BLIND, Inc., Karaoke Night by Joyce Scanlan This year, at the national convention in Louisville, don't miss your chance to witness a rare and riveting karaoke performance by none other than vocalist extraordinaire Dr. Marc Maurer! Will he sing country? Broadway? Disco? Swing? or Rap? Come find out for yourself on Saturday, June 28, from 8:00 to midnight, at Karaoke Night. This fun‑filled event is hosted by BLIND, Inc., and admission is only $5. There will be door prizes galore and a cash bar, as well as the best karaoke around by Federationists from all over the country‑‑and maybe even a performance by you. Come join us. Blind Professional Journalists Group by Elizabeth Campbell If you enjoy going places at a moment's notice or if you like asking questions, the Blind Professional Journalists group is a great place to meet others who share your interests. Anyone interested in print or broadcast journalism is welcome to attend our meeting on June 30, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. See the convention agenda for more details. Students who want to pursue a journalism career can talk to professionals for advice on many topics, including using adaptive equipment efficiently and making good use of readers or drivers. For more information about the Blind Professional Journalists group, please contact Elizabeth Campbell, chairperson, 3805 Harley Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas 76107-4081, home phone (817) 738-0350, e-mail <firstname.lastname@example.org>, or <Elizabeth.Campbell@nfb-texas.org>. You can also contact Bryan Bashin, co-chair, 409 21st Street, Sacramento, California 95814-1116, home phone (916) 441-4096, e-mail <email@example.com>. Braille Is Beautiful, It's Fun, and It Works: A Seminar on How to Get Your Community Interested in This Versatile Curriculum by Betsy Zaborowski On Saturday, June 28, 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. seminar attendees will hear from parents, teachers, and NFB leaders about the ways they have promoted the use of the Braille Is Beautiful curriculum in public and private schools and among civic clubs and other organizations. Learn how we can get the word out on how effectively this program introduces sighted kids and adults to the Braille reading and writing system and, in so doing, educates about the capabilities of the blind. The Colorado Center for the Blind Presents by Julie Deden CCB presents a day in the life of a student. To be held on Wednesday evening, July 2, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Includes door prizes and games. Learn about life in Colorado. Meet the CCB staff and students. Find out what a typical day is like. We have skill-building classes from cane travel to Braille and much, much more. Consider training. It will change your life. The Kenneth Jernigan Braille Carnival for Children Back by Popular Demand by Melody Lindsey Once again the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children will host a Braille carnival for children between the ages of five and twelve. This exciting and entertaining event will take place on Saturday, June 28, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The activities of the Braille carnival are designed to promote curiosity about Braille and the many fun and creative ways in which it can be used. Both sighted and blind kids will discover fun games and activities. In addition there will also be activities for children with multiple disabilities. In order to make this event successful, we need affiliates, chapters, and organizations to sponsor activities at the carnival. If you are interested in doing this, please contact Melody Lindsey, coordinator of the Braille carnival, at (269) 388‑2686. The deadline for requesting space for an activity is June 16, 2003, or when all spaces are filled. We can't wait to show you how much fun Braille can be. Don't miss your opportunity to participate in this creative event highlighting the advantages of reading and writing Braille. Come Braille Carnival Buddies by Robin House Are you going to the national convention in Louisville, Kentucky, this summer? If so and if you are at least eighteen, please consider helping as a buddy at the annual Braille carnival on Saturday, June 28, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity to work with both blind and sighted children while their parents attend meetings. The Braille carnival features many unique and fun Braille reading and writing experiences for novice to advanced Braille readers. Carnival buddies are responsible for guiding children through the maze of Braille activities. There is plenty of help even if you are still working on your own Braille reading skills. If you can help or have questions, please contact Robin House at <RobinLHous@aol.com>, or call (314) 524‑7308. Your help is greatly appreciated. More details will follow for those who are interested in helping at the Braille carnival, and an orientation meeting will be held on the morning of the carnival. Committee on Associates by Tom Stevens Associate recruiters and everyone interested in this important program will meet on Monday evening, June 30, at 7:00 p.m. Associate updates, individual recognitions, and discussions will take place. Please remember that, just because we are now close to the end of the recruiting year, there is no reason to stop recruiting associates. by Jerry Whittle All NFB newsletter editors and other interested people are invited to participate in informative discussions on how to improve state newsletters or how to start one in your state. Discussions often center on the problems of editing and ways to make the newsletter more visually appealing. If these issues are of interest to you, please join us on Monday evening, June 30, at 8:00 p.m. by Richard Edlund As has been the case during the past several years, the Deaf-Blind Division will conduct both a seminar for those interested in deaf-blind issues and a general business meeting at this year's convention. The seminar will take place Monday evening, June 30, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The business meeting will occur at the same time on Wednesday evening, July 2. If you have an interest in deaf-blind issues, please join us. Diabetes Action Network Seminar by Ed Bryant At the 2003 convention of the National Federation of the Blind, in Louisville, Kentucky, our Diabetes Action Network will have its seminar and business meeting on Monday, June 30, from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. Our keynote speaker will be a registered dietitian who will discuss diabetic foods, the exchange list, and carbohydrate counting. There will be plenty of time for your questions. Once again we will have our Make the President Pay diabetes quiz game, and I will give a nice donation to the division for each right answer. Our seminar is free and open to the public. Its room location will be posted in the agenda (which is provided when you register). Educators of Blind Children by Gail Wagner Attention all educators of blind children: Let's get together and network at the national convention in Louisville. This is a great time to meet and share ideas with others in our field. Please contact Gail Wagner at <firstname.lastname@example.org> if you are interested. At the convention contact Gail Wagner's room for a recorded message about the date and time of the get‑together. Hope to hear from you. Ham Radio Group by D. Curtis Willoughby In accord with long‑standing tradition, the first meeting of the 2003 convention will be the Emergency Preparedness Seminar conducted by the NFB Ham Radio Group. The seminar will be held at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 28. We will discuss frequencies to be used during the convention, especially those to be used in the event of an emergency call‑out during the convention. We will also discuss those architectural features of the convention hotels and other information that NFB hams need to know if an emergency response is necessary. Any Louisville hams willing to do a little frequency scouting before the convention are asked to contact Curtis, KA0VBA (303) 424‑7373, <email@example.com>. The Ham Radio Group has a service project to serve the Federation by handling the distribution of the special FM receivers to allow hearing-impaired conventioneers to hear a signal directly from the public address system, which is much easier to understand than the sound that normal hearing aids pick up in a meeting. These same receivers are used to allow Spanish speakers (those who do not understand English fluently) to hear a Spanish translation of the convention and the banquet. We will take some time at the Emergency Preparedness Seminar to prepare for this project as well. It is important that all group members willing to help come to the seminar. The annual business meeting of the NFB Ham Radio Group will be held at noon on Thursday, July 3. Human Services Division by Julie Deden Are you interested in a career in a human services profession? Do you ever feel bogged down or out of control in your current job? Have you wondered how blind professionals administer psychometric tests? For answers to these questions and many more, please join us at the Human Services Division meeting on Monday afternoon, June 30, from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. We will have stimulating discussions, and you will have time to meet professionals in a wide spectrum of jobs. International Braille and Technology Center Technology Seminars for Everyone by Allison Joyce, NFB Director of Technology Last year at the 2002 convention the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind sponsored a series of technology-related seminars that covered different topics at different user-experience levels. We are pleased to announce that we will have a similar offering this year at the 2003 convention. The seminars will be held on Saturday, June 28. Everyone is welcome to any of the seminars. We will conduct eight ninety-minute sessions, each of which will be held in one of two rooms. Here is the tentative schedule. Please remember that the final schedule (since the following is subject to change) will appear in your pre-convention agenda, which you will be able to get once you check into the Galt House. SESSIONS 1 and 2: 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. *Configuring Windows for Screen-Access Programs (beginning and intermediate users) *Everyday Audio Software (intermediate and advanced users interested in Nero and RealOne) SESSIONS 3 and 4: 10:30 a.m. to noon *E-Books and Other E-Resources (beginning and intermediate users) *An Internet Odyssey (intermediate and advanced users) SESSIONS 5 and 6: 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. *Braille Translation and Formatting (for users of Duxbury for Windows Braille translation software) *NFB-Net Training Seminar (for beginning and intermediate users) SESSIONS 7 and 8: 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. *Using Speech with Outlook and Outlook Express (beginning and intermediate users) *Tactile Graphics: A Touching Experience (for those interested in learning more about tactile graphics and technology) A Seminar for Job Seekers Hosted by the Training Centers of the National Federation of the Blind Are you looking for a job? Are you trying to figure out what type of work you would like to pursue? Do you need a career change? Do you wonder how to handle all aspects of a job as a blind person? For information on these topics and many more, you are cordially invited to a seminar on Saturday, June 28, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. You will meet blind people who work in a wide variety of occupations and leave the seminar with the energy required to take control of your job search and career. Linux Seminars at National Convention by Curtis Chong The NFB in Computer Science (NFBCS), the computer science division of the National Federation of the Blind, will be offering a day of seminars on the Linux operating system at the 2003 NFB convention in Louisville. The seminars will be held on Saturday, June 28. The Linux seminars will be for those who are considering using Linux (and already have at least an intermediate knowledge of computers) as well as for those who are already using Linux and want to learn more about it. The seminars will begin at 9:00 a.m. and run until 5:00 p.m. There will be a lunch break. The seminars will focus on four topics: (1) handling your e-mail using Pine and Speakup, (2) surfing the Web using Lynx and Speakup, (3) using the shell and various Linux utilities, and (4) installing Linux with Speakup. As time permits throughout the day, we will have some discussion of Linux and Unix systems in general. The seminars will not require preregistration. They will be of the lecture and demonstration type and will accommodate as many as the room will hold. [note to reader of recorded edition: Linux is pronounced with a short i and a short u] [PHOTO/CAPTION: The Louisiana Center cast for the 2002 production prepares to take a bow.] Louisiana Center for the Blind Players Present by Jerry Whittle The Louisiana Center for the Blind Players present Cajun Moon Rising, an original play by Jerry Whittle. A young Cajun woman faces encroaching blindness and finds hope through the love and devotion of her family and friends. Two performances will take place Monday evening, June 30. Tickets are $5 each. All proceeds help to fund the summer training programs for blind children at the Louisiana Center for the Blind. National Association of the Blind in Communities of Faith by Robert Parrish An old proverb says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." This means that we must employ forward thinking and leadership if people are to develop, grow, and prosper. In the religious field this means that emphasis is given to shaping and leading people spiritually. Although it is met with great skepticism, this concept includes the blind as a part of spiritual leadership. Increasingly the blind are taking important roles in religious leadership and development. But how can the existing gap be bridged more rapidly and effectively? What must blind people do to show that we are more than capable of shaping people's lives religiously? At its annual seminar Monday afternoon, June 30, the communities of faith division will address this issue through various speakers and discussion. The theme for the seminar is "The vision to believe and lead." As in recent years, the division will coordinate early morning devotionals at the 2003 convention. These are intended to encompass all faiths and are open to everyone. If you wish to have a part in these devotionals, please contact Linda Mentink at (608) 752‑8749. We are looking for people who wish to sing, preach, give dramatic interpretations, or offer any spiritual talents they have. You can also contact Linda at the 2003 convention in Louisville. National Association of Blind Lawyers by Scott LaBarre Each year the National Association of Blind Lawyers (NABL) conducts its annual meeting at the convention of the National Federation of the Blind, and this year is no different. We will meet on Monday, June 30, at the Galt House from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., exact room to be announced. The purpose of our annual meeting and seminar is multifaceted. We will examine emerging trends in the law that affect blind people and others with disabilities. We will discuss how to practice law most effectively as a blind or visually impaired legal professional. We will have an update on how legal research companies are making their products accessible with screen readers and other assistive technology used by blind lawyers. Undoubtedly we will hear from local law schools and bar associations about their outreach efforts to blind and visually impaired students and legal professionals. Because our agenda covers substantive areas of the law and addresses the practice of law itself, many of our members have applied for and received continuing legal education credits for our seminar. At the conclusion of the seminar we will hold a reception for NABL members and seminar participants to promote networking and fellowship within our membership. If you are a lawyer, legal professional, or law student or are interested in law, the NABL meeting in Louisville on June 30 is the place to be. by Scott LaBarre The National Association of Blind Lawyers will sponsor its Sixth Annual Mock Trial at the 2003 NFB convention. This trial will reenact an old Federation case. Federation lawyers will be pitted against each other arguing the merits of the two positions. Although the matter has not been firmly decided, we will very likely revisit an employment discrimination case in which a blind teacher was fired because of her blindness. See your favorite Federation lawyers strut their legal stuff. You, the audience, will serve as the jury. This year's trial promises to be just as entertaining and thought provoking as the past trials. A nominal charge of $5 per person will benefit the National Association of Blind Lawyers. The trial will take place on Sunday afternoon, June 29, at 4:30 p.m. somewhere in the Galt House. Consult the convention agenda for the exact place. National Association of Blind Merchants by Kevan Worley Saturday afternoon, June 28, at a time and place known only to a few dozen Federation merchants, a secret assembly line will form at the Galt House Hotel to fill variety grab bags of snacks and candy. Yes, the Snack Packs are back, and conventioneers can purchase them at the merchants' table beginning Sunday, June 29, in the Exhibit Hall. Get the energy you need and the goodies you like for only $5, and while you're at our table, we will give you a free drink, and you can buy a ticket for the $1,000 drawing at the banquet Thursday evening, July 3. The annual meeting of the National Association of Blind Merchants will take place Monday afternoon, June 30, at 1:00. Check the convention agenda for location. This year registration for our division meeting will begin approximately thirty minutes after adjournment of the board of directors meeting. If you are involved in the Randolph‑Sheppard Program or operate a similar business, you won't want to miss this merchants' meeting. On Wednesday, July 2, from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m., we invite you to our third annual Randolph‑Sheppard reception. Socialize, network, and learn more about Randolph‑Sheppard opportunities. Check the convention agenda for location. National Association of Blind Musicians by Linda Mentink The National Association of Blind Musicians will hold its third seminar on the afternoon of Saturday, June 28. Our annual meeting will take place the evening of Sunday, June 29. Our annual showcase of talent will take place the evening of Tuesday, July 1. This is our main fundraiser and is very well attended. If you wish to participate, please follow these guidelines: (1) sign up by 12 noon on the day of the showcase; (2) perform one number, no longer than four minutes; (3) if you are using a taped accompaniment, please have it cued up. Do not sing along with a vocal artist; you will be cut off while performing; (4) if you need an accompanist, please make arrangements before the showcase. If you wish to register for the showcase before the convention, contact Linda Mentink at 1740 Tamarack Lane, Janesville, Wisconsin 53545‑0952; telephone (608) 752‑8749; e-mail <firstname.lastname@example.org>. Membership dues are $5 per year. If you wish to renew your membership or become a member before the convention, please make your check payable to NABM and send it to Bee Hodgkiss, 1117 Marquette, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403. National Association of Blind Office Professionals by Lisa Hall National Association of Blind Office Professionals (NABOP) will be meeting on Saturday, June 28, 2003, at the Galt House. Please consult your pre-convention agenda for room location. The registration will begin at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. Dues are $5 a year and can be paid at the convention. Plans are underway to provide useful information that everyone can benefit from. Anyone requesting more information about our division should contact Lisa Hall, president, National Association of Blind Office Professionals, 9110 Broadway, Apt. J-102, San Antonio, Texas 78217; home phone (210) 829-4571; voice mail (866) 228-2320; or e-mail <email@example.com>. The National Association of Blind Piano Tuners by Don Mitchell The National Association of Blind Piano Tuners will meet on Monday, June 30, at 3:00 p.m. in Louisville. Consult your convention agenda for the meeting location. We will be conducting our annual business meeting and election of officers and receiving reports on our division projects. These include the talking electronic tuning device and the grand regulation rack development projects. We hope many Federation piano technicians will plan to attend, and we welcome all those interested in learning about a productive and profitable career. Annual membership dues of $10 will be received at the business meeting. If you are unable to attend, you may send your dues to Connie Ryan, treasurer, 56 N. Extension Road, Apartment 107, Mesa, Arizona 85201. Hope to see you in Louisville. The National Association of Blind Rehabilitation Professionals by Shawn Mayo The National Association of Blind Rehabilitation Professionals will hold its meeting Tuesday, July 1, from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. This year's program will teach us practical ways to bring our Federation philosophy into the agency. We will also learn about training programs for the older blind, examine various outcome measures, and discuss many more critical issues. Dues are $5. Registration begins at 7:00 p.m. Come help shape the future of rehabilitation. National Association of Blind Students by Angela Wolfe The National Association of Blind Students will hold its annual meeting on Sunday, June 29, 2003, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. We will also sponsor Monte Carlo Night on Wednesday, July 2, beginning at 8:00 p.m. We invite everyone to come support the student division, and we urge all students to join NABS and enjoy support and friendship throughout the year. National Association of Guide Dog Users by Suzanne Whalen The National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU) will hold our usual two meetings at this year's convention. Our business meeting will take place from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 28. Registration will be from 6:00 to 7:00. The meeting will start promptly at 7:00, so please come in plenty of time to register and be in the room by 7:00. The seminar, A Guide Dog in Your Life, will take place from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 2. Please note that we will not have registration on Wednesday. Registration will happen only at the Saturday business meeting. As has been customary the past few years, anyone interested in learning more about guide dogs will have the chance on Wednesday to take Juno walks. These are demonstration walks with instructors to see how it feels to be guided by a harness. We have several really interesting topics for our meetings this year. During our Wednesday seminar, for example, Mike Hingson will share the experience he and his dog Roselle had escaping from the World Trade Center on September 11. Among other things during the business meeting we will deal with access issues in hotels and restaurants. We are also trying to arrange for Dr. Marty Becker to be with us. I have heard Dr. Becker at another conference, and he is really fantastic. He is a vet, and we will really enjoy what he has to say about the human‑animal bond. Don't forget to bring your $15 dues to registration at the Saturday business meeting if you haven't already sent them to Priscilla Ferris for this year. See you in Louisville. National Association to Promote the Use of Braille by Nadine Jacobson Well, here it is already, that time of year when we all begin anticipating the excitement of our national convention. We in the National Association to Promote the Use of Braille (NAPUB) are particularly pleased this year because we are celebrating the twentieth year of the Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest. Just imagine all the books that children and young adults have read as a direct result of our efforts. We are very proud of these young people and all they have accomplished. Our NAPUB meeting this year will be at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, June 30. We have an exciting and informative agenda planned, including hearing from some contest winners of past years. Just prior to our meeting and in the same room will be a gathering to celebrate twenty years of the Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest. All those interested in Braille are welcome to attend. This celebration begins at 5:00 p.m. and will include refreshments. At 6:30 p.m. we will be presenting a program honoring those who have participated in the contest. Also at this celebration we will have tables with displays about Braille. One of the really fun events will be a Braille book flea market. We will be initiating a mentoring program for young people in the Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest. Many exciting things are happening, and we encourage all of you to come and celebrate with us. If you have any questions about the NAPUB meeting, please contact Nadine Jacobson at (952) 927‑7694. We look forward to seeing all of you at our meeting. [PHOTO/CAPTION: All kids enjoy playing with new toys. Here Mikaella Besson (Massachusetts) explores a tableful of fun.] NFB Camp: It's More Than Child's Play by Carla McQuillan Programs and Activities During convention week children six weeks through ten years of age are invited to join in the fun and festivities of NFB Camp. NFB Camp offers more than childcare; it is an opportunity for our blind and sighted children to meet and develop lifelong friendships. Our activity schedule is filled with games, crafts, and special performances designed to entertain, educate, and delight. If you are interested in this year's program, please complete and return the registration form provided. Preregistration with payment on or before June 15, 2003, is mandatory for participation in NFB Camp. Space is limited, and last year some families had to be turned away. About the Staff: NFB Camp is organized and supervised by Carla McQuillan. Carla is the executive director of Main Street Montessori Association, operating two schools, parent education courses, and a teacher training program. Carla is the mother of two children, the president of the National Federation of the Blind of Oregon, and a member of the board of directors of the National Federation of the Blind. Michelle Ros is this year's activities director for NFB Camp. Michelle is a Montessori teacher employed by Main Street Montessori Association. Carla and Michelle will supervise a staff of experienced childcare workers and volunteers. Activities and Special Events: The children are divided into groups according to age: infants and toddlers, preschoolers, and school-aged children. Each camp room is equipped with a variety of age-appropriate toys, games, and books, and there will be daily art projects. In addition, school-aged children will have the opportunity to sign up for half-day trips to local area attractions. The planned events include trips to the park (outside play), a zoo exhibit (which will come to camp), the Speed Art Museum, the Louisville Slugger Museum, cookies and milk, and walks to the mall. We are also hoping for a special appearance by blind singer/songwriter Daniel Lamonds. Dates, times, additional fees, and sign-up sheets are available at NFB Camp. Space for special events is limited to enrolled NFB Campers only, on a first come, first served basis. On the final day of NFB Camp we will have a big toy sale--brand new toys at bargain prices. Banquet Night: NFB Camp will provide dinner and activities during the banquet. The cost for banquet activities is $15 per child in addition to other camp fees. NFB Camp will be open during general convention sessions, division and committee meeting day, and the evening of the banquet. Plenty of teens are always available to babysit during evening and lunchtime meetings. Please use the NFB Camp registration form included. NFB Camp Schedule NFB Camp will be open during general convention sessions, division and committee meeting day, and the evening of the banquet. Times listed are the opening and closing times of Kids Camp. Children are not accepted earlier than the times listed, and a late fee of $10 will be assessed for all late pick-ups. NFB Camp provides morning and afternoon snacks. You are responsible to provide lunch for your child(ren) every day. DateKids Camp Hours Saturday, June 28 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (lunch provided this day only) Sunday, June 29 Camp is closed Monday, June 30 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.* Tuesday, July 1 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.* Wednesday, July 2 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.* Thursday, July 3 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.* Friday, July 4 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 1:30–5:30 p.m.* * You are required to provide lunch for your child(ren) each day. These times may vary, depending on the timing of the actual convention sessions. NFB Camp will open thirty minutes before the beginning gavel and close thirty minutes after session recess. NFB Camp Registration Form Completed form and fees must be received on or before June 15, 2003 City _______________________ State ________ ZIP ________ Phone ______________ _________________________________________ Date of Birth _________ Age ____ _________________________________________ Date of Birth _________ Age ____ _________________________________________ Date of Birth _________ Age ____ Include description of any disabilities/allergies we should know about: __________ __________________________________________________________________________ Who, other than parents, is allowed to pick up your child? _____________________ __________________________________________________________________________ Per Week: $80 first child; $60 siblings # of children _____$ ________ (Does not include banquet) Per Day:$20 per child per day # days ____ x $20/child $ ________ (Does not include banquet) Banquet:$15 per child # of children ______ x $15 $ ________ Total Due $ ________ We understand that NFB Camp is provided as a service by the NFB to make our convention more enjoyable for both parents and children. We understand the rules we were given and agree to abide by them. We will pick up children immediately following sessions. We understand that, if our child(ren) does not follow the rules or if for any reason staff is unable to care for our child(ren), further access to childcare will be denied. Parent’s Signature __________________________________ Date __________________ Make checks payable to NFB Camp Return form to National Federation of the Blind of Oregon 5005 Main Street, Springfield, Oregon 97478, (541) 726-6924 National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science by Curtis Chong The 2003 meeting of the National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science will be held on Monday, June 30, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Galt House in Louisville. The precise location of the meeting will be listed in the National Federation of the Blind convention agenda, which you can obtain by registering for the convention. Membership in the NFB in Computer Science costs $5 per year. Much of our meeting will focus on the needs of blind developers in the information technology field. The ever-increasing shift of the programming environment to more visually robust (graphical) presentations and the growing gap between mainstream and screen-access technology has been a cause of concern to many people. Blind students tell us that computer programming schools are incredibly difficult because many courses teach graphical concepts which are not easily and independently accessed with screen reading software. Longtime successful programmers worry that a growing percentage of their time is spent developing alternative, nonvisual techniques simply to maintain parity with their sighted colleagues. We will try to have some serious discussion about these issues to determine the extent of the problem and suggest some ways to solve it. Fortunately, all is not gloom and doom in information technology. We have heard about some success stories. We will try to explore those successes at our meeting. For example, Macromedia, the company which did the work to make the Flash product more accessible to the blind, has also had some success with its Web-development product, Dream Weaver. Dream Weaver could be the most accessible Web-development tool for the blind. Or it may not. We are planning to have some frank discussion with representatives from Macromedia about this. Come to the 2003 meeting of the NFB in Computer Science and see how Federationism is applied in information technology. The National Federation of the Blind in Judaism by Harold Snider The National Federation of the Blind in Judaism group will meet for a light lunch (dairy‑kosher) from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 28. Consult the pre-convention agenda for the room. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss inclusion of blind Jews in local Jewish community life and the current state of affairs at the Jewish Braille Institute of America. All are welcome. A charge of $10 will be collected at the door from each person attending to pay for lunch. RSVP to Harold Snider by e‑mail at <firstname.lastname@example.org>, or telephone (301) 460‑4142. National Organization of Blind Educators by Sheila Koenig The National Organization of Blind Educators seminar offers an excellent opportunity to network with blind people who are teaching a wide spectrum of grades and subjects. Though some differences may exist in classroom activities, all teachers share some fundamental professional duties. How do we manage student behavior? How do we assess student progress? How do we assert our equal footing with colleagues? During our seminar Monday afternoon, June 30, you will have the opportunity to discuss the strategies and alternative techniques that enable blind people to be successful teachers. If you are a teacher or thinking about teaching at any level as a career, come join us in Louisville. Division dues are $10 a year for students and $20 for teachers. [PHOTO/CAPTION: A large audience of seniors listens closely to a presentation at the seniors division's 2002 meeting.] National Organization of the Senior Blind by Judy Sanders Come one, come all to the annual meeting of the National Organization of the Senior Blind (NOSB) on Sunday, June 29, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. You can participate in the first ever silent sale at a convention of blind people. If you are not a regular reader of our NOSB newsletter, you will also learn our new definition of the term "senior moment." We will hear about the latest trends in providing rehabilitation services to blind seniors, progress being made on the legislative front, and initiatives being taken by seniors and for seniors. If you have matters you wish to add to our agenda, please contact Judy Sanders at (612) 375‑1625, or e‑mail <email@example.com>. See you in Louisville. Public Employees Division by Ivan Weich The Public Employees Division will hold its annual meeting on Sunday, June 29, at 7:00 p.m. We will have a briefing on a very successful case settled in Washington State. If you are a public employee (federal, state, or local government; school system; or public utility) or a retired public employee or if you are interested in a public-sector career, this meeting is for you. If you need more information, contact Ivan Weich at (360) 782‑9575. Social Security Seminar by James McCarthy An outreach seminar, "Social Security and Supplemental Security Income: What Applicants, Advocates, and Recipients Should Know," will take place on Wednesday afternoon, July 2. The purpose of this seminar, which will be conducted by the National Federation of the Blind with support from the Social Security Administration, is to provide information on Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits for the blind, including recent developments such as the Ticket to Work and Expedited Reinstatement. Seminar presenters will be Jim McCarthy, assistant director of governmental affairs for the National Federation of the Blind, and his wife Terri Uttermohlen, also an NFB member and a training and technical assistance liaison employed by Virginia Commonwealth University to provide training and technical assistance to work incentives specialists as part of a nationwide project. In addition, Wanda Berry will provide a presentation on writing a Plan to Achieve Self Support (PASS). Ms. Berry is one of the PASS cadre in the Atlanta Region, which covers the Louisville area. Special Events Seminar: Plans and Action Equal Success by Betsy Zaborowski A growing number of our affiliates and chapters are conducting special events. We can learn from each other what works and what doesn't. This seminar, Saturday, June 28, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., will provide an opportunity to learn from each other how to plan and conduct successful events. We will discuss everything from sponsorships of the Everest premieres to walk-a-thons and black-tie galas. Special events are never easy but are a great way to make friends in your community and promote our organization while raising funds. by Tom Stevens The Writers Division will conduct a poetry-reading session on Saturday afternoon, June 28. See the pre-convention agenda for the location. Participants are invited to read their poetry and very, very short stories. Everyone interested in creative writing is invited to come and listen. Also remember the Writers Division annual meeting, which will take place on Monday afternoon, June 30, and will include presentations about writing, a question and answer period, and some business. For more information contact either Tom Stevens at (573) 445‑6091 or Lori Stayer at (516) 868‑8718. Schedule of NOPBC-Sponsored Events for Parents, Teachers, and Youth at the 2003 NFB Convention by Barbara Cheadle Every year brings wonderful new opportunities for learning, networking, and having fun at the NFB convention; 2003 will be no exception. The following is a brief description and schedule of the convention activities that will be sponsored by the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. NOPBC Activities Fees: ($5 discount for preregistration) $10 one adult (no children) $15 one adult plus children $25 two adults plus children If you preregister and mail payment by June 1, 2003, you can take $5 off your fee. The fee includes NOPBC membership; lunch for your family on Saturday, June 28; and all the NOPBC-sponsored activities described in this schedule of events. It does not include NFB convention registration (which is $15 per person, adult or child) or NFB Camp (childcare) fees. Saturday, June 28 On Saturday, June 28, the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC) kicks off the convention with a full day of activities for the entire family. The day's events (all of which take place in the Galt House) include: * An all-day seminar for parents and teachers * A Braille carnival for children age four and up * Small group lunches hosted by NOPBC leaders in the East Tower Suites * Workshops and programs for children and youth ages eight and up * Family hospitality * Touch the Universe—Astronomy Is for Everyone The all-day seminar for parents and teachers * 8:00 a.m. Registration * 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Program The theme for the June 28, 2003, NOPBC seminar is Transition to Independence. From infancy to young adulthood, children go through many transitions, some of which are developmental--the terrible twos and puberty--and some cultural--the transition from preschool to kindergarten, the move from elementary school to middle school, high school graduation. Transitions, in this sense, are biological or cultural points at which children take a leap forward in maturity, autonomy, self-realization, and independence. Naturally these transition points are junctures of great opportunity and great peril for children. In this seminar we will explore the elements that make it possible for blind children and youth to navigate these transitions successfully. Our program will feature a mix of blind adults, teachers, parents, and blind youth, who will share experiences and provide practical suggestions. Whatever the age--zero to twenty-one--of your child or student, you will find lots of good information and inspiration at this seminar. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. The seminar begins at 9:00 a.m. with a short program for the entire family. The program breaks at 9:45 a.m. to allow time for parents to take their children to the Braille Carnival, NFB Camp, or other youth workshops and then resumes at 10:30 a.m. and continues until the lunch break at noon. The afternoon program resumes at 2:00 p.m. and adjourns at 5:00 p.m. [PHOTO/CAPTION: Jennifer Kennedy places a balloon animal crown on the head of Hannah Weatherd of Montana while others look on.] 10:00 a.m.--12:30 p.m.: This popular activity, coordinated by Melody Lindsey of Michigan, is for children, sighted or blind, ages four and up. Volunteer carnival buddies, under the direction of educator Robin House, are available to supervise the kids for two hours of games, crafts, and other fun Braille-related activities. The carnival booths are sponsored by NFB affiliates and other organizations that come to participate in the convention. The volunteer carnival buddies are recruited from within the NFB membership. Small Group Lunches Noon to 1:45 p.m.: This year NOPBC is sponsoring small lunch groups in the East Tower Hotel Suites. At registration your family (including kids not registered for NFB Camp) will be assigned a room to go to for a casual lunch with other families from your state or region of the country. Your host or hostess will be a NOPBC board member, state president, or other leader in the organization. NOPBC will provide a sandwich buffet and drinks in each room. The workshops described below are just that, workshops; they are not childcare services. NOPBC does not sponsor childcare services at the convention. This service--NFB Camp--is provided by the National Federation of the Blind through the volunteer efforts of Carla McQuillan. NFB Camp is open all day (including lunch) on Saturday, June 28, for eligible children. For more information about fees, hours during convention, etc., contact Carla McQuillan, NFB Camp Coordinator, 5005 Main Street, Springfield, Oregon 97478; telephone (541) 726-6924. Workshops for Children and Youth Because we want this day to be a learning experience for the entire family, NOPBC is also offering some great activities and workshops for older children and youth, including sighted siblings, on Saturday, June 28. Although the plans for the activities and workshops are not complete as we go to press, here is what we currently plan to offer: Babysitting Clinic (ages 12 to 18) Learn skills and techniques in managing and caring for children. Certificate awarded. Workshop leader: Carla McQuillan, NFB Camp Director and owner/operator of Children's Choice Montessori School, Portland, Oregon. Notetaking with an Electronic Notetaker (blind youth, ages 14 to 18) There's more to taking good notes than you think. This workshop combines instruction and tips on taking notes in class with a Q&A session about electronic notetakers. You must bring your own electronic notetaker. Slate users also welcome--bring your own slates. Workshop Leader: Ann Taylor, blind adaptive technology expert, International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind. Braille Is Beautiful and Fun for Everyone! (ages 8 to 11) Blind or sighted, competent Braille user or novice, you will increase your knowledge and skills in Braille with this workshop. You'll do fun activities from the Braille Is Beautiful curriculum program, work in small groups, make tactile books for blind babies, and work on other Braille service projects. Workshop Leader: Angela Wolf, president of the National Association of Blind Students (NABS). I Want to Be a Writer (ages 13 to 16) Think you'd like to be a writer? Bring your writing tools, creativity, and enthusiasm with you to this workshop conducted by successful blind writers, educators, and authors. Workshop Leaders: Robin House, Sheila Koenig, and children's author Deborah Kent-Stein. Exploring Careers in Blindness (ages 16 to 18) Ever wonder what it would be like to teach cane travel to blind people? Ever consider being a rehabilitation counselor or a teacher of blind kids? Competitions, prizes, and the hands-on activities in this workshop make exploring careers in blindness fun and interesting. Workshop Leader: Anil Lewis, rehabilitation job specialist and president of the NFB of Georgia. Teen Discussion Groups (blind teens ages 13 to 18) Two groups, one for teen men and one for teen women. Engage in guided discussions about dating, grooming, making friends, being comfortable in social situations, relationships with parents, and other topics of importance to teens. Touch the Universe --Astronomy Is for Everyone (time to be announced) How can blind people learn about astronomy and the universe? Dr. Bernhard Beck-Winchatz, assistant professor of astronomy, NASA Space Science Center for Education and Outreach at DePaul University, will help kids and adults discover the answers to those questions during this program, sometime Saturday. Mark Riccobono, director of the Wisconsin School for the Blind, will help coordinate and moderate the program. At this program parents will be able to see and purchase the exciting new book developed by a NASA grant: Touch the Universe: A NASA Braille Book of Astronomy, by Noreen Grice. [PHOTO/CAPTION: Mikaela Stevens (left) and Makenzie Stevens (right) examine the Braille book, Touch the Universe, while author Noreen Grice leans above them.] At the conclusion of the workshops scheduled during the day, the leaders will bring the kids to the seminar room to join the parents and other adults for a final session. Together we will hear from the youth leaders and the kids themselves what they did and what they learned in their workshops. NOPBC Family Hospitality 7:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Relax and chat in an informal atmosphere with other parents, teachers, and blind adults while your kids roam and play around the tables. There will be some door prizes and a few mixer games, but mostly this will be an unstructured evening in which you can network with others. While parents will be responsible for the supervision of their children at hospitality, NOPBC will provide toys, books, and a play station to help keep your little ones happy and occupied while you talk. Sunday, June 29 Teen Get-Acquainted Party 1:00-5:00 p.m.: Sponsored jointly by NOPBC and Blind Industries and Services of Maryland (BISM). All teens are invited to drop in anytime at this room for games and music or just to hang out with other teens. Supervised at all times by BISM counselors. Monday, June 30 Parent Power: NOPBC Annual Meeting 1:00-3:30 p.m.: Keynote address by the 2003 Distinguished Educator of Blind Children, roll call of POBC affiliates, updates on educational issues, committee reports, and elections. Twentieth Anniversary Reception and Reunion in Honor of the Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest 5:00-7:00 p.m.: Funded by a UPS grant and cosponsored by the National Association to Promote the Use of Braille and the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children. Come and help celebrate twenty years of promoting Braille through the Braille Readers Are Leaders contest. There will be lots of free food, wonderful displays, great fellowship, a Braille book flea market/exchange, and a brief but inspiring program at 6:30 p.m. reviewing the accomplishments of the Braille Readers Are Leaders contest. Donations from the Braille book flea market will be used to establish a permanent Braille Readers Are Leaders reunion and mentorship fund. Immediately following the program, NAPUB will conduct its annual program, at which a formal Braille Readers Are Leaders mentors group will be established. Bring the whole family. Stay for the NAPUB meeting. All Braille enthusiasts are invited, but former contestants and winners are extended a special invitation. About twenty scholarships are available for current and former contest participants to attend the celebration. For more information see the article elsewhere in this issue. Tuesday, July 1 IEP's, Transition Plans, Rehabilitation Services, and IDEA 7:00-10:00 p.m.: A workshop about the educational rights of blind and visually impaired students with a special emphasis on transition issues. When does transition begin? What is a good transition plan for blind youth? What is the role of state rehabilitation services while kids are still in school? Wednesday, July 2 The following workshops will take place the afternoon of Wednesday, July 2, sometime between 2:00 and 6:00 p.m. Some of the workshops will repeat, some will be drop-in sessions, and the Beginning Braille workshop will be an intensive 2-3-hour session. * Braille for the Partially Sighted: Methods and Techniques * Beginning Braille for Parents * Kids and Canes: When (should a child get one)? Who (should teach it)? What (type of cane should a child get)? How (long should the cane be)? How much (instruction is enough)? What about (sleepshades, folding canes, cane tips, partially sighted kids, etc.)? * It Takes More Than a Good IEP: Creative Ways to Improve Your Child's Educational Services NOPBC 2003 Activities Preregistration Mail to Sandy Taboada, NOPBC Preregistration, 6920 South Fieldgate Court, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70808-5455; e-mail <firstname.lastname@example.org>. Fees: $10, one adult, no children; $15 one adult, children; $25, two adults, children Adult Name(s). Please include first and last name of each adult and indicate if the adult is a parent, grandparent, blind parent, teacher, other relative, etc. City, State, ZIP____________________________ Telephone ( )____________________________ Fee enclosed (make checks payable to NOPBC) $___________ Remember to deduct $5 for early registration. Will you be bringing children? [ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] Undecided If yes or undecided, please list names and birth dates of child(ren); reading mode (Braille, print, large print, nonreader); and brief description of characteristics of which workshop volunteers should be aware. Examples: mild autism; wears hearing aid; has ADHD; shy--doesn't talk to strangers. Finally, check the workshops your child may be interested in attending. Please note the age restrictions. The lower limit on the Braille carnival is firm. The age limits on the other workshops may go up or down by a year or two depending on circumstances. Youngsters over eighteen who are still in high school may also participate in the appropriate workshops. Please copy this form or add an additional sheet of paper if you need additional space to register more children. 1. Name and birth date_____________________ Please preregister my child for: __Braille Carnival (4-up) 10:00-12:30 p.m. __Notetaking (blind, 14-18)10:30-12:00 p.m. __Babysitting Clinic (12-18) 11:30/12:00-4:30 p.m. (includes lunch) __I Want to Be a Writer (13-16) 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. __Braille Is Beautiful (8-11) 2:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. __Exploring Careers in Blindness (16-18)2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. __Teen Discussion Groups (blind, 13-18) 8:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m. __Touch the Universe (9-up)Times to be announced 2. Name and birth date___________________________________________ Please preregister my child for: __Braille Carnival (4-up), 10:00-12:30 p.m. __Notetaking (blind, 14-18), 10:30-12:00 p.m. __Babysitting Clinic (12-18), 11:30/12:00-4:30 p.m. (includes lunch) __I Want to Be a Writer (13-16), 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. __Braille Is Beautiful (8-11), 2:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. __Exploring Careers in Blindness (16-18), 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. __Teen Discussion Groups (blind, 13-18), 8:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m. __ Touch the Universe (9-up), times to be announced [PHOTO/CAPTION: UPS volunteers being oriented at the 2002 convention] UPS Delivers More Than Parcels: Braille Readers Are Leaders Celebrates 20th Anniversary by Sandy Halverson From the Editor: Sandy Halverson is a longtime leader of the National Federation of the Blind. She and her husband John now live in Virginia, where she works to promote the use of Braille. She has some exciting news for those attending the convention this coming summer: Every year we say our upcoming national convention is going to be better than our last one. Something new to surprise and delight us always seems to emerge. This year is no exception. We are pleased to announce that at the 2003 NFB convention, on Monday, June 30, we will be celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the NFB Braille Readers Are Leaders contest. For twenty years this contest, cosponsored by the National Organization of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC) and the National Association to Promote the Use of Braille (NAPUB), has strengthened literacy, increased Braille reading speeds, and brought the joy of reading Braille to over a thousand blind children nationwide. To mark the accomplishments of these twenty years, NOPBC and NAPUB have planned a reception at the Galt House on Monday, June 30, between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. You will find enough free food and beverages to assuage any appetite, a Braille book flea market (more about that later), displays, and a brief but lively program from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Although anyone who attends the 2003 convention is welcome to attend the reception, we extend a very special invitation to contest participants (past and present) and their families. So, where does UPS fit into all this? Over the past several years UPS has partnered with the NFB to promote Braille literacy and other access-to-information programs such as NFB-NEWSLINE®. UPS has also provided many courteous volunteers at our national conventions, who know how to give appropriate assistance and directions. Now the UPS Foundation has provided the NFB with a Braille Readers Are Leaders expansion grant. These funds will allow us to make this anniversary event the beginning of many annual reunions, and it will also fund some innovative new elements (such as a mentorship program) to the Braille Readers Are Leaders program. However, once we have these programs off the ground, our task will be to fund them and keep them going. And that's where the Braille book flea market comes in. The Braille book flea market is your opportunity to share those loved but no longer read Braille books with others and, for a small donation, to find new treasures as you browse tables of Braille reading matter at the anniversary reception on Monday, June 30. Donations generated by this project will help us fund future Braille Readers Are Leaders reunions and activities. So start gathering those Braille books together, and, if you don't want to pack them in your luggage, please contact me (Sandy Halverson, see below) for information about where you can ship them in advance. Finally, the UPS grant makes it possible for us to offer travel and lodging stipends for the anniversary event to a limited number of former Braille Readers Are Leaders contest participants. Priority for consideration for stipends will go to those age nineteen and older who are willing to be a Braille mentor to younger Braille readers and their families at the convention. There is a country song with a phrase that goes something like this: "I was country when country wasn't cool." Twenty years ago, when the Braille Readers Are Leaders contest was inaugurated, Braille wasn't cool. We have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. Mark your convention calendars for June 30 and come help us celebrate our past successes and an even brighter future for Braille literacy. For more information about the Braille Readers Are Leaders anniversary celebration, the Braille book flea market, the mentorship program, or the travel stipends, please contact Sandy Halverson, president, Virginia Association to Promote the Use of Braille, at (703) 379-1141 or <email@example.com>. [PHOTO/CAPTION: Ed Bryant] Dialysis at National Convention by Ed Bryant From the Editor: Ed Bryant is president of the Diabetes Action Network. He has important information for those interested in arranging for dialysis during the national convention. This is what he says: During this year's annual convention of the National Federation of the Blind, dialysis will be available. Those requiring dialysis must have a transient patient packet and physician's statement filled out prior to treatment. Conventioneers must have their unit contact the desired location in the Louisville area for instructions, well in advance. Prior to each treatment, individuals will be responsible for, and must pay out of pocket, the approximately $30 not covered by Medicare, plus any additional physician's fees and any charges for other medications. Dialysis centers should set up transient dialysis locations at least eight weeks in advance. This helps assure a location for anyone wanting to dialyze. The Greater Louisville area has many centers, but early reservation is strongly recommended especially during this holiday period. Here are some dialysis locations, all about half a mile from the hotel: *Renal Care Group, Inc., 635 South Third Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202; telephone (502) 561-1314. As of this writing, they are almost full. *Fresenius Medical Care, 720 East Broadway, Louisville, Kentucky 40202; telephone (502) 584-3021. *U. of Louisville Kidney Disease Program, 615 Preston Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202; telephone (502) 852-7278. Please remember to schedule dialysis treatments early to ensure space. Call them now. If scheduling assistance is needed, have your dialysis unit's social worker contact me: Ed Bryant, Diabetes Action Network president; telephone (573) 875-8911. See you in Louisville. This month's recipes have been provided by members of the NFB of New Mexico. [PHOTO/CAPTION: Tonia Trapp] by Tonia Trapp Tonia Trapp is a member of the board of directors of the NFB of New Mexico and the new president of the Albuquerque chapter. She works as an advocate for the New Mexico Protection and Advocacy System, an agency devoted to advocating for the rights of people with disabilities. In her spare time Tonia enjoys reading, singing, and collecting music. 6 apples, cored and sliced into bite-sized pieces 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup butter softened 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar, plus a little more 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup quick oats Method: Combine all ingredients except apples in a bowl and mix well. The mixture should be crumbly. Arrange apples in buttered 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle apples with some additional brown sugar. Spoon the crumb mixture over the apples, covering them as thoroughly as possible. Bake for forty minutes at 350 degrees. Wyoming Whopper Cookies by Jim Babb Jim is a former Ohioan and thirty-five-year employee of the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission. He is now happily retired in beautiful Albuquerque, New Mexico. The cookie recipe has been a family favorite for many years. 2/3 cup butter or margarine (softened) 1-1/4 cups brown sugar, packed 3/4 cup sugar 3 eggs, beaten 1-1/2 cups chunky peanut butter 6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 2 teaspoons baking soda 1-1/2 cups raisins 2 cups (12 ounces) chocolate chips (I use milk chocolate chips) Method: Blend together butter, sugar, eggs, and peanut butter. Mix until smooth. Add oats, baking soda, raisins, and chocolate chips (dough will be sticky). Drop dough by large spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. Flatten cookies slightly with back of spoon. Bake at 350 degrees for about fifteen minutes. Makes about two-and-a-half dozen large cookies. [PHOTO/CAPTION: Christine Hall] Green Chili Stew by Christine Hall Christine Hall is a longtime Federationist. She currently serves on the board of directors of the NFB of New Mexico, is the first vice president of the Albuquerque chapter, and is the president of the SAGE division, serving blind seniors in New Mexico. She enjoys cooking when she has the time and, since moving to New Mexico, has learned how to prepare dishes with green chilies. 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in bite-size pieces 1 large onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 4 green chilies or 1 can chili Ortega, chopped 6 potatoes, cubed in bite-size pieces 1 cup frozen corn 1 can pinto beans Salt and pepper to taste Method: Lightly coat the bottom of a heavy Dutch oven with olive oil. Place cut-up chicken in pan. Salt and pepper chicken and begin browning. Add minced garlic and continue to brown. Add chopped onion to pan and sauté until onion is soft. Add potatoes, more salt and pepper, and enough water to cover potatoes and chicken mixture. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pan if you wish and keep an eye on the liquid level, adding more water if necessary. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Add chopped green chilies, corn, and beans. Bring back to a boil and simmer about five more minutes. Let stand for ten minutes before serving. by Marsha Ogilvie Marsha Ogilvie is a member of the Albuquerque chapter and an anthropologist in the Southwestern United States, where they love green chilies, in case this fact was not already obvious. Marcia reports that this recipe is easy to fix, and everyone loves it. 2 cans cream-style corn 3/4 pound jack cheese, grated or cubed 1 cup flour 2 well-beaten eggs Green chilies, as desired Salt and pepper to taste Method: Mix corn and flour together until flour lumps dissolve. Blend beaten eggs into corn mixture. Add salt and pepper. Pour half of the mixture into a greased baking dish. Place grated cheese and green chilies on top of the corn mixture. Top with remaining mixture and bake approximately 1 hour, or until pie is firm. Cool. Cut into squares and serve. [PHOTO/CAPTION: Gail Wagner] Green Chili Cheese Rice by Gail Wagner Gail Wagner has taught blind children for nineteen years in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has been an active member of the NFB since she was sixteen and currently serves on the board of directors of the Albuquerque chapter. 6 ounces diced green chilies (hot or mild) 1 cup sour cream 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese (cubed) 2 cups instant rice 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt Paprika for garnish Method: Prepare the rice according to package directions. While the rice is still hot, stir in all the other ingredients using a wooden spoon. Place the rice mixture into a buttered baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for about thirty minutes, until the mixture is bubbly. Remove from oven and lightly sprinkle with paprika. Serves eight to ten as a side dish. Caramel Apple Dip by Veronica Smith Veronica Smith joined the NFB in 1989 and says that she has loved every moment since. She has served as chapter secretary and board member. She also recruits associates. She is a happy wife and mother. 4 or 5 tart apples, peeled, sliced, and cored 1/2 cup pineapple juice 16 ounces soft cream cheese 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla Method: Place apple slices into 1/2 cup pineapple juice and refrigerate overnight. In another bowl beat cream cheese, vanilla, and brown sugar until smooth. Refrigerate that mixture overnight also. When ready to serve, drain pineapple juice from apple slices and dip each into the sweetened cream cheese. [PHOTO/CAPTION: Jessica Bachicha] by Jessica Bachicha Jessica Bachicha is an active member of the NFB of New Mexico. She was a 2003 NFB scholarship winner and is currently a student at the University of New Mexico. 2 cups crunchy peanut butter 2 cups Rice Krispies 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted 4 tablespoons melted margarine or butter 2 tablespoons light corn syrup 11 standard Hershey chocolate bars, melted Method: Mix peanut butter, Rice Krispies, powdered sugar, melted margarine, and light corn syrup until well blended. Press mixture evenly into a 9-by-13-inch pan that has been lined with plastic wrap over light oil. Melt chocolate bars in double boiler. Spread evenly over Rice Krispie mixture; chill until set but not hard (chocolate will begin to lose its shiny appearance). Cut into pieces of desired size. Return to refrigerator until chocolate has hardened completely. Remove from pan and store in tightly covered container in refrigerator until ready to serve. News from the Federation Family Building a List of E-Mail Addresses: We are still working to build an accurate list of e-mail addresses for Federationists across the country. During the convention the volunteers staffing the Jernigan suite will be collecting e-mail addresses from all those who want to provide them. They will also be happy to take lists of addresses provided to them in print or Braille. [PHOTO/CAPTION: Braille Is Beautiful Package Cover] Disability Awareness Curriculum for Schools: Braille Is Beautiful is a disability-awareness curriculum for sighted students in grades 4 and up. It is a fun program with workbooks for the kids, videos, lots of handouts, word games, exercises, and ideas for Braille service projects. It has everything a regular classroom teacher or youth leader needs to show sighted students how to read and write Braille letters and numbers. Schools, libraries, youth clubs, and community service organizations will want to know about this wonderful, fun educational program. For a short time you can order several different Braille Is Beautiful packages of materials and videos at rates beginning as low as $25 (plus shipping and handling). To order or to request more information, go to <www.nfb.org> and click on "Why Braille Is Important," or call the National Federation of the Blind at (410) 659-9314. Attention Friends of Arthur Segal and Shirley Trexler: The National Association of Blind Merchants and the Segal/Trexler Memorial Fund Committee are proud to cosponsor an especially tasty event at this year's convention. In memory of Arthur Segal and Shirley Trexler, longtime Federation leaders, everyone is invited to participate in honoring our friends at a Caribbean culinary feast, only a short, free trolley ride away from the Galt House. On Tuesday, July 1, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Cafe Kilimanjaro will host a price‑fixed dinner for Arthur and Shirley's friends and colleagues over the years and across the miles to come together and celebrate their lives. Participants are asked to make a contribution of whatever size they wish to the Segal/Trexler Memorial Fund, which has been established to add Arthur and Shirley's names to the Wall of Honor at the National Federation of the Blind Research and Training Institute for the Blind. The cost for dinner and gratuity is $24 a person. Reservations with accompanying checks are being accepted now by Sharon Maneki, 9013 Nelson Way, Columbia, Maryland 21045-5148. Seating is limited, so hurry and reserve now. Want more information? Contact Mary Brady at <firstname.lastname@example.org> Dream Trip Drawing: The Florida affiliate is selling tickets for a $2,000 design-it-yourself trip package. Out of Sight Travel Inc., specializing in accessible tours for the blind and disabled, will work with the winner to maximize the trip package. Tickets are $5 each, and the winning ticket will be drawn at the national convention in July. The package is good for a year, so you can pick the time and place to suit yourself. Go anywhere. Stay anywhere. Have the best vacation of your life. For more information contact David Evans at (561) 482‑5684; e‑mail <email@example.com>. Checks should be made payable to NFBF and mailed to David Evans, 19601 Carolina Circle, Boca Raton, Florida 33434. Do it today; you could be our winner, enjoying a sunny beach, a mountain lake, or a fantastic city. For more details, visit the NFB of Florida Web site, <www.nfbflorida.org>. The Austin Chapter of the NFB of Texas elected officers at its January meeting. Elected were Margaret (Cokie) Craig, president; Jeff Pearcy, first vice president; Jim Shaffer, second vice president; Norma Gonzales Baker, secretary; Brandy Wojcik, treasurer; and Mark Noble and Sharon Klug, board members. Notices and information in this section may be of interest to Monitor readers. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the information; we have edited only for space and clarity. Attention Young Women between Fifteen and Twenty-Five: From August 15 to 18 you have a unique opportunity to gather with other women from the United States, Canada, and the English-speaking countries of the Caribbean on the campus of Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, just above Buffalo, New York. The conference, Vision Quest 2003, will build confidence, sharpen skills, and explore issues of importance to blind women. If you are interested, complete the registration form and send it and your check to the address provided. If you have questions or would like further information, contact Barbara Pierce, member of the organizing committee, at <firstname.lastname@example.org>. [PHOTO/CAPTION: World Blind Union Logo] Committee on the Status of Blind Women North American/Caribbean Region Vision Quest 2003: A Self-Discovery Conference for Young Blind Women August 15-18, 2003 Will you be attending the conference with a parent _____ a teacher _____ on my own _____ other__________? If attending with an adult, please provide that person’s name_____________________ (Note: A separate program will be provided for parents, teachers, and others. They must register for the conference.) Conference materials: Braille____Large Print____Electronic_____ Your conference registration includes all accommodation (double occupancy) and meals, activities, and receptions. Please let us know the following: Do you have any dietary restrictions?____yes____no. If so, please Do you wish to room with a specific person?____yes____no. If so, please provide name: ________________________________________. Please forward this registration form along with your registration fee (check to be made out to World Blind Union of Canada) $220 US_______$300 CA_______ Mail your registration form with payment enclosed by July 15th to: CNIB Ontario Division 1929 Bayview Avenue Toronto, ON M4G 3E8 CANADA Tel # 416-480-7468 Fax # 416-480-7140 Looking for Old‑Time Radio and Other Services? Thank you for your orders. We still have Top 40 songs by the year from 1937 through 1963. Any single year $5 or your choice of five different years for $20. The real deal--all twenty-nine CDs for $100. We can also restore your records, eight‑tracks, and reel‑to‑reel tapes and put them on CD. Interested in old‑time radio? We have it. Visit <www.rofstudios.com> for our OTR listings or call (720) 334‑1482. We are pleased to announce DeafBlindinfo.org, a new online directory of worldwide resources for and about people with combined vision and hearing loss. The site is sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Division, but is designed to be useful to people around the world. Helen Keller is a household name. But do you know about Laura Bridgman, Danny Delcambre, or your elderly neighbor? the modern technology and communication methods deaf-blind people use in daily life? where to find information and assistance if you experience vision and hearing loss? The general public has little knowledge about what it is like to be deaf-blind. People who are deaf-blind themselves have limited access to information. This new Web site, <http://www.DeafBlindinfo.org>, is designed to close the information gap for both populations. DeafBlindinfo.org showcases a vast collection of deaf-blindness information and resources in Minnesota and from around the world. Its Consumer Resource Guides aim to inform and empower adults, youth, families, and senior citizens with dual sensory impairment. Contact Marisa Bennett, Webmaster, e-mail <email@example.com>. New Collaboration between Pulse Data and Benetech: On February 24 we received a joint news release announcing that Bookshare.org will now be easy to access using the Pulse Data electronic notetakers. Here in part is the announcement: Pulse Data International, the world's leading manufacturer of products designed for people who are blind and visually impaired, and Benetech, the Silicon Valley technology nonprofit formerly known as Arkenstone, today announced a formal collaboration integrating Benetech's Bookshare.org initiative with Pulse Data's BrailleNote family of products. Bookshare.org is a subscription service that provides an extensive online library of accessible digital books to U.S. residents with severe visual, reading, and mobility disabilities. The BrailleNote Family is the first suite of personal data assistants designed for blind people. Since last September the Windows-CE-based KeyWeb Internet Browser has been integrated into the entire range of BrailleNote products. This collaboration allows BrailleNote users with a Bookshare.org subscription to browse the Bookshare.org Web site using the BrailleNote, select one of the 12,000 books already available from this site, and download it directly to the device. The user can then press Enter on the downloaded book and will be prompted for a Bookshare.org user name and password. The BrailleNote will then seamlessly unpack the downloaded book to the BrailleNote's bookreader to be read off-line. This unpacking scheme preserves the book's copyright protection. In celebration of this new partnership, Pulse Data HumanWare is offering a $100 discount to all Bookshare.org subscribers who purchase a BrailleNote or a VoiceNote, while Benetech is offering new Bookshare.org members who upgrade or purchase a new BrailleNote/VoiceNote $25 off the purchase of an annual subscription to Bookshare.org's rapidly growing collection of accessible digital books. [PHOTO/CAPTION: The Rex recorder and disposable bottle] Rex Disposable Talking Bottles: Developed by MedivoxRx Technologies, Inc., this talking bottle provides prescriptive label information in a human voice. The bottles can be used anywhere and do not require additional equipment to access. There are two ways to record Rex. When a pharmacist fills the prescription, he or she records all information on the printed label, including medication name, prescribed dosage, directions for taking, potential side effects, etc. Or people can purchase their own recorder and record the information themselves. Rex is then ready to communicate its information at home, in the car, at a restaurant, in an airplane, anywhere at all. The voice labeling system in Rex accepts all spoken languages, making this a multilingual product as well. Pharmacies in Tops Friendly Markets are the first to make Rex Disposable Talking Bottles available to the public. Over 100 Tops pharmacies are located in upstate New York; Cleveland, Ohio; and Erie, Pennsylvania. They are ready to fill prescriptions using Rex right now. VA Medical Centers in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and Danville, Illinois, are also now providing the Rex disposable bottles, and they are expected to become available through other veterans groups, hospitals, clinics, and drug companies in the health-care field throughout the country. We are pleased to announce that home care versions of this product are now available through the National Federation of the Blind by contacting the Materials Center at (410) 659-9314 or at <firstname.lastname@example.org>. You can also visit the company's Web site at <www.talkingbottle.com>, or call (866) RX TALKS (866-798-2557). Seminar for Blind College Students and Invitation to Teachers: The National Resource Center for Blind Musicians is holding a Summer Braille Music Intensive, July 12 to 19, at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia. The intensive is for serious music students about to start or already in college who need to develop their Braille music and theory skills and to be able to harness technology for submitting assignments. Applications will also be considered from students going into their senior year of high school who will be taking a theory or equivalent course offered by their school. Students should request an application package. Tuition is $900, and scholarships of up to $400 are available. The Resource Center also invites teachers of students of all ages to write or call if they would be interested in participating in a training workshop before the intensive begins or to explore other options, such as arranging to bring a younger student for a short evaluation and guidance. Note that the three‑week summer institute for high school students that was held in Connecticut is not being offered this year. For more information about the current Georgia program or for a growing wealth of music resource information online, visit <www.blindmusicstudent.org>. To request an application package or to reach the National Resource Center for Blind Musicians, contact David Goldstein, phone (203) 366‑3300, e‑mail <email@example.com>. Bike Racing Training Camp: We recently received a news release of interest to those serious about tandem bicycle racing. Here is the information: The U.S. Association of Blind Athletes, in conjunction with Disabled Sports USA and the National Disabled Sports Association, will host the 2003 U.S. Disabled Cycling Introduction to Racing Camp, June 15 to 22, at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Cyclists with physical disabilities, ages seventeen and older, are invited to the training center to hone skills primarily in road racing, but with instruction in track racing as well. Athletes eligible for participation include blind and visually impaired cyclists who race on tandem bikes with a sighted partner, cyclists with cerebral palsy or head injury who use both standard bikes and tricycles, and amputee cyclists who ride single bikes. Camp staff members will include certified cycling coaches, a U.S. Cycling Federation-certified mechanic, and guest speakers from a variety of sports-related fields. Riders attending camp can expect to be on their bikes twice a day on average, participating in skill drills and practicing race simulations. There will also be some evening lectures and fitness testing. While some subsidy will be provided to most riders, the individual attendees will be responsible for a portion of the camp cost. Food and housing will be provided at the U.S. Olympic Training Center as part of the camp. Riders are asked to bring their own bikes and gear to the camp. Tandem riders are encouraged to bring their own partners. For more information or to request an application, contact Pam Fernandes at <firstname.lastname@example.org> or call (781) 449-9563. Interested riders may also soon visit USABA's Web site, <www.usaba.org>, for more information and a downloadable application. The notices in this section have been edited for clarity, but we can pass along only the information we were given. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the statements made or the quality of the products for sale. James Konechne has a Braille Lite 40 for sale. It comes with new battery; print, Braille, and cassette manuals; and all cables. This would be a great unit for a high school or college student or for anyone who wants an affordable personal notetaker. He is asking $3,000, but that is negotiable. He will also work out a payment plan with anyone interested. Call (605) 995‑2666 or e‑mail <email@example.com>. BrailleNote 32 for Sale: Virtually unused. Included are a printed copy of the user's manual, a Brailled quick reference guide, a printed copy of the BrailleNote Command Summary, a tutorial on cassette, a BrailleNote Family PC Software CD, an AC Adapter, a serial port connector, and a specially made headset for the BrailleNote 32. Will sell for $5,200. Contact Doug Doyle at (801) 596‑0422. New Optelec 700 Camera Magnifier for sale. This is the top of the line model with all the abilities to hook easily into any Mac or PC computer or TV monitor and display its magnified image on the whole or split image between magnified image and computer display image. It also has a very nice auto focus and glass lens. It has more features, so please see <www.optelec.com>. This is new, in the box; on the Web page it sells for $3,300, but we are asking $1,995 or best offer. Contact Jay Victor at <firstname.lastname@example.org> with questions or offers. I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution.

After the intensity of our experience at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, it was just as well that we should take a quiet day away from the city and its distractions. So, after breakfast, we headed to the deserts of Judea. First stop: Masada. Revered in a very special way by the Israelis, Masada served as a safe haven in troubled times by the notorious Herod the Great, who, under Roman direction, ruled the province of Palestine with an iron hand. Discovering this hilltop promontory, Herod immediately understood its strategic importance and constructed not one, but two palaces on the site in the first century AD. Following the defeat of the Jewish rebellion against Rome and subsequent destruction of Jerusalem under the Roman leadership of Titus (70AD), remnant groups of resisters headed for Masada for what was to prove their last stand before the imperial forces. According to tradition, after a two-month siege, the Romans penetrated the site, only to discover that its inhabitants had chosen to commit suicide rather than surrender. After Masada, we stopped at a section of the Jordan River in order to renew our baptismal vows. Next to us, a group of Eastern Orthodox pilgrims were doing likewise. Many of them were dressed in special white garments for that purpose. According to custom, these garments will be kept and used later as burial shrouds for their owners. Next, we headed for the Palestinian city of Jericho, known to be the oldest continuous settlement of human beings in the world, having been settled more than 6000 years ago. The town is a true oasis, its splashing fountains and springs fed by arterial streams. We lunched and shopped at a highly commercialized spot. I was fascinated to watch the steady stream of hung, thirsty pilgrims arriving from every corner of the world: Kenya, Indonesia, Korea, Italy, and so on. We even ran into some fellow Franciscan friars-- Italian-born members of the Custody of the Holy Land. Before returning to Jerusalem, we stopped over at the Franciscan Sisters' School of Jericho, a co-ed institution staffed by three native-born Palestinian sisters. The student population is just shy of 600; Christian students number 16 of that total. As one of the sisters reminded me: "We are here as missionaries. Not to try to convert people, but to show the loving presence of Jesus for all people. And to help the children-- all of the children-- to have the kind of education which will allow them to participate fully in society." Fr. Cesar, a member of our group, presided at Eucharist in the simple chapel of the sisters. In this simple and humble place, it was not difficult to understand the importance of a Christian presence in this part of the world. Returning toward Jerusalem, we made a pit stop at the Dead Sea. Most of us braved the salty elements to get into our swimsuits for a dip. The waters were thick, warm, and chalky. It was impossible to do anything other than float-- and so we floated! Some of us, by which I mean Father Larry, went a step further to cover themselves with mud-- great protection against the relentless sun. And great fun to boot. . . . Arrived in Jerusalem at last. Bone-tired, we welcomed the refuge of our rooms.

Jews to Hold Memorial Service for Those Killed in Gaza Aid Flotilla Sunday, June 13, 1 p.m. across from the White House in Lafayette Park. We will also extend the memorial to cover all the thousands and thousands of Israelis and Palestinians killed or displaced from their homes since the beginning of this Israel/Palestine struggle. Plus healing prayers for those hurt or wounded in the Israeli assault on the boats plus prayers for release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit held by Hamas and for the release of thousands of Palestinians held by Israel in their jails and outdoor detention camps. Rabbi Michael Lerner and Rabbi Arthur Waskow will conduct healing prayers in the Jewish tradition for those hurt or wounded, and a traditional Jewish memorial service for those killed when Israeli troops assaulted a flotilla of ships bringing aid to Gaza last Monday. The Muslim community will be represented by Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed , the National Director for the Office of Interfaith & Community Alliances for the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), and the Christian community by United Church of Christ pastor Rev. Ama Zenya and Rev. Graylan Hagler of the Plymouth Congregational Church of Christ in D.C. Other clergy are invited to join in offering prayers. The services will take place on Sunday, June 13, at 1 p.m. opposite the White House in Lafayette Park, as part of a conference sponsored by the interfaith Network of Spiritual Progressives Friday, June 11-Sunday June 13 at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 212 E. Capitol St., NE. The focus of the conference is: Strategies for Secular and Religious Progressives in the Obama Years. People not registered for the conference are welcome at the rally starting 11 a.m. at Lafayette Park facing the White House from 11 a.m. to 2 p..m. Sunday June 13. But it's not too late to register for the conference (and if money is the problem we will reduce your registration fee to whatever you can afford if you register in advance before Wednesday afternoon: info and details at www.spiritualprogressives.org/conference . If you can't come--you can still help: by insisting that national media and your local media and the progressive media as well cover this event--it's a way of making clear that the entire Jewish people should not be blamed for this morally distorted action on the part of Israel--and you don't have to be Jewish to make that point to the media. If you want help in finding national media to contact, go to www.spiritualprogressives.org/article.php/media where we have phone numbers and snail mail addresses of many important media figures whom you contact. Snail mail (ground mail) makes the biggest impact, phone calls next, and finally emails or faxes which are the least effective because rearely read). The conference is co-sponsored by Tikkun www.tikkun.org the Network of Spiritual Progressives (www.spiritualprogressives.org), Common Cause, the Interfaith Alliance, The Nation magazine, Progressive Democrats of America, the Washington Peace Center, Tikkun magazine, The Shalom Center, and Peace Action. Among the conference speakers: Rev. Brian McLaren, Rev. James Forbes, Rev. James Winkler, Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister, Buddhist author Robert Thurman, John Dear, S.J., Congressman Keith Ellison, environmentalist activist and theorist Bill McKibben, Heather Booth, David Korten, Rabbi Arik Asherman, and more. More information on the conference: "The overwhelming majority of American Jews," said Rabbi Lerner, chair of the Network of Spiritual Progressives and editor of Tikkun Magazine, "are saddened at the killings and wounding that took place on the high seas on May 31st, and want to make clear that this kind of behavior is not a morally acceptable or politically effective way for Israel to achieve security. We are holding this service in part to express our condolences to the families of the slain and our prayers for those who have been hurt or wounded. We stand with Israel in support of its right to security, and with the Palestinian people in support of their right to justice and national self-determination in a secure Palestinian state that encompasses all of the West Bank and Gaza and sharing Jerusalem with Israel. "The violence against the Gaza Aid flotilla is microcosm of the violence that those non-violent peace activists have consistently experienced when attempting to use tactics of non-violence in challenging the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. The daily structural violence of the Occupation and of the blockade of Gaza are usually ignored by the media, hence making overt acts of human rights abuses by Palestinians who revert to acts of terror or Hamas which allows shelling of Israeli towns to appear as though they are a product of hatred of Israel rather than as responses to Israel's on-going violence. Yet the continued refusal of Hamas to acknowledge the existence of Israel and to look to Iran, whose leadership has called for the destruction of Israel, gives plausibility to the Israeli claim that Hamas and the militants among Palestinians do not seek "justice for Palestinians" but rather "an end to the existence of Israel itself with uncalculated horro to the Israeli people." So while we memorialize those killed in Gaza, we condemn violence of Palestinian terrorists and of Hamas, even as we find hope in the commitment of leaders of the Palestinian Authority to embrace the path of non-violence and cooperation with Israel. The violence on all sides must cease, Gilad Shalit must be freed by Hamas, the blockade of Gaza and the Occupation of the West Bank must be stopped, and all the thousands of Palestinians in Israeli prisons and outdoor detention camps must be freed. "We also believe that the best path to peace is a new spirit of open-hearted contrition and atonement, leading to a strategy of generosity to replace the current strategy of military power and domination by Israel and acts of violence or terror by Palestinians. Both sides have co-created this larger struggle, and both sides need to turn to the other in a spirit of contrition and genuine recognition of the legitimacy of the other side's narrative, difficult as that may be for each side to do. It is not power of military prowess nor mobilization of outrage that will solve this struggle, but rather an attitude of love and generosity of spirit that will break the cycle of violence and make possible a rapid solution to the larger conflict. The only alternative to this is for the world to assemble a global conference of the countries which voted for the creation of Israel in 1949 and now take steps to impose a fair, just and lasting peace on th sides of the conflict." Not all speakers or participants at this Memorial service agree with this statement (or at least we didn't have time to check), but they do agree that the needless deaths of those on the flotilla need to be mourned and the victims of violence deserve our prayers. Rabbi Michael Lerner is editor of Tikkun Magazine, author of 11 books including The Politics of Meaning Healing Israel/Palestine, The Left Hand of God: Taking Back our Country from the Religious Right, and The Socialism of Fools: Anti-Semitism on the Left. He is Rabbi of Beyt Tikkun in Berkeley, California and chair of the interfaith Network of Spiritual Progressives. Rabbi Lerner welcomes your responses (RabbiLerner@Tikkun.org) , and encourText Contentages you to send this message to friends in the East Coast who might come down to DC for this rally and then the Memorial Service, and urges you to contact local media and ask them to alert their readership or listenership about the conference and about the Memorial Service. The rally before the Memorial Service will also deal with issues concerning the US wars in the Middle East, the problems of environment, social justice, and healing of the wounds in American society and globally. For the full program of the conference, read www.spiritualprogressives.org/conference. More info: James Lee, conference coordinator 410 262 8365 or Will Pasley 510 644 1200. HOME | ABOUT | AUTHOR |HOLOCAUST GENOCIDES | THE GHOUSE DIARY | RELATED SITES | FACE BOOK | PHOTO GALLERY | VIDEO GALLERY | WARNING : Don't you judge by reading one article. This site is not for you if you cannot see the otherness of others and sufferings of both sides of the party in the conflict. Security for Israel and Justice for the Palestinians are interdependent, one will not happen without the other. My view focuses on building cohesive societies where no one has to live in apprehension or fear of the other. I hope and pray a sense of justice to prevail. Amen. Website www.IsraelPalestineDialogue.com | Also Check Israel Palestine Confederation a pragmatic solution Sunday, June 6, 2010 Re: Jews to Hold Memorial For Those Slain in Attack on Gaza Flotilla--across ... This must be the goal of humanity, to work on healing. When we initiated the Holocaust commemoration and later Holocaust and Genocides, (www.HolocaustandGenocides.com) it is give hope to humanity that there are people willing to stand up for other's rights and as Muslims, we wanted to tell the Jews that they are not alone, we are with them in their suffering. Now Rabbi Lerner is taking the mantle and telling the world, that "we Jews stand for peace and justice." It is time for the moderate Jews and Moderate others to join him in the prayers. Right wingers are always welcome to be good decent humans and join for peace. I wish I could join, but am joining in my spirit. To be religious is to be peace makers, to mitigate conflicts and nurture goodwill. That is what it is to be a Jew, Muslim, Christian or....any faith.

Years after a Jewish couple in Houston were fined for displaying a mezuzah on the door frame of the condo they rented in the Heights, a new Texas law prohibits home owners’ associations from banning such religious objects. The bill was one of the final pieces of legislation signed by Gov. Rick Perry at the end of the session Friday and prevents restrictions against “displaying or affixing on the entry to the owner’s or resident’s dwelling one or more religious items the display of which is motivated by the owner’s or resident’s sincere religious belief.” (An association may still put rules in place to restrict the size of an item or ban objects with offensive imagery or language. Full text of the bill is available here.) “People assume that religious freedom is something you just have, and they take it for granted. It’s good to know that these laws are out there,” said Monica Lundeen Smith, whose case led Rep. Garnet Coleman, of Houston, to push the bill through the Texas legislature. Similar laws are on the books in Illinois and Florida, both responses to mezuzah cases. The Torah instructs Jews to keep God’s commandments “upon the doorposts of thy house,” so Jewish homes and businesses hang small boxes containing a tiny Torah scroll by entrance doors, called mezuzot. They serve as a reminder of God’s laws and some believe they also provide blessings and protection to the dwelling. Lundeen Smith, a Conservative Jew who grew up at Congregation Brith Shalom and later attended Congregation Beth Yeshurun, had hung a mezuzah at every place she’d lived, so she didn’t even think twice about hanging the few-inch long object outside their condo. Even though the hallway of the complex was littered with doormats, Christmas decorations, plants and other décor, “we got a letter four months in saying to take the ‘item’ down. We thought, ‘OK, they must not know what it is, we’ll just explain it to them,’” she said. But it wasn’t that easy. As renters, they were unable to negotiate the terms of a lease they’d already signed, even if it was to resist religious discrimination. The Heights at Madison Park fined them for not removing the object and the couple, with the help of Lundeen Smith’s lawyer parents, sued and countersued. They lost the case and moved out of the complex when their lease was up. In 2009, the Lundeens reached out to Coleman, their representative, to keep their case from happening to other people of faith. “I filed this bill to extend religious freedom in situations where it may not exist. In this situation it was very clear that this couple was singled out because of their faith. Thanks to this family’s courage and willingness to share their story, other Texans will not have to go through a similar experience,” said Coleman. (Shoshana / Flickr)

Herb's Research Bulletin Revised October 2011 |HeRB 1||HeRB 2||HeRB 3||HeRB 4||HeRB 5||HeRB 6||HeRB 7||HeRB 8||HeRB 9||HeRB 10||HeRB 11||HeRB 12||HeRB 13||HeRB INDEX| ArticlesA Church Health Survey of the CCT's District Four by Herb Swanson [PDF] 1 � A Believer's Story 2 � Defining Religions 3 � Armed Conflict in Decline 4 � Detoxifying Bureaucrats 5 � Tomlin's Missiology 6 � First Protestant Worship Service in Thai? 7 � Mary Bradley Blachly in America 1 - Herb Moves On 2 � Youth & Religion in Thailand: A Project Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs and Steel Stephen Prothero, American Jesus The word "syncretism" is a fighting word among Western, ideologically-bound Christians. The Right Wing Faithful hurry around trying to destroy it, prevent it, and devote serious amounts of theological energy decrying its very existence. The Left Wing Faithful stand off to the side with a smug little grin on their faces, knowing that syncretism happens all the time and is really part of the divine plan. They love it as much as the folks on the right hate it. As is so often the case with Western dualistic ideologues of both stripes, each has a point and misses the point. The Oxford English Dictionary (Compact Edition) defines "syncretism" as being "Attempted union or reconciliation of diverse or opposite tenets or practices, esp. in philosophy or religion." The earliest use of the word given in the OED is dated 1618, and it's clear from the examples of its meaning given there that it had a negative connotation from the beginning. Trying to unite or reconcile different religious beliefs and practices, say between Protestants and Catholics, is a "bad" thing to do. It is so bad that we have had to invent a whole series of euphemistic terms-enculturation, indigenization, contextualization-in place of the word syncretism. If we cut across the political correct grain and stick with the term syncretism, two fundamental or central points stand out. First, syncretism is an unavoidable result of the Christian missionary movement; one cannot transmit the faith across cultures without there being considerable adaptation of it in the new culture. Syncretism happens. Second, the fact that syncretism is unavoidable does not mean that it is all for the good nor does it mean that it is inherently wrong. My sense is that conservative Western Christians should fret about it a good deal less than they do, and liberal Christians of European antecedents need to worry about it a good deal more than they seem to. The first point is that syncretism happens, and it happens to conservatives and evangelicals just as much as anyone else. The last issue of HeRB, HeRB 11, contains an article comparing the Korean and Thai Protestant experiences. In my research on the Korean church, I was deeply impressed by the argument made by several scholars that one of the reasons that the Korean churches have grown so rapidly is because of the way in which they have identified themselves with their culture. Korean Protestant churches are truly indigenous in that they overtly, clearly share in the general religious consciousness of their society. Some scholars note that there is a particular convergence between Korean Pentecostalism and the traditional Korean religion, known among scholars as shamanism. Both emphasize the manipulation of spiritual powers, call on holy spiritual powers to dwell in them, engage in exorcism, and in general encourage an emotional faith focused on obtaining the good life, materially and spiritually, through prayer and other forms of propitiation of spiritual powers. Women are particularly identified with the old Korean traditions, and Christian women seem to be more likely to engage in shammanistic-like practices than men. It is worthy of note that there seems to be a direct correlation in Korea between Christian fundamentalism and the use of shammanistic-type religious practices. That is to say, the more conservative the church the more likely it is to have incorporated "old-time" Korean religion into its expressions of the Christian faith. In the United States, the melding of patriotism and evangelicalism is one of the clearest examples of religious syncretism one can find anywhere. Syncretism happens. It is inevitable. When we stop to think about how humans communicate with each other in a culture, it becomes clear that local languages and cultures will always shape the Christian message to the local context. We should be thankful that they do, or else there could be no communication of anything across cultures, let alone something as complex and meaning-laden as the Christian faith. Yet, it is also inevitable that humans corrupt everything we do. That is not some kind of perverse old-fashioned Calvinism, but a reality that hits us in the face every time we read or watch the news-or critically examine the world right around us. Syncretism itself, in similar fashion, unavoidably has a corrupting influence on the Christian faith that has to be taken seriously and addressed, as best we can, in the tradition of the Old Testament prophets. The Christian faith has to do with salvation (Conservative-speak) and liberation (Liberal-speak), but the church is forever in danger of loosing its "saltiness." The very process of cross-cultural communication, that is, may be one cause of the church's failure to live in a faithful, Christ-like mold. As has happened in various ways here in Thailand, the church appropriates cultural forms that do not reflect the biblical message of liberation and salvation. Thus, as one important example, the churches of Thailand put great store in the place of worship while devoting little attention to meeting the social, let alone the religious, needs of their neighbors. Missionaries, historically, emphasized physical healing and social service as part of the Christian "package" of salvation that they brought to Thailand. As a rule, however, Thai churches show far more inclination to follow the model of the temple (wat), which also emphasizes ritual and ceremony, than they do that of the missionaries. The biblical model of salvation-liberation repeatedly stresses the importance of serving God, the faithful, and the widows and orphans over against mere worship (Micah 6.6-8 cf. Mark 12.32-33); and it is a weakness of most Thai churches that they fail to reach out in healing love to the world around them. The churches of Thailand are, in their own ways, just as syncretistic as those in Korea. Evangelical missionaries and other Westerners would do well to celebrate that fact more and worry about it less. How else is it possible to communicate the Good News of the faith in Thai cultural contexts? They should also stop trying to control the process of syncretization, since no foreigners are ever going to be able to do much about it one way or another in any event. Ecumenical missionaries (the few that there are any more) and other Westerners related to the churches of Thailand, on the other hand, should cease to think that the hope of the Thai church is to "make it more Thai" somehow. In the things that matter, it is already as Thai as Thai can be (or Karen, or Lahu, or Isarn, or Northern). They need to think more about ways that they can encourage a more serious engagement with the biblical message and the model of Christ among the churches. That is to say, in sum, that the communication of the Gospel and the living of the Christian life in any cultural context anywhere in the world involves an ongoing tension between faith and culture. Faith must express itself through culture yet culture is never an adequate vehicle for the expression of the faith. If we denigrate culture, we look down on the God-given means by which we become Christians. God created us as culture-makers. If, on the other hand, we lionize our own or any other culture we stand in danger of turning it into an idol, placing its precepts and values above those reflected in Christ and Scripture. In the Incarnation, God both affirmed the ultimate value of culture as the vehicle for divine communication and activity-and also sought to transform radically the way humans understand both God and themselves. Syncretism is God's gift to the church; without it we could not share the faith. Syncretism is also a two-edged sword, which can lead us away from faith as well as towards it. Western Christians, both of leftish and a rightish persuasions, seem to be so enamored with their own versions of ideological and theological correctness that they are unable to see both the beauty of culture and its pitfalls as a medium for religious communication. Ban Dok Daeng Table of Contents A Church Health Survey of the CCT's District Four From March through May 2004, the Office of History and District Four (Phrae-Uttaradit) of the Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT) conducted an extensive church life survey of the health of the district's 16 churches and 7 muad (organized worshipping communities). The Office's research team included four members of the staff and six undergraduate theological students from the McGilvary Faculty of Theology, Payap University. On Saturday, 15 May 2004, this research team presented a final report to forty-plus representatives from District Four's churches and muad, which summarized the key findings of the survey. So far as I know, nothing even remotely like this church health survey has ever been attempted in the CCT previously, and for that reason alone the data collected is of interest. More importantly, there is very little data available on the actual condition of CCT churches, apart from the perspectives of denominational leaders, which perspectives do not always reflect those conditions as they exist. One of the purposes of this survey was to go beyond opinions based personal observations to discover the actual health of local churches and worshipping communities. Two versions of as questionnaire were distributed to the churches, one for churches and muad with pastors and one for those without. The Office of History staff prepared an initial draft set of questions based on the results of the 2002 survey on what it means to be a good (or healthy) church. That is, we self-consciously sought to apply local standards of church health to the churches. In general, the number of questions on a given topic and the content of most of the questions reflects those results (for a summary of the results of the 2002 survey, see the News Item "Preliminary Findings from Phrae" in HeRB 2 ). Thus, for example, the present study emphasizes worship because of the significance the members of the churches themselves place on it. After considerable "in-house" work on the original draft of the questionnaire, it was submitted to District Four's Executive Committee, which proposed a number of changes in wording and some in the questions. On the basis of their suggestions, the Office of History prepared a second draft, which was again submitted to the Executive Committee. The third draft was then tested with members of two different churches, and the final draft in two versions was completed. It should be said that the Office of History staff did not accept all of the changes in the drafts proposed by the District leaders, primarily for technical reasons having to do with preserving the clarity of questions and because a few of the questions proposed were irrelevant to the research topic. Final Draft: html version The project research teams visited every church and muad in the district for a period of from a few hours to three days, depending largely on the size of the individual congregation. In addition to distributing and collecting the questionnaires, the teams conducted small group and individual interviews to test their understanding of the questions on the questionnaire and gather additional information on the current state of local congregations. A good deal of this additional information was not used by the project staff to prepare its final report to the District, but all of it was turned over to the District officers for their use. The research teams reported in once every week, and as much as possible the staff used the data they had collected to begin preparing reports for each of the 23 churches and muad involved in the study. Although under considerable time pressure, the project staff was able to produce individual reports for each congregation as well as an overall report for the District. It was able to collect questionnaires from roughly one-third of the total communicant membership of the district so that it can be argued that its reports and this paper provide a good indication of the thinking of the local members concerning their own congregations. While, as will be seen below, the responses tend to paint a very positive picture of the state of those congregations, the responses obtained from the members of churches and muad facing particular difficulties generally clearly reflect those weaknesses. From the Church of Christ in Thailand's earliest days down to the present, both missionary and the denominational national church leadership has generally believed that the CCT's local churches are weak, poorly led, and incapable of carrying out local ministries effectively. This attitude continues to guide the development of CCT programs and the work of its agencies even today. The local church members of District Four, however, disagree. As can be seen in Tables 1 and 2, they collectively affirm the strength of their own congregations and insist that their churches are carrying out the various ministries of the church competently. Table 1 shows that, in general, District Four's local members believe that their churches and muad are relatively strong. The frequency distribution for the whole district and for each of the categories in Table 1 show, that is, that roughly half of the respondents in each category state that their congregation is either "not very strong" or "somewhat strong." Very few report that their church is "not strong at all" or "not strong," and less then one in ten in each category claim that their church or muad is "very strong." The respondents tend thus to give a somewhat cautious answer that does not overstate either the weakness or the strength of their churches. The data in Table 1 also shows churches and muad without pastors and those in Uttaradit Province are less inclined to express a positive attitude towards the strength of their congregations. From the personal observations of the students (and the author), churches without pastors and those in Uttaradit Province are generally weaker in their congregational life and ministries, and the members themselves have some collective sense that such is the case. Strength of Congregations Congregations with Pastors Congregations w/out Pastors Not strong at all Not very strong N = 678 Table 2 confirms that the district's membership, again in general, believes that their congregations are performing their various duties and ministries well. They especially believe that the churches are doing well in worship, and they acknowledge that they are weakest in carrying out evangelism. As we will see, the respondents are by and large consistent in their evaluation of both worship and evangelism. How well the churches carry out the following tasks? N = 678 The responses from individual congregations vary considerably, and for the most part tend to fall into line with the personal observations of the research team members who visited them. Some 78.4 % of one congregation's members, for example, affirmed that their church is strong, while only 5.4% said it is not strong. In another congregation, by way of contrast, 68.8% responded that their church is not strong, while only 31.3% claimed that it is strong. Still, in these cases and all others, the respondents show a strong tendency to give generally moderate answers, not claiming either too little or too much for their churches and muad. The data contained in Tables 1 and 2, in sum, indicates that local church members in District Four feel relatively confident about the life of their churches. They do not, for the most part, have strongly negative attitudes about that life, but at the same time they tend to take a fairly balanced perspective. Their appraisals, in light of other data collected by the research team, seem to be usually reasonable and sensible. No one claims that there are no problems and everything is just fine, but there is also a widespread sense among the respondents that their situation is not nearly so bleak as it is often believed to be by others, particularly the CCT's national church leadership. At the same time, we must keep in mind that these summary figures reflect the fact that, as a rule, the larger churches, especially those located in Phrae Province, tend to be stronger than the smaller churches and muad. If, that is, we counted the individual responses from the 23 churches and muad in District Four, we would find a fairly large number that do not reflect the general sense of being relatively strong the general figures suggest. We can look at the matter in at least two ways. Negatively, Tables 1 and 2 do not reflect the fact that quite a few churches and muad are fairly weak according to their members' own responses. Positively, it can be argued that a strong majority of the district's members belong to relatively strong congregations. In the absence of longitudinal data, Questions 4 and 5 seek to establish some sense of the general direction of the churches and muad in terms of increase or decline. The responses to these two questions reinforces the impression already established from the data in Tables 1 and 2 that, collectively, the church members in District Four feel positive about their churches. Some 63.8% agreed that their church or muad is stronger today than it was five years ago, and 77.4% agreed that their congregation will be stronger five years from now than it is today. The answers to Question 5 concerning future developments are particularly important because only 7.3% disagreed with the statement that their church or muad will be stronger five years from now than it is today. The respondents feel not only generally positive about the current state of their congregations but also optimistic about their future over the next five years. It should be noted, however, that individual interviews conducted in every church and muad suggest a very different picture for the long-term. In all but two congregations, church leaders expressed considerable pessimism about the more distant future of their congregations. They note that young people and children are less and less involved in congregational life. Even those young people who are involved in church life eventually leave their churches to do further study or vocational training and seldom return home once they enter the work force. Church leaders foresee a time when their churches will be populated entirely by the elderly and wonder how long into the more distant future they can last. Questions about the role of youth and the involvement of children in church life, unfortunately, did not figure in the questionnaire and is thus one important subject that calls for further study. Questions 4 and 5 Strength of Congregations Five Years Ago and Five Years from Now 5 years ago weaker In 5 years stronger N = 678 In the initial 2002 survey of the churches' understanding of what constitutes a "good" or "strong" church (church health), the members of the Phrae churches placed primary emphasis on worship. A church that worships well is a strong church. This emphasis reflects the central importance of ritual in northern Thai culture, and however much those in other contexts might wish to disagree with this central concern for worship, in the District Four's cultural and religious context it makes a good deal of sense to use the strength or weakness of worship as one measure of church health. As can be seen in Table 4, the respondents consistently assigned worship very high marks. They affirmed that the worship in their congregation does bring them closer to God (94.2%), helps them better understand the Bible (94.7%), and helps them better understand the way to live as a Christian (95.2%). They expressed a high degree of satisfaction with their worship experiences (95.6%). Although not contained in Table 4, they also agree to Question 12 (quality of preaching) and Question 13 (lively singing) in the same range of 90%-plus positive responses. The respondents seem, in sum, to be very pleased with the quality of worship that they are experiencing. Questions 7 through 10 Evaluation of Worship Experience Brings Closer to God Understand the Bible Understand Christian Life Feel Satisfied w/ Worship N = 678 The responses described in Table 5, however, shed some doubt as to exactly what the respondents meant by their answers to Questions 7 through 10, 12, and 13. Questions 15 through 18 ask the respondents if their churches need to improve in the areas of preaching, music, the order of worship, and in the leading of worship. Substantial majorities agreed in each case that the quality of worship needs to be improved. In Question 11, furthermore, 55.4% of the respondents agreed that worship in their church "lacks liveliness." Questions 15 through 18 Evaluation of Worship Experience Need to improve preaching Need to improve music in worship Need to improve order of worship Need to improve worship leaders N = 678 The respondents seem to be sending a mixed message with these two sets of responses. On the one hand, they affirm the value of worship as they experience it today, while on the other hand they also agree that their worship needs to be improved. Observations by the research team suggest that the actual quality of worship in most of the churches in District Four is not particularly high and that there is considerable need for improvement, especially in preaching. On that score, the respondents seem to agree, but their sense that worship could be better does not appear to reduce their appreciation for worship as they now experience it. They apparently feel that they receive a number of benefits from worship and that, as it stands, it is an important part of their lives. What emerges, in sum, is what appears to be a balanced, sensible appreciation for the importance of worship to the religious life in a northern Thai cultural context and a realization that the actual conduct of worship could be better than it is. In the 2002 survey, the CCT members in Phrae Province felt that another important measure of church health is the members' knowledge and use of the Bible. Table 6 displays the responses to the 2004 questionnaire for Questions 19 and 20, which ask the respondents to specify how frequently they read the Bible personally and in their families. According to their responses, 58.7% of the respondents read their Bible at least once a week, including 18.3% who stated they read the Bible daily. As expected, family rates are lower, although 39.9% said they read the Bible in their families at least once per week, including 10.0% who read the Bible with their families daily. These figures indicate that the respondents highly value the Bible and devote some time to reading it. This level of commitment to reading the Bible is particularly noteworthy in light of the fact that, according to the responses to Question 39 on educational levels, 58.9% of the respondents have only a grade school education or less. Questions 19 and 20 Frequency of Reading the Bible Personally and in the Family Personal Bible Reading Family Bible Reading Less than once/mo. N = 678 The data contained in Table 7 suggests that the members of the Fourth District feel generally confident in their ability to understand the Bible and apply its teachings to their daily lives (Questions 21 & 22). They are nearly as confident in the general biblical knowledge of their congregation's members (Question 23). Again, this data stands in almost stark contrast to the attitudes widely expressed by denominational leaders and educators concerning local church knowledge of the Bible. It is not infrequently stated that "the problem" with local church people is that they don't know the Bible. I might add, as a personal aside, that in an interfaith meeting between members of a CCT church and a temple in their same community concerning their religious understanding, it was clear that even the average members of the church were better able to express their religious understanding than were their Buddhist neighbors. Given that specific observation and the data from District Four, it may be argued that local church Christian education is, or at least has been, stronger than is generally recognized. Questions 21 and 23 Knowledge & Use of the Bible Using Bible in Life Church Knowledge of Bible N = 678 The 2002 survey of the churches in Phrae Province also identified pastoral care as another important element in church health. One of the decisions made by the research team for the 2004 survey, however, was that this survey would not ask church members concerning the strengths and weaknesses of pastoral care in District Four in any detailed way. The study, that is, would focus on congregations and not on individuals, including most especially pastors. Thus, the questionnaire for churches with pastors contains only one question (Question 26) concerning pastoral strengths. The questionnaire for churches without pastors contains an additional two questions (Questions 24 and 25) concerning the members' desire for pastoral leadership and whether or not they think their church or muad will be stronger if it has a pastor. Some 90.7% of the members of churches and muad without pastors agree that they want pastors (Question 24), and 89.8% believe that their congregation will be stronger if they have a pastor (Question 25). In response to Question 26, the members indicated that they would want their pastor-if they had one-to emphasize Bible study, preaching, and church administration in that order. In those churches with pastors, the members ranked their pastors as strongest in preaching and weakest in music. While the members of congregations with pastors ranked their pastors strongest in preaching, how capable those pastors actually are as preachers remains an open question. One the one hand, as we saw in Question 12 above, church members do feel blessed by the preaching they hear. On the other hand, as was also described above, they also want to see that preaching greatly improved. The question of the actual quality of preaching in District Four is one that needs further study. As is widely seen as representative of CCT churches generally, the 2002 survey of the Phrae churches and muad found that the members did not place particular emphasis on evangelism. This survey, thus, contains only two questions having to do with evangelism (Questions 27 and 28). The data obtained from these two questions, again, calls into question the generally accepted wisdom held among Protestant leaders both inside and outside of the CCT that CCT churches are failures when it comes to evangelism. In Table 8, we find that about one-fifth (21.2%) indicated that their church or muad was not intentional in conducting evangelism, although the great majority of these responses fell into the highest negative category of "not much." Most of the members felt that their churches are, in fact, intentional to a degree in evangelism. Intentionality of Churches Regarding Evangelism Not at all N = 678 This data is consistent with the answers the respondents provided for Question 28, which asked about how frequently they themselves share their faith with their neighbors of other faiths. Fully one-fourth (25.4%) of the respondents stated that they share their faith "regularly," and another 44.3% agreed that they share their faith more than once a year. Only 49 respondents of the 618 who answered this question (7.9%), agreed that they have never shared their faith with a person of another faith. This data, as much as any collected in the course of the 2004 District Four church health survey, contradicts the general, widely held image of that CCT churches are weak and unable to carry out local ministries. We can account for this data either by assuming that the local people gave misleading answers to Questions 27 and 28, either purposely or out of ignorance, or the commonly held attitudes about those churches are incorrect. At the very least, the truth of the matter can only be discovered by further research into the actual situation in the churches and muad themselves. In the 2002 survey of the Phrae churches concerning what they believed constitutes a healthy church, some importance was place on the relationship of the churches to their districts; and in 2004 the church health survey of District Four found the churches generally happy with that relationship. Some 81.7% of the respondents agreed that the district contributes to the development of their churches while only 11.2% disagreed. Interviews in the churches suggest that a recent change in the district officers contributed, in part, to this positive response as the new set of officers have shown themselves more responsive to local church needs.One of the more surprising findings of the church health survey is the number of respondents who had received some form of lay training through the district or through national CCT offices. Nearly half (48.3%) of the respondents said they had received such training, and of that half, half again (49.7%) had attended more than one training session of one type or another. As important as the numbers receiving training, is the positive evaluation of the training events by the respondents who participated in them. As can be seen in Table 9, a very large majority (97.8%) stated that they felt that the district sponsored training sessions they attended were useful to their churches. That percentage included 47.2% of the total number of respondents who believed that those sessions were "very useful" to their churches. Usefulness of District Sponsored Training Session Not at all N = 267 Questions 34 and 35 were added by the research team and are designed to test the relationship of the churches and muad to their Buddhist neighbors. Individual interviews revealed that there was a small amount overt local tension between Buddhists and Christians in just a few communities, but the data collected by the questionnaire, as shown in both Tables 10 and 11, suggests that District Four congregations generally have good relations with their Buddhist neighbors. Table 10 indicates that local church members are normally willing to participate in the traditional celebrations of their neighbors. (It should be noted that the survey teams, as a rule, explained this question to mean Buddhist celebrations such as Loy Kratong and Songkran). That is to say, the Christian community does not refuse to be present, at least, for such celebrations as it once did in the past. Participation in Traditional Celebrations With People of Other Faiths N = 642 Table 11, by the same token, shows that the respondents very much agreed that their Buddhist neighbors are willing to accept them as Christians. Willingness to Accept Christians by People of Other Faiths Not at all N = 640 Although stated at various points, above, it bears repeating that one of the main conclusions from this survey of church health in District Four of the CCT is that the churches and muad of the district believe themselves to be in generally good health. Smaller congregations and those without pastors are less confident in the state of their church's health, but since the majority of members belong to larger churches with pastors it is evident that most members of the district belong to relatively healthy congregations. It must be emphasized, also again, that the national CCT leadership has long operated under the assumption that most congregations are in a state of poor health, which means that the results of this survey are "counter-intuitive" so far as they are concerned. Indeed, some district-level leaders of District Four themselves initially rejected the findings of this survey as being "impossible." When they were led through an analysis of the data, they began to see that they themselves had being looking at the worst cases in the district as being typical of the whole district, which is clearly not the case. It should also be noted that the members of the churches and muad cooperated very well with both this survey and the one conducted in 2002; and they proved entirely able to fill out a questionnaire and participate in small group discussions. Admittedly, there were more problems with the 2002 survey, as many local members had never filled out a questionnaire before and found the whole experience problematic at best. The students who conducted this year's study, in contrast, found most church members quite comfortable with the idea of filling out the survey form. They reported that some of the small group discussion sessions were very lively and informative. Which is to say that, with proper preparation, sociological instruments can be used effectively with local churches of the CCT. Specific findings include the following: - There is a serious need to improve the content and the feel of worship and preaching, in spite of the members' general appreciation of what they participate in and receive today; - In general, the short-term health of the District's churches and muad is relatively good; however, their long-term future is worrisome. The membership is aging, and young people are either failing to join in church life entirely or, after graduation from high school, moving away from home and the church. One can foresee the time, in twenty to thirty years or so, when several churches and muad will cease to exist entirely if present trends continue. - It is clear from the survey, that larger churches with pastors generally experience a higher degree of church health. One of the pressing issues facing the district is to find ways to assist smaller congregations and those without pastors to attain those same levels. - Local church members believe themselves to be living relatively good Christian lives. They give time to the Bible and are confident in their ability to use it for daily living. They find meaning in worship. Many of them share their faith with others on a regular basis. As has been noted at several points in this summary of the findings of the 2004 survey of church health in District Four, those findings provide a significantly different picture of the health of the district's congregations from that generally held by district leaders and by that held by CCT national leaders. The issue of local leadership, to reiterate one key example, is not nearly as worrisome so far as church members are concerned as national leaders and agencies believe it to be; and far more has been done to train local church people than is generally realized. On the other hand, the most pressing issue facing nearly all of the churches and muad of the Fourth District (and one they are deeply concerned about), the disappearance of their young people from the church, has received very little attention at the national levels of the CCT. One cannot help but conclude that there is, first, a serious need for further church health studies in the CCT and, second, at the very least those who are working at the district and national levels of the church need to test their own assumptions concerning the actual state of the churches to which they are responsible. The data presented here cannot be taken to be conclusive. The 2004 church health survey in Phrae and Uttaradit Provinces, as extensive as it was, still amounts to little more than a pilot project for the study of church health in Thailand. The questionnaire the survey team used requires considerable rethinking and retesting. Still, the data collected from all of the congregations in District Four is generally consistent, and the student survey teams felt that other data and impressions they gathered tend to confirm that data rather than contradict it. That is to say, the experience of the Fourth District clearly suggests that church health surveys are potentially useful in the CCT and could well become an important tool for program development and evaluation if sufficient time and thought are invested in them.Table of Contents Fundamentalism & Asian Theology: Reflections on the 2004 PTCA Consultation The PTCA (Programme for Theology & Cultures in Asia) consultations that it has been my honor to attend over the last few years have invariably been at once stimulating and perplexing, and they have met a personal need to engage with Asians in overt theological reflection that I have seldom experience in Thailand. Christian thinkers from other parts of Asia bring fresh perspectives to old issues, and they draw on resources strikingly different from those relied upon by Western theologians in the past. Yet, I have come away from virtually every PTCA event asking myself what those perspectives and resources have to do with the theological contexts of Thailand and, to an extent, all of Southeast Asia. PTCA deliberations are frequently dominated by the voices of Northeast and of South Asia, and while Southeast Asians are always present somehow the voices of the Indic and Sinic epicenters of Asian ecumenical theology seem to command greater attention. It may be that Southeast Asians, more often than not, are less articulate in English than especially participants from South Asia. At the same time, some of the most articulate Southeast Asians are the children and grandchildren of overseas Chinese parents who feel as much kinship with China as they do with their "native" countries in Southeast Asia. Be that as it may, the issues that burn brightly in other parts of Asia seem distant from the realities of local church life in Thailand -and distant from the ways in which those churches express themselves theologically. The PTCA theological consultation at Tainan Theological College and Seminary, Tainan, Taiwan, held 16-19 August 2004 on the topic of "Religious Fundamentalism and Its Challenges to Doing Theology in Asia" was for me yet another stimulating and perplexing encounter with ecumenical theological thought from other parts of Asia. I would like to reflect here in a very personal way on what I heard and observed at Tainan. This is not intended to be a report on the consultation, and other participants who might read this essay may well wonder if we even attended the same event. My purpose is to once again reflect on the Thai settings for "doing theology" and how it differs from as well as is similar to other Asian settings. I would like to begin by thanking the PTCA officers and organizing committees for inviting me to participate in the Tainan consultation and for the very fine way in which they housed, fed, and pampered all of us who took part. The PTCA process is an incredibly important one, and I always feel it is a particular honor to be allowed to participate in it. On first blush, the issue of religious fundamentalism is a timely, front-page headlines topic at a time when the Palestinian struggle and the battle for Iraq dominate the world's attention. The 11 papers and the discussions that followed each of them offered a wide range of definitions and viewpoints concerning fundamentalism, which stimulated us to struggle with the meaning of the concept in often lively exchanges that alternated between highly negative and more balanced attitudes towards the subject. Some participants declared outright that fundamentalism is a negative category and fundamentalists hold to an unacceptable, dangerous, and faithless form of religion. Most of these anti-fundamentalist perspectives revolved around the idea that fundamentalists have a dualistic religious worldview that is divisive because it condemns everyone who does not believe and behave according to its own dogmas and moralisms. Yet, time and again, other participants countered with more positive views of fundamentalists, arguing that they are frequently good people who are able to live and share their faith in commendable ways. Fundamentalists can often bring hope to people who otherwise have no hope. At times, our attention seemed to be focused on especially Islamic fundamentalism but also ultra-conservative Christian and Hindu movements; but, at other times, various participants looked at dominant world political powers and individuals (notably President George Bush) as being the "real" forces of global fundamentalism. As we moved back and forth across the landscape of religious and political ideologies, it became clear that the consultation did not have a clear conception of or definition of fundamentalism. Or, rather, it had so many particular conceptions and definitions that collectively it could not shoe horn into a common perspective. In spite of some more appreciative observations on fundamentalists, it seemed at times as though the participants viewed anything that they themselves saw as theologically and ideologically "bad" as being fundamentalist. The papers and debates raised, in any event, issues concerning the nature and impact of fundamentalism. That was stimulating, and the "failure" to arrive at a common definition and understanding only served to further encourage personal reflections. What was perplexing was trying to figure out what the whole debate had to do with the theological context of the Thai church. First, Thai Buddhist religious and Thai secular political thought takes serious pride in its willingness to accept people of other faiths. The sectarian religious and nationalistic political thought of other regions of West, South, and Northeast Asia seem to be more compatible to fundamentalist thinking so that the concept itself is relevant to theological reflection in those regions. But in Southeast Asia generally and in Thailand in particular, it is more difficult to see how dualistic, divisive fundamentalism is relevant to theological reflection in Thai contexts (except, perhaps, in Islamic southern Thailand where West Asian sectarian dualism seems to exert some influence). Second, it is also difficult to see how the concept relates to the particular context of the churches of Thailand themselves-apart from foreign missionaries from the West and some other parts of Asia who tend to be dualistic in their thinking in ways alien to Thai culture itself. I have almost surely alluded to the following statement elsewhere on this website, but it bears repeating here: a national leader of the Church of Christ in Thailand observed in my hearing just a few years' ago that the denominational leaders of the CCT, the (Southern) Baptist Convention, and the Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand (EFT) get along just fine so long as there are no missionaries present. He was quite clear. It is missionaries who create divisions among the churches of Thailand. In actual fact, of course, the relationship between the various denominations and even between local churches is not that rosy, but it is true that Thai church leaders and members tend to be less ideological in their attitudes about people of other denominations and of other faiths than do Western missionaries. They, indeed, are not infrequently criticized by those missionaries for their lax attitudes. So, then, what does the concept of fundamentalism have to do with Thai theological reflection? Again a few years' ago, a somewhat younger CCT denominational figure, who is generally considered to be quite "liberal" in his theology and politics, declared to me in so many words that the whole evangelical-ecumenical split that seems so evident in churches around the world today has nothing whatsoever to do with the Thai church. It is foreign, he argued with some intensity, to the very way in which Thai peoples think about religion. In teaching Thai church history at the seminary level, I have found that Thai theological students have a good deal of trouble comprehending some aspects of missionary religious thought, particularly when it comes to that same distinction between "evangelicals" and "ecumenicals." In a better world than the one we live in, Thai theological thought would almost certainly not have to concern itself with the fundamentalist-ecumenical split, and the Thai church could have long since gotten on about the business of constructing Thai theologies without further ado. However, fresh generations of foreign evangelical missionaries-as aggressive, insensitive, and ideological as ever-keep shoving the Western dualistic agenda back onto the Thai church's plate. In terms of Thailand, their agenda is a fundamentalist one, although they themselves might reject the label; and, as such, influences Thai churches in a number of ways that should engender more theological reflection here than actually takes place, at least overtly. Viewed from the perspective of the CCT, an ostensibly ecumenical denomination, the influx of evangelical and then Pentecostal missions has reaped a mixed bag of benefits and headaches for the Protestant community. The Pentecostal churches, much more than the "straight" evangelical ones, have contributed new liveliness and enthusiasm to that community. They have also, however, sown the seeds of division and dissension born out of impatience and even disdain for the older churches they found in place. They came judging more than was necessary and loving less than was needed, and they have reaped the sad harvest of judgmentalism, one that taints the spiritual fruits they otherwise have to offer. Thus, fundamentalism remains a major issue with which the Thai churches have to contend, theologically as well as ecclesiastically. Yet having said this much, my own sense is that the Thai churches have been quietly working out a range of distinctive Thai Protestant meldings of Thai and Protestant religious cultures that go beyond simplistic distinctions between fundamentalism and ecumenism (see, for example, the paper, " Northern Thai Protestant Attitudes Towards Other Faiths: Analysis of a Questionnaire "). There is some evidence to suggest that the leaders and members of the more recent evangelical and Pentecostal churches are on their own journeys melding and integrating their Thai-ness and Protestant-ness into theologically viable mixes (see the doctoral dissertations by Nantachai, McLean, and Zehner listed in the " Bibliography of Materials Related to Christianity in Thailand "). Their journeys are inevitable; and while the constant re-infusions of missionary dualistic fundamentalism mean that each new group of Christians has to start the process over, the process of accommodating faith and culture itself goes on and results in a wide, creative range of theologies. That is to say, that while the issue of fundamentalism is important to the Thai churches, perhaps the best theological response they can give to fundamentalism is the one they are already giving-the quiet melding of Protestant and Thai cultural and religious themes into individual Thai Christian faith systems in ways that foreign missionaries are hardly even aware of and can in no way subvert. Or, to put the matter back into the context of the Tainan consultation, the issue we were discussing is relevant for Protestants in Thailand. The dualistic, good guys-bad guys way we dealt with it is not. The Tainan consultation reinforced the conviction that theological reflection is intimately tied to the language in which it is conducted. PTCA consultations are necessarily conducted in English, and no one feels particularly comfortable with that fact. Everyone connected with the PTCA movement understands that Asian theological reflection is best done in Asian languages, although few, I think, would subscribe to the notion that it can be done only in those languages. Yet, as I sat as a native language speaker of English listening to our discussions and trying to process them back into my second language, Thai, I could feel the constraints of English intruding on our thinking. Take, for example, the whole thorny issue of gender-inclusive language. The use of such language is very much of a theological issue in the PTCA context; and it is basically understood that if one wants to participate in PTCA events one had better write and speak gender inclusive, politically appropriate English. No problem. Except this issue, which often commands the energies and attention of participants, is largely irrelevant to theological reflection in Thai. It's not that Thai isn't a sexist language. It is. But Thai linguistic sexism is not to be found in the use of sexist language per se; rather, it is obscured by the hierarchical nature of the language, which gives superior status to older, well-educated, wealthy males. Thai linguistic sexism, that is, is located in a complex lexicon of status, and it is all but impossible to separate out the question of sexist language from the larger issue of hierarchical-ist language. The difference is not merely a matter of word usage but has to do, instead, with the very focus of theological reflection. More broadly, one cannot help but wonder what it means for theological reflection in Thailand that much of PTCA's stimulating theological reflection does seem to come from, as mentioned above, either South or Northeast Asia. What does it mean that a good deal, although not all by any means, of the more academic theological reflection on the Thai situation is done by missionaries and foreigners? One of the main points that I have been arguing throughout this bulletin and on this website is that local Thai theological praxis/reflection is quite creative. Koyama found this to be the case forty years' ago (see Water Buffalo Theology ), and, if anything, it is even more so today. I, personally, have seen some indication that most local Thai church members tend to be considerably more articulate in their faith than are most of the local temple faithful. Why, then, is there such a dearth of systematic, written theology in Thailand ? Why do Thai church leaders and scholars devote so little attention to overt (i.e. written) theological reflection such as is found in other Asian nations? We can guess that Thai Buddhist culture's supposed emphasis on praxis over philosophy might have something to do with the lack of overt Thai Christian theological reflection; but I am coming to the conclusion that the matter is much more complex than that. Thai theology is "done" in a way quite different from that of Europe, and the English-speaking nations while PTCA for all of its "Asianness" still "does" its theological reflection in a European fashion. One does wonder how relevant the whole PTCA process is to even the churches of India, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea. I felt, again, in Tainan how apparently Western was the format, the language, and even many of the attitudes being articulated by participants from across Asia. But, then, many of them have received their theological training in Europe, Britain, the USA, or Australia and New Zealand. They have learned how to be critical in a Western sense and engage in scholarly debates outside of their own theological and ecclesiastical settings, and while there is nothing wrong with that at all, it still renders the PTCA ecumenical Asian theological process highly problematic in most ethnic Thai settings.I say, "ethnic Thai," because, interestingly enough, some of the most stimulating and creative exercises in critical theological thinking that I have observed here in Thailand have been carried out in Karen tribal contexts where the PTCA process has had more direct influence than it has had otherwise in Thailand. Otherwise, several attempts to introduce the PTCA process into the CCT, using different formats and strategies, have failed to produce much of any substance; and have not resulted in a long-lasting theological movement. Another of the perplexing issues emerging out of the Tainan consultation, again speaking personally, is that of the place of political correctness in theological reflection. Word usage was heavily patrolled, and virtually all of the heated moments in the consultation arose because of the politically incorrect usage of certain terms, notably "tribal" and "animistic." One participant, new to the PTCA process, used the term "tribal" in a pejorative sense, speaking about "tribal divisiveness" in his own national context. While he was not referring to tribal people, this negative use of the word sparked an angry response from a tribal participant from Northeast India, which was strongly reinforced by one or two other participants. They insisted that the word tribal should be used only in a positive sense and that it is unjust to tribal peoples to see "tribalism" as being in any sense negative. Fair enough. For the great majority of us, the images attached to the word "tribal" are not much of an issue, but for those who are known by the word they are significant especially in national contexts where tribal people are subjected to second-class citizenship in fact, if not in theory. There is a parallel situation in Thai with the term "hill people" (chao kao), which is often applied to tribal people in Thailand. Ostensibly simply descriptive of where tribal people live, the term has a somewhat negative tone to it. It implies someone of lesser status and education who is, perhaps, not quite civilized. On Thai TV and elsewhere, one not infrequently sees spoofs and caricatures of tribal people that recall Vaudeville's blackface portrayals of black people. Yet, I was struck by the manifest intolerance of those who corrected the Tainan participant's apparent misuse of the term "tribal." The point he was making was that in his national context ethnic and religious ("tribal") differences, bolstered by fundamentalist attitudes, were a prime cause of national injustice and suffering. Sad to say, the strong reprimand of his unintentional use of an English word led the consultation to largely overlook the larger point he was making. Nor did those who attacked him for his misuse of the term "tribal" take into account the fact that he is not a native-language speaker of English. (For that matter, none of those who took serious exception to his use of the term are themselves native-language speakers of English). The usage of the term "animist," when applied to the beliefs of certain groups in Southeast Asia, drew a similar and equally abrupt response from an Indian participant, who in an informal moment shared with several others after a plenary session angrily refused to explain his understanding of the word itself. He stated that to call any people "animistic" is pejorative, demeaning, and reprehensible; he asserted that the word had not been used in India for a century. Again, fair enough. To judge by the American Heritage Dictionary (1969), the term animism refers to "primitive" beliefs regarding spiritual powers in nature, which can be seen as a rather demeaning way to refer to the beliefs of modern day Asians. Yet, the term continues to be used among academics of Southeast Asia in a relatively neutral sense, and it actually names an important aspect of Thai religious consciousness having to do with the place and power of local spiritual powers and beings. There does not seem to be another term for "animism." The term "traditional religiosity," for example, is much broader and does not necessarily name that aspect of traditional religious thinking having to do with spirits and spirit propitiation. From my own understanding of the Thai context, it seems to me that it is possible to raise a number of issues regarding the role of political correctness in Asian theological thought. First, it does seem that Asian theologians could exercise a bit more patience with each other; and, perhaps, it would be wise to sort out more carefully exactly why the use of certain words is rejected so adamantly. Those speaking from one Asian context should especially be careful not to universalize their understanding of certain English-language terms to all other Asian situations. Second, the PTCA and other ecumenical-liberal forums would also do well to reflect more carefully on their reliance on apparently Western approaches to the political correct usage of certain English-language terms. The call for political correctness can be seen as reflecting an inherently Western dualistic approach, one that assigns "good" and "bad" uses of terms like "tribal" and "animism" without any recognition of gray areas or differences in Asian contexts. While ecumenical-liberal Christians criticize fundamentalists for their rigid dualism, on this issue of political correctness ecumenicals frequently display virtually the same rigidly dualistic approach-a kind of ecumenical fundamentalism, if you will. Perhaps it is necessary to "fight fire with fire," but such an argument is not self-evident. The point here is that while the international ecumenical Asian theological movement is stuck with using English as its medium of exchange, it would be wise to consider how Asian Christians can best use the language in a non-dualistic, more Asian-like way. Third, in Thai, at least, there is an approach to political correctness that is different from that seen among native language speakers of English. For some time now, there has been a movement afoot to transform the meaning of the Thai term for people who are "crippled" (khon phikarn). In English, now, we have to put the term "crippled" in quotation marks, because political correctness all but forbids the use of the term at all. In Thai, however, there are no strictures against using the word cripple, but there is an ongoing move to change its meaning-a movement symbolized Thailand's active, proud participation in the Special Olympics. This transformation of meaning seeks to present crippled people in positive terms and to make the point that they have skills and abilities and values irrespective of or even deriving from their condition. While there are those who will object in English to the idea that crippled people are still people "in spite" of their condition, the terms applied to the "differently challenged" in English can amount to polite euphemisms that still highlight the different-ness of people who are "handicapped." In a much less than perfect world, the Thai language approach of retaining the original words and packing new meanings into them seems just as viable as the English-language speakers' approach of discarding terms entirely-and less aggressive, less dualistic in a way that seems to better fit a Southeast Asian world view. The use of the English language for Asian theological reflection, in sum, inevitably removes that reflection from its Asian context, not wholly, of course, but in important part. It also, frankly, renders those reflections less relevant to local situations in Thailand where problems haggling over the meaning of certain English words and terms has no meaning at all. More largely, the very use of English as a medium for theological reflection seems to encourage linguistic approaches and dualistic attitudes that are, if anything, inimical to Asian theological reflection. As mentioned in the Introduction, I find these PTCA consultations invaluable, in part, because of the fresh perspectives the various participants bring to them. One of the most intriguing discussion of the Tainan consultation followed a paper on the role of the media in creating and fostering fundamentalisms. In the drive for using Asian resources for Asian theological reflection, it seems that the use of media analysis as a tool for that reflection has not received much attention. The media, particularly the press and television, play a huge role in the creation of images and myths, ones that profoundly influence world opinion. Local channels of communication are being usurped more and more by global networks, which all too often present uncritical and even ignorant images and data concerning even local events. The media generally thrives on sensationalism, and they transform complex issues into small, superficial bites that mislead as much as they inform. At the same time, however, the media also reflect what people want to hear about, so that there is a dynamic (and frequently uncreative) relationship between the media and their audiences. The paper and the discussions that followed raised important questions concerning how theologians should respond to the media, using it both as a source of reflection and subjecting it to critical theological rebuttal and comment. How can pulpits be used to counter the negative (evil?) side of the media? How does the use of the media for Christian evangelism impact local Christian peoples? In what ways can peoples of faith foster new channels of communication? And, while we had more questions than answers, the direction of the discussion provided food for thought in the Thai context as well. Another highly stimulating discussion revolved around one of the participant's use of Augustine and Aristotle as sources for Asian theology in his paper. Other participants objected that there are perfectly good Asian sources that make the same points as these Western sources. One other participant argued that Augustine's anti-feminism discredits him as a source for Asian theological reflection. Still another participant argued that Augustine is also an elitist source and therefore also "anti-minjung," that is a source that does not reflect the suffering of poor Asians. These objections generated counter-objections of their own, especially the observation that if contemporary theologians use only sources that are not "anti-feminist" they will have precious little left to work with. Feminism is a recent movement and theological sensitivity to its issues is a recent phenomenon. More largely, other participants argued that Asian theologians should be allowed to "play" with whatever sources they deem useful; and the validity of that usage should be tested by the results of their theological conclusions. In this case, it was noted that virtually everyone agreed with the paper's conclusions, which suggests that its use of Western sources for Asian theological reflection was valid and helpful. One participant also argued that we should not take a dualistic approach to such sources as they combine both positive and negative aspects. Theologians need to discern what is useful in a source rather than reject it because some of its contents are "bad." Yet another discussion period capsulized in many ways the quality and intensity of the exchanges that took place at Tainan. In response to a paper that presented a relatively positive picture about the reality of Christian evangelicalism-fundamentalism in the Philippines, some participants observed that in particular contexts fundamentalists show many positive traits. They show a real depth of faith and unity in the Spirit. It was also observed that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to make any clear distinctions between terms such as evangelicalism, fundamentalism, Pentecostalism, and that these terms do not make a lot of sense in Asian contexts anyway. One participant said, for example, that Asians had not gone through the Enlightenment so that all of the discussion about modernism and its relationship to fundamentalism was irrelevant. He asserted that Asian theology must start with the Asian historical and contemporary experience, which renders many Western philosophical and theological terms irrelevant. Other participants observed, however, that we cannot make a simple distinction between Western and Asian experiences anymore. He pointed out how Western in appearance, for example, our own group was even though it was composed largely of Asians discussing Asian theology. Another person stated that there are people in Asia who are genuinely post-modern and who even reject much of traditional Asian culture. An Indian participant noted that in his country the concept of post-modernism is largely irrelevant since India did not participate in the European Enlightenment, but the concept of fundamentalism is highly relevant even if it originated in the West. Finally, a brief exchange concerning the term, "separate but equal," indicates how different national contexts influence the thinking of Christian Asians. One of the Indian participants stated that Indian minority groups sought to be separate but equal within the Hindu majority culture. An American participant observed that such a goal was dangerous, and he reflected on the ways in which White Americans used the doctrine of "separate but equal" to force Black and Native Americans to live in oppression. The Indian participant responded immediately that in India, minority groups feared being engulfed by the majority culture and the separate but equal doctrine helped to protect them from that fate. PTCA consultations always remind me of how complex a continent Asia is, both geographically and culturally. It also serves to underscore the complexities of theological reflection in the diverse context of Asia. Whatever the drawbacks of the PTCA process, it serves to remove its participants from their own situations and encourages them to reflect cross-contextually as well as cross-culturally. One cannot help but be impressed by the forthright declaration of his desire for full independence for Taiwan as Taiwan by one of the Taiwanese participants. The evident pain of discrimination of tribal peoples in South Asia further sensitives one to those same pains in Thailand. An Indonesian Catholic spoke with that same evident pain about the tensions caused by fundamentalists within his own religious tradition. There were more such moments than I can record here, and the real value of those moments was that they helped all of us to think our own situations in new ways or, at least, from a fresh perspective. Papers Presented to the Consultation in the Order of their Presentation: Jeri Gunderson (Philippines/USA), "The Perversion of the Cross: A Feminist Critique of Religious Fundamentalism." Padmini Solomon (Malaysia/India), "Religious Fundamentalism: Whose? Where?" Luna L. Dingayan ( Philippines ), "A Study on the New Religious Movements in the Cordillera Region ( Philippines )." Matheus Purwatma ( Indonesia ), "Orthodoxy and Orthopraxy in Doing Local Theology: The Challenge of Fundamentalism in the Doing of Theology in an Asian Context." Chellaian Lawrence ( Sri Lanka ), "Religious and Political Fundamentalism: A Christian Response." Herbert R. Swanson (Thailand/USA), "Reconstructing Fundamentalism: a Preliminary Analysis of Protestant Strategies for Religious and Cultural Accommodation in Northern Thailand." Jinkwan Kwon ( South Korea ), "Fundamentalism in Korea -in Comparison with Minjung Theology." Joshva Raja ( India ), "Media Myths of Fundamentalism and a Need for Theology of Dialogue at the Grassroots." George Oommen ( India ), "Dalits and Hindu Religious Fundamentalism: Countering Aggressive Majoritarian Constructs of Nationhood." Pratap Gine ( India ), "Tribalism: A New Form of Religious Fundamentalism-A Challenge for Doing Theology in Asia." K.P. Aleaz ( India ), "The Challenge of the Sangh Parivar in Doing Theology in India."Table of Contents #1 � A Believer's Story Some months ago, I was told the story of a woman who has accepted Christ but not become a Christian, and it is a story worth telling here. She is evidently a middle aged woman who at one time worked for a company in Bangkok, where her immediate superior, also a woman, was a Christian. Her boss spent some time at the beginning of each work day reading the Bible, and eventually the woman herself became curious about why. Their discussions led to the boss to giving her a Bible and explaining something of the Christian faith to her. I do not know the details, but from her reading, discussions, and through the example of her boss, the woman discovered her own faith in Jesus. She reads the Bible and prays daily, and she gives ten percent of her income to worthy causes. She speaks with conviction concerning the spiritual value of tithing, and, according to my source, the woman appears to be very knowledgeable of the Christian faith. She has read the Bible completely through twice and is on her third round; she reads it every morning to her husband, who allows her to tithe his salary as well as hers. This woman, however, has not been baptized and does not attend any church. She actively participates in the life of a local temple, giving part of her tithe to God (as she calls her giving) to the temple. She also participates fully in the ceremonies and rituals of her temple but says that she uses the time to pray to God. She told my source that one day she will probably be baptized and join a church, but for the time being it would be very hurtful of the older members of her family, grandparents and parents, if she publicly declared herself a Christian. In the meantime, she seems to have found a good balance between her faith in Christ and her respect for her family, not allowing them to come into conflict. She even seems to be bringing her husband to a knowledge of Christ as well. #2 � Defining Religions This note follows on Note #1, above. In that note, we are introduced to a woman who believes in God and Christ, who reads the Bible daily, who tithes as a conscious act of her faith, and who shares her faith with others. She is not baptized, not a member of any church, and she does not attend worship regularly. Is she a Christian? Jonathan A. Silk has written a fascinating article analyzing how to define Mahayana Buddhism [in Numen 14, 4 (October 2002): 355-399]. He demonstrates that scholarly definitions of Mahayana Buddhism have been based on a fruitless search for a set of common characteristics shared by all Mahayana Buddhists but not shared with any other Buddhists. He concludes that the concept "Mahayana Buddhism" represent a "polythetic class." In such a class, each member of the class has an important number of traits that are considered relevant to the whole class. No member of the class, however, has all of the traits. Two Mahayana sects can thus be very different from each other and yet both belong to the polythetic class labelled "Mahayana Buddhism" because they share a number of similar traits. Although not discussed by Silk, the problem, of course, is to determine how many traits a particular sect has to have before it can be included in the class, "Mahayana Buddhism." Silk also does not deal with the fact that some traits may be more important than others in defining the class. Still, he contributes a helpful approach to defining "mega-concepts" for which it is impossible to arrive at one inclusive definition. To return to our woman, she clearly shares a number of traits with the polythetic class, "Christian." She has faith in Christ, reads the Bible, tithes, and shares her faith. Are these traits sufficient for her to be classified a Christian? Or, does receiving baptism constitute a necessary trait for all members of the class? If so, then the class, "Christian," is partly a "monothetic class," that is all members in the class must have certain common traits to be in it. In this case, however, simply being baptized is insufficient grounds for classifying individuals as Christians because many people have been baptized, even as adults, who no longer consider themselves or are considered by others to be Christians. Christianity, like Mahayana Buddhism, is a "polythetic class." All that really means is that it is hard to define who are "Christians." Our definition depends on what traits we assign to the class and the weight we give to each trait, which leaves us a lot of room to argue about who are "really" Christians and who are not. #3 � Armed Conflict in Decline According to a news release from the Associated Press published on CNN.com on 30 August 2004, two international bodies that track international armed conflict report that a definite decline is taking place in international armed conflicts. Since the end of World War II in 1945, the most battlefield-related deaths took place in 1951, when some 700,000 died in armed conflict (this does not include war-related deaths from starvation, "unofficial" conflicts between ethnic or other groups, or the massacre of civilians). The 1990s saw a resurgence in armed conflict, mostly due to the break-up of the Soviet Union, but now the trend downward has resumed. In 2002, only about 15,000 people were killed in state-supported armed conflict. The number rose to 20,000 in 2003 because of the war in Iraq. These figures are still well below the figures of the 1990s, which saw between 40,000 to 100,000 war deaths annually. The article gives numerous reasons for this decline, but major credit goes to the U.N. and other international agencies that have become increasingly pro-active in intervening to prevent or end armed conflicts. The end of the Cold War, in particular, has also brought an end to proxy wars and freed the U.N. to do its job without American or Soviet intervention. The result is that the U.N. undertook 14 peace initiatives in 2003 and deployed a monthly average of 38,500 military peacekeepers around the world, three times the number for 1999. I know it does not feel like the world is getting more peaceful with our headlines dominated by news from Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, and the world feels less secure because international terrorists have become major players on the world stage. We should not, however, undersell the quiet, unspectacular advances that are being made in our world to make it a better, safer place to live. In the twentieth century, armed conflict between nations repeatedly tore apart the fabric of world peace. As we enter the twenty-first century, world public opinion is less and less tolerant of state-sponsored violence for political ends, and that opinion counts for more and more in the global village. We can only hope & pray this trend continues and expands to include other forms of violence, personal as well as governmental and ethnic. #4 � Detoxifying Bureaucracies Don Cook's The Long Fuse: How England Lost the American Colonies, 1760-1785 (NYC: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1995) is a carefully documented and well-written history of England 's mismanagement of its North American colonies, which led to American independence. More largely, it is a description of how a governmental bureaucracy went out of its way to create a crisis, failed to deal competently with that crisis, and in the end lost far more than it could ever have gained from its original goals. Before 1760, the British government had generally left its American colonies to fend for themselves, which they did to their own benefit and that of England itself. After 1760, however, England sought to bring the colonies "to heel," creating resentments and stirring up a series of crises that eventually led to war. In the process, it turned some of its most loyal American subjects into its most determined enemies, and by 1785 it was widely recognized in England itself that the whole thing had been a enormous political mistake and embarrassing military debacle. The country did not have sufficient military resources to wage war with it far-distant colonies, and, as importantly, it did not have the bureaucratic savvy to wage that war, its best political leadership having been shoved out of power by King George III. Cook makes it abundantly clear that George's stubborn, willful, and thoroughly unimaginative insistence that the colonies pay "their fair share" of British governmental costs and behave towards England in a loyal, submissive manner was the key factor in the prolonged crisis with the colonies. He, furthermore, could not abide most of the competent politicians of the day, so he consistently put men of limited abilities in positions of authority. His machinations allowed incompetents to sit in important positions and carry out incredibly foolish policies. If we survey international crises large and small today, how many of them grow out of or are significantly acerbated by incompetent bureaucratic mismanagement and the willful stubbornness of uncreative political leadership? To what degree does that same mismanagement and willfulness infect religious bureaucracies? One wonders, for instance, whether or not the demise of Christianity in parts of Europe and elsewhere is as much a reaction against institutionalized ecclesiastical bureaucracy as it is a rejection of the faith itself. It seems fair to say, in any event, that one of the key issues involved in creating a more peaceful world is detoxifying bureaucracies of all sorts. #5 � Tomlin's Missiology The Rev. Jacob Tomlin of the London Missionary Society was one of the first two Protestant missionaries to arrive in Bangkok in 1828. In his diary entry for Christmas day 1831, Tomlin explains something of his missiological approach. Writing concerning a group of Chinese who were engaged in their own worship of God, he states, "It is indeed of great importance that the heathen be taught how to pray to, and worship, the true God, otherwise they are liable, through their old idolatrous habits, prejudices, and ignorance, to fall into great errors, and, like the Cutheans of old, to mingle idolatry and true religion together." He then gives examples of Chinese in Bangkok who engaged in such syncretistic practices and concludes, "We must therefore treat them as children, and set before their eyes a living example; take them by the hand; teach them reverently to kneel down; pray for them, and put right words into their mouths. Afterwards they will imitate us in their own private worship." ("Rev. J. Tomlin's Journal in Siam," Missionary Herald 29, 5 (May 1831): 170.) Tomlin articulates here two key principles in his missiological approach. First, syncretism is one of the great dangers facing the missionary enterprise. Two, the best way to avoid syncretism is through an intensive socialization process using the missionaries themselves as both models of and instructors in the correct way behave as Christians. Both of these principles reflect the almost universal nineteenth-century Protestant missionary assumption in Siam that the missionaries taught a God-given, biblically-based pure form of the Christian faith, which can be communicated cross-culturally in its pure form. #6 � First Protestant Worship Service in Thai? The Rev. Charles Robinson of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) mission in Bangkok wrote in a letter dated 11 February 1836 that the ABCFM mission held what he believed to be the first public worship of God in Thai on 24 January 1836. He wrote, "The meeting was held at the dispensary, of course most of the hearers were sick, but no less in need of the Great Physician on this account. About thirty were present on the first Sabbath. It was a time of deep interest to us. We had prepared a prayer and a hymn in Siamese, and this was probably the first time ever that a prayer to the true God, or his praises, were publicly heard in that language. The people appeared very attentive." [in Missionary Herald 32, 10 (October 1836), 380-381.] Robinson himself wrote that this was "probably" the first public Christian worship service in Thai. Catholic churches had, of course, been worshipping in Siam for centuries, but in Latin not Thai. Protestant public worship in Siam up to January 1836, so far as he knew, had been conducted in Chinese. It seems reasonably likely that Christian worship in Thai did actually begin on January 24th, 1836. #7 � Mary Bradley Blachly in AmericaThe following excerpt from the book, Progressive Men of Western Colorado (Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1905), pages 382-383, tells the story of Mary Adele Bradley (1854-1926), daughter of Dan Beach and Sarah Blachly Bradley, who married Andrew Blachly in 1877. Although not precisely a chapter in Thai church history, Mary's story complements that of her mother as told in the article, "Sophia Bradley McGilvary and Sarah Blachly Bradley: Notes Towards a Family Biography," in HeRB 8. In particular, it suggests that Mary inherited some of the same sturdy pioneering spirit that was evident in her mother and in her stepsister, Sophia Bradley McGilvary. The one curious aspect about Mary revealed in this excerpt is that her husband was also her first cousin. His father, Eben Blachly, was Mary's mother's brother, that is Mary's uncle. In any event, what follows gives us insights into the world of the old-time missionary families. It tells us about how one of their children made her way in the world. Somehow, it gives the whole picture slightly more color to know that one of those children lost her husband in a bank robbery replete with galloping horses and pistol-packing desperadoes. My thanks to Mr. Jon Van of Nakhon Payap International School for forwarding this story to me. " Andrew T. Blachly, "The late Andrew T. Blachly, of Delta, whose tragic death on September 7, 1893, at the age of forty-six, by a daring hold-up and robbery of the Farmers & Merchants' Bank, of which he was at the time cashier, awakened universal regret and horror throughout the Western slope of this state, was born in Dane county, Wisconsin, on September 22, 1847, and was the son of Eben and Jane (Trew) Blachly, of that state, both of whom are now deceased. "The father was a doctor and after many years of general practice in Wisconsin, moved to the vicinity of Kansas City, Missouri, where he opened and conducted a school for Negro children, carrying it on in conjunction with his wife, who had, like himself, received a college education and was well qualified for the work. They kept the school going mainly by their own endeavors and at their own expense from 1866 until 1877, when the father died and the mother sold her property and joined her son in the West. They were the parents of five sons and one daughter. The first and second born of the sons served in the Civil war. One was captured and confined in Libby prison and the other died in a military hospital. "Andrew received a good education, attending the Lodi ( Wisconsin ) Academy and pursuing a partial course at Washington and Jefferson College, in Washington, Pennsylvania. He left home in 1869 and came to Colorado, where he clerked in the office of the Kansas Pacific Railroad at Denver part of the time, teaching school during the rest until 1872. From that time until 1878 he was occupied in mercantile business for himself at Monument, Colorado, and also published a paper called the Mentor for two years. In 1880 he moved to Salida and kept a drug store until 1881, when he changed his base to Gunnison and there carried on the same business until his health broke down in 1885. He then moved to Delta county and took up a homestead on which he lived five years. He planted a few acres in fruit, but sold the place before the trees began to bear much. Locating at Delta, he opened a real-estate office and pushed his business vigorously and profitably for two years. "At the end of that period, in company with D.S. Baldwin, he organized the Farmers and Merchants' Bank of Delta. He served as cashier of this institution until September 7, 1893, when just after the bank had been opened for business three robbers walked into the room and ordered him to throw up his hands and turn over to them the cash. Instead of doing this he called for help and the leader of the outlaws shot him, killing him instantly. The robbers then went behind the bars and talking all the money in sight, made their way to the back door where their horses were tied. As they mounted their horses and passed to the rear of the post office they encountered W.R. Simpson, who had heard of the robbery. He stepped into an alley and shot two of them dead. The third man, who was their guard while they made the raid, succeeded in getting away with the money they had taken. "At the time of Mr. Blachly's death he was living on a ranch he had purchased a short time before. On this property his family resided until recently and under the wise and vigorous management of his widow it became one of considerable value and productiveness. Mr. Blachly was married on September 7, 1877, to Miss Mary A. Bradley, a native of Bangkok, Siam, the daughter of Dan B. and Sarah (Blachly) Bradley, the former born in Utica, New York, and the latter in Dane county, Wisconsin. The father died in 1876 and the mother in 1893."To Mr. and Mrs. Blachly eight children were born, all sons and all now living. They are Arthur T., Fred F., Clarence D., Howard D., Harold W., Ralph R., Louis B. and Edward H. By their help Mrs. Blachly has been able to carry on the operations of the ranch and greatly enlarge its productiveness. She sold the one on which they were living at the time of her husband's death and bought another of forty acres. On this she has four acres in fruit and also runs a fine herd of cattle in the hills. She and her sons are very successful in managing the business, and she has won a high reputation as a business woman of excellent judgment. The oldest son was fifteen years old when his father died and the youngest one year old. The first named is now a student in the medical department of the State University at Boulder, and will be graduated there in a short time, after which he will practice his profession in the neighborhood of his home. Mrs. Blachly has prospered in all her undertakings and made money steadily. She is regarded as a very good manager and a lady of great industry and enterprise. Her husband was a Republican in politics, a Mason in fraternal life and a Presbyterian in church membership. She is also a Presbyterian and she and the sons are in sympathy with the principles of the Republican party in political affairs. Their ranch is located one mile and a half east of Delta, on the Garnett mesa." Table of Contents News & Notes Herb Moves On As of 1 January 2005, I will no longer work for the Office of History, Church of Christ in Thailand, and have some hope of relocating in the United States for a few years. This move will probably mean that HeRB will appear less frequently than it has in the past. Regular readers should check back late next March (2005) to see if anything is happening and then, if not, again later in the year. It is likely that HeRB will continue, but obviously my changing circumstances will influence the contents substantially. I do intend to continue this website, in any event, and will at the very least maintain what it now contains, probably adding one or two new items per year. Youth & Religion in Thailand: A Project Dr. Philip Hughes and I have initiated a study of trends in youth religiosity in Thailand that involves a partnership between the CCT's Office of History, Office of Home & Family, the Religious Studies Program at Mahidol University, and the Christian Research Association (Australia). While focusing on youth trends in Thailand, the project includes a comparative study of trends in Australia as well. The stated purpose of the study is to discern how contemporary youth in Thailand view religion in general and in terms of their own values and life. It also seeks to discover how trends in youth thinking about religion in Thailand are similar to and different from those in Western nations, particularly Australia. The project will take roughly three years to complete and will include Buddhist, Muslim, and Christian (Protestant and Catholic) youth from Northern and Central Thailand.Table of Contents This book is fun, informative, and presents a fascinating approach to the study of the human past. In an age when many historians reject the very possibility of writing over-arching "macrohistory," Diamond presents what he himself considers to be the ultimate in macrohistory, a history of all peoples in all places from the end of the last Ice Age, some 13,000 years ago, down to the present-in a paperback edition with just 425 pages of text! The reason the author thinks he can get away with such an outlandish claim (and, largely succeeds) is because of his approach and perspective, which is taken from the biological sciences. He treats the human past in its geographical and environmental settings, arguing that those settings provide historians with a set of ultimate explanations to the whole course of human history. Beginning with the problem of why Europe and North American have become the wealthiest and most powerful nations of the world, Diamond conducts an elaborate investigation of the geographical and environmental factors that allow some peoples to become dominant over others. His investigation starts with the description of the Polynesian expansion across the Pacific, showing how some groups prospered while others died away. Proceeding in a question-and-answer fashion, the author concludes that some peoples were simply luckier than others. Diamond is insistent that the indigenous peoples of Australia or New Guinea are in no wise inferior to those of other races; they failed to become dominant peoples because of the geography and environment in which they live. He argues that the ultimate factor in human history is food production. Those peoples who produce the most food prosper because more food means increased population; and as their population increases they are able to develop the human and natural resources need to expand their power at the expense of other, less fortunate neighbors. Food production, in turn, depends on domesticating plants and animals both for eating, and in the case of larger domestic animals (such as the water buffalo), helping to intensify further food production. It turns out that there are only a very small number of plants and animals suitable for domestication, and those peoples who lived in proximity to them in ancient times were the ones who prospered. The toss of the geographical coin especially favored the peoples of Mesopotamia who had an inordinately abundant number of species suitable for domestication. Diamond especially points out how geography and environment favored the vast Eurasian continent in the development of powerful peoples. Eurasia is dominant partly because of its immense size, which allows the development of many cultures and the large populations needed for the emergence of the human inventiveness needed for people to take advantage of their geographical opportunities. Equally as important, the Eurasian geographical axis runs East-West, which means that plants and animals domesticated in one environment can expand across the mega-continent at roughly the same latitudes. The Americas suffer from having a North-South axis in which it is virtually impossible to transfer the domesticated plants and animals of one climate to the colder or hotter climates immediately to the north and south. Thus, the plants and animals domesticated in Mesopotamia expanded relatively quickly into Europe and northern Africa, which have roughly similar climates, while the Incas and Aztecs of the Americas did not even know of the existence of each other. In the math of Diamond's geo-historical approach, domestication equals food equals power. Food production is the basis for all of civilization. It is no accident that writing, for example, appears where increased food production led to population growth, which in turn led to greater social and cultural complexity. Food producers were the ones who could thus develop the weapons and technology (Diamond's "Guns" and "Steel") needed to dominate other peoples, and they were the ones who became more immune through population density to the diseases ("Germs") that would eventually decimate smaller populations that lacked such immunity. The reason, thus, that Euro-American civilization now dominates the globe is because it is the direct descendant of the Fertile Crescent. Its peoples have benefited far more and far more directly than any others from the revolutions in plants and animal domestication and food production that began in Mesopotamia thousands of years ago. Diamond's arguments are obviously more detailed and complex than this brief sketch of them even suggests, but even at that he sometimes leaves the reader breathless as he hops from continent to continent, era to era making the case for his geographical and environmental perspective on human history. One tries not to be sucked into the book's line of reasoning, but I have to admit that it is highly persuasive in many ways. The great majority of working historians, including yours' truly, tend to look at a much narrower range of factors, whether they be political, social, or religious. Diamond, by way of contrast, thinks of history as being one of the biological sciences and sees the explanations that the rest of us make for historical events as being only "proximate" causes. He acknowledges that certain historical figures have an impact on history, and he realizes that cultural differences between peoples also have an impact. At the "ultimate" level, however, food is power; and in order to gain the food necessary for power human societies need domestic plants and animals that suit their environments and which can be exported to adjoining areas. Thus, the Australian aborigines never had a chance to become a powerful people because Australia was virtually devoid of both plants and animals that could be domesticated. The one domesticated animal they had, the dingo, was a relatively late import from Asia. European settlers could easily defeat the aborigines in their totally one-sided battle for the continent because the settlers came from a complex culture that had the technology (guns and steel) and brought the diseases (germs) of a densely populated society needed to decimate the indigenous peoples. As always, Diamond insists that such peoples as the Australian aborigines are every bit as bright and creative as white Europeans. They simply had the bad luck to be lodged in the wrong environmental niche. Guns, Germs and Steel is a highly personal book in spite of its sweeping intentions. The author has lived and worked for many years in New Guinea, and thus many of his examples and allusions have to do with that island. Sad to say, Diamond hardly realizes that Southeast or South Asia exist. In his catalogue of civilizations, for example, he never mentions the Khmer Civilization. India receives scant attention. The Pacific islanders, on the other hand, receive a good deal of attention, more than their place in world history would seem to warrant, because Diamond sees them as providing specific test cases for his theories. Much more serious from my point of view is Diamond's failure to treat culture in general and religion in particular as factors in human history. He claims that geographical and environmental factors provide the ultimate explanation for the course of human history, yet he is not actually able to account for why within a given environment one village takes better advantage of its situation than another village nearby. One sees this on the rice plains of Chiang Mai where two communities, right next to each other are still markedly different in income levels and quality of life (regarding, for example, the incidence of drugs and AIDS). Why did Rome emerge as powerful village, then town, then city, then kingdom, and finally empire? Or, again, how does one account for the vast cultural and religious influence of Greece, a small and not particularly fertile peninsula that could fight the great Persian Empire to a standstill? Diamond attempts, as an example of the limitations of his geographical explanation, to show that Europe is geographically better off than China because where China has been subject to the whims of one central government for thousands of years, it is all but impossible to unite Europe even today. He cites the example of sea faring. While the Chinese government suspended sea-faring activities in the 1430s, Columbus was able to go from European country until he finally found one, Spain, that was willing to finance his voyage to the West (pages 412-413). Diamond makes it sound as if it was inevitable that a divided Europe would sail the seas while a united China would not-as if someone was going to inevitably back Columbus, an assumption that is impossible to prove. In fact, it was never certain that Spain was actually going to finance his trip until the final decision was made. The author is particularly remiss in his attitude towards religion, which is clearly negative and all but dismissive. We are particularly aware of the power of religion today, but religion has always played an important role in human affairs; and it is difficult to make any correlation between environment and religion. Diamond, in any event, does not try, and he apparently sees religion as only being a mechanism for augmenting power. The central weakness in Diamond's presentation, as apt and appealing as it is generally, is in his assertion that his geo-historical approach provides ultimate explanations to the course of human history. The assertion is nonsense if for no other reason that he begins his own tale many hundreds of thousands of years after the human species emerged and spread across important parts of the globe. If we want to discuss the "ultimate" course of human history, then we need to find out why we have an opposable digit, the thumb, and why we are omnivores. We need to talk about the advantages of hunting in packs and being able to move on two legs so that our other two "legs" are free for other uses. If, in fact, we want to search out the true ultimate causes of the course of human history, we need to discover the very reason for being of the universe itself. Diamond does not provide us with ultimate explanations, however many times he uses the term. Rather, he presents what is best termed macrohistory, the study of the overarching, major factors in human history. He is right on when he points out the massive importance of geography and environment as one of the key factors in human history, but he is wrong in trying to assign ultimate significance to these factors. There is still a great deal he cannot explain because a good deal of what happens in our lives is not directly related to geographical factors. In northern Thai church history, for example, geography and environment have certainly had their impact. Those factors explain, for example, why Protestant missionaries did not begin work in the North until quite late in the game. They also explain why the Presbyterian Laos Mission was divided into several semi-autonomous stations, each located in the major city of a fertile valley surrounded by mountains. Geography does not explain, however, the impact of Old School Presbyterian theological thinking on missionary behavior and their evangelistic and ecclesiastical strategies in the North. It does not explain why there is a strong church in one rural community of Lamphun Province while the church has disappeared completely from other communities in that same province. That is to say, sometimes the macro-historical factors of geography, food production, and climatic conditions have little relative impact on actual events. At other times, they have a massive impact. Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel, in sum, reminds us in a forceful, useful fashion of the importance of geographical, biological, and environmental factors in human history-especially when we are dealing with global developments over centuries of time. My sense is that he has overstated his case somewhat and that the Euro-American dominance of the planet since the nineteenth century was not as inevitable as he claims. As a layman when it comes to many of his arguments, I am left feeling a little uneasy as to whether some of them are actually valid or not. He claims for example that some species are more easily domesticated than others, which seems logical; but one wonders if the fact that some species of plants or animals have not yet been domesticated is actually proof that they cannot be-as he seems to think. Yet, it also seems undeniable that the history of human food production has given some peoples large advantages over others and that, often times, the peoples so advantaged have responded in innovative, inventive ways to actually take advantage of their situation. We need to leave some room, however, for serendipity, for pure chance, for inspiration, and for creative genius even at the macro-level. Given his flaws and a certain level of hubris in his claims, I would still strongly recommend Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel to the readers of HeRB. It is a well written, tightly argued approach to the study of the human past that deserves critical reflection.Table of Contents Although it is a book on American religious and cultural history, Prothero's American Jesus raises a number of broader questions concerning the relationship of Christian faith to culture and presents a useful concept, the icon, for analysis of that relationship. The book itself is a study in the development of popular images of Jesus in the United States, the author's argument being that Jesus has become the central figure, or "icon," in American religion. He now belongs to all Americans, not just those who consider themselves Christians. Prothero contends that it is nearly impossible to live in the United States without coming to terms with Jesus, and he demonstrates how even the most disparate groups, including American Jews, Hindus, and Buddhists, have all more or less assimilated Jesus into their religious faith. Prothero also argues, however, that Americans have long been busy creating and re-creating Jesus in their own images. Those images are always changing as American culture and sub-cultures change; in some eras Jesus is a highly feminized individual, in others he is a "best friend," and in still other periods he is a manly, macho tough guy. Prothero credits (or faults, as the case may be) nineteenth-century liberal Protestants with playing a key role in transforming Jesus into America 's national icon. The "modernists" were increasingly uneasy with Christian dogma and increasingly critical of the traditional views of the Bible; and they were the ones who began to de-biblicize and de-deify Jesus, transforming him into an independent religious figure who actually lived, taught, died, and was resurrected. The result has been a massive American literature about Jesus, countless paintings and poems devoted to him, and a huge hymnology epitomized by "What a Friend we have in Jesus"; and while Americans drew on European writers and artists as well as their own, the market for selling Jesus was and is far, far stronger in America than Europe or elsewhere. Perhaps most telling is the manner in which Americans of other faiths have re-fashioned Jesus to fit their religious tradition. American Jews, particularly Reformed Jews, in the last half of the nineteenth century discovered that the "real Jesus" was a Jew, a rabbi, a teacher of Jewish wisdom. Material about him was included in Jewish religious instruction. American Hindus, as another example cited by Prothero, rediscovered a more gnostic view that emphasized Jesus' divinity, his oneness with the Divine. In the case of both Hindus and Jews, a considerable number of thinkers came to believe that they "knew Jesus" better than Christians. They distinguished the "religion of Jesus" from the "religion about Jesus," and argued that the so-called Christians have been tricked by Paul and their own traditions into believing in a false Jesus. American Jesus is a cultural history. As such, the author draws on a wide variety of sources not usually associated with church or religious history. There is a long section about the history and influence of Sallman's "Head of Christ." The well-known Jesus musicals, Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell, are given their due consideration. Prothero's chapter on Mormon conceptions of Jesus is fascinating and informative. Throughout his narrative, Prothero focuses on popular images of Jesus so that the reader learns something about popular American religious literature, art, and music. He also provides historical background to the various groups discussed, but one does not have a sense that his background commentary deviates from his main arguments. Prothero never loses touch thus with his main arguments, which are straightforward but insightful. Jesus is an American icon. But, he is an icon created in the image of Americans, be they Protestant or Catholic, Mormon or Jewish, Black or Asian. The subject of American images of Jesus is a massive subject to cover in a book of 300 pages, and Prothero himself recognizes that he could write another book on the subject using almost entirely another set of data and examples. Yet, he has managed his subject expertly. His prose is perhaps slightly "trendy," but not offensively or inappropriately so. He has his footnotes in place and his bibliography well alphabetized, but the academic paraphernalia does not get in the way of his story. One could wish, perhaps, for more illustrations as Prothero refers to numerous paintings that are not included in the illustrations, but this is a minor complaint at most. The book makes an important contribution to American religious thought. It is by turns though provoking, amusing, and enlightening. Suppose one was to write a comparable book on Thai religious thought, particularly with Thai Christianity in mind, what would one write about? Is there a national Thai religious icon comparable to Jesus as an American icon? Keeping in mind the many differences between Thailand and the United States, I think it is possible to argue that there is a parallel national religious icon here in Thailand, namely the King (and, by extension the royal family). It is certainly not the Buddha even though Thai Buddhists obviously treat the Buddha as a religious icon much more self-consciously than the way Americans treat Jesus as a national religious icon. Thai Christians and Muslims, however, strongly reject the Buddha and Buddha images so that the Buddha does not function as a trans-religious national icon. Muslims and Christians, however, largely share in the deep devotion and loyalty of all Thais for the King. And, wherever one goes in Thailand, one sees the King daily-on coins, currency, calendars, in the theaters, in all public buildings and most public spaces, on TV, in the news. There is a massive literature about the King and the royal family, some of it produced by members of the royal family themselves. The King is to Thailand virtually what Jesus is to America. Friend. Patron. Guide. Focus of Devotion and Trust. Now, whether or not various groups in Thailand re-create the King in their own image is more problematic. It would be fascinating to see if tribal peoples or urban Thai-Chinese, Muslims or Christians, have different images of the King. I remain convinced largely on the basis of personal observation, in any event, that one cannot understand the Thai Christian conceptions of God apart from the King of Thailand. Prothero is insistent that to be an American means to have an opinion, almost invariably laudatory, of Jesus. By the same token, to be a Thai means to have "an opinion, almost invariably laudatory," about the King, and Christians share fully in this national icon, which it can be argued is much more of a religious than secular or political icon. In a Thai context, then, Prothero's American Jesus is value for at least two reasons. Generally, it offers a model for studying popular religion. In particular, it elucidates the helpful concept of a "national religious icon." In the narrower context of Thai Christianity, Prothero suggests that it is all but inevitable that Christians will share important religious images with the larger culture. What those images might be and how they influence Thai Christianity faith are matters warranting a great deal of further investigation.Table of Contents HeRB 1 HeRB 2 HeRB 3 HeRB 4 HeRB 5 HeRB 6 HeRB 7 HeRB 8 HeRB 9 HeRB 10 HeRB 11 HeRB 12 HeRB 13 HeRB INDEX

A Barbados Destination WeddingWords by Courtney Kellar Photos courtesy of Gina Francesca Photography Max and Amanda hadn’t given the idea of a destination wedding much thought until they attended one. Max grew up on Barbados and it was family there that initially brought the couple to the island. “Shortly after we got engaged, we attended the wedding of Max’s first cousin in Barbados,” says Amanda. “We were enchanted by the beauty and magic of it all and knew that we had to have our wedding there too.” The couple was quickly convinced that a Barbados destination wedding was the right decision for them and, thankfully, their family and friends heartily agreed. There was just one last thing to consider before signing on the dotted line – whether or not Amanda’s grandmother would be up for making the trip. “At 89 years of age, we knew that travelling would be a challenge for her. Before making our final decision to have the wedding in Barbados, we made sure that she would feel comfortable with the trip, since it was important to us that she was there,” says the couple. Once grandma was officially on board, it was full steam ahead. With their destination chosen, the couple next had to conquer the task of finding a venue. Thankfully, the groom’s parents came to the rescue. “After mentioning to Max’s parents that we wanted to have our wedding on the island, they were generous enough to offer their gorgeous home and property for the venue,” says Amanda. “It was a no-brainer.” After all, is there a more meaningful place to get married than at the house you grew up in? Even with family on-island, the couple called-in reinforcements in the form of their wedding planner – Candice with A Jubilee Event. “With Barbados being a small island in the Caribbean, there were certain limitations for décor and availability of resources,” says the bride. “Luckily, we had the help of our incredible wedding planner Candice, who lives on the island and has an excellent sense of what would and would not be available to us, and also has the creativity to come up with ideas to work around any limitations. “We had the same ups and downs as any other wedding planning experience. We were lucky to have the help of many people living on the island such as Max’s family and our wedding planner. We certainly would have had a much more challenging experience if it weren’t for them.” Overall, there were only a few issues that arose that required some effort or understanding from the couple. “[One] issue we ran into that was specific to Barbados was that the outbreak of the mosquito-borne zika virus prevented some of our guests from attending,” reflects the couple. “While we were sad that these guests could not attend, we wholeheartedly agreed that they should stay away from the virus and keep their families safe. The most challenging logistic was organizing transportation for all the guests to all of the events. Our wedding planner communicated with the drivers to pick up different groups at different locations and different times. We assigned one person to be in charge of guests for each van and do a head count, so no one was left behind. The lack of cell service added to the challenge, but overall everyone made it to where they needed to be. “There was [also] the added stress of arranging accommodations for nearly the entire guest list, but overall we loved our destination wedding. We arranged blocks of rooms at a discounted rate at three different hotels, with varying price ranges in order to accommodate the different preferences of our guests. We recommended that our guests stay at one of these hotels so that we could easily arrange transportation between the hotels and the various wedding events. We also arranged for discounted car rentals.” Come W-day, everyone had arrived safe and sound and ready to celebrate. Amanda and Max are quick to mention the handmade details contributed to the wedding by family members. “Since the wedding was on Max’s parents’ property, they put in a lot of work to make the space suitable for the wedding. Being a Jewish wedding, our chuppah (the traditional structure in place of an altar) was crafted and designed by Max’s mom. We also had a relative construct decorative chandeliers made out of palm tree parts and spray painted to look like coral reef.” While the couple admits they likely spent more on a Barbados destination wedding than a hometown wedding, they believe that it was absolutely worth it. The additional budget went toward pre and post-wedding events and a larger guest list than they originally expected. We asked Amanda what advice she would offer other couples considering or planning a destination wedding of their own and here’s what she had to say: “Our best piece of advice when planning a destination wedding (or perhaps any wedding) is to have lots of help. If possible, we highly recommend having a wedding planner assist. This person will be familiar with all of the local vendors and situations that are unique to your destination. Additionally, if you are having a destination wedding, you must be flexible and realize that you may not be able to get everything that you would have if your wedding were at home. At the end of the day, you will be getting a magical wedding that you will remember forever!” Vendors: Photographer: Gina Francesca Photography, Wedding Planner: Candice Coppola with A Jubilee Event, Ceremony/Reception Site: Private Home, Florist: Events and Décor by Giselle, Stationery: Wooden Arrow Paperie, Cake: Annalise Cake Designer, Hair: Naomi Johnson with Krave Hair Studio Barbados, Makeup: Makeup Design by Brittany Tuleja, Gown Designer: Demetrios, Groom’s Clothing Designer: Banana Republic, Bridesmaids’ Clothing Designer: Bill Levkoff, Groomsmen’s Clothing Designer: Banana Republic and The Tie Bar, Rentals: Milestone Events, Band: 2 Mile Hill, Lighting: Best Efex & Catering: Anna Went Catering You Might Also Like by Jennifer Stein It's not easy to find the right companies to make your destination wedding planning easy. When it comes to invitations and stationery - that can be even harder - until now. by Courtney Kellar It wasn’t easy, but we rounded up our Top 10 Destinations for 2013. by Jennifer Stein Wording your invitations correctly can be tricky and a destination wedding offers different options. by Jennifer Stein Just north of Puerto Vallarta on Banderas Bay is the exquisite Grand Velas. by Courtney Kellar Our traveling editors pick their must-have items! Get the latest wedding trends & ideas by email

Ordinarily, when Washington’s most powerful pro-Israel lobby asks senators to do something, lawmakers of both parties are happy to oblige. Not just some of them. All of them. On crucial Capitol Hill votes, measures favored by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, often pass unopposed. Last week was different. Very, very different. First, AIPAC was forced, in the wake of Democratic opposition, to retreat for the moment on the Iran sanctions bill the group had been pushing for months. Then, nearly every Republican in the Senate ignored AIPAC’s call for a retreat on the bill, and decided to keep on pushing for a vote on it, anyway. Somehow, on the issue arguably of most importance to both the Israeli government and America’s pro-Israel community—Iran and its nuclear ambitions—AIPAC didn’t merely fail to deliver. It alienated its most ardent supporters, and helped turn what was a bipartisan effort to keep Iran in check into just another political squabble. The lobby that everybody in Washington publicly backs somehow managed to piss off just about everyone. Even the Israeli government isn’t happy with AIPAC’s handling of the sanctions bill. Sen. Bob Corker, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he had a “very direct conversation” with Ron Dermer, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, on the sanctions bill early last month. “AIPAC and Israel are in different places on this issue,” Corker said of his conversation with Dermer, who he said supported the sanctions bill now and not at a later date. On Feb. 3, AIPAC senior members (known inside the organization as “key contacts”) began reaching out to Republican senators to say that now was not the time to vote on an Iran sanctions bill opposed fiercely by the White House, according to four Senate sources who spoke to The Daily Beast on condition of anonymity. Until then, AIPAC was willing to endure open criticism from the White House, which had described the sanctions push as a rush to war. And why not? With 59 co-sponsors, the bill seemed almost guaranteed to pass. Among the lawmakers reached were a handful of Republican senators, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell; Sen. Mark Kirk (the Republican co-sponsor of the bill AIPAC had been pushing to support until then), and Sen. Lindsey Graham, another stalwart ally of Israel. AIPAC has many ways of communicating with Congress, but the “key contacts” are particularly important. They are AIPAC members that have a personal relationship with a given senator or congressman and are usually either a fundraiser, big donor, or a personal friend, such as a former college roommate, according to a former senior lobbyist for the group. Former AIPAC legislative liaison Ralph Nurnberger defined the key contacts as “someone who has enough of a personal relationship that the elected official would return a phone call within a day.” Because of these personal relationships, the lobby can often be very effective. Unlike a professional insider in Washington, the key contact has a history with the member of Congress and is already considered an important political ally. This is one reason why it was so unusual that the vast majority of Republicans on Wednesday evening told Harry Reid they were not going along with AIPAC. According to Senate staffers, the phone calls did not go well. “AIPAC is close to Schumer and Reid, who told them to pull back on the sanctions bill,” one GOP Senate staffer told The Daily Beast. “Republicans responded with a big middle finger.” The extension of that middle finger began Tuesday afternoon at a weekly lunch for Republican senators. Kirk brought with him a draft of the letter to Reid and made the case to his colleagues to sign it, according to the staff members. A little more than a day later, he had the signatures of 42 out of 45 Republican senators on the letter. Republicans and Democrats these days bicker all the time. But when it comes to Iran sanctions and pro-Israel legislation in general, the two parties are almost always on the same page. In 2010, the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act, which first imposed a secondary boycott on Iran’s oil sector, passed the Senate 99 to 0. In 2011, a Kirk-Menendez amendment to blacklist Iran’s central bank from the global financial sector passed the Senate 100 to 0. In 2012, another Kirk-Menendez amendment passed the Senate 94 to 0. And last summer a resolution saying the United States would support Israel if it attacked Iran passed 99 to 0. Menendez—Kirk’s co-sponsor on the Iran sanctions bill—himself was caught off guard, according to Senate staffers. In his floor speech Thursday, Menendez added a line at the last minute that referenced the Republican effort to continue to push for a vote, saying, “I hope that we will not find ourselves in a partisan process trying to force a vote on this national security matter before its appropriate time.” After the speech, AIPAC released a statement that said the group agreed with Menendez “that stopping the Iranian nuclear program should rest on bipartisan support and that there should not be a vote at this time on the measure. That AIPAC press release prompted a rare rebuke from one of the group’s biggest allies on the political right. William Kristol issued a statement from his organization, the Emergency Committee for Israel—a group that has also fought for the Kirk-Menendez bill—warning, “It would be terrible if history’s judgment on the pro-Israel community was that it made a fetish of bipartisanship—and got a nuclear Iran.” From the perspective of Republican supporters of Israel, AIPAC’s emphasis on bipartisanship in the Obama era has too often meant accommodating a president who has openly clashed with Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on some of the most important issues. While Obama has in some cases gone way beyond his predecessors in supporting Israel—such as his funding the development of a rocket defense shield known as Iron Dome—the president has also fought publicly with Netanyahu on the construction of settlements and more recently on whether Iran would be able to keep a nuclear enrichment program in a final deal with world powers. This has created a dissonance at times between the Israeli government and the organization that lobbies to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship. Netanyahu’s first reaction to the interim deal in November after being briefed by Secretary of State John Kerry, for example, was to call it the “deal of the century" for Iran. By contrast, AIPAC took a more muted tone, saying it had a “difference of strategy” with the Obama White House. AIPAC’s muted tone on the Iran talks opposed by Israel’s government led the group to focus on how to allow Democrats to support a sanctions bill opposed by the leader of their party. On a Dec. 18 conference call to pro-Israel activists and lobbyists, AIPAC Executive Director Howard Kohr told his ground troops to focus on how AIPAC had an “honest policy disagreement not a personality disagreement with Obama,” according to a recording of the call played for The Daily Beast. In making the case for the Kirk-Menendez sanctions, AIPAC said it would enhance Obama’s leverage in negotiations with Iran. Democratic and Republican Senate staffers both said this argument was a way to appeal to Democrats who did not want to be in open conflict with Obama. The president responded by saying he did not need such leverage and the sanctions bill would destroy the delicate negotiations with Iran. Corker was one of three members of his party who did not sign Kirk’s letter. In an interview Monday, he said AIPAC members did not call him. He was not critical of other Republicans, but he said the letter would not get the Senate any closer to passing new sanctions on Iran that may preserve the economic pressure on the country that he assessed was dissipating during the negotiations. Corker said AIPAC now “finds itself twisted in a knot.” “Obviously they are trying to navigate keeping access to the administration and candidly their support of Israel and their support of the Democratic Party. They find themselves in a very tough spot,” he said. But Republicans weren’t the only ones upset with AIPAC. In the instance of Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, AIPAC sent a letter to supporters asking her to support the sanctions she was telling her constituents in Florida that she supported. The letter, however, included a link to a highly critical article about her from the Washington Free Beacon. A member of AIPAC’s national board and a donor to Wasserman-Schultz, Bruce Levy then criticized the letter in an interview with Foreign Policy magazine. This incident came despite AIPAC’s concerted effort to woo Democrats for more than a decade. In 2003, the group authorized a study (known inside the organization as an internal strategic planning exercise) about how to reach out to core Democratic constituencies, according to former lobbyists for the organization. “AIPAC had been vexed for some years by allegations that it was tilted to the Republicans and had moved away from Democrats,” said Steve Rosen, the group’s former director of foreign policy who was fired by AIPAC in 2005 after the Justice Department alleged that he solicited classified information from a Pentagon analyst. In Obama’s first year in office the Justice Department dropped its prosecution. Rosen said AIPAC at the time thought the charge that it was tilting right was “a false allegation,” he said, “it was repeated so often that something had to be done about it. This was an effort to build stronger links to many of the core constituencies of the Democratic Party.” As a result of the study, AIPAC hired specialized staff to make the case for the Jewish state to Hispanics, blacks, Reform Jewish rabbis, and eventually even labor unions. (The exercise also resulted in a renewed effort to reach out to evangelical Christians, a core Republican constituency.) But the price of bipartisanship in the Obama era at least has been an unwillingness until recently to openly oppose the president. For example, despite the opposition of many Republicans and other pro-Israel groups such as Christians United for Israel, AIPAC chose last January not to weigh in on the nomination fight of Chuck Hagel, the current defense secretary. In September, after President Obama said he would be seeking a war authorization from Congress to strike Syria, AIPAC lobbied Congress for the resolution at the request of the White House. At the time, even the Israeli government was reticent about AIPAC’s push for the resolution, according to one former senior Israeli official. When AIPAC supported the Kirk-Menendez sanctions bill over the objections of the White House, it marked a new phase for the lobby. “There are a lot of Democratic senators who are up for election this year,” one Republican Senate staff member said. “I bet they would vote against the White House if AIPAC pushed for a vote.” That vote may eventually come. On Friday, AIPAC President Michael Kassen issued a statement he said he had hoped would clarify what he said was a mischaracterization that AIPAC no longer supported the Kirk-Menendez legislation. “We still have much work to do over the coming months,” he said. “It will be a long struggle, but one that we are committed to fighting.” Republicans appear keen on fighting that struggle as well. But it’s not clear whether they will be taking direction from the lobby anymore.

Seven years and 16 meetings after their first encounter in the Oval Office, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Barack Obama met for likely the last time in their current roles in New York on Wednesday, with Obama – as at that first meeting – expressing concern about the settlements, and Netanyahu professing a desire for peace.At a brief photo opportunity at Obama’s hotel before the meeting, the US president said he wanted to hear from Netanyahu about the situation inside Israel and the West Bank.“We do have concerns around settlement activity as well, and our hope is that we can continue to be an effective partner with Israel,” he said.Noting that he will only be in office for another three months, Obama said, “Our hope will be that in these conversations we get a sense of how Israel sees the next few years, what the opportunities are and what the challenges are, in order to assure that we keep alive the possibility of a stable, secure Israel at peace with its neighbors and a Palestinian homeland that meets the aspirations of their people.”A senior White House official, recounting the meeting, said the two men “never papered over their differences.” He said Obama reiterated the profound US concerns about the “corrosive effect” the settlements are having on the prospects of two states.The official also said Obama raised “the continuance of the settlement activity as it enters the 50th year of occupation,” as well as his fears over a recent “spike” in violence in the conflict.Obama, in his brief comments, echoed a remark Netanyahu made at the opening of the photo op about the unbreakable bond between their countries, adding that there is a “recognition that the Jewish state of Israel is one of our most important allies.”He added “it is important for America’s national security to ensure we have a safe and secure Israel, one that can defend itself.”The prime minister did not directly mention the Palestinians in his brief remarks, though he said that he appreciated the many talks he has had with Obama over the years about challenges facing his country.“The greatest challenge is of course the unremitting fanaticism,” Netanyahu said.“The greatest opportunity is to advance peace. That’s a goal that I and the people of Israel will never give up on.“We’ve been fortunate that in pursuing these two tasks, Israel has no greater friend than the United States of America.”Netanyahu started off the public comments by thanking Obama “for the extensive security and intelligence cooperation” between the two countries, adding that most people do not understand the “breadth and depth” of that cooperation.“But I know, and I want to thank you on behalf of all of the people of Israel,” he said.The Israel-US alliance, he added, “has grown decade after decade, through successive presidents, bipartisan Congress and with the overwhelming support of the American people. It is an unbreakable bond.” Obama, in reference to the $38 billion, 10-year military aid package signed last week, said this package will allow “some kind of certainty in a moment when there’s enormous uncertainty in the region. It’s a very difficult and dangerous time in the Middle East.”Though some of the previous meetings between the two were marked by tension that was palpable even in their brief public sessions, this occasion was noticeably cordial, with Netanyahu referring to Obama as “Barack,” joking about his golf game, and inviting him to play the course in Caesarea near his home.“I want you to know, Barack, that you will always be a welcome guest in Israel,” Netanyahu said. Obama replied that he would visit Israel often after his time in office “because it’s a beautiful country, with beautiful people.”In his opening remarks, Obama extended his well wishes to former president Shimon Peres.The meeting came on the margins of the UN General Assembly meeting, where Obama spoke on Tuesday, and Netanyahu is scheduled to speak on Thursday.Among those who joined the meeting from the Israeli side were Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer and acting head of the National Security Council Yaakov Nagel. Secretary of State John Kerry and Ambassador Dan Shapiro were among those on the US team.Michael Wilner in Los Angeles and Reuters contributed to this report.

- FrontPage Magazine - http://www.frontpagemag.com - Posted By Mark D. Tooley On July 12, 2010 @ 12:01 am In FrontPage | 20 Comments Chicago-area United Methodists last month voted to divest from companies doing business with Israel, including Caterpillar and General Electric. A few weeks later, in July, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), whose annual convention was outside Chicago, appreciatively gave the Northern Illinois Conference of United Methodism its Interfaith Unity Award. “At the national level, the Islamic Society of North America has found a close ally in The United Methodist Church,” ISNA’s program cooed, “both working together in campaigning for social justice, peace and equity.” No doubt. Apparently ISNA did not specifically cite the Chicago-area United Methodist stance against Israel. But presumably this policy only enhanced ISNA’s commendation for United Methodism’s “remarkable” solidarity. Of course, no direct mention was made during the award ceremony of ISNA’s having been named in 2007 as an unindicted conspirator in the Holy Land terrorist financing case. According to the Dallas Morning News, court documents showed that the Islamic Society of North America was “an integral part of the [Muslim] Brotherhood’s efforts to wage jihad against America through non-violent means.” But National Council of Churches chief Michael Kinnamon was present for the Chicago Interfaith Unity Award. And ISNA’s website advertises Kinnamon’s own effusive defense of ISNA from last year. As an ally and friend of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), I lament that the United States of America has neglected to consult with ISNA leadership before publicly designating the organization as an ‘unindicted co-conspirator’ in the alleged terrorist funding activity of the Holy Land Foundation. He surmised that “since September 11th, it has become increasingly socially acceptable to fear difference in others, occasionally even in the arenas of law and public policy.” And he lamented that the “label of ‘co-conspirator’ is damaging to the excellent reputation of ISNA and those who collaborate with them to build a better America.” Probably Kinnamon had not examined the evidence against ISNA that the court case revealed. But his NCC does want to protect ISNA as a key interfaith partner, since he explained that the NCC and ISNA have been conducting a “rich” Muslim-Christian dialogue since January 2008. “In my experience working with ISNA, their leaders have offered the United States a strong and consistent Muslim voice for peace,” he reassuringly noted, citing their “their interfaith collaboration to end nuclear weapon proliferation” and “work to prevent domestic violence” as evidence that “ISNA has collaborated effectively with others to promote national security.” So Kinnamon was bewildered about the allegations against ISNA, since “support of violent terrorist tactics seems diametrically opposed to the character of this distinguished body of the North American Muslim faithful.” He hoped that the “damage done by this discriminatory action can be reversed and that ISNA will continue to manifest God’s peace in North America.” ISNA understandably included Kinnamon in their July convention. “Working with United Methodists has taught us the value of shared experience,” added Imam Kareem Irfan, president of the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago, in subsequent remarks to the United Methodist News Service. He’s the first Muslim to head the Chicago interfaith council. Not quite three weeks before the Islamic award for the Chicago United Methodists, the Northern Illinois Annual Conference for United Methodists approved anti-Israel divestment, ostensibly in response to a “plea by Palestinian Christians for action, not just words.” A news release explained that divesting from Caterpillar, General Electric and others who supposedly profit from the “occupation” is merely a “nonviolent form of economic protest long-used by churches and other shareholders to encourage companies to end unjust practices.” Church advocates of divestment want to target companies that are “involved with the physical settlements [by Jews on the West Bank], checkpoints and the separation wall, or support activities of the Israeli military in the occupied territories.” The proposal originated with the conference’s “End the Occupation Task Force.” And the anti-Israel divestment message will be disseminated to the regional body’s 400 local congregations and about 125,000 church members throughout northern Illinois. Presumably the Chicago-area United Methodists do not have any similar special task forces examining human rights abuses in Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, or Egypt, and companies that purportedly profit from the repressive policies of those regimes, which of course includes the active persecution of Christians. Jewish Israel is the only target of special concern for the United Methodists in northern Illinois who, like all left-leaning churches, have been continuously losing members for decades, despite their preoccupation with “diversity” and “inclusion.” Almost amusingly, the Chicago area United Methodists’ anti-Israel resolution was titled “Steadfast Support of Christians in the Holy Land.” Of course, the northern Illinois United Methodists are not expressing solidarity with Christians anywhere else in the world, as apparently Israel is the only, or perhaps just the worst, persecutor of Christians. Specifically the resolution cites Israel’s purported abuse of Gaza and the infamous United Nations Goldstone report about Israel’s “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity.” The resolution briefly cites Hamas rockets from Gaza against Israel but emphasizes a quote from Jimmy Carter: “Never before in history has a large community like this been 61 savaged by bombs and missiles and then denied the means to repair itself.” Needless to say, the United Methodist resolution did not mention Hamas’ radical brew of theocratic Islam, which includes suppression of and legally mandated second-class citizenship (dhimmitude) for Christians. The elites of Chicago-area United Methodists, as they slam Israel and receive an Islamic commendation, perhaps envision themselves comfortably in the role of dhimmitude. Article printed from FrontPage Magazine: http://www.frontpagemag.com URL to article: http://www.frontpagemag.com/2010/mark-d-tooley/divine-divestment/ Copyright © 2009 FrontPage Magazine. All rights reserved.

There are basically four ways that wars end — when one side wins a military victory, when both sides negotiate a peace in good faith and it lasts, when they negotiate in bad faith and it does not, and finally when peace is imposed by outside parties. It seems clear that the first three are unworkable when it comes to bringing about an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict. It is time to try a variation of the last. Military victory is not a solution to the Middle East conflict. If it were, Israel would have won long ago. The struggle is not just about which side has the military muscle to take and hold territory. It is about identity and existence. There are people on both sides who refuse to recognize that the other has a right to exist and neither side is going to relinquish that right. Taking territory does not therefore make the problem, nor the people involved, go away. As for negotiations, there have been many attempts over the years to bring the parties together. Even getting them to sit at the same table has been a major challenge, but such efforts have on occasion produced short-term successes and some progress. The most frustrating thing about where this conflict now stands is that reasonable people on both sides can agree on 95 percent of what a permanent settlement would look like. Unfortunately, the extremists on both sides don’t hesitate to use violence to veto what reason would dictate. The Obama administration's special envoy for the Middle East, former Senator George Mitchell, has been shuttling back and forth between the Israelis and the Palestinians for months to get them to be reasonable and begin indirect talks with him acting as go-between. His planned return to the region was postponed this week because of what the Israeli ambassador to Washington was reported to have said in a confidential briefing was the worst crisis in his country's relations with the U.S. in 35 years. While the ambassador subsequently denied he said that and tried to accentuate the positive, relations between the two countries have been severely strained. Crisis or not, this situation was brought about when the ambassador's government used the occasion of a visit to Israel by Vice President Joe Biden to announce plans to construct 1600 new housing units in East Jerusalem. The Palestinians had insisted on a freeze of all new building of settlements as the price for beginning the talks that Mitchell has been trying to arrange. Washington has asked that Israel put the plans on hold, but has yet to receive an official reply to that request. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu apologized for the timing of the announcement, but not for the move it announced. Either he is not in control of his own government or he is pandering to those who oppose any negotiations by deliberately insulting U.S. efforts to bring them about. In either case, it is clear that even if George Mitchell were able to get indirect talks underway, they are not going to be conducted in good faith. That is because Netanyahu, and his Palestinian counterpart, both care more about maintaining their tenuous grip on power than they do about doing something as visionary as bringing about a real peace. Besides, being a visionary is dangerous. One of Netanyahu's predecessors, Yitzhak Rabin, was assassinated by a right-wing, religious Israeli because he had signed the Oslo peace accords. The last alternative — a peace imposed by outsiders — is also not entirely feasible, but a variation of it should be tried. While neither side can be forced to accept a solution, one can be laid out that is reasonable and it can be made clear that if the parties refuse the international community will cut off all aid — be it economic, military or humanitarian. All three forms of aid strengthen the hand of the incumbent politicians who are doing so little to bring about a permanent peace. At the same time, it should also be made clear that the U.S. remains committed to Israel's security and that an unprovoked attack on it would be considered an attack on the U.S. Israel does not face a conventional military threat thanks to Jimmy Carter. Once the Camp David agreement took Egypt out of the equation no other combination of Arab states could pose a serious military challenge. The continuing threat of terrorist and the possibility of a weapon of mass destruction supplied by Iran do pose grave security problems for Israel. As Israel's Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, said recently however, a failure to achieve peace with the Palestinians is a greater threat than an Iranian bomb. What would a settlement look like? The James Baker Institute at Rice University has conducted a workshop with Palestinian and Israeli experts to negotiate a settlement of the territorial issue. The difference in the positions of the two sides amounted to about one percent of the West Bank or less than 40 square kilometers. That is a gap that can be bridged. A far bigger obstacle to a settlement is the disposition of the 300,000 settlers who are now living on the West Bank. Many of them are like the man who killed Rabin. They believe they have a biblical right to cheap housing on someone else's land. Leaving the Sinai in 1982 and Gaza in 2005 required the Israeli army to move out a few thousand settlers and created a national trauma. So how will it be possible to get hundreds of thousands of them to leave? While the stick for failing to accept the peace deal is a cutoff of aid, the carrot should be that the international community pays for housing for any of them that voluntarily move back to Israel proper. And for those many who will refuse? They should be left in place. A new Palestinian state will be greatly enriched by having a vibrant Jewish minority among its citizens. As for the other traditional sticking points — the right of return for Palestinians who left in 1948 and the status of Jerusalem — experts from the quartet composed of the U.S. the UN, the EU and Russia that having been trying to advance the peace process, together with representatives of other organizations that will help underwrite the outcome can come up with creative solutions. Obviously Israeli and Palestinian participation in the process would be welcome, but should not be allowed to keep the process from reaching a conclusion. Anyone who proposes a simple solution to an intractable problem ought to consider why the suggested outcome might not happen. In this case, the proposed peace process will never come about because of domestic politics in the U.S. Without American leadership, any peace process will stall. As seen on a host of other issues like health care reform, climate change and regulating financial institutions, well-funded opposition groups can not only prevent progress, but can also make an intelligent debate impossible. Groups that consider themselves friends of Israel like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee are up there with the NRA and the AARP in terms of lobbying muscle. In its pitch to potential contributors, AIPAC asserts Israel is surrounded by hostile countries from Morocco to Oman. It ominously adds "the threats today to Israel have never been greater…" AIPAC's sense of history apparently does not extend back to 1973 let alone 1948. But AIPAC's first priority is its own political power, not historical accuracy nor the interests of either country for its membership and money would wither if Israel were not in peril. So what if the friends of Israel do succeed in perpetuating the status quo? That does more to endanger Israel's security than ensure it. Occupations have a corrosive effect on both the occupier and the occupied. In such a situation both sides claim the moral high ground, but neither holds it. Former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon commissioned an assessment of the actions of Israel civil administration in the West Bank. It basically concluded that there has been a prolonged erosion of the rule of law because of the way that the settlements are given favorable treatment at the expense of the Palestinians. This has diminished the state's authority, as the Israeli government has not only been unwilling to enforce the law when it comes to the settlers, but appear afraid to confront them. This self-delegitimization and timidity has emboldened not only those on the right of the Israeli political spectrum, but those on the left as well. According to a survey by Tel Aviv University nearly a million Israeli Jewish adults now believe they have the right to take violent measures to oppose government actions with which they disagree. So doing nothing is not an option and neither is insisting the Palestinians have to become something like Switzerland before serious talks can begin. The parties themselves are unable to even get to the table let alone seriously talk peace. So it is time for the rest of the world to show them the way and to provide the incentives to help get them there. ABOUT THE WRITER Dennis Jett is a former career diplomat who served abroad is six countries including Israel. McClatchy Newspapers did not subsidize the writing of this column; the opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of McClatchy Newspapers or its editors.

Christian leaders will question the Premier, Kristina Keneally, and the state Opposition Leader, Barry O'Farrell, on a range of social issues during a special leaders' forum at State Parliament on Tuesday. The invitation-only event, organised by the Australian Christian Lobby, is inspired by a similar exercise before last year's federal election involving the then prime minister, Kevin Rudd, and the federal Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott. The death penalty must be brought back as the ultimate punishment for drug lords, government MP Bernie Finn says. The outspoken western suburbs MP said drug runner and gangster Carl Williams was a merchant of death who should have been executed rather than left to die in prison. Opponents of the death penalty said the reintroduction of capital punishment would make Australia a pariah in the eyes of the world. But Mr Finn said the only way to keep children safe from the scourge of drugs was to bring back capital punishment. Children born as a result of artificial reproduction procedures should have access to the identity of the donor parent by means of a national register, a Senate committee has recommended. The committee heard estimates that there are as many as 60,000 children who have been born through ''donor conception'' practices in Australia, most of whom have been barred access to their donor parent's identity by anonymity provisions. The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee recommended against retrospective access to registers being granted where donors had been promised anonymity. In 1985 as a teenager in Kenya, I was an adamant member of the Muslim Brotherhood. Seventeen years later, in 2002, I took part in a political campaign to win votes for the conservative party in The Netherlands. Those two experiences gave me some insights that I think are relevant to the crisis in Egypt. They lead me to believe it is highly likely but not inevitable that the Muslim Brotherhood will win the elections to be held in Egypt in September. As a participant in an election, I learned a few basic lessons. A wholesale security rethink is on the horizon for the Jewish state. The Israeli perspective of the events in Egypt is quite different from those found in Western countries. The US and Europe are more likely to support the removal of a government that denies its citizens basic freedoms, while Israel's main concern is that the unrest will have regional security implications. If Hosni Mubarak's regime collapses, it could endanger the peace agreements Israel has with Jordan and Egypt, Israel's main strategic assets after Washington. The new reality on its southern border may also require military changes and place an extra burden on the Israeli economy. Israel's leadership and security branches have been struggling to decode the US's Middle East policies. The surprise of Barack Obama's speech in Cairo in 2009 has been replaced with amazement at just how quickly the US has abandoned its old ally. Like Jimmy Carter when the Iranian shah's regime collapsed in 1979, Obama is wavering between supporting a dedicated partner and the basic American inclination to back a popular freedom struggle. Like Carter, a Democrat, Obama chose the second option. Ratepayers could be stung up to $45,000 to install curtains at a public pool so Muslim women can have privacy during a female-only exercise classes. The City of Monash has won an exemption from equal opportunity laws to run the sessions outside normal opening hours. Tony Abbott has moved to quell anger within Liberal ranks about his deputy, Julie Bishop, but at least three frontbenchers are prepared to stand for her job after more damaging leaks from shadow cabinet. The Opposition Leader has reassured Ms Bishop that he strongly supports her and has warned frontbenchers to stop destabilising her and agitating for her removal after more than three years as deputy leader. Liberal frontbenchers continue to be displeased with Ms Bishop's performance and are furious about reports of a bitter split with Mr Abbott over the Coalition's proposal to cut $448 million in aid to Indonesian schools to fund Queensland flood recovery work. Egypt President Hosni Mubarak says he has passed on his authority to his vice-president Omar Suleiman, but he has failed to resign immediately as president. In a live TV address, Mubarak said a political transition ending his 30-year-reign would last until September. Optional email code July 20, 2018 Never miss an update about the marriage debate or other key issues facing Australian Christians:

Jewish World Review May 23, 2001/ 1 Sivan 5761 My strategy, familiar to all children, was to convince him that because everyone else was doing "it," whatever "it" was, I should be able to do it, too. In my intractable logic, the fact of everybody's-doing-it was sufficient to justify my urgent desire and, of course, to nullify his erroneous judgment. I cringe to remember the particular whine that punctuated the "every" part of "everybody." It must have been hard for him not to laugh in my face. Instead, he would simply plant his feet in the cement of his convictions and gently nudge me toward maturity. Or not so gently, as the case required. Today I am older, and the refrain is all around me now. But it isn't children trying to convince adults; it's adults trying to convince themselves. Everybody's doing it - divorcing, having babies out of wedlock, consuming pornography - and so it must be OK. The New York Times Sunday Magazine reported this week that pornography is a $4 billion industry. In other words, lots of people are renting, buying and downloading porn these days. It's not just the trench-coat/Pussycat Theater crowd any more. It's us. It's mainstream! And, therefore, what? The fact that lots of people surrender to the curiosity-click - you click the mouse to see what comes up next because you can't quite believe what you're seeing and reading - or rent a movie in a hotel room for the same reason, doesn't mean that pornography is harmless. Or that we should accept it as the latest layer of Americana. Writer Frank Rich tried to convey that the folks peddling porn these days are just regular folks, cunning capitalists who aren't any different than you or me. Maybe they walk upright and eat with a fork, but, otherwise, they're not precisely like you and I. For one thing, they bilk Americans of billions of dollars by exploiting their weaknesses, an occupational pursuit that once was considered dishonorable even by libertarian standards. Yes, the market provides what the consumer demands. But gratification-seeking rats will keep pushing the cocaine button until they drop dead. Remove the cocaine and they may still be rats, but they'll be healthier, happier rats. Similarly, Newsweek's cover story this week is titled "Unmarried, with Children" and reports on the recent Census findings that fewer than 25 percent of American families are modeled on the Ward and June Cleaver nuclear family. Divorce rates combined with out-of-wedlock births mean that the model of a married man and woman living with their biological offspring is, today, the unlikeliest of family constructs. Other Census findings were that one-third of babies born in the past decade were born to unmarried women, and 40 percent of women with children are living with men who may be the fathers of one or more of their children. Demographers, meanwhile, predict that half of all babies born in the 1990s will spend some part of their childhood living in a single-parent home. In other words, everybody's doing it, and so what? So my kid won't be more messed up than your kid? Heaven forbid someone should suggest that children need both a mother and a father; that divorce is monumentally destructive to children; that single parenthood is a crisis for children if not for the single parent who made a personal lifestyle choice; that finding out your father was an anonymous sperm donor is more than a little confusing; that growing up with two moms or two dads, no matter how perfectly wonderful they are as human beings, is not an optimum environment for children who come into the world wanting more than anything to be just as ordinary as possible: Mom, Dad, Me. Yes, yes, I know, not everyone has a choice. This isn't about the parents who are scrapping along as best they can under circumstances beyond their control. But certain truths are self-evident - or at least they used to be - and one of those remains rock-solid among those who seek no excuses: Children do best in a two-parent family. The fact that we fail much of the time; that many can't hold a nuclear family together for reasons of abuse, addiction or adultery; or that everybody's dysfunctional these days is cause for regret and re-evaluation, not a summons to justification. Wrong may be mainstream these days, but that doesn't make it

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Texts: 1 John 3.16-24; John 10.11-18 In the passage we read just now from John’s gospel, Jesus is addressing his Jewish opponents. ‘I am the good shepherd’ he says, ‘because I lay down my life for the sheep that I know and love by name. You, on the other hand, behave like the hired hand who runs away when the wolf comes by, because he does not love the sheep and cares not for their fate. The life I lay down, I lay down by my own choice. But I will take it up again. This power I have received from my father.’ This morning I should like to dwell for moment on this sense of volition we get in John’s gospel around the death of Jesus, that Jesus somehow chooses to lay down his life, and that he does this out of love for his disciples. There are, of course, good reasons why we find the death of Jesus difficult to understand. One of them I have mentioned before in this church. Affluent westerners now live at a great distance from the rather sobering fact that life comes from death. Indeed, we have become afraid of death because we have forgotten about its connection to life. When we lived nomadic or agricultural lives, we were much more aware of the connection. We saw that the beasts that provide our meat had to be slaughtered. We saw that the plants that produced the grains for our bread had to die in order for us to harvest their fruits. We saw that the land became fruitful again by ploughing in the dead remains of the harvest. When you buy your food from the supermarket, when medicine has all but removed that daily certainty that death is around the corner, it is difficult to see that life itself comes at a cost, the cost of other life. At one level, then, the theology of the death of Christ reflects upon a simple biological fact: that life itself is very costly, that the aliveness of one is made possible only by the death of another. Theologically, there is a sense in which this is true even with the doctrine of creation. Here the creation only becomes possible, is only able to come into existence as something other than God because God is willing to undergo a kind of death, the death of God’s right to exercise sovereignty over the creation. If God retained that right, you see, then the creation would be no more than an extension of God’s own mind and will. It would always do what God willed it to do. It would not be God’s other. What God apparently chose to do, though, was to expend his power to create a power other than his own, a power that is able to choose a way other than that which God would have chosen. But note the way that theology has already complicated, here, the simple sense that the nomad or the farmer has that death is somehow necessary to life. For what God does , in giving us life, somehow transcends the simple categories of necessity, of cause and effect. What God does is introduce the wildcards of love and volition, which means that life and death are no longer a matter of necessity alone, unfolding according to a pre-programmed genetic imperative, but of choice, and especially the choice to love. The death Jesus dies is not, therefore, to be understood only as some kind of necessary death, a death like that of the beast which is slaughtered (against its will) to feed the tribe. His death certainly does feed the tribe, let us make no mistake about that. What are we doing at communion, if not to participate in the food and drink that is able to give us the life of the Yet, let us be clear, this life is given us not because we take it from Jesus, against his will, but because he has chosen to give it. Out of love. kingdom of God There is a sense, then, in which the crucifixion simply manifests in human history what God has always been about: love. And what is love? According to the Johannine corpus, love is what God is as trinity, a community of service and care. It is hospitality, the willingness to make a home within one’s own life for someone who is other than oneself. It is solidarity, living the sufferings of another as though they were one’s own. It is sacrifice, the laying down of ones own powers, one’s own capacities for life, that they may be taken up by another. It is to centre oneself on helping another to come alive, in the faith that life shared is the best life of all. Perhaps our difficulties with the death of Christ come down to this, then. That we moderns have become strangers to love, and especially to its costs. Over and over we are told that love is something other than what Christ would teach us. Over and over we are told that love is a contract or convenience that is fine while it serves our own interests, but can be legitimately done away with when it begins to cost us somehow. Over and over we are told that love is about feelings of euphoria, a drug to help us cope with the pains of life. As such, when love itself becomes painful, we are better to ditch it. Over and over we are told that laying down one’s life for another, and especially for the stranger, is irrational. Life is about securing yourself against the misfortunes of others. Life is about comfort, no matter that our comfort deprives others! Today elections are won or lost on this platform. Is it any wonder that we struggle with the death of Jesus, then, a life laid down for another! The good news of Easter is that life shared, life laid down for others, creates a new kind of life altogether, a life hitherto unimagined in the history of the world. In the mystery of divine love for the world, the self-centred egotism that has destroyed human life for millennia is itself destroyed and done away with, absorbed, as it were, into the death of Christ so that the usual cycles of human relating—our cruelty, indifference, violence and greed—is not only interrupted, but done away with altogether. You might not believe that this is so, if you look at the world we live in. But what God gave us, in the time he spent amongst us in the flesh, was a glimpse into the reality of God, a reality yet more real than that reality we usually experience, a reality that is close enough to change our world if only we will believe and live our lives accordingly. Faith, you see, is the place in which God’s reality (which is sometimes called grace) arrives in the world. It is the place where love finds soil enough to flourish. I pray for the faith of the people of God, that we shall be able to resist the rationalism and cynicism of our world, and let love in. I pray that we might summon faith enough to love each other as Christ has loved us.

|Place of Birth||Constantinople| |Date of Birth (Eng)||September 1, 1880| |Date of Birth (Heb)| |Date of Death (Eng)||July 2, 1951| |Date of Death (Heb)||25 Sivan 5711| |Age at Death||70| |Spouse’s Name||Albert Weill (4B7)| |Title (e.g., Dr)| |Religious Status (כ/ל/י)| |Cause of Death| |Other Family Data||Children: Sophie Rachel Odell (4B2), Susannah “Susie” Potts (b. October 18, 1904; d. June 1968, Norfolk, England), Leon Weill (4B6), and Maurice Weill (b. September 16, 1908; d. March 30, 1944, Shamshuipo POW Camp). Brother: Samuel Dunn (4B5). Aunt: Elise Lyons (2E14).| |Inscription (Eng)||IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DARLING MOTHER ROSIE WEILL BORN 1ST SEPTEMBER 1880 DIED 2ND JULY 1951 “FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS”| |Inscription (Heb)||פה מצאה מנוח ה״מ מרת רוזה אשת המ אברהם יעקב ויל נ״ע נלב״עת כ״ח סיון התשיא והיו ימיה שבעים שנה תנצ״בה| |Historical||Rosie Weill laid the cornerstone for the 2nd Jewish Recreation Club, built after WWII. At the time of Sophie’s birth (1900), the family was living at 67 Wyndham Street. At the time of Susannah’s birth (1904), they were living at 11 Seymour Road. At the time of Maurice’s birth (1908), they were living at 13 Seymour Road. In 1912, they were reported to be living at Elliott Crescent, 27 Robinson Road. Alberose, Nos. 132A & 132B Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, was a residence of the Weill’s family. Built in 1926, it was owned by Rosie Weill who was the Senate Fearers [sic] (Sennet Frères) of the Hong Kong Hotel Buildings. The building is named after Rosie and her husband, Albert Weill. Mrs. Weill passed away in 1952 and the Alberose’s ownership was transferred to the University of Hong Kong in 1955. The building served as staff quarters of the University until now. (Source: Wikipedia) Susie married Alexander Hutton Potts in December 1928. Do you have any information about this person that you would like to share? If so, we’d like to hear from you!

There is one constant in the Israeli psyche, that a close reading of the classic historic novel Exodus will show, is that the Zionists always wanted a way to "make peace" with the Arabs. This is the fatal flaw of the Israeli and Jewish mentality. This yearning, unrealistic hope is a weakness and the Arabs and their allies have milked it for decades. There's no way of making peace with someone who wants you dead, unless you commit suicide. Just a few short decades ago, the idea that there could or should be a "Palestinian sic State" was unthinkable, even by the Leftist Labor Party. But unfortunately, things have changed and even so-called Right and Center Israelis have accepted it and just haggle over the possible borders of a "two state solution." Two-thirds of Israelis support peace with Palestinians that ensures security, polls find 67% of respondents say they would support two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, with land swaps and a demilitarized Palestine Those Arabs want us dead and gone. There is no policy, nor potential for compromise and tolerance. Israel must wise up to survive.

ARCHIVE OF COMMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Our subjects cover: religion (Christian, Jewish and others); diet and lifestyle (vegan and vegetarian); and other miscellaneous subjects. In Reference to: Human-Animal Reconciliation Dear Frank and Mary, Thanks once again for taking the time, to continue to read my book and provide feedback. To answer your question, I am pointing to both, and I understand the Peaceable Kingdom as three fold: 1. As someone who was brought-up Jewish, I definitely see the Peaceable Kingdom as what the Messianic Age would look like. 2. I also see the Peaceable Kingdom as what Heaven, or the afterlife looks like. 3. But, I also see the Peaceable Kingdom as "near" - it is something we can help build in our lives and our world, with the help of the Holy Spirit. And, if not actualize, at least try, or at least like John the Baptist, "prepare the way." I see certain Medieval projects, as attempts to justify this, e.g. The Celtic Christians, The Franciscans, The Desert Fathers. Just to name a few. Definitely, I see the Peaceable Kingdom as a sacred pattern or "ought" that we should work towards in our social ordering. A world where we live in peace and harmony across species lines. This is the world I want to live in and work towards. I am definitely with you, even if it does not necessary come out in this particular work, the Holy Spirit at work in my life, has helped me to transcend the limitations of both Christianity and science too, in terms of understanding animals and the Natural World, as well as working through and with me, through these mediums. In fact, I worked with the Holy Spirit, for all steps of this project, but was unsure how to cite it, for not everyone, even in the theology field is sympathetic to or understands this. But, clearly some of my best encounters with nonhuman animal life is not when I am trying or doing some methodology, but happens naturally, as a kind of gift of the spirit. As soon as I try to control it, it seems to loose its power. As I state in this work, I don't know if you have gotten there, at one point, I argue that the Holy Spirit is the salient variable of making this possible. My main goals for doing this work are several fold: 1) To find a viable humane alternative to hunting/eradication for "nuisance animals", which is non lethal, non-invasive, and nonviolent. 2) To utilize the ecological wisdom of the Christian tradition in doing so - for I contend that the Christian tradition has something constructive and unique to offer this discussion. 3) To translate and replicate these amazing relationships Christians have had with animals in a twenty-first century context, applied to the problem of hunting/eradication. My paradigm is human-animal reconciliation. That, just as stewardship could be considered the primary Christian environmental imperative, reconciliation could be understand as the primary Christian animal imperative. I had a conversion experience, which this principle was revealed to me. I used to have lots of anger and rage at humanity for how they have treated animals and Nature. One summer, God helped me to let go of this anger and rage, and focus instead on the possibility that human being have the capability to live right with animals and the Natural World. And, to work towards this instead. This helped me to forgive human beings for their very poor treatment of animals and the Earth. If you are interested, to learn more about the type of relationship I have with God read my second work, Creation Unveiled. Also, to understand better my worldview, and understand some of my beliefs about the relationship between science and religion, my views on animal theology, etc. read my third book, Christian Environmental Studies. I can send you a complementary copy of the ladder via e-mail, if you are interested. A lot of where I am coming from, my ontological foundations, will be revealed in the yet to be released book, Doing Theology In Pictures: Confessions From An Autistic Theologian. Was this is helpful? Please do not hesitate to e-mail me with more comments or questions. Thanks very much! Go on to: Comments by Frank and Mary Hoffman - 16 Feb 2009 Return to: Our Book and Video Reviews Your Comments are Welcome: | Home Page | Discussion Table of Contents | Watercolor painting by Mary T. Hoffman - God's Creation in Art | Home Page | Animal Issues | Archive | Art and Photos | Articles | Bible | Books | Church and Religion | Discussions | Health | Humor | Letters | Links | Nature Studies | Poetry and Stories | Quotations | Recipes | What's New? | Thank you for visiting all-creatures.org.

“Are Jews white?” is a question that began fading from my mind 40 years ago, when I left America. In my neighborhood of Jerusalem, as in the rest of Israel, Jews comes in all shades—from blonde to black. The conflict between Jews and Palestinians isn't about race. Nor are the tensions between Jews from Europe and those from the Muslim world—though activists and academics sometimes import the terms “black” and “white,” in defiance of their lying eyes. Since Donald Trump's ascent, though, the issue of Jews and whiteness pops up increasingly in the links shared by friends in the United States. Since Charlottesville, the question of Jews' color has become a near-daily side dish on my news platter. This bothers me. With the humility of an emigre—someone both outside and inside American culture—I suggest that discussing reborn American anti-Semitism in terms of color and race is mistaken, misleading, and pernicious. I understand why the question gets asked. Color, or race, is the fundamental divide in America, and has been since the first African slaves were sold in Jamestown in 1619. Until the Civil War, race determined whether you could be enslaved. Afterward, it still determined which fundamental rights you could be denied. Erased from law books as a pretext for discrimination, it still affects the odds of what will happen to you if you are stopped by a cop. Trump's rise, starting from the lie about Barack Obama's birthplace, is built on the horror felt by a significant portion of Americans at the idea that an African American could legitimately be president of the United States. Because race is the most pervasive reason that some Americans believe they can discriminate against and despise others, a reflexive response to hatred of Jews is to try to fit it into the categories of race. The syllogism seems to be: People who are hated are not considered white; therefore, if Jews are hated, they aren't really white. Alternatively, if they are white, the hatred is insignificant. The reflex is understandable. But it's also lazy and—when viewed from offshore—provincial. Human beings have come up with so many excuses to distinguish between the acceptable us and the hated them. Along with Shakespeare, Plato, and gunpowder, despising Jews is part of the inheritance that Europe bequeathed to America. Historically, Europe's explicit reason for hating and periodically murdering Jews was religion—obstinately or demonically, Jews wouldn't accept the obvious truth of Christianity. Less explicit was what we today call ethnicity: Jews often spoke a different language. Their culture was different, and they considered themselves a separate nationality. In the United States when my parents were young, they still faced quotas for Jews at universities and Father Coughlin's pro-Nazi rants on the radio. By the time I grew up, anti-Semitism seemed like a faded stain on the social fabric. It existed, but without much energy—if only because America's energy for hatred was taken up with race. Okay, this was naive. Even in America, it turns out, not all bigotry is about race, and anti-Semitism hasn't faded away. What's more offensive about discussing Jews and whiteness is that, however unintentionally, it echoes the racial anti-Semitism of the Nazis. In Europe in the age of Emancipation, the deal that liberals offered Jews was equality in return for shedding their ethnic characteristics and remaining Jews in religion only. Jews who discovered that this wasn't enough to buy them equality often accepted what German Jewish poet Heinrich Heine called “the ticket of admission into European culture”—conversion to Christianity. The race theorists of anti-Semitism didn't want to allow their demons any exit, and redefined Jewishness as a biological evil. The pseudo-science of racial hierarchies designed to justify colonialism eventually provided the rationale for the Holocaust. So white supremacists don't consider us white. As far as I'm concerned, the proper response is not to explore whether we are or aren't, but to reject the question. By here, some readers are waving their hands to tell me that the actual question isn't whether Jews are white, but whether they enjoy white privilege in America. Jews live in well-off neighborhoods, have high educational levels and don't have to fear that a traffic stop will become a death sentence. In broad strokes this is true. But it turns out that privilege and lack of it are insufficient tools for mapping who is the object of potentially violent hatred. As British Labor MP Naz Shah wrote last year in an eloquent apology for anti-Semitic comments she'd made in the past, My understanding of anti-Semitism was lacking. I didn't get it. I don't believe in hierarchies of oppression but I’d never before understood that anti-Semitism is different—and perhaps more dangerous—than other forms of discrimination, because instead of painting the victim as inferior, anti-Semitism paints the victim as, in a way, superior and controlling. For anti-Semites, any economic or political achievements by Jews are proof of the thesis of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion: The cabal is succeeding in its designs of domination; they are powerful; they are replacing us. This doesn't mean that anti-Semitism is the most virulent or widespread form of hatred in America—only that it's real. It's not tied to color. It puts Jews on the same side as others threatened by resurgent hatred, and by a president who is a willing shill for the haters.

How do you describe a community? How do you convey its character and aspirations? Businesses talk about branding. And Har HaShem has concluded a multi-year process to create a vision and logo. Our new logo represents our aspirations, our real and hoped for diversity, openness, and evolution from the community we are, to the community we wish to be. A year ago, the Board adopted the vision, and we began communicating about who we are in words. We are Congregation Har HaShem. We create meaning in our lives…through Jewish practice. We celebrate together and lift each other when we have fallen גמילות חסדים – g’milut chasadim – acts of generosity and kindness We are inspired to realize our human potential בצלם אלוהים – b’tzelem Elohim – in the image of the divine We work to make the world more just צדק צדק תרדוף – tzedek, tzedek tirdof – justice, justice shall you pursue We also began working toward a new logo – a visual identity that would reflect our vision graphically. The logo needed to reflect that creating meaning is our goal. Judaism is the path…the toolkit…we use to get there. It needed to convey the importance of our community, its strength and diversity, openness and dynamism. Earlier this year, the Board adopted a new logo, and we are rolling it out now through shalach manot (our Purim gift bags), social media, website, stationery, program guide and other materials. The logo features a multi-colored graphic, sketched with a brushed quality, that can be seen as mountains, tents, flames. The brushed quality suggests movement. The colors may reflect a sunrise or sunset, a rainbow, or the colors of leaves in the fall. That interpretive possibility of being able to see different things in one image, reflects the way we see and practice Judaism. Each of us understands the tradition differently, emphasizes different aspects of our identities (community, worship, culture, study, social action), and may grow differently in our expression of our values and identities. The overall shape of the logo – a triangle pointing upward – reflects that graphic and the idea of a mountain, and our name Har HaShem, mountain of God. The simplicity and weight of our name reflects the importance and strength of our community. “We are Congregation Har HaShem.” It provides a foundation for holding, for lifting, our tradition, each other, and our aspirations, just as the graphic sits atop that solid line of text. It is underscored by the name of our campus, in honor of the Margolis family. The drop capitals in Har HaShem may suggest roots reaching into the ground, rivers flowing out of the mountains or may appear to lift up the other letters of our name, just as we lift up one another. Here are reactions from some who helped develop and adopt the new logo: I like the new logo a lot. It is forward-looking and contemporary while reflecting our story and memory. The loose, gestural graphics evoke both mountains and tents, and the colors range from cool, moist slopes to hot, dry cliffs. To me, these forms and colors expand on the idea of our current Flatirons logo by linking our mountains to the mountains of Sinai, linking our “tent” to the tents of Sinai, and linking Har HaShem to our Boulder roots and our biblical roots. I love how, in the text of our name, the first letters are grounded, and then the following letters are higher, challenging us to lift our eyes and hearts. We turn our gaze upwards, towards the mountains. Har HaShem helps us, literally and figuratively, to rise and inspire. - I think the new logo hints at both a mountain shape (Har HaShem means Mountain of God) and also an inclusive tent, which is reflected in the architecture of our sanctuary. The spectrum of colors also seems to reflect inclusiveness. - The new logo is a wonderful representation of Har HaShem, I love its connection to the congregation’s vision of being an open and inclusive tent for all. A brand is not a logo – a good logo reflects the brand. This logo reflects the process which included the creation of a new vision grounded in research and personal interviews. Through this process we set forth to bring a new clarity and direction to the organization. This logo can be appear as different things to many people, a large tent for the community, mountains beyond mountains that represent the challenges and accomplishments of life. Without a doubt it’s a visual representation of a bold step into the future. Proving we are open to the possibilities and opportunities that arise from being fully in coherence with our vision and values. Over our history, Har HaShem has had at least five logos. The first three represented our building and evolved as our building expanded. The fourth, in use for the last 15 years or so, showed the Flatirons in a Star of David, depicting our location and our tradition. Our new logo represents the character of our community and our future. Rabbi Greene discussed this at Friday night services on February 21. Watch his sermon here.

Yitzhak Shamir, the seventh prime minister of Israel, passed away this week, at 96. The current premier, Benjamin Netanyahu, eulogized him at the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, saying, among other things, that although it is possible that Shamir's "statements about [Israel's] neighbors, about the distinction between the sea and the land ... unleashed a torrent of criticism at the time, even contempt, today there are of course many more people who understand that this man saw and understood basic and genuine things." The statements Netanyahu was referring to - "the sea is the same sea, and the Arabs are the same Arabs" - are etched in the collective memory. Shamir used this phrase in 1996, following the Oslo accords, quoting himself (according to a book, in Hebrew, called "It's Inconceivable," which contains quotes and expressions coined over the years by Israeli politicians, compiled and put in context by Rafi Mann in 1998 ). What Shamir originally said, on January 24, 1989, was actually more explicit and nuanced. He was addressing a convention of Israeli hoteliers, and remarked (this is the closest we can come to an accurate English translation ): "Once they were speaking about throwing us into the sea. Nowadays they do not say that. They've become more sophisticated - self-determination for Palestinians - and they get the sympathy. But if we look at reality, it has not changed. The Arabs are Arabs, ruling over 22 states. Israel is a small state with many problems, the sea is the same sea, and the aim is the same aim: extermination of the State of Israel - even if you call it 'self-determination.'" Shamir was referring here to yet another expression that also dwells in our consciousness in the Middle East - about how one of the sides in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict hopes to throw the other into the sea. The "death by drowning" imagery is not surprising when we remember that both adversaries have historically vied over a narrow strip of land between the river (Jordan ) and the sea. Anyone who grew up in Israel in the early 1950s did not have any doubt that the Arabs - including the seven states that fought with Israel in 1948, and the local population which either fled or was expelled during that war - wanted to throw "us," the Israelis, into the sea. Indeed, that is how David Ben-Gurion phrased it when presenting his new government to the Knesset on November 2, 1955: " ... and they plan, as many of them say openly, to throw us all into the sea; in simpler words, to exterminate the Jews of the Land of Israel." Nowadays there are quite a few critics of Israeli policies past and present - both Palestinians (naturally) but also some Israelis - who claim that attribution of insidious plans or intentions to the Arabs was (and is ) no more than a figment of a frightened Jewish imagination, if not actually part of a strategy intended to throw the Palestinians into the sea. I doubt whether a statement by a leader that carries a threat of collective drowning constitutes proof of the existence of such an intent on any side of the conflict. However, in view of the fact that Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood was sworn in this week as the new Egyptian president, it is interesting to recall the words of the founder of that Islamic movement, regarding Arabs, Palestinians, Jews and the sea, in an interview printed in The New York Times on August 2, 1948. Interviewed the previous day by the Times' correspondent Dana Adams Schmidt in Cairo, Sheikh Hassan al-Banna declared: "If the Jewish state becomes a fact, and this is realized by the Arab peoples, they will drive the Jews who live in their midst into the sea." Schmidt hastens to write that the sheikh, who was referring to the quarter-million Jews living in Arab countries at the time, said that he was merely using a "figure of speech," even though he added, "facetiously, that 'of course, if the United States send ships to pick them up, that would be all right.'" By the end of the interview al-Banna, then in the penultimate year of his life, offered a solution to the Arab-Israeli dispute over the Land of Palestine. He suggested that the Jews should settle in the empty areas of Australia: "We sympathize with the homeless Jews, but it is not humane that they should be settled in an area where they render homeless other people who have been settled thousands of years." The Times did not print a response from the Australians. Anyone who has had a serious relationship with another person knows how presumptuous it is to profess knowledge about what the other side wants, and what disastrous results may arise when acting upon a premise based upon baseless (if not base ) information. This is doubly true when a national leader, or politician, makes an assumption as to what people on either side of a conflict want. Ben-Gurion is usually credited (although an exact quote is nowhere to be found ) with saying, about the people of Israel: "I don't know what the people want. I know what they need (or what they are in need of )." It seems, according to Yitzhak Shamir's assessment of the situation in the Middle East, and based on what he would have done were he in the Palestinians' shoes, that he believed that what they need, from their point of view, is to throw the Jews into the sea. Hardly a basis for peace (or indeed any other kind of ) negotiations, especially when the other side's reasoning is, sadly, strangely similar. But the key point in Shamir's remarks - and what Netanyahu thinks constitutes "basic and genuine things" - has less to do with Palestinians and Israelis per se, and more to do with a general situation in which things remain the same (or not ). To grasp that one has only to consider the Mediterranean, which has throughout time been referred to variously as Mare Nostrum ("our sea," in Latin ), yam hatichon (literally, "the middle sea," in Hebrew ) and as adkeniz ("the white sea," in modern Arabic ). All those refer to the same body of water, which actually does change: With its ebbs and flows, the sea can rise between 3 and 100 centimeters, plus in the last 64 years it has become much more polluted and has significantly fewer fish. Along these same lines, one recalls that, "All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full," according to Ecclesiastes (1:7 ). Heraclitus (535-475 B.C.E. ) supposedly said "everything flows," and Plato referenced him in "Cratylus": "Everything changes and nothing remains still... and... you cannot step twice into the same stream." Thus, supposedly, you cannot be thrown twice into the same sea. If you insist on holding the view - with which Prime Minister Netanyahu seems to agree, judging by his eulogy of Shamir - that some things do not change, you may yet have to pay a heavy price for your beliefs. And be left with small change, if any. Or, to phrase it differently, Netanyahu and Shamir notwithstanding, nothing changes but change itself. And the only way to deal with that is to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them. Want to enjoy 'Zen' reading - with no ads and just the article? Subscribe todaySubscribe now

Most Popular "Pizzeria" Titles - Movies or TV - IMDb Rating - Instant Watch Options - In Theaters - On TV - Release Year 2. Drive (I) (2011) R | 100 min | Crime, Drama A mysterious Hollywood stuntman and mechanic moonlights as a getaway driver and finds himself in trouble when he helps out his neighbor. Votes: 496,750 | Gross: $35.06M 3. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) R | 90 min | Comedy, Drama A group of Southern California high school students are enjoying their most important subjects: sex, drugs, and rock n' roll. Votes: 80,752 | Gross: $27.09M 4. Wonder Wheel (2017) PG-13 | 101 min | Drama On Coney Island in the 1950s, a lifeguard tells the story of a middle-aged carousel operator, his beleaguered wife, and the visitor who turns their lives upside-down. Votes: 14,433 | Gross: $1.40M 8. Patti Cake$ (2017) R | 109 min | Drama, Music PATTI CAKE$ is centered on aspiring rapper Patricia Dombrowski, a.k.a. Killa P, a.k.a. Patti Cake$, who is fighting an unlikely quest for glory in her downtrodden hometown in New Jersey. Votes: 7,016 | Gross: $0.80M 9. Julie & Julia (2009) PG-13 | 118 min | Biography, Drama, Romance Julia Child's story of her start in the cooking profession is intertwined with blogger Julie Powell's 2002 challenge to cook all the recipes in Child's first book. Votes: 90,601 | Gross: $94.13M 10. Do the Right Thing (1989) R | 120 min | Comedy, Drama On the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence. Votes: 69,425 | Gross: $27.55M 11. The Last Dragon (1985) PG-13 | 109 min | Action, Comedy, Drama In New York City, a young man searches for the "master" to obtain the final level of martial arts mastery known as the glow. Along the way, he must fight a martial arts expert corrupted ... 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Loverboy (1989) PG-13 | 98 min | Comedy College sophomore Randy Bodek is unfocused. The only thing he knows is that he loves his roommate, Jenny Gordon, who feels unappreciated as other things in his life seem to take precedence ... See full summary » Votes: 6,257 | Gross: $3.96M 17. Mr. Woodcock (2007) PG-13 | 87 min | Comedy, Romance, Sport Taken aback by his mother's wedding announcement, a young man returns home in an effort to stop her from marrying his old high school gym teacher, a man who made middle school hell for generations of students. Votes: 33,077 | Gross: $25.63M 18. Flawless (1999) R | 112 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama An ultraconservative police officer suffers a debilitating stroke and is assigned to a rehabilitative program that includes singing lessons, with the drag queen next door. Votes: 15,987 | Gross: $4.49M 19. The Hard Way (1991) R | 111 min | Action, Comedy, Crime An action movie star researching a role is allowed to tag along with a hardboiled New York City policeman, who finds him superficial and irritating. Votes: 16,161 | Gross: $25.90M 21. The Fourth Protocol (1987) R | 119 min | Thriller John Preston is a British Agent with the task of preventing the Russians detonating a nuclear explosion next to an American base in the UK. The Russians are hoping this will shatter the "special relationship" between the two countries. Votes: 7,835 | Gross: $12.42M 22. Southside with You (2016) PG-13 | 84 min | Biography, Drama, History Votes: 6,578 | Gross: $6.30M 23. My Best Friend Is a Vampire (1987) PG | 89 min | Comedy, Horror, Romance After a sexual encounter with a beautiful client, a teenage delivery boy finds himself being turned into a vampire. Votes: 2,807 | Gross: $0.17M 24. Dominick and Eugene (1988) PG-13 | 111 min | Drama Dominick and Eugene are twins, but Dominick is a little bit slow due do an accident in his youth. They live together, with Dominick working as garbage man to put Eugene through medical ... See full summary » Votes: 2,480 | Gross: $3.08M 27. 7-10 Split (2007) Not Rated | 94 min | Comedy, Sport An aspiring actor whose career is in the dumps, exploits his amazing bowling skills to take the PBA by storm and becomes rich and famous, only to lose his best girl and best friend... 28. Heartbreak Hotel (1988) PG-13 | 97 min | Comedy, Musical, Romance When a teen tries to set up a band at his school, his mother who was a big fan of Elvis Presley gets in a wreck he and his band members decides to kidnap Elvis and have him hooked up with his mother. Votes: 1,070 | Gross: $5.51M 29. Fingers (1978) R | 90 min | Crime, Drama, Music A dysfunctional young man is pulled between loyalties to his Italian mob-connected loan shark father and his mentally disturbed Jewish concert pianist mother. 30. Valentin (I) (2002) PG-13 | 86 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance An 8-year-old boy, raised by his grandmother, is surrounded by problems in his family he finds only himself capable of solving. Votes: 3,942 | Gross: $0.28M 31. Telling You (1998) R | 94 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance Two college graduates who find themselves stuck behind the counter of a pizza parlor while their friends move on struggle to find a new direction for their lives. 32. Kid Svensk (2007) 90 min | Drama The year is 1984. It's summer, and the rebellious 12-year-old girl Kid wants to stay in Gothenburg, but her mother has other plans. Kid discovers that summer vacation in Finland isn't as ... See full summary » 33. Once in the Life (2000) R | 107 min | Crime, Drama Once in the life (of drug dealing and organized crime), can anyone get out? During a brief jail stay, two half-brothers, who have rarely seen each other while growing up, connect. One of ... See full summary » Votes: 624 | Gross: $0.05M 34. Variety Lights (1950) Not Rated | 93 min | Drama, Music, Romance A beautiful but ambitious young woman joins a traveling troupe of third-rate vaudevillians and inadvertently causes jealousy and emotional crises. 35. Bámbola (1996) Not Rated | 92 min | Comedy, Drama Her name is Mina, but she is called Bambola (doll). Upon the death of her mother, she and her homosexual brother, Flavio, open a pizzeria. A man named Ugo loans Bambola the money, but is ... See full summary » 36. Vares - Huhtikuun tytöt (2011) 91 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller Tough Finnish detective Jussi Vares gets hired by a friend at a newspaper to investigate a 15 year old mystery regarding the disappearance of 3 girls. 37. Intimate Playmates (1974) 75 min | Comedy Peter brings his new girlfriend Anja (Sonja Jeannine) up to C. von Ficker's (i.e. Fucker's) flat, but their tryst is repeatedly disturbed by various events in the building. To calm the ... See full synopsis » 38. Polle Fiction (2002) 90 min | Comedy, Romance The whole plot in this crazy comedy movie is a story about a geeky and nerdy guy called Polle, who lives in a little village named Snave, which is far out in the Danish countryside. Even ... See full summary » 40. Delivery Boys (1985) R | 91 min | Comedy, Sport A gang of boys under the Brooklyn Bridge are united by their common interest in break dancing. Some work as pizza delivery boys, hence they call themselves the "Delivery Boys". They form a ... See full summary » 41. The Brothers Rico (1957) Passed | 92 min | Crime, Drama, Film-Noir A retired mob accountant is drawn back in when his brothers, who have recently made a hit for the organization, decide to go to the authorities. 43. Don't You Forget About Me (2009 Video) R | 74 min | Documentary, Biography A group of young filmmakers have one goal in mind: to track down and interview the great writer/director John Hughes, responsible for many of the classic teen films that marked a whole ... See full summary » 44. Delivered (1999) R | 93 min | Comedy, Drama, Thriller College droupout Will Sherman works as a pizza delivery boy. One night he delivers a pizza at the house where the guy who ordered pizza was just killed. The murderer, Reed, soon realizes ... See full summary » 46. Never Among Friends (2002) Unrated | 78 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance Twenty-two year old Steve is on top of the world. He has just graduated college, he has a beautiful girlfriend, Jane, and a publisher has picked up his first novel. Steve's best friend, ... See full summary » 47. Pizza Connection (1985) R | 116 min | Crime, Drama Mario (Placido), an Italian American who manages a pizzeria in NYC, is charged with an assassination of a judge in Palermo. He leaves the States, comes back to Sicily and recruit Michele, ... See full summary » 48. A Slice of Terror (2004 Video) R | 118 min | Horror, Comedy Pizza delivery boy and part time janitor gets revenge on high school bullies who humiliated him in the courtyard playground. 49. Under a Killing Moon (1994 Video Game) Adventure, Comedy, Crime In the year 2042, a clumsy noir gumshoe named Tex Murphy must stop a cult of religious fanatics who plan to destroy the human race. 50. Pizza King (1999) 103 min | Crime, Drama Pizza King is a fast-food joint where a group of young second-generation immigrants hang out, pass the time of day and swap stories. Junes is the one guy with his head screwed on correctly ... See full summary »

Wednesday Night Bible Study - Questions and Answers By Dr. Wesley A. Swift QUESTION:---(tape)--Would you please explain what you mean when saying we would see more and more of animals attacking humans. Why is this?? ANSWER:---Well, it is a peculiar thing, but the book of Seth talks about men that are beasts and beasts that are beasts. Seth said there are men who are bestial as well as beasts who are bestial. And then he said that in the latter days before the coming of the King, as the Beast systems rise, so also are beasts going to attack men because there are men who are beasts and beasts who are beasts. He was looking forward to the fact that the children of God's Kingdom could expect to be attacked by men who were bestial as well as the animals of the earth. Seth didn't know when this was to be, just knew it was out in the future. See? When the children of God would be fighting the Beast System ruled over by Lucifer, these were men who were bestial and beasts that were beasts would also help these men who were bestial. And thus you would have to slay the beast because they came against the Kingdom of God. Now, the books of Enoch also talked about the latter days when the beast system would rise. And he said men would be in league with the beast who themselves were bestial. Now, all the children of God are spirit of His spirit, life of His life. And therefore, they had a spiritual entity before they came in to the world. They are not of the world (order). They are of the Household----this family of God. This same truth is reiterated over here by the Apostle Paul over in the book of Corinthians, when he said:--'We have not received the spirit which is of the world, we have received the spirit which is of God. He then said:--'the natural man has not received the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolish unto Him.' Neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. And the natural man is also symbolized as the Beast man because he lacks the spirit of God. The created man was called Enosh. These are the Chinese. But the Enosh is also translated beast man and this is because of not possessing the spirit of God. Their spirit in the day God created them was good. Thus establishing the Beast system, these created ones were easily confused and were identified with the Beast kingdom. So this question came up that at the end of the age beasts would attack men. Let's take a look at the situation before W.W. II when Haile Selassie was head of Ethiopia. Where as he had white blood in him. Still the tribes of his land were largely Negroid. But this was where some of the children of Israel had reigned. You see, the Queen of Sheba had a son by Solomon. But since she was not of the line of Jacob/Isaac, altho she may have been white, the Priests would not let Solomon's son into the Temple. So he sent the Queen away and she went back to one of the areas she ruled over. There were Negroes in that area, but the rulers were these people of the Queens court who were white . This son of the Queen of Sheba was Manlec I and she made him vice regent over Ethiopia. Thus this son of Solomon was king of Ethiopia , and Solomon sent 1000 Nobles of Israel and their families to make a court for this son, and then Manlec married into this line of High Israel. His seed then married back into this line of High Israel and for six or seven generations this happened so these who ruled over Ethiopia were white and Israel They named the king of Ethiopia the Lion of the tribe of Judah. This continued on until one of the relatives of the king started a vast orgy of integration, and the king line later then began to take on color. Then a son of Manlec III recaptured the throne and cleared up the lineage. In the days of Jesus Ethiopia was ruled over by a white line of people. They had preserved their Israelite doctrines and origin and so in the days of Jesus the Queen was Queen Caddice and she was a white lady and they had regained the throne and were of the true lineage. Now in the book of Acts you are told of this Apostle Philip who was walking down the road and here came a chariot. And in the chariot was a Eunuch from the court of Queen Caddice . This Eunuch was going to Jerusalem to the temple. Thus he had to be an Israelite, he was reading the book of Isaiah and the reason he was reading this book of Isaiah in Hebrew was because he was a Hebrew, and the religion of Ethiopia had for a long time been that of Israel coming from the Nobles who had gone over to form the court for the son of the Queen of Sheba, and Solomon. A lot of preachers get far out and they say that this man was a Negro and salvation was extended to the Negroes first, all of which if they were very intent, they would know that no one not an Israelite could get into the Temple in those days. They were still holding to this even tho Jews had taken over the Temple in the time of Jesus. But they let the Israelites come because the tithe still flowed to the Temple. Since he was reading Hebrew, this proved that he was an Israelite. And when asked by Philip if he understood what he was reading, he admitted that he didn't. So Philip baptised him. Ethiopia was the name for all of North Africa. And back in the days when the scripture was written, the word Ethiopia didn't mean black, but only that you were a dweller in the land of Ethiopia. And the Queen of that land at that time was Queen Caddice, a white descendent from the Queen of Sheba. Now, during the time of Christ and onward, there was intermixture of that line and Haile Selassie now has some Negro blood. The government of Ethiopia used to go out and capture prisoners and take them home and sell them to the slave traders. And Russia was the biggest buyer of slaves from Ethiopia. And so Haile Selassie would send his troops out into Samoaland and there they would capture the Negroes and sell them to Russia. The writer Pierre vonPossen in his book "Days of Our Years", talks about this. Also you discover there are several volumes telling about this slave trade. But Italy owns Samoaland and the Ambassador reported home to Mussolini that Ethiopia was capturing Negroes and selling them to the Soviet Union. So Mussolini sent notice to Haile Selassie that he had to stop this. When it didn't stop, then Mussolini declared war on Ethiopia. Now, all these preachers were telling all this silly stuff because at this time the preachers were, in general, saying that Mussolini was the Anti-Christ. And that the Old Roman Empire was being rebuilt. Well, they didn't know anything about true Israel, about the Bible. And they just thought they did. The son-in-law of Mussolini was put in charge of the Air Force. So he was fighting Ethiopia from the air while the Italian forces were fighting on the ground. And one day 100 lions were turned loose against the Italians. These lions were trained to jump at the Italians whereas they wouldn't jump the Ethiopians. So you had prophecy literally fulfilled. Here were beasts who were men and beasts that were beasts, attacking men. So as these lions let out a great roar, then the Italian soldiers would shoot at them and then run. But then the Italians are noted for being lovers not warriors. In the years before the Germans came down into Italy, the finest brigade of all times, the Italian ski brigade, were sent to prevent the Germans coming thru the Alps. They would get on their skis every evening and go home and spend the nite with mamma, then next morning go up the mountain. So even the history books of fifty years ago cited that Italians were not much on fighting. They were better lovers. But Mussolini then came to the forefront and a lot of Italians were of the tribe of Gad. And they were pretty good fighters. So Mussolini had a pretty good army in Ethiopia, but they didn't like to fight lions. That was one of the instances of beasts being used in battle. Now, about two years ago in Glassier Park in Montana and in areas around there, they had all kinds of bears in that park and thru Montana. But they never worried too much about them for even Grizzly bears would move away from people. No one was allowed to take a gun into a National Park. But there were camps along streams where you could fish. So a man and a woman and their children were camped along the stream and a bear attacked the woman and bit and scratched her pretty bad. Her husband came running with a stick and the bear killed the man and dragged him off in the bush. Well, this was unheard of altho you would hear of people killed at times by Grizzly bears. Then about two years ago, another condition transpired, as two guys and two girls had gone out fishing. And they worked in the park but they had gone further out to camp. Suddenly, a bear started to knock over their gear. Someone said--'get out of your sleeping bags and into a tree.' One girl tried to get out of her sleeping bag and the bear was there trying to bite her arm off. She screamed and the bear killed her and dragged her off into the woods. There has been times when bears have attacked people in Yosemite and Red Bluff Parks. And last year in all places of National parks, bears were attacking where as normally bears will run. The black bears and brown bears can be nasty, but normally they will run. After I came back from hunting up on Shasta, a Volkswagen turned over trying to miss a bear in the road and the bear then killed the people in the Volkswagen. I was bear hunting up around Berning. But never saw anything strange. But we note that all over the country, we get reports of ferocious bears. Coyotes also are doing the same thing. They are much like a wolf and fifty years ago, if they were in bands they would attack a man. They never did this for years. But here lately, we have reports of coyotes up around Tahoe, attacking people. They tell you that a mountain lion is a coward, but that isn't true. In early days they would drop down on a man out of trees. And you always carried a hunting knife to throw him off. But now, once again, they are once more attacking man. We go back to the book of Seth, and it says that Lucifer takes the men who are beasts and turns them against the Kingdom which would descend from Adam thru him. So he believed that a great Kingdom, would grow up from his seed. And at the end of the age a great battle would come between the Kingdom of God and the anti-Christ. The anti-God people are the same as scripture says.-- They are anti-Christ. Of course, Christ is a Greek word. And Seth never used that because this was way back there. These were Anti-YAHWEH people in his eyes. But we would take his writings as there would be a rampage between normal beast and the beasts of the field. And they would come against the Kingdom. Now, in the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 7, where God speaks of Israel calling them a Holy people unto YAHWEH their God. 'YAHWEH HATH CHOSEN YOU TO BE A SPECIAL PEOPLE UNTO HIMSELF ABOVE ALL THE PEOPLE ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH.' He said:--'THE GREAT TEMPTATIONS WHICH THINE EYE SAW; AND THE SIGNS AND WONDERS, AND THE MIGHTY HAND, AND THE STRETCHED OUT ARM WHEREBY THE LORD THY GOD BROUGHT THEE OUT, SO SHALL THE LORD THY GOD DO UNTO ALL THE PEOPLE OF WHOM THOU ART AFRAID. MOREOVER THE LORD THY GOD WILL SEND THE HORNET AMONG THEM UNTIL THEY THAT ARE LEFT AND HIDE THEMSELVES FROM THEE BE DESTROYED. AND YAHWEH THY GOD WILL PUT OUT THESE NATIONS BEFORE THEE LITTLE BY LITTLE. THOU MAYEST NOT CONSUME THEM AT ONCE, LEST THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD INCREASE UPON THEE.' So until they became more in number, as God helped Israel put out the pagan nations, He let Israel get stronger before they took each new land and thus the animals never became strong enough to destroy Israel. So he said he wouldn't destroy the pagan people to fast or the animals would then attack Israel. So at that time, animals would attack men even in Palestine. When they eventually took that land, and then scattered out in migration, always it was so that the animals would not overcome Israel. Now, the buffalo was not such a great scourge, but the Indians lived on the buffalo. And they could travel all over and live on the buffalo. So to defeat the Indians, then they had to get rid of the buffalo. The savages were out there and the hunters killed off the buffalo. The hides were shipped all over. Even to Europe. We killed millions of buffalo. But as the buffalo died off, the Indians didn't have such ready meals and they couldn't fight as well. But as the Indians thinned out, the great bears became more numerous. From 1918 to 1920 huge bears were everywhere. They would give a man a run for his money when they hunted them. But it was mostly for their own protection that they hunted the bears. But this shows again that in the latter days, the beasts of the field would turn on men (Adamites). Of course, one of the signs of the age was that the beasts of the Beast System as well as natural beasts would turn on Adam man. QUESTION:---How does the thought reach the animal beasts? ANSWER:---Well, don't worry about what animals think. When it comes to killing and eating, this has been a normal thing for animals for a long time. But if they are now getting ferocious against man, that is just a sign of the times. As far as Lucifer was concerned, remember, that Lucifer approached Eve. And symbolically, what type of a body did he have??? A Serpent was the emblem of his body. Hydra the serpent from the heavens. But when he seduced Eve, he had the form of a man. And all the kingdom of Lucifer from him on down,--they all wore the great tunics of gold and silver with woven into this garment the emblem of the fig leaves. And the fig leaves are still a part of Buddhism and Gotmaism today in Asia. So when God came into the garden, Adam was hiding in the bushes. And God said:--'Adam, why are you hiding.' Adam said:--'Well I discovered I was naked, so I had to put clothes on. So I put on the fig leaf.' Actually this meant he had taken or been taken over by the Luciferian system. So YAHWEH killed the animals and made a coat of skins to cover Adam and also Eve. This was a symbol of atonement. This situation is a marked pattern of the enmity between the seed of the woman (Adamites) and the seed of the serpent (Luciferians). These serpent people had legs and arms and they walked upright and so forth. And in the symbolism, Lucifer used the symbol of the serpent. But he was as a man in the great tunic and on his head was a cap a lot like the Pontiff of Rome wears which was also like that of Mystery Babylon. Only Lucifer's cap came up to a great peak and the head of the Cobra made the top of the mantel for the clothes he wore. In otherwords, Hydra the Serpent was one of the emblems like the dragon and so forth. And it tells you in the book of Revelation that he is the serpent, the dragon, the devil. These are all the names of Lucifer because he turned people away from God. The words Devious, Satan, Shaton-who refused to reflect the light, are words associated with Lucifer. So on Lemuria and in ancient Asia, at one time he ruled over all that area as well. And he had garments with scales like a serpent. And he wore over his head, the great mantel of the Cobra with rings of gold on top that came up to a point. In fact, the ancient city of Angkor--Puok-Angkor, that Mrs. Kennedy had to go visit in Cambodia, ( and this visit probably cost us thousands of boys lives, for they wouldn't bomb the communications lines while she was there)---And for two weeks she was there. And the enemy was able to bring in reinforcements for their forces.)---But this city of Temples was woven with serpents and dragons. This was one of the ancient citadels of Lucifer. So again, when they refer to him as a serpent, this meant he was attired in this manner. But God cursed the serpent and henceforth the serpent was to craw upon its belly. This was symbolically. But then serpents no longer would have legs altho the area of legs can be found in all serpents. All snakes of any kind had to crawl on their bellies because they are the symbol of Lucifer. But Lucifer was also symbolized as the Dragon and the Hydra the serpent. We want to point out that Lilith, who fell with Lucifer, was the consort. And there were other female angels. Like________(Chalandra), _________(Tamatraze),_________(Doseleze).---These were all female Angels who rebelled with Lucifer along with the many male angels. He had been the Exhaulted Cherub and like these others never kept his first estate and appeared and took on the form of a man. Therefore, there are all patterns with Lilith the serpent woman, known as the mother of the Ganges. After the seduction of Eve by Lucifer, then Eve introduced Adam to this violation of law, and the sexual orgies of Lucifer. And Adam begat a child or children by Lilith. And this is the way she became known as the mother of the Ganges. For this lineage made their dwelling place along the Ganges river. Kali is also the assassin goddess of India. In fact the assassins were a cult; a group. And they all ate, it was said,--Kali's sugar. Now, the white Hindu in India, came from the Aryans and they served YAH. They came out of Persia. They came in as a conquering force and conquered India. Then later, Abraham had children by Ketura and they were Aryans. And they also came into India and were known as the Brahmans and they served YAHWEH. Hindustan was the name of the country at that time. Then the Mongols came in again and conquered and then the worship was of Brahma, Vishnu, Siva and Kali. The dark skinned Hindu were from Lilith and Adam and from the other dark forces there. And they go back even to pre-Adamic periods because India was mongrelized to begin with by the Negroes who came in with Lucifer. The land of India, the Bay of Bombay, used to have a great extension before the land broke off. And the Ganges river flowed for hundreds of miles further that it does today. So we note that the Aryans brought great culture to India. The Taj Mahal was built by an Aryan king for his Aryan queen. That was a beautiful structure. And there was no idolatry in the Taj Mahal. But then the Mongols swept in and pretty well dominated India. The Alexander the Great came into India. But he went back before bringing all of India under his control. So the Mongols came back in. And under all kinds of mongrelization and all religions, were vicious. And the present temples of Kali marked by the assassins is quite a thing. But then no one knows how an Indian native thinks because he is not rational anyhow. He serves his pagan gods and will pay all sorts of tithe to these pagan gods even tho the pagan goddess will protect these assassins who come out to prey on them if they are not careful. So all of them help keep the assassins as they pay into the temple of Kali. Great Britain passed a low against all these assassins. And the army moved out into the field to stop the assassins. And while Britain held that colony, she reduced the assassins down to a little group who hid back in the hills and India became somewhat safe for civilization under the British mandate. We understand that now the assassins are back and there is no attempt on the part of the Hindu's to do anything about the assassins in this present situation. Nehru didn't do anything to stop them. In fact, he wore the sign of Kali on his forehead. I remember how when President Eisenhower went over to India, they wined and dined him and put the mark of Kali on him because Nehru was,---I am sure---a Priest of Kali. But instead of Eisenhower saying:--'I can't accept this because I am a Christian,---he instead accepted that caste mark. QUESTION:---Well, how will this effect Ike??? ANSWER:---Well, if he is an Israelite, then of course all Israel will be saved in the end. But he isn't a good one because he did take Kali's mark. But then a lot of Israelites have gone into idolatry at times then came back. While Moses was up on the mountain getting the law, remember, that they made a golden calf. So they did these things and brought judgement on themselves. But largely they still knew the truth. QUESTION:---Is Ike a Swedish Jew? ANSWER:---No, I don't think that at all. They have pages in the book at West Point. And they put all kinds of funny things in there. And they called Ike a Swedish Jew. But there is not one speck of Jewish blood in him or his relatives. But there is Negro blood in his blood line. And it is not more than six generations back because his grandmother was a Mulatto. Lizzie Stover was a Mulatto in the state she lived in. She looked white. And the man who married Lizzie Stover didn't know she was not white. And when he found it out, he was very unhappy. But because his grandmother was an offspring of a Mulatto, then Eisenhower told his grandmother that some day he would destroy all segregation in the United States. So way back when a boy, he promised that he would someday have a part in ending segregation. Then when he got into West Point this idea wasn't popular at that time, so he was as anti-Negro as any man in the service. In fact when General Douglas McArthur had Ike as his aid, when he was in command in Washington, D.C., then McArthur said:--'Ike was not a very good soldier, so he would never give him a promotion because he just said yes to everybody no matter who he was with.' This is in the book about McArthur. Eisenhower never liked McArthur and didn't like it that he didn't consider him a good soldier. But when Ike became Commander of the United States force during the war, this proved true. However, prior to this time, he said it was a very impractical thing to integrate Negro troops and white troops because Negro troops don't think and react like white troops. He said that they are slower to think and this is a dangerous situation. I have Ike's statement where he says that Negro troops jeopardize the strength of an army especially a white army, for they think differently, act different speeds, and don't stand under fire. They run to the background. They are best used in transport and other jobs. That he would always oppose any integration in the United States Army. This was his own statement. But as the country under the influence of the Supreme Court, etc, moved into the program of integration, he said that to integrate the United States would end forever, this problem of fusion of the races. So he just contradicted himself. Now, I have a book titled "I Was Eisenhower's Secretary". And in this book, she tells about Ike's grandmother being Lizzie Stover. However most of the Eisenhower's were all white. But they had absorbed this marriage to Lizzie Stover. But there was not Swedish Jew in Eisenhower's line. They just used this as a banter, because he was so tight fisted in a trade. And they couldn't get the better of him. So they called him a Swedish Jew. That was in the days at West Point. You could say, you are a 'kike' or a Jew and get away with it. But now they have taken in the Jew and we have Jewish Generals, and Colonials. But when you have men like Sellers in the House and Jacob Javits in the Senate, they appoint Jews to West Point. QUESTION:---Well, Barbara Streisan is from the serpent line isn't she and others??? ANSWER:---Well, there are tremendous things in the scripture and many things have been hidden in verses that are hard to understand. In the Apocrypha books which the Catholic church helped to put out, there were so many things---from the days of the books of Seth, of Enoch, and so forth, that would have revealed too much---the Jews who were contending the Faith had a hand in not canonizing these books. So the books with a lot of mystery in them concerning the emblems, the symbols, the beasts, and all these things, they ruled out of your Bible. But you sill have enough in your Bible to know that "A wayfaring man shouldn't error therein." Altho some of them do. The fact remains that the truth is still here. I can take 64 of these books which are genuine and prove anything we need to prove in the entire program. But I don't have to get along with just those for I have lots of books which they didn't canonize and these are also important. I think all the books are going to be restored to the House of God, the Kingdom of Israel. Of course when the LORD comes, we will know as He knows. But these scrolls, scriptures, records which are sacred, are going to come back. It will make a bigger Bible. There will be 153 books in it. QUESTION:---I finally found what I was going to ask. It is in Chapter 3 of Zachariah, verse 1 thru 4. Who is standing there? ANSWER:---This was Joshua, with Lucifer contending against him. This is symbolic. It is explaining that man is not going to be the victor by himself. That man with all his righteousness , is just filthy rags. But God said He was going to remove these filthy rags from Joshua and then clothe him with righteousness. This is God's covenant with everyone of Israel. "Arise and shine, thy light has come, and the Glory of God has risen upon you."---So the radiant garment is the sign of imputed righteousness to Israel, to her commanders, to His Kingdom people. The power which would defeat Lucifer was to be the Glory of God resting here on Joshua. And all his transgressions and anything which Joshua had done wrong was to be wiped away in the atonement anyhow, which was still coming. Joshua is an example and this still rules up into our time. For this was a prophecy being made here. Again in the areas of leadership, as we battle the anti-Christ, we are not boasting of what we have done, but we stand on the righteousness of God who is our Father. QUESTION:---Well, on down to verse 8, it talks of the Branch which God extends to us.-- ANSWER:---Now again, the body of God is considered the Branch of the Nation. And also--my servant which is a branch. And in talking about all Israel being the Olive tree, then Ephraim and Manasseh were two Olive trees that stand by the God of the whole earth. So remember, the nations said God make us as Ephraim and Manasseh. So the Anglo-Saxon people were to be two powerful branches that would emerge to be a protection to the House of Israel. Again we have the two witnesses--church and state. The state or nation bears witness to being Israel. And the spiritual center is found in the heart of the Kingdom, and this is the Church. So where the Church exists, where you have the throne, this is the Kingdom of Israel.---These two witnesses, abiding witnesses, unto the end. The filthy rags is only a symbol of man's righteousness when measured up to God's. It takes an atonement for His people to bring forth their righteousness. Thus at the climax of the age, then it is --"Arise and shine, thy light has come, and the Glory of God has risen upon thee." QUESTION:---In verse 9, it talks about the seven eyes of the LORD.--- ANSWER:---This is the seven-fold (perfect) spirit of God. QUESTION:---Why seven eyes in particular?? ANSWER:---Well, it would take an hour to answer. But this is again the seven-fold spirit of God. This is again the magic seven. This is the plains and dimensions in which the spirit of God is Omnipresent. QUESTION:---Those lost books of the Bible, are they genuine or phoney??? ANSWER:---It depends on what you are talking about. Sears Roebuck published a book called "The Lost Books of the Bible" and "The Forgotten Books of Eden." Well, largely these volumes have been edited and changed by the Catholic church. When they canonized the scriptures, people were still showing up with books they hadn't canonized and most of these books were inspired. Most have a right to be in the scriptures, but not as the Catholic church has changed them. Now, the book of Nicodemus, --this Gospel of Nicodemus is almost perfect as it was written, except for a few little things like the wood of the cross and so forth, which the Catholic church added. The Gospel of Nicodemus was put back into its original shape. And when Oxford translated it, they put it in its original shape except for a few little spots where they still have some of the Catholic church version. But it established the power of the resurrection, and the Catholic church would not admit it in its present, for it has no limbo, no purgatory, no hell. It has Christ going into the Netherworld and taking all His sons out of there; taking them into glory. It sites that He took captivity captive and led His many sons on high. The Catholic church doesn't want this. They want them in limbo. And if they don't pay out quickly, they go into purgatory and slide on down. And if they don't get out of purgatory, they land in perdition which is flaming fires and so forth. But if you don't have flaming fires to scare them with, they won't pay the money to get their loved ones back up out of there. This is the whole reason for this. See? Some Catholics believe this and some don't. And most Priests have to endure it. They go thru the rites and rituals and shake the gourd to drive off the evil spirits and all these things. So there are many things phoney today in the Catholic Church. But yet there are a lot of good Christians and Priests in that church. They just got stuck with all these phoney things. And are forbidden to find out how these things got into their religion. At the same time I think that inside of America, the Catholic Church was making some advances. For instance, they refused to sell indulgences which was a concoction of the Jew, after they gained control of one of the Popes and some became Catholic Cardinals. This indulgence was that if you wanted to violate divine law,--maybe fornication-- for $10.00 and then confess to the Priest--. You could get a real break on this, if you would come and pay $100.00, say--for it in advance, then you could go sin and not have to come to confessions. You could get so much boundary on this by getting your sins forgiven before you committed them. This was called Papal indulgence. This isn't practical you know. And there may be some Catholics who won't like this on this tape, but it is still true. I can prove this by the Encyclopedia and I also have shelves full of Catholicism and who put what into their religion. Like the bodily assumption of Mary. You know Mary was buried in Glastonbury. But it was--I think--in the 1930's that they decided that she bodily ascended into heaven. So from then on they taught the bodily assumption of Mary. Now, I don't think it makes too much difference, but she is still buried over in Glastonbury. Since Christ ascended into the heavens, long before she died, this bodily ascension is just one of their tales. But I always thought that one of the saddest things in the Christian religion, is this selling of indulgence. In otherwords, you might find some situation, some position there the Priest might pray for a person. And if he was a Bishop of the Church, or a Priest, and a person came to him, and he prayed for them, he could remit their transgression because remember, that Jesus said:--"Behold I give to you the Keys to the Kingdom and whatsoever ye shall release, shall be released. And whatsoever ye retain, shall be retained." So they could translate this as that Christ had given this authority to His clergy so that they could pray for this repentant transgressor and remove his transgressions as far as the east is from the west. Of if he wasn't repentant and acting in revolutionary attitudes toward the church, he might have to retain them. But the fact remains that this forgiving a person's transgressions before they occur, giving them the right to go out an commit ten transgressions for so much money, this is wrong. And ignorant Catholics then go out thinking they are forgiven and there is no transgression against them. You could never have any moral law with this. It is that reason most Catholic societies do not have moral law. And the people are more ignorant. You go into Mexico and down into South America and over into Spain and they have no moral law in Catholicism until people got brighter in that country to know that the wealthy bought these indulgences and the ignorant went along with it. But there has been much argument inside the Catholic church among the Priests as to this selling of indulgence. But this is just one of the areas of error in that Church. In the book of Revelation, God said He had many things against this church, such as the doctrine of the Priestcraft, the doctrine of the Nicolatians and so forth. But I know thy faith, thy strength and thy charity.---But He denounced their Priestcraft saying it controlled the bodies and souls of men. And yet, God said all Israel is going to be saved, no one is to be put into perdition forever and forever, and there is no purgatory and never was. This was all ghosted up by the Babylonianism sowed in. And in Babylon, if you didn't serve Baal, who was Lucifer, then Lucifer put his own people in purgatory. And they transferred all this over into Christianity. Baalism, even the Pontiff, the title of the Baal Priest and even his cap is the same cap as well as the robe which was worn by the Babylonian Priesthood. And the Vestal Virgins are those who gave their life service to Baal. And the Catholics have this woven into a certain extent. And in Priestcraft all these in service are Vestal Virgins. In otherwords, this is the principal of it altho the average convent today may not be run like they run the Vestal Virgins of Baal. Still this is the beginning of the idea of this service. I don't believe that Mr.___________(Koloque) who wrote a fantastic garbled version of this. And I don't believe the doctrine put out by most of these anti-Catholics because most of them put out the most obnoxious stories of what is going on which is not necessarily true. Many of the Protestant ministers are just as evil as the Catholic Priests. On the other hand, this goes the other way also. I think many of the 'Sisters' were conned into a life which is neither good nor healthy or natural. But they do service. And their charity is one of the things they are known for. I think today we have a hateful type of ministry that wrote books which are entirely morbid. But they are sold by Evangelists who thought they saw the anti-Christ set up in Rome and the Roman Empire being rebuilt in their theology. These futurists thought that Rome had to be rebuilt and therefore they had to have an anti-Christ in Rome. The head of the Roman government would be the anti-Christ and the head of the Roman Church the false prophet. But I can show you these books on my selves. But they are not basically true. Hislips "True Babylon", does show the transference of Babylonianism into the religion. But I can say today, that Catholicism believes in the Virgin Birth and the Blood Atonement. And this is far more that we can say for the majority of the National Council of Churches and so forth. They have dropped even lower than this for they deny the deity of Christ. QUESTION:---Who then would be the false prophet??? ANSWER:---Very easily, the false prophet comes out of Jewry and this design. The false prophet is in al religions which are anti-Christian. And the Catholic Church is basically not anti-Christian. They do identify Jesus as The Christ, the Embodiment of God. They do say that Mary is the Mother of God. They do fulfill the magnificat of Matthew. The false prophet does none of these things. And Jesus said of the Catholic Church,--'I have some things against you' and this was their area of Priestcraft. But the woman who rides on the Beast and the Beast sits on seven hills,--this is in Revelation. And some writers come out and say that Rome sits on seven hills. But this is not what is being talked about because Jesus said that 'seven hills' are 'seven kingdoms.' Five have fallen, one is, and on is yet to come, and the eighth is out of the seventh. So this 'seven hills' of Rome is all marlarky. That this is Rome just isn't true and never was. But today organized religion that is moving into theosophy has this system of the anti-God. Again it is the program of Paganism. And Jewry sponsored most of the pagan religions of the world. Most of the High Priests of paganism are Jews. So when you get to Satanism and anti-Christ and false prophets, these have to be Jews for they are the children of Lucifer. QUESTION:---Who is this woman riding on the Beast??? ANSWER:---The mother of harlots, the abominations of the earth,--this is the false prophet. This woman symbolizes the false church whereas the Bride of Christ is the House of Israel out of which the true Ecclessia comes. But this woman rides on all the Empire powers until finally the people rise up to burn her with fire. But you see,--each time some of the Preachers think this is it, so ever so often, someone comes along and they make anti-Christ out of him. The closest they came to being right was when Genghis Khan came out of Asia and was conquering Christian cities as he moved in. Martin Luther said here is the anti-Christ. And the Pope and Martin Luther signed a conferdot. And the manhood of Germany, Rome and Britain and Scandinavia came to fight Genghis Khan and his Mongol hoards. And the heart of Europe, all the way to the mountain, was torn by vicious battles because the Mongol hoards were coming in to destroy Christianity. And it was the Jews from Venice who had set up Genghis Khan. They had a deal with the Mongols whereas the Jews wore yellow arm bands so the Mongols wouldn't kill any of them with their yellow arm bands. They could go in and out of the city anytime they wanted to. They wore their yellow arm bands for protection. And Martin Luther discovered this. Long after Martin Luther was dead, the hoards were still trying to come in. But Martin Luther referred to the children of anti-Christ as wearing the yellow arm bands. And he told the leaders of Germany that they should deport every Jew and take all their wealth, for they had taken it from the German people. I have all the works of Martin Luther, and you can see this. Now, at that time, beast power rested with Genghis Khan. This was the seventh which received a wound nigh unto death. Then the eighth was to come out of the seventh area and this is world communism. And it gathers the same hoards out of Asia, out of Russia, and the same power comes against the Christian world once again. Since the Red Revolution it has been growing into the picture. We have now --and this is the last anti-Christ power and program,---so of course the false prophet rides upon this power. The economic program is also a part of the design of the Beast System. QUESTION:---I hear that the Viet Cong are wearing yellow arm bands??? ANSWER:---Some in Saigon are wearing yellow arm bands. But how could you tell one from another? end of tape

Black Fire White Fire Black Fire/White Fire Directed by David Winitsky Waylon, a Cuban Jew (a Jewban), returns to the small island off the Florida coast where he was raised to bury his parents. At the shiva he meets Kingsley, the dark-skinned Caribbean Torah scholar and art teacher, whose foul-mouthed and frank boyfriend Teddy lets on that something is awry with his father Big Ted, the local sheriff. A randy murder mystery with a side of Talmud. SPECIAL NOTE: Black Fire/White Fire Contains tons of adult material. Children are advised not to attend! Peter Ullian’s (Playwright) work for the stage has been produced off-Broadway and at theaters throughout the US and UK, and has been supported by production grants from the NEA. His dramatic works include: Signs of Life: A Tale of Terezin (AMAS Musical Theatre, Village Theatre); Flight of the Lawnchair Man (Prince Music Theatre, Ahmanson Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, 37 Arts); Eliot Ness in Cleveland (The Directors Company, Denver Center Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse); and Hester Street Hideaway (En Garde Arts). His awards for dramatic writing include the Gilman Golzalez-Falla Commendation Award, the Roger L. Stevens Award, and the Barrymore Award. David Winitsky (Director) is the founder of the Jewish Plays Project, a collaborator with StorahTelling, and a PresenTense New York City Fellow. He has directed or assisted on Broadway, off-Broadway, and regionally at Papermill Playhouse, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, California Shakespeare Festival and Philadelphia Theatre Company. NYC: Displaced Wedding (New Worlds Theatre Project), A Wonderful Flat Thing. (14th St Y), Dominic D'Andrea's One Minute Play Festival, Brooke Berman's Until We Find Each Other (Midtown International, produced by Oscar-winner Mara Kassin). Regional: Douglas Adam's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (What Exit?), and Javier Malpica's Our Dad is in Atlantis (Playwrights Theatre). MFA in Directing from Northwestern, BA in Mathematics from Cornell. Member: Lincoln Center Directors Lab and Emerging Artists Theatre. David is the proud husband of playwright and painter Elizabeth Samet, father to Ezekiel (12) and Alexander (9), and a long-suffering Philadelphia Eagles fan.

During a weekend in July, the Festival of the Converts in Hervás remembers its past and pays tribute to the legacy of the Jewish population that remains in the town even after their expulsion. In 1492, the Catholic rulers signed the Edict of Granada, mandating that all the surrounding Jews who would not convert to Christianity would be expelled from Spain. Hervás was one of the villages that fell under this edict, and it had one of the biggest Jewish populations in all of Extremadura. This meant that the expulsion of all its population who would not convert resulted in a blow to the life and the economy of the town. Since 1997, the town has taken a weekend in July to celebrate the Festival of the Converts, which celebrates the historical legacy of Hervás, the displaced Jewish community, and the cultural legacy that can be felt in the town even to this day that the expelled Jews left behind. The festival takes place in the Jewish neighborhood of Hervás, which has been declared a Conjunto Histórico-Artístico (a historic and artistic cultural site). The streets are decorated and the participants dress up to recreate a 15th century setting that is as historicallyaccurate as possible. The festival includes a 15th century market with numerous stalls selling artisan goods and food in an environment that precisely simulates a market from the middle ages. Around the market, many events set the scene for all the participants in the streets of the neighborhood. The Festival of the Convents in Hervás includes a lot of participation by visitors and locals alike. Almost all of the neighbors get involved in one way or another, but the real credit should go to the actors, who make the festival feel like a time machine to the 15th century. Every year, the festival includes a play that has the Jewish population of Hervás as the main part of its story. At first, the bullring served as the stage for the play, but since 2006, the plays have been performed at the Chiquita Fountain on the banks of the Ambruz River and in the Jewish neighborhood. Around 400 of the neighbors of the town come together to act in the play, and they are directed by different performing arts professionals every year. The scripts used are always originals that were written ad-hoc for the occasion. Some of the titles include Los Conversos, La Conversa de Hervás, La Estrella de Hervás, and La Calumnia. This festival is valuable for its historic and ethnologic context, and it is well-known throughout Spain. It is an occasion in which the population of Hervás pays homage to one of the most influential communities in its rich history. España Fascinante usa cookies para asegurarte una experiencia maravillosa. Si usted continua navegando, consideramos que acepta su uso. Puede cambiar la configuración y obtener más información Los ajustes de cookies de esta web están configurados para "permitir cookies" y así ofrecerte la mejor experiencia de navegación posible. Si sigues utilizando esta web sin cambiar tus ajustes de cookies o haces clic en "Aceptar" estarás dando tu consentimiento a esto.

Some addresses or other data might no longer be current. Owners of assume no responsibility (and expressly disclaim responsibility) for updating this site to keep information current or to ensure the accuracy or completeness of any posted information. According to our research of Oregon and other state lists there were 2 registered sex offenders living in St. The number of registered sex offenders compared to the number of residents in this city is smaller than the state average. Helens detailed stats: murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, arson Zip Code: 97051Sex: Male Age: 51Date of birth: 07/19/1965Eye color: Blue Hair color: Blond Or Strawberry Height: 601Weight: 220Marks/Scars/Tattoos: tattoo, arm, left - dragon Race: White Based on this official offender page No representation is made that the persons listed here are currently on the state's sex offenders registry. Helens to the number of sex offenders is 6,455 to 1. Here's where you can meet singles in Columbia City, Indiana.Here's where you can meet singles in Scappoose, Oregon.Our Columbia County singles are in the 503/971 area code, and might live in these or other zip codes: 97056 personals.Victim assistance programs offer: VAPs generally provide services to victims of crime in relation to criminal cases that are being prosecuted by the state.They do not generally provide support in relation to civil legal proceedings (e.g.We have all type of personals, Christian singles, Catholic, Jewish singles, Atheists, Republicans, Democrats, pet lovers, cute Molalla women, handsome Molalla men, single parents, gay men, and lesbians.

Once in a while, just at the right moment, a truly gorgeous real-life love story appears out of the blue, or in this case out of a chance purchase on eBay. Thanks to a serendipitous sequence of connections, including a perspicacious dealer and a fast-moving literary agent, the wonderful (and superlatively edited) seat-of-the-pants romance of Eileen Alexander and fellow Cambridge student Gershon Ellenbogen has been saved from oblivion. Having survived a serious car accident on the eve of World War Two with her only-just-platonic friend Gershon at the wheel, Eileen begins writing him some of wartime’s funniest, most unexpected and possibly unintentionally sexiest letters as she reports on her convalescence. During the unfolding correspondence of some 14,000 letters over six years, liberated in tone from any self-conscious intention of future publication, the brilliant but tentative young English literature graduate seduces and hopes to secure for romantic perpetuity the man she already knows she loves ‘on the other side of idolatry’. During the first few illusory months of the Phony War, the friends manage to meet; but as the war gathers momentum Gershon is posted abroad with the RAF and Eileen, having recovered, volunteers for work at the War Office, so the letters enable the relationship to move towards declarations of love and maybe more. Living at home in Primrose Hill, she occupies a state of ‘emotional claustrophobia’ with her intellectual, eccentric, opinionated Italian-Jewish and Polish-Jewish parents, a nanny, two young, annoying brothers and an aunt ‘with a boil in some remote and unmentionable zone’. In her almost daily communications Eileen describes for Gershon her distinguished boss and her lust-deprived colleagues. She eavesdrops in buses, shops and air-raid shelters and overhears exchanges in ladies’ cloakrooms concerning the discrepancy in coupons required for ‘open or closed French knickers’. In the Savoy hotel she observes the ‘spat and polished guardsmen and flat-chested ladies of leisure and unimpeachable virtue’. In the National Gallery an acquaintance displays a ‘bosom of the majesty of the Niagara Falls’ and Eileen witnesses a fight in the street between an Italian waiter and a ‘desiccated’ woman wielding ‘an enormous pot of beer’. Never far from quoting her favorite poets, among them Donne, Wordsworth and Shakespeare, Eileen has an insatiable eye for funny stories amid the strange circumstances of war. There are echoes of intimate, Mitfordian shorthand — ‘mollicking’ stands for kissing, ‘wantonness’ for copulation and ‘wild oats’ describes those who are rather too free with their favors — and a touch of the self-deprecating, self-doubting Bridget Jones about her. Putting her foot in it with her out-spoken grittiness, an Emma Woodhouse is also at work here as Eileen relishes, encourages and prudishly disapproves of romances that acquire a peculiar concentration during wartime lockdown. Her best friend Joan leads a life ‘like one of those electric toasters that keep shooting out pieces of toast which hit you in the eye’ and to whom calamities cling ‘like lichens on a rock’. Crazy about a Canadian officer who unfortunately has a wife and child back home, Joan despairs when the liaison ends, entangling herself instead with dubious Robert, about whom Eileen is wary. Speaking her mind to her own impulsive Harriet, Eileen thereby jeopardizes a precious friendship. But there is nothing coy about her urgency to discuss the delicious sex life that will be hers and Gershon’s once their separation is over, as she laments the deficiency of her flat chest and promises that peppermints will disguise her taste for cigarettes when the time arrives for kissing. Beneath the heady intoxication of romance, however, the stress of an unending, cacophonous war threatens to topple her. As London falls under constant bombardment and becomes what she sees as T.S. Eliot’s ‘Unreal City’, she feels like a ‘dead leaf lying on the ground or an old chimney cowl revolving aimlessly in the wind’. When St Paul’s suffers a direct hit in October 1940 she senses ‘the monuments and symbols of our stability have been bruised’, fearful that after the war is over her world will look ‘new and strange’. Becoming increasingly aghast at the ominous talk from Germany of Jewish persecution, her writing is at its most beautiful as she yearns for the Wordsworthian care-freedom of the Scottish landscape, when ‘to be young was very heaven’ and the sound of river water was ‘almost more hushed than silence’. But during the earthquake of war and at other moments of national catastrophe when loneliness, fear and uncertainty can bring despair, flares of hope and Eileen’s discovery of the ‘core of warm serenity’ found in letters, in reciprocated love and within inspirational people can reverse the mood. These are such letters, theirs was such a love and Eileen Alexander such a delicious inspiration.

Using Kosher Sea Salts for Cooking and More There are many benefits of kosher sea salt. It is a great alternative for regular table salt. The main advantage of kosher sea salt is that kosher salt contains the three essential minerals found in seawater, sodium, potassium, and chloride. All natural kosher salt is harvested right from the Pacific Ocean. The Dead Sea salt contains over ten times more minerals than normal ocean salt. Kosher salt contains no additives or preservatives. No chemicals or other artificial ingredients are used to enhance the flavour or make the table salt absorbable to the human body. Therefore, these attributes make kosher salt the perfect choice for any type of cuisine, from simple cooking to intricate ancient Jewish food preparation. It is especially useful for seafood and baking recipes. The kosher sea salts have a very smooth, rich, and salty taste that goes well with any type of seafood or vegetarian dish. You can add this salt to your favourite sauces and dressings to enhance their flavour. The kosher salt flakers are sold at most supermarkets and natural food stores. They are also available on the internet and via mail order catalogues. The Pacific Northwest area has many excellent natural food stores. If you are looking for a great way to add a touch of kosher sea salt to your cooking, look no further than the kosher salt. Most of the Pacific Northwest coast has beautiful fresh water beaches and many natural foods. This means that there are plenty of options for using this type of sea salt. The only challenge will be in finding the flakes that are just right for you. To help you find the best kosher-coarse salt in your area, we have put together a few different categories of kosher speciality salts so that you can find the salt that will work the best for you. The first classification is based on the level of coarse salt content in the salt. The Coarse Level is considered to be any salt that contains a low amount of potassium, sodium, or magnesium; this is not the same as the "kosher" grade. The next kosher sea salt classification is based on its effects on seafood. We have the Speciality Salts. This salt contains larger particles that will not make your food taste bad. These are best used in seafood recipes or in fish sauce. The next classification, the Fining Salts will not enhance the flavours of seafood. These salts will leave a salty aftertaste in your mouth. The last kosher salt classification is called the Fining Service. These kosher salts are made up of smaller grains of sand that will help bring out the flavour of whatever you are cooking. This type of kosher salt also helps to preserve the nutrients in whatever you are cooking. When buying kosher salt, it is important to be aware of the kosher salt classification that you are buying. This way you will know which salt to use for which type of recipe. Kosher salt will come in different forms from sea salt to table salt. Each salt will have its own set of qualities and features. Kosher salt will naturally have a lot more minerals than sea salt. It is important to pay attention to the fine grains of salt that are found within the kosher salt. Not all kosher salts will feature the same features and minerals, but by paying attention to what natural salts have to offer, you will be able to choose the best salt for you. Sea salt is very popular as well and can be used for a wide variety of different culinary treats. Most sea salts will not have the same flavours as table salt, but they can add a lot of flavour when used in unique ways. If you are looking for a unique way to enhance the flavours in your sea salts, then consider using them in conjunction with other spices. For example, mixing some garlic salt with your sea salts can give you a unique taste that will be hard to replicate. Also, sea salts can be used to add a bit of sweetness and flavour to a wide variety of different dishes. Many people also enjoy using table salt to enhance the flavours in their foods. Although table salt is generally salty, many people like the taste of table salt even if it is not as salty. You can purchase table salt in a variety of different forms, including granule table salt. Some table salt contains a form of potassium that will increase the intensity of the flavours in your food. When purchasing table salt, be sure to pay close attention to the sodium content, as this will affect the final product that you will be cooking. Usually, kosher sea salt will contain less sodium than regular table salt, so using kosher salt along with regular table salt will produce the best flavour. With kosher salt being such a versatile ingredient, it is easy to see why kosher salt has become so popular throughout the world. The range of uses for kosher salt will leave most chefs with lots of options for creative cooking. These salts are also great for adding colour to dishes and for adding a delightful flavour to just about any food. No matter what type of kosher salt you are interested in using, you will always find that it is not difficult to prepare kosher salt products. When shopping, make sure that you pay close attention to the ingredients, as this will help ensure that you purchase the best salt that you can afford.

Anton Yelchin was a American actor that was born in the Soviet Union to a Russian Jewish family at just six months. Furthermore, Yelchin began his career as a child actor beginning with the mystery film Hearts in Atlantis. Also he was a regular in the comedy drama Huff. He worked on many independent and lower profile films. Yelchin tragically died at the young age of 27. Furthermore, his cause of death was from his Jeep rolling down his driveway and pinning him against his security gate in his house in Studio City Los Angeles. Check out the Anton Yelchin house below. The house has two bedrooms and three bathrooms over 1,500 square feet of space. Furthermore, the home is a charming with a cottage like appearance. Also, the home was purchased after being foreclosed in 2011. Additionally, the security gate has since been replaced since the former actor died on the property. It must be quite spooky in that area at night knowing that Anton passed on the property. Also, the house was renovated by Yelchin after he purchased it. Overall it is still a cute house with a spooky history. Studio City is a wonderful area just over a hill from the Hollywood area. There are panoramic views of the city. So many lovely trees make this unique place even more special. I love dining here because of all the trendy restaurants in the area. Specifications: Anton Yelchin House Square Feet: 1,552 sqft Price: $1.68 Million Anton Yelchin Address: 3866 Berry Dr, Studio City, CA 91604 Anton Yelchin Net Worth: $10 Million Photos: Anton Yelchin House In conclusion, I hope you enjoyed reading about Anton Yelchin’s home. Furthermore, please leave your thoughts and comments below. Finally, read some other articles like this one on our frontpage. Lastly, which other celebrity homes would you like to see on our site? Please leave the names of other celebrities that you would like to see on here. Check out our Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter too.

Taking Hebrew Names Notes Name changes in the History Change of name was not an unusual occurrence in Biblical times, if one may judge by the instances occurring among the Patriarchs, and it seems to have been not altogether unknown in later times. Thus, Moses Benveniste mentions a certain Obadiah who wandered from Germany to Turkey in 1654 and changed his name to Moses because the former name was unusual. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_name#_note-18) Jews have historically used Hebrew patronymic names. In the Jewish patronymic system the first name is followed by either ben- or bat- ("son of" and "daughter of," respectively), and then the father's name. (Bar-, "son of" in Aramaic, is also seen). Permanent family surnames exist today but only gained popularity among Sephardic Jews in Iberia and elsewhere as early as the 10th or 11th century and did not spread widely to the Ashkenazic Jews of Germany or Eastern Europe until much later. While Jews now have permanent surnames for everyday life, the patronymic form is still used in religious life. It is used in synagogue and in documents in Jewish law such as the ketubah (marriage contract). Many Sephardic Jews used the Arabic ibn instead of bat or ben when it was the norm. The Spanish family Ibn Ezra is one example. Many immigrants to modern Israel change their names to Hebrew names, to erase remnants of galuti (exiled) life still surviving in family names from other languages. It was especially among in Ashkenazic Jews, because most of their names were taken later and some were imposed by the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires. A popular form to create a new family name using Jewish patronymics sometimes related to poetic Zionist themes, such as ben Ami ("son of my people"), or ben Artzi ("son of my country"), and sometimes related to the Israeli landscape, such as bar Ilan ("son of the trees"). Others have create Hebrew names based on phonetic similarity with their original family name: Golda Meyersohn became Golda Meir. Another famous person who used a false patronymic was the first Israeli Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, whose original family name was Grün but adopted the name "Ben-Gurion" ("son of the lion cub"), not "Ben-Avigdor" (his father's name). As has been seen, surnames were not unknown among the Jews of the Middle Ages, and as Jews began to mingle more with their fellow citizens, the practice of using or adopting civic surnames in addition to the "sacred" name, used only in religious connections, grew commensurately. Of course, among the Sephardim this practice was common almost from the time of the exile from Spain, and probably became still more common as a result of the example of the Marranos, who on adopting Christianity accepted in most cases the family names of their godfathers. Among the Ashkenazim, whose isolation from their fellow citizens was more complete, the use of surnames became at all general only in the eighteenth century. In the Austrian Empire an order was issued in 1787 which compelled the Jews to adopt surnames, though their choice of given names was restricted mainly to Biblical ones. Commissions of officers were appointed to register all the Jewish inhabitants under such names. If a Jew refused to select a name the commission was empowered to force one upon him. This led to a wholesale creation of artificial surnames, of which Jewish nomenclature bears the traces to the present day. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_name#_note-18) Hebrew Names changes by Yehovah Bereshit/Genesis 17:5, 15 5 And you shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I make you the father of a multitude of nations. 15 And Elohim said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, you shall not call her Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah. 29 Said he, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with beings divine and human, and have prevailed.” 10 Elohim said to him, “You whose name is Jacob, You shall be called Jacob no more, But Israel shall be your name.” Thus He named him Israel. Name Changes by Human Rulers/Authorities 44 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh; yet without you, no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 Pharaoh then gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him for a wife Asenath daughter of Poti-phera, priest of On. Thus Joseph emerged in charge of the land of Egypt. as she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. Thus Rachel died. She was buried on the road to Here notice that Rachel names the boy but Yisrael over-rides that as head of the Family. 28 Early the next morning, the townspeople found that the altar of Baal had been torn down and the sacred post beside it had been cut down, and that the second bull had been offered on the newly built altar. 29 They said to one another, “Who did this thing?” Upon inquiry and investigation, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did this thing!” 30 The townspeople said to Joash, “Bring out your son, for he must die: he has torn down the altar of Baal and cut down the sacred post beside it!” 31 But Joash said to all who had risen against him, “Do you have to contend for Baal? Do you have to vindicate him? Whoever fights his battles shall be dead by morning! If he is a god, let him fight his own battles, since it is his altar that has been torn down!” 32 That day they named him Jerubbaal, meaning “Let Baal contend with him, since he tore down his altar.” We know this was not a nickname because it is used later in Judges. This was his renaming. Dani’el/ Daniel 1:7 7 The chief officer gave them new names; he named Daniel Belteshazzar, Hananiah Shadrach, Mishael Meshach, and Azariah Abed-nego. And again Daniel and his friends were renamed not just given nicknames. These are like joseph’s name in that the ruling authority changed it. So we see that not Just Yehovah can change a name but human authority can also. Name change by an individual 20 “Do not call me Naomi,” she replied. “Call me Mara, for Shaddai has made my lot very bitter. 21 I went away full, and Yehovah has brought me back empty. How can you call me Naomi, when Yehovah has dealt harshly with me, when Shaddai has brought misfortune upon me!” I am sure there is more but these are all I could find this week. Hebrew name at conversion Why take a Hebrew name at conversion? Converting to being one with the tribes of Yisrael and one with Yehovah is more that just changing your religion. If all you had to do is state a statement of beliefs and join like other religions then that would be less that one is doing here. When taking on the am Yisrael (people of Yisrael) and Elohim you attach yourself to a tribe. You become a part of that tribe. You are essentially adopted like one who was born into the tribe. So when you convert you are taking on a new identity. The name change is therefore a part of the adoption process. If you adopt a child many times you can legal change the name at the adoption. This is similar to what I see here. So this is both a tradition and a legality for the state of Israel today. How do I figure a adoption? 48 If a stranger who dwells with you would offer the passover to Yehovah, all his males must be circumcised; then he shall be admitted to offer it; he shall then be as a citizen of the country. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it. 3 Let not the foreigner say, Who has attached himself to Yehovah, “Yehovah will keep me apart from His people”; And let not the eunuch say, “I am a withered tree.” Attaching ones self is being made part of the family. At conversion you take on the name of Avraham or Sarah as your father or mother. Yochanan ben Avraham Avinu Leah bat Sarah imenu At conversion you become their children.

“Antisemitism remains a grave worry across Europe despite repeated efforts to stamp out these age-old prejudices,” says FRA Director Michael O’Flaherty. “This repeat survey gives Jews in Europe the chance to share their concerns and policy makers valuable feedback on how their efforts to curb antisemitism have progressed and importantly what still remains to be done.” “The new FRA survey offers Jews across Europe a rare opportunity to share their perceptions and experiences of antisemitism with key politicians and policy makers both in their home countries and across the European Union, European Commission and European Parliament,” says Dr Jonathan Boyd, Executive Director of the Institute for Jewish Policy Research. “Few surveys have such a direct tie in with the formation of new policy, so one clear way Jews can do something to address any concerns they may have about antisemitism is to participate in this study.” This is FRA’s second survey of discrimination and hate crime towards Jews. This time it will be more extensive; Jews living in 13 EU Member States will be invited to take part from mid-2018 with results expected later that year. The countries covered will be Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the UK. The 2012 survey was the largest ever study of European Jews covering 9 Member States. Since the results were published, it has had a significant policy impact across Europe. Most notably, it strongly informed the conclusions of the EU’s Justice and Home Affairs Council on combating hate crime in the EU, and the decision to appoint the European’s Commission’s first antisemitism coordinator to help combat antisemitism across Europe. As in 2012, FRA has contracted the UK-based Institute for Jewish Policy Research (JPR) and the international research agency, Ipsos, to carry out the survey, following a competitive tender process. For further information please contact: Notes to editors: - FRA is the EU’s independent body for delivering fundamental rights assistance and expertise to the EU and its Member States. - The Institute for Jewish Policy Research is an independent research organisation, consultancy and think-tank, specialising in the study of Jewish populations in Europe.

On Friday night's Real Time, host Bill Maher continued his new career of arguing against Ben Affleckin absentia when he commented on the Berkeley commencement controversy for the first time. An online petition has circulated demanding the rescission of UC Berkeley's invitation for Maher to speak at the school's commencement, and Maher predictably cast the brouhaha as an assault on free speech, while pointing out that his Muslim friend doesn't think he's a bigot. The viewer can judge whether that claim is undercut by Maher's slick reference to "1,001 nights," which supports the conclusion that Maher is really talking about Arabs, not the religion of Islam. But he also allowed that the controversy could have the effect of taking away from the graduates' big day, while apparently promising to steer clear of the subject of Islam, and offered to bow out if he gets enough feedback to that effect: "They invited me because it was the 50th anniversary of... the Berkeley Free Speech Movement. I guess they don't teach irony in college anymore....Whoever told you you only had to hear what didn't upset you?" "I promise, this'll be your day, this is a commencement speech. The issue is you. My speech was, is, I hope, going to be about you and whatever tips that I thought could actually help you in life, because I've aleady lived through it. That, an my hunk about how Jewish women hate to have sex." That all sounds fairly reasonable (the free speech argument was also capably advanced by our own Mike Luciano), but Palestinian journalist Rula Jebreal quickly pointed out that the issue isn't freedom of speech, but freedom from speech. "If they don't like your views on television, they can switch channel, but the commencement speech, it's a platform that doesn't give the opportunity for questions, that doesn't give the opportunity for pushback, or even for debate," she said. "It's a monologue, not a dialogue." Maher's fellow white males on the panel. and in the audience, derailed Jebreal as best they could, ignoring the distinction she was making and loudly cheering Maher. Sen. Angus King (I-ME) echoed Maher by telling Jebreak that "It's okay to be offensive, that's what free speech is about," and when she persisted, impatiently asked if maybe Maher should get Affleck back on the show. Maher, to his marginal credit, allowed Jebreal to hang in there for a long time, but belied his ostensible willingness to debate by impatiently ending the conversation: Maher and his minions miss a few key points here, the first being that people actually do have a right, or at least an expectation, not to be offended at their own commencement speech. They also miss the fact that just as Maher's anti-Islam rants are sacred examples of free expression, so is this petition. But Maher's most fundamental problem is that he thinks it is enough that he knows he's not a bigot. Forget whatever you think Bill Maher is implicitlysaying with his cracks about the desert or his focus on only certain geographical and pigmentational Muslim-majority countries, and listen to what he is explicitly saying: the entire religion of Islam is fundamentally violent and murderous. He says this over and over again, including the charming assertion that "It’s the only religion that acts like the mafia, that will fucking kill you if you say the wrong thing." Maher's "out" is that he's only talking about the "bad ones," I guess, but he never exactly explains how that is, how he can condemn an entire religion, but not everyone who believes in it. His partner Sam Harris does this by literally saying that any Muslims who don't believe in murdering innocents "don't take the faith seriously." It's sort of the reverse of the "No true Scotsman" fallacy. Jebreal is correct, then that if Maher (or Harris) made any such generalization about Jews or black culture, they wouldn't be confused when people called them bigots. To the hundreds of millions of Muslims who do take their faith seriously, and don't believe in murdering innocents, this is a slur against them.

Prague, nicknamed the Golden City, is the capital of the Czech Republic and ancient Bohemia. Today, Prague looks like a fairytale village and is more beautiful than at any other time during its one thousand-year history. The Jewish population of Prague today is approximately 5,000. Documentary evidence reveals that Jews have lived in Prague since 970 C.E. By the end of the 11th century, a Jewish community had been fully established. In the late 11th and early 12th centuries, the Jews of Prague suffered great persecution: first, in 1096, at the hands of the Crusaders, and second, during the siege of the Prague Castle in 1142. During the siege, the oldest synagogue in Prague and sections of the Jewish quarter on the left side of the Vltava (Moldau) River near the castle were burned down. Many survivors of the crusades were forced to convert to Christianity. In 1179, the church announced that Christians should avoid touching Jews. In this period, civil rights granted to Jews were severely limited and they were forced to build their community on the right bank of the Vltava, close to Staromestske Namesti, the Old Town Square. This limited their movements and identified them as a minority group. This was the origin of the Jewish ghetto. By day movement was free, but in the evening and on festivals the gates of the ghetto were locked. The situation did not improve in the early 13th century. In 1215, the Fourth Lateran Council mandated that Jews must wear distinctive clothes, were prohibited from holding public office and were limited in the amount they could charge for interest on loans. Jews were also considered servants (servi camerae) of the Royal chambers. During the early to mid 14th century, Emperor Charles IV and his son/successor, Wenceslas, relinquished some of their power over the Jewish community and allowed others to manage Jewish affairs in return for a large sum of money. Charles IV and Wenceslas allowed estates to renege on loans owned to Jewish lenders. This was the beginning of the power struggle - which lasted into the 15th and 16th centuries - between royalty, Burgher landowners and the countryside nobility over the control of Jewish affairs and finances. During Easter 1389, members of the Prague clergy announced that Jews had desecrated the host (Eucharistic wafer) and the clergy encouraged mobs to pillage, ransack and burn the Jewish quarter. Nearly the entire Jewish population of Prague (3,000 people) perished. Many of the remaining women and children were baptized. One of the few survivors, Rabbi Avigdor Kara (who lived until 1439 and whose tomb is preserved in the Old Jewish Cemetery), wrote a moving elegy describing the attack; this elegy is still read every year in Prague on Yom Kippur. In the 15th century, the Hussite Wars brought a decline in royal authority. A new political balance existed that favored the nobility and Burgher (middle class residents of the cities) and landowners living in the countryside. Jews were forced to pledge allegiance to various groups and to give them money in return for protection. However, it was unclear which side could offer the best protection, leaving Jews to play one side off the other. During this period, the Burgher populations within the cities began to take jobs once held by Jews, such as banking. In the second half of the 15th century, the first Hebrew press was established in Prague. In the beginning it was small, but it began to grow and gain a reputation around Europe, especially for its Passover Haggadah, which became the model in Europe for subsequent haggadot. The 16th century is considered to be the age of the Prague Renaissance. The ghetto became a center of Jewish mysticism. Artisans and intellectuals came from all over Europe and congregated in Prague. For the most part Jews were isolated from the “high” culture outside their community, however, a number of Jews became mathematicians, astronomers, geographers, historians, philosophers and artists and participated in the Renaissance. In 1501, the landed nobility, called the Bohemian Lantag, reaffirmed the ancient privileges of the Jews of Prague and fostered an open atmosphere for economic activity. From 1522 to 1541, the Jewish population of Prague almost doubled; many Jewish refugees, who were expelled from Moravia, Germany, Austria and Spain, came to Prague. The Jewish Quarter officially became the ghetto, however, its transition was not marked by any known legislation. During this period, the ghetto expanded because Jews were given permission to acquire lands adjacent to the ghetto to be used to build homes. In 1541, a struggle between Ferdinand I and the Burghers resulted in a Burgher demand that Jews be expelled from Prague. Ferdinand I announced the Jews would have to leave Prague, but lifted the ban four years later (the actual expulsion only lasted two years since the ban only went into effect two years after it was announced). Another temporary expulsion for the Jews of Prague took place in 1557. Following Ferdinand’s death in 1564, the situation improved for Prague Jewry. During the reign of Maximilian (1564-1576) and Rudolf II (1576-1612), there was a golden age for Jewry in Prague. Rudolph was considered a weak leader and was indifferent to the Catholic Counter-Reformation in the Hapsburg Empire. This allowed a large number of scientists and intellectuals to assemble in Prague and speak and practice without impediments from the church. Economic freedom was given to the Jews and a flowering of Jewish culture occurred. One of the famous Jewish scholars and educators of the time was Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel (1525-1609), also known as the Maharal. Rabbi Loew published more than 50 religious and philosophical books and became the center of legends, as the mystical miracle worker who created the Golem. The Golem is an artificial man made of clay that was allegedly brought to life through magic and acted as a guardian over the Jews. The Maharal had positive relations with Rudolph II and was even invited to his castle. About 7,000 Jews lived in Prague during the time of Rabbi Loew. Three other well-known Jewish figures of the time were David Gans (1541-1613), a mathematician, historian and astronomer; Jacob Bashevi (1580-1634), a financier and the first Jew to be knighted under the Hapsburg Empire; and Mordechai Maisel, a brilliant financier, businessman and philanthropist. Maisel served as the mayor of the Jewish town, sponsored many Jewish organizations, funded the building of a public bathhouse, ritual baths and an almshouse, and donated money to build the Jewish town hall and numerous synagogues (including the High Synagogue). He paid for the paving of the streets of the Jewish quarter, gave money to charities to help feed the poor, clothe the needy and provide doweries for poor women. Not only did Maisel contribute money for local causes, he donated Torah scrolls to Jewish communities around the world, including Jerusalem. Maisel also maintained good relations with Rudolf II; he helped Rudolph finance a war against Turkey and in return was given permission to loan money. In the early 18th century, more Jews lived in Prague than anywhere else in world. In 1708, Jews accounted for one-quarter of Prague’s population. Unfortunately, the golden age ended with the ascension of Empress Maria Theresa who expelled the Jews from Prague from 1745 to 1748. The Jews returned to Prague and conditions improved during the reign of Emperor Joseph II (1780-90). Joseph II issued the Edict of Toleration in October 1781, which affirmed the notion of religious tolerance. He allowed Jews to participate in all forms of trade, commerce, agriculture and the arts. Jews were encouraged to build factories and school systems. Jews were even allowed to attend institutions of higher learning. In the chedar (study rooms), a western-style education was encouraged. Jews were not only taught Hebrew and Yiddish, but also basic accounting. The government also required Jews to switch their business records from Hebrew and Yiddish to German to facilitate better government monitoring. In fact, the Jews appreciated Joseph II so much that they named the Jewish town, Josefov, after him, and this name still exists today. During the 19th century, Jews gradually became emancipated. Temporary civil equality was granted to Jews under the law in 1849. The ghetto was abolished in 1852 and Josefov became a district of Prague. In the 1800s, Jews became caught up in the culture wars between the Czech-speaking middle class and the German-speaking members of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. From the 1830s to the 1870s, Jews began to adopt the German language and assimilated German cultural patterns. Following the 1870s, however, the growth of Czech nationalism increased the level of antagonism felt by the Jews. By the last quarter of the 19th century, a network of Jewish institutions dedicated to Czech-Jewish acculturation emerged; however, not all Jews supported them - some remained faithful to German language and culture, while others favored the new ideology of Zionism. In 1899, Zionism began to become popular in Prague among the young professionals and students. They formed their own Zionist organization, Bar Kochba, which published Selbstwehr (“Self-defense”), a Zionist biweekly publication in Prague from 1907 to 1938. Conflict between the Zionists and the Czech-Jewish nationalists existed; Jewish nationalists (Zionists) did not want to be involved in the national conflict over the usage of German and Czech language, while the Czech-Jewish assimilationists were involved because they resented the German denigration of Czech culture and also wanted to have a rapprochement between Jews and Slavs in Czech lands. German was spoken widely among many members of the Prague Jewish community and continued to be taught despite the tensions with the Czech-Jewish nationalists. During the first decades of the 20th Century, German-speaking Jews in Prague produced a large body of internationally acclaimed literature. The most famous of these writers were Franz Kafka, Max Brod and Franz Werfel. This is the last generation of writers and intellectuals in Prague before the outbreak of World War II. On March 14, 1939, Slovakia declared independence from Prague and signed the Treaty of Protection with Nazi Germany. The next day, Germany occupied Czech lands. At the outbreak of World War II, over 92,000 Jews lived in Prague, almost 20 percent of the city’s population. Prague was one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe. At least two-thirds of the Jewish population of Prague perished in the Holocaust. In the Czech Republic, about 26,000 members of the Czech Jewish community escaped and emigrated to various countries and regions, including Palestine, the United States, South America and Western Europe. Not all Czech Jews were so fortunate. Of the vast majority of Czech Jews that were imprisoned in Terezin, 80 percent of those were deported to Auschwitz, Maidanek, Treblinka and Sobibor. Other Czech Jews were sent directly to death camps. Over 97,000 perished, of which 15,000 were Czech Jewish children. Only 132 of those children were known to have survived. More than a quarter of a million Czech Jews were murdered in the Holocaust and more than 60 synagogues in the Czech lands were destroyed. Following the war, about 15,000 Czech Jews remained. By 1950, half of them emigrated to Israel. On May 9, 1945, as Germany was being defeated, the Soviet Red Army entered Prague. A provisional government was installed, but the Soviet presence enabled the Communist party to gain influence. In February 1948, the provisional government was ousted, and the Communist Party took power. From 1948 to 1949, the Soviet block supported the newly created State of Israel and therefore allowed Jews in the Czech Republic to immigrate to Israel. However, following 1949, emigration was virtually impossible and Jewish life was stifled by the Communist regime. Under pressure from Stalin, its leaders were soon encouraged to stamp out religious and cultural activity, including Judaism. The regime demolished around 90 synagogues and dozens of Jewish cemeteries were shut down. In 1952, Rudolf Slansky, then general secretary of the Czech Communist Party, and 13 others were accused of being disloyal elements and of participating in a Trotskyite-Zionist conspiracy against the Communist parties in Central Europe. Eleven of the 14 accused were Jewish and eight among then were executed. In subsequent trials, hundreds of Jews were sentenced to long-term imprisonment, sent to hard labor withour trial, and dismissed from their posts. Those Jews who remained in Prague kept their Jewish identity a secret during these times. By the mid-1960s, the obvious anti-semitism was replaced with state anti-semitism. Communist rule was unpopular and ruthless, and a movement demanding “socialism with a human face” gradually emerged. In 1968 a Slovak Communist named Alexander Dubcek became the party leader, and in a movement called the Prague Spring began to introduce sweeping reforms to make the government more Democratic. He ordered an end to censorship and encouraged Communist reformers to start a broad debate about the political direction of Czechoslovakia. Many young Jews were involved in the events of the Prague Spring and were now able to ask questions openly about the Holocaust and their Jewish heritage for the first time since World War II. The Soviet Union disapproved of these changes and, together with the troops of other Soviet-bloc/Warsaw Pact countries, invaded Czechoslovakia in August 1968. Some 90 civilians were shot dead, and 3,400 Jews feld the country. The secret police kept a close eye on the remaining Jewish community and many Jewish university professors and intellectuals lost their jobs. The subsequent period of so-called normalization wiped out all democratic trends and intensified the stagnation in all spheres of life. From 1968 to 1989, the Holocaust could not be mentioned, since this was considered a subversive topic by the secret police and survivors were silenced. As change began to sweep through Eastern Europe in the late 1980s, Czechs more openly protested and called for reform. The 1980s also saw the West’s interest in Prague’s Jewish legacy growing. In 1983 to 1985, the Jewish Museum held its largest foreign exhibition called “Precious Legacy” in cities across the United States and Canada. The exhibition had a great impact on tourism in Prague, and the reforms of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev were being broadcast and Communist attitudes began to change throughout Europe. Demonstrations resulted in the resignation of the Communist party leadership in November 1989. Alexander Dubcek, the Prague Spring reformer, was elected chairman of parliament and dissident playwright Václav Havel, the acknowledged opposition leader who led the “Velvet Revolution,” a series of strikes, pickets, and celebrations, was named President on December 29, 1989. In June 1990, the country held its first free election since 1946. On January 1, 1993, the country split into Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Prague, the historical capital of the region since the Ancient Kingdom, was adopted as the capital of the Czech Republic. After the election of President Havel, Jewish topics became enormously popular. Diplomatic relations with Israel, which were broken after the 1967 Six Day War, were restored. The process of restitution of Jewish property began immediately, and the Federation of Jewish Communities assembled around 1,000 records of communal Jewish property. The list was incorporated into a government bill. The Pinkas Synagogue was reopened in 1992 as a permanent exhibition site of the Jewish Museum. The Maisel Synagogue was restored in 1995, followed by the Spanish Synagogue in 1998. Both are also part of the Jewish Museum. An educational and cultural center was established in 1996, that offers courses on Jewish culture, anti-semitism, Jewish tradition and religion. A program entitled “Neighbors Who Disappeared” assists people in tracing Jewish friends or neighbors. Today, the Federation of Jewish Communities says about 3,000 to 5,000 people are registered members of the Jewish community in the Czech Republic, of which 1,600 live in Prague. Numbers are difficult to calculate due to decades of intermarriage and emigration. It is estimated that there are an additional 10,000 to 15,000 unregistered Jews living in the contry. A revival of Jewish life is occurring. Many Jews found it easier to be quiet and hide their identity during the Communist era and so many people learned of being Jewish only after 1989. The average age in Prague’s Jewish community has dropped from 70 (the average age in the 1980s) to about 55 because of increased involvement of younger Jews. There are a number of secular Jewish organizations that fall under the auspices of the FJC, including the Union of Jewish Youth, a branch of the World Union of Jewish Students, sporting clubs Maccabi and Hakoach, the Women’s Zionist Organization, and the Terezin Initiative, a non-profit that pursues research into the history of the Nazi’s “Final Solution” in Bohemia and Moravia. The center of Jewish life is the historic Jewish Town Hall, which houses Jewish cultural, social and religious events. A Jewish kindergarten, sponsored by the Lauder Foundation, recently opened in Prague. A new Jewish old age home also opened recently. There is also a monthly journal, Rosh Chodesh, and a radio program called “Shalom Aleichem.” Prague has many beautiful historic synagogues, and there are three regularly functioning Orthodox synagogues in Prague: the Altneuschul (Old-New Synagogue), the oldest functioning synagogue in Europe; the High Synagogue, which is modern Orthodox; and the Jubilee Synagogue, also known as the Jerusalem Synagogue. In addition, Chabad also holds serviced at its center of Parizska Street, in the heart of Josefov. Beit Praha is a Conservative congregation and conducts Kabbalat Shabbat services every Friday evening. The Reform community has several congregations as a result of different splits, the largest of which is Beit Simcha, which is even older than Beit Praha. The Beit Simcha community center offers educational programs, Hebrew lessons, and holds Shabbat serviced in its library. It also houses a private Jewish school and publishes a monthly magazine called Maskil, which is distributed to all the Jewish communities and other institutions throughout the country. The other liberal community, ZLU (Jewish Liberal Union), is a smaller congregation and rents a room to hold Friday night services. Although anti-semitism is not considered a problem in the new Czech Republuc, one of the major problems facing the Jewish community is the rise of Neo-Nazi skinheads and many of the Jewish leaders are worried about the lack of action against the rise of xenophobia and violence perpetrated by them. They believe the skinheads are misusing their rights to free speech and the government should not protect them during their marches. In November 2007, a right-wing extremist group linked to neo-Nazis planned a march through the Jewish Quarter. After opposition by the Jewish leaders, the march was eventually banned by City Hall. A law passed in 2000 outlaws Holocaust denial and provides for prison sentences of six months to three years for public denial, questioning and approval of or attempts to justify the Nazi genocide. Anti-semitism remains on the periphery of the society for the most part. Prague is filled with many Jewish historical sites that give testament to its rich past as one of the centers of Jewish life. Many of these can be found in Josefov, site of the Jewish ghetto and village. A popular tourist site, the Hebrew and Roman faced clocks, (the clock with the Hebrew letters turns counterclockwise) can be found on the offices of the Jewish Community Federation of the Czech Republic and the Jewish Town Hall. The Jewish Town Hall was built in the 16th century by the Jewish mayor of Josefov. Today, it serves as the center of the Jewish community in Prague and houses the offices of the Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Lands. There are two kosher restaurants in Prague. Shalom, which is located within the Town Hall, and the King Salomon Restaurant on Siroka Street opposite the entrance to the Pinkas synagogue. A life-sized bust in black bronze of Franz Kafka on the corner of U Radnice and Maiselova marks the place where he was born on July 3, 1883. In 1991, a Kafka Museum was opened in the house where he was born. In the museum, there are exhibits highlighting Kafka’s life, as well as Jewish life in Prague. The largest and most complete collection of Judaica can be found at the Jewish Museum. It houses a collection of approximately 40,000 artistic artifacts and 100,000 items of printed material. Synagogue objects, mainly textiles and silver, comprise almost two-thirds of the collection. The rest of the collection consists of household ritual items, paintings, drawings, prints, manuscripts and photographs, as well as artifacts from the Terezin concentration camp, including a unique collection of children’s drawings. Founded in 1906, the original intent of the Jewish Museum was to preserve artifacts from the synagogues of Prague that were being liquidated at the turn of the century due to reconstruction of the Jewish town. The museum was closed to the public after Nazi occupation in 1939. The Nazis decided not to destroy the museum, but instead use it as a “Museum of an Extinct Race.” In fact, Hitler intended the entire Jewish Quarter of the city to become a museum to the vanished race. The Germans hired Dr. Karel Stein, historian and founder of the museum, to catalogue tens of thousands of confiscated items from more than 153 destroyed Jewish communities throughout Bohemia and Moravia. The wartime Jewish staff of the museum during Nazi rule devoted themselves to preserving this legacy, amidst constant threat of deportation and death, having already lost their families to the Nazi concentration camps. The staff only survived while they could prove that they were useful to the Nazis. The vast majority lost this fight and were deported to Terezin and Auschwitz. One survived however; Hana Volavkova returned to Prague after the war and became the director of the Jewish Museum. The museum became a storehouse for over 200,000 objects, books and archival material from all over Central Europe. Following World War II, the museum was administered by the Council of Jewish Communities in Czechoslovakia. In 1950, ownership was transferred to the state, and the museum was renamed the State Jewish Museum. During the 1950s, when Jewish themes were suppressed, the only exhibition at the Jewish Museum displayed children’s drawings from Terezin. In 1961, Vilem Benda became the director and the “Millennium Judaicum Bohemicum” (The Thousand Years of the Jews of Bohemia) exhibit opened in 1968. However, the Soviets soon invaded (August 1968), and the museum fell into disrepair. After the collapse of communism in 1989, the museum’s status changed again. It is now an independent body governed by a council composed of two representatives of the Federation of Jewish Communities (FJC), which serves as an umbrella organization for the Jewish institutions in the country, and one representative from the Ministry of Culture. After ten years of restoration, the Jewish Museum is one of the most famous Jewish museums in the world. The director today is Leo Pavlat, the son of a Holocaust survivor. Besides the main building, the Jewish Museum rents the Old Jewish Cemetery, the Pinkas Synagogue, the Ceremonial Hall, the Klausen Synagogue, the Maisel Synagogue and the Spanish Synagogue from the Jewish Community to display items belonging to the museum. The Chevra Chadisha building (Burial Brotherhood Society of Prague), situated at the entrance of the Jewish Cemetery, was built in the early 1900s. The responsibility of the society was to watch over and take care of the dead body in the hours before it was going to be buried. Today this building is part of the Jewish Museum and contains a unique collection of children’s drawings and poems from the Terezin concentration camp. The Old Jewish Cemetery It is the oldest Jewish cemetery in Europe, opened from the 15th century to the late 18th century. In 1439, Avigdor Kara was the first person to be buried there. Over the next 400 years, about 200,000 residents of the ghetto in Prague were buried in its confines. Since the cemetery could only hold about 10 percent of that amount, the tombs are layered on top of each other, at one section reaching 12 layers. Two of the cemetery’s most famous tombs are Rabbi Loew (1609) and Mordechai Maisel (1601). Since 1990, the Jewish Museum of Prague has been conserving and restoring the cemetery. Today, about 12,000 tombstones remain. The New Cemetery In 1890, a second Jewish cemetery was founded in Prague and opened next to the main Christian cemetery. The tomb of Franz Kafka can be found there, with a memorial stone for his three sisters, all of whom perished in the Holocaust. There are seven synagogues open today in Prague; during the Nazi era all seven were used to store Judaica items. Five of those synagogues can be found in the remains of the ghetto. Staranova Synagogue is also known as Altneuschul (the Old-New Synagogue). It was originally built in 1270 and was called the New Synagogue because it was the second synagogue built in the Jewish quarter; the first synagogue no longer exists. The original floor still exists, however, other parts of the building have been rebuilt because of damage from flooding in the Jewish quarter. It is the oldest synagogue in Europe. During the Nazi occupation, it showcased Jewish art, religious objects and books. Today, services are still being conducted there, continuing a tradition of nearly 700 years (only interrupted between 1941-1945). The Maisel Synagogue was originally built in 1591, thanks to a special permit given by Emperor Rudolph II. The synagogue is named after Mordechai Maisel, whose money was used to build the synagogue. It has been damaged in several fires and its current facade is due to reconstruction in 1862 to 1864. In the 19th century, the synagogue was the birthplace of liberal Judaism. During the Holocaust, it housed more than 15,000 Jewish objects and art. Today, it functions as the primary repository of religious objects, such as silver Torah pointers, for the Jewish Museum. The Pinkas Synagogue, built in a Renaissance style, was first mentioned in 1492. Located in a flood zone, it was frequently being repaired and reconstruction occurred in 1953. One of its famous members was Franz Kafka, who prayed there with his family. Following World War II, it became a memorial to Moravian and Bohemian Jews who perished in the war. On the walls of the synagogue, there is a list of 77,297 names of those who died. Following the communist occupation in August 1968, all of the names were erased, but these areas have since been restored. The synagogue was closed from 1968 until 1992 because of the penetration of underground water. Today you may once again see the over 77,000 names of Jews murdered in the Holocaust as well as a display of Jewish pictures and drawings on the upper level. The High Synagogue, located adjacent to the Jewish Town Hall, can be found on the second floor of a building, not ground level. Originally, it was only accessible from the first floor of the Jewish Town Hall. It was used to service the seniors of the ghetto. At the turn of the century, its original entrance was blocked and a new one was built on Cervana Ulicka (Red Lane). Today, the High Synagogue is accessible from both the first floor of the Jewish Town Hall and from the Cervana Ulicka. Under the Communist reign, all synagogue,s including the High Synagogue, belonged to the state Jewish Museum. Today, the synagogue belongs to the Jewish community and is not part of the Jewish Museum. The Klausen Synagogue is located adjacent to the entrance to the Old Jewish Cemetery. It was built on land acquired by the late Mordechai Maisel. The synagogue, built in an early baroque style, was completed in 1694. It was remodeled a couple of times, the last one taking place from 1883 to 1884. During the Holocaust, imagery of the Jewish festivals and life cycle events were displayed. The synagogue was restored to display exhibitions of old Hebrew manuscripts and prints for the Jewish Museum. Built in 1867 to 1868, using Moorish decorations, the Spanish Synagogue provides an interesting contrast to the other synagogues in Prague because its interior is filled with Moorish and Islamic designs and art. During the Holocaust, it was used to store Torah curtains. Today, it houses the headquarters for the entire Jewish Museum system. Finally, there is the Jubilee Synagogue, also known as the Jerusalem Synagogue. This synagogue was built in the early 20th century in the New Town of Prague. Currently, it is used to hold prayer services. | || | | || | Terezin Concentration Camp The Terezin concentration camp, located about 60 kilometers from Prague, was meant to be the “model” concentration camp, which was shown to the outside world. Originally built as a military fortress by Joseph II, Terezin was a Big Fortress with a Small Fortress inside of it. While it functioned as a military garrison, it looked like a mini-village, or a ghetto. Jews from Bohemia, Moravia and the rest of Europe were brought here and then were sent to the death camps. More than 30,000 Jewish adults and children died in Terezin. Once a child turned 14 years old, they were treated as an adult. Fifteen hundred children lived at Terezin during the Holocaust, and only 100 survived. The ashes of 30,000 people were thrown into the Eiger River in 1944. A small storeroom inside the town of Terezin was used as a makeshift synagogue during the Holocaust. Fading Hebrew inscriptions can be found on the walls; on the front wall is a verse from the Amidah prayer, “May our eyes be able to envision your return to Zion in mercy.” Another wall, which stands near the railway track used to transport Jews to Auschwitz, also contains verses in Hebrew from the liturgy, as well as drawings of Jewish symbols. The writings and drawings were most likely done by a German Jewish ceramic worker who lived in the town during the Holocaust; the Nazis needed craftsmen for labor and therefore let them live in relative comfort. This room was unknown to the public until after the fall of Communism because the owner of the home kept the room secret; it was forbidden to talk about Judaism during the Communist rule. Sources: All photos Copyright © Mark Talisman, used with permission, except the photos of the Jewish Museum and Maisel Synagogue, which are courtesy of Jewish Prague by Tom’s Travel and the photos of the Spanish Synagogue and Klausen Synagogue, which are courtesy of the Jewish Museum in Prague; Project Judaica Foundation; Altshuler, David (ed.). The Precious Legacy: Judaic Treasures from the Czechoslovak State Collections. Summit Books, 1983; Bennett, Magnus. “Around the World: Restored makeshift synagogue draws thousands to Czech site”; Bridger, David (ed.). The New Jewish Encyclopedia. Behrman House, Inc. Publishers, New York, 1962; Gruber, Ruth Ellen. Jewish Heritage Travel: A Guide to East-Central Europe. Jason Aronson, Inc. Northvale, New Jersey, 1999; Savery, Daniel. “A Precious Legacy.” The Jerusalem Report (August 18, 2008); Jewish Museum of Prague; Jews of the Czech Republic; Marahal tombstone photo from Jewish Prague;

On yesterday’s daf, a mishnah quoted the ruling of Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai that the shofar should be blown on Rosh Hashanah wherever there is a beit din, or religious court of law. The Gemara then goes on to delineate several other rulings of Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, including this one: At first, during the Temple era, the lulav was taken in the Temple all seven days of Sukkot, and in the rest of the country outside the Temple, it was taken only one day, on the first day of the festival. After the Temple was destroyed, Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai instituted that the lulav should be taken even in the rest of the country all seven days, in commemoration of the Temple. In Temple times, the lulav and etrog were taken — i.e. shaken — only on the first day of Sukkot everywhere outside Jerusalem. But after the Temple’s destruction, Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai ruled that they should be taken for the duration of the holiday in commemoration of how things were done in the Temple, which continues to be our practice today. Taking up the lulav on all seven days of Sukkot is one of several ways we commemorate the rituals performed in the Temple. Others include the Tisha B’Av mourning rituals, Torah study and prayer in place of Temple sacrifices, and more. But on today’s daf, the Gemara asks a deeper question: Why should we take such pains to remember the Temple? The answer might seem self-evident — after all, the Temple functioned as the center of Jewish worship for centuries and Jews today still pray for its rebuilding. Of course we should remember the Temple. But as ever, the Gemara has something fascinating to teach in its explanation. And from where do we derive that one performs actions in commemoration of the Temple? As the verse states: “For I will restore health to you, and I will heal you of your wounds, said the Lord; because they have called you an outcast: She is Zion, there is none who care for her.” (Jeremiah 30:17) This verse teaches by inference that Jerusalem requires caring through acts of commemoration. Quoting Jeremiah, the sages say we remember the Temple because Jerusalem itself needs us to care about her. And the way we show care is through behavior that demonstrates we remember how Jerusalem used to be. The Talmud’s use of a verse from Jeremiah as a prooftext is telling. Jeremiah lived through the destruction of the First Temple, and his image of Jerusalem is of a living, breathing entity. As it says at the start of the Book of Lamentations, traditionally attributed to Jeremiah as well: “Alas! Lonely sits the city once great with people! She that was great among nations is become like a widow; the princess among states is become a thrall.” Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai too lived through the destruction of the Temple — the Second Temple, 600 years after Jeremiah. The Gemara was written hundreds of years after that. So how is it that these rabbis living in the early Middle Ages had a concept of what it means to have had a Temple so rich that they would insist on creating rituals to compensate for its absence? Because Jewish leaders for hundreds of years before them had instilled the importance of the Temple in such a way that the rabbis of the Gemara and beyond — even into our own time — could understand and impart what the Temple represented, and what a loss its destruction meant. Of course, we live in a time when Jerusalem (if not the Temple) has been rebuilt — it is once again “a city great with people.” And yet, we still observe Tisha B’Av, we still study and pray instead of offering Temple sacrifices, and we shake the lulav all seven days of Sukkot (except for Shabbat). Remembering, according to the Talmud, isn’t just about words — it’s about action. And those actions in memory of the Temple don’t just have the effect of personifying Jerusalem. They bring Jerusalem, the Temple and Judaism itself alive for the next generation. That’s what Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai — the man who created an academy at Yavneh to ensure that Jewish learning would continue in the wake of the Temple — was going for. It’s now our job to actively remember our history and teach it to the next generation. And for those of us who can study Talmud not only in a book, but on a website or a podcast, it has never been more possible — or more exciting — to do so. Read all of Rosh Hashanah 30 on Sefaria.

We're excited to be celebrating Jewish food on Wednesday, Nov 13 - Closing Night of the Ann and Stephen Kaufman Jewish Book & Arts Festival with Alana Newhouse and her book, The 100 Most Jewish Foods. What better way to celebrate Jewish food than having a dinner created by two of Houston's iconic Jewish chefs? This pre-author talk dinner at 6:00 PM will be catered through a collaboration with Ziggy Gruber and Laykie Donin with a menu inspired by the book. Ziggy Gruber, owner of Kenny & Ziggy’s and Laykie Donin, chef and owner of Laykie’s Gourmet Café at the J will be cooking the dinner together in Laykie’s kitchen at the J. When they both met to discuss this idea they realized they had more in common than they realized: both chefs are New Yorkers, serious foodies, speak Yiddish, and both wear and have an appreciation of cool glasses. Laykie shared, “I am really looking forward to collaborating with Ziggy on this upcoming dinner. I am excited about doing this for the community. I know we will share some good ideas and better laughs!” Guests will choose from Ziggy and Laykie’s menu created specifically for the event featuring pastrami on rye, bagel with freshly cut nova, chef salad with tuna, or an Israeli themed ‘Sabich Salad’. The sandwich options will include coleslaw and a pickle and all dinners will feature babka for dessert. Dinner tickets are $23 in advance or $28 at the door. The advance price level will end on Monday, November 11 at 4:00 PM. Grab your friends and experience some of the 100 most Jewish foods!

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At least a thousand townspeople crowded into the catheral at nearby La Laguna tonight in an interfaith service to mourn the hundreds who died Sunday when two jumbo jets collided at the airport here. The service interrupted a busy day of negotiations as U.S. officials sought Spanish authorities' permission to take 326 bodies from the Pan American World Airways 747 to a special facility at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey for faster identification. Most of the bodies are badly charred. A U.S. team of pathologists and forensic dentists has been here since Tuesday but has not been permitted to assist the Spanish officials operating a makeshift morgue in a hanger. Controversies over the cause of the accident and the medical care of the survivors continued today in the delicate aftermath of the collision between Dutch and American planes on Spanish soil. The crash, which left 577 persons dead, was aviation's worst disaster. The latest two victims were a woman who died while being flown to the United States and a man who died in the hospital here. The controversies were forgotten for more than an hour tonight as a Catholic mass was followed by short messages from a Dutch Reformed minister from the Netherlands, an Anglican priest from Tenerife and a leader of the local Jewish community, who wore a yarmulke as he spoke under the figure of Christ on the cross. Four stewardess who survived the crash attended the service, as did many high-ranking military officers, the Spanish air minister, and American officials of Pam Am, the National Transportation Safety Board and other U.S. organizations. There were a few relatives of victims, including Mary Kay Walters of San Francisco, who lost both parents. Her mother was killed in the crash; her father, Col. Alexander Waters, died Tuesday in the hospital here after his daughter had seen him. Miss Walters took communion during the Catholic service. The service, she said afterward, "helped." "It shows that people in the world care. It was touching to hear people crying in the back of the church." Her parents, like most of those on the Pan Am plane, were from the Los Angeles area. Identification of the bodies may take weeeks, but death certificates cannot be issued, nor insurance and other benefits paid until the process is completed. Because of the way the KLM 747 rammed through the Pan Am jet, the bodies were segregated on the ground and it was easy to tell which airplane they came from, investigators said. Most of the bodies are intact, according to doctors, but so badly burned that identification will probably be done primarily through dental charts. If Spanish authorities release the bodies, they will be flown to a special facility, established to identify Vietnam war victims, at McGuire Air Force Base. Pan Am and safety board officials defended the decision Tuesday to fly 54 survivors from Tenerife to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. The director of the Tenerife Hospital, Dr. Eufedio Gambin, had complained about the transfer, which was permitted only after the senior American doctor - an Air Force physician with the U.S. embassy in Madrid - agreed to accept all responsibility. Sixteen survivors remain in the hopital here. A clearer picture of how the accidents may have occured began to emerge as Spanish Dutch and American investigators sifted evidence, but the central question - why - remains unanswered. The Dutch Civil Aviation announced Monday that the KLM 747 captain began to take off without the proper air tarffic control clearance and struck the Pan Am 747, which was still on the runway. Neither Dutch or U.S. officials regard that as the final answer, however. "It is inconceivable," KLM said, that their pilot would have done such a thing. The pilot, Z.A. Velduizen van Zanten, 51, was chief instructor of pilots for KLM. He died along with the other 247 people aboard. Several experts said privately yesterday that they doubt that an unauthorized takeoff could be the total explanation. Douglas Dreyfus, a safety board invetigator and chief U.S. negotiator here because of international aviation procedures, said in an interview that the recordings of conversations in both cockpits would be "critical" in determination of the cause. Neither recording has been played, but both have been recovered from the wreckage. "When we got that we can confirm the tower transmission and correlate it with any discussion in the cockpit. This does not mean the air traffic control tape [as provided by Spanish officials] is correct. But how do we know that the transmission was received as sent - that an important word was not lost?" Dutch reporters today were pursuing the notion that Spanish officials might have tampered with the air traffic control tape to absolve themselves of responsibility. U.S. officials know of no evidence of tampering, sources [WORD ILLEGIBLE] Dutch and U.S. officials are seeking Spanish permission to have the cock-pit recordings from both 747s flown the Washington for analysis. The recordings would remain in Spanish custody, and Spanish approval is expected. According to investigators and others familiar with the evidence, this is what happened Sunday. A terrorist bombing in the airport at Las Palmas, on nearby Grand Canary Island, forced many large jets including the Pan Am and KLM flights, to be diverted to Tenerife. When the KLM captain decided to take on more fuel, delaying the two planes' takeoffs, the Pan Am crew considered taking off first, but there was not enough room to taxi past the Dutch plane. After the refueling was completed, first the KLM jet, then the Pan Am plane started down the runway from northwest to southeast. The KLM plane reached the far end, turned around into the wind and started to take off. The Pan Am plane was still on the runway. There have been charges that the Pan Am pilot, Victor Grubbs, did not obey a direction to turn off the runway at an earlier point, but Pan Am's vice president for operations, William Waltrip dismissed that as "a bunch of crap." Waltrip said he had heard the recording of air traffic control communication, and the last transmission from the Pan Am crew was to the effect that the plane was still on the runway and would tell the tower when it had cleared it. The tower's instructions to both planes were on the same frequency. The runway was foggy at the time of the crash, and it is not known whether it could be seen clearly from the control tower. The KLM jet was already rolling down the runway at nearly 165 miles an hour, and when the Pan Am crew saw its lights coming toward them they swerved the Pan Am plane sharply to the left. In the last seconds, investigations believe the Dutch captain made a desperate attempt to get his jet over the Pan Am 747, which was turned at a 45-degree angle by that time. Most officials think that the KLM's nose wheel was off the ground when its undercarriage and belly plowed through the Pan Am jet just behind the cockpit. The KLM's wing sliced off the top of the hump housing the first-class lounge. Today, cleanup crews were busy bull-dozing bits of the two jumbo jets off the runway, and small planes were able to take off and land on the half of the runway that has returned to service. Seven big jets, including two jumbos, are still stranded here. [In Fort Dix, N.J., the Associated Press quoted Pan Am pilot Grubbs as saying: "Looking back at the rubble, I first thought to myself, 'Look what I've done to those people.' But in my heart I knew that it wasn't my fault."] [Asked if Spanish news accounts were correct in quoting him as saying "We are still on the runway . . . What's he doing? He'll kill us all!," Grubbs replied: "Yes, I said that. I'll never forget that instant."]

Chabad UK is dedicated to providing every Jew regardless of background, philosophy or level of commitment, an open door environment for strengthening and enhancing Jewish family life. Chabad UK serves individuals and families looking for an anchor and non-judgmental, accepting, personalised Jewish experience. Chabad UK offers "Judaism with a Smile," and a home away from home for everyone who walks through its doors. Moshiach NOW! Chaim Yitzchok Cohen Founder and Hon Executive Director Our Chabad House is a home away from home, where we come together to learn and to grow. It is a place to inspire your family and to develop new friendships. IF I AM NOT OBSERVANT, AM I WELCOME AT CHABAD? Yes, of course! Chabad is inclusive and non-judgmental, and we are open to all. There are no prerequisites for getting involved with Chabad, whether you are affiliated or not, have much Jewish background or none, you are always welcome. WHAT IS THE GOAL OF CHABAD? Chabad is an educational organisation dedicated to helping every Jew, regardless of background, affiliation, or personal level of observance, to increase their level of Jewish knowledge, enthusiasm, and commitment. Chabad invites you to explore the complex areas of Jewish religion, tradition, and practice in an open-minded and non-judgmental atmosphere. Each individual is invited to participate, study, and learn. Each individual makes his or her own respective religious lifestyle decisions at his or her own pace. Each mitzvah stands on its own as an important step in one's personal growth. WHAT IF I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO? Don't worry, everyone is learning and we each begin some place. What better place to learn than at Chabad, where our doors and minds are always open for questions and study. IS IT OKAY TO PRAY IN ENGLISH AT CHABAD? Yes, our prayerbooks have both Hebrew and English, and some have Russian, so you can pray in the language in which you feel most comfortable. Learning and discussion take place in English - so you'll understand everything that's going on. DOES CHABAD CONSIDER "NOT-PRACTICING" JEWS AS REAL JEWS? Certainly. A Jew is a Jew is a Jew – period. Chabad avoids labelling other Jews since it tends to divide and create barriers between us. We have one Torah, we are one People, and we have one G‑d. Chabad endeavours to bring unity among the Jewish community. ALL THIS IS GREAT, BUT HOW DO I JOIN? Joining Chabad is simple! Just come on by. Everyone who is interested in exploring Judaism and who wants to experience the joy of being Jewish is welcome. Even our High Holiday Services do not require membership or tickets. Walk into a Shabbat Service, or holiday event, and you will immediately feel at home. Following its inception 250 years ago, the Chabad-Lubavitch movement — a branch of Hasidism — swept through Russia and spread in surrounding countries as well. It provided scholars with answers that eluded them and simple farmers with a love that had been denied of them. Eventually the philosophy of Chabad-Lubavitch and its adherents reached almost every corner of the world and affected almost every facet of Jewish life. The movement is guided by the teachings of its seven leaders (“Rebbes”), beginning with Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, of righteous memory (1745-1812). These leaders expounded upon the most refined and delicate aspects of Jewish mysticism, creating a corpus of study thousands of books strong. They personified the age-old, Biblical qualities of piety and leadership; they concerned themselves not only with Chabad-Lubavitch, but with the totality of Jewish life, spiritual and physical. No person or detail was too small or insignificant for their love and dedication. In our generation, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson King Moshiach May he live forever (1902-today), known simply as “the Rebbe,” guided post-holocaust Jewry to safety from the ravages of that devastation. The origins of today’s Chabad-Lubavitch organisation can be traced to the early 1940’s when the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn of righteous memory (1880-1950), appointed his son-in-law and later successor, The Rebbe, to head the newly-founded educational and social service arms of the movement. Motivated by his profound love for every Jew and spurred by his boundless optimism and self-sacrifice, the Rebbe set into motion a dazzling array of programs, services and institutions to serve every Jew. Today 4,000 full-time emissary families apply 250 year-old principles and philosophy to direct more than 3,300 institutions (and a workforce that numbers in the tens of thousands) dedicated to the welfare of the Jewish people worldwide. We welcome you to participate in our daily activities and get touristic information such as: hotels and volunteer programs.

Sure, cigarettes can harm anybody, men and women alike.But some of smoking's ill effects, from ectopic pregnancy to premature menopause, are reserved for women only. This November 19 is the American Cancer Society's 22nd Great American Smokeout. If you haven't decided togive up smoking yet, here are some compelling reasons to quit now. Smoking Increases Your Risk of Cervical and Rectal Cancer Not only can smoking cause a variety of cancers in both men and women,it puts women at higher risk of cervical cancer, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). A Danish study publishedin the April 21, 1999 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer finds that premenopausal women who smoke are six times more likely to developrectal cancer than those who don't. Smoking Worsens Your Period According to the ACOG, women who smoke experience more severe premenstrual symptoms and have a 50 percent increase in cramps lasting two or more days. Smoking Damages Your Fertility Smoking affects practically every phase of conception, according to VickiSeltzer, M.D., vice president for women's health services at North Shore-LongIsland Jewish Health System in New York. "Smokers have a greater risk ofnot ovulating, and it is also less likely that a fertilized egg will implantin the uterus. Smokers who receive in vitro fertilization are less likelyto be successful." Seltzer also notes that nicotine interferes with thefunction of the fallopian tube and can hinder an egg from traveling normallyto the uterus, which can lead to an ectopic or tubal pregnancy -- potentiallylife-threatening conditions. Smoking Hurts Your Unborn Baby "When you smoke during pregnancy, you poison the fetus," says Benjamin Sachs, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Harvard Medical School. "Carbon monoxide has a greater affinity for fetal tissue than for adult tissue, and when nicotine crosses the placenta it speeds up the [baby's] heart rate." According to the ACOG, smoking increases a pregnant woman's risk of miscarrying by 39 percent and heightens the chances of other serious complications, including placental abruption (when the placenta separates from the uterine wall), placenta previa (when the placenta covers the opening of the uterus) and stillbirth. Many studies have pointed to maternal smoking as the most preventable cause of low birth weight. The breast milk of smokers can carry nicotine to a suckling baby. And a 1995 report in the Journal of Pediatrics found that infants exposed to tobacco smoke are nearly three times more likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome. Smoking Ages You You've probably noticed that smokers develop wrinkles earlier than nonsmokers. What often goes unnoticed is that smoking hastens menopause by one to two years. "Nicotine interferes with the blood supply to the ovary, and if you decrease blood supply to any organ, you decrease its function," says Sandra Carson, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Estrogen is produced in the ovaries, which "could explain why smoking brings on earlier menopause," Carson says. Cigarettes can lead to early osteoporosis, too, adds Carson: many studies have shown smoking significantly reduces bone mineral density. Cigarettes Go to Your Heart A woman who smokes is two to six times more likely to have a heart attack than one who doesn't, according to the National Institutes of Health. One to four cigarettes a day is enough to double your risk of heart disease, says the ACOG. And a Finnish study published in the July 1998 British Medical Journal found that female smokers are twice as likely to have a heart attack after age 65 as male smokers. Researchers believe estrogen -- which smoking apparently inhibits -- helps protect women against heart disease. And remember that your behavior sets an example for your daughter or any girl in your life. "The rate of high school girls who are smoking is now on par with that of boys," says Wanda Jones, a spokeswoman for the National Women's Health Information Center. "This is not the kind of equality for women our mothers and grandmothers envisioned."

Tania is a client’s dream-come-true when it comes to hiring a graphic designer. The marketing department at the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston has worked with Tania since 2006. We keep her quite busy as three separate members of the marketing team send her projects on a consistent basis. Tania is always quick to respond to our emails and phone calls. Her design work is on target, creative and eye-catching. She knows our organization and develops enticing pieces within our branding framework. She picks up typographical inconsistencies and calls them to our attention (the extra set of eyes is always appreciated!). Tania is patient and understanding when projects go through multiple revisions and make-overs. She turns projects over quickly, understanding the needs of a fast paced, deadline driven organization. Tania is also diverse in her talents, as she can easily design brochures, posters, flyers, direct mailers, web elements and other communications pieces. Tania has been a pleasure to get to know and to work with for the past 10 years and we look forward to continuing have her add her creative touch to our marketing materials for years to come. Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston, Newton Tania is always the first person we call whenever we need anything designed. She is creative, responsive and quick! She has an amazing ability to bring concept to reality and to make our school look great along the way. We're so grateful for this partnership! Solomon Schechter Day School, Newton Tania Helhoski delivers! Her exciting designs capture the attention of the reader, and they set the tone for Lappin Foundation programs. We receive many compliments on our program flyers and other materials that Tania designs. She has the ability to capture the essence of a program and then translate it into a beautiful visual that speaks for itself. Tania is a pleasure to work with, always meeting deadlines and freely sharing ideas. I have known Tania Helhoski professionally for ten years. During that time, she has consistently wowed me and my colleagues with her creative designs, her exquisite attention to detail and her incredible turn-around speed. She listens carefully to what we want and offers artistic insight and expertise. The process of working with Tania is always a pleasure, and the outcome is lovingly-rendered, targeted marketing materials that reflect our organization beautifully. Carol Rumpler, Admission Director, Solomon Schechter Day School, Newton I could not recommend Tania more highly! She is my number one referral for anyone looking for graphic design work. Tania's work is excellent and speaks for itself – that's easy to see when you take a look through her portfolio. What makes Tania so special is that she brings so much more to the table than just outstanding design. She is thoughtful – she asks good questions and works hard to ensure that the design reflects the tone and feel you're looking for. She has excellent artistic instincts and does a great job of keeping our look and feel consistent... but at the same time giving each new collateral its own flair. And she has an unbelievable work ethic – she turns excellent work around incredibly quickly and will go above and beyond to get you precisely what you need. I gladly recommend Tania highly and without any reservation. President and Founder Engaging Minds, Inc. I have never received a job from BirdDesign that I was not completely in love with! Tania is incredibly fast, accurate and professional. People routinely asked me who I use at work for my graphics needs because they like my promotional pieces, newsletters and brochures so much. That's a real testimony to the excellence of the work at BirdDesign. Solomon Schechter Day School, Newton Tania knows what questions to ask and how to discern what clients want as well as being able to help them determine and define their needs. She works well with her clients to refine their ideas and turn their vision into collateral that supports their goals. And, because she offers a full range of services, she can provide a comprehensive, cohesive point of view that adds value. The Excellent Writers Group

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appointments which arrive in the Fall are the most important in the Jewish calendar. They are called the High Holy Days and include both the Feast of Trumpets, also known as the Jewish New Year, as well as the Day Get Ready, Get Set, Pray! Preparation for the High Holy days of Trumpets and Atonement begins in the sixth month of the Hebrew calendar, Elul. One of the customs is the reciting of Selichot, that are special prayers for forgiveness which are also said on days of fasting. In the Sephardic (Spanish, Arabic) tradition, these prayers are said throughout the month, whereas in the Ashkenazic (Eastern European) tradition the prayers are added to the morning services toward the end of the month. These prayers continue through the High Holy Days as individuals consider the profound issues of life and death, sin and forgiveness. The significance given to these prayers in traditional Jewish thinking shows up in the three levels of forgiveness which people hope to attain. Traditionally, these three levels are identified by three Hebrew terms: selichah (pardon), mechilah (wiping away), and kapparah (atonement). They are all related to forgiveness, but each has its own shade of meaning In Israel a common word for “pardon” or “excuse me” is selichah. This is the first step someone takes if a sin has been committed, whether against God or man. One asks for forgiveness, saying to the offended party, “I am sorry for what I did; I sincerely regret having done it, and will never do it again.” It is considered cruel to disbelieve a person’s sincere apology and not accept it. Mechilah is usually translated as “wiping away” and it responds to the request, “Can we normalize our relationship back as it was before I offended you?” In this level the relationship gets a “reset button.” It is more difficult than selichah but not impossible. Kapparah is usually translated as “atonement,” (as in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement). This level is the deepest of all and deals with a person’s guilty conscience. It is recognized that only God can heal and comfort the conscience of a person. In traditional Jewish circles “Kapparah” completes this three-part process on Yom Kippur. Complete CleansingWhat can truly bring the deepest level of forgiveness between man and God? We remember how the Jewish people sinned at the giving of the law at Sinai when they created and worshipped a golden calf. Beginning in the month of Elul, Moses prayed to God for Israel’s spiritual restoration. God’s favorable response was to provide a new set of tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments, and to renew His presence in the people’s midst. It is said by the sages that when Moses went up the second time to receive the two tablets, our people blew the shofar to remind themselves not to fall into idol worship ever again. Thus the shofar is also blown at the beginning of the month of Elul, to remind us of our frailty and how easy it is to stumble. The New Covenant shows us that there is one who can fully forgive sins even to the core of our being and to the cleansing and healing of our souls (Matthew 9:6). How much more will the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14) Our prayers are now of praise and thanksgiving; because of His once-and-for-all atonement, there is never a need for any other offering for sin (Hebrews 10:18). As we confess our sins, it is Messiah’s atonement which is enough to enjoy the renewal of our souls before God (1 John 1:9). In Messiah’s atonement we have the grace of God to forgive one another for any offense done against us (Ephesians 4:32). Indeed, by that same grace we have in Messiah atonement, we can not only forgive but also comfort any who are guilt ridden by their consciences (2 Corinthians 2:7). In Messiah’s atonement is full forgiveness, not merely restoration to a previous relationship, but forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith (Acts 26:12). Therefore, let us be prepared, indeed! The Feast of Trumpets reminds us of the day when Messiah will return; let us prepare our hearts that we will not be ashamed at His coming (1 John 1:28). The Day of Atonement reminds us of the day when Israel will nationally trust in Messiah’s atonement and therefore will be restored back to God in service (Zechariah 12:10, 13:1). So let us plant those seeds of faith by sharing Yeshua with all we can, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile. The Lord loves all people, even as the Feast of Tabernacles reminds us that one day He will reign over all as He is glorified by all peoples (Zechariah 14:6). As we approach the High Holy Days during this month of Elul, let us commit to pray not only that we would be prepared, but that in the true forgiveness which comes only through Messiah, Israel and all people will be prepared to meet with the Lord: Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel! (Amos 4:12).

It is with great sadness that I inform you that my darling husband, dearest friend and life soul mate has passed away. Noel ended his battle with cancer on Thursday, January 30, 2014. He was in his 68th year of life, born December 21, 1946. He was so brave and always positive until the end. We celebrated 40 years of marriage last August 4th and he battled cancer for 20 of those years. The last two years were difficult ones for him. When diagnosed with metastasis to his bones in December, 2011, we decided that we would live each day to the fullest and be positive about our time together. We did just that. We traveled to Arizona, The Dominican, England, Ireland and France to visit friends, family and just to holiday. Noel got to spend the whole summer at the cottage which was his favourite place to be. Noel never complained. He told me every day how lucky he was to have this time with me and his family. He passed peacefully at home with our sons, Michael and Jonathan, and me by his side. Noel and I had time to talk about what he wanted after his death. He wanted a party where people drank a toast to him and told ‘lies’ about him. And so that is what he will have. You are all invited to come to a celebration of Noel’s Life at 2pm on Saturday, February 15, 2014 at Dundas Valley Golf and Country Club. I have no way of contacting everyone, so please extend this invitation to people who knew Noel. He touched many people over his 40 years in Canada through family, friends, colleagues of Hillfield, The Jewish Academy and Lee Academy, the curling club and at our cottage. An obituary will be in The Hamilton Spectator on Saturday, February 8th. You can also sign an online book of condolences at Marlatt Funeral Home in Dundas, Ontario. If you have any special memories of Noel that you would like to share, please email me. It gives me great pleasure to hear people’s stories about Noel.

Rising to prominence at lightning speed during World War II, Leonard Bernstein quickly became one of the most famous musicians of all time, gaining notice as a conductor and composer of both classical works and musical theater. One day he was a recent Harvard graduate, struggling to earn a living in the music world. The next, he was on the front page of the New York Times for his stunning debut with the New York Philharmonic in November 1943. At twenty-five, Bernstein was the newly appointed assistant conductor of the orchestra, and he stepped in at the last minute to replace the eminent maestro Bruno Walter in a concert that was broadcast over the radio. At the same time – and with the same blistering pace — Bernstein had two high-profile premieres in the theater: the ballet Fancy Free in April 1944, and the Broadway musical On the Town in December that same year. For both, he collaborated with the young choreographer Jerome Robbins, and the two men later became mega-famous for West Side Story in 1957. Added to that, the writers of the book and lyrics for On the Town were Bernstein’s close friends Betty Comden and Adolph Green, whose major celebrity came with the screenplay for Singin’ in the Rain in 1952. So 1944 was a key year for Bernstein in the theater. Yet he already had considerable experience with theatrical productions, albeit with neighborhood kids in the Jewish community of Sharon, Massachusetts, south of Boston, where his parents had a summer home, and as a counselor at a Jewish summer camp in the Berkshires. Some of these productions were charmingly outrageous, including a staging of Carmen in Sharon during the summer of 1934, when Bernstein was fifteen. Together with his male friend Dana Schnittken, Bernstein organized local teens in presenting an adaptation of Carmen in Yiddish, with the performers in drag. “Together we wrote a highly localized joke version of a highly abbreviated Carmen in drag, using just the hit tunes,” Bernstein later recalled in an interview with the BBC. “Dana played Micaela in a wig supplied by my father’s Hair Company—I’ll never forget his blonde tresses—and I sang Carmen in a red wig and a black mantilla and in a series of chiffon dresses borrowed from various neighbors on Lake Avenue, through which my underwear was showing. Don José was played by the love of my life, Beatrice Gordon. The bullfighter was played by a lady called Rose Schwartz.” Bernstein’s father, who was an immigrant to the United States, owned the Samuel J. Bernstein Hair Company in Boston, which not only prospered mightily during the Great Depression but also provided wigs for his son’s theatrical exploits. The young Leonard’s summer performances also involved rollicking productions of operettas by Gilbert and Sullivan. In the summer of 1935, he directed The Mikado in Sharon. Bernstein sang the role of Nanki-Poo, and his eleven-year-old sister Shirley was Yum-Yum. Decades later, friends of Bernstein who were involved in that production—by then quite elderly—recalled going with the cast to a nearby Howard Johnson’s Restaurant to celebrate. After eating a hearty meal, they stole the silverware! Being upright young citizens, they quickly returned it. In the summer of 1936, Bernstein and his buddies produced H.M.S. Pinafore. “I think the bane of my family’s existence was Gilbert and Sullivan, whose scores my sister Shirley and I would howl through from cover to cover,” Bernstein later reminisced to The Book of Knowledge. As a culmination of this youthful activity, Bernstein produced The Pirates of Penzance during the summer of 1937, while he worked as the music counselor at Camp Onota in the Berkshires. His future collaborator Adolph Green was a visitor at the camp, and Green took the role of the Pirate King. A photograph in the voluminous Bernstein Collection at the Library of Congress vividly evokes Bernstein’s experience at Camp Onota. There, the youthful Lenny stands next to a bandstand, conducting a rhythm band of even younger campers. This is clearly not a stage production. But there he is – an aspiring conductor, honing his craft in the balmy days of summer. As it turned out, Bernstein’s transition from teenage artistic adventures to mature commercial success—from camp T-shirts to tux and tails—took place in a blink.

“UNTIL THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES ARE FULFILLED” Quite a number of Bible Readers would know where to find the above quotation! Can we become too familiar with such passages of Scripture so that they lose their impact for us? We read Luke Ch. 21 very slowly this morning. It is evident that the first 24 verses were primarily for those who heard Jesus: and these except for the elderly, were going to experience these “days of vengeance” and “great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people” [v.22,23]. There is a striking parallel between this and our reading in Ezekiel Ch.24 where the message the prophet sent to Jerusalem is totally blunt. Twice he writes, “Woe to the bloody city” [v.6,9]. Less than 2 years are now left before God acts to destroy the city and the wonderful Temple Solomon had built. The totally unspiritual behavior of the inhabitants would finally cause God “to rouse my wrath, to take vengeance … on account of your unclean lewdness” [v.8,12]. There are direct parallels to our generation – and we look carefully at the words of Jesus that apply to our generation. Are the words of Jesus in v.25 & 26 symbolic or literal or a mixture of both? Jesus’ statement is plain enough that Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” [v.24] What we cannot say for certain is whether the part of Jerusalem still not under Jewish control, the Mount on which the Temple stood, is significant in the fulfillment of this prophecy. Jerusalem is not being trampled underfoot as it was in former generations. Is there significance in that the Jews were prevented from gaining a good degree of control of the Old City until 1967? The oft quoted passage, “this generation will not pass away until all have taken place” [v.32] is in the context of “the kingdom of God is near” [v.31]. We are mindful that Jesus said, “that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels, nor the son” [Matt.24 v.36] but Christ’s message at the end of today’s chapter is surely for us in 2016! “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth” [v.34,35] Not just Jerusalem! So let us from now on – “stay awake at all times” [v.36] By Bro D.Caudery If you would like to subscribe to our YouTube channel, once you have clicked ‘Subscribe’ make sure you click the cog next to the subscribe button and select ‘Send me all notifications for this channel’ Note: Bad language and comments with links to other videos or websites will be removed. Download our ‘Free’ Bible APP – ‘KeyToThe Bible’ for i-phone or Android Bible Truth and Prophecy, – Welcome to our channel run by the Christadelphians Worldwide to help promote the understanding of God’s Word to those who are seeking the Truth about the Human condition and Gods plan and Purpose with the Earth and Mankind upon it. We are always keen to receive your feedback, you may leave comments in the comments area below or alternatively email us at Feedback@ChristadelphianVideo.org and we will get back to you with a reply as soon as we can. Read a variety of booklets on-line concerning various key Bible subjects. Free Bible Booklets Bible Truth & Prophecy is a remarkable on-line tool for establishing just how far removed from the teachings of the Bible mainstream Christian teaching has become. End Time Prophecies are interpreted using the Bible, not man made ideas or notions. Key Biblical subjects such as the Trinity, Devil/Satan worship, Holy Spirit Gifts & much more are all dealt with extensively from the Bible’s viewpoint and not man’s.We will demonstrate how Christian beliefs have become corrupted, and reveal the ‘Truth’ as taught by the 1st Century Apostles.

As we discuss How to Be Neighborly, there’s some beauty to realizing how important neighbors are not just in a spiritual context, but even in a social context. Neighborhoods, cities, and civilizations are only as good as the neighbors within them. To put it simply; Great neighbors make great countries. In the Old Testament, Jeremiah and the Judeans (the southern segment of the Jewish people) are captured by the Babylonians. The Babylonians overtake them and destroy the civilization the Jews had known and loved. Worse than the physical destruction, they began to also dismantle the culture the Jews had built and their rich heritage. The Babylonians – who were not a God-fearing people – worked hard to make the Jews become Babylonians. You would think that God would tell the Jews – His chosen people – to fight the Babylonians. You would think they should hope for the destruction of their new captors and new neighbors. But, God gives a different commandment instead. Through Jeremiah God tells His people: Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Now don’t get me wrong. In this story, God never tells His people to water down their relationship with Him. He never tells them to live a life less than His calling. He never says to follow their immorality and ungodly ways. But, what He does say is to be a part of the city. To pray for it. To seek the prosperity of it. Because if the city wins, they win. God calls them to become good neighbors even with those they despise. Even with those who believe differently. Even with those who have hurt them. What if we saw our neighborhoods this way? If our neighborhood wins maybe the Kingdom wins. [If you hit a spot in these verses where you get confused or hung up, don’t hesitate to reach out.] Monday // Mark 12:28-31 Tuesday // Ecclesiastes 12:13 Wednesday // James 2:14-17 Thursday // John 4:13-24 Friday // Matthew 6:9-13 KEVIN STAMPER | LEAD PASTOR | @KEVINSTAMPER

Meshugge Socialist “Jewish” Publication: Trump, Cernovich, Gorka, Bannon, Head of Zionist Organization of America, Milo Greater Threat to Jews than Linda “Cockroach” Sarsour In an opinion piece published Thursday titled “19 People Jews Should Worry About More Than Linda Sarsour,” The Forward, a publication founded in the late 19th Century by and since then run by leftists of Jewish descent, fancied itself “enforcer” against those who would dare to criticize anti-Israel activist Linda Sarsour, who has called for “jihad” against President Trump and who has enjoyed a national spotlight since her role organizing the so-called “Women’s March” in Washington, D.C. during Inauguration Weekend. The opinion piece was written by Steven Davidson, an editorial fellow at The Forward whose current Twitter profile photo can be seen immediately above. He has his own website, stevendavidson.com, the first text of which reads: “I am a proud graduate of Duke University (go Blue Devils!) …” The opinion piece does not exactly gush over Sarsour, who is proud of the fact that her last name means “cockroach” in Arabic. Yes my last name means cockroach in Arabic and yes I am proud of it! — Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) April 17, 2010 Instead, the opinion piece uses the following quirkly reasoning in comparatively minimizing the dangerousness of Sarsour. I’ll be honest with you. I’m a progressive, feminist, anti-occupation Arabic-speaker, and even I have a few qualms about Sarsour. The language she uses can be coarse and insensitive, like her 2011 tweet in which she said she wished she could take Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s vagina away — ignoring that Ali survived female genital mutilation. But despite having reservations about Sarsour’s Twitter etiquette, I find the unending obsession baffling. The fevered pitch of the articles against her seems to have no basis in reality. You may not like her politics. You may not agree with BDS. But it is inarguably nonviolent. Why the hysteria? The real threats to the Jewish people, as pronounced by the “proud graduate of Duke University,” include Morton Klein (pictured immediately above), the president of the Zionist Organization of America. Davidson apparently feels no sense of compunction about including the longstanding president of the ZOA, the oldest pro-Israel organization in the United States, on a list which includes David Duke, “Actual violent jihadists ,” Hezbollah leader Hassan Nassrallah , Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh . Among the others the Blue Devils enthusiast includes on the list of threats to the Jewish people are: – Mike Cernovich, who “recently pushed back at the ADL with a cartoon of George Soros as a puppetmaster.” – Milo Yiannopolous (“Though half-Jewish, Milo has had no problem disseminating Jewish conspiratorial tropes …”). It should be noted that Yiannopolous is actually a quarter-Jewish according to grandparents’ lineage … and, due to the fact that that one grandparent is his maternal grandmother, 100% Jewish according to the actual matrilineal standard of Judaism. – Steve Bannon, about whom Davidson writes: “Donald Trump’s chief strategist long oversaw Breitbart News, the outlet spewing xenophobic hate like it’s their job (well, it kind of is) …” – President Trump, whom Davidson lambastes for having “[m]ade the deafest of tone deaf statements in Yad Vashem’s visitor book, saying, ‘It is a great honor to be here with all of my friends — so amazing & will never forget!”’ – Sebastian Gorka (“Under any other presidential administration, information revealing your top counter-terrorism advisor is a member of a far-right group founded by Nazis would be a fireable offense. Welcome to 2017.”) Twitter replies to Davidson’s list have been something other than gushing with praise. A few examples follow: Linda literally preaches killing Jews, this is not journalism this is insane propaganda — GeneEverett (@geneeverettshow) August 5, 2017 Gorka is anti-terrorist who defends Israel with NO association with a Nazi org. Phony allegations. article has untruths 2 fit their agenda — AS_4FreeEconomies (@AS_4FreeMarkets) August 4, 2017 What drivel. Linda Sarsour is the most imminent threat to Jews. To put Trump on the list is ludicrous. You have zero credibility. — David Sands (@Sandman36) August 4, 2017 Really Klein? You worry about his associations on the right more then leftists who associate with Sarsour? — Steven Turner (@DocSST) August 4, 2017 The right primarily stands with Israel. Why do some of these people just not get it? The left wants Islam to destroy all Jews. — Veronica Covfefe 👌 (@vgirl93) August 4, 2017 The Forward, formerly known as The Jewish Daily Forward, was founded in 1897 by a group of about 50 Yiddish-speaking socialists. According to Wikipedia, it “was a successor to New York’s first Yiddish-language socialist newspaper, Di Arbeter Tsaytung (The Workman’s Paper), a weekly established in 1890 by the fledgling Jewish trade union movement centered in the United Hebrew Trades as a vehicle for bringing socialist and trade unionist ideas to non-English speaking immigrants.” Writer Daniel Greenfield has previously explained the historical Leftist giddiness toward the term “Forward”: The Obama slogan for 2012 is in and it’s “Forward.” The left has always been enamored of “Forwardism” or “Progressivism” which mean much the same thing. Before MSNBC had “Lean Forward,” Mao had the Great Leap Forward, which killed some 40 million people, far more people than MSNBC can ever dream of tuning in to their programs. When Lenin wanted to launch his own newspaper, he called it, “Vperod” or “Forward.” The name has popped up on the mastheads of left-wing newspapers across the world. It’s “Vorwarts” in Germany, “Voorwarts” in the Netherlands and “Ila al-Amam” in the Arab world. Back in New York it’s “The Forward.” There are any number of left-wing political parties who have named themselves “Forward”, including the Forward Communist Party of India, Kadima, the left-wing opposition party in Israel, and Vperod, a Russian political party that split off from the Socialist Resistance on account of the latter not being radical enough. Picking “Forward” as his campaign slogan puts Obama in good company with Lenin and Mao, and it sounds positive until you stop and realize that it’s meant more as an order than a suggestion. There’s a reason leftist newspapers with that name add an exclamation mark at the end of it. It’s not a proposal, it’s a command. Lean forward, march forward, live forward and then die forward. We’ve burned the bridges, run up the deficit and trashed the economy so there’s no going back.

Some things just seem to linger. The yummy smell of chicken soup, a good caffeine buzz from a strong cup of coffee, and perhaps, the cold I acquired on my recent trip to Israel. I realize this may sound unbelievable, but I am honestly grateful to have had this cold. Since my return 28 days ago (who’s counting, right?), each time I coughed or blew my nose, I thought of all the remarkable people I met on the Partnership2Gether social worker delegation trip to Israel. “G-d works in mysterious ways,” I thought, “This must be a ‘holy cold’ – a physical reminder of my powerful trip.” I feel privileged to be part of this delegation. A big thank you to my wonderful agencies, The Jewish Home and Care Center and Chai Point Senior Living for your generosity; this was a trip of a lifetime. I was one of eight professionals chosen to participate. Six delegates from Milwaukee – Dana Rubin-Winkelman (me), Diana Azimov, Steve Eigen, Michelle Lafferty, Susan Esser-Greenberg and Greg Parrish – were joined by Mitchell Wittenberg, from St. Paul, Minnesota, and Michal Maybello, from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Our diverse ages and professional and personal experiences enriched our journey; we enjoyed being together and felt appreciation and warmth. Each day was overflowing. A 7 a.m. breakfast nourishing our bodies with delicious yogurts, Israeli salad, potato filled bourekas and Israeli coffee started our day, and we ended exhausted, but happy, around 9 p.m. Each moment was chockfull of thoughtful content and laughter as we spent our days with Israeli social workers reflecting and learning. They accompanied, even, our bus rides. Once, one who openly shared her heartfelt story of love and loss mesmerized us. We all wept as she described losing her husband in war and her ability to turn pain into meaning. My favorite periods were informal times, eating together and discussing the differences in being a Jew “in the diaspora” and in Israel. This was the true essence of the “partnership experience” – strengthening the person-to-person relationships. What a gift to have such a rare opportunity. Throughout the week, we learned about stress, loss, trauma and preparedness in Israel. The amazing, kind partnership staff in Israel, Anat Sharvit, Hadar Binya, and Mali Turgeman, worked tirelessly to create an inspiring trip, while anticipating our every need. I cannot thank them enough for their efforts! Just before we arrived, arsonists set fires throughout the country; it was interesting to be there studying preparedness and stress, under the devastating backdrop of terrorism. Thankfully, the fires were extinguished, and by divine luck, mid-week brought heavy rains that washed away the ongoing threat of additional fires. The rain felt like a blessing. All week, our delegation met with professors, social workers, mayors, teachers, trauma experts and doctors to understand the local and a national perspective. The hardest day for me was visiting the Rehabilitation Hermon Prison where we had an opportunity to listen to a prisoner’s story and learn about the rehabilitation process. I felt raw, uncomfortable, and conflicted, as I listened, first-hand, to the horrors a Jewish prisoner committed, but felt hopeful, learning of the substantially lower recidivism rate, as compared to American prisons. Perhaps, the agency I felt most closely drawn to was NATAL. They support Israelis of all different religions and backgrounds through serious trauma recovery and rehabilitation. The work felt holy to me. As the Friday during my trip was ending, I began to feel sad, wondering if my experience would change. The week had been incredible and I wanted that feeling to linger. However, to my surprise, my eyes widened with delight as my wonderful host drove us up the Golan Heights to spend Shabbat with them on their Kibbutz, Kfar Haruv. This home hospitality was the jewel of the trip. We enjoyed a lovely Shabbat dinner at their Kibbutz and stayed up late talking and laughing with their dear friends. We discussed American and Israeli politics, life, family and Israel. It was intellectual, fun and familiar. “Another gift!” I thought. I felt such love, admiration and connection with my host family, the Shovals. I pray that this will be a lifelong friendship, and would love to host them in Milwaukee. The Partnership has filled me up and stuck to my insides. I pray that these feelings and thoughts continue to linger and never fade. Today, as I reach for a tissue to blow my nose, I am forever grateful for the lingering blessings of my Israeli cold and for this unexpected journey of the soul. Dana Rubin-Winkelman is a social worker at the Jewish Home and Care Center Adult Day Center and Chai Point Senior Living. The Social Workers Delegation 2016 was a Partnership2Gether professional exchange program where the P2G Sovev Kinneret Region hosted delegates from partnership communities (Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Tulsa). This professional exchange of eight delegates (six from Milwaukee, one from Tulsa and one from St. Paul) was to create people-to-people connections between Israelis and Americans, with support from Milwaukee Jewish Federation and the Jewish Agency for Israel. * * * About this article In late 2016, Dana Rubin-Winkelman of Fox Point joined a social worker’s delegation trip to Israel, where she learned about stress, loss, trauma and preparedness in Israel, while forming new personal connections with the Jewish state. The trip was facilitated locally by Milwaukee Jewish Federation.

Stoicism is a much more important system, but harder to classify. Davis, Greek and Roman Stoicism (1903); editions of the Meditations (5, below). The introduction of Stoicism at Rome was the most momentous of the many changes that it saw. This was a serious departure from the principles of the system, facilitating a return of later Stoicism to the dualism of God and the world, reason and the irrational part in man, which Chrysippus had striven to surmount.3 Yet in the general approximation and fusion of opposing views which had set in, the Stoics fared far better than rival schools. This concrete side of moral philosophy came specially into evidence when Stoicism was transplanted to Rome. In passing to Rome, Stoicism quitted the school for actual life. Cato and stoicism were the order of the day. In the last century cis of the Republic the two later Greek schools of Epicureanism and Stoicism laid hold on Roman society. Human survival is taught, but not ultimate immortality; and, as against Epicureanism, Stoicism on the whole tends to deny free will. A native of Apamea in Syria and a pupil of Panaetius, he spent after his teacher's death many years in travel and scientific researches in Spain (particularly at Gades), Africa, Italy, Gaul, Liguria, Sicily and on the eastern shores of the Adriatic. When he settled as a teacher at Rhodes (hence his surname "the Rhodian") his fame attracted numerous scholars; next to Panaetius he did most, by writings and personal intercourse, to spread Stoicism in the Roman world, and he became well known to many leading men, such as Marius, Rutilius Rufus, Pompey and Cicero. He blends the tradition of the Old Testa ment with Greek philosophy, and, within the latter, exhibits that union of Platonism with Stoicism, especially in the doctrine of the Logos, which became dominant in the Christian apologists and the great theologians of the ancient church. Stoicism formulated a doctrine of providence or necessity. Leaving all detailed descriptions of these schools to special articles devoted to them, it is sufficient here to say that their doctrines were a synthesis of Platonism, Stoicism and the later Aristotelianism with a leaven of oriental mysticism which gradually became more and more important. This appears not only in its philosophical method, but also - though less prominently - in its metaphysic. And, fifthly, Neoplatonism adopted the ethics of Stoicism; although it was found necessary to supplement them by a still higher conception of the functions of the spirit. On the other hand, some observers hold that the education of this stoicism was effected at the cost of the feelings it sought to conceal. During his connexion with Auteuil, Fauriel's attention was naturally turned to philosophy, and for some years he was engaged on a history of Stoicism, which was never completed, all the papers connected with it having accidentally perished in 1814. In the Augsburg Confession (1530), which was largely due to him, freedom is claimed for the will in non-religious matters, and in the Loci of 1533 he calls the denial of freedom Stoicism, and holds that in justification there is a certain causality, though not worthiness, in the recipient, subordinate to the Divine causality. The sense of the gap between theory and fact gives to the religious element of Stoicism a new force; the soul, conscious of its weakness, leans on the thought of God, and in the philosopher's attitude towards external events, pious resignation preponderates over self-poised indifference; the old self-reliance of the reason, looking down on man's natural life as a mere field for its exercise, makes room for a positive aversion to the flesh as an alien element imprisoning the spirit; the body has come to be a " corpse which the soul sustains," 1 and life a " sojourn in a strange land "; 2 in short, the ethical idealism of Zeno has begun to borrow from the metaphysical idealism of Plato. As the first founder was of Phoenician descent, so he drew most of his adherents from the countries which were the seat of Hellenistic (as distinct from Hellenic) civilization; nor did Stoicism achieve its crowning triumph until it was brought to Rome, where the grave earnestness of the national character could appreciate its doctrine, and where for two centuries or more it was the creed, if not the philosophy, of all the best of the Romans. Nevertheless, in some departments of theory, too, and notably in ethics and jurisprudence, Stoicism has dominated the thought of after ages to a degree not easy to exaggerate. The influence of Epicureanism was wholly destructive to religion, but not perhaps very widespread: Stoicism became the creed of the educated classes and produced several attempts, notably those of Scaevola and Varro, at a reconciliation of philosophy and popular religion, in which it was maintained that the latter was in itself untrue, but a presentation of a higher truth suited to the capacity of the popular mind. It connects the teaching of Plato with the doctrines of Neoplatonism and brings it into line with the later Stoicism and with the ascetic system of the Essenes. On the other hand, as the result in part of the theory of Stoicism, religion passed into the hands of the politicians: cults were encouraged or suppressed from political motives, the membership of the colleges of pontifices and augurs, now conferred by popular vote, was sought for its social and political advantages, and augury was debased till it became the meanest tool of the politician. The school has been considered with some truth to form a connecting link with the later scepticism, just as the contemporary Cynicism and Cyrenaicism may be held to be imperfect preludes to Stoicism and Epicureanism. In the case of the military classand prior to the Restoration of 1867 the term military class was synonymous with educated class this spirit of stoicism was built up by precept on a solid basis of heredity. Stoicism rejoins, What is God not? He studied philosophy at Athens under various teachers, notably Antiochus of Ascalon, founder of the Old Academy, a combination of Stoicism, Platonism and Peripateticism. It was Stoicism, not Platonism, that filled men's imaginations and exerted the wider and more active influence upon the ancient world at some of the busiest and most important times in all history. Judaism, Stoicism, and modern philosophy of the type of Kant); The history of the Stoic school may conveniently be divided in the usual threefold manner: the old Stoa, the middle or transition period (Diogenes of Seleucia, Boethus of Sidon, Panaetius, Posidonius), and the later Stoicism of Roman times. It might seem, indeed, that Stoicism indicates a falling off from Plato and Aristotle towards materialism, but the ethical dualism, which was the ruling tendency of the Stoa, could not long endure its materialistic physics, and took refuge in the metaphysical dualism of the Platonists. The earliest Christian philosophers, particularly Justin and Athenagoras, likewise prepared the way for the speculations of the Neoplatonists - partly by their attempts to connect Christianity with Stoicism and Platonism, partly by their ambition to exhibit Christianity as " hyperplatonic." The happiness or satisfaction of the individual was the end which dominated this scepticism as well as the contemporary systems of Stoicism and Epicureanism, and all three philosophies place it in tranquillity or self-centred indifference. Athenodorus Cordylion, also of Tarsus, was keeper of the library at Pergamum, and was an old man in 47 B.C. In his enthusiasm for Stoicism he used to cut out from Stoic writings passages which seemed to him unsatisfactory. important as the precursors of Stoicism. The doctrine of conformity to Nature as the rule of conduct was not peculiar to Stoicism. Stoicism shown by our US colleagues. The common standpoint, the relation to contemporary or earlier systems, with all that goes to make up the character and spirit of Stoicism, can, fortunately, be more certainly established, and may with reason be attributed to the founder. The influence upon Stoicism of Heraclitus has been differently conceived. After the first sharp collision with the jealousy of the national authorities Stoicism in it found a ready acceptance, and made rapid progress Rome' amongst the noblest families. This paradox is violent, but it is quite in harmony with the spirit of Stoicism; and we are more startled to find that the Epicurean sage, no less than the Stoic, is to be happy even on the rack; that his happiness, too, is unimpaired by being restricted in duration, when his mind has apprehended the natural limits of life; that, in short, Epicurus makes no less strenuous efforts than Zeno to eliminate imperfection from the conditions of human existence. On the other hand, the changes in Stoicism are very noteworthy; and it is the more easy to trace them, as the only original writings of this school which we possess are those of the later Roman Stoics. Yet the substance, quality, condition absolute (7rws gxov) and condition relative of Stoicism have no enduring influence outside the school, though they recur with eclectics like Galen. The 3rd century B.C. saw in its first half the close of Epicurus' activity, and the life-work of Chrysippus, the refounder of Stoicism, is complete before its close. This feeling explains his detestation of foreign manners and superstitions, his loathing not only of inhuman crimes and cruelties but even of the lesser derelictions from selfrespect, his scorn of luxury and of art as ministering to luxury, his mockery of the poetry and of the stale and dilettante culture of his time, and perhaps, too, his indifference to the schools of philosophy and his readiness to identify all the professors of stoicism with the reserved and close-cropped puritans, who concealed the worst vices under an outward appearance of austerity. In this aspect Christianity invites comparison with Stoicism, and indeed with pagan ethical philosophy generally, if we except the hedonistic schools. He went thoroughly into the practice as well as the theory of Stoicism, and lived so abstemious and laborious a life that he injured his health. The influence of Panaetius and Polybius was more adapted to their maturity, when they led the state in war, statesmanship and oratory, and when the humaner teaching of Stoicism began to enlarge the sympathies of Roman jurists. The six short Satires of Persius (34-62) are the purest product of Stoicism - a Stoicism that had found in a contemporary, Thrasea, a more rational and practical hero than Cato. Theism can take but little interest in this peculiar type of free will doctrine, or again in Epicurus's professed admission of the existence of gods - made of atoms: inhabiting the spaces between the worlds; Stoicism. As a means to the realization of this ideal, Origen introduces the whole ethics of Stoicism. For his moral doctrine he borrowed freely from Stoicism. In, 90 he was expelled with the other philosophers by Domitian, who was irritated by the support and encouragement which the opposition to his tyranny found amongst the adherents of Stoicism. Logic is their word, and consciousness, impression and other technical words come to us, at least as technical words, from Roman Stoicism. Books of direction were written by Sextius in Greek (as afterwards by Seneca in Latin), almost the only Roman who had the ambition to found a sect, though in ethics he mainly followed Stoicism. Both Cynics and Stoics agreed that the most important part of it was the knowledge that the sole good of man lay in this knowledge or wisdom Stoicism. But they were 2 It has been suggestively said that Cynicism was to Stoicism what monasticism was to early Christianity. The two systems that have just been described were those that most prominently attracted the attention of the ancient world, so far as it was directed to ethics, from their Later almost simultaneous origin to the end of the 2nd Greek century A.D., when Stoicism almost vanishes from our philo- view. And during the period of a century and a half between Antiochus and Plutarch, we may suppose the school to have maintained the old controversy with Stoicism on much the same ground, accepting the formula of " life according to nature," but demanding that the " good " of man should refer to his nature as a whole, the good of his rational part being the chief element, and always preferable in case of conflict, but yet not absolutely his sole good. In Plutarch, however, we see the same tendencies of change that we have noticed in later Stoicism. Such " psychological certainty " was denied by their agnostic opponents, and in the history of Stoicism we have apparently a modification of the doctrine of 4avra rta KaraXnirnici with a view to meet the critics, an approximation to a recognition that the primary conviction might meet with a counter-conviction, and must then persist undissipated in face of the challenge and in the last resort find verification in the haphazard instance, under varying conditions, in actual working. A bastard Platonism through hostility to Stoicism may become agnostic. Stoicism through hostility to its sceptical critics may prefer to accept some of the positions of the dogmatic nihilist. At the same time it is probable that the serene joys of virtue and the grieflessness which the sage was conceived to maintain amid the worst tortures, formed the main attractions of Stoicism for ordinary minds. Young people may feel and need to show their sadness and to relinquish what can be a façade of stoicism when they are ill. Professor Balmer said: I was enormously moved by the stoicism shown by our US colleagues. Incredibly, there is a view that Ms Lees ' admirable stoicism casts doubts over the entire case. Yet the stiffest female stoicism seems separated from it only by a sheet of paper or a sheet of steel. Marcus is a remarkable young man and goes about his daily life with great stoicism. Themes of adultery, passion and despair displayed as stiff upper lip stoicism with ne'er a peck on the cheek. Surprisingly, perhaps, the most famous principle of classical Stoicism, 'Live in accordance with nature ! We look with awe and wonder at the courage they displayed and their stoicism in the face of six long years of conflict. Why no thoroughgoing attempt to apply Stoicism to Shakespeare has yet been undertaken is a mystery. "Very well, ikira," he said with his usual stoicism. In Stoicism, for the moment, the two conceptions are united, soon, however, to diverge - the medical conception to receive its final development under Galen, while the philosophical conception, passing over to Philo and others, was shaped and modified at Alexandria under the influence of Judaism, whence it played a great part in the developments of Jewish and Christian theology. He was the representative, not merely of Stoicism, but of Greece and Greek literature, and would feel pride in introducing its greatest masterpieces: amongst all that he studied, he valued most the writings of Plato. 2 Thus the gulf between Stoicism and the later Cynics, who were persistently hostile to culture, could not fail to be widened. Seneca is the most prominent leader in the direction which Roman Stoicism now took. Philo's doctrine is moulded by three forces - Platonism, Stoicism and Hebraism. Christianity is essentially "Stoicism triumphant in a Jewish garb." The ethical element in the " dark " philosophizing of Heraclitus (c. 530-470 B.C.), though it anticipates Stoicism in its conceptions of a law of the universe, to which the wise man will carefully conform, and a divine harmony, in the recognition of which he will find his truest satisfaction, is more profound, but even less systematic. S I t is only by dwelling on these defects that we can Stoicism. It is only by a later modification of Stoicism that cheerfulness or peace of mind is taken as the real ultimate end, to which the exercise of virtue is merely a means. But however Oriental may have been the cast of mind that welcomed this theosophic asceticism, the forms of thought by which these views were philosophically reached are essentially Greek; and it is by a thoroughly intelligible process of natural development, in which the intensification of the moral consciousness represented by Stoicism plays an important part, that the Hellenic pursuit of knowledge culminates in a preparation for ecstasy, and the Hellenic idealization of man's natural life ends in a settled antipathy to the body and its works. Indeed, this recognition in later Stoicism is sometimes expressed with so much warmth of feeling as to be hardly distinguishable from Christian philanthropy. The uncompromising mysticism of this view may be at once compared and contrasted with the philosophical severity of Stoicism. relinquish what can be a façade of stoicism when they are ill. Yet the stiffest female Stoicism seems separated from it only by a sheet of paper or a sheet of steel. Marcus is a remarkable young man and goes about his daily life with great Stoicism. Themes of adultery, passion and despair displayed as stiff upper lip Stoicism with ne'er a peck on the cheek. Surprisingly, perhaps, the most famous principle of classical Stoicism, 'Live in accordance with nature! Stoicism in the face of six long years of conflict. thoroughgoing attempt to apply Stoicism to Shakespeare has yet been undertaken is a mystery. The same pressure brought forth a great many vernacular translations and new editions of the principal sources of Stoicism. In Panaetius we find one of the earliest examples of the modification of Stoicism by the eclectic spirit; about the same time the same spirit displayed itself among the Peripatetics. In Rome philosophy never became more than a secondary pursuit; naturally, therefore, the Roman thinkers were for the most part eclectic. Of this tendency Cicero is the most striking illustration - his philosophical works consisting of an aggregation, with little or no blending, of doctrines borrowed from Stoicism, Peripateticism, and the scepticism of the Middle Academy. In the 1st century of the Christian era, the nature of the time, with its active political struggles, naturally called Stoicism more into the foreground, yet Seneca, though nominally a Stoic, draws nearly all his suavity and much of his paternal wisdom from the writings of Epicurus. Incredibly, there is a view that Ms Lees ' admirable Stoicism casts doubts over the entire case. The example of Stoicism, as Cudworth points out, shows that corporealism may be theistic. Into the history of atomism Cudworth plunges with vast erudition. We learn indeed from incidental notices that he inclined to Stoicism and disliked the Epicurean system. The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historial usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

Agatha - goodAgnesa - chaste, saintAgostina - venerable Adeline - nobleAdriana - from Hadriya Adelina - noble Azzerra - blue skyAlba - dawn Alessa - defender of humanityAlessandra - defender of humanityAlessia - protectorAllegra - cheerful and lively Alfalina - Alessia - the defenderAllegra - cheerful and lively Alphin yantarnayaAmedea - loving bogaAmerenta - not ischezayaAnankieta - obyavlyayuschayaAngelika - angelskayaAndreina - man voinAnzhelika - angelskayaAnnanzieta - obyavlyayuschayaAnnankieta - obyavlyayuschayaAnneta - benefit izyaschestvoAnnelisa - the good, grace and god - my prisyagaAnonkieda - obyavlyayuschayaAntonella - neotsenimayaAntonitta - neotsenimayaAntonneta - neotsenimayaArabella - prayer, which otvechayutArienna - absolutely chistayaAssanta - supposed Bays - traveler Beatrice - traveler Bella - god - my oath Benedatta - blessed Benigna - kind Bernardette - bold as a bear Bettina - bl Bibiana - alive Biti - traveler Bonfilia - good daughter Brigida - exalted Brunilda - warrior woman Bianca - white Wanda - moving, wanderer Velia - hidden Vincenza - conquered Violetta - purple flower Vittoria - to conquer, victory Gonfilia - from the life of the god of life Gannabelena is the strongest , pleasant Grace - pleasing, pleasant Graziana - pleasing, pleasant Deborah - the bee Delphine - a woman from Delphi Jeltrude - the power of the spear Gemma - a gem Gianna - good god Gina - shorthand for names containing the element & 34; Gina & 34; Giovanna - she is not good God - Jovitta - happy Giorgia - peasant woman Giorgina - peasant woman Gioffreda - God and the world Gisella - pledge Giudita - Jewish woman, woman from Judea Jieda - jade Jiekinta - hyacinth flower Jiyuzppa - she will multiply Jolanda - purple flower Jusefina - she will multiply - youth Julia - youth Juliet - a little young Justina - fair, only Zeta - little girl Domenica - belongs to Lord Donata - given (by God) Donatella - given (by God) Dorothea - a gift from God Drina - from Hadriya Dayfn - Laurel Danila - my God - my judge - Faklena - the moon or secretly escape Genèvre - the white race Gilda - the victim Ginevre - the white race Zita - the little girl Ileria - the joyful, happy Imelda - the whole battle Immakolata - the impeccable Ines - the chaste, Saint Isabella - God - my oathItalia - the name for the country of Italy - changed the impulse On a whimCarla is a manCarlota is a manCarlotta is a manCarmela is a vineyardCarmina is a vineyardCatherine is a pure Kinzia - a woman from QuinthosCypriena is from CyprusClara is a clear, brightClaretta - a clear, brightCozima - order, beautyColombine - a doveconcetta order, beauty Christina - follower of ChristChristian - follower of Christ Crocifissa - cross, crucified Crosetta - cross, crucified Calogera - beautiful, elder Calandra - a larkCapricia - impulsive, driven by a whim Lauretta - a small laurelLetizia - happinessLia - a weary laurel - a famous Laurel - a famous Lauret - a weary laurel warrior Luigina - famous warrior Luisella - famous warrior Lucretia - rich Luciana - light Luigina - famous warrior Maddalena - from Magdale Margherite - pearls Marzia - warrior Marayatta - little beloved Marcella - warrior - dark-skinned lady Maura the goddess Maurah - the warrior - darkened lady A cave is a natural cavity in the upper layer of the earth's crust, communicating with the surface of the earth by one or more outlets, passable for humans. The largest caves are complex systems of passages and halls, often with a total length of up to several tens of kilometers. Caves are an object of speleology study. Adjo - treasure Azibo - land Azizi - precious Akiiki - friendly Akil - intellectual Ako - weary Akenaten - the one who works for Aton Akenaton - the one who works for Aton Amen - hidden Amenemhat - Amun the frontline Amenemhat - Amun the frontline Amenhotep - the hidden world Amun Amonkann the one who works for AtonAnpu - royal childAnum - born in the fifthAnher - distantAton - solar discAtsu - twin Atum - whole Ahmoz - son of IaAhom - eagle Ashey - abundant Babeifmi - beloved by his father Badru - born in the full moon Baishayena - a noble householder Baishayena - noble house ironDes - bringing joyBiti - king of the north Bomani - warrior Bubu - giving lightnessBuziris - temple of Osiris Buihu - the best Gahiji - hunter Gyasi - wonderful Dakarei - happy Jabari - brave Jafari - stream Jahi - honored Jibeid Jum connected with the royal family oak - beloved by all Donkor - humble Zakher - flower Zuberi - strong Zuka - grave Ia - moon Iabi - weak Ialu - dreams Idogb - twin brother Iknaton - the one who works for Aton Imenand - hidden Imhotep - entering the world Ini-herit - beautiful shortening distance Issa - bogehambit Ishazhan Preventing the evil eye - soldierMenes - reedMenetnasht - powerMensa - born thirdMethi - fair given by the second Nakhti - powerfulNgozi - blessedNebi - pantherNebibi - pantherNeboi - master of the worldNeri - gypsyNeru - born in the dayNef - spirit Nefer-heperu-ro - the one that works for AtonNizam - disciplinedNkozi - the rulesNkrum - the quality of the rooster - one of them twins Odji - evil Ozaz - beloved by God Ozahar - God hears me Oziris - something that was done, a product Oi - glory Okpara - born firstOmari - highly born Otta - born thirdPaki - witnessPanahazi - barbarian Pta - more openRa - the sunRamazuyes - the sun a rich manRunichera - the destroyerRamess - the son of RaSabol - pepper Sadiki - faithful, devotedSekani - laughterSemny - affirmingSet - blindingNets - from the setSefu - the swordSignukh - Plato's sonSokqui - small, stupidSudi - lucky - Suteh - blinding from the MoonsTabit - the lucky one - keeping balance Tumayni - hope Tutankhamun - depicting the life of Amon Tutmoz - born Ubeid - faithful, faithful Umi - life Unique - shining Uomukota - clumsy Wooty - rebel Uohakvi - small, stupid Wohashem - small, stupid palatine Urans - big - Waiting for the smoke Fahzuen - a small, stupid palatine - god saves Halfani - there will be a rule Hamadi - who praised Harakhti - two horizons Heru - distantHoldun - immortalHondo - war Horus - distant Hay - crowned Seagull - the power of god Chenzira - traveler Chibail - relative Chigaru - dog Chizizi - mystery Plague-haired - rich Shenty - what was done - what was done , product Yafeu - bold Yahya - given by God Cheese has become a part of our life. There are cheeses with mold, with worms, green, blue. It seems that only a real gourmet can determine which cheese is the most delicious. Let's try to understand this issue and we, having told about the ten most delicious cheeses. Pecorino, Italy. For the first time such a cheese was made about 2 thousand years ago. Optical illusions, or as they are also called optical illusions, occur in healthy people relatively often throughout life, since they are a completely normal condition, depending on the specific conditions or structure of the human eye. The reasons for some illusions are established, but most of them do not have scientific explanation, to this day. The meaning of the name Egor, translated from ancient Greek, means & 34; farmer & 34 ;, & 34; plowman & 34;. Personality Egor is diligent and hardworking. Loves order, strives to put everything & 34; on the shelves & 34 ;. He hates lies, protects his neighbors. Yegor has an analytical mind. Moreover, he is very stubborn and distrustful. A person who deceived him at least once risks losing the boy's disposition forever. Each nationality has its own traditions and customs for celebrating holidays and rituals, and each of them is beautiful and unusual. The most important event in a person's life is a wedding, when a person decides to start a new independent life and start a family. Estonia, like other countries, also has its own traditions of weddings, and they are beautiful and interesting. It seems to us that we are all capable of great things. Is fatigue the very barrier on the way to our accomplishments that cannot be overcome? There are some helpful tips to keep you in good shape. When we get tired, we just want to lie down. There is no time for physical activity. RODHAM'S RULE Commanding lawyers to make laws is like instructing doctors to make diseases. Powles' Law Any law with more than fifty words of text has at least one loophole. Cooper's Meta Law The proliferation of new laws is leading to an equally rapid increase in new loopholes. Future baby Height - 43-44 cm, weight - 2300-2400 g. If childbirth comes now, then the baby will already be able to breathe on his own without special devices. Of course, doctors will closely monitor him and his lungs, but, nevertheless, the baby is quite developed for independent life. He has grown even more and fatter, but his head is much larger and heavier than the bottom. We need to start with the fact that Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the world. There are big problems with the amount of water, which is not applicable only to the inhabitants of the coast. Natural disasters are not uncommon here, all of which, of course, affect the lives of Bangladeshis and their family life. In this country you can find representatives of different religions, including Hinduism, even a small percentage of Christianity. The meaning of the name Albina, translated from Latin, means & 34; white & 34;, & 34; blond & 34;. The personality of Albina is very similar to her father, in this regard, it is better to judge her character by her patronymic. True, Albina has such traits as adherence to principles, stubbornness and arrogance, which her father may not have.

The media is telling us the rift between Trump and the media is coming to a head. The media has been telling us Trump is dangerous and dangerous to the media. It now seems like they might be right. High-end news media magazine, The New Yorker – who is supposed to have great cartoons, great, really great ones – just recently ran an article in their media how Trump is even now more dangerous to the general media. The New Yorker offered some evidence of assaults – alleged or alleged attempted assaults or something – on various media outlets: federal agents arrested a sixty-eight-year-old man in Encino, California, and charged him with making threatening phone calls to the Boston Globe, which included vows to kill some of its staff. The F.B.I. said that the man, Robert D. Chain, placed about fourteen calls to the newspaper, beginning on August 10th, after the Globe announced that it was rallying other publications to join it in publishing editorials responding to Trump’s “dirty war against the free press.” It’s a good thing the vicious lunatic was in California, amirite? In a criminal complaint, prosecutors accused Chain of calling the Globe from a blocked phone number and saying that the paper had made “treasonous and seditious attacks” on the President. The complaint said that on August 16th, the day the editorials about Trump and the press ran in the Globe and other publications, Chain told a Globe employee that he would start shooting people at four o’clock in the afternoon, adding, “You’re the enemy of the people, and we’re going to kill every fucking one of you.” Wait because there’s more: On August 22nd, someone called the Los Angeles bureau of the A.P. and said, “At some point we’re just gonna start shooting you fucking assholes.” Earlier in the month, a man identifying himself as “Don” from State College, Pennsylvania, called C-SPAN and threatened to shoot CNN’s Don Lemon and Brian Stelter. MSNBC’s Katy Tur said on air that she had received a letter that said, “I hope you get raped and killed.” And cue the authoritative Jewish expert: In July, at a meeting with Trump, at the White House, A. G. Sulzberger, the publisher of the Times, warned Trump that his “inflammatory language is contributing to a rise in threats against journalists and will lead to violence.” The thing is that all of these outlets alleged to have received threats et. al., are all losers. Maybe if they were not malcontent, they would get higher ratings and not have to accuse Donald J. Trump of being a Jim J. Jones. A lot of people were really into saying “you’re fired.” Some might still be. However, Donald J. Trump has not told anyone to “open fire on the media”. Our records indicate he never even told anyone to harm the media. Our Records Also Indicate Donald J. Trump Liked to Eat His Pizza Backwards Eating Pizza Backwards was an Immense Trend. With Trump’s Track Record, If He Tells Someone to “Open Fire on the Media,” You Better Believe There Will be a Lot of Dead Journalists. People Will Probably Kill Trump Allies like Mark Levin and Michael Savage Weiner Too. They probably should. If people do decide to “open fire on the media,” there will be at least one man in his early to mid-thirties who may be satisfied. The One and Only Samuel Hyde: Mr. Hyde is a comedian and Montel Williams started the retractions about Sam being a White Supremacist. Only Cartoon Network is withholding a retraction. However, this was not the only time sweet Samuel has been accused on National and International News of being an alleged mass shooter. A Jewish Supremacist, Joe Bernstein, see below really tried to get Sam’s Pet Goat too: This Bernstein Menace Harassed Mr. Hyde Relentlessly, Even About Charitable Donations Now we see the circle of life has swung back around. One might say the gun has been turned around. Again, too, we see Samuel Hyde, famed YouTube/Cartoon Network and Standup Comedian, was right again. That matters… Sam’s Life Matters and always has. If you see footage of Trump shooting clay pigeons or some such… something might happen to journalists. It could…

Daryl Phillips, assistant-manager of Faithfold A, has called for calm after the Superhoops went three points clear at the top of the Premier Division after beating defending champions North West Neasden A. Victories in their first three matches against title rivals Hendon United Sports Club A, London Maccabi Lions A and Neasden have put Faithfold in a strong position as they look to win the title for the first time since 2005. Phillips said: "This was another squad performance where everyone did a job." The team has undergone some major changes in personnel following a period of transition. Phillips said: "I think we have become a more physical team than previous years where in the past Neasden had been stronger. We still can play our football but have developed some toughness to our game. "Neasden are a very good team and it's been a while since we got one over on them, so it's nice to be back at the top of the league. "However it's still very early days, and things can change if we are not on our game and become complacent. There's still a long way to go but we will enjoy putting one over on the old enemy." A first-half header from Alex Bowman steered Neasden B past North London Raiders A. NWN joint-manager Sammy Carr said: "Our experience shone through at the end." London Maccabi Lions B held London Maccabi Lions A 1-1. Scott Levy put the Bs ahead with a 30-yard pile-driver before Joel Ross saved the A team's blushes 15 minutes from time. Lions B manager Dan Levy said: "We were very disciplined with a great shape and fully deserved the point if not more." Two MSFL top-flight teams moved into the second round of the London FA Sunday Intermediate Cup. Ben Sollosi, Brad Frankel and Daran Bern earned Redbridge Jewish Care A victory against Turkish team Antalysapor. Toby Lustigman and Ben Graham were on the mark as Southgate Harmen A overcame Westminster Wanderers. FC Team A maintained their perfect start in Division One with Danny Moss and Oliver Segal on target in a 2-1 win over Montana Boca United A. James Sandler replied. Two headers from Daniel Castle helped Chigwell Athletic exact revenge for an opening day defeat against Oakwood in a 2-1 victory. Anthony Kintish replied. Strikes from Richard Silver, Mark Klein, Luke Brookner and Ben Harris earned Camden Park one of the results of the day as they thumped Lions C 4-1. James Gold grabbed a consolation. Nicky Woolf and Lewis Blitz fired North London Raiders B to a 2-1 win over Redbridge B. David Castle replied. A solitary strike from Ian Bean steered Southgate Harmen B past Brady Maccabi. Brixton Old Boys claimed shock of the day as they beat title hopefuls Woodford Wanderers 3-0 in Division Two. Rob Hershkorn, Danny Sherman and Stefan Owide were the marksmen. John Nitka, the Brixton manager, hailed "a great performance and 100 per cent commitment from a great squad of players." He said: "Don't write us off yet." Hendon B joint player-managers Chaim Gothold and Gav Noe led by example with hat-tricks in the 6-1 mauling of Montana B. Mark Simons fired a consolation. Adam Jason's second treble of the season steered Norstar A to a 4-0 victory at FC Team B. Ben Menahem added the other. Rob Benson (3), David Gance (2), Michael Goldberg (2), Scott Shindler and Jon Fisher found the net as Temple Fortune A hammered L'Equipe 9-4. Jules Bohm (2), Jason Miller and Joey Kolirin replied. Glenthorne United A were the top-scorers of matchday three, registering 13 against Real Life. David Blackman (5), Daniel Shafron (3), Paul Billar (2), Simon Bitton, Jay Scott and an own goal completed the scoring. Jamie Beaumont replied. Ben Simons (3), Josh Sugarbread (2) and Adam Barton hit the net as high-flying Faithfold C put seven past UJIA. Dan Ison and Paul Samuels earned Heath Banta the points in a 2-1 win over Zig Zag. Dan Ezra replied. Holy Mount Zion claimed their first win after beating Norstar B 3-1 with goals from Yves Florentin-Lee, Louis Florentin-Lee and Dan Markeson. Adam Sandzer replied. Daniel Gordon (3), Sam Sollosi and Marc Jacobs eased Redbridge C to a 6-1 success over Catford & Bromley Maccabi. Eli Batterly replied. Glenthorne B remain top of Division Four on goal difference after beating North London Raiders B 2-0. Fabio Revieccio and Richard Rosenthal were the goal men. Blizzard Storm also made it three out of three with Joel Kutner firing the winner against Athletic Bilbaum. Strikes from Ariel Weinstein, Danny Kon and an own goal condemned Jewventus to their first defeat as Los Blancos ran out 3-1 winners. Jerome Colmans converted two free-kicks and another direct from a corner as Inter Borehamwood claimed their first ever win in the Maccabi League, beating Hendon C 5-2. Scott Ackerman and Richard Winton finished the job.

The long-term care convention that's sure to entertain James M. Berklan I'm not sure what I'll be most looking forward to on an upcoming business trip — coloring in the the giant coloring book, the Gasoline Alley pub on the convention floor, the wheelchair-assembly service project or the Halloween costume contest. Or any number of other wrinkles and delights. But I DO know one thing: I'm going to enjoy the LeadingAge annual meeting and convention in Indianapolis in October. As the saying goes, if you've seen one LeadingAge convention ... you've seen one LeadingAge convention. Each year, the creative minds behind it seem to compete to outdo themselves, pushing to make the experience ever more worthwhile for attendees — and the public. "When you have a meeting of 8,000 people, the secret is to have something for everyone to do," explained Sharon Sullivan to me Wednesday. She is the logistical mastermind behind this nation's-largest long-term care convention. The LeadingAge vice president books sites 10 years in advance, figuring out how to import and entertain a small city each year, relying heavily on an energetic creative team to keep us wondering "What next?!" This year is no exception. The LeadingAge Annual Meeting & Expo takes place October 30-November 2 in Indianapolis. Yes, Indianapolis — the home of the Indy 500 and numerous other big-time sporting and cultural events that offers more than you realize, even before Sullivan's circus hits town. That's "circus" with a respectful "c" as in colorful and consequential. Take, for example, the "Tackling Ageism" exhibit at a tailgate party adjacent the convention center. It will be very near Lucas Oil Stadium, where the NFL's Colts will host The Kansas City Chief on October 30. Expanding on an idea from previous conventions, thousands of "regular" citizens will be exposed to a gigantic coloring book on Georgia Street. It will invite them to use and color positive words on aging and remain up all week. "It's a different way to do what we started in Nashville three years ago," Sullivan said. "We want to evolve thoughts on aging in the public. It's the first time we're taking it to a new level." There also will be engaging activities a bit lower key. The massive Alzheimer's Association pavilion will feature "The Brains Behind Saving Yours." There will be TED-like talks, technology to help caregivers and a "Conversation Pit," one of a few things playing off the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Another will be the "Gasoline Alley" pub, which will be located on the actual convention floor. Last year's debut pub in Boston was called "Cheers" and was a rousing success. No, I am not making up this stuff. Another very cool experiential exhibit is based on this fantastically well done AARP "Redefine Aging" video clip. (This is one time I truly encourage you to interrupt your reading of something I have written to watch a fascinating 4-minute video.) Attendees at a "Sharing What You Know" booth will walk up to a giant book and open it to find a millennial and an older resident teaching one another a special task. This will be beamed in via FaceTime from a LeadingAge member facility where "on-call" pairs of participants will be taking part in real time. The kicker is the conference attendee will then teach the pair a simple task. It's all part of a Community" sub-theme. Another first-time event will be the one with perhaps the most heart — a massive service project. On Sunday, attendees will assemble donated wheelchair parts into new units for needy people around Indianapolis. The plan is for teams of six to build dozens of wheelchairs. Let's hope it's many, many dozen. And then there's the Halloween-themed activities. No, not the lame ones you might come to expect. First, there will be a Skype booth so parents can see and talk with their goblins, ghouls, princesses and pirates back home. Second, organizers are giving attendees trick-or-treat bags. They're also encouraging exhibitors to bring fun giveaways for kids to fill the bags. Third, a best-costume contest will take place for attendees' kids. Video monitors throughout the convention will show submitted photos throughout the convention. Voting will take place all week via a specially designated FaceBook page. The child with the most "likes" will receive an Xbox One, Microsoft's popular new home video game console. (LeadingAge will soon announce how to submit photos.) "It's not that we don't 'get it'," Sullivan said about scheduling the convention during Halloween, which has become more popular than ever in recent years. "We protect and don't book on certain days, like Election Day and [the Jewish holiday] Sukkot. But when we booked these dates, Halloween wasn't on the list. Now it is. We shouldn't have this situation again after next year." In the meantime, the special Halloween touches this year epitomize the strategy Sullivan and her team seem to continually pursue. "We're saying, 'Let's have fun with it." Works for me. Follow James M. Berklan @JimBerklan.

In honor of Make Up Your Own Holiday Day, I hereby declare March 29 to be Rocky and Bullwinkle Day. (You can tell what I watched yesterday in Hulu.) Relevant to Divine Misconceptions: - Nobody voted in the poll on whether to spin of a separate Divine Misconceptions blog. I will interpret this as a sign not to do so. - See Mishnah, Ro’sh hashShanah 1:1 for demonstration this is a Jewish New Year. Specifically this is the new year used for dates in the Hebrew Bible. I do not know why the new year was later shifted to 1 Tishri, six months later. - More countries stomp on freedom of religion: “Morocco clamps down on Shiites”, “Saudi Arabia's Shia press for rights”, “Member of minority Yezidi sect killed in northern Iraq”, and “Tories 'prepared to defend' polygamy ban”. For that last one, the West has a notion that anything happening between two or more consenting adults is OK, but somehow polygamy, even by consenting adults, is not. Considering that polygamy has historically been considered acceptable and it is considered religiously acceptable or even desirable by some groups, this is an extremely surprising attitude. After all, we hesitate to interfere with the practice of anyone’s religion unless it puts someone in grave danger. And what is the danger in polygamy? The fact that polygamy has been abused is irrelevant; there have been plenty of bad monogamous marriages and monogamous marriages used to deceive the government, but that does not mean monogamous marriages are inherently bad. Note this is not a defense of child marriages or marriages where one or more partners are unwilling. But if all partners are consenting adults, possessed of the collective financial means necessary for the endeavor, why should any government stand in their way? - Muslims are doing a bad job trying to convince others to outlaw saying anything critical of Islam: “Atheists, believers oppose free speech curbs at UN”. - “Forgetting Sadat (1981)” - “CMAJ Editor-in-Chief Responds” - “Fireman dresses as Spider-Man to rescue boy” - “How to Prevent the Next Pandemic” - “Kids' Sweet Tooth Related to Growth” - “10 Ways to Stave Off Hospital Superbugs and Other Nasty Germs” - “Gaza and Darfur: Some people seem to matter more than others” - “How Humor Makes You Friendlier, Sexier” - “Cruel irony: Do renewable power plants threaten their surrounding environment?” - “Most electronic voting isn't secure, CIA expert says”

As the son of a Japanese and an American, born on an island that was won from Spain in 1898, lost to Japan in 1941, and regained in a bloody series of battles in 1944 (i.e., Guam), the dates of December 7, August 6, and August 9 are always haunting, and (for some reason) always come as a surprise. In searching over the years for what I ought to feel about the painfully intertwined histories of the nations that make up my heritage, I have come the the conclusion that the events of World War 2 are not something that are my own; I do not own their tragedies, and in many ways, I am a product of the very different world that has come about in the 65 years following its end. I don't think that an apology for the war is necessary, since I feel that the utter loss of the war by Japan and Germany -- and the subsequent forming of close diplomatic, economic, and military ties -- more than makes up for any apology that the former Axis nations might issue to the US. After all, saying that they will unconditionally surrender is about as close to an apology as can be, without actually saying the words, "I apologize." And then, even if the surrender required those words, there would always remain the question of whether they were sincere. Still, giving up one's country completely to the mercy of the victorious nation had -- in the past -- meant a total capitulation of national sovereignty (which was the case in Germany and Japan, at least until the early 1950s), and possible break-up of the country; the spoils literally going to the victor. Metaphorically turning belly-up and offering oneself to the uncertain altar of the future was the apology-in-action, if not in words. (And doesn't action count more than words in many cases?) Then what about the specific actions taken during the course of the war? What about the Rape of Nanking, the firebombing of Dresden, and the Bataan Death March? What about the lynching of Ukranian partisans or the bombing of London? And what about the only two nuclear weapons attacks that have ever taken place? Every year I've read about why Japan should receive an apology (and responses as to why I should not). However, a recent piece touched me the most. Robert Fisk's piece from August 7. It starts: At last we've apologized for Hiroshima - well, sort of. We've recognized the suffering our atom bombs caused -well, kind of. President Obama was showing off his anti-nuclear credentials in the killing grounds of Hiroshima, but this was not to be confused with saying sorry.He goes on to say that political apologies -- if they are to have any real meaning, save for a personal closure to those involved -- need to swiftly follow the event, lest they lose their power: What it really comes down to is this. If you apologize for slaughtering civilians - or, at the minimum, causing their deaths - you have to do it quickly and for humanitarian reasons. Wait too long and do it for political reasons, and it will lose its effect. Germany was quick to start admitting responsibility for the Jewish Holocaust and now calls itself Israel's best friend in Europe. Turkey has never apologized for committing the Armenian Holocaust in 1915. But if it ever does, will anyone except the Armenians care?His ending really hits the nail on the head (at least for me): Yet it's intriguing to go back to what people said about Hiroshima at the time. Today, we might share these words. "This outrage against humanity ... is not war, not even murder. It is pure nihilism." And we might be appalled by a newspaper that found it possible to legitimize the use of the atom bomb because it was impossible to judge the morality of the bombing by the size of the bomb that was used. So for the paper, the slaughter was "entirely legitimate". But the first quotation comes from the venomous Imperial Japanese radio station in occupied Singapore. The second comes from a 1945 edition of what was then called the Manchester Guardian. And we might do well to note how the poet and novelist Vita Sackville-West reacted to Hiroshima. Her husband, Harold Nicolson, wrote in his diary that "Vita is thrilled by the atomic bomb. She thinks ... that it means a whole new era." Well, yes, I suppose it did. But ever since the American journalist John Hersey revealed the terrible suffering of the people of Hiroshima - unlike Wikileaks, he didn't suck the stuff out of computers, he set off there, on his own, to find out the truth - the name of the city has become a symbol of the guilt of humanity. And rightly so. But it raises another question. When do our war "crimes" have an expiry date. Blair gave his half-hearted apology to the Irish a century and a half after the Brits exported Ireland's food instead of using it to save Irish men and women who were found dead in ditches after trying to eat stinging nettles. The Americans and the Australians have said sorry to their native peoples. But what about Cromwell and Drogheda? Or the Thirty Years' War, or the Hundred Years' War? Or the sack of Rome - a Goth war crime (poor Mrs Merkel)? - or the Roman destruction of Carthage? Or the death of Jesus - I guess Rome's imperial history means Berlusconi has to apologize, though an awful lot of Catholics have spent centuries living in their anti-semitic world by blaming the Jews. Poor Benjamin Netanyahu! All in all, then, the apology business is a pretty sticky wicket. And yesterday's theater was played to boost the image of an increasingly self-regarding president, not out of any real concern for suffering - by which I mean physical pain - or humanitarian sorrow. A step in the right direction, you may say. Sure. But if you want to to believe in it, alas, it all came far too late.

1688. William III of the Netherlands had a Jewish friend. Alright, let's give a quick overview for those not up on their European history. King James II of England (also King James VII of Scotland, let's not deal with that confusion here) was a Catholic. He had no male heirs. His two daughters, Mary and Anne, were Protestant. Now, in 1688, with James in the ripe old age of 55, his wife gave birth to a boy. Some say that he was not the royal couple's real child, since the queen seemed to be barren for more than a decade. In any case, a new heir to the throne of England is born. A Catholic heir. Obviously, England's Protestants don't like that. So they ask the Dutch for help. Stadtholder William III is married to Mary, who would be denied any chance of the English throne by the new heir, so he thinks it's a good idea to invade. One problem: he needs money. So William goes to Francis Lopes Suasso, one of the richest men in the Netherlands. (And, yes, a Jew. His family were marranos who came to Holland and then reverted to Judaism.) Suasso lends William two million guilders, and also helps arrange the transport of some Swedish troops that will help the Dutch. The army lands in England, and James II is deposed in what is called the Glorious (or Bloodless) Revolution. William and Mary become joint monarchs of England and Scotland, completely changing the course of history. Suasso is repaid. Good thing William had a rich Jewish friend, right? P.S. Nice wig.

The Date of Revelation Introduction to Parashat Hashavua Yeshivat Har Etzion The Date of the Revelation By Rav Michael Hattin The awesome events of last week's Parasha, the splitting of the Sea of Reeds and the smashing of Pharaoh's overwhelming war machine in its murky depths, continue to reverberate through the text as the people of Israel begin their trek towards Sinai. Entering the arid and unforgiving wilderness, they are sorely tested first by thirst and then by hunger, trials soon relieved by the sweetened waters and by the descent of the miraculous manna, but trials recurrently imposed in order to impress upon them the fundamental truth enunciated by Moshe some forty years later in the Book of Devarim: He (God) afflicted you and made you hunger, He fed you the manna that you did not know, neither you nor your ancestors, in order to inform you that man does not live by bread alone, but rather by all of the words of God's mouth does man live! (Devarim 8:3). Upon reaching Refidim, after an arduous desert march through the barren and monotonous landscape of Seen, Dofka and Alush (see BeMidbar 33:8-14) the people are once again stricken with thirst. This time, their contentious craving is quenched as Moshe strikes the impervious rock at God's behest and water gushes forth. But other more ominous dangers lurk in the shadows of Refidim's craggy clefts, for unexpectedly the nomadic tribe of Amalek attacks. The cruel marauders, descendants of 'Esav that arrive from afar bearing ancient animosities, are repulsed by a combination of young Yehoshua's heroic tactics and aged Moshe's impassioned prayers, but not before they have inflicted painful losses upon the old, weak and infirm that straggle at the rear of Israel's encampment. YITRO AND THE REVELATION AT SINAI With the opening of this week's Parasha, the tone abruptly changes, for while it too describes a journey through the wilderness by a non-Hebrew seeking to rendezvous with the people of Israel, this time the noble visitor bears neither weapons nor warfare but rather words of encouragement and prayers of gratitude: Yitro the priest of Midian, who was Moshe's father-in-law, heard about all that the Lord had done for Moshe and for His people Israel, for God had taken Israel out of Egypt…Yitro was joyous concerning all of the good that God had done for Israel, that He had saved them from Egypt. Yitro said: 'Blessed be God who saved you from Egypt and from Pharaoh, for having liberated the people from the control of Egypt. Now I realize that God is greater then all other gods…(18:1-10). The arrival of righteous Yitro, sincerely motivated by a desire to join his destiny to Israel's, to embrace their God and His laws, not only provides us with a glaring contrast to the attack of Amalek narrated at the conclusion of last week's Parasha, but also serves as the fitting introduction to the pivotal event of this week's reading: the revelation at Sinai and God's proclamation of the Decalogue. THE CENTRALITY OF THE EVENT AND THE MYSTERY It goes without saying that the revelation at Sinai constitutes not only one of the most pivotal episodes in Sefer Shemot, but in the entire Torah as well. In fact, all of subsequent Israelite and Jewish history, even the moral progress evident in human history at large, hinges upon it. Without the revelation at Sinai, not only is there no people of Israel, no concept of binding commandments communicated by the Deity to them, and no mission on their part to introduce God and His laws to the larger world, but there is also no concept of a Higher Authority, no absolute and transcendent moral principles, and no notion of a spiritual dimension to inspire human existence. It may be stated without exaggeration that the revelation at Sinai represents the most important event in the history of human ethical and spiritual development. What is most remarkable about the entire Sinai narrative is that while the Torah breathlessly introduces the encounter, describes its unfolding stages in exhaustive detail, and paints a bold and unforgettable image of that moment's impact upon the people of Israel, it entirely neglects to inform us concerning what must surely be its most critical technical aspect – the date upon which it occurred! This glaring omission is especially troubling given the fact that the Torah, by the time that the people reach Sinai, has already provided us with a precedent for its awareness and concern with times and dates, namely the new calendar day upon which the Exodus from Egypt had occurred. PESACH AND SUCCOT Recall that on the eve of the Exodus, as the final plague was about to descend upon recalcitrant sun-worshipping Egypt with terrifying effect, God described to Moshe the new lunar mechanism for marking time: God spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt, saying: this month shall be for you the first of months…speak to the entire congregation of Israel saying that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household…it shall be guarded until the fourteenth day of this month, and then it shall be slaughtered by the entire assembly of the congregation of Israel in the afternoon…This day shall be for you a memorial, and you shall celebrate it as a festival to God, for all of your generations as an eternal statute…you shall observe this day for all of your generations as an eternal statute. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening you shall eat matzot, until the twenty first day of the month at evening…(12:1-18). Every subsequent mention in the Torah of the Passover festival always provides this one salient fact of when the observance takes place, and rightly so. An event as important as the exodus from Egypt must be anchored in the collective conscience of the people of Israel by assigning it a yearly date for its commemoration. Similarly, the festival of Succot that recalls the temporary and tenuous dwellings constructed by the people during the cooler months of their wilderness sojourn, is also assigned a specific date, namely the fifteenth day of the "seventh month" as recorded in Sefer VaYikra: God spoke to Moshe saying: Speak to the people of Israel and say that on the fifteenth day of this seventh month, the festival of Succot shall be celebrated to God…But on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, at the time when you gather in the produce of the land, you shall celebrate the festival of God for seven days…in order that your future generations may know that I caused the people of Israel to dwell in succot when I took them out of the land of Egypt, I am God your Lord…(VaYikra 23:33-44). At first glance, of course, these two events – the Exodus and the wilderness sojourn – seem to bracket what must surely be the core episode, namely the Sinaitic revelation. But while these other two are allocated specific dates and observances, the "festival of Sinai" is given none! The effect is of course heightened once we realize that exactly six months separate Pesach from Succot, the former marking the onset of Spring time and the latter the onset of the Fall. In other words, while Pesach and Succot serve as the seasonal and chronological markers for Israel's year, acting as the proverbial poles between which all of their other national commemorations are observed, the axis of rotation itself – the events of Sinai that are positioned at the center of the mechanism – is left curiously under-defined. CONSTRUCTING A CHRONOLOGY FROM THE TEXT From the text itself, it is possible to construct a reasonable chronology of events. The introductory verses state that: In the third month of the people's exodus from Egypt, on this day, they came to the wilderness of Sinai. They journeyed from Refidim and they came to the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. The people of Israel encamped there opposite the mountain. Moshe ascended to the Lord…(19:1-3). Thus, it emerges that the people reach the wilderness of Sinai in the third month (Sivan), and encamp at Sinai "on this day." This latter expression is of course tantalizingly obscure, prompting most of the commentaries (basing themselves upon much earlier Rabbinic traditions) to posit that it is a reference to Rosh Chodesh or the first day of the month. After all, how else to explain a definite reference to a definite calendar day that is mentioned in the context of the "third month" but is otherwise undefined? However, even succeeding in anchoring the arrival at Sinai to the first day of Sivan does not entirely alleviate the difficulty. While it may be possible to roughly reconstruct the ensuing chronology by tracking the consecutive ascents and descents of Moshe (19:3-9) and then adding to them the two days of Divinely imposed preparatory sanctification (19:10), to then assume that this NECESSARILY yields the currently celebrated 6th day of Sivan is utterly unwarranted. What can only be stated with certainty is that the revelation takes place "on the third day" after those two days of preparation, a fact that is stated no less than three times (19:10,11,16). In short, even granting that it may be possible to plausibly connect the celebration of the giving of the Torah to a particular day on the calendar, albeit by engaging in a rather spirited session of hermeneutics, in the end, this only serves to highlight the grand omission: the text has not only failed to explicitly mention the specific date of the giving of the Torah to the people of Israel, it seems to have intentionally obscured it under successive layers of ambiguity. STEPS IN THE PROCESS Recall that when Moshe was first pressed into service as the liberator, under Divine compulsion at the burning bush on Sinai's summit, God had indicated to him His plans for the people: I have gone down to save them from Egypt and to bring them up from that land, to a land that is good and expansive, to a land flowing with milk and honey…(3:8). But while the entry into the Promised Land had thus been presented from the outset as the final goal of the emancipation process, there was to be a critical intermediate step. God introduced the nature of this transitional stage when He sought to allay Moshe's fears and misgivings concerning the success of his mission, by pledging to the neophyte that: …I will be with you, and this is the sign that I have sent you. When you take the people out of Egypt, then you shall serve the Lord upon this mountain. In other words, God indicated, the journey to Canaan and to statehood would require encamping at Sinai along the way, and there the people would "serve God." The nature of that imminent encounter was subsequently spelled out with greater precision after Moshe's first failed mission to Pharaoh. Recall that in the aftermath of that debacle, Moshe had returned to God full of frustration and disappointment. God, in turn, had encouragingly responded that Pharaoh would very soon send forth the people with "a strong hand," for the awesome plagues would soften his obduracy. God then went on to remind Moshe of His pledge to the patriarchs to give the land of Canaan to their descendants Israel, and enjoined the prophet to so indicate to the people: Therefore, tell the people of Israel that I am God, and that I shall extricate you from under the burdens of Egypt and I shall rescue you from their labor, and I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm and with awesome punishments. I shall take you to Me as My people and I shall be your God, and you will know that I am God your Lord who extricates you from under the burdens of Egypt. I shall then bring you to the land that I swore with an oath to give to Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya'acov, and I shall give it to you as an inheritance, for I am God (6:6-8). SINAI AS THE MISSING LINK Here again, the exodus from Egypt was expressed in terms of "extrication," "rescue" and "redemption," to be followed by "bringing to the land" of Canaan and "inheritance," just as God had suggested at the burning bush. But this time note that the text inserted an intermediate step, for after the exodus from Egypt but before the entry into Canaan, the Torah states that God would take Israel as His people and He would become their God, and only then would they "know" or understand that it was in fact He who took them out of Egypt. The language of the passage is of course unmistakably similar to what is stated in this week's Parasha, as God addresses the people encamped at the base of the mountain on the eve of the revelation: …And now, if you will diligently hearken to My voice and observe My covenant, then you shall be My treasured people from among all of the nations, for the entire world is Mine. You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation…(19:5-6). It therefore emerges that the "service" at the mountain concerning which God had initially suggested to Moshe would take place after the exodus, is none other than the "taking as a people" that He had then spelled out later after Moshe's first mission. Both of these somewhat oblique references, in turn, constituted a foreshadowing of their receptiveness to His overtures at Mount Sinai and His revelation of the commandments to them as described in our Parasha! In other words, the two bracketing milestones in the people's development – the exodus from Egypt on the one hand and the entry into Canaan on the other – were to be cohesively linked by the transformative experience of standing at Sinai to serve God and to receive His teachings. THE REVELATION IN PERSPECTIVE The answer to our query is thus crystal clear. The Torah nowhere spells out the exact date of the pivotal event of the revelation at Sinai because it understands that the transformative experience of hearing God's voice and accepting His instruction is not a freestanding and disconnected episode, but rather THE CULMINATION OF THE EXODUS AS WELL AS THE NECESSARY PREPARATION FOR ENTRY INTO THE LAND. And while we tend to intuitively assume that the commands of the Torah, the essence of the Sinai event, may be even observed in splendid existential isolation from time and place, we fail to realize what we may forfeit in so doing! For if we are in reality enslaved to people or to things, even while we technically observe the mitzvot with devotion, then we have not internalized the true significance of Sinai following on the heels of the exodus: there cannot be profound spiritual liberation unless there is first physical liberation from Pharaoh's bonds. We well understand (and this is what is typically emphasized in any discussion of the matter) that physical liberation from slavery is a superficial accomplishment at best if it is not followed up by spiritual liberation as well, by dedication to a higher mission, to personal growth and character development, to the fostering of an awareness that there is more to life than meeting one's quota of bricks. What we may appreciate less is the converse of that axiom, namely that true spiritual liberation, liberation of the soul and of the mind to serve God and to mature, cannot take place while one's body is still in thrall to physical overlords, be they tyrants of the political variety or of the ideological. At the same time, the acceptance of the Torah is an invitation to sanctify a place, to enter the land and to live a comprehensive life that encompasses every fact of the human experience. Can the Torah truly be said to have been observed when all decisions relating to the municipal, regional or national level have been made by others who act without any input from God's teachings? Is Torah, the transformative experience of Sinai, meant to be confined to the home, the day school, and the synagogue while remaining completely insulated and detached from the street? Again, we stand at Sinai not only to live a unique moment that we then preserve in memory and in deed, but to prepare for the mighty task ahead: to forge ourselves into a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation," it being clearly understood that kingdoms and nations require a land. To put the matter in more familiar perspective, while we may absentmindedly speak of the Torah's 613 commands, imagining that we must be fulfilling most of them, we may not realize that LESS THAN HALF of the mitzvot are observable outside of Israel and while the Temple is in ruins! Perhaps this then is the answer to the seeming mystery of the Torah's reticence concerning the date of the revelation. While we may in practice celebrate the festival of the giving of the Torah on the 6th day of Sivan, we must not lose sight of the fact that this date (that itself was more fluid before the setting down of an exclusively astronomical calendar) was not recorded in proverbial stone. Sinai was presented by the narrative, from the very outset, as representing the end of the exodus from Egypt and the beginning of the entry into Israel. To live Sinai is therefore to live within a dynamic of not only striving for personal spiritual liberation but for fulfillment of national mission as well. For further study: consider that the agricultural aspect of the festivals – the onset of Spring and the barley harvest for Pesach, the beginning of the wheat harvest for Shavuot – also reinforces the theme. In the comprehensive treatment of the festivals recorded in VaYikra 23, only the holiday of Shavuot is presented without a date, for it is to be observed after the completion of the counting of the "seven weeks." The end of this seven week period, of course, when counted from the Pesach festival as demanded by the Torah, corresponds exactly to the beginning of Sivan. This provides further "proof" for the traditional association of Shavuot to the revelation at Sinai, while cohesively linking its observance to the events of the Exodus. One may of course explore the matter further by considering the theme of "harvest" that animates both festivals, but that is beyond the scope of this essay. See the author's archived article on Parashat Emor titled "The Festival of the Harvest."

The energy contained in nature, in the earth and its waters, in the atom and the sunshine will not avail us if we fail to activate the most precious vital energy: the moral-spiritual energy inherent in humankind. – David Ben-Gurion cred: @mimles By Nick Leininger Most Nazi’s wish they had eyes like meGreen with envyThe alt-Reich is feeling blueThey don’t see what I seeThings aren’t always what they seemAn equal fare can never be fairFair skin doesn’t change a person’s worthHere’s a penny for your thoughtsHate isn’t for the faint of heart, it’s for the heartlessThe karmic Ferris wheel turns at the pace of its passengersI ask God for peace but am by no means a pacifistI only implement my creative violence in self-defenseBuild the fence so we can knock it downThe pen is mightier than the sword, luckily I’m proficient with bothMy mother prayed for me to look whiteBecause those of the darker shade are preyed uponI want my kids to look ambiguousThat way no-one will ever know where they’re “from”Most Nazi’s wish they had eyes like meI see them for the cowards they really are As the days grew closer flags began to sprout up all across the country. From highways to car windows to apartment porches- it was as if someone had sprinkled blue and white from above. Yom Hazikaron, the day we remember Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terror, starts at the same exact moment across the country with a siren. (Jewish Holidays,Yom Hazikaron, and Yom Hatzmaut included start at night and continue into the day). During the day there is an another siren that rings out, a moment of silence with which we begin to reflect and remember the 23,544 lives that have been lost. Each life leaving behind parents, siblings, loved ones, and friends. This year I spent the morning at Har Herzel– the military cemetery in Jerusalem. Thousands of peopl were at Har Herzel on Yom HaZikaron, some to visit loved ones they had lost, and others to pay respect to the people who gave their lives protecting the country. When the siren went off at Har Herzel, you could hear the silence across the whole country; no one moved, and no one spoke. Yom Hazikaron affects every single Israeli has either experiencee personal loss or second hand loss. As Yom Hazikaron ends, Yom Hatzmaut– Israel Independence Day, begins. We celebrate the country we have, the country that the fallen have sacrificed their lives for. Yom Hatzmaut is entirely about celebration. From Monday evening until Tuesday people are celebrating nonstop. At night, the streets of cities are packed with people dancing, and celebrating. In communities everywhere there are performances, fireworks, and festivity wherever you go. I saw fireworks light up the sky, walked around Jerusalem, and was even invited to a strangers barbeque. On Yom Hatzmaut the entire country shuts down, and people spend their days with family. All of the parks and beaches are packed with families barequing, and playing sports. These two days are about the unity of the Jewish people, and the country. For me, being in the country at this time made me feel even more like I am part of a family. By: Anna Kaplan We all have expectations. Expectations for ourselves of what we want to accomplish. Going into this year abroad I had expectations to have an amazing year, and I did, but not in the way I expected. I was going in with a false reality expecting every single aspect of my year abroad to be perfect. Spoiler alert- nothing in life is perfect. When people tell you how amazing living abroad is they forget to mention everything in between. They leave out the adjustment period in the beginning- the part about being in a strange place with a bunch of people you don’t know. They forget to mention the part about learning a different currency, busing system, and language. Although, in the end having to learn all of those contributed to my year. After all, you have not truly spent a year in Israel until you have gotten stranded on a highway in the middle of the night, waiting for your next bus. As for the language, I adjusted so much to speaking Hebrew that I have to stop myself from saying Kamah Zeh Oleh (how much does this cost) now that I’m back in America. As for the currency? Well my wallet is still full of shekels… Any one can think back on a life experience, and pin point things they wish they had done differently, and make a list of could haves. However, I choose to think of all that I did. From the four am hike, running my first 5km and 10km, visiting the Western Wall so many times I lost count, spending Shabbat with thousands of people in Hebron, and everything in between. Looking back on the past year I can say without a doubt I’m happy I spent the past year in Israel. Not only did I learn so many new things, but I also learned so much about myself. One could say I could have learnt those things anywhere, but they would be wrong. There is nowhere else in the world like Israel. Walk the streets, and you will see that is a one of a kind place, a place where everyone is family, a place with an unparalleled amount of culture and history. There is a place of only 20,770 square kilometers. It is surrounded by countries in turmoil, yet it stands resolute. It stands as a pinnacle of peace, and for many a symbol of hope. Israel was a dream of thousands less than eighty years ago, and today Israel encompasses the dreams of millions. The idea that I am spending this year living amongst remarkable people is unimaginable. Israel is unique in that every person has a story. What another country can you find people of so many different countries and backgrounds all living together. The best part is you can see the unification EVERYWHERE. In Jerusalem simply make your way to the the Kotel (the Western Wall). You will see people of all backgrounds, denominations, and religions. The Kotel is a symbol of hope; it is a way of connecting to G-d. As one comes closer towards the wall you can hear the cries of strangers as they pour out their hearts, and the whispers of Hebrew, English, french, and countless other languages, for people have all come to this one place to connect. Travel just an hour west of Jerusalem, and you will find yourself in Tel Aviv. Before, Tel Aviv was “the NYC-of-Israel” it was literal mounds of sands; now Tel Aviv has reached heights beyond the founders greatest dreams. Tel Aviv is the epitome of Israel being a melting pot. In Tel Aviv, you can find people who have come from all over the world to live on its vibrant, thriving streets. From its beaches to its tech centers Tel Aviv contains it all. Every place you go in Israel you can find the unification of people, all you have to do is look. Every place has a rich history and unbelievable story. Come here, experience it for yourself; go to as many places as you can while you are her. Most importantly, listen to the streets share their story. I could have gone anywhere, nine months is a lot of time. I could have stayed home and gotten a job or hitchhiked across America. However, once I made the decision to take a gap year there was only one option. I knew I wanted to learn about myself, but I could have done that anywhere. I knew I wanted to travel, but there are a number of countries where I could accomplish that feat. Additionally, I wanted to explore and delve into my religion. Therefore, when choosing what to do with a year off, the decision couldn’t be more clear – Israel! The beauty of Israel can be summed up into two words – Jewish State. I have spent my life thus far living in the United States. However, this year I am embarking on a journey of studying in Israel for nine months. From studying my religion, to exploring the land, I am partaking in an adventure like no other. Nine months in a foreign country that, as a Jew, I have the privilege to call home. I can think of no other way to sum up my journey so far except for describing the beauty of being in a Jewish State. I love how when I travel on public buses Jewish and Israeli music welcomes me. I love the atmosphere of hearing Hebrew all around me – from signs to street names to the mumbles I hear on the street – it is all quite a remarkable experience. In the short time I have been here I have been reminded of Israel’s abundance of history and all the struggles that this country has gone through to be what it is today. No matter how you cross this so called desert of a land, one thing is for sure – it is nothing like a desert. Israel may be only slightly bigger than the size of New Jersey, but it contains epic-centers for every industry you could think of. Israel may have only been around for sixty-eight years, but it is constantly making ground breaking discoveries in the medical, agricultural, scientific, and technological fields. Even before all of the technological and medical developments, Israel continues to be a country attracting countless people for its rich history. At the moment I am on my way to the old city, to the kotel, place where not too long ago people dreamed of having the privilege to visit. Today, among other tourists and Israelis I will enter the old city as if I am simply returning home.

Curious about the scientific history of Edinburgh? A new app offers a fresh approach to exploring the city's landmarks through walking tours that delve into its heritage of science, technology and medicine. Did you know that the renowned economist Adam Smith and ground-breaking geologist James Hutton regularly dined with fellow scholars of the Scottish Enlightenment on Niddry Street South? Or that the building that now houses the University’s sports facilities at The Pleasance was once a brewery? These are some of the many fascinating facts found at the touch of a screen on the Curious Edinburgh walking tour app. Created by Dr Niki Vermeulen, Senior Lecturer in the History & Sociology of Science at the University, and developed with Dr Bill Jenkins, Cultural Engagement Research Fellow, the app is free to download on Apple and Android mobile devices. It offers up hundreds of historical places of interest for students, staff and visitors to uncover around the city using their smartphones. Curious Edinburgh is one of many innovative ideas brought to life through the University’s Innovation Initiative Grants and Principal’s Teaching Award Scheme, both of which provide funding by donors to projects that might otherwise never see the light of day. Having also won the University’s Tam Dalyell Prize for Excellence in Engaging the Public with Science 2018, the team's app is a working example of how to turn a great idea into a growing success. Here Dr Vermeulen and Dr Jenkins take time out to offer an insight into Curious Edinburgh and some of the highlights on the tours. What was the inspiration for creating the Curious Edinburgh app? Dr Vermeulen: “I came here in 2014 to teach the University’s History of Science course. I didn’t know much about Edinburgh but I did know that it was an important place in the history of science and thought I should include that in the course. Professor John Henry, who had been teaching the course for 30 years before me and is now retired, gave tours to new people in our group and students to tell them about the history of the University. So I went on this tour and I thought it was brilliant. I wanted it to be available to students but as there are 300 students on this course it is hard to do something interactive or visit a museum together, so I thought it would be a good idea to make a tour app. Of course, it’s not just relevant for students, but also for staff and visitors.” Dr Jenkins: “I finished my PhD in 2014 so it was good timing for getting involved in the Curious Edinburgh project. My research had been on Edinburgh in the early 19th century, which tied in well. I have been coordinator for the History of Science course for the past two years, Niki did it from 2014. Professor Henry actually published a paper some years before we started this whole thing called “The Physical Tourist” in the journal “Physics in Perspective”. This inspired us to do specific tours on certain subjects, such as physics. The other obvious one to do was geology as Edinburgh has such interesting history with the geologist James Hutton and also coincidentally tied into my PhD research as well. So off the back of that we did a history of medicine tour, a genetics one, and then a Scottish Enlightenment one.” How has the app grown since its early stages? Dr Vermeulen: “Other people from within and outside the University started to become interested in our tours. Dr Hannah Holtschneider of the School of Divinity developed a tour on Jewish history in Edinburgh, and we have uploaded two tours on Indian connections with Professor Roger Jeffery from the Edinburgh India Institute. We also worked with John Martin from the Scottish Brewing Archive Association on a tour on beer brewing. “Soon we will also have a tour on industrial heritage with granton:hub, a great organisation that keeps Granton’s past alive. An example is the Madelvic car factory in Granton, which opened in 1898 and is said to be the oldest car factory in the UK. The building is still there and the granton:hub has made it into a community centre, also honouring the industrial heritage of that area.” Dr Jenkins: “In fact, the factory produced an electric car. What no one realises is that electric cars have been around since the early 1900s. At that point they were a serious competitor for petrol cars but then they fell by the wayside. Obviously, they have come back now so that is an interesting bit of local history. We always thought it would be nice to work with local community groups as there is so much knowledge out there, so it is great to have the app as a platform to tell people about it.” What might people be surprised to discover about Edinburgh? Dr Jenkins: “It was specific things that surprised me, such as how connected Edinburgh is, especially in its heyday of the 18th century Scottish Enlightenment. For example, how people such as Adam Smith, David Hume and James Hutton all knew each other and went out drinking and for walks in the Meadows together. But also what a centre Edinburgh was internationally. There were prominent people coming over from France and famous scientists from America, including Benjamin Franklin – all these different figures and amazing connections. That continues with the Edinburgh festivals today with people visiting from all over the world, and I guess it’s always been that way.” Dr Vermeulen: “There is so much to discover! Some of the stories are more well known, such as the graverobbers who provided bodies for anatomical lessons in Old Surgeons’ Hall. However, we also tell the story of the Edinburgh Seven, the first female medical students, who were able to graduate toward the end of the 19th century and who made important contributions to medicine and to the role of women in academia and society at large. “Other surprises relate to places, such as the changing uses of some of the houses featured in different tours. For instance, Professor Peter Higgs of the School of Physics & Astronomy, who is world famous for predicting the Higgs boson particle, worked on Roxburgh Street, which used to house the successful medical practice of Jewish GPs Sam and Julius Lipetz. Professor Higgs was actually one of their patients. Finally, the brewing tour shows how Edinburgh used to be full of breweries, especially along Cowgate, and how some of these buildings are still there, for instance converted into student housing at Sugarhouse Close. Also, some of the skills are still preserved, for instance at the microbrewery at Summerhall.” How did you go from the initial concept to an actual app? Dr Vermeulen: “We received an Innovative Initiative Grant, which was actually the most important grant as it started the whole thing off. Then we received some funds from the Arts & Humanities Research Council. We also had funding through the Principal’s Teaching Award Scheme, which was very helpful to enable us to expand the app and promote it in teaching.” Dr Jenkins: “The School of History, Classics & Archaeology do a course on the history of Edinburgh so the Principal’s Teaching Award enabled us to put together a contribution to that on science in Edinburgh. That lecture can be reused in our course as well and links in nicely with the app. In fact, on our own course we’ve asked students to actually go out to a place that they find on the app and write something about its role in the history of science. Every student picks somewhere different. It requires more autonomy, and allows them to be creative and research something themselves with the app providing a focus for that.” What would you like for the future of Curious Edinburgh? Dr Jenkins: “We are interested in diversifying it more and having more involvement with different community groups. There is enormous potential for global history too, and for people to make their own histories in partnership with us.” Dr Vermeulen: “I want it to survive! It’s nice to bring it all together and have all this content and expand it but it is especially important not to let it all go again. Winning the Tam Dalyell Prize will help secure it for the next two years, which is great. “A lot of people are really enjoying the app and it would be really nice to see how alumni are interested in it and see how we could also expand this into memories of the city. Edinburgh has so many interesting stories to tell, and we hope that people will view the city with different eyes after knowing the important role it has played in the history of science, technology and medicine.” Fascinating facts on the Curious Edinburgh tours Find out more Visit www.curiousedinburgh.org/ for more information about the project and how to download the app. The Tam Dalyell Prize for Excellence in Engaging the Public with Science was first awarded in 2008 and rewards an individual or group for work with a focus on science communication. Dr Dalyell, who died in 2017, was an MP, prominent science communicator and former Rector of the University. The Principal's Teaching Award Scheme aims to encourage and support activities that will make a significant contribution to the enhancement of learning and teaching at the University at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Student Experience Grants replaced Innovation Initiative Grants in summer 2018. These grants support innovative projects and initiatives that will enhance students’ social, academic, intellectual, entrepreneurial, sporting or cultural development. The Principal's Teaching Award Scheme and Student Experience Grants are funded by alumni and friends of the University through their donations.

The Education Ministry recently republished its decision to cancel the special funding received by pluralistic Jewish organizations for activities they provide in schools, though it was banned by the High Court of Justice seven months ago. The decision was stricken in April by Justices Daphne Barak-Erez and Ofer Grosskopf, who rejected the ministry’s claim that there is no call to give any special additional points to these organizations – points that determine the amount of funding they receive – on the premise that all activity in Israel's public schools is pluralist. Contrary to the court’s order, the Education Ministry did not hold senior-level talks with all relevant parties before reissuing the decision. At the April hearing, Justice David Mintz held a minority dissenting opinion. Reducing support for the pluralist organizations, as well as transferring oversight of their activities to the Jewish culture division, were part of a broad move led by the Education Ministry to renounce the conclusions of the Shenhar commission – which ruled in the 1990s that Jewish studies in the general education system should take place from a pluralist and critical viewpoint, as well as present a variety of approaches and interpretations, and emphasize universal values. The commission further ruled that the Orthodox approach to Judaism should not be the sole viewpoint expressed in schools. As part of the implementation of the commission’s recommendations, the old criteria for support gave the pluralist organizations additional points for their activities in schools. But some two and a half years ago the ministry changed its support protocol, claiming that all activity – including by “Torah pods,” NGOs spreading Haredi culture, Chabad organizations and others – is pluralistic. Therefore, the ministry decided to reduce the pluralist organizations’ points from 30 percent to only five percent. This could mean a difference of tens of thousands of shekels per year. The April ruling by the court was made in response to a 2019 petition by the Reform Movement and the “Panim” organization, representing groups involved in Jewish-Israeli education, against the change in funding criteria. The petition also protested the transfer of oversight of the support to the Jewish Culture division at the ministry, which is aligned with conservative religious organizations. - It’s the end of the road for 'Orthodox' Judaism - Israeli coalition lawmaker blasts kashrut reform for excluding non-Orthodox streams - Israel's High Court orders state to recognize non-Orthodox conversions under Law of Return The change in protocol, Justice Barak-Erez ruled back then, “rests on no evidentiary basis or sufficient intra-ministerial consultation procedures, and therefore it must be reexamined.” Unlike the ministry, which seeks to renounce the conclusions of the Shenhar commission, Barak-Erez stressed their importance and wrote that the teaching of Judaism in Israel's nonreligious state schools must be done according to pluralist principles. In early June, the Higher Education Ministry (now defunct and reabsorbed in the Education Ministry), which had been put in charge of apportioning the support, promised to return the special points to pluralist activities, as in the past. It further promised that a committee will be formed to look into the question of who will oversee the supported entities. Since then no new details on this issue have emerged – until last week, when the criteria for support for organizations were published, sans the changes ordered by the High Court of Justice. Now the Israel Religious Action Center demands that the special points be returned to the support apportioned for 2021, and freeze requests for 2022 until a hearing on the matter is held. According to the Center’s director, Att. Orly Erez-Lachowski, “In April the High Court gave the Education Ministry a red card regarding the funding of Judaism studies in the general education system, ordering the support criteria to be reexamined to ensure that Judaism studies in the general education system are indeed taught pluralistically. It is regrettable that the ministry ignores the verdict and seeks to continue the conduct disallowed by the Court.” Despite the publication of the old support criteria, the Education Ministry said in response that it is “acting subject to the High Court of Justice’s verdict, and has begun amending the criteria.” The response further stated that the ministry “shall continue to act in light of the court’s decision and amend all that is needed.” No details as to these amendments were provided.

Hi All! Get some inspiration from DIY Natural and save some dough, gas, and the planet this Christmas. And here’s my old post from four years ago with some upcycled elements. Cheers, Jill I am so excited to have found something to do with my large collection of plastic shopping bags. Thank you so much,Ez, at Creature Comforts for the great post! If you are green, like me, or into crafts, like me, or don’t have store bought bows around (these are more clever anyway) they make great toppers for your vintage presents. My French boyfriend, though, doesn’t dig this. He said he wouldn’t want to be given “trash” as a gift. I would LOVE to receive this, so I guess the moral is think about the future owner of your gift and his or her perspective. This is the result of having my way with a cute French toy shop bag. Here’s Creative Jewish Mom’s lesson on making one of your own. And this is a nifty way I discovered last weekend while at Chateau d’Estoublon doing some Christmas shopping with Pascal. This is how they wrapped a fig concoction – it’s so pretty and you can use all natural products to wrap with: actual fig leaves or else recycled green paper and raffia. Anoother green idea from the chateau: use branches in your light fixture to dangle Christmassy items. I used to do this at our family winery for the big winemaker dinners. Adding decoration to a hanging light fixture is really fun and makes a fantastic statement. On your next visit to Provence, if you are near Les Baux de Provence or Arles, this place is a nice destination for wine and olive oil tasting in a castle. Tomorrow, if it doesn’t rain, I will go to the Christmas market in Aix en Provence and get some pix to post over the weekend. Ciao for now!

A complimentary advanced reader copy of this book was provided by Lee Boudreax Books in exchange for an honest review. (Thank you!) My review was in no way influenced by this consideration. Mischling: (German. plural: Mischlinge): “mixed-blood.” The legal term used in Nazi Germany to denote persons deemed to have both Aryan and Jewish ancestry. I thought I would be engrossed by Mischling. I have an intense curiosity about the years and people surrounding World War II, particularly those in Germany while the war raged. I have long believed in the complexity of humanity, and it’s important to me to try and comprehend the motivations of those people who found themselves involved in the diverse arms of Germany’s war. I find myself deeply moved by the plight of the populations who were terrorized by holocaust, and repeatedly astounded that such a thing could have ever happened, but particularly in such recent history. I am also a mother of two sets of twins. So when a book comes along about a pair of twins taken in by Mengele for experimentation, I was pretty sure I’d be absorbed. Probably horrified, but gripped, for sure. Honestly, at it’s heart, there is a good story within Mischling. But I felt it was buried within so much frippery and navel-gazing that I really struggled with both hands to find it. Within even the first couple of pages, I was frustrated with the language. I felt Konar was trying too hard to be esoteric, but it seemed like she switched out of it and got down to real writing before long. I was grateful. Occasionally this aimless, florid style reappeared, particularly after the mid-point of the book. I actually skipped a couple of chapters because I got so frustrated, and found I hadn’t really missed anything plot-wise. That’s disappointing. Where Mischling truly suffers, though, is in its comparisons to the lyricism of All the Light We Cannot See. It’s a brave thing to compare a novel to a Pulitzer-winning work, and here the comparison simply is not apt. Anthony Doerr’s voice is so distinct, his language so precise, and his pacing so deliberate. This is not that. Konar is nothing like Doerr, but she does have a unique expressiveness of her own. The only similarity I find between the novels is a particular thematic element of the relationships of children who are struggling for survival, set against WWII. But while Doerr focuses on the innocence of children and their ability to adapt and maintain optimism, Konar directs her focus toward the ways in which war can strip children of their ability to trust or hope until they become fixated on revenge as a motivation for survival. My other major complaint, particularly as a parent of twins, was the implication that all twins are psychically connected. It would be one thing if Konar had made it clear that this was something she felt was unique to Stasha and Pearl; I’m willing to suspend disbelief for a lot of things within the framework of a story. However, she seemed to reference the idea with regard to the other sets of twins in Mengele’s zoo, as well. As a parent of two sets of my own, I could practically hear my own eyes roll at this silliness. A lot of the character development and even some of the plot depended on this device, and I just could not buy it. Ultimately, Michling was an interesting story, but it had some timing issues (I haven’t even mentioned the rushed ending) and I wasn’t in love with the writing style. I would really love to see a version of it edited down without all the detours and stalling and attempts to be “smart.” I think, deep down, there’s a story there that can stand on its own.

Sandeep Jauhar, MD, PhD; David Battinelli, MD Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M13-1408. Requests for Single Reprints: Sandeep Jauhar, MD, PhD, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY 11040; e-mail, SJauhar@NSHS.edu. Current Author Addresses: Drs. Jauhar and Battinelli: Department of Cardiology, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY 11040. Jauhar S, Battinelli D. Are Nurses an Answer to New Primary Care Needs?. Ann Intern Med. 2014;161:153–154. doi: 10.7326/M14-1308 Download citation file: Published: Ann Intern Med. 2014;161(2):153-154. Healthcare Delivery and Policy, Hospital Medicine. Results provided by: Copyright © 2019 American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved. Print ISSN: 0003-4819 | Online ISSN: 1539-3704 Conditions of Use

Jhene Aiko – Divorce, Family, Net Worth, Height, Body Measurement Facts of Jhene Aiko |Age:||32 years 6 months| |Birth Date:||March 16, 1988| |Birth Place:||Los Angeles, CA| |Height:||5 ft 2 in or (157 cm)| |Net Worth:||$5 Million.| |Ethnicity:||(Japanese,Spanish- and Afro-Dominican Republic)| Relationship Statistics of Jhene Aiko |What is her marital status? (single, married, in relation or divorce):| |How many children does she have? (name):||One(O’Ryan)| |Is she having any relationship affair?:||Yes| |Is she lesbian?:||No| More about the relationship Aiko started a relationship with O’Ryan in 2005 and gave birth to a child with O’Ryan a daughter named Namiko love on November 19,2008. Aiko and O’Ryan later end their relationship In 2008 due to unknown reasons. It was later rumored that Aiko is in a relationship with Oladipo’Dot da genius ‘Omishore and soon the duo got married on March 16,2016, the marriage did not last long before Aiko filed for divorce on August 9,2016 and the divorce was finalized in October 2017. Aiko was later rumored to be in a relationship with a famous music star Big Sean in 2016 and Aiko confirmed the speculation on social media soon after. Who Is Jhene Aiko Jhene Aiko Efuru Chilombo was born on March 16, 1988 in Los Angeles California US. Jhene Aiko is an R&B American singer and songwriter. Jhene Aiko Family Aiko was born into the family of Christina Yamamoto and Karamo chilombo. Aiko mother Christina is of Japanese, Spanish and Dominican descent while her father is of African American native Americans, german and Jewish descent. Aiko was raised in Ladera heights California and she was homeschooled. Aiko has a sister named Mila J Who is a famous R&B singer. Jhene Aiko Career Aiko Musical career started when she started appearing in several musical videos for R&B group B2k. B2K influence helped Aiko to gain recognition in the music world. Aiko release her debut album “My name is Jhene” through her labels Sony, The ultimate group and Epic in 2003. The album was never release. Aiko drop the label to finish her education. Aiko later return to music when she release her first Full length project a mixtape titled “Sailing souls”. Aiko was signed to a recording contract with American record producer NoI.Ds record label ARTIUM. On December 16, 2011. Aiko also appeared in big Sean’s single “Beware” which also featured Lil Wayne . Beware became her first top 40 single on the US billboard hot 100 chart. Aiko release her first project for ARTIUM and Def Jam an extended play EP titled sail out in November 2013. The EP was supported by the singles 3:16am”, Bed peace”, and “The worst”. Aiko officially release the free song “Living room flow” on March 19,2015. Aiko also did a cover in world of my own a Disney film Alice in wonderland. Aiko release a collaboration with big Sean on music titled Twenty88 in March 2016. Aiko release numerous singles from 2016 to mid 2017 such as Maniac, First fuck with 6lack and “Hello ego” which featured Chris brown. Aiko lead single in her second studio album “ While we re young “ was released on June 9,2017. Jhene Aiko Measurements Jhene Aiko’s body measurement is 36-23-34 in or 91.5-58.5-86 cm and her height measures 5 feet 2 inches with her 45 kg(99 pounds)weight. She wears 30B inch bra size. Jhene Aiko Net Worth Jhene Aiko’s net worth is estimated at $5 Million.

I was not surprised by the recent headline in the Forward stating “Jewish women lag behind men in promotion and pay.” Nu? What else is new? The article reports that women make up about 75% of Jewish organizations, but only hold 14.3% of the top positions, and they only earn 61 cents for every dollar earned by a man. It is unfortunate but reasonable to expect a gendered pay gap to exist in the Jewish, non-profit community since one exists consistently throughout the nation. However, I was shocked to learn that women working in Jewish non-profits experience a pay gap wider than the national average! According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, women in full-time positions earn an average of 77 cents to every dollar earned by a man, nationwide -- 16 cents more than the average for women in Jewish organizations.

Palazzi: The honor is mine. FP: One doesn’t find many prominent Muslim clerics today who openly denounce suicide bombings, let alone suicide bombings against Israelis. Yet you are quite vocal about supporting Israel's right to exist. Tell us why, as a Muslim, you have come to this disposition and why you have received so much criticism from certain elements of the Muslim community for it. Palazzi: As a scholar of Islamic Law, I believe that Islam permits wars under certain conditions (i.e., it permits some soldiers to fight against other soldiers when ordered to do so by the State), but strictly forbids taking military initiatives by individuals, groups or factions (which is referred as "fitnah", i.e., sedition), strictly forbids targeting civilians and strictly forbids committing suicide. Consequently, as a Muslim scholar, I must necessarily condemn suicide bombing as a matter of principle, irrespective of who the victims are. I am obliged to say that a suicide bomber is by no means a martyr of Islam, but a criminal who dies while committing acts which Islam views as capital crimes. Regarding Israel, I beg your pardon but may I ask you to please consider refraining from speaking of Israel's "right to exist." Affirming Israel's "right to exist" is as unacceptable as denying that right, because even posing the question of whether or not the Children of Israel (Jews) -- individually, collectively or nationally -- have a "right to exist" is unacceptable. Israel exists by Divine Right, confirmed in both the Bible and Qur'an. I find in the Qur'an that God granted the Land of Israel to the Children of Israel and ordered them to settle therein (Qur'an, Sura 5:21) and that before the Last Day He will bring the Children of Israel to retake possession of their Land, gathering them from different countries and nations (Qu'ran, Sura 17:104). Consequently, as a Muslim who abides by the Qur'an, I believe that opposing the existence of the State of Israel means opposing a Divine decree. Every time Arabs fought against Israel they suffered humiliating defeats. In opposing the will of God by making war on Israel, Arabs were in effect making war on God Himself. They ignored the Qur'an, and God punished them. Now, having learned nothing from defeat after defeat, Arabs want to obtain through terror what they were unable to obtain through war: the destruction of the State of Israel. The result is quite predictable: as they have been defeated in the past, the Arabs will be defeated again. In 1919, Emir Feisal (leader of the Hashemite family, i.e., the leader of the family of the Prophet Muhammad) reached an Agreement with Chaim Weizmann for the creation of a Jewish State and an Arab Kingdom having the Jordan river as a border between them. Emir Feisal wrote, "We feel that the Arabs and Jews are cousins in race, having suffered similar oppressions at the hands of powers stronger than themselves, and by a happy coincidence have been able to take the first step towards the attainment of their national ideals together. The Arabs, especially the educated among us, look with the deepest sympathy on the Zionist movement." In Feisal's time, none claimed that accepting the creation of the State of Israel and befriending Zionism was against Islam. Even the Arab leaders who opposed the Feisal-Weizmann Agreement never resorted to an Islamic argument to condemn it. Unfortunately that Agreement was never implemented, since the British opposed the creation of the Arab Kingdom and chose to give sovereignty over Arabia to Ibn Sa'ud's marauders, i.e., to the forefathers of the House of Sa'ud. When the Saudis started ruling an oil rich Kingdom, they also started investing a regular part of their wealth in spreading Wahhabism worldwide. Wahhabism is a totalitarian cult which stands for terror, massacre of civilians and for permanent war against Jews, Christians and non-Wahhabi Muslims. The influence of Wahhabism in the contemporary Arab world is such that many Arab Muslims are wrongly convinced that, in order to be a good Muslim, one must hate Israel and hope for its destruction. Incidentally, in countries where Wahhabism did not spread, this idea is not rooted. Most Muslims in Turkey, India, Indonesia, or the former Soviet Union do not believe at all that a good Muslim must necessarily be anti-Israel. To give some relevant examples, the leading Muslim scholar and former President of Indonesia, Shaykh Abdurrahman Wahid, is on friendly terms with Israel and also visited leaders of Jewish organizations in the United States. The Mufti of Sierra Leone, Sheikh Ahmed Sillah, is also a friend of Israel, as is the Mufti of European Russia, Sheikh Salman Farid. An organization called "Muslims for Israel" was recently founded in Canada. Voicing pro-Israeli points of view obviously causes negative reactions from Wahhabi groups and Muslims influenced by Wahhabism. However, while those people verbally attack and circulate the most astonishing fabrications about me, I also receive encouragement and support from pro-Israel Muslims living in different parts of the world. While visiting Israel, I was welcomed by a delegation of heads of Arab villages in the Jerusalem area. They were telling me how much they like living in Israel, and how much they fear being transferred to PLO rule. Many of the Arab inhabitants of Gush Katif today share the same feeling. They say, "Israelis give us jobs and an opportunity to live in peace. What kind of future awaits us under PLO?" I am sure that, were they free to speak and able to see the reality beyond propaganda, many more Arab Muslims would support my positions. Irshad Manji, a pro-Israeli Muslim journalist from Canada, tells that some Muslims support her openly, yet many more Muslims tell her, "We are with you, but are afraid to tell it." The same happens to me in Italy, or when I visit Israel. As one knows, being anti-Israeli has become "politically correct" among Arabs. People are afraid to oppose what is "politically correct" even when they live in a democracy. What can one expect from those who live under totalitarian regimes and who have no access to a free press, but to governmental propaganda only? The world should give pro-Israeli Muslims a chance. We owe this to the memory of Anwar Sadat, martyred by those same Wahhabi terrorists who today spread terror everywhere. In 1996, the Islam-Israel Fellowship of the Root & Branch Association was co-founded by myself and Dr. Asher Eder to promote cooperation between the State of Israel and Muslim nations, and between Jews and Muslims in Israel and abroad, to build a better world based upon a proper Jewish understanding of the Tanakh (Bible) and Jewish Tradition, and upon a proper Muslim understanding of the Qur'an (Koran) and Islamic Tradition. I recommend to FrontPage readers "Peace is Possible between Ishmael and Israel according to the Qur'an and the Tanach (Bible)" by Dr. Eder, with a Foreward by myself, which may be found at [www.rb.org.il ]. I also welcome your readers to visit my website at [ www.amislam.com ]. FP: Thank you Sheikh Palazzi. Tell us, if you believe in the life of the soul after death, where does the soul of the suicide bomber go? Palazzi: Everyone who dies while committing capital sins such as suicide and murder will enter hellfire, except for the one who repents before death catches him. As for the one who dies without repenting for a capital sin -- while having a correct doctrinal belief and believing that his sin was a sin -- he will dwell in hellfire until his sin is expiated, or even less because of the eventual intercession of Prophets and pious people. However, those who die without repenting for a capital sin and without even believing it is a capital sin, will be denied entrance to heaven, and will dwell in hellfire as long as God wishes. However, God's mercy is such that it completely prevails over his wrath, to the point where hellfire ultimately becomes an abode of relief. In Islam, both murder and suicide are capital sins about whose nature no Muslim can either doubt or claim ignorance. Every Muslim must know that committing suicide and murder are forbidden in Islam, exactly as every Muslim knows that daily prayers are five, that the month of fasting is Ramadan, that the destination of pilgrimage is Mecca, etc. Consequently, the one who dies as a suicide bomber and who does so while wrongly believing that his action is in accordance with Islam, actually dies without having correct doctrinal faith and without any opportunity of repentance, and consequently will permanently dwell in hellfire and will never be admitted to heaven. Denying that suicide and murder are capital sins in Islam represents a lack of correct doctrinal faith according to the Shari'a. FP: Kindly relate to us your experience at the University of California in Santa Barbara on March 4, 2004, when you came on campus and denounced terrorism. Many Muslim students from the Muslim Students Association at UCSB tried to shout you down. What happened and what do you make of it? Palazzi: In reality, those who opposed my visit at UCSB were a small group of students, mostly related to the local Muslim Student Association (MSA; i.e., to the student branch of the Wahhabi Muslim Brotherhood). I invited them to be involved in the debate, to explain the reasons why they opposed my visit and/or the contents of my speech. However, they were not in the least interested in real debate and discussion. They only shouted some slogans and left the hall. Other Muslim students, not related to the MSA, on the contrary appreciated my visit, and together with non-Muslim students went on asking me questions privately even after the public debate was over. Apart from that small group of vociferous opponents, both Muslim and non-Muslim students at UCSB were friendly and interested in thoughtful discussion of issues. FP: Can you illuminate for us the humane and tolerant side of Islam? Palazzi: In contrast to Wahhabism, which is a religion of terror, coercion and violence, Sunni Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance. A Muslim is called to be a loyal citizen of the country in which he lives, on the condition that the State does not deny his basic religious freedom and does not compel him to accept another religion by force. If the government is in other respects tyrannical, corrupt, oppressive, etc., a Muslim may seek redress through established legal channels, without resort to sedition or violence. If he thinks government oppression is unbearable, he must migrate elsewhere. This is the case regardless of whether or not Muslims are a majority or a minority, or the ruler is a Muslim or a non-Muslim. Sunni Islam recognized different forms of efforts to support Islam (jihad), and acknowledges a military form of jihad. In the Sunni understanding, military jihad can only be undertaken by an Islamic State. Muslims may not initiate armed conflicts on their own initiative, but only after the head of an Islamic State has formally declared war against another state which oppresses Muslims or denies their religion freedom. Islamic sources foresaw that the Islamic State (Caliphate) would cease to exist, and that Muslims and non-Muslims alike would be ruled for a period of history by secular states alone. According to Sunni belief, the Caliphate will be restored in messianic times, by Imam al-Mahdi, and not by politicians or military leaders. As long as Imam al-Mahdi is not present, no restoration of the Caliphate is possible, and without a Caliphate military jihad is impossible. The only legitimate jihad in our time is not-military jihad, i.e., competing with non-Muslims in good deeds, such as creating a better world and establishing enduring peace. Wahhabis simply take words used in Islamic Law and apply them against Islamic Law itself. In Islamic Law, terrorism is a sin, and suicide another sin. Wahhabis call "jihad" acts of suicide terrorism and "martyrs" those who die while committing them. With regard to murder and suicide, the conflicting positions of Sunni Islam and Wahhabism are fundamental and irreconcilable. FP: Tell us a bit about your upbringing and your own intellectual and spiritual journey? Who were some mentors/figures who influenced you? Has your philosophy and outlook always been the same or has it changed over the years? Tell us about a matter about which you have changed your mind or have had second thoughts over the years. Palazzi: I was born in Rome into a non-observant Muslim family, having no special interest in religion. At that time, there existed in Italy no Muslim organization and no religious facilities. Apart from some Arabic words and some knowledge of major Islamic holidays, I received no formal religious education. Even so, since my youth I was interested in spirituality and metaphysics, and this led me to study philosophy at the State University of Rome. During that period, I felt a need to rediscover my Islamic roots. After completing my secular education I moved to Cairo, wherein I studied at al-Azhar Islamic University. In Cairo, I had the opportunity to study under the best teachers. At that time, al-Azhar was not, as it is today, a nest of Wahhabi and neo-Salafi fanatics and extremists, but was still a center of traditional Islamic learning. While living in Cairo, I also had the opportunity to study Sufism, the mystical tradition of Islam, under my main teachers, Sheikh Ismail al-Azhari and Sheikh Hussein al-Khalwati. I also benefited from the opportunity to study under the then Mufti of Egypt, the late Sheikh Muhammad al-Mutawali as-Sha'rawi, the one who convinced Sadat to make peace with Israel and who went with him to Jerusalem to pray in the al-Aqsa mosque. When I came back to Rome, I met other Muslims sharing my attitude, and together we established the organization which today is called the Italian Muslim Assembly. While a teenager, I studied different ideologies and philosophies, and was to a certain extent influenced by them. However, after my stay in Cairo, I considered my basic period of intellectual and spiritual formation completed. My spiritual philosophy has remained more or less the same until today. FP: What did you think about Pope John Paul II? What do you think of the new Pope? Palazzi: I think the late Pope John Paul II was a contradictory personality. He made some decisions which were extremely progressive (interfaith meetings, visits to mosques and synagogues, etc.), but his individual theology was nevertheless extremely conservative and from a certain point of view naive. He publicly asked forgiveness for crimes committed by the Church against Jews, but afterwards canonized some very controversial personalities, such as his predecessor Pius IX (one of the most implacable enemies of democracy in the history of humanity), and even pro-Nazi Croatian Cardinal Stepinac. John Paul II took no steps to censor priests and bishops who scandalously cooperated with mass-murderers such as Saddam Hussein or Yasser Arafat, and refused to take a clear position about bishops involved in covering up the scandal of pedophile priests. He approved the war in Kosovo to free the oppressed population from Milosevic, but had no courage to support the war for the liberation of Iraq from Saddam Hussein. The refusal of John Paul II to "bless" the international Coalition fighting for the liberation of Iraq is something I as a Muslim can hardly forgive, as I cannot forget Catholic organizations marching together with Communists and neo-Nazis "against Bush's war" and objectively in support of Saddam's regime. On themes such as birth control and embryology John Paul II's mentality was totally obscurantist and medieval. He compared abortion to massacres committed by Nazis and Communists. He promoted dialogue between the Church and non-Catholic religions, but permitted Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) to silence theological debate and dissent within the Catholic Church itself. From a political point of view, John Paul II supported a direct and constant interference of the Church in the affairs of European States, especially Italy. Many Italians, even practicing Catholic Italians, were disappointed by the idea of a foreign (in this case Polish) pope who interfered with the dialectic of majority rule and minority opposition in our country, and considered it a gross infringement of our national sovereignty. To conclude, I must say that the pontificate of John Paul II was characterized by light and darkness. Positive elements were counter-balanced by many negative ones. As for Benedict XVI, taking into consideration the documents he signed when he was President of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (formerly known as the "Sacred Congregation of the Universal Inquisition"), he seems to be even more conservative than was John Paul II, and even less inclined to tolerate theological pluralism inside the Catholic Church. In one these documents, the "Dominus Jesus" Declaration, the then Cardinal Ratzinger explained that "interfaith dialogue must be understood as a part of the missionary activity of the Catholic Church." The same document openly says that non-Catholic religions are "seriously defective" from a theological and ethical point of view. All this is not encouraging at all. We have a Pope, Benedict XVI, who simply rejects the notion of pluralism. He does not see the Catholic Church as an element of society which must co-exist with other elements on a basis of equality and dignity, but sees the Catholic Church as the master which must educate society. According to the approach of Benedict XVI, religions do not represent different spiritual perspectives, each of which can make its unique contribution to help us partially understand the mystery of God. Benedict thinks the truth about God is already known, and the Pope (i.e., himself) is the only authorized interpreter of that truth. Catholics and non-Catholics alike must simply be educated by the one (i.e., himself) who represents that truth on earth. Dialogue is not seen as an end in itself, but only as a tool to bring non-Catholic religions more in line with Catholicism. With regard to the attitudes of past Popes such as John XXIII and Paul VI, Benedict XVI seriously risks nullifying the results of the Second Vatican Council and returning Catholic theology to what it was at the time of the Counter Reformation. Ratzinger, therefore, is a Pope who preaches a totalitarian understanding of religion, and incidentally is also the first Pope to have participated in a Nazi German youth movement. Perhaps this past will not affect relations with Jews, but Benedict recently chose not to mention Israel by name in a public statement of solidarity with nations that recently suffered terrorist attacks. When the Israeli government protested this omission, the reaction of the Press Office of the Holy See was arrogant, condescending, and dismissive, adding insult (a sin of commission) to the original injury (a sin of omission), especially when one considers that the omission was committed by a Bavarian Pope who was both a member of a Nazi German youth movement and a soldier in the Nazi German Wehrmacht. FP: You are, of course, right about some of these things. I guess I will just say that Pope John Paul II was an incredible human being who provided crucial and meaningful spiritual leadership during a tumultuous time. His job was not to run a popularity contest. I think in some ways he was a very holy man and brought much light to a dark world. He was firm in several areas where it was necessary to be firm. And, of course, he played a tremendous role in the crumbling of an evil empire. The hype that the media went on about Benedict XVI being in the Nazi German youth movement is also a vicious and dirty cheap shot. Pope XVI was never a Nazi and everyone knows it. All German boys at that time were forced to become members of the Hitler Youth – and so was he. This Pope has made it clear years ago how his faith showed him the evil of Nazism and anti-Semitism. Palazzi: Although "all German boys at that time were forced to become members of the hitler youth," the young Joseph Ratzinger nevertheless volunteered for a combat unit of the Hitler Youth. This circumstance is confirmed by the Vatican press office. Of course, we are dealing with a teenager living in a period when Nazi indoctrination was systematic, but at least during that period Joseph Ratzinger was a convinced Nazi who chose to join a military unit fighting against the Allies. I do not doubt that his faith showed him the evil of Nazism and anti-Semitism, but this happened after World War Two was over, not before. FP: Well, Sheikh Palazzi, the evidence suggests that the Pope volunteering for a combat unit is simply untrue and that is why the Pope evaded people who were trying to force him to "volunteer" for a combat unit by declaring his intent to become a priest. There is no trace to the assertion that the Vatican Press Office confirmed the opposite. Ratzinger received a dispensation from the Hitler Youth because of his religious studies and he deserted the German army. He never attended any Hitler Youth meetings and his seminary professor secured the paper "proving" his attendance on his behalf. And it is this upon this falsehood that you frame your further assertion that Ratzinger was at that time a "convinced Nazi" -- which is, with all due respect, simply a historical falsehood and a personal slander. His own word, and those of all who knew him and his family, says otherwise: that he and his whole family were anti-Nazis. There is no trace of Nazism in anything Ratzinger has ever done since the war, and it seems that many people are just trying to smear him and his theological conservatism – quite an unworthy thing to do. In any case, let’s get back to the terror war. What is the best way for the West to fight it? What do you think of the American liberation of Iraq? Palazzi: To win a war, one must identify who the enemy is and neutralize the enemy's chain of command. World War Two was won when the German army was destroyed, Berlin was captured and Hitler removed from power. To win the War on Terror, it is necessary to understand that al-Qa'ida is a Saudi organization, created by the House of Sa'ud, funded with petro-dollar profits by the House of Sa'ud and used by the House of Sa'ud for acts of mass terror primarily against the West, and the rest of the world, as well. Consequently, to really win the War on Terror it is necessary for the U.S. to invade Saudi Arabia, capture King Abdallah and the other 1,500 princes who constitute the House of Sa'ud, to freeze their assets, to remove them from power, and to send them to Guantanamo for life imprisonment. Then it is necessary to replace the Saudi-Wahhabi terror-funding regime with a moderate, non-Wahhabi and pro-West regime, such as a Hashemite Sunni Muslim constitutional monarchy. Unless all this is done, the War on Terror will never be won. It is possible to destroy al-Qa'ida, to capture or execute Bin Laden, al-Zarqawi, al-Zawahiri, etc., but this will not end the War. After some years, Saudi princes will again start funding many similar terror organizations. The Saudi regime can only survive by increasing its support for terror. Saddam's regime was one of the worst criminal dictatorships which existed in this world, and destroying it was surely a praiseworthy task for which, as a Muslim, I am thankful to President Bush, to the governments who joined the Coalition and to soldiers who fought in the field. Destroying the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and the regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq were surely praiseworthy tasks, but I regret that focusing on these secondary enemies was -- for the White House -- a way to obscure the role of the world's main enemy: the Saudis. FP: What do you think of President Bush? Palazzi: I am extremely disappointed with him. I hoped that -- after Saudi terrorists attacked the U.S. on 9/11 -- this would necessarily cause a radical revision in U.S.-Saudi relations. The first action a U.S. President had to do after such a criminal attack as 9/11 was to immediately outlaw Saudi-controlled institutions inside the U.S. and acknowledge that viewing Saudis as "friends" was a mortal sin representing sixty years of failed U.S. foreign and economic policy. U.S. governmental agencies have plenty of evidence about the role of the House of Sa'ud in funding the worldwide terror network. U.S. citizens can even read in newspapers that some days before the 9/11 attack Muhammad Atta received a check from the wife of the former Saudi Ambassador to Washington, Prince Bandar, but unbelievably this caused no consequences. Let us consider plain facts: the wife of a foreign ambassador pays terrorists for attacks which murder thousands of U.S. citizens, and the U.S. government not only does not declare war on that foreign country, in this case Saudi Arabia, but does not even terminate diplomatic relations with that country. On the contrary, then-Crown Prince Abdallah, the creator (together with the new Saudi ambassador to the United States, former Saudi ambassador to the United Kingdom, and Father of 9/11, Prince Turki al-Feisal) of al-Qa'ida, is immediately invited to Bush's ranch as a honored guest, and Bush tells him, "You are our ally in the War on Terror"! Can one image FDR inviting Hitler to the United States and telling him, "You are our ally in the war against Fascism in Europe"? Something very similar happened after 9/11. As a matter of fact, the Saudis supported Bush's electoral campaign for his first term in office, and asked him in exchange to be the first U.S. President to promote the creation of a Palestinian State. Once he was elected, Bush refused to abide by the agreement, and the consequence was 9/11. "We paid for your election, and now you must do want we want from you", this was the message behind the 9/11 attack. Bush immediately started doing what the Saudis wanted from him: compelling Israel to withdraw from Judea, Samaria and Gaza, in order to permit the creation of a PLO state. Western media speak of a "Road Map," while Arab media call it by its real name: "Abdallah's Plan." One hears about a U.S. President who allegedly leads a "War on Terror" and promotes the spread of "democracy" and "freedom" in the Islamic world, but the reality shows a U.S. president who -- after a Saudi terror attack against the U.S. -- abides by a Saudi diktat, hides the role of the Saudi regime behind al-Qa'ida and wants Israel, the only democratic state in the Middle East, cut to pieces to facilitate the creation of another dictatorial regime, lead by Arafat deputy Abu Mazen, the terrorist who organized the mass murder of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Theoretically, Bush proclaims his intention to punish terror and to spread democracy, but the Road Map is the exact opposite of all this: it means punishing the victims of terror and rewarding terrorists, compelling democracy to withdraw in order to create a new dictatorial Arab regime. For the U.S. there is only one single trustworthy ally in the entire Middle East: Israel. Now Bush is punishing America's ally Israel to reward those who heartily supported "our brother Saddam", those who demonstrate by burning Stars and Strips flags and those who call America "the imperialist power controlled by Zionism". In doing so, Bush seriously risks becoming the most anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish President in the history of the U.S. Let us look at the impending victims of Bush's foreign policy, at the inhabitants of Gush Katif. What is their crime? What did they do to merit deportation from their homes and the theft of their farms and businesses? They live in peace, work hard and provide jobs for thousands of Gaza Arabs. To please the Saudis, Bush wants a Judenrein Gaza, with the Jews of Gush Katif deported from their homes, their houses destroyed and even the remains of their relatives exhumed and buried elsewhere. Were one to proclaim "Jews, for the only reason of their being Jews, must be deported from New York and forcibly resettled in New Jersey", the whole world would shout and say this is racist deportation, ethnic cleansing, violation of basic human rights, etc. Now, by supporting the infamous anti-Israeli Saudi Plan, Bush is applying the same identical principle: he accepts the idea that Jews, for the only fault of being Jews, must be deported from their homes in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, and resettled elsewhere. Throughout history, Jews were frequently deported from country to country by Romans, Popes, Czars, Nazis, etc. Now, thanks to Bush's policy, Jews will also be deported from Israel, and deported not by anti-Semitic regimes, but by Jews and others wearing Israeli uniforms. It is the norm for Arab dictators to conceive a political project based on ethnic cleansing and deportation of Jews, but it is simply unbelievable that a U.S. President approves such a project and compels Israel to accept it. I am shocked to realize that a U.S. President supports ethnic cleansing of Jews from parts of the Land of Israel, and that most American Jewish organizational leaders either keep silent or even approve of this deportation plan. With the few praiseworthy exceptions of the Zionist Organization of America (Morton Klein), Americans for a Safe Israel (Herb Zweibon and Helen Freedman), National Council of Young Israel (Pesach Lerner) and a few other groups, most Jewish organizations in the U.S. collaborate with Bush's plans against their own brothers and sisters in Israel. The implications of the Road Map are staggering: A Jew is not like other human beings, he can be deported from place to place, according to the cynical oil drenched dictates of political opportunism. Deporting Jews and cutting Israel into pieces was the original goal of Arab dictators supported by the Soviet Union. The U.S. has consistently opposed this racist policy and supported Israel against terrorists who wanted to destroy it. Now Bush is granting those same terrorists a victory: what was not accomplished by terror will be accomplished by the Israeli Defence Forces with the support of the United States. Saudis are able to compel a U.S. President to betray U.S. allies and to force the creation of an entity ("Palestine") controlled by terrorists. President Bush claims to be a Born Again Christian and also claims to read the Bible everyday. The Bible says that God gave the Land of Israel as a heritage to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and gave the rest of the world as a heritage to other peoples. As confirmed by the Qur'an and Islamic tradition, Abraham himself bequeathed to his descendants from Isaac the Land of Israel, and bequeathed to his descendants from Ishmael other lands, such as the Arabian peninsula. Now descendants of Ishmael, the Arabs, have a gigantic territory extending from Morocco to Iraq. The descendants of Isaac, the Jews, on the contrary, only have a tiny, narrow strip of land. However, Arab dictators are not satisfied with their huge territory. They want more. They also want the little heritage of the Children of Israel, and resort to terror in order to get it. U.S. Presidents have always opposed this attempt to steal from the Jewish People what God granted them. Now we have a U.S. President who claims to honor the Bible, and yet wants to give Arab dictators what belongs to the Jewish People. By doing so, Bush is not only rewarding terror, encouraging further terror and showing the world that terror works, but he is also opposing God's will. I pray that the citizens of the U.S. will be spared the full consequences of this anti-Israel, anti-Jewish and anti-God foreign policy. FP: There is indeed a tragedy inherent in the Israelis not being defended the way they should be. And the disengagement from Gaza truly comes with many dangerous risks. But there are several very shrewd strategic reasons involved in this move and they are in Israel’s interests. We shouldn’t forget that. Bush and Sharon are making wise and calculated steps in their own context. It is more complicated than simply seeing this as a great malicious betrayal. But we’ll have to debate this another time. Let us turn to your personal interests for a moment. What are some of your favorite books? Palazzi: Books I prefer reading are those dealing with spirituality. I am especially interested in the study of similarities between Sufism and Kabbalah, and consequently I consider "al-Futuhat al-Makkiyyah" by Ibn 'Arabi and the "Zohar" as my basic sources. I am also interested in the study of non-monotheistic mysticism, and consequently appreciate the Upanishad, the Vedantasutra and the Purana of the Hindu tradition, the Buddhist Canon and the Greek Philokalia. I am also interested in the history of Middle East. Books such as "Battle Ground" by Shmuel Katz and "The Secret War Against the Jews" by John Loftus are among my favorites. FP: Do you listen to music? If so, tell us what music you like. Palazzi: Because of my academic interests in ethnomusicology and ritual dance, I frequently listen to Medieval music, be it Arabic-Andalusi, Maghrebi, Persian, European or Byzantine. Then I am also fond of symphonic music, and my favorite composers are Bruckner, Mahler and Stravinsky. I also like jazz, especially from New Orleans. FP: Why do you think Islamic extremists demonize music? For instance, the Taliban illegalized all music, Khomeini illegalized many forms of “Western music” etc. What is it about music that they see so threatening? Isn’t music a divine gift? Also, do you think dancing is anti-Islamic? Palazzi: Khomeini was not so extreme about music as are the Taliban (who follow an Indian version of Saudi Wahhabism known as Deobandism) or the Saudis. Khomeini never demonized music in principle. He rather imposed his personal preferences regarding which music was acceptable and which was not. Khomeini deemed traditional Islamic music and Western classical music to be acceptable, and modern Western popular music to be unacceptable. The Taliban, on the contrary, even banned Sufi music and traditional Islamic chants, and the Saudis go on doing the same until today. Some Muslim scholars of the past restricted the range of acceptable music to a minimum, but Imam al-Ghazali, a leading authority in the Shafi'i school of jurisprudence to which I belong, preferred to emphasize the positive value of music. A chapter of al-Ghazali's book in Persian, "The Alchemy of Happiness", is entitled "Concerning Music and Dancing as Aids to the Religious Life". al-Ghazali writes: "The heart of man has been so constituted by the Almighty that, like a flint, it contains a hidden fire which is evoked by music and harmony, and renders man beside himself with ecstasy. These harmonies are echoes of that higher world of beauty which we call the world of spirits; they remind man of his relationship to that world, and produce in him an emotion so deep and strange that he himself is powerless to explain it. The effect of music and dancing is deeper in proportion as the natures on which they act are simple and prone to motion; they fan into a flame whatever love is already dormant in the heart, whether it be earthly and sensual, or divine and spiritual". While other scholars tried to classify musical instruments and musical styles as permissible or forbidden on the basis of their personal preferences, Imam al-Ghazali on the contrary classified music according to the effects it produces on the soul: music which promotes illicit and immoral desires must be avoided, while music which echoes spiritual harmony and awakens contemplation should be encouraged. The latter kind of music is surely a divine gift. Till today Sufi musicians play traditional songs and mystical melodies in order to increase love for God and to cause listeners to join in ecstatic dancing. FP: So do you ever dance to your favorite music? Palazzi: I not only regularly dance according to the teachings of the Mevlevi school as they were received by the Naqshbandi and Qadiri Sufi Orders, but I also teach my students, with the authorization of my Sheikhs, what in the West is known as the ritual dance of the Whirling Dervishes. In Arabic, this same dance is called Sama', meaning "listening". The ritualized techniques of Sufi dance are necessary since an ordinary person lacks spontaneity. For those who reach a certain spiritual level, technique itself is not necessary anymore: listening to traditional Mevlevi music, especially to the sound of flute and drum, is enough to lead to spontaneous dance out of love for God. During the last years, I have led seminars and arranged performances of the ritual dance of the Whirling Dervishes in cultural centers, universities and dancing schools. Students at dancing schools have some technical advantages over participants who never attended such schools, but in many cases the dance students were less spontaneous and more concerned with external appearances. These dance students were educated to perform for the public in performances which must please audiences. In Dergas, Sufi dancing halls, students dance exclusively for the Beloved One, and to be united with Him. That is the basic difference. FP: Do you think that veiling of women in Islam should me mandatory or voluntary? Palazzi: Wearing or not wearing a veil should be the choice of a Muslim woman alone. No one has the right to compel her to wear or not wear a veil. As with prayer, fasting and all the other religious practices, veiling has meaning when it is spontaneous and reflects one's will to please God by choosing to observe a religious precept. Forcing people to observe religious precepts does not result in an increase in faith, but rather an increase in hypocrisy. One does not pray, fast or wear a veil as an expression of freely chosen faith to submit to what one believes to be commanded by God, but only due to human coercion. Consequently, I strongly condemn those regimes, such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, which force women who do not want to wear the veil to do so; and regimes, such as Turkey and France, which prevent women who do want to wear the veil from doing so. My ideal of religious freedom is that, if a woman wants to veil, she must be free to do so, and the State must defend her right to veil; while if a woman does not want to veil, she must be free to do so, and the State must defend her right not to do so. To continue reading this interview, click here.

You are thinking of Budapest as grey and boring place where there is nothing much to see and to photograph? Well, you picked up the perfect article to make you change your mind. Budapest, Hungary’s capital and biggest city, is ready to surprise you with its enchanting corners and marvellous cityscapes. If you are wondering what spots are the most photogenic in this capital, this article will suit your tastes perfectly. There are many places I visited in Budapest and it was very hard to decide which ones are the best but here my personal list: Fishermen’s Bastion and Buda Castle Both Fishermen’s Bastion and Buda Castle are located on the western part of Budapest. In order to reach you have to walk uphill for a while passing through posh school complexes buzzing with students until you will come across this white and big construction. First thought was that it was the entrance to a Disneyland Park because it was so brightly white and cartoonesque that reminded me of the Disney Castle they use as logo. The truth is a bit different as it was built in the 19-20th century in neo-gothic and neo-romanesque style. The seven towers that make up the bastion represent the seven magyar tribes that descended to the Pannonian Plain and laid the foundations for the state of Hungary. Why fishermen? There is no sea here in Budapest but there is the Danube, one of the most important and longest rivers in Europe flowing through countless capitals and european cities. The name originated from the fact that the bastion during middle-age was protected by the fishermen’s guild. What to photograph here? Well, everything! The bastion itself is an art masterpiece that can be photographed from every angle. Go up to the bar that has an open terrace where you will be able to take some photos of the surrounding landscape. Then play with the arches that make up the bastion, it is the best way to take nice photos there. Just unleash your creativity 😉 The church is another super photogenic landmark, especially its colourful roofs, similar to the one of Vienna main cathedral. The church had a very long history of destruction and reconstruction. The original church was founded by the first catholic king of Hungary, St. Stephen, in the 11th century and then destroyed by the Mongols. It was rebuilt in the 14th century in Gothic style, survived through Turkish occupation but damaged by Germans and Soviets, who used it as camp. It is said that it treasures the right hand of king St. Stephen. Just 10 minutes away you will find the beautiful and imposing Buda castle, which was used by Hungarian royal family in the past. It is built on the hill overlooking the southern part of Budapest gifting you with an unrivalled view. The gate leading to the castle garden and its main entrance are the most photogenic spots of the complex along with the view over the city. The citadel is a military construction built on the top of Gellert Hill, in the southern part of Budapest. It was commissioned by the Austrian Empire after the Hungarian revolution, which took place in 1948, to keep in better control the city. After the establishment of an Empire ruled by both Austrian and Hungarians, the latter wanted it to be destroyed but to no avail because Austrian troops did not leave the place until the end of the century. During soviet rules, Hungarians tried to revolt against the puppet government, which had been formed in the country, but were stopped by the soviet army that occupied the citadel and bombed Budapest. Now the place is not used as military base anymore but it became a tourist attraction and the reason is clear. Once you reach the top, you will awarded with a breathtaking view over the whole city of Budapest that can compete only with the view from Buda castle. How To Reach: Take blue metro line to Moricz Zsigmond Korter station and then just out of the metro station you can find the bus number 27. Once you get off the bus, follow the signs and after 10 minutes walking, you will reach the Citadella. As many other European cities, Budapest, as well, had a Jewish Quarter where all the Hungarian Jews lived. The quarter became a ghetto during the Second World War because Hungary was Germany’s ally and had a nazi regime, as I said in my previous article. Jews were imprisoned inside this small portion of land and many of them starved to death as no food or any other kinds of supplies were allowed in. Nowadays the area still exists and it is home to many discos and pubs where young people go. I really do not know if Jews are still living there or not but I did see many synagogues scattered around. The Jewish Quarter has a unique aura: there are many crumbling houses and a weird atmosphere. There are not many people around and it is mainly quiet and deserted. You can come across many graffitis, pubs buzzing with young people having a drink, holy places like synagogues and typical kosher restaurants. When I visited there, I decided to follow a walking tour I found online so that I could see the main landmarks and streets of the surrounding area and it was totally worth it. Besides the great synagogue and three other minor ones, I discovered a very cute antique market. It was located in a passageway in a neighbourhood and it mainly sold old stuff like vinyls, old camera and books. It was really lively, buzzing with people, unlike the rest of the Quarter. The best spots to take photos are, of course, this cute antique market, the moorish style synagogues and the decadent and crumbling houses that make up the Jewish Quarter and create this aura of mystery. How To Reach: To reach the Jewish Quarter you must use the red metro line and either get off at Astoria metro station or at Blaha Lujza Ter. If you are interested in following the tour I posted here, you’d better stop at Astoria, which is just 5 minutes away from the Great Synagogue, the perfect place to start your tour. St. Stephen’s Basilica The construction started at the end of the 19th century and finished in 1905 so the church is pretty new. The style is neoclassical as you can tell from the columns and its strictness. It is possible to climb up to the top of the church by paying a 2 euros ticket (of course, you must use HUF). You can either walk up or use the lift – I would suggest to use the lift because it is faster and less tiring. The visit to its top is totally worth it! Once reached the top, the view up there is unrivalled. You can see every corner of the city: from the Buda castle to the suburbs of Budapest. You can unleash your creativity and try to take photos of the cityscape framed with the beautiful church bell towers. Only by looking around you, you can get great ideas on how to take photos. Also the interior of the dome is quite photogenic so give it a try too. How To Reach: Use the blue line and get off at Arany János utca. If you have been infatuated with the beautiful architecture of the Hungarian parliament and you cannot get enough, you must absolutely visit this place. It is the perfect spot to take a photo of the parliament as it is located just in front of it, on the other side of the Danube. Make sure to visit this square also at night because the night view of the parliament is something magical. Walking along the Danube and the bright light that illuminate the building create a romantic atmosphere. Of course, you can also play with the cars darting on the street with a long exposure mode on your camera and use as background the lighted up Parliament. How To Reach: Take the red line and get out at Batthyany Ter metro station. Bonus Place: Metro Do not underestimate Budapest metro, it is one of the most photogenic places in the whole city. It is home to the oldest metro on the continent, just second to the London one. There is also a perfectly-maintained soviet metro trains, which were built in the 70s. I really loved the atmosphere of the soviet metro. The light was softened and the surroundings very old creating a mysterious atmosphere. A perfection summary on how I felt can be found in the 2003 produced hungarian movie called Kontroll. I highly suggest you to have a look, it is totally worth it. Besides the oldest metro on the continent and the soviet metro, you can find a totally new line, which is the blue one. It is an architecture paradise, as my boyfriend defined it.

|home | about this site | stories | the gallery | schools | migration histories | tracing your roots | search| Tracing Jewish Roots Jewish Perspectives on UK Records Service Records of Jews Records in Other Countries Pulling It All Together For a community defined by its religious identity, religious records are obviously very important in tracing and understanding the lives of Jews. This section concentrates on resources for tracing Ashkenazi Jews. The Jewish Yearbook published annually (Vallentine Mitchell, London), has up-to-date contact details of all communities in the United Kingdom. Annual statistical data about the communities, since the mid-1960s, are set out in a life-cycle sequence of births, marriages, divorces (gittim) and deaths on the Board of Deputies of British Jews website at www.bod.org.uk/. Follow any of the links above to find contact details and an outline of the records held by each community. There are no separate Jewish birth records. All births within the United Kingdom can be found in civil registers in the Family Records Centre, in the microfilmed copies of the registers held in Mormon Family History Centres or the Society of Genealogists Library. Birth notices may be found in the Jewish Chronicle. Circumcision registers are usually privately kept by the mohel who performs the ritual circumcision, usually on the eighth day after the birth of a male child. Very few of these registers ever become available for research. All Jewish marriages since 1837 are registered in the usual way, and indexed in the GRO volumes. Civil registration marriage certificates can be traced at and ordered from the Family Records Centre, and they give the: In addition, you may be able to locate the marriage certificate issued by the synagogue, called a ketubah (plural: ketubot). These are in the Aramaic language but written in Hebrew script, with an English translation. Names of bride and groom, and father's names, are given, as are those of the witnesses. Follow the link for a Full Translation of a Jewish Marriage Certificate. Illustrations of marriage certificates from the following countries are in the Jewish National and University Library (Israel). Their website address is: jnul.huji.ac.il/dl/ketubbot/html/country_list.htm Marriage Applications (London's East End) Tower Hamlets Local History Archive has marriage notice books for Stepney and Bethnal Green. The Beth Din holds a large collection of material relating to marriages, divorces and some other material. Copies of marriage authorisation certificates may be given after production of a civil marriage register certificate. A marriage authorisation (evidence or proof of Jewish origins) is equivalent to a marriage ban and often lists the names of witnesses who may be relatives, and the place of origin of the bride and groom. The Beth Din office should be approached only after civil records have been thoroughly researched. The office holds divorce records (a get/gittim), though it is very difficult to obtain details. The Beth Din also holds adoption records, conversion records and certificates of evidence (proof of Jewish birth). These often contain additional information and are particularly useful in tracing Jews who were not naturalised, and for information about a marriage abroad that may not exist elsewhere. The Beth Din office does not usually permit visitors. Applications for information are best made in writing to the Archivist, by post. The address is: London Beth Din 735 High Road London N12 0US Fax: 020 8343 6310 Email: firstname.lastname@example.org or email@example.com Website: www.brijnet.org/us or www.unitedsynagogue.org.uk A charge is made for the provision of information. All records are confidential and in most cases information will only be provided to those with a family connection and/or a legitimate legal interest in the records. Try to find a civil registration death certificate for the ancestor you are tracing. It will give: Death certificates, however, do not give the place of burial or parental names. Also, look for obituaries and death notices in the Jewish Chronicle. A death notice may give the: Eastern European immigrants in London tended to use the federation and Adath Yisroel. An increasing number of burial records, information and indexes are being made available on the internet. The IAJGS and Jewishgen Worldwide online burial project has a very comprehensive listing of Jewish burial grounds in the United Kingdom at www.jewishgen.org/cemetery/brit/england. Also, try the United Synagogue website at www.unitedsynagogue.org.uk/burial. All the United Synagogue Cemetery plans are on this site too and can be downloaded: Orthodox Judaism prohibits cremation, so it is only carried out by Liberal and Progressive synagogues, though members of other communities may choose to use their services, with the ashes being scattered or interred in the appropriate cemetery. The crematorium at Hoop Lane, London, keeps a Jewish room with memorials on the wall (kept for a limited time, often up to 20 years) and a memorial book with permanently inscribed messages. They also have memorial plaques placed by rose bushes. In the West London section of the cemetery, opposite the crematorium, there is a section where the cremated remains have been buried. Jewish tombstones and graves often provide considerable genealogical information, sometime including details of the father, spouse, children and notable information such as place and date of birth and death. Link here to read about locating a Jewish Burials. Creators: Dr Saul Issroff |Jewish Perspectives on UK Records||Service Records of Jews| |contact us | help | site map||copyright | privacy|

Debbie’s Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about stomach cancer, advancing funding for research, and providing education and support internationally to patients, families, and caregivers. DDF seeks as its ultimate goal to make the cure for stomach cancer a reality. Together we are dreaming BIG to make the cure for stomach cancer a reality! Events & Communications Coordinator Debbie’s Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer Sharsheret is a national not-for-profit organization supporting young Jewish women and their families facing breast cancer. Our mission is to offer a community of support to women, of all Jewish backgrounds, diagnosed with breast cancer or at increased genetic risk, by fostering culturally-relevant individualized connections with networks of peers, health professionals, and related resources. To learn more, visit www.sharsheret.org or call 866.474.2774.

1. Fish collapse “A new federal audit report warns another fish species collapse could happen again under the watch of Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans,” reports Paul Withers for the CBC: “From my perspective, we are still at risk of having another stock potentially go into collapse, similar to what happened to the [Northern] cod,” said Julie Gelfand, federal commissioner of the environment and sustainable development, who released the audit this week. Working on behalf of the federal auditor general, the commissioner looked at the management of wild fisheries in Canada between 2013 and 2016 and concluded DFO lacked the key information it needed to manage major fish stocks. Among the findings: • Of 15 depleted stocks deemed “critical” because continued fishing poses a threat, the audit found only three had required rebuilding plans. • Of the 154 major stocks, 44 were missing required integrated fish management plans, or those plans were out of date. • The department failed to carry out planned scientific surveys due in part to mechanical problems on board coast guard vessels. • There are “systemic” problems with fishery observer programs — a vital source of information on catches at sea. 2. The convention centre delay non-story Hey, newsrooms are stretched. There’s no such thing as a paper of record anymore — that is, a newspaper that even attempts to cover every local story. Necessarily, editors have to be selective about what they cover and which stories reporters are assigned to. Things will fall through the cracks, for sure. Still and all, it’s kind of astonishing that many local news outlets have completely avoided the convention centre opening delay story. The convention centre proposal, the debate around it, the funding announcements, and the start of construction were all big stories, with hours of air time and barrels of ink devoted to them, so why now the sudden silence? I first reported the delay Tuesday morning. Metro followed up later that day, and allnovascotia and a Chronicle Herald scab had reports. But CBC, CTV, Global, and Local Xpress have all ignored it. Note, 4pm: allnovascotia reporter Geoff Bird tells me he wrote and published an article on the delay at 11pm Monday. allnovascotia doesn’t allow other reporters, including myself, to access its site, I had no knowledge of this. I was told Wednesday that ANS had an article, but wasn’t told when it was published. No offence intended towards Bird, who I lumped in with a scab. In his Chronicle Herald column, Roger Taylor was chief cheerleader for the Nova Centre. His gushing praise for developer Joe Ramia was so over-the-top that I jokingly said Taylor was Ramia’s unpaid PR person. Taylor gave such uncritical analysis as this: It is estimated that even during the least amount of activity at the centre, about 3,000 people will be working, living in or visiting the complex. Add to that the prospect of conventions coming to the new convention centre, which is part of the Nova Centre complex, and it has been estimated that 7,000 to 8,000 people will be brought to the downtown. Immediately, even for those who are most critical of the project, it becomes clear that Nova Centre will play a major role in the redevelopment of downtown Halifax, once the centre is completed in late 2015. In a particularly sanctimonious screed, Taylor told the Heritage Trust that dropping its suit against Ramia was the right thing to do: Now, potential Nova Centre tenants who may have been frightened off by the court challenge will be confident they will be able to move into leased space in the massive project on time and won’t be drawn into legal proceedings. One more thing this mutual disarmament agreement may have accomplished: it may have cleared the air for future development projects in Halifax. Most people see the importance of recognizing the historical significance of buildings and lands in the city’s development approval process, but to have the battle continue unabated, even after construction starts, runs counter to the benefit of taxpayers. When the first delay in the convention centre was announced in 2014, here’s how Taylor spun it: — Roger Taylor (@RogerTaylor_) November 28, 2014 Now walking the picket line, Taylor is occasionally contributing to the Local Xpress. He hasn’t written anything since July, however, and nary a peep about the latest delay in the convention centre. 3. Human remains Police have identified the human remains discovered by a hunter in the Spider Lake area last Saturday evening. After an investigation was conducted by the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner’s Office and the RCMP Forensic Identification Section, the remains were confirmed to be that of 50-year-old Cordell Stephen Weare of Dartmouth. Mr. Weare was reported as missing to Halifax Regional Police after having left his home in Dartmouth on November 24, 2013. Police do not suspect foul play. A 2013 CBC article explains that: Cordell Weare’s family told police he was upset and left his Montebello Drive home around 8 a.m. without any money, identification or his cell phone. While it solves the Cordell Weare mystery, the discovery doesn’t shed light on the Marty Leger mystery. As I wrote Monday: Leger went missing in 2014; his car was found near the Spider Lake Trail trailhead, and he was last seen heading into the trail. A massive search-and-rescue effort consisting of hundreds of searchers aided by helicopters combed the woods and trawled the lake for over a week looking for Leger, to no success. The woods adjacent to the Spider Lake Trail are still littered with trees felled by Hurricane Juan, the mess so thick that it’s impossible to carry much less ride a bike through it, so I’ve long thought Leger must have left the main trail — possibly to ride on one of the many trails along the pipeline road. “A resolution that would have removed a pro-Israel campaign from a Halifax Pride event was defeated by a majority vote at the organization’s annual general meeting,” reports the Canadian Press: The motion, which was brought forward Wednesday by the group Queer Arabs of Halifax, was rejected by a vote of 210 to 106 with five abstentions. The group says the “Size doesn’t matter” campaign materials, that were part of a booth hosted by the Atlantic Jewish Council at the Halifax Pride Society’s community fair, is not acceptable amidst international condemnations against Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. Examiner contributor El Jones attended the meeting and will have a report later today. “On Tuesday, Halifax Regional Police responded to Halifax West High School after a photo posted on social media appeared to show a clown standing on a sidewalk outside the school,” reports CTV, which had extra reporters lying around to cover non-stories about clowns because they didn’t have reporters assigned to cover, say, the convention centre delay story: The photo was posted to an Instagram account called Halifax Clowns, whose biography states: “We stalking you so keep your eyes open. We ain’t killing we just creeping.” Kids, this has all been done before. 1. Carbon tax “Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil got it wrong when he said Nova Scotians would ‘pay twice’ under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax,” writes Bill Turpin. “Actually, many of them will GET PAID TWICE unless McNeil tries a cash-grab”: [T]he carbon tax revenues will not leave the N.S. economy. The feds will remit the funds back to the province. That’s where the real danger lies: instead of using it to lower provincial income tax, as B.C. does, our government could well use it to reward the province’s high rollers with projects like football stadiums or, say, a massive convention centre for Yarmouth or New Waterford. On the other hand, if the province in fact lowered its income tax, regular folks would get a tax break and, if they actually reduced their carbon footprints, they would save money on gasoline and electricity. In other words, they would get PAID twice: tax-break + energy savings = paid twice. Turpin calculates that five years out, when the tax is levied at just $50/tonne, Nova Scotians will pay about $338 million in total. We’ve got about a million residents, so were the money simply returned to residents on a per capita basis, that’d be a cheque to each of us for $338, or less than a dollar a day. This is not an economy destroyer. 2. Cranky letter of the day This is a note for all those who don’t get the message while driving using a cellphone for talking or texting. While travelling on Highway 105 near Whycocomagh on Sept. 3, we encountered a car travelling east on the wrong side of the highway at a high rate of speed. It was only through the quick response of my dear friend who was driving that we avoided severe injury or death. We have no proof but we wondered whether using a cellphone was the reason for the driver in the wrong lane to make such a potentially fatal error. I have a lifetime memory of people who drive irresponsibly as I have the scars and pain for life. It’s impossible to catch all those who break the rules but those irresponsible people who do should pay the price and do the time. Charles LeFort, Glace Bay Appeals Standing Committee (10am, City Hall) — George Tsimiklis is appealing the stop work order issued for 825/827 Young Avenue. The “work” that was ordered stopped is the demolition of the building. We’ll report on this later today. Environment & Sustainability (1pm, City Hall) — the committee will hear from Jeff Knapp and Jamie Hannam from the Water Commission, who will be discussing the potential for a Cogswell District Energy System. Harbour East – Marine Drive Community Council (6pm, HEMDCC Meeting Space, first floor of Alderney Landing) — the council will give final approval for the Linden Lea development. No public meetings. Mi’kmaq Grand Council Flag Raising Ceremony (9:30am, Studley Campus Quad) — a ceremony to celebrate the permanent installation of the flag will feature the Eastern Eagle Drumming Group and Lucio family dancers. Algebra (2:30pm, Colloquium Room 319, Chase Building) — Varvara Shepelska will speak about the “Weak Amenability of Weighted Group Algebras.” In this talk I’m going to give a brief introduction to the amenability and weak amenability theory of Banach algebras. Then I will present my own results concerning weak amenability of a weighted group algebra L^1(G,\omega) on a locally compact group G. In case if G is Abelian, weak amenability of L^1(G,\omega) has been fully characterized by N. Gronbaek and Y. Zhang. I will provide examples showing that the characterization they obtained doesn’t work even for discrete non-commutative groups G. I will also present a number of results on weak amenability of l^1(F_2,\omega). Fisheries (5:35pm, Room 1011, Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building) — Suzette Soomai will speak on “Understanding the Complexity of Fisheries Information Use at the Science-Policy Interface.” Quilts (6:30pm, Dalhousie Art Gallery) — “Stitched Stories: Shauntay Grant and Family in Conversation.” Plastic (7pm, Ondatjee Hall, McCain Building) — Jenna Jambeck, from the University of Georgia, will speak on “Plastic in Our Oceans — Can We Come Together to Solve this Global Problem?” Chris Lambie interviewed Jambeck for Local Xpress. How to betray your Android (7pm, the theatre named for a bank) — Adrienne Martin, from Claremont McKenna College in California, will speak on “How to Betray Your Android: Relationship Ethics and Personal Investment.” Moral philosophers tend to focus on rights and duties, but this ignores other morally significant phenomena such as our vulnerability to disappointment or betrayal because of our personal investment in others. Martin explores how public debates over important ethical issues would be improved by broadening the discourse to consider personal investment. In the harbour 3:30am: Itea, container ship, sails from Fairview Cove for Liverpool, England 7am: Regatta, cruise ship, arrives at Pier 23 from Corner Brook, Newfoundland with up to 800 passengers 7am: Rotterdam, cruise ship, arrives at Pier 20 from Sydney with up to 1,685 passengers 8am: Regal Princess, cruise ship, arrives at Pier 22 from Saint John with up to 4,271 passengers 10am: NYK Remus, container ship, arrives at Fairview Cove from New York 2pm: IT Intrepid, cable layer, arrives at Pier 9 from St. John’s 3:30pm: Rotterdam, cruise ship, sails from Pier 20 for Bar Harbor 5pm: NYK Remus, container ship, sails from Fairview Cove for sea 5:45pm: Regal Princess, cruise ship, sails from Pier 22 for new York 7am: Caribbean Princess, cruise ship, arrives at Pier 22 from Sydney with up to 3,756 passengers 7am: Serenade of the Seas, cruise ship, arrives at Pier 20 from Saint John with up to 2,580 passengers 7:15am: Nolhanava, ro-ro cargo, arrives at Pier 36 from Saint-Pierre 3:30pm: Caribbean Princess, cruise ship, sails from Pier 22 for Saint John 6:30pm: Serenade of the Seas, cruise ship, sails from Pier 20 for Boston We’ll be recording Examineradio today. Please consider subscribing to the Examiner. Just $5 or $10 a month goes a long way. Or, consider making a one-time contribution via PayPal. Thanks much!

The announcement in Israel’s Haaretz newspaper that that a new memorial to “homosexuals persecuted by the Nazis” will be built in Tel Aviv at a cost of $42,000 (no doubt ultimately financed by the American taxpayer) has highlighted the important role played by Jewish Supremacists in promoting homosexuality in western nations. According to the Haaretz report, “Tel Aviv has over recent years become noted as one of the world’s most gay-friendly cities, with a popular pride parade and thriving LGBT community. MK Nitzan Horowitz is currently running to become the city’s first openly gay mayor.” The cause of homosexuality is hotly debated: many argue that it is something with which certain people are born, while others argue persuasively (though twin studies) that is a learned behaviour which is greatly influenced by the environment—in other words, that a great many homosexuals are homosexual because of the permissiveness and open promotion of that lifestyle by the media and popular culture. There has to be a great deal of the truth to the latter claim, although most certainly there is at least a small element of truth to the “born that way” argument as well, as anyone familiar with “effeminate” men and “butch” women can confirm. Whatever the cause, one thing is however very clear: Jewish Supremacists are unquestionably the major driving force behind the promotion of, the legal sanction of, and the active encouragement of homosexuality in modern society. What are the facts about Jewish Supremacists and the promotion of homosexuality? 1. In May 2013, US vice president Joe Biden “lauded the influence of Judaism on the United States, specifically mentioning the efforts of Jews on gay rights issues,” according to the Jerusalem Post. “Biden pointed to American television sitcom Will and Grace – whose protagonists are a gay lawyer and his Jewish best friend – alongside social media, as examples of game-changing factors in the battle for gay marriage rights. ‘That’s what changed peoples’ attitudes,’” the Jerusalem Post reported. 2. The Jspace Jewish news network reported in June 2013 that “Jewish Groups [were] celebrating the ‘significant victory’ for gay marriage.” According to the Jspace report, “Jewish leaders were already stepping out to lend congratulations and messages of solidarity,” following a US Supreme Court ruling on homosexual marriage. “The decision came at a 5-4 split, with all three Jewish Justices—Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan—voting with the majority. Likewise, the suit challenging the 1996 federal DOMA inclusion was brought to the Supreme Court by a Jewish plaintiff, Edith Windsor,” Jspace reported. “’There is no more central tenet to our faith than the notion that all human beings are created in the image of the Divine, and, as such, entitled to equal treatment and equal opportunity,’ the Union for Reform Judaism said in a statement.” “Those thoughts were echoed by a host of other Jewish organizations, from the Rabbinical Assembly and American Jewish World Service to the National Coalition of Jewish Women. “The overwhelming Jewish support reflects a national trend. A 2013 Pew Research study found 76 percent of Jews support gay marriage, a number larger than even that recorded for self-described liberals, which came in at 74 percent. Similarly, three of the four main sects of Judaism—Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist—ordain openly gay rabbis, and also allow its rabbis to perform gay marriage ceremonies,” the Jspace article said. 3. The National Jewish Committee is behind continuing efforts to force homosexuals into the Boy Scouts movement of America, the JWeekly Jewish news service reported in May 2013. “In February, the National Jewish Committee on Scouting voted overwhelmingly to urge an end to such discrimination in the scouting movement. “That same organization will continue to lobby for further liberalization of the scouts’ bylaws, to allow the admission of openly gay Eagle Scouts and gay scout leaders,” Jweekly said in its article. According to an article in the Times of Israel from May 2013, “Jewish Scouting leaders are taking a vocal role in efforts to pass a historic resolution that would partially lift a ban on gays in the Boy Scouts of America.” The same month, the Boy Scouts of America voted to lift the ban on homosexuals. 4. The leading Jewish Supremacist pressure group, the ADL, has, according to its own website, a “longstanding commitment to protecting civil rights, particularly those that affect the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community.” “For nearly twenty years, ADL has ardently advocated in the courts on behalf of LGBT rights. ADL has filed amicus briefs and joined coalition briefs on issues that directly affect the LGBT community. This has included filings on the appellate levels in both state and federal courts. “ADL has filed amicus briefs in a number of cases urging courts to hold a ban on marriage equality unconstitutional, and has been a strong voice advocating against measures to deny that fundamental right” and the “ADL has emerged as the nation’s leader in crafting and advocating for inclusive state and federal hate crime laws,” that organization boasts. 5. The Jerusalem Post reported in February 2013 that the “The Anti-Defamation League has brought together a number of religious and Zionist organizations in what it is calling a ‘broad coalition in support of marriage equality.’ “Among the Jewish groups that have joined the ADL’s coalition are the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Women of Reform Judaism, Hadassah – The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Truah: Rabbis for Human Rights – North America and the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism.” 6. The remarkably long list of Jewish Supremacist activists in the homosexual movement is also serious reason for concern. A comprehensive list of prominent activists, too long to include here, can be found at this link. Some of the more prominent–and particularly repulsive specimens–are: 6.1 Larry Kramer: Co-founder of “Act Up,” a homosexual/AIDS activist organization; co-founder of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis. 6.2 Alan Klein: Co-founder of group ACT UP, co-founder of group Queer Nation, National Communications Director and chief spokesperson for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation [GLAAD]. 6.3 Arnie Kantrowitz: Co-founder of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation [GLAAD]. 6.4 Jonathan D. Katz: Founded and chairs the Harvey Milk Institute, the largest homosexual studies institute in the world. A long time gay political activist, was a co-founder of Queer Nation. 6.5 Israel Fishman: Founder of the Gay Liberation Caucus in 1970, now known as the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table. 6.6 Bella Abzug. The first members of the U.S. House of Representatives to introduce legislation banning discrimination based on sexual orientation . 6.7 Len Hirsch: President of the GLBT federal government employees group, GLOBE. 6.8 Kevin Koffler: Editor-in-chief, Genre gay magazine. 6.9 Judy Wieder: Editor-in-chief, The Advocate gay magazine. 6.10 Barney Frank: Member of U.S. Congress; helped create non-discriminatory employment policies in all U.S. federal agencies 6.11 Evan Wolfson: Senior Staff Attorney, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund — and — the executive director of Freedom to Marry. 6.12 Allan Ginsburg: Jewish poet and leading member of North American Man Boy Love Association. 6.13 Roberta Achtenberg: Civil rights lawyer and federal official; appointed as Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity by President Bill Clinton in 1993. 7. It is well known that Jewish Supremacists dominate the pornography industry. According to the Jewish Quarterly, Winter 2004, “Jews played (and still continue to play) a disproportionate role throughout the adult film industry in America. Jewish involvement in pornography has a long history in the United States, as Jews have helped transform a fringe subculture into what has become a primary constituent of Americana.” The Jewish Quarterly goes on to state that the two most dominant players in the porn industry—which includes a massive homosexual output—are “Jewish Clevelander Steven Hirsch, who has been described as ‘the Donald Trump of porno’” who “runs the Vivid Entertainment Group, which has been called the Microsoft of the porn world, the top producer of ‘adult’ films in the US” and “Seymore Butts, aka Adam Glasser . . . a 39-year-old New York Jew” who runs “one of the largest franchises in the adult-film business.” The Jewish Quarterly also added that “Jews accounted for most of the leading male performers as well as a sizeable number of female stars in porn movies.” Even from this necessarily brief roundup, it is clear that Jewish Supremacists have played, and still play, the leading role in promoting homosexuality in western society. This fact alone, quite apart from any others, should provide all Gentiles with pause to reconsider lifestyle choices in matters of sexuality. Jewish Supremacists never do anything that is not primarily against the interests of Gentiles and in the interests of Jews. It is far more likely that the open promotion of this lifestyle forms part of a comprehensive “divide and conquer” strategy by the Jewish Supremacists against their most prominent of self-chosen enemies: European western society and its standards and norms. By encouraging a “bloc” of homosexual activists, the Jewish Supremacists have created yet another “minority” group to agitate and divide the power structure of any potential opposing forces. It is a tactic which is as old as Judaism itself. (This article originally ran on August 22, 2013

This colorful booklet lists all the ritual items needed for the Passover table. The history and significance of each item on the seder plate is explained, as are the customs that have been handed down through the generations in different centers of Jewish life. InterfaithFamily and the Workmen's Circle are celebrating Tu B'Shevat, the Jewish New Year for the trees, and you're invited! Join us for a FREE afternoon filled with food, music, art projects and social justice. A great way for Jewish professionals and volunteers who work with and provide programming for people in interfaith relationships to locate resources and trainings to build more welcome into their Jewish communities; connect with and learn from each other; and publicize and enhance their programs and services. I’ve been reading a lot these days about “the Millennials,” the oft-described scary generation who came of age as the millennium marker came and went. I was surprised to find out in my reading that I am in fact considered to be a part of this generation, albeit one of the founding members having been born in the early ‘80s. So I find myself in a tenuous balance between the desire to defend my own Millennial nature and that of my peers; and trying to figure out the age-old question of what does this new generation want and need? It is a difficult task, to pin point the soul of a generation. The advertising agencies of the world seem to be doing a better job at it than anyone else, but that’s nothing new. There are studies both within and especially outside of the Jewish world aimed at understanding what makes us different from previous generations, what makes us tick, how do we spend our money, what are our goals, etc. The Millenial conversation seems to center around integration of technology, somewhat questionable values and very high expectations concerning money, both wanting to make a lot and adversely, not wanting to pay a lot. This seems like a fantastic generation with which to identify! I must confess, sometimes I find myself acting like a millennial; I text…a lot, I rely heavily on the Internet and am somewhat of a savant at locating anything on the great Google. I watch TV shows on my computer and I don’t have a landline. I am more inclined to attend an event if it’s free and I love having lots of choices for everything I could possibly want. I have big goals for myself professionally and I expect and demand that my gender, sexuality, politics or ideology will help not hurt me as I go through life. On the other hand, I have the heart of an historian. I have been accused many a time of knowing more than anyone else my age does about a variety of topics from pop culture of an age long gone to lyrics of obscure songs recorded decades before my birth. I have a reverence for the past as it informs the future that many think is missing from my generation. I even took a How Millennial Are You quiz (online, of course) and as I suspected, scored 50 percent: six of one, half dozen of the other. But that’s just who I am. Like a good millennial, I straddle a variety of identities and I am comfortable in them all. But statistics and studies cannot tell my story completely. The first time I confronted statistics was not as a member of a generation but rather as the child of interfaith parents. Statistically, as the child of a Catholic mother and Jewish father, there was little chance that I would end up identifying as Jewish. I love this statistic, this tiny percentage, because I was always so proud that despite the odds stacked against me, not only do I identify as Jewish but I became a rabbi: I center my life around Judaism. While I fully understand the importance of these studies and these numbers, I know first hand that they never tell everyone’s story. My story will be different from yours even if we share a percentage. The great cycle of generations always seems to contain a smattering of confusion and frustration coupled with a yearning for youth and the promise it brings. The Millenials are certainly not the first nor will be the last to feel the pressure from previous generations to conform just a little bit more. But rather than bemoan how left behind we all inevitably feel as a new generation takes its place, let’s keep listening to peoples’ stories and keep telling our own. While each of us are irrevocably tied to the time and space in which we were born and raised, it is how we live our lives and the choices that we make that define us far beyond statistics. There are always those who define the trend as well as those who buck it and it will continue to be far more important to me to ask why and listen to the answers rather than assume that I already know because I read a study or an article in The New York Times. No matter your generational identity, I think we all want the same things at the end of the day: some happiness, love and community, and to leave the world better than we found it, despite how differently we may express it or how differently that might look. Hopefully, with a bit of luck, we will all figure out the wants and needs of this Millenial generation just in time for the next generation to confound us once again. The United Synagogue Youth (USY), the Conservative movement’s youth group, recently re-evaluated the rules for its national and regional teen board members on dating. We shared the JTA story, and realized immediately that you, our readers, were interested in this news. From the number of clicks on Facebook to the comments you shared in favor of this decision, it’s clear this is a story that matters to you. Why? I think a lot of us were unaware that USY prohibited its teen board members from dating outside the faith in the first place and found this news a little shocking. And the fact that the Conservative movement is supporting the dropping of this policy for its youth—the future of Judaism—is also a bold statement. In the JTA article, Rabbi David Levy, the professional director of USY and director of teen learning at the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, explains that the original USY “constitution” was written by teens themselves and “it always has been their prerogative to change them.” But the recent decision these teens made has been backed by the Conservative movement. Rabbi Steven Wernick, CEO of the USCJ said “…we can’t put our heads in the sand about the fact that we live in an incredibly free society, where even committed Jews will marry outside the faith. If they do, we must welcome them wholeheartedly and encourage them to embrace Judaism.” Rabbi Levy is also quoted in the article as saying, “While we maintain the value that dating within the faith is key to a sustainable Jewish future, we want to be positive and welcoming to USYers, many of whom are from interfaith families.” I commend the teens of USY and the USCJ for this decision, and I hope it leads to a more welcoming space for their members and potential members. I’d like to know what you think—please sound off below. Shannon (right) with IFF/Chicago staff: Jennifer Falkenholm & Rabbi Ari Moffic My name is Shannon and I was brought up in a secular Jewish and secular Unitarian setting. I identify as Jewish, but deeply love and respect my Unitarian roots. In my experience, I’ve come to believe that one of the most important, and difficult parts of being a child raised under two different faiths is acknowledging the presences of each religion’s essence, and finding a way for them to coexist in the heart and mind. As of last week I started an eight-week internship at InterfaithFamily/Chicago in Northbrook (as part of the JUF Lewis Summer Intern program). I was drawn to this position since I also come from an interfaith family background. When my supervisor, Rabbi Ari Moffic, came to me with the opportunity to blog about my experiences growing up in an interfaith setting, I was (and still am) so excited to be given the chance to share my story with others. By doing this, I hope to address any concerns, and uncertainties you may have about raising a child when parents come from two different faiths. It’s not an easy task finding a common ground when beliefs butt heads, but it’s not impossible. It’s important to remember that everyone handles this struggle differently. Some people pick one religion and do not practice any aspects of the other religion. Some partake in syncretism (e.g. Jewbu, Hinjew, etc.). Some become secular and or identify themselves as not practicing. Some may even go against organized religions entirely. Anything is possible. I’ve switched my stance on religion multiple times. For a large portion of my life, I refused to identify with either of my parents’ religions. I didn’t want to have to choose between the two, and it left me in an awkward situation. So, at the time, I decided to go against organized religion. I refused to learn anything about either religion and held this stance until sophomore year of high school. My parents accepted my views, which I thank them for because it allowed me to find my own spiritual path. During my high school career many events took place that pushed me toward the Jewish life I lead today. One of the major factors in my decision was pride. I have two moms, and at school it pained me to see my Christian peers speak out against them. That year I also experienced my first taste of anti-Semitism, and although I didn’t consider myself Jewish, I still fell victim to cruel jokes and bitter comments. I always took pride in the fact that I had two moms. I took pride in being different. The reason I sided with Judaism was because it was also different, and I felt a powerful need in my heart to defend it, more so than I ever felt with Unitarianism. Sophomore year I started identifying as Jewish, and during that time I left Christianity out of my life. I did this until my freshman year in college, when I took several religious studies courses that focused on historical relationships between different religious faiths. It was in one of these classes that I asked myself the question: Why couldn’t the religions of my parents coexist for me in some way? And why couldn’t they? I now identify as a secular Jew. I relate to the Jewish culture. I feel a strong connection to Israel and I believe in the Jewish people. But I respect Unitarianism, and as a Jew, I feel I can relate to the constant struggle Unitarians have to face from other Christian denominations. Here are some things I’ve figured out along the way about growing up in an interfaith home. I hope you find my experience helpful. Shannon (left) and her sister My younger sister feels no connection to Judaism and is Unitarian. We have agreed to avoid talking to each other about religion. We do talk about up coming holidays and such, but we try and avoid getting into any religious debates. Good communication is crucial in family relationships. Together we decided to set up boundaries so we could coexist in an atmosphere in which we all felt respected. Relatives are always hard to deal with. They don’t understand that our family has split beliefs, and they might say or do something that isn’t completely respectful toward the other faith. When this happens I’ve found it important to pull that person to the side, and remind them or explain to them that they need to be considerate of different values and beliefs. When I’m able, I like going to church and learning about Unitarianism. Despite being Jewish, I think it’s important to be knowledgeable about both faiths. I also celebrate holidays like Christmas and Easter. By doing these things I feel it’s my way of showing respect for the other religion, even if it doesn’t resonate with me. My sister does the same by lighting the menorah at Hanukkah, participating during Purim and reading the questions with me at Seder during Passover. I’ll let you read the article yourself for the statistics these conclusions were drawn from, but suffice it to say, whether or not children of intermarriage are more likely to feel alienated from Israel, let’s do a better job at engaging interfaith families in Judaism, including Israel. Let’s make our synagogues welcoming, let’s not turn away interfaith couples from the community, let’s encourage children of interfaith families to take advantage of trips to Israel. On that front, InterfaithFamily/Philadelphia is now registering interfaith families for our subsidized trip to Israel in Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015. Learn more here. Lindsey Silken and I recently attended TribeFest which is a conference of the Jewish Federations of North America. It was an entertaining, interactive and educational celebration that drew around 1,500 Jewish young adults (ages 22-45) from across North America to the city of New Orleans. Some of the attendees are professionals at Federations, synagogues, Jewish Community Centers and other Jewish organizations and some are volunteer leaders or involved as young adults in the Jewish community. InterfaithFamily had the pleasure of co-leading two sessions. Small group discussions during the first session at TribeFest 2014 Our first session was lead with HIAS. HIAS is an international Jewish non-profit that protects refugees. I am proud that the Jewish community keeps its ancient mandate to protect the vulnerable and the stranger in our midst in this way. Why were IFF and HIAS paired to run a session? We share the mission of being welcoming and we spoke about what it means to welcome. Whether welcoming interfaith families to Jewish life or helping those fleeing persecution to get acclimated as our neighbors, we need to grapple with insider/outsider mentality, what it means to lower barriers to participation and how to quell assumptions we make about others. An ice breaker at the second session Our second session involved several other organizations including JFNA and the LA Federation, Big Tent Judaism and Keshet, all working, again, to widen the doors of entry to Jewish life for the diverse range of people who may be interested. In the break-out part of the session, we lead a group which went deeper into the conversation of how to be welcoming. What does an organization have to do to be welcoming? Is there a standard formula that can be instituted across the board in Jewish life to yield welcoming success? The people who joined our group said that in each denomination and in each circle of Jewish life, the institution would have to figure out what criteria they could uphold that would signal the most welcoming culture and climate they could. For some synagogues which are largely interfaith communities, the only way to truly be welcoming may be to have clergy available to officiate and even co-officiate weddings. If there are many in the community who aren’t Jewish who are actively invested in supporting a Jewish partner or raising children with Judaism, it may be that the only way to be truly welcoming is to celebrate them when ushering in Shabbat by lighting the candles, for example (a ritual traditionally reserved for Jews because of the language of “being commanded”). In congregations made up of a community cognizant of Jewish law, there would be other examples of being inclusive and welcoming that they would want to specifically enumerate and articulate. (We’ll share more specifics of what we came up with in a future blog post!) Rabbi Moffic leading the breakout discussion It’s not enough to say that a congregation is welcoming. The community has to be able to describe what welcoming means to them. When you think about how you welcome people to your home, you know what you do, how you do it, how you feel doing it, how hopefully your guest feels and what you show and teach your children about graciousness. And a congregational family should know how they welcome both newcomers and regulars to the building, to classes and to gatherings. Although we could scarcely agree on which things a congregation could or should do to be welcoming, everyone thought that one action that indicated “welcome” was that any couple—interfaith couples included—should be greeted with “mazel tov” when they announce their engagement. We also had an interesting conversation about the word “inclusive.” What does it mean to include people in the life of the synagogue? By definition, does that act change the nature of the situation that existed before the person was included? Do we include people by having them join what we are doing or does adding someone to the mix necessitate being flexible and dynamic? There were few easy answers but lots of good questions and discussion. The attendees care about their Jewish lives and the future of Judaism in America. It could have been because we were in New Orleans, but there was a palpable energy and harmony to the buzz of voices. I recently had the opportunity to hear a presentation by Dr. Beth Cousens, a creative and strategic thinker, who works with leaders in Jewish education and in Jewish life to help organizations ensure success. Her focus on strategic thinking, partnership and creative and relevant Jewish educational ideas have helped her to be a respected voice in the field. She shared with us her insights about engaging and empowering young adults in Jewish life. Our focus was Millennials, ages 22-35, how best to serve them, engage them, and what to expect from their “engagement” with our institutions. For example, she explained that many Jewish young adults don’t know how to be Jewish, as adults. They don’t want to register or sign up. They are very interested in the answer to the question “What value is added to my life?” and they are very much looking for meaning. They don’t want to be segmented unnaturally; i.e. don’t offer Torah study for singles. Offer Torah study if you want to offer Torah study and welcome the singles! Or, offer a singles event. But don’t try to combine two things that don’t naturally fit together. They are definitely looking for DIY Judaism. No longer can Jewish institutions and congregations “do Jewish” for their members. These young adults want to do for themselves! They need our organizations to help them learn how to do it. She shared 5 calls to action: Go to them. Help infuse Jewish content into their networks. Stand for something. Help them live within the context of Jewish ideas. (If they are looking for friends, love, work, etc. they will go elsewhere. They come to Jewish institutions for Jewish content!) Talk about and teach Jewish adulthood. Organize around Judaism. (Can we have house meetings to ask them what they are looking for and work with them to create programming for them?) Open our institutions: Create low barriers with high content. I love the format of InterfaithFamily’s classes and workshops. Our mission falls directly in line with what these Millennials are looking for with our Love and Religion and Raising a Child offerings. We offer accessible and non-judgmental information so that interfaith families and those who support them can incorporate more Judaism into their lives. Check out our current offerings and stay tuned for changes to come in 2014! What would you add to Dr. Cousens’ five calls to action?

Michael PolanyiMarch 11, 1891 - February 22, 1976) was a Hungarian/ English polymath whose thought and work extended across physical chemistry, philosophy, theology and economics. |Table of contents| 2 Physical chemistry 3 Philosophy of science 8 External links Michael was born into a Jewish family in Budapest, younger brother of Karl who went on to be a famous economist himself. Their father was an engineer and entrepreneur whose volatile fortunes in railway speculation motivated Polanyi to seek financial stability through a career in medicine, graduating in 1913. He served as a physician in the Austro-Hungarian army during World War I but was himself hospitalised and, during his convalescence, started to study physical chemistry, obtaining a doctorate from the University of Budapest in 1917. In 1920, Polanyi emigrated to Germany to work as a chemist at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Fiber Chemistry in Berlin. There, he married Magda Elizabeth in a Roman Catholic ceremony. In 1929, Magda gave birth to a son John, who was himself to become a distinguished chemist. The family moved to England in 1933 so that Michael could take up a position at the University of Manchester. Polanyi's scientific interests were diverse, embracing chemical kinetics, x-ray diffraction and the absorption of gases at solid surfaces. In 1934, Polanyi, roughly contemporarily with G. I. Taylor and Egon Orowan realised that the plastic deformation of ductile materials could be explained in terms of the theory of dislocations developed by Vito Volterra in 1905. The insight was critical in developing the modern science of solid mechanics. Philosophy of science Towards the end of the 1930s, Polanyi began to articulate his concerns that the prevailing positivist climate in science failed to recognise the importance of tacit knowledge and of the internal human processes of creativity and imagination. Moreover, he believed that such positivism had motivated government moves to organise science. He was particularly alarmed at the treatment of scientists in the Soviet Union, highlighted by the fate that befell opponents of Trofim Lysenko's Marxist approach to scientific method. The mobilisation of the scientific community during World War II left a legacy in the post-war years and Polanyi was an outspoken opponent of state intervention, collaborating with economist Friedrich Hayek's attack on "...socialists of all parties". Polanyi criticised the notion of objectivity and suggested the importance of evolved knowledge, ideas that were to influence the thought and work of Thomas Kuhn in the 1960s. His ideas on philosophy are most fully expessed in his book ''Personal Knowledge''. Having questioned the notion of objectivity and denied any priveleged status to scientific knowledge, Polanyi extended his thinking to the nature of religious belief. Concerned with the proper role of religion in a modern technological society, his thought integrates science, religion, philosophy, psychology, sociology and economics. His ideas about theology are most fully expressed in his book Meaning. For Polanyi, his fears of totalitarianism led him to a belief in the importance of the free market in preserving liberty and exploiting the tacit knowledge of society as a whole. Like Hayek, he believed that such markets were not conscious inventions but evolved habits, sharing and synchronising local and personal knowledge in achieving diverse ends among society's members through a principle of self-organization. Polanyi's ideas on economics are most fully expressed in his book The Logic of Liberty.

Our grade school teacher, let's call him Mr. Smith, taught us about the great American invention called the cotton gin. For the life of us, we can't remember what it did. We get "cotton", we get "gin", in its various incarnations. Putting the two together just doesn't make much sense. Whatever it was, the cotton gin doesn't impact us in everyday life. So let's talk about an early American textile-related invention that has a much larger impact today. What's that, Mr. Smith? We should have paid attention in grade school? The cotton gin revolutionized the American economy? How can another invention ever top it? Sit down, Mr. Smith. Or better yet, stand up. Stand up, turn around (we promise we won't peek), and look at the tag on those jeans. The tag that says Levi's. That's right; for years, you have been walking around with the name of a Jewish inventor on your backside. And you are not alone. Millions of Americans are currently wearing millions and millions of jeans. All thanks to Mr. Strauss. Cotton gin! Don't get us started!

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Thoughts about Torah, physics, politics, the independent Jewish scene, education, music, DC, and the intersections of all those areas. Contact: mahrabu at gmail dot com Friday, June 10, 2005 Don't go near a woman We made it! Today is the 47th and antepenultimate day of the omer, and the first of the shloshet yemei hagbalah, the three days of preparation for Shavuot. (Hagbalah is from the same root as gevul, border. Hagbeil et hahar, set boundaries around the mountain.) Be ready for the third day, and don't touch the mountain (or you'll die).

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The Race Is On! Aramica witnesses the New Hampshire Primary By Antoine Faisal 4 candidates, 3oo miles, and 2 days traveling from Durham, NH to Manchester, NH to Concord, NH and back again – talking to voters, attending rallies, and listening to the candidates (try) to work their magic and rile the crowds into states of voting frenzy before midnight approached and the voting booths opened. Along with me on this manic trip were fellow members of our sponsoring organization – the Independent Press Association – all of whom represented a wide variety of ethnic and community newspapers in the greater NY area. I was juggling several balls in the air. Whose concerns do I focus on: our readers overseas who are most interested in the candidates’ foreign policies; our new immigrant readers whose most pressing issues revolve around immigration and the war in Iraq or; our 2nd and 3rd generation readers, whose concerns are health care and taxes? I approached the New Hampshire primary and the storm surrounding it with a healthy dose of skepticism, accustomed as I am to charismatic politicians who make grandiose promises they have no intention of keeping. Pollster Andrew Smith of the University of New Hampshire’s Survey Center describes McCain’s appeal as that of an old uncle who’ll scold you when you’re wrong and “set you straight”. A lot of people seem to respond to that combination of warmth and strictness, as if every adult is secretly wishing they had someone still nagging them to do their homework or finish all their vegetables. Listening to him on the steps of that Town Hall and watching the audience’s reactions, I could sense his sincerity. Here was a man who meant what he said and who would keep his promises. He is the most moderate of the Republican candidates and the most experienced. He has a good reputation. There isn’t a hint of scandal or corruption anywhere near him. The only question is whether you agree with his beliefs. He voted NO on preserving Habeus Corpus for Gitmo detainees. He believes Libyan disarmament was a CIA success story. He believes the War on Terror is the overriding issue. Visual Aids Can’t Help This Campaign Looking sharp in his sweater and slacks, Romney tries to distinguish himself by not wearing a suit and acting as if he’s just ‘one of the guys’ but it’s hard to pull off, as it’s well known he’s used a good deal of his personal wealth to finance his campaign. It’s interesting that Obama’s lack of experience is called into question, as Romney’s only political experience is one term as governor of Massachusetts (2002 – 2006). Romney’s big claim to fame was his ability to successfully manage the affairs of the 2002 Winter Olympics as its CEO and to turn around Massachusetts’ economy and budget 4 years running. While those are excellent accomplishments, there is little else to recommend him as Leader of the Free World. Romney’s answer to the health care crisis in Massachusetts was to sign a health reform law in 2006 which requires nearly all Massachusetts residents to buy health insurance coverage or else face a penalty in the form of an additional tax assessment. He vetoed provisions providing health coverage to senior and disabled legal immigrants not eligible for federal Medicaid. Change We Can Believe In? Dr. Andrew Smith, who runs the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, said during our visit with him that every election has the ‘change’ candidates. While this is true, he left out one vital difference: this election’s ‘change’ candidate is different: he isn’t a white guy, his father was an immigrant, he’s lived abroad, and his parents were divorced. But where it counts for Arab Americans, is Obama really any different? In a speech he gave last year to AIPAC in Chicago, he said that Israel is “our strongest ally in the region and its only established democracy… we must preserve our total commitment to our unique defense relationship with Israel by fully funding military assistance…” Clinton’s views aren’t that different. Three months ago, in a letter to Condoleeza Rice, she wrote: In particular, you should press friendly Arab countries that have not yet done so, to: 1) Participate in the upcoming international meeting and be a full partner of the United States in advancing regional peace; 2) Take visible, meaningful steps in the financial, diplomatic and political arena to help Palestinian President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad govern effectively and meet their obligations to fight terror; 3) Stop support for terrorist groups and cease all anti-Israel and anti-Jewish incitement; 4) Recognize Israel’s right to exist and not use such recognition as a bargaining chip for future Israeli concessions; 5) End the Arab League economic boycott of Israel in all of its forms; and 6) Pressure Hamas to recognize Israel, reject terror and accept prior agreements, and isolate Hamas until it takes such steps. Neither are McCain’s. In July of 2007, he addressed the National Convention of Christians United for Israel: “… When one thinks back over the conflicts – 1948, the Six Day War, Yom Kippur, Lebanon, the first Gulf War, two intifadas and Lebanon again – it is clear that Israel has been challenged more, in less time, than any nation on earth… But the tests continue – with Hamas and Hezbollah, in the anti-Semitism so pervasive in the Arab press, in the restive violence in Iraq and elsewhere… the leadership of Hamas must be isolated. The Palestinian people are ill-served by a terrorist-led government that refuses to recognize Israel’s right to exist, refuses to renounce violence, and refuses to acknowledge prior peace commitments. The United States cannot have normal relations with a government that deliberately targets innocent Israeli civilians in an attempt to terrorize the Jewish population…” An Immigration Resolution? Obama’s detractors mention his ‘lack of experience’ as a disadvantage. Numerous elected officials have tremendous experience. This has not stopped them from digging an even deeper hole out of which the country will have to dig. Experience hasn’t solved America’s immigration issues. Clinton, McCain, and Obama have all worked on it during their time in the Senate, with little success, so far. Obama supported McCain’s first immigration reform bill in 2005. Clinton’s reform includes: “…strengthening our borders, strict but fair enforcement of our laws, federal assistance to state and local governments, strict penalties for those who exploit undocumented workers, and a path to earned legal status for those who are here, paying taxes, respecting the law, and willing to meet a high bar, including learning English… ” Obama’s idea of reform: “… reaffirms the rule of law and brings undocumented population out of hiding.” He helped craft the immigration reform bill that the Senate passed before the 109th Congress adjourned. The bill would provide more funds and technology for border security and prevent employers from skirting our laws by hiring illegal immigrants. The bill also would provide immigrants an opportunity to remain in the country and earn citizenship. Not all illegal immigrants would be guaranteed the right to remain in the U.S. under this proposal: they would first have to pay a substantial fine and back taxes, learn English, satisfy a work requirement, and pass a criminal background check.” “… strong border security and enforcement provisions… greatly improve interior enforcement and put employers on notice that the practice of hiring illegal workers simply will not be tolerated… establish a system that emphasizes immigrants that contribute to the economic and cultural growth of our nation … undocumented workers will have incentives to declare their existence and comply with our laws. They may apply for a worker visa. They would be subjected to background checks. They must pay substantial fines and fees totally approximately $7000, learn English, enroll in civic education, remain employed, and if they choose to get a Green Card, go to the end of the line behind those that waited legally outside of the country to come in.” Charmer of Hearts and Minds Soft-spoken, low-key, intelligent, and articulate, it is a pleasure to listen to Obama, who spoke for close to 45 minutes and touched upon virtually every issue important to voters – from education to the war in Iraq. Obama and Clinton voted on redeploying US troops by March of this year. McCain voted No, and has said that he would be willing to be the last man standing for US involvement in Iraq and went so far as to vote YES for spending 86 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama believes Iraq has distracted us from the Taliban in Afghanistan and has said that we should get Al Qaeda hiding in the hills between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Clinton says she voted for the war in Iraq based on available information, she wouldn’t vote for it today and is opposed to any war funding that doesn’t move the US toward withdrawal. Romney’s view is that staying in Iraq protects the lives of American citizens, Iraq is part of a global jihadist effort to bring down the West, and we should keep open the option to attack Al Qaeda in Pakistan. Waiting for the Final Count The scene was repeated at every venue occupied by candidates – dozens of journalists and photographers, preparing for that split second when the winner is declared so as to get the perfect image to reflect that candidate’s elation or disappointment. Voters in New Hampshire felt pretty much the same way that I did about Huckabee (who believes that prisoners in Guantanamo are treated very well and that all illegal immigrants should be sent home so ‘Americans can hold their heads high’) and Romney (who believes that Muslims should have equality but “hate preachers” should be followed into mosques and that FBI wiretaps and spying on immigrants is OK). The instant CNN declared Clinton the Democratic winner, up went the posters, the hands, and the yelling, whooping, whistling, and shrieking. Neither the winners nor the losers have any time to dwell on the results. Clinton, Edwards, and Obama are either in Michigan or on their way to Michigan preparing for that primary and for the next Democratic debate in Las Vegas and McCain, Huckabee, and Romney are stomping through South Carolina in anticipation of that state’s Republican primary. Pollsters Get it Wrong Too, Sometimes We spoke to Dr. Smith before the Primary, when his educated opinion was that Obama was going to win New Hampshire. Definitely one of the most interesting part of the trip was listening to Dr. Smith explain how pollsters analyze political campaigns and put them in perspective, comparing and contrasting them with campaigns run maybe decades earlier. On Tuesday night, he was asked why Clinton transformed into a front runner. He said, “Women shifted … from Obama back to Clinton, where they had been throughout his campaign…” It may have been, he explained, due to the shift in Clinton’s new tone. By this point, I was so happy to be heading back to New York but we all wanted to mark the moment – that we had witnessed history in the making. Regardless of my exhaustion, it was an extraordinary opportunity. I am honored that I was asked to be a part of that momentous occasion and pleased to have met, traveled, ad worked with this group of talented and fiercely dedicated journalists.

Jun. 4th, 1968 Boston, Massachusetts, USA Scott Wolf's Main TV Roles Main Movie Roles2014 - 37 2002 - Emmett's Mark 1999 - Go 1996 - The Evening Star 1996 - White Squall 1994 - Double Dragon 1993 - Teenage Bonnie and Klepto Clyde 1991 - All I Want For Christmas Guest TV Roles Bailey Salinger (Voiced) Scott Richard Wolf (born June 4, 1968) is an American actor, known for his roles on the television series Party of Five, as Bailey Salinger, Everwood, as Dr. Jake Hartman and in the Sci-Fi series V as the morally ambiguous journalist Chad Decker. Born in Boston, Massachusetts. His mother, Susan (née Levy), is a drug abuse counselor, and his father, Steven Wolf, is a health care executive. Wolf was raised in a Reform Jewish family. He grew up in West Orange, New Jersey, and graduated in 1986 from West Orange High School. He attended The George Washington University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in finance. He also became a Brother of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity. His cousin is comedian and Chelsea Lately regular Josh Wolf. On both Everwood and the short-lived The Nine, he portrayed a doctor. His own maternal grandfather was an anesthesiologist. He also made guest appearances as himself on Action and Kids Inc. His sole Broadway theatre credit to date is Side Man. Wolf was engaged to 'Alyssa Milano' in 1993, but were separated after a year and a half. In 2002, he began dating Kelley Marie Limp, an alumna of MTV's The Real World: New Orleans, after meeting through mutual friend Joel Goldman in New York City. They married (May 29, 2004), and planned to make their home in Santa Monica, California. Their son, Jackson Kayse (born in 2009). On May 19, 2012, Wolf announced on Twitter that he and his wife were expecting their second child. Miller William (b. November 10, 2012). On November 20, 2013, he announced their third child was on the way, Lucy Marie (b. May 2014). Wolf and his wife Kelley now make Park City, Utah their family home. - Attended the same elementary school as 'Ian Ziering' (qv) of _"Beverly Hills, 90210" (1990)_ (qv). - Scott and wife Kelley are parents of a boy named Jackson Kayse Wolf (b. March 22, 2009). - Was engaged to 'Alyssa Milano' (qv) and, after their breakup, lived with 'Paula Devicq' (qv) for a year. - Got the role of Bailey Salinger on _"Party of Five" (1994)_ (qv) after 'Jerry O'Connell' (qv) pulled out, due to taking the lead in _"Sliders" (1995)_ (qv). - Has a degree in finance from George Washington University. - Son, Jackson Kayse, born March 22, 2009. He weighed 7 lbs. [April 1, 2009]. - His wife is expecting their first child, due Spring 2009. - Graduated from West Orange High School in West Orange, New Jersey before moving to California.

d. John Roberts Louis Brandeis was the Court's first Jewish member. He was born on Nov 13, 1856. Including him, there have only been a total of eight Jewish members in the Court's entire history, and three of them are serving right now. The remaining six justices are all Catholic.

A Gallup poll released on Friday shows 64% of registered Jewish voters currently support President Obama’s re-election, while 29% support Mitt Romney. “Among Jews, Obama’s current 64% to 29% advantage compares with a 74% to 23% advantage before the election in 2008,” Gallup writes in its new poll, entitled ‘Mormons Widely Favor Romney, Jewish Voters Back Obama’. “Thus, he is running 10 points lower among Jewish registered voters than in 2008, which is five points worse than his decline among all registered voters compared with 2008.” The Republican Jewish Coalition notes the 29% of Jewish voters who support Romney, represents the “highest level of Jewish support for a Republican presidential candidate in 24 years.” “This poll is another sign of the erosion of support for Obama among Jewish voters. If the President wins just 64% of the Jewish vote, it would be a disaster for him and his party. Jewish voters are increasingly disillusioned with the President and that’s why Mitt Romney is making real inroads in the Jewish community this year.” RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said in a statement to reporters. According to Gallup, then Senator Barack Obama held 62% of the Jewish vote in June of 2008, before the final number rose to 78% in November. The same poll notes that John McCain, who was running as the republican nominee for President in 2008, held 31% of the Jewish vote in June of that year. He finished with 22%.

perhaps some of you know about Jason Lisle, whom works for the institute of creation research, and his blog, anyrate he claims that only his religion can provide objective morality and all other worldviews fall short now when somebody told him that if his morality was based on the commands of a god, or what not its by definition subjective he said this...... "If God were merely a very powerful individual as you’ve suggested, the situation wouldn’t change much. But God is actually the Creator of all that is. He is sovereign. And He is the Judge. All people will answer ultimately to God, and hence His rules are necessarily objective. They are the same for everyone, and binding on everyone because we all owe our existence to God and will answer to Him. Clear?" and "People are finite, and so our personal preferences are limited to our own mind. But God is infinite, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, and sovereign. So His thoughts determine reality, and His preferences determine morality. In order for morality to be objective, it must stem from God. No other system can make sense of that.” and i was utterly dumbfounded when he wrote those things and i was wondering did the things he make utterly no sense what so ever? could a command of a being ever become "necessarily objective? Any reading of the bible, supposedly the word of the christian and Jewish god, shows a being who is amoral, narcissistic, bellicose, arbitrary, narcissistic, violent, and childish. That god is not worthy to be considered any source for morality. People who make money and derive power by speaking for christianity seem to think they have to make wide-ranging pronouncements about the superiority and finality of their religious system. Creation research is a reactionary response to rationality and loss of authority of christian dogma. It doesn't have to make sense. And it doesn't. i know that, but the way lisle responds its so mind numblingly awful and stupid,.... Yes, utterly "mind numbingly awful and stupid" and dangerous and sick! In a word, his model for morality is simplistic. God said it, we're supposed to accept it, that settles it, right? Not even remotely so, or not for anyone who has a working sense of empathy, never mind a sense of consistency. I mean: All of which and too much more is why Euthyphro's Dilemma is such a hot topic among atheists. Making such unsubstantiated pronouncements to people with the capacity for REASON is problematic at best and self-disqualifying at worst. Maybe Yahweh should have thought a bit harder before opening his big yap. "The Euthyphro dilemma "Is the pious loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is loved by the gods?" "Is what is morally good commanded by god because it is morally good, or is it morally good because it is commanded by god?" OK, lets take god out of the equation. Is morality loved because it is moral, or is it moral because it is loved? Is what is morally good commanded by people because it is morally good, or is it morally good because it is commanded by people?" Morality is always defined by a particular culture. The question is whether there is a Universal Morality, sans gods, and if so, how is it regulated? He is deluded and cannot think straight. Forget words like "objective" and so on. This person assumes the bible to be correct and his flawed logic shows it. To him and others like him, the bible is a given. This book is the authority that backs up god, and to many it also "proves" god - unless they get the proof by admiring nature or something. The bottom line is this. When I say "god is good" I have established morality outside of the framework of god.Your morality comes from you. Morality empowers people to flourish as an individual and as a culture. If one flourishes at the expense of another, it is immoral. Any functional morality will inevitably be a product of consequentialism, a recognition that deleterious acts have consequences which negatively impact the group and endanger its continued survival. This operates in parallel with the empathy which homo sapiens developed in order to survive in the first place. Dictated morality which doesn't take either of these factors into account is less about morality than it is about the dictate and its attempt to artificially superimpose control, without any demonstrable benefit to the group for which it is meant. Certainly, there may be SOME workable morality found in the Pentateuch, but far more dictated crap than the practical variety. As Hitch himself said: Yeh, verily. It is SO! ;-)

Jewish World Review August 10, 2005 / 5 Av Education of tots wasn't always so complicated But in that column I wasn't completely straight with my readers; I sort of forgot to mention that for three straight years I ran my own private nursery school. So here's the full disclosure: I wasn't licensed or accredited or regulated in any way. I hired teachers who didn't have a lot of experience with little kids. I made good money and paid no taxes. And the parents absolutely loved it. I founded the Busy Bee Nursery School of suburban Chicago when I was 11. My two best friends and I had a brilliant idea: We would make money by taking kids off moms' hands for two weeks of mornings during the summer. We didn't teach scissor skills, but the moms couldn't sign up fast enough. I cannot remember what we charged to take in a little one for the morning, but whatever it was we probably could have gotten so much more. I don't remember anybody worrying about educational specialists in those days. Five mornings a week the two other "teachers" and I would spread out and pick up in coaster wagons the 20 to 25 kids who'd signed up. We headed for my garage on South Stratford where we'd "built" the schoolroom. Of course, the minute the wagons got out of parental sight I'd make the kids get out and walk. Nobody seemed to mind. We did crafts, had story time and took the kids to the park no government regulator in sight. My "staff" and I weren't worried whether the kids were learning consonant combinations or early math skills; we were just saving for new bikes. Being the youngest in each of our respective large families, my friends and I didn't have little sisters or brothers to tease. I confess that occasionally the kids in the nursery school filled that gap. I remember the first year of our school we had one sweet little guy named Christopher. He would often cry when he left his mom. We always got him calmed. But then if one of us was feeling mischievous, we might ask, "Christopher, where's Mommy?" just to see his reaction. Ouch! But he seemed to have a good time anyway. Being the one who ran the school, I personally bought all the snacks. I made a rational calculation. The cheaper the food, the more money for us. One year there was an inexpensive breakfast cereal that called itself "breakfast cookies" or some such thing. Sure enough, it looked like little chocolate-chip cookies. I remember the kids complaining like crazy about it. "This is cereal!" they would say during their cookie break. "No, it's not. It's cookies!" I would adamantly declare in return. At the time I wanted to grow up to be a politician. But look at it this way. The kids stayed safe. They loved it. And, more important, their moms had two weeks of morning freedom. That was true even for my mom. Yes, she was nuts to take on the liability of doing this thing in her garage, but it got me out of her hair, too. I remember the green Schwinn 10-speed bike I bought with my proceeds one year. It cost $100. I've never been prouder of any acquisition in my life. In those days, we girls bought boy bikes girl bikes were soooo not cool. Also in those days, the parents were so not intense. Throughout my high-school years, by about February, they would start calling my folks: "Hey, are Betsy and her friends doing the Busy Bee Nursery School again?" Alas. It had had its time and then it was over. I wouldn't recommend kids try such an enterprise today. Too much legal liability and, undoubtedly, too few customers. But I can't help but think those kids had more fun in our Busy Bee Nursery School than any kid has ever had being tutored in scissor skills. Enjoy this writer's work? Why not sign-up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.

Recently, the Chronicle ran a curious and disturbing picture of a Chassidic Jew embracing Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at a conference of Holocaust deniers. The picture has outraged Jews all over the world. That embrace represents a betrayal of Jewish sensitivities and a disgrace to the victims of the Holocaust. As the rabbi in the picture appears to be Ultra-Orthodox Jews, it is important to set the record straight as to what authentic Orthodox Judaism teaches on this issue. The rabbi belongs to a group called Neturei Karta that believes that Zionism is a heresy. They base their views on various Talmudic statements and the warped theological view that the Holocaust was a punishment from God brought about by the advent of political Zionism. In this group’s view, only God can create a Jewish commonwealth in the Land of Israel. Any human attempt to do so is viewed as a lack of faith in God. Furthermore, according to their view, the fact that Israel was established, in the main, by nonobservant Jews, forever taints the Zionist endeavor. As such, they believe that the state of Israel is illegitimate and should not exist. According to them, Israel belongs to the Palestinians. They attended the conference to show “solidarity” with an individual who shares their views. This view is a distortion of Jewish law as well as a misrepresentation of the sentiments of the vast majority of Orthodox and Ultra-Orthodox Jews. Judaism is profoundly Zionist. The Bible, Talmud and the daily prayer service are filled with references to Israel and Jerusalem. For ages, Jews living in exile have longed to return to Israel, the homeland of the Jewish people. In order to back their claim that Zionism is heresy, the Neturei Karta quote isolated sources and interpret them in ways contrary to most rabbinic authorities. It is a basic premise of Jewish legal theory that certain statements in the Talmud are legally binding (Jewish law) while others are categorized as aggadic (nonlegal) discussions. While important, the aggadic sections are not meant to be normative. This fringe group is so alone in its view that all classic codifiers of Jewish law ignore its arguments. It is important to note this so readers are aware that this group in no way represents Orthodox Judaism. As far as the issue of showing a lack of faith in God in creating the Jewish state, the members of this group adopt a patently anti-Jewish approach. Of course Jews have always believed that God is the author of history and that he guides the destiny of every person. This, however, is not meant to be an excuse for passivity. Judaism teaches that human exertion to improve the world is not only appropriate, but also necessary. A sick patient is not meant to believe that going to a doctor would deny God’s providence. In fact, if he refuses medical attention, he will have violated Jewish law. The fact is that most prominent Orthodox leaders have accepted and embraced Zionism. Among the Orthodox signers to Israel’s Declaration of Independence are the two leaders of the Ultra-Orthodox Agudath Israel movement, Rabbi Yizchak Meir Levin and Rabbi Meir David Lowenstein, as well as Rabbi Kalman Kahana of Agudath Israel’s labor movement and Rabbis Wolfe Gold and Yehuda Leib Maimon, leaders of the religious Zionist Mizrachi movement. Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, one of the most prominent American Orthodox leaders of the 20th century, not only embraced Zionism but also considered the establishment of the state of Israel a divine communication God was literally knocking on the door of the Jewish people. The state of Israel was not to be viewed as heresy, but rather a joint endeavor between God and the Jewish people. This group has crossed the line by attending the Tehran conference and embracing the monster Ahmadinejad who blatantly says that he wishes to carry on where Hitler left off. Shame on them for betraying their own people. Shame on them for spurning God and his gift of the state of Israel. In my opinion, despite their dress and outward appearance, they have lost any right to call themselves Orthodox Jews. Perhaps we should even go further and declare about them what Maimonides has said: “The following individuals do not have a share in the world to come — those who separate themselves from the community. A person who separates himself from the community may be placed in this category even though he has not transgressed any sins. A person who separates himself from the congregation of Israel and does not take part in their hardships — but rather goes on his own path as if he is from another nation and not Israel — does not have a portion in the world to come.” By abandoning the state of Israel and betraying the memory of the victims of the Holocaust, this group has indeed separated itself from the rest of the nation of Israel. Let there be no mistake about it: The vast majority of Jews, of all denominations, fully reject the religious and theological views expressed by the Neturei Karta.

Kingdom of the Ostrogoths Coin depicting Theodoric the Great (475-526) The Ostrogothic Kingdom at its greatest extent. (493 to 540) |Common languages||Gothic, Vulgar Latin| Arian and Chalcedonian Christianity Judaism, Pelagian Christianity, Manichaeism, Roman paganism |Historical era||Late Antiquity| • Battles of Isonzo and Verona • Fall of Ravenna • Start of Gothic War In Italy the Ostrogoths, led by Theodoric the Great, killed and replaced Odoacer, a Germanic soldier, erstwhile-leader of the foederati in Northern Italy, and the de facto ruler of Italy, who had deposed the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, Romulus Augustulus, in 476. Under Theodoric, its first king, the Ostrogothic kingdom reached its zenith, stretching from modern France in the west into modern Serbia in the southeast. Most of the social institutions of the late Western Roman Empire were preserved during his rule. Theodoric called himself Gothorum Romanorumque rex ("King of the Goths and Romans"), demonstrating his desire to be a leader for both peoples. Starting in 535, the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire invaded Italy under Justinian I. The Ostrogothic ruler at that time, Witiges, could not defend the kingdom successfully and was finally captured when the capital Ravenna fell. The Ostrogoths rallied around a new leader, Totila, and largely managed to reverse the conquest, but were eventually defeated. The last king of the Ostrogothic Kingdom was Teia. The Ostrogoths were the eastern branch of the Goths. They settled and established a powerful state in Dacia, but during the late 4th century, they came under the dominion of the Huns. After the collapse of the Hunnic empire in 454, large numbers of Ostrogoths were settled by Emperor Marcian in the Roman province of Pannonia as foederati. Unlike most other foederati formations, the Goths were not absorbed into the structure and traditions of the Roman military but retained a strong identity and cohesion of their own. In 460, during the reign of Leo I, because the payment of annual sums had ceased, they ravaged Illyricum. Peace was concluded in 461, whereby the young Theodoric Amal, son of Theodemir of the Amals, was sent as a hostage to Constantinople, where he received a Roman education. In previous years, a large number of Goths, first under Aspar and then under Theodoric Strabo, had entered service in the Roman army and were a significant political and military power in the court of Constantinople. The period 477-483 saw a complex three-way struggle among Theodoric the Amal, who had succeeded his father in 474, Theodoric Strabo, and the new Eastern Emperor Zeno. In this conflict, alliances shifted regularly, and large parts of the Balkans were devastated by it. In the end, after Strabo's death in 481, Zeno came to terms with Theodoric. Parts of Moesia and Dacia ripensis were ceded to the Goths, and Theodoric was named magister militum praesentalis and consul for 484. Barely a year later, Theodoric and Zeno fell out, and again Theodoric's Goths ravaged Thrace. It was then that the thought occurred to Zeno and his advisors to kill two birds with one stone, and direct Theodoric against another troublesome neighbor of the Empire - the Italian kingdom of Odoacer. Odoacer's kingdom (476–493)Edit In 476, Odoacer, leader of the foederati in the West, had staged a coup against the rebellious magister militum Orestes, who was seeking to have his son Romulus Augustulus recognized as Western Emperor in place of Emperor Julius Nepos. Orestes had reneged on the promise of land in Italy for Odoacer's troops, a pledge made to ensure their neutrality in his attack on Nepos. After executing Orestes and putting the teenage usurper in internal exile, Odoacer paid nominal allegiance to Nepos (now in Dalmatia) while effectively operating autonomously, having been raised to the rank of patrician by Zeno. Odoacer retained the Roman administrative system, cooperated actively with the Roman Senate, and his rule was efficient and successful. He evicted the Vandals from Sicily in 477, and in 480 he occupied Dalmatia after the murder of Julius Nepos. Conquest of Italy by the Goths (488–493)Edit An agreement was reached between Zeno and Theodoric, stipulating that Theodoric, if victorious, was to rule in Italy as the emperor's representative. Theodoric with his people set out from Moesia in the autumn of 488, passed through Dalmatia and crossed the Julian Alps into Italy in late August 489. The first confrontation with the army of Odoacer was at the river Isonzo (the battle of Isonzo) on August 28. Odoacer was defeated and withdrew towards Verona, where a month later another battle was fought, resulting in a bloody, but crushing, Gothic victory. Odoacer fled to his capital at Ravenna, while the larger part of his army under Tufa surrendered to the Goths. Theodoric then sent Tufa and his men against Odoacer, but he changed his allegiance again and returned to Odoacer. In 490, Odoacer was thus able to campaign against Theodoric, take Milan and Cremona and besiege the main Gothic base at Ticinum (Pavia). At that point, however, the Visigoths intervened, the siege of Ticinum was lifted, and Odoacer was decisively defeated at the river Adda on 11 August 490. Odoacer fled again to Ravenna, while the Senate and many Italian cities declared themselves for Theodoric. Theodoric kills Odoacer (493)Edit The Goths now turned to besiege Ravenna, but since they lacked a fleet and the city could be resupplied by sea, the siege could be endured almost indefinitely, despite privations. It was not until 492 that Theodoric was able to procure a fleet and capture Ravenna's harbours, thus entirely cutting off communication with the outside world. The effects of this appeared six months later, when, with the mediation of the city's bishop, negotiations started between the two parties. An agreement was reached on 25 February 493, whereby the two should divide Italy between them. A banquet was organised in order to celebrate this treaty. It was at this banquet, on March 15, that Theodoric, after making a toast, killed Odoacer with his own hands. A general massacre of Odoacer's soldiers and supporters followed. Theodoric and his Goths were now masters of Italy. Reign of Theodoric the Great (493–526)Edit |"... Theodoric was a man of great distinction and of good-will towards all men, and he ruled for thirty-three years. Under his rule, Italy for thirty years enjoyed such good fortune that his successors also inherited peace. For whatever he did was good. He so governed two races at the same time, Romans and Goths, that although he himself was of the Arian sect, he nevertheless made no assault on the Catholic religion; he gave games in the circus and the amphitheatre, so that even by the Romans he was called a Trajan or a Valentinian, whose times he took as a model; and by the Goths, because of his edict, in which he established justice, he was judged to be in all respects their best king."| |Anonymus Valesianus, Excerpta II 59-60| Like Odoacer, Theodoric was ostensibly a patricius and subject of the emperor in Constantinople, acting as his viceroy for Italy, a position recognized by the new Emperor Anastasius in 497. At the same time, he was the king of his own people, who were not Roman citizens. In reality, he acted as an independent ruler, although unlike Odoacer, he meticulously preserved the outward forms of his subordinate position. The administrative machinery of Odoacer's kingdom, in essence that of the former Empire, was retained and continued to be staffed exclusively by Romans, such as the articulate and literate Cassiodorus. The Senate continued to function normally and was consulted on civil appointments, and the laws of the Empire were still recognized as ruling the Roman population, though Goths were ruled under their own traditional laws. Indeed, as a subordinate ruler, Theodoric did not possess the right to issue his own laws (leges) in the system of Roman law, but merely edicts (edicta), or clarifications on certain details. The continuity in administration is illustrated by the fact that several senior ministers of Odoacer, like Liberius and Cassiodorus the Elder, were retained in the new kingdom's top positions. The close cooperation between Theodoric and the Roman elite began to break down in later years, especially after the healing of the ecclesiastical rift between Rome and Constantinople (see below), as leading senators conspired with the Emperor. This resulted in the arrest and execution of the magister officiorum Boethius and his father-in-law, Symmachus, in 524. On the other hand, the army and all military offices remained the exclusive preserve of the Goths. The Goths were settled mostly in northern Italy, and kept themselves largely apart from the Roman population, a tendency reinforced by their different faiths: the Goths were mostly Arians, while the people they ruled over were following Chalcedonian Christianity. Nevertheless, and unlike the Visigoths or the Vandals, there was considerable religious tolerance, which was also extended towards Jews. Theodoric's view was clearly expressed in his letters to the Jews of Genoa: "The true mark of civilitas is the observance of law. It is this which makes life in communities possible, and which separates man from the brutes. We therefore gladly accede to your request that all the privileges which the foresight of antiquity conferred upon the Jewish customs shall be renewed to you..." and "We cannot order a religion, because no one can be forced to believe against his will." Relations with the Germanic states of the WestEdit It is in his foreign policy rather than domestic affairs that Theodoric appeared and acted as an independent ruler. By means of marriage alliances, he sought to establish a central position among the barbarian states of the West. As Jordanes states: "...there was no race left in the western realms which Theodoric had not befriended or brought into subjection during his lifetime." This was in part meant as a defensive measure, and in part as a counterbalance to the influence of the Empire. His daughters were wedded to the Visigothic king Alaric II and the Burgundian prince Sigismund, his sister Amalfrida married the Vandal king Thrasamund, while he himself married Audofleda, sister of the Frankish king Clovis I. These policies were not always successful in maintaining peace: Theodoric found himself at war with Clovis when the latter attacked the Visigoth dominions in Gaul in 506. The Franks were rapidly successful, killing Alaric in the Battle of Vouillé and subduing Aquitania by 507. However, starting in 508, Theodoric's generals campaigned in Gaul, and were successful in saving Septimania for the Visigoths, as well as extending Ostrogothic rule into southern Gaul (Provence) at the expense of the Burgundians. There in 510 Theodoric reestablished the defunct praetorian prefecture of Gaul. Now Theodoric had a common border with the Visigothic kingdom, where, after Alaric's death, he also ruled as regent of his infant grandson Amalaric. Family bonds also served little with Sigismund, who as a staunch Chalcedonian Christian cultivated close ties to Constantinople. Theodoric perceived this as a threat and intended to campaign against him, but the Franks acted first and invaded Burgundy in 523, quickly subduing it. Theodoric could only react by expanding his domains in the Provence north of the river Durance up to the Isère. The peace with the Vandals, secured in 500 with the marriage alliance with Thrasamund, and their common interests as Arian powers against Constantinople, collapsed after Thrasamund's death in 523. His successor Hilderic showed favour to the Nicaean Christians, and when Amalfrida protested, he had her and her entourage murdered. Theodoric was preparing an expedition against him when he died. Relations with the EmpireEdit |"It behoves us, most clement Emperor, to seek for peace, since there are no causes for anger between us. [...] Our royalty is an imitation of yours, modelled on your good purpose, a copy of the only Empire; and insofar as we follow you do we excel all other nations. Often you have exhorted me to love the senate, to accept cordially the laws of past emperors, to join together in one all the members of Italy. [...] There is moreover that noble sentiment, love for the city of Rome, from which two princes, both of whom govern in her name, should never be disjoined."| |Letter of Theodoric to Anastasius | Cassiodorus, Variae I.1 Theodoric's relations with his nominal suzerain, the Eastern Roman Emperor, were always strained, for political as well as for religious reasons. Especially during the reign of Anastasius, these led to several collisions, none of which however escalated into general warfare. In 504-505, Theodoric's forces launched a campaign to recover Pannonia and the strategically important town of Sirmium, formerly parts of the praetorian prefecture of Italy, which were now occupied by the Gepids. The campaign was successful, but it also led to a brief conflict with imperial troops, where the Goths and their allies were victorious. Domestically, the Acacian schism between the patriarchates of Rome and Constantinople, caused by imperial support for the Henotikon, as well as Anastasius' Monophysite beliefs, played into Theodoric's hands, since the clergy and the Roman aristocracy of Italy, headed by Pope Symmachus, vigorously opposed them. Thus, for a time, Theodoric could count on their support. The war between the Franks and Visigoths led to renewed friction between Theodoric and the Emperor, as Clovis successfully portrayed himself as the champion of the Western Church against the "heretical" Arian Goths, gaining the Emperor's support. This even led to the dispatch of a fleet by Anastasius in 508, which ravaged the coasts of Apulia. With the ascension of Justin I in 518, a more harmonious relationship seemed to be restored. Eutharic, Theodoric's son-in-law and designated successor, was appointed consul for the year 519, while in 522, to celebrate the healing of the Acacian schism, Justin allowed both consuls to be appointed by Theodoric. Soon, however, renewed tension would result from Justin's anti-Arian legislation, and tensions grew between the Goths and the Senate, whose members, as Chalcedonians, now shifted their support to the Emperor. The suspicions of Theodoric were confirmed by the interception of compromising letters between leading senators and Constantinople, which led to the imprisonment and execution of Boethius in 524. Pope John I was sent to Constantinople to mediate on the Arians' behalf, and, although he achieved his mission, on his return he was imprisoned and died shortly after. These events further stirred popular sentiment against the Goths. Death of Theodoric and dynastic disputes (526–535)Edit After the death of Theodoric on 30 August 526, his achievements began to collapse. Since Eutharic had died in 523, Theodoric was succeeded by his infant grandson Athalaric, supervised by his mother, Amalasuntha, as regent. The lack of a strong heir caused the network of alliances that surrounded the Ostrogothic state to disintegrate: the Visigothic kingdom regained its autonomy under Amalaric, the relations with the Vandals turned increasingly hostile, and the Franks embarked again on expansion, subduing the Thuringians and the Burgundians and almost evicting the Visigoths from their last holdings in southern Gaul. The position of predominance which the Ostrogothic Kingdom had enjoyed under Theodoric in the West now passed irrevocably to the Franks. This dangerous external climate was exacerbated by the regency's weak domestic position. Amalasuntha was Roman-educated and intended to continue her father's policies of conciliation between Goths and Romans. To that end, she actively courted the support of the Senate and the newly ascended Emperor Justinian I, even providing him with bases in Sicily during the Vandalic War. However, these ideas did not find much favour with the Gothic nobles, who in addition resented being ruled by a woman. They protested when she resolved to give her son a Roman education, preferring that Athalaric be raised as a warrior. She was forced to discharge his Roman tutors, but instead Athalaric turned to a life of dissipation and excess, which would send him to a premature death. |"[Amalasuntha] feared she might be despised by the Goths on account of the weakness of her sex. So after much thought she decided [...] to summon her cousin Theodahad from Tuscany, where he led a retired life at home, and thus she established him on the throne. But he was unmindful of their kinship and, after a little time, had her taken from the palace at Ravenna to an island of the Bulsinian lake where he kept her in exile. After spending a very few days there in sorrow, she was strangled in the bath by his hirelings."| |Jordanes, Getica 306| Eventually, a conspiracy started among the Goths to overthrow her. Amalasuntha resolved to move against them, but as a precaution, she also made preparations to flee to Constantinople, and even wrote to Justinian asking for protection. In the event she managed to execute the three leading conspirators, and her position remained relatively secure until, in 533, Athalaric's health began to seriously decline. Amalasuntha then turned for support to her only relative, her cousin Theodahad, while at the same time sending ambassadors to Justinian and proposing to cede Italy to him. Justinian indeed sent an able agent of his, Peter of Thessalonica, to carry out the negotiations, but before he had even crossed into Italy, Athalaric had died (on 2 October 534), Amalasuntha had crowned Theodahad as king in an effort to secure his support, and he had deposed and imprisoned her. Theodahad, who was of a peaceful disposition, immediately sent envoys to announce his ascension to Justinian and to reassure him of Amalasuntha's safety. Justinian immediately reacted by offering his support to the deposed queen, but in early May 535, she was executed.[a] This crime served as a perfect excuse for Justinian, fresh from his forces' victory over the Vandals, to invade the Gothic realm in retaliation. Theodahad tried to prevent the war, sending his envoys to Constantinople, but Justinian was already resolved to reclaim Italy. Only by renouncing his throne in the Empire's favour could Theodahad hope to avert war. Gothic War and end of the Ostrogothic Kingdom (535–554)Edit The Gothic War between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Ostrogothic Kingdom was fought from 535 until 554 in Italy, Dalmatia, Sardinia, Sicily and Corsica. It is commonly divided into two phases. The first phase lasted from 535 to 540 and ended with the fall of Ravenna and the apparent reconquest of Italy by the Byzantines. During the second phase (540/541–553), Gothic resistance was reinvigorated under Totila and put down only after a long struggle by Narses, who also repelled the 554 invasion by the Franks and Alamanni. In the same year, Justinian promulgated the Pragmatic Sanction which prescribed Italy's new government. Several cities in northern Italy continued to hold out, however, until the early 560s. The war had its roots in the ambition of Justinian to recover the provinces of the former Western Roman Empire, which had been lost to invading barbarian tribes in the previous century (the Migration Period). By the end of the conflict Italy was devastated and considerably depopulated. As a consequence, the victorious Byzantines found themselves unable to resist the invasion of the Lombards in 568, which resulted in the loss of large parts of the Italian peninsula. List of kingsEdit Because of the kingdom's short history, no fusion of the two peoples and their art was achieved. However, under the patronage of Theodoric and Amalasuntha, large-scale restoration of ancient Roman buildings was undertaken, and the tradition of Roman civic architecture continued. In Ravenna, new churches and monumental buildings were erected, several of which survive. The Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, its baptistry, and the Archiepiscopal Chapel follow the typical late Roman architectural and decorative motifs, but the Mausoleum of Theodoric displays purely Gothic elements, such as its construction not from the usual brick, but of massive slabs of Istrian limestone, or the 300-ton single-piece roof stone. All of the surviving literature written in the Ostrogothic kingdom is in Latin, though some older works were copied in Greek and Gothic (e.g. the Codex Argenteus), and the literature is solidly in the Greco-Roman tradition. Cassiodorus, hailing from a distinguished background, and himself entrusted with high offices (consul and magister officiorum) represents the Roman ruling class. Like many others of his background, he served Theodoric and his heirs loyally and well, something expressed in the writings of the period. In his Chronica, used later by Jordanes in his Getica, as well as in the various panegyrics written by him and other prominent Romans of the time for the Gothic kings, Roman literary and historical tradition is put in the service of their Gothic overlords. His privileged position enabled him to compile the Variae Epistolae, a collection of state correspondence, which gives great insight into the inner workings of the Gothic state. Boethius is another prominent figure of the period. Well-educated and also from a distinguished family, he wrote works on mathematics, music and philosophy. His most famous work, Consolatio philosophiae, was written while imprisoned on charges of treason. In popular cultureEdit - The 1876 historical novel A Struggle for Rome by Felix Dahn (and its two-part screen adaptation in 1968 and 1969) focuses on the struggle among the Byzantines, the Ostrogoths and the native Italians over control of Italy after Theodoric's death. - The 1938 historical novel Count Belisarius by Robert Graves describes the campaigns of the Byzantine general Belisarius to conquer the Ostrogothic Kingdom during the reign of Justinian. - In the 1941 alternate history novel Lest Darkness Fall by L. Sprague de Camp, a modern archaeologist is transported through time to Ostrogothic Italy, helps to stabilise it after Theodoric's death and averts its conquest by Justinian. - Guy Gavriel Kay's Sarantine Mosaic series takes place in a setting based on Ostrogothic Italy and the East Roman Empire, just before the Gothic War. - Gary Jennings' 1993 novel Raptor documents the rise of Theodoric the Great and the Ostrogothic Kingdom through the eyes of a fictional hermaphrodite Thorn. ^ a: The exact date and circumstances surrounding Amalasuntha's execution remain a mystery. In his Secret History, Procopius proposes that Empress Theodora might have had a hand in the affair, wishing to get rid of a potential rival. Although generally dismissed by historians such as Gibbon and Charles Diehl, Bury (Ch. XVIII, pp. 165-167) considers that the story is corroborated by circumstantial evidence. - Cohen (2016), pp. 510–521. - Cohen (2016), pp. 504–510. - Cohen (2016), pp. 523, 524. - Cohen (2016), pp. 521–523. - Flavius Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus Senator, Variae, Lib. II., XLI. Luduin regi Francorum Theodericus rex. - Chris Wickham, “The Inheritance of Rome”, 98 - Jordanes, Getica, 271 - Bury (1923), Ch. XII, pp. 413-421 - "At this time, Odovacar overcame and killed Odiva in Dalmatia", Cassiodorus, Chronica 1309, s.a.481 - Bury (1923), Ch. XII, pp. 406-412 - Bury (1923), Ch. XII, p. 422 - Bury (1923), Ch. XII, pp. 422-424 - Bury (1923), Ch. XII, pp. 454-455 - Bury (1923), Ch. XIII, pp. 422-424 - Bury (1923), Vol. II, Ch. XIII, p. 458 - Bury (1923), Ch. XVIII, pp. 153-155 - Bury (1923), Ch. XIII, p. 459 - Cassiodorus, Variae, IV.33 - Cassiodorus, Variae, II.27 - Jordanes, Getica 303 - Jordanes, Getica, 297 - Jordanes, Getica, 299 - Bury (1923), Ch. XIII, pp. 461-462 - Bury (1923), Ch. XIII, p. 462 - Procopius, De Bello Vandalico I.VIII.11-14 - Bury (1923), Ch. XIII, p. 464 - Bury (1923), Ch. XVIII, pp. 152-153 - Bury (1923), Ch. XVIII, p. 157 - Bury (1923), Ch. XVIII, p. 161 - Bury (1923), Ch. XVIII, pp. 159-160 - Bury (1923), Ch. XVIII, pp. 163-164 - Procopius, De Bello Gothico I.V.1 - Procopius, De Bello Gothico, Volumes I-IV - Jordanes, De origine actibusque Getarum ("The Origin and Deeds of the Goths"), translated by Charles C. Mierow. - Cassiodorus, Chronica - Cassiodorus, Varia epistolae ("Letters"), at the Project Gutenberg - Anonymus Valesianus, Excerpta, Pars II - Cohen, Samuel (2016). "Religious Diversity". In Jonathan J. Arnold; M. Shane Bjornlie; Kristina Sessa (eds.). A Companion to Ostrogothic Italy. Leiden, Boston: Brill Publishers. pp. 503–532. ISBN 978-9004-31376-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) - Edward Gibbon, History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Vol. IV, Chapters 41 & 43 - Amory, Patrick (2003). People and Identity in Ostrogothic Italy, 489-554. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-52635-7. - Barnwell, P. S. (1992). Emperor, Prefects & Kings: The Roman West, 395-565. UNC Press. ISBN 978-0-8078-2071-1. - Burns, Thomas S. (1984). A History of the Ostrogoths. Boomington. - Bury, John Bagnell (1923). History of the Later Roman Empire Vols. I & II. Macmillan & Co., Ltd. - Heather, Peter (1998). The Goths. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 978-0-631-20932-4. - Wolfram, Herwig; Dunlap, Thomas (1997). The Roman Empire and its Germanic peoples. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-08511-4. - Eugenijus Jovaisa, Aisciai: Kilme - Media related to Ostrogoths at Wikimedia Commons

Veronica Niedzinski, MS, RD Ask a Question Refer Patient Veronica Niedzinski, MS, is a registered dietitian at National Jewish Health. Ms. Niedzinski is in Clinical Nutrition Services. Registered Dietitian Clinical Nutrition Services Department of Medicine 5280 Top Doctors 2021 Previously a 5280 Top Doctor America’s Top Doctors 2015 — Castle Connolly, Medical, Ltd. Recognized in America’s Top Doctors — Castle Connolly, Inc. Best Doctors in America® 2019-2020 — Best Doctors, Inc. Recognized in Best Doctors in America® — Best Doctors, Inc. America’s Top Doctors 2020 — Castle Connolly Medical, Ltd. Email Profile Print Profile Overview Contact Info & Locations Programs & Services Clinical Nutrition Services Specialties & Conditions Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Education Education 2006 - 2010 Saint Louis University (St. Louis, MO), B.S. Nutrition and Dietetics Ask a Question through Patient Portal Sign in to your My National Jewish Health patient portal account to communicate with your care team, manage appointments, and more. Create an Account Contact Information Office: 877.225.5654 Locations National Jewish Health Main Campus 1400 Jackson St. Denver, CO 80206 Patient Ratings The Patient Rating score is an average of all responses to care provider related questions on our independent rating system, the Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey. This survey is about the patient care experience and does not address crucial characteristics like medical decision-making, prescribing the best therapy, and patient outcomes. Responses are measured on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best score. Learn more about our patient satisfaction survey. Comments Comments are collected in our Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Surveys. Patients are de-identified to protect confidentiality and patient privacy. Learn more about our patient satisfaction survey.

Advanced Sports Physical Therapy, Inc. is a trusted physical therapy center in Davie, FL, located at the David Posnack Jewish Community. We enjoy access to state-of-the-art fitness facilities, including an indoor running track, and two heated swimming pools. With our wellness programs and sports rehabilitation services, we can accommodate children, adults, seniors, and athletes. First opened in July 2005, our goal was to create a physical therapy practice that focuses on quality service rather than quantity. We strived to create a practice that focuses on hands-on, manual treatment and very personalized custom rehab programs to help each patient reach their ultimate goals. Because we only work one-on-one, each client receives a full one-hour session. We do not work on volume or ever overlap patients! We give you our full attention to help you reach your optimal goals. Contact us today in Davie, Florida, and discover a wide range of services at our physical therapy center. Thank you for your interest. We look forward to hearing from you soon. Phone (877) 707-3348, Toll-Free (954) 556-8633, Local (954) 680-1633, Fax

If you were an epic-adventure filmmaker and wanted a protagonist who could connect with over half the world’s population, Moses would be a prime candidate. He’s revered by Christians, Muslims and Jews. The first five books of the Hebrew Bible are commonly called the “Books of Moses.” Jesus, in the New Testament, pointed skeptics to the “Book of Moses.” The Koran presents Moses as a prophet, “distinguished” in Allah’s sight. Director/producer Ridley Scott (Gladiator) conveys Moses in Exodus: Gods and Kings as a valiant warrior and spiritual skeptic whom God surprises and prompts to liberate his compatriots from centuries of bondage. Sweeping 3-dimensional cinematography captures both massive impact and minute detail. Stars include Academy-Award winners Christian Bale (The Dark Knight films) and Ben Kingsley (Gandhi), plus Sigourney Weaver (Alien, Avatar). There’s plenty of action and drama, centered on the Pharaoh Rameses and Moses, adoptive brothers who become enemies. The biblical book of Exodus presents significant portions of Moses’ life paralleling the film’s time-frame. Born a Hebrew but raised with Egyptian royalty through surreptitious – providential? – circumstances, Moses became educated and respected. At about age 40, he killed an Egyptian assailant, then fled to escape punishment, spending 40 years in exile. Burning bush; speaking truth to power In a seminal moment, Moses believes God’s voice from a burning bush instructs him to return to Egypt, confront Pharaoh, and liberate his enslaved people. Moses pleads insignificance and ineloquence; God promises divine provision. Moses and his biological brother Aaron begin some classic speaking-truth-to-power showdowns. “Thus says the Lord,” Moses declares to Pharaoh, “Let My people go.” “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice?” responds Pharaoh, ordering his taskmasters to increase the Hebrew slaves’ workload. A series of ten plagues follows – vividly portrayed in the film – interspersed with repeat encounters with Pharaoh (the film omits several encounters). The Nile River turns to blood. Frogs, gnats, and flies infest Egypt. All Egyptian livestock perishes. Boils cover humans and animals. Hail destroys humans, animals, crops and trees. Swarming locusts consume any remaining greenery. Darkness envelops Egypt for three days. Throughout these first nine plagues, Pharaoh variously rejects Moses, expresses contrition, and breaks promises. The tenth plague has ramifications that will reverberate through history. Passover: reverberating ramifications Moses warns Pharaoh that God will kill every firstborn child. He instructs the Israelites to slay lambs and place some blood on their doorposts, explaining that God would “pass over” and spare such homes. This “Passover” sacrifice would become an ongoing memorial celebration of divine deliverance. Centuries later, Paul, a persecutor-turned-follower of Jesus, would write “Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us,” calling Jesus’ death – which occurred during the Passover celebration over a millennium after Moses – a payment for human sin. On the original Passover, Moses’ compatriots are spared but each Egyptian family suffers loss. Pharaoh actually implores the Hebrews to leave, but changes his mind and pursues them to the Red Sea. As the Egyptian soldiers near, Moses assures his people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord….” God dramatically parts the sea, allowing the people to cross on land but swallowing up the Egyptian soldiers with returning waters. The liberated captives celebrate. Read the book Ridley Scott, who’s alternately called himself “agnostic” and “atheist,” portrays Moses as a military leader during Egyptian royalty years, and later as leading Israelites into battle against Egyptians. Biblical accounts are sketchy regarding Moses’ military exploits. Jewish historian Josephus describes Moses leading Egyptians in battle against Ethiopians. I’m unaware of ancient sources depicting him leading Israelites in battle against Egyptians. Perhaps this was a screenwriter’s extrapolation, as are several other film elements. (Example: God manifests as a little boy.) Exodus: Gods and Kings is well worth watching, especially to stimulate interest in the timeless story. To best take it all in, I recommend reading Exodus 1-15 before the film, then again afterwards, discussing the two with others to discern similarities, differences and personal insights. Exodus: Gods and Kings opened December 12. Rated PG-13 (USA) “for violence including battle sequences and intense images.” — by Rusty Wright Rusty Wright is an author and lecturer who has spoken on six continents. He holds Bachelor of Science (psychology) and Master of Theology degrees from Duke and Oxford universities, respectively. www.RustyWright.com

OF INTEREST IN AND AROUND KOCHI Kochi (Kochi) is palm-green commercial town of Kerala and the city consist of the mainland Ernakulam, Willingdon Island, Mattancherry, Fort Cochin, Vypeen Island and Bolghatty Island. Ernakulam is the modern city where shopping market, basaar etc are located. From time immemorial, Arab, Chinese, Dutch and British and Portuguese seafarers followed the sea route to Kochi and left their impression on the town. The Chinese fishing nets swaying in the breeze over backwaters, the Jewish Synagogue, Dutch Palace, Portuguese architecture, Boghatty Palace in Kochi enrich the heritage of Kerala. WHAT TO SEE MATTANCHERRY PALACE: It is also known as Dutch Palace, built the Portuguese and presented to the Raja of Kochi in 1555 AD. It acquired the present name after 1663 when the Dutch carried out extensions and repairs in the palace. AT no time did the Portuguese or Dutch stay here. Its interiors are decorated with murals from the Ramayana and there are some lively displays of royal costumes and palanquins. Timings. 1000 hrs to 17.00 hrs. Closed on Fridays and national holidays. Jewish Synagogue: in Mattancherry Synagogue is built in 1568 AD. The Great Scrolls of the Old Testment, the copper plates in which the grants of privilege made by the Cochin rulers were recorded and the exquisite Chinese hand-painted tiles are of interest Timing: 1000 hrs to 1200 hrs and 1500 hrs to 1700 hrs. Closed on Sundays and ST. Francis Church: Fort Kochi The Protestant church was originally built by the Portuguese in 1510 AD and is believed to be the oldest church built by the Europeans in India. It is here the remains of the inveterate traveller, Vasco da Gamma were initially buried and 14 years later, his mortal remains were taken to Portugal. Sant Cruz Baslica Church: For Kochi The Roman Catholic Church situated close to St. Francis Church and is worth visiting. Some beautiful paintings can be seen here. Chinese Fishing Nets: Fort Kochi The Chinese Fishing net that line the sea-front and exhibit a mechanical method of catching fish by local fishermen in Fort Kochi. Said to have been brought from China by traders of Kubalai Khan's Court, they are used at high Bolghatty Palace: Bolghatty Palace is situated in Boghatty Island a narrow palmfringed Island easily accessible from the. mainland. The Palace was built by the Dutch in 1744. Later, it became the seat of the British Resident and today this has been converted into a hotel run by KTDC. Willingdon Island: A man-made island created from the material dredged while deeping Kochin Port. Situated between the main land Ernakulam and the old town Mattancherry and separated by the backwaters. Willingdon Island is an important part of Kochin. The Government of India Tourist Office, the Southern Naval Command Headquarters, the Seaport, Naval Airport, Railway terminus, Customs House, Cochin Port Office etc are all located in this island. MUSEUMS & ART GALLERIES HILL PALACE MUSEUM Tripunithura-62301 Tel.: 781113.Hill Palace Museum is situated 12 km away from Eranakulam on the Eranakulam Chotanikkara route. Different types of sculptures, collection of rare coins, old weapons, manuscripts in ancient lipis and collection from Cochin Royal Family are exhibited here. Horse riding facility is also available. The Parishith Thampuran Museum situated at the Durbar Hall Ground together with its collection were transferred to Hill Palace Museum in 1997. Timings: 9.00 hrs to 12.30 hrs. and 14.00 hrs to 16.30 hrs.Closed on Monday and National holidays. Admission: Rs. 10/- per adult & Rs. 5/- per Child. Camera Rs. 20/- Video Camera Rs. 1000/- for photography. Museum of Kerala History Edappalli, Kochi - 682024 Tel.: 558296Situated at Edappally 10 km on the National Highway from Eranakulam on the Alwaye route. Presents on hour light and sound spectacles of life-size scuptures in concrete, of the makers of Kerala history, together with the background music and commentary with glimpses of the vastness and diversity of Kerala's history over the centuries.Timings adult , Rs.75/-College students, Rs.30/- for children's up to Plus M.N.F. GALLERY OF PAINTINGS & SCULPTURES: Edappally, Kochi-682 024.The centre for Visual Arts and Gallery Paintings & Sculptures is situated at Edappally about 10km from Ernakulam and located next to Museum of Kerala History. It houses about two hundred original paintings of recognised Indian masters, both contemporary and of the past. There is also a large collection of modern sculptures in marbles, bronze, granite etc.Timings: 10.00 hrs. to 17.00 CHITRAM ART GARLLERY: Opposite Air India, M.G.Road, Eranakulam Exhibit regularly collection of paintings.Kochi - 16 Tel.: 351295. only reasonable way to get around. Mostly available, accommodautos generally charge 50% over the meter. They may charge ext

In a move that will surprise no one, Barbra Streisand has announced she’ll vote for Barack Obama in Tuesday’s US presidential election. Long known for her liberal politics, the singer publicized her decision in a video posted by the National Jewish Democratic Council on YouTube. The “Yentl” actress cites Obama’s Middle East policy in the two-minute clip, telling viewers, “President Obama continues to stand strongly with our ally Israel, and in preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons while implementing the strictest sanctions ever.” Streisand also praises Obama, who she describes as “a good man” and “a president we can trust,” for his positions on a litany of other issues, ranging from abortion rights and tax policy to his defense of equality for women and gays. The “Funny Girl” star also criticizes Republican challenger Mitt Romney for his would-be domestic policies, including his plans to cut taxes on the wealthy and to repeal Obama’s health-care overhaul. Arguably as polarizing as either candidate, Streisand and her endorsement are surely appreciated by the Obama campaign. We’ll see whether they win over undecided US Jews — or working-class swing voters in Ohio — on Tuesday.

Jesus has had a hard day. Walking in the hot sun, he is glad to sit and rest, even without a drink. Yet, tired and thirsty, he can find the energy for a conversation. (John 4:1-42). His disciples will be surprised to find him talking to a Samaritan woman, and one who came to the well at midday to avoid company. Soon she finds his perception hard – these are things she didn’t want to talk about, but still does. People coming to new faith may face up to things otherwise forgotten by choice. Christians coming closer to God as they turn away from all that is wrong may also find the process challenging. Though they cannot begin again, each day brings the choice of going on, or not. Jesus didn’t want the effort, but took the opportunity. The woman didn’t like being so well understood, and created a distraction (the proper place to worship – the Samaritan or Jewish centre), but Jesus avoids it. The conversation continues until the woman leaves to bring others. They begin in curiosity, but as Jesus stays, they gain a faith of their own which no longer depends on second hand reports. Jesus has taught us three things about being changed – converted. First, we have to face facts, even hard ones. Second, we need to avoid distractions. Third, the experience has to be their own for each person; second hand won’t do. This is true for our own conversion, but also for our going on in faith day by day, year by year. It is equally true for evangelism, as we try, with courtesy and urgency, to share faith with others around us. Perhaps the twinning of this story with Exodus 17:1-7 (and its echo in Psalm 95) is fortunate. We don’t easily face up to hard facts about ourselves and our faith (or lack of it). Evangelism, and repentance, are for many a hard place. But when we find God there, the benefits flow like water in the desert.

For the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the Chassidic movement, Chanukah was his “favorite” holiday — for Chanukah is the holiday of light, a light that fills the soul and warms the heart. Although outside it is dark and cold, the radiance of the Chanukah candles penetrates into the depth of the winter night, permeating it with warmth and transforming the darkness itself into a light force. From where do the Chanukah candles derive their power not merely to dispel darkness, but to transmute it into light? The first two letters of the word Chanukah spell chen, one of the eight synonyms in Hebrew for beauty. Chen, which literally means “grace” or “favor,” represents that aspect of beauty which expresses itself through the aesthetic of graceful symmetry. The word chen first appears in the Torah in the concluding verse of Parashat Bereishit, the first portion of the book of Genesis. The verse there reads: “And Noah found chen (“favor”) in the eyes of God.” The name Noah is actually the same as chen spelled backwards. By virtue of its first appearing in the Torah as juxtaposed with its “opposite,” we are taught in Kabbalah that chen represents balance and symmetry, particularly that which is comprised of two inverse elements reflecting each other. The opposites that form the graceful symmetry of Chanukah are those of darkness and light, or as referred to in the Aramaic idiom of the Zohar — “transforming chashocha (darkness) into nahora (light),” whose initial letters themselves spell chen. We can now begin to understand how the Chanukah candles succeed in transforming darkness into light. Reflective symmetry is the result of two inverse elements possessing a hidden reference to each other. By defining themselves in perfect contradistinction to one another, such elements enter into a symmetrical bond which attests to an underlying unity forming their common source. So it is with darkness and light. Just as light itself possesses the potential to blind one with its radiance (thus testifying to the source of “darkness” included within light), so too does darkness hold within it the potential for illumination (the power of the color black to “shine”). In truth, the hidden light inhering within darkness is infinitely more beautiful than the revealed light which we naturally experience. This is apparent as well from the verse in Ecclesiastes (2:13) which reads: “As the advantage of light over darkness, so is the advantage of wisdom over folly.” Although this is the accepted understanding of the verse, a purely literal reading of the words suggests an alternative interpretation: “As the advantage of light from darkness, so is the advantage of wisdom over folly” — the implication being that the light which emerges from within darkness itself is the true source of wisdom’s superiority. The hidden light which inheres within darkness must be “sparked” into consciousness if it is to transform the opaque realm of Creation into a translucent expanse of Divine light. Herein lies the secret of redemption, expressed in Kabbalah as the process of redeeming those fragments or “sparks” of Divine light which were scattered throughout the universe when the primordial vessels of light fashioned at the dawn of Creation shattered, descending into the lower realms. Parallel to the cosmic restoration of these Divine sparks, there takes place a process here below whereby the lost souls of Israel are aroused to reembrace their people, their land, and their God. The miracle of Chanukah represents the ability to revive the Divine spark of light which resides hidden within the soul of every Jew, regardless of how oblivious he or others may be to its existence. It is told that in his early years, the Baal Shem Tov walked small Jewish children to and from their local cheder (school). It was his custom to place his holy hand on each child’s heart, and bless him that he grow to be a “warm Jew”(in Yiddish: a varemer yid). Even a heart as cold as stone could not help but absorb the fiery love of God and man, and the burning desire for redemption, which radiated from his touch. The secret of chen as it relates to Chanukah implies that although Jews may appear to be in total conflict with each other, in truth — in the innermost point of faith, rooted in Jewish being — they are one. In their apparent opposition, they are actually mirroring each other. The opposing natures and positions which emerge from the endless internal dialogue spanning the history of the Jewish people provide the elements out of which the beautiful tapestry of Jewish existence will display itself at the end of days. The classic example of antagonism suffused with chen is that of the ongoing opposition between the Talmudic schools of Hillel and Shammai. One of their most famous disputes concerns the order by which we light the Chanukah candles. According to the school of Hillel, we begin by lighting one candle on the first night of Chanukah and then continue to add an additional candle on each successive night. The school of Shammai takes the opposite position, stating that one should light all eight candles on the first night and then progressively eliminate one candle each night thereafter, until one is left with one single candle on the eighth and last night. In this dispute we encounter the ultimate expression of chen symmetry. Although diametrically opposed to each other, both positions have validity. Common practice nowadays dictates that we conduct ourselves in accordance with the opinion of the school of Hillel. However, it is said that in the world to come, the law will be in accord with the school of Shammai. In truth, both positions assert themselves simultaneously, just as the reality of this world and that of the next are not separated in time but rather parallel each other. The difference is one of conscious emphasis. The power of chen inherent in Chanukah enables us to harmonize the radical contradictions which accompany us through time to the threshold of the Messianic era.

By comparison with “hell”, which in its traditional sense is not a biblical idea, “heaven” ought to be a fairly straightforward theological concept to explain. Surely heaven is simply what belief in Jesus is ultimately all about? It’s where we go when we die. It’s what makes sitting through—or preaching—all those tedious sermons worth while. The party at the end of the cosmos. The thumping rock and roll worship session in the clouds around the throne of God for ever and ever. The marriage feast that will make the impending Royal Wedding celebrations—there will be a reception, surely?—look like a bunch of scruffy winos picking over the congealed remains from a discarded pizza box. Unfortunately, our popular beliefs about heaven are almost as misconceived as the belief that there is a place called “hell”, deep in the bowels of the cosmos, where the wicked—by “wicked” is often meant “those not chosen”—will be tormented for eternity. Heaven certainly exists, but it is opposed in scripture not to a metaphysical hell (as alternative final destinies), but to earth, in recognition of the fractured structure of creation. The fundamental problem addressed all the way through the biblical metanarrative is not: How are people to get to heaven? but: How is God to live in the midst of his creation? So paradoxically we must begin on earth. What I think we need to highlight, first, is a series of moments (the green bars in the diagram) when God brings about “new creation” within the framework of the old creation: Noah’s family are the seed of a new creation following the destruction of the flood; Abraham is called to be the progenitor of a new humanity in microcosm; Isaiah pictures the return from exile as a new creation; in a more radical way the people of God are made new creation in Christ through the re-creative power of the Spirit of God; and many people today are instinctively reaching for “new creation” language in order to describe the renewal of the church after the collapse of Western Christendom. The people of God are always a sign, by grace, of the Creator God who makes all things new. On the outer edge of the New Testament’s prophetic imagination this divine drive to re-create gives rise to a vision of a transcendent “new heaven and new earth”, which will constitute the final victory of the Creator God over the powers of evil that had devastated his good creation. Significantly, in John’s visionary narrative the movement is downwards: the holy city, the new Jerusalem, is seen “coming down out of heaven from God”; and a loud voice from the throne proclaims, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (Rev. 21:2-3). This is the final answer to the recurring question: How is God to live in the midst of his creation? Prior to this consummation it is only under exceptional circumstances that God becomes present on earth—in a burning bush, in fire and smoke on Mount Sinai, painstakingly sequestered in the Holy of Holies, in Christ, or since Pentecost in the temple of his people, through the Spirit. It is also rather exceptional for people to go to heaven. Enoch and Elijah were transported directly to heaven while alive (Gen. 5:24; 2 Kgs. 2;11; cf. Heb. 11:5), which is remarkable by anyone’s standards. Jesus ascended into heaven after his resurrection and now sits at the right hand of the Father, having received kingdom and power and glory as a result of his faithful obedience to the point of death. A trinitarian theology rather obscures the oddity of this christological development. Once Jesus has been assimilated into the fuzzy metaphysical community of the godhead, it is not merely his earthly existence that tends to fall away; his new humanity also gets forgotten about. But as firstfruits from the dead, the resurrected Jesus is a sign of a final new creation. He is only temporarily in heaven. The ultimate is still to come. But what about the rest of us? Here’s where I take an admittedly unconventional turn. Why does John differentiate between a limited first resurrection of those who “had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God” (Rev. 20:4-5) and a comprehensive second resurrection of all the dead for judgment after the dissolution of the old order of things (Rev. 20:11-13)? That first resurrection, moreover, appears to follow on directly from the defeat of the “beast” of an idolatrous Roman imperialism (Rev. 19:11-21). Those who are raised—those who had not worshipped the beast—then “reigned with Christ for a thousand years”. In other words, they went to heaven. We could dismiss this as so much imponderable apocalyptic detail, but it seems to me that John is asserting something of crucial significance for the early persecuted churches here—that those who share in Christ’s sufferings, as they confront his enemies, will share in his resurrection and reign. This is consistent with the origins of the personal resurrection motif in Jewish martyrdom theology (cf. 2 Macc. 7:9, 14). It is also consistent with Paul’s argument that the churches have been called to participate in the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection—not merely symbolically through baptism but practically and literally, through the sacrifice of their lives. When Paul expresses a desire to “depart and be with Christ”, it is in the context of his expressed desire that “I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Phil. 1:21; 3:10-11). I have also argued that Jesus’ promise to the man being executed next to him, that he will be with him that day “in paradise”, also has its origins in a martyrdom theology. So what it comes down to, I think, is this. 1) Heaven is not the ultimate destination. In the end, there will be a new heaven and a new earth; and the dwelling of God will be in the midst of things. 2) Jesus has been raised and vindicated and reigns at the right hand of God. 3) The early community that was “conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8:29) through suffering and death has also been raised, vindicated, given kingdom, and reigns with Jesus at the right hand of God. Heaven comes at the end of a particular Christlike journey, which fortunately not all Christians get the chance to walk. 4) According to John, the “rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended” (Rev. 20:5). I have suggested elsewhere that this may refer not to the “rest of humanity” but to the dead who opposed the God of Israel during the eschatological crisis. This would mean that all except Jesus and the martyrs will be raised after the earth and sky have fled away. Including believers. We die. We are dead. We are raised at a final judgment. And if our names are not written in the Book of Life, we are thrown into the lake of fire, which is the second death, a second destruction (Rev. 20:11-15). The end.

The noted blogger Fjordman is filing this report via Gates of Vienna. For a complete Fjordman blogography, see The Fjordman Files. There is also a multi-index listing here. A printable (plain HTML) version is available here. I utilized many sources while writing this history of European music, but the single most important reference work was A History of Western Music, Seventh Edition, by Donald J. Grout, Peter J. Burkholder and Claude V. Palisca. This book is very comprehensive and easily recommended for those who have a serious interest in the subject. The earliest evidence we have of musical instruments dates back to the Old Stone Age. We know that there were rich musical traditions in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China and elsewhere. Indirectly, it is possible that some aspects of Babylonian musical theory and practice influenced the Greek, and by extension European, musical tradition. The ancient Greeks used various musical instruments such as harps, horns, lyres, drums and cymbals. Greek music theory evolved continually from Pythagoras before 500 BC to Aristides Quintilianus in the late third century AD, whose treatise De musica (On Music) is an important source of knowledge of the Greek musical tradition. Music was closely connected to astronomy in Pythagorean thought, as mathematical laws and proportions were considered to be the underpinnings of both musical intervals and the heavenly bodies. Plato and Aristotle argued that education should stress gymnastics to discipline the body and music to discipline the mind. Plato was, as usual, the stricter of the two. He would only allow certain types of music for limited purposes and asserted that musical conventions must not be changed, since lawlessness in art leads to anarchy. Aristotle was less restrictive and argued that music could be used for enjoyment as well as for education. To the Romans, music was a natural part of most public ceremonies and featured in entertainment and in education, too. During the early Christian era, the musical legacy of the Greco-Roman world was modified and transmitted to the West by scholars such as Martianus Capella (fifth century AD). The Church was the dominant social institution in post-Roman times and deeply affected the future development of European music. Some elements of Christian observances may derive from Jewish tradition, chiefly the chanting of Scripture and the signing of psalms, poems of praise from the Hebrew Book of Psalms. How much borrowing there was from Jewish sources is hard to say, but similarities between Jewish melodies passed down through oral tradition and medieval melodic formulas for signing psalms in Christian churches suggest that there might have been some borrowing. For medieval Christians, music was the servant of religion. The most characteristic Byzantine chants were hymns, which became more prominent in the liturgy of the Eastern Church than in the Western one. Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (ca. 480-525) was born in Rome, knew Greek and has been called “the last of the Romans, the first of the scholastics.” Like Augustine before him, he believed that the application of reason to theology was essential. According to Edward Grant, “Boethius began a trend that would eventually revolutionize Christian theology and transform it into a rationalistic and analytical discipline.” He wrote on philosophy, logic, theology and mathematics, and his influence helped to preserve some fragments of Greek philosophy and mathematics in Western Europe during the Early Middle Ages. His De institutione musica (The Fundamentals of Music), written in Latin but drawn from Greek sources, was widely cited for the next thousand years. Church leaders drew on Greek musical theory but rejected pagan religious customs, elevated worship over entertainment and singing over instrumental music. The term “medieval” has, somewhat unfairly, come to carry decisively negative connotations for many people. Renaissance humanists viewed everything in between the fall of Rome in the fifth century AD and the revival of the Classical heritage in the fourteenth century as an unenlightened age which they labeled the Middle Ages. Much later, historians such as Jacob Burckhardt (1818-1897) from Switzerland and George Voigt (1827-1891) from Germany devoted considerable time to the epoch which was dubbed the “Renaissance,” or “rebirth,” and they reinforced the impression of the previous era as a “Dark Age.” There is no doubt that there was prolonged unrest and urban disintegration following the collapse of Roman authority, accompanied by major population movements across the European continent, yet even during these troubled times there were exceptions. Charles Martel and the Carolingians managed to halt the Islamic invasion in France in the eighth century and for some time rebuilt a stronger state. Christianity spread among the barbarians. Saint Isidore of Seville (ca. 560-636) and the Venerable Bede (ca. 672-735) contributed to the modest storehouse of scholarly and philosophical knowledge that was available in much of Europe before the organized recovery began in earnest from the twelfth century onward. The theologian Isidore was born into a prominent family in Roman Spain and served as Archbishop of Seville, then under Visigothic rule, for several decades. His encyclopedia Etymologies exists in more than a thousand manuscripts, making it one of the most popular books of the European Middle Ages before the printing press. It covers the seven liberal arts, medicine, law, timekeeping and the calendar, theology, anthropology, geography, cosmology, mineralogy and agriculture. He was not a very original writer, but his work contained some useful information in an age when this was in short supply. The Venerable Bede was an accomplished English (Anglo-Saxon) monk and historian. At the age of seven he entered the monastery of Monkwearmouth in northeastern England, near the modern city of Newcastle. He is especially remembered for his Ecclesiastical History of the English People, which constitutes the chief source of information for modern scholars about early Britain. He also helped popularize the system of dating events from the birth of Christ. Bede’s work is a fine example of good medieval scholarship, but he was not typical, as most monks spent more time in the fields and farms or in administration than on being scholars. Monks from Ireland, which was very early converted to Christianity following the disintegration of the Western Roman Empire, played a major role in keeping alive what remained of learning in the West during the Early Middle Ages. John Scotus Eriugena (ca. AD 810-877), the Irish philosopher and theologian who served King Charles the Bald of France, wrote a significant treatise titled On the Division of Nature. According to Edward Grant, “Eriugena’s emphasis on reason was given institutional roots in eleventh-century Europe with the development of the cathedral schools that emerged in various European cities.” Grant believes that “…medieval theology was a systematic, rationalistic discipline.” Emperor Charlemagne brought in Alcuin, a distinguished scholar and headmaster of the cathedral school at York in present-day England, to serve as his educational adviser. Alcuin had studied with an Irish teacher and was assisted by several Irish clerics. John McKay, Bennett Hill and John Buckler elaborate in A History of Western Society, Seventh Edition: “At his court at Aachen, Charlemagne assembled learned men from all over Europe. The most important scholar and the leader of the palace school was the Northumbrian Alcuin (ca 735-804). From 781 until his death, Alcuin was the emperor’s chief adviser on religious and educational matters. An unusually prolific scholar, Alcuin prepared some of the emperor’s official documents and wrote many moral exempla, or ‘models,’ which set high standards for royal behavior and constitute a treatise on kingship. Alcuin’s letters to Charlemagne set forth political theories on the authority, power, and responsibilities of a Christian ruler. Aside from Alcuin’s literary efforts, what did the scholars at Charlemagne’s court do? They copied books and manuscripts and built up libraries. They used the beautifully clear handwriting known as ‘caroline minuscule,’ from which modern Roman type is derived. (This script is called minuscule because unlike the Merovingian majuscule, which had letters of equal size, minuscule had both upper- and lowercase letters.) Caroline minuscule improved the legibility of texts and meant that a sheet of vellum could contain more words and thus be used more efficiently. With the materials at hand, many more manuscripts could be copied.” Although this Carolingian revival was initially motivated primarily by concerns about the low level of clerical literacy, it welcomed the natural sciences as well. Astronomy, for instance, was relevant for timekeeping and the calendar and for determining the correct date of Easter. As David C. Lindberg says, “The importance of the copying of classical texts is demonstrated by the fact that our earliest known copies of most Roman scientific and literary texts (also Latin translations of Greek texts) date from the Carolingian period. The recovery and copying of books, combined with Charlemagne’s imperial edict mandating the establishment of cathedral and monastery schools, contributed to a wider dissemination of education than the Latin West had seen for several centuries and laid a foundation for future scholarship.” – – – – – – – – – There was some revival of interest in mathematics after the work of Gerbert d’Aurillac (ca. 945-1003), who became Pope Sylvester II in 999. As Grant states, “In the eleventh century, Gerbert’s students disseminated his love of learning and his teaching methods throughout northern Europe. As a consequence, logic became a basic subject of study in the cathedral schools of Europe. And, in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, would become ever more deeply entrenched in the curricula of the cathedral schools and then the universities of Europe.” The number of monks greatly exceeded the number of nuns during the Middle Ages, but nuns had an important impact on society, too. As with monks, intellectual and scholarly nuns were not typical of the era, but some of them did exist. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was a German abbess and composer who was given by her family when eight years old as an oblate to an abbey in the Rhineland, where she learned Latin and received a good education. A talented poet and composer, she collected 77 of her lyric poems, wrote scholarly works and carried out a vast correspondence with many prominent persons of her time. “Hildegard represents the Benedictine ideal of great learning combined with a devoted monastic life.” The French scholar Peter Lombard (ca. 1095-1160) wrote a treatise titled Four Books of Sentences, which became the basic textbook in all schools of theology in the Latin West until the seventeenth century. Between 1150 and 1500, only the Bible was read and discussed more than the Sentences. After education at Bologna, before 1150 he taught theology at the school of Notre Dame, Paris. Here he came into contact with Peter Abelard and the mystic Hugh of Saint-Victor (1096-1141), who were among the most influential theologians of the time. The codification of liturgy, helped by Frankish kings, led to the repertory known as Gregorian chant, which was codified after centuries of development as an oral tradition. It was used in Christian services in Western and Central Europe until the Protestant Reformation and in Catholic areas even after that. Most people in these regions heard Gregorian chant at least weekly. From the ninth through the thirteenth centuries, chant formed the foundation for most polyphonic music. All later music in the Western tradition wears its imprint. The Greek system of notation had apparently been forgotten by the seventh century, when Isidore of Seville wrote that “Unless sounds are remembered by man, they perish, for they cannot be written down.” Yet with increasingly complex chants arose the need for notation, a way to write down the music. The earliest surviving books of chant with musical notation date from the ninth century AD. The invention of musical scales was important, but music antedated the invention of scales. The invention of musical notation enabled musicians to build upon the work of the past. It may well have been a necessary condition for the development of musical expression, but not alone sufficient to explain all later advances. The connection between mathematical ratios and musical intervals discovered by Pythagoras and independently by the Chinese was important, but not as crucial as polyphony. “Just as linear perspective added depth to the length and breadth of painting, polyphony added, metaphorically, a vertical dimension to the horizontal line of melody.” As stated in A History of Western Music, “Many particular features of Western notation have been around for a millennium, including staff lines, clefs, and notes placed above the text and arranged so that higher notes indicate higher pitches. The invention of a notation that could record pitches and intervals precisely and could be read at sight was decisive in the later evolution of Western music, which more than other musical traditions is not just played and heard, but written and read. Indeed, notation is the very reason why we have a thousand years of music we can still perform and hear, and why books like this can be written. Almost as important, the codification of Gregorian chant and its diffusion in notation made it the basis for much of the music from the ninth through the sixteenth centuries. That these events took place under the Franks was significant, since Charlemagne’s empire was the political and cultural center of western Europe. From his day through the fourteenth century, the most important developments in European music took place in the area he once ruled.” Churches and monasteries prospered after AD 1000 due to the relative political stability and great economic growth of the High Middle Ages. Europeans developed new and large cathedrals which employed the principles of the Roman basilica and the round arch, and artists decorated these buildings with frescoes and sculptures. In the ninth and tenth centuries, the Vikings and Magyars had burned hundreds of wooden churches. In the eleventh century the abbots therefore wanted to rebuild in a more permanent fashion, so the builders replaced wooden roofs with arched stone ceilings called “vaults.” Because these ceilings were heavy, only thick walls could support them, which again allowed for only small windows. Nineteenth-century historians coined the term Romanesque, meaning “in the Roman manner,” to describe church architecture in many regions of Europe between the tenth and the twelfth centuries. The main features of this style, solid walls, rounded arches and masonry vaults, had been the characteristics of large Roman buildings. Romanesque churches had a massive quality to them and symbolized a “fortress of God,” a place of refuge in a time of insecurity. Because of this, churches of this style often have a powerful, fortresslike appearance. The Romanesque style is usually called Norman style in English, as it was championed in England by the Normans, the conquerors of mixed French and Viking (Norsemen) origins. After the Norman Conquest in 1066 under the leadership of William I (ca.1028-1087), better known as William the Conqueror, English culture was more closely allied to that of France. The Norman-style Winchester Cathedral has been the seat of many coronations and burials. The Romanesque style was eventually replaced by new ideas, which later scholars termed “Gothic.” This is a misnomer as the style had nothing to do with the Goths, a post-Roman Germanic tribe. The term was coined following the Renaissance and the revival of the Classical style by Filippo Brunelleschi, when everything before this was considered inferior. Those who have had the pleasure of seeing impressive Gothic cathedrals such as the Notre Dame in Paris will, however, fail to detect any sign of barbarism in them. Due to the pointed arch, the ribbed vault and the flying buttress, the ceiling weighed less in the new architecture. This made possible thinner walls and large stained-glass windows which flooded the church with light. The construction of such cathedrals represented a gigantic investment of time and money. Many craftsmen and their apprentices had to be assembled: quarrymen, carpenters, stonecutters, glassmakers etc., in addition to unskilled laborers to do the heavy work. The construction was rarely completed in a lifetime, and later generations often added to the building. Contributors and workers left their imprints on the cathedrals, which often carried scenes celebrating country life and the activities of ordinary people. According to A History of Western Society, Seventh Edition, “Medieval churches stand as the most spectacular manifestations of medieval vitality and creativity. It is difficult for people today to appreciate the extraordinary amounts of energy, imagination, and money involved in building them. Between 1180 and 1270 in France alone, eighty cathedrals, about five hundred abbey churches, and tens of thousands of parish churches were constructed. This construction represents a remarkable investment for a country of scarcely 18 million people. More stone was quarried for churches in medieval France than had been mined in ancient Egypt, where the Great Pyramid alone consumed 40.5 million cubic feet of stone….Gothic cathedrals were built in towns and reflect both bourgeois wealth and enormous civic pride. The manner in which a society spends its wealth expresses its values. Cathedrals, abbeys, and village churches testify to the deep religious faith and piety of medieval people. If the dominant aspect of medieval culture had not been the Christian faith, the builder’s imagination and the merchant’s money would have been used in other ways.” New instruments appeared or came into widespread usage at this time, among them brass instruments such as trumpets and various horns. This was during the revival of Classical learning and the foundation of the first universities, and these developments were paralleled in music. “Like stained-glass windows, song touched hearts and lifted spirits.” Those who sang polyphony at first valued it as decoration, a concept central to medieval architecture. “Polyphonic performance heightened the grandeur of chant and thus of the liturgy itself.” We cannot say with certainty that the ancient Greeks did not invent polyphony. For Plato and Aristotle, music was considered to be a force that shaped ethical behavior and society itself. This music must have been more powerful than a few simple melodies. Just how sophisticated it was we don’t know for sure, yet as Charles Murray writes in Human Accomplishment: “But as far as can be determined from the evidence, every previous musical tradition, Greek or otherwise, consisted of horizontal linkages of notes placed one after the other, forming melodies. The melody might have a rhythmic accompaniment. Many instruments might be involved in playing the melody. But the music had a single, linear melodic line. Polyphony was the first expression of the idea that notes could be stacked on top of one another, creating musical lines that went different directions at the same time. Technically, polyphony has a narrow meaning. It is music in which simultaneous voice or instrumental parts are in two or more melodic lines, each of which can stand alone. Exactly where and when polyphony began is uncertain. The Welsh apparently sang in different parts very early, and so did the Danes. It may well be that other folk cultures had local musical traditions that used simultaneous melodic lines. But the main sequence for the development of polyphony came through the Catholic monasteries, especially the great monastery of St. Martial in Limoges, in central France, via an evolution of the method of singing prayers called organum.” Organa (pl.) grew more complex and sophisticated between the eleventh and the thirteenth centuries, and secular versions of polyphony began to develop. “Advances in theory and notation during the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth centuries allowed musicians to write down polyphony and develop progressively more elaborate varieties, in genres such as organum, conductus, and motet. The rise of written polyphony is of particular interest because it inaugurated four precepts that have distinguished Western music ever since: (1) counterpoint, the combination of multiple independent lines; (2) harmony, the regulation of simultaneous sounds; (3) the centrality of notation; and (4) the idea of composition as distinct from performance. These concepts changed over time, but their presence in this music links it to all that followed.” The term organum is used here for two or more voices singing different notes in agreeable combinations. This term was used for several styles of polyphony from the ninth through thirteenth centuries. Early in the twelfth century, singers and composers in France developed a more ornate type of polyphony which is known today as Aquitanian polyphony. The twelfth-century liturgical composer Léonin, or Leoninus, was the first major European composer we know by name. He had probably studied at the emerging University of Paris and was associated with the Notre Dame school of composition in that city. His works were superseded by those of his French successor Pérotin, or Perotinus, during the early 1200s. A History of Western Music explains: “Musicians in Paris developed a still more ornate style of polyphony in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. The creators of this style were associated with the new Cathedral of Paris, Notre Dame (‘Our Lady,’ the Virgin Mary). One of the grandest Gothic cathedrals, Notre Dame took almost a century to build: the foundations were begun around 1160, the apse and choir completed in 1182, the first Mass celebrated in 1183, the transept and nave finished around 1200, and the façade completed about 1250. During this time, musicians at or connected to Notre Dame created a new repertory of unprecedented grandeur and complexity. This new repertory was perhaps the first polyphony to be primarily composed and read from notation rather than improvised, and included the first body of music for more than two independent voices. Such elaborate music was valued for its artistry in decorating the authorized chant, making important services more impressive, and paralleling in sound the stunning size and beautiful decoration of the building itself. The Notre Dame composers developed the first notation since ancient Greece to indicate duration, a step of great importance for later music.” These developments had far-reaching consequences for the future course of European music. A History of Western Music again: “Before 1000, virtually all composition consisted of inventing a single melody line. By 1300, composition increasingly meant creating polyphony, although monophonic melodies continued to be composed. The emergence of written polyphony was a major turning point in Western music, as the coordination of multiple parts, interest in vertical sonorities, and use of counterpoint and harmony to create a sense of direction, tension, and resolution became characteristics of the Western tradition that set it apart from almost all others. In this sense, medieval polyphony was of enormous historical importance. Moreover, the notation that composers developed for polyphony introduced two features that became fundamental to later Western notation: vertical placement to coordinate multiple parts, as in Aquitanian and Notre Dame organum and modern scores, and different noteshapes to indicate relative duration, pioneered in Franconian notation and continued in our whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes and rests.” These developments continued during the Renaissance era. The Franco-Flemish Josquin des Prez (ca. 1450-1521), one of the leading composers of Renaissance Europe, was widely hailed as a great musician and held prestigious positions at courts and churches in France and Italy. The Franco-Flemish composer Orlando di Lasso (ca. 1532-1594) ranks with the Italian Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (ca. 1525-1594) among the great composers of sacred music in sixteenth century Europe, although unlike Palestrina he also wrote many secular works. Despite the many contributions made by composers and theorists of late medieval polyphony, their music seldom outlived them by more than a generation or two. As new styles were created, older styles soon fell out of fashion. At the time of Bach, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, medieval music was often regarded as crude, harsh and primitive. Nevertheless, the medieval era created the entire basis for the future developments of European music. Without medieval polyphony there could have been no Bach, Mozart or Beethoven. As Charles Murray puts it: “The process that had begun with the invention of polyphony would continue for centuries. If one were looking for the most dazzling immediate effects of a musical invention, the most promising candidate would not be the original invention of polyphony, but the development of modern tonal (major-minor) harmony that began in the Renaissance and reached its full expression in the Baroque. It is tonal harmony that made possible the music from the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras, and that fills most of today’s concert programs. But tonal harmony falls in the category of a great invention that builds on a more fundamental expansion of the human cognitive repertoire — in this instance, the idea that music has a vertical dimension as well as a horizontal one. Notes can be stacked. Melodies can be stacked. Once that idea was in the air, all else became possible.” The era from roughly 1600 to about 1750 has in retrospect been called the Baroque period in European history. The creativity among musicians during this age paralleled new ideas in science, politics and economics embodied in the Scientific Revolution. In art and architecture as well as in music, the Baroque began in Italy. Many great works of art had been made in Renaissance Italy, among them the Pietà sculpture in St. Peter’s Basilica and the decoration of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo and those created in the Vatican by Raphael. The theatricality of the Baroque period’s art can be seen in the works of the Italian sculptor and architect Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680), who served no less than eight popes in his lifetime. Bernini’s life-size marble sculpture of the Biblical David (1623) depicts movement in an entirely new way and hence looks more dramatic than Michelangelo’s masterly nude depiction David (1501-4). Bernini’s Ecstasy of St. Teresa (1645-52) in Rome is another of his greatest marble sculptures. His most famous architectural works include the design for the spectacular square in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Bernini was a deeply believing Roman Catholic who felt that the purpose of Christian art was to inspire the faithful. The Aztecs, Incas and other American peoples had rich musical traditions of their own, with songs in a variety of styles and a wide array of instruments. Much of their music was associated with dancing and religious rituals. Catholic missionaries used this native interest in music to spread Christianity, and brought over the polyphonic music used in European churches. Spanish musicians moved to the Americas to serve as cathedral musicians there. By 1600, the flood of silver and gold from its colonies in the New World had made Spain the richest country in Europe, and arguably the most powerful nation on Earth. Its empire included the Netherlands and half of Italy, Portugal (annexed in 1580) and Portuguese possessions such as Brazil, the Philippine Islands and most of the Americas. Yet her wealth was squandered on luxury goods and failed imperial policies and did not lead to the development of major industries. Spain held on to her Latin American possessions until the early nineteenth century, with the independence movement of Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), but she had lost her dominant position within Europe itself by the mid-seventeenth century. Bowed instruments may have originated in Central Asia and eventually spread to China and India and to Europe via the Middle East. The modern violin family consists of the violin, viola and cello along with the double bass. The violin emerged in Renaissance Italy, descending from the family of six-stringed viols. As the common “fiddle,” it was easily adopted for dance music, was small, portable and soon became popular. Italian instrument builders developed the art of violin-making to a peak that has never been surpassed. Antonio Stradivari (ca. 1644-1737) from Cremona, Italy was a crafter of stringed instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars and harps and the most prominent member of a renowned family of Italian instrument-makers. He is often known to the general public under the Latinized version of his name, Stradivarius, or the colloquial “Strad.” He was possibly a pupil of Nicolò Amati (1596-1684), who came from another dynasty of violin-makers. During his remarkably long life, Stradivari made or supervised the production of more than 1,100 instruments, including harps, guitars, violas and cellos. More than half of these survive and are still being used today by some of the world’s leading string players. He was a careful craftsman and selected woods of the highest possible quality, but scientists are still struggling to explain exactly what set his instruments apart from others. His workshop was by the mid-eighteenth century engaged in a healthy rivalry with that of the Guarneri family, among them Giuseppe Guarnieri (1698-1744). As Norman Davies writes in his book Europe: A History: “With the exception of Jacob Stainer (1617-78) in Tyrol, all the master violin-makers, from Maggini of Brescia to Amati and Stradivari of Cremona and Guarneri of Venice, were Italian. The art of violin-playing was greatly advanced by the development of systematic teaching methods, including those of Leopold Mozart and of G. B. Viotti. The Paris Conservatoire, from 1795, was the predecessor of similar institutions in Prague (1811), Brussels (1813), Vienna (1817), Warsaw (1822), London (1822), St Petersburg (1862), and Berlin (1869). A striking feature of violin-playing from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries was the marked predominance of East Europeans. The phenomenon may possibly reflect the traditions of fiddle-playing among Jews and Gypsies, and more probably the special status of music-making in politically repressed cultures. At all events, Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840) was for a long time the first and last of the ‘greats’ who was not either East European or Jewish or both. Joseph Joachim (1831-1907) of Vienna and Henryk Wieniawski (1835-80), a Pole from Lublin who helped launch the St Petersburg school, were founders of the magnificent line which ran through Kreisler, Ysaye, and Szigeti to Heifitz, Milstein, Oistrakh, Szeryng, and Isaac Stern. All played their ‘Strads’.” The Italian Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) had an unparalleled influence on performers and composers alike. By 1675 he was living in Rome where he became a leading violinist and composer, enjoying the support of Queen Christina of Sweden and other rich patrons. René Descartes died of pneumonia in Stockholm in 1650 while teaching Christina, unaccustomed as he was with the cold Scandinavian winters and with getting up early in the morning. Corelli’s teaching was the foundation of most eighteenth-century schools of violin-playing. It is known that he met George Frideric Handel, who was in Rome between 1707 and 1708. Another Italian composer and violinist who left a decisive mark on the form of the concerto and the style of late Baroque instrumental music was Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) from Venice. Vivaldi trained for both music and the priesthood, a combination that was not unusual at the time. He was a virtuoso violinist and one of the most original and influential composers of his time. The Four Seasons, a series of four violin concerti, is his most famous work today. These developments in Christian Europe extended to Jewish music as well. Judaism was among the European faiths most bound by tradition, but the seventeenth century saw the introduction of polyphonic music into synagogue services in addition to churches. The Italian Jewish violinist and composer Salamone Rossi (ca. 1570-ca. 1630) published a collection of Jewish liturgical music (Hashirim asher lish’lomo, The Songs of Solomon) in 1623, which incorporated the influence of Monteverdi and other northern Italian composers of the time. L’Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643), first performed in 1607 in Mantua, was one of the earliest European works recognized as an opera. An opera (Italian for “work”) is a drama with continuous or nearly continuous music that is staged with scenery, costumes and action. The text is called a libretto (Italian for “little book”). The opera is a union of poetry, drama and music. It had its origins around 1600 and became the leading genre of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The association of music with drama goes back to ancient times, to the plays of Sophocles and Euripedes. Some of the plays of the Renaissance incorporated music, too. Opera consisted of a blend of already existing genres, but mixed in a new way. Another early opera composer was the German Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787). According to Norman Davies, “Claudio Monteverdi’s Orfeo [was] ‘the first viable opera in the repertoire’. Since its origins in the court entertainment of late Renaissance Italy, the operatic genre, which combines music, secular drama, and spectacle, has passed through many phases. The opera seria, whose most prolific proponent was Pietro Metastasio (1698-1782), author of 800 libretti, was devoted to classical and historical themes. Alongside it, the opera buffa launched a long tradition of light-hearted entertainment leading through opéra comique to operetta and musical comedy. Grand Opera, which starts in the late eighteenth century, reached its peaks in the Viennese, Italian, French, German, and Russian schools. Romantic nationalism became a prominent ingredient. The supreme laurels are disputed between the lovers of Verdi and Puccini and the fanatical acolytes of Richard Wagner. Modernist opera began with Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande (1902), the precursor of a rich category including Berg’s Wozzeck (1925), Britten’s Peter Grimes (1945), and Stravinsky’s Rake’s Progress (1951). The Orphean theme has provided recurrent inspiration. Jacopo Peri’s Florentine masque Euridice (1600) anticipated Monteverdi’s production in Mantua. Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice (1762) opened the classical repertoire. Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld (1858) is one of the most joyous of the standard operettas.” Western European countries were at this time gradually expanding overseas and the Russian state expanded into Siberia, eventually reaching all the way to China and the Pacific Ocean. While the Portuguese and the Spanish had begun this trend, by the seventeenth century the Dutch, French and British were increasingly active. The English Civil War in the 1640s was primarily a battle for power between the king and Parliament but had religious aspects as well. Italy remained exclusively Catholic. Almost everywhere, the power of the state grew. According to Justo L. Gonzalez in The Story of Christianity: Volume Two, the religious conflicts of the Thirty Years’ War constituted “probably the bloodiest and most devastating European war before the 20th century… The principles of tolerance of the Peace of Westphalia (1648) were not born out of a deeper understanding of Christian love, but rather out of a growing indifference to religious matters….Perhaps rulers should not allow their decisions to be guided by religious or confessional considerations, but rather by their own self-interest, or by the interests of their subjects. Thus the modern secular state began to develop.” At the end of the Thirty Years War in 1648, much of present-day Germany was ruined and impoverished. The Holy Roman Emperor was weak, and the Empire encompassed almost three hundred more or less independent political units. This decentralized power structure held many problems compared to France, but rulers used patronage of scholars and musicians as a way of asserting their status. France replaced Spain as the strongest power in Europe, which increased the prestige of French language and culture. The “Sun King” Louis XIV (1638-1715), who installed his royal court at the magnificent Versailles palace outside of Paris, was the most powerful European monarch and the model for artistic patronage. The English, Germans, Russians, Poles and Austrians imitated French architecture and arts. According to A History of Western Society by John McKay, Bennett Hill and John Buckler: “In the gigantic Hall of Mirrors, later to reflect so much of German as well as French history, hundreds of candles illuminated the domed ceiling, where allegorical paintings celebrated the king’s victories. The art and architecture of Versailles served as fundamental tools of state policy under Louis XIV. The king used architecture to overawe his subjects and foreign visitors. Versailles was seen as a reflection of French genius. Thus the Russian tsar Peter the Great imitated Versailles in the construction of his palace, Peterhof, as did the Prussian emperor Frederick the Great in his palace at Potsdam outside Berlin. As in architecture, so too in language. Beginning in the reign of Louis XIV, French became the language of polite society and the vehicle of diplomatic exchange. French also gradually replaced Latin as the language of international scholarship and learning. The wish of other kings to ape the courtly style of Louis XIV and the imitation of French intellectuals and artists spread the language all over Europe. The royal courts of Sweden, Russia, Poland, and Germany all spoke French.” From the 1660s on, French music was almost as influential abroad as was Italian music. Ballet emerged in the court culture of Renaissance Italy, but developed in the French court at this time. For three decades, Louis XIV’s favorite musician was Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687), originally from Florence, Italy, who wrote music for ballets and religious services at the court but earned his greatest success with dramatic music. Lully created a distinctive French kind of opera and fostered the modern orchestra. There were several excellent French playwrights, too, among them Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, or Molière, and Jean Racine (1639-1699). The tie or necktie, now worn by men all over the world, can also be traced back to this period. Croatian mercenaries in French service, wearing their traditional small, knotted neckerchiefs, aroused the interest of Parisians. More “modern” versions of the necktie spread from Victorian Britain, where the prototype of the modern suit emerged after 1860 as the “lounge suit,” but the first version of the well-known necktie dates back to the seventeenth century. As Davies states, “The French word cravate, ‘necktie’, has been taken into almost every European language. In German, it is krawatte, in Spanish corbata, in Greek, gravata, in Romanian, cravata, in standard Polish, krawat, in Cracow, eccentrically, krawatka. In English, it acquired the special meaning of ‘a linen or silk handkerchief passed once or twice round the neck outside the shirt collar’….All sources agree that it derives from an old form of the adjective for ‘Croat’ or, as a Croat would say, hrvati. Exactly how an East European adjective became permanently attached to one of the commonest items of European clothing is a matter for conjecture. One theory holds that Napoleon admired the scarves worn by captured Hapsburg soldiers. This is clearly a misattribution, since Littré cites Voltaire using the word long before Napoleon was born….Louis XIV is perhaps nearer the mark. Croat mercenaries in the French service at Versailles are the likeliest source of the fashion which spread all over the world. At all events, people who deny the influence of Europe’s ‘smaller nations’ should remember that the Croats have the rest of us by the throat.” The organ is one of the oldest instruments still in use in Western music. Its earliest history is so buried in Antiquity that it is difficult to reconstruct, but the first organ we know of was the hydraulis, or water organ, from about 250 BC, created by the innovative Greek engineer Ctesibius of Alexandria, a pioneer in the use of compressed air. It was used for public entertainments and circus games in ancient Rome. The first recorded appearance of an exclusively bellow-fed organ was not until almost 400 years later. By the eighth century AD organs were being built in Christian Europe, and from the tenth century their association with churches had been established. By the seventeenth century all the essential elements of the instrument had been developed. It was during the High Baroque period that the organ reached its greatest popularity and found its greatest composer in Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). In the eighteenth century for the first time, many of the greatest European composers came from the German-speaking regions of the continent: Handel, the Bach family, Haydn, Mozart and finally Beethoven and Wagner. Britain, in contrast, became a virtual colony for foreign musicians, and largely remained so until the twentieth century. While the Italians and the French were proud and often resisted foreign ideas, German and Austrian composers blended the best from the native tradition with other traditions and created a very successful synthesis. German-speaking Central Europe continued to be divided among hundreds of political entities, from large states such as Austria and Saxony to tiny principalities and independent cities. Some of these local rulers followed Louis XIV’s example from France of displaying their power and wealth through patronage of the arts. Many aristocrats were also enthusiastic amateur performers who often became particularly generous patrons of music. Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach in the heart of Germany. He probably learned the violin from his father, who was a court and town musician, and later became fascinated with the music of Vivaldi. The Bach family produced a string of talented musicians for many generations, of which J.S. was just the most prominent. Johann Sebastian Bach composed primarily to fulfill the needs of the positions he held, as church organist and concertmaster. His first positions were as a church organist, beginning at Arnstadt in 1703. He worked in different cities, among them Weimar and Leipzig, and tutored students in performance and composition, including several of his own sons. Like other musicians of his time he was the subject of restrictions placed on him by his employers, even restriction of movement. Although now considered one of the greatest composers in history, Bach was a modest man who regarded himself as a craftsman doing his job to the best of his ability. He gave God credit for his achievements; the initials SDG (Soli Deo Gloria, “To God alone be glory”) were added at the end of many of his scores. His church music was not confined to cantatas but included motets, passions, and Latin service music. His greatest works include the masterpiece The Art of Fugue and the Toccata and Fugue in D minor, still one of the most popular works in the organ repertoire, The Well-Tempered Clavier and the Brandenburg Concertos, to name but a few of the highlights. When he died after a stroke, he left a small estate which was split between his nine surviving children and his wife, who died in poverty ten years later. Bach composed The Art of Fugue in the last years of his life and kept at it even while lying in his deathbed. Because the published score leaves the medium undesignated, a strong prejudice would confine The Art to keyboard exposition, using a harpsichord, a piano or an organ, but it has appeared in many guises, from string-quartet arrangements to chamber orchestra and even full-orchestral realizations. As writer Thomas F. Bertonneau says: “By the middle of the eighteenth century, Europe’s musical taste had turned away from Papa Bach’s ‘baroque manner.’ Bach’s sons, for example, tended to express themselves in the new and popular Style Galante, which reduced the dense polyphonic textures of fugue and chorale, with their layers of intertwining voices, to the simpler textures of incipient sonata form, with its emphasis on harmonic progression as a means of evoking emotional responses from the audience. Bach meant The Art to sum up the earlier musical ethos, but in the age of the rococo, the divinely serious play — the spiritual mathematics — of strict imitative composition failed in its appeal. Or the new audience failed in its duty to appreciate the old art. The lovely frivolity of Bach’s sons, of the Mannheim composers, and of the early Franz Josef Haydn furnished amusement for people (aristocrats and burghers) who preferred elegance to gravity and diversion to elevation. Haydn himself and Wolfgang Mozart, at the end of his life, both became interested in Bach and began reintroducing fugal textures into their instrumental music. Ludwig van Beethoven followed their example and one result is the finale of his Ninth Symphony. Felix Mendelssohn knew The Art.” J. S. Bach was more famous as an organist than as a composer in his lifetime. Musical taste changed quickly in the mid-eighteenth century. When he died, his work was considered somewhat old-fashioned. Bach’s sons were influenced by him but went their own ways, and their fame, especially that of the musician and composer Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788), for a while eclipsed that of their father. Yet his music was never forgotten and was studied with respect by Mozart. Bach’s reputation was restored to almost its present status during the nineteenth century, although the real Bach revival would not come until the twentieth century. Handel’s works never went out of fashion in the same way. Georg Friederich Händel (1685-1759) originally came from Germany but spent most of his adult life in England, where he became known as George Frideric Handel. He was born in Halle, the son of a barber-surgeon at the local court who eventually let him study music. He moved to Hamburg and later to Italy, associating with the leading musicians of Florence, Naples and Rome. Except for a few visits to Continental Europe, Handel spent the rest of his life in England. In London, he enjoyed the lifelong support of the British royal family and other notables and became a revered figure. Handel was the master of all types of vocal and instrumental music. Unlike Bach he didn’t write for a church, a court or a town council; he wrote for the public. His Water Music premiered in 1717 with a concert on the River Thames in London, and his magnificent work Messiah premiered in Dublin, Ireland in 1742. According to A History of Western Music, “Handel won international renown during his lifetime, and his music has been performed ever since, making him the first composer whose music has never ceased to be performed. Handel’s music was enormously popular. When his Music for the Royal Fireworks was given a public rehearsal in 1749, it attracted an audience of over 12,000 people and stopped traffic in London for three hours.” Because of this, “The English came to regard Handel as a national institution, and with good reason. He passed all his mature life in London, becoming a naturalized British citizen in 1727, and wrote all his major works for British audiences. He was the most imposing figure in English music during his lifetime, and the English public nourished his genius and remained loyal to his memory.” When he died in 1759, he was buried with public honors at Westminster Abbey. Northern Italy, the Netherlands and Britain during the Renaissance and the early modern era prospered from capitalism, a new system where individuals invested their own money in businesses designed to make a profit. A crucial innovation was the joint stock company, which pooled the wealth of different individuals while limiting their risk. The capitalist system proved more economically efficient than concentration of money in the hands of the state or the privileged few, as was the case in Spain. Capitalism put money into the hands of individuals who could invest it locally, for instance building new opera houses in Hamburg or London. Among the long-term effects of this were the rise of public opera and public concerts and an increased demand in the upper and middle classes for musical instruments and lessons. Rulers, cities and prominent families supported music and the arts as a way of competing for prestige. In France, power and wealth was increasingly concentrated in the hands of the king. During the eighteenth century, public concerts arose in many cities alongside the private concerts and academies that had long been presented by wealthy patrons and clubs. Public concerts, by contrast, were usually money-making ventures for which tickets were sold, initially to the upper or upper-middle classes who could afford them. The English pioneered public concerts, which were social events as well as opportunities to hear music. In London a middle class interested in listening to music, a large number of excellent musicians in the service of the court and the theaters combined with the inability of the king to pay his musicians well encouraged the building of the first commercial concert halls, which flourished there in the late 1600s and early 1700s. This practice eventually spread throughout Britain and North America as well as Continental Europe. The European market for books grew dramatically during the eighteenth century. There was something of a “reading revolution” where educated readers critically reviewed many texts that were constantly changing and commanded no special respect. Reading became an individual and silent activity. Prussia led the way in the development of universal education, inspired by the Protestant ideal that every believer should personally be able to read and study the Bible. In addition to a strong population growth there was a remarkable rise in basic literacy in many European countries between 1600 and 1800, accompanied by the growing circulation of newspapers and magazines as well as books. Europe now had a sizeable reading public. Women, too, were increasingly literate, although they still lagged behind the men. The eighteenth century was the age of the Enlightenment, when leading intellectuals argued that human reason could solve all kinds of problems, both social and practical ones. Belief in natural law led to the notion that individuals had rights and that the role of the state was to improve the human condition. Among the most prominent French thinkers were François-Marie Arouet, better known as Voltaire, and Montesquieu. The Genevan philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau, whose political philosophy influenced the French Revolution, also made contributions to music as a theorist and a composer. These philosophes were social reformers. Some of these ideas were incorporated into the American Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and the other American Founding Fathers were as representative of the Enlightenment as the French thinkers were. The American and French Revolutions in the late eighteenth century spread new political ideas. Britain, formed by the union of England and Scotland in 1707, increasingly had the most powerful navy in Europe and used it to wrest parts of India, Canada and several Caribbean islands from France during the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763). International trade expanded rapidly with the emerging Atlantic economy, as did unfortunately the transatlantic slave trade. Prussia became a kingdom in 1701. It soon developed one of Europe’s best-trained armies and emerged as a power to be reckoned with under the leadership of Frederick the Great (1712-1786). Along with Empress Maria Theresa (1717-1780) of the Austrian Empire, Frederick sought to expand primary education to all children, with partial success. Poland fell victim to its neighbors and became divided between Prussia, Russia and Austria. Rulers patronized arts and letters and sometimes promoted social reform. Enlightened despots such as Frederick the Great of Prussia, Catherine the Great of Russia (1729-1796) and the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II (1741-1790) wanted to expand education and care for the poor. Humanitarian ideals and a longing for a universal brotherhood were important factors in a movement known as Freemasonry, the teachings of the secret fraternal order of Masons. Founded in London early in the eighteenth century it spread rapidly throughout Europe and North America and numbered among its adherents kings (Frederick the Great and Joseph II), statesmen (George Washington), poets (Goethe) and composers (Haydn and Mozart). The Austrian Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was the most celebrated composer of his day, prolific in every medium, but best remembered for his numerous symphonies and string quartets, which established standards of form and quality that others emulated. “Haydn has been called ‘the father of the symphony,’ not because he invented the genre but because his symphonies set the pattern for later composers through their high quality, wide dissemination, and lasting appeal.” He was born in a village near the border of Hungary and became a choirboy at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna at the age of seven, where he acquired practical experience in music and learned signing, harpsichord and violin. He spent most of his career serving the Esterházy family, the most powerful Hungarian noble family. For years he was responsible for composing on demand at a prodigious rate, but this also allowed him the opportunity to experiment and to hear his music performed under excellent conditions. In addition to being an Enlightenment man of good character, Haydn was a skillful businessman. The publication of his music brought him praise throughout Europe and generated commissions from other patrons. He spent much time in London between 1790 and 1795, composing, giving concerts and teaching. “During his stay in London, Haydn became acquainted with some of Handel’s oratorios. At Westminster Abbey in 1791, Haydn was so deeply moved by the Hallelujah Chorus in a massive performance of Messiah that he burst into tears and exclaimed, ‘He is the master of us all.’ Haydn’s appreciation for Handel bore fruit in the choral parts of his late masses and inspired him to compose his oratorios The Creation (completed 1798), on texts adapted from Genesis and Milton’s Paradise Lost, and The Seasons (completed 1801). Both were issued simultaneously in German and English, in a nod both to Handel and to the English public, and both quickly became standards of the repertory for choral societies in German- and English-speaking areas.” The English poet John Milton (1608-1674) is best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost, which, as mentioned, influenced Haydn in his musical composition The Creation. Haydn made his last public appearance for a performance of this work to celebrate his seventy-sixth birthday in 1808, the culmination of half a century of hard work. His output includes over 100 symphonies and 68 string quartets as well as piano sonatas, operas, masses and oratorios. Another brilliant Austrian composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), achieved wide renown earlier in his life than Haydn did. He was born in Salzburg, a quasi-independent state ruled by an archbishop. His father Leopold Mozart (1719-1787) was a violinist for the archbishop, a well-regarded composer and the author of a celebrated treatise on violin playing. He sacrificed his own career to give his exceptionally gifted son and his talented daughter Maria Anna Mozart (1751-1829), nicknamed “Nannerl,” a good musical training. According to the quality website The Mozart Project, “It took all of thirty minutes for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to master his first musical composition….Below it Leopold jotted: ‘This piece was learnt by Wolfgangerl on 24 January 1761, 3 days before his 5th birthday, between 9 and 9:30 in the evening.’ Wolfgang’s achievement was followed in rapid succession by others: a minuet and trio ‘learned within a half an hour’ on January 26, a march learned on February 4, another scherzo on February 6. It wasn’t long before the little boy entered a composition of his own into the notebook. At six measures, this andante in C major (K. 1a) is a mere wisp of a work. Other small compositions would follow. Inconsequential as they were, these bits and pieces were tokens of greater things to come. No doubt, the boy held great promise as a composer. But Leopold, who could clearly see and hear his children’s daily progress as keyboard performers, had more immediate aims. He began to neglect his court career and devote more time to Wolfgang and Nannerl’s musical instruction. Ambitious plans began to take shape in his mind. Partly out of parental pride, partly out of a sense of duty, he determined to take his two musical prodigies on tour to the courts of Europe.” When Wolfgang and to some extent his older sister Nannerl showed great talent at an early age, Leopold trained them in music and took them on tours across Europe, exhibiting their skills. In London, the young Wolfgang met Johann Christian Bach, who had a lasting influence on the boy. He eventually became acquainted with by Johann Sebastian Bach’s The Art of Fugue and studied Handel’s works. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed prolifically from the age of six to his premature death at thirty-five and was hailed as a child prodigy. According to A History of Western Music, Seventh Edition: “And prodigy he was: by the age of three he had developed perfect pitch; at five he was an accomplished harpsichord player; at six he was composing; at seven he could read at sight, harmonize melodies on first hearing, and improvise on a tune supplied to him. Though arduous, these trips exposed Mozart to an enormous range of musical styles. He also composed at a stupendous rate, turning out thirty-four symphonies, sixteen quartets, five operas, and over one hundred other works before his eighteenth birthday. Mozart spent the years 1772 to 1780 in Salzburg as third concert master at Archbishop Colloredo’s court. In 1781, over his father’s objections, he left the archbishop’s service and settled in Vienna, convinced that he could make a living through teaching, concertizing, and composing. Indeed he quickly won success, establishing himself as the best pianist in Vienna and enjoying a triumph with his Singspiel Die Entführung aus dem Serail. With his father’s grudging consent, he married Constanze Weber in the summer of 1782. Their marriage was happy and affectionate. Four children died in infancy, but two sons lived into adulthood, the younger becoming a composer.” Constanze Mozart (1762-1842) was to outlive her famous husband by half a century. Composing at a prodigious pace, teaching private students, performing in public and private concerts and selling his works to publishers brought Mozart a good income. During visits to Vienna, Haydn met Mozart around 1784, and their admiration for each other’s music was mutual. At a quartet party, Haydn told Leopold, “Before God and as an honest man I tell you that your son is the greatest composer known to me either in person or by name. He has taste and, what is more, the most profound knowledge of composition.” Mozart became a Freemason in 1784, as did many prominent figures of his time. Mozart was a virtuoso pianist. His nineteen piano sonatas are among his most popular compositions, studied by countless piano students since then. Although he wrote symphonies and other works as well, opera was still the most prestigious musical genre. One of the leading opera composers at Vienna was Christoph Gluck (1714-1787). Mozart eagerly sought opportunities to compose for the stage, and his first great success was Die Entführung aus dem Serail (1782). His next operas were Italian comic operas, The Marriage of Figaro from 1786 and Don Giovanni, which premiered in Prague in 1787. His successful The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte in German) premiered in Vienna in September 1791, just a few months before he died, on 5 December 1791. Mozart’s last year was a very productive one and included his unfinished Requiem, his final work and widely considered one of his best. Ibn Warraq has showed in his book Defending the West how many European scholars and artists even during the colonial period were willing to give credit to the achievements of other peoples and were genuinely curious of their culture and history: “Western art has, in the words of Roger Scruton, ‘continuously ventured into spiritual territory that has no place on the Christian map,’ and has done so with generosity, tolerance, affection, and a noble vision of universal humanity. Literature and music, as much as painting and architecture, has acknowledged other civilizations and other peoples, embraced them as equals, and sometimes treated them as superior souls from which the West could learn. In her biography of Mozart as a dramatist, Brigid Brophy includes as dazzling chapter on the exotic in eighteenth-century art, reminding us of Western humankind’s ventures ‘to unpath’d waters, undreamed shores’: China, Turkey, Persia, Babylon, Egypt, Abyssinia, South America, India, and even outer space. Brophy sings the virtues of Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Il Seraglio) and Die Zauberflöte, and places them firmly within the Enlightenment’s cosmopolitanism and its educative program: ‘To admire and copy foreign countries inside Europe was scarcely less obligatory than to admire, collect and copy the exotic products of other continents.’“ Mozart’s almost six hundred compositions are numbered chronologically in a thematic catalogue compiled by the Austrian musicologist Ludwig von Köchel (1800-1877) in 1862, whose “K” numbers (K for Köchel) are universally used to identify Mozart’s compositions. The music of Haydn’s and Mozart’s age was moving away from the traditional polyphony of the Baroque period towards homophony. Classical homophony is in many ways the opposite of polyphonic counterpoint. The age from second half of the eighteenth century until the early 1800s is often called the Viennese Classical or simply the Classical period of European music. Beethoven was a transitional figure between the Classical and the Romantic periods. The brilliant composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was born in Bonn in northwestern Germany, where his grandfather and father were musicians at the court of the Elector of Cologne. From early childhood he studied piano and violin with his father, who hoped to make him into a famous child prodigy like Mozart. The boy received further training from local musicians, but eventually settled in the Vienna of Haydn and Mozart, which was the musical capital of Europe. “There is still no department of music that does not owe him its very soul,” writes music historian Paul Lang, who speaks of Beethoven’s “unique position in the world of music — even in the whole history of civilization.” A History of Western Music, Seventh Edition, by Donald J. Grout, Peter J. Burkholder and Claude V. Palisca, elaborates: “Beethoven traveled to Vienna in 1787 and probably met Mozart, then moved to Vienna for good in 1792. His first teacher there was Haydn, with whom he studied counterpoint, at the same time cultivating patrons among the aristocracy. His compositions ranged widely, from music for amateurs to virtuoso works for himself and from private works for connoisseurs to public symphonies. Confident in his own worth as an artist, Beethoven treated his aristocratic sponsors with independence and even occasional rudeness. His presumptions of social equality led him repeatedly to fall in love with women and noble rank….Beethoven never established a permanent home, moving more than two dozen times during his thirty-five years in Vienna. A gradual loss of hearing provoked a crisis around 1802, from which he emerged with new resolve to compose works of unprecedented scope and depth. The music of the next dozen years established him as the most popular and critically acclaimed composer alive. Through sales to publishers and support from patrons, notably a permanent stipend set up for him in 1809, he was able to devote himself entirely to composition and write at his own pace.” Beethoven absorbed the music of Mozart and Haydn as well as Enlightenment ideals in thought. On a visit to Bonn, Haydn praised his music and urged the Elector to send the young man to Vienna for further study, where Beethoven arrived in November 1792. He took lessons with Haydn, although their personal relationship was complex as Beethoven had a strong will. He quickly established himself as a pianist and composer. His Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, op. 13, commonly known as Sonata Pathétique, was composed in 1798, and the beautiful Moonlight Sonata (Mondscheinsonate in German) was completed in 1801. In his youth he was a piano virtuoso, but he had to give up performing due to his deafness and became the first musician to make a living almost exclusively through composition. Around 1803, Beethoven began a more ambitious style which marked a new phase of his career. While his financial position and status was now secure, it was apparently a psychological crisis created by his accelerating loss of hearing which triggered this. Ironically, this made him more productive by removing distractions from his primary role as a composer. Nevertheless, it is difficult for ordinary people to understand how a person can compose timeless music entirely in his head, without hearing anything. His Eroica (Symphony No. 3) from 1804 was longer than any previous symphony. Other major works over the next decade followed in the footsteps of the Third Symphony. Beethoven observed the French Revolution from a distance. At first he was an admirer of Napoleon, but he later became disillusioned with him. By 1814 he was at the height of his popularity, and his music was played regularly across Europe. He had changed people’s expectations for what instrumental music could do, but his deafness became worse, until about 1818 he could hardly hear at all. Ill health combined with economic problems after the Napoleonic Wars and suspicion of his Republican ideals made him a slightly more isolated figure during his final years, though still popular. His music changed and became more challenging. His Ninth Symphony was first performed in 1824, and the distinguished audience gave it a thundering applause. Sadly, Beethoven himself did not hear this, so one of the solo singers pulled his sleeve and pointed to the audience, and he turned and bowed. Beethoven had thought as early as 1792 of setting music to the poem An die Freude (“Ode to Joy“), a hymn by the German poet, historian and dramatist Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805) championing the brotherhood of humanity, but it took more than thirty years before he used it in the final movement of his Ninth Symphony. Consistent with his ethical ideals and religious faith, he selected stanzas that emphasized universal fellowship through joy, and its basis in the love of an eternal Heavenly Father. He often celebrated heroism in his music. Many of his compositions were immediately popular and have remained so ever since: “Beethoven’s music was esteemed particularly for its assertion of the self. Beethoven could afford the time to compose as he pleased, without answering to an employer. Perhaps as a result, on occasion he put his own experiences and feelings at the heart of a work, going beyond the long-standing traditions of representing the emotions of a poetic text, dramatizing those of an operatic character, or suggesting a generalized mood through conventional devices. Such self-expression was in tune with the growing Romantic movement…and it came to be expected of composers after Beethoven. Modern musicians and listeners who assume that composers before Beethoven also wrote when they felt inspired and sought to capture their own emotions in music are astonished to discover that earlier composers mostly created music to meet an immediate need, to please their employer, or to gratify their audience. Beethoven, and especially the critical reaction to Beethoven, changed everyone’s idea of what a composer is and does. The image he fostered of a composer as an artist pursuing self-expression who composes only when inspired continues to hold sway.” Beethoven’s body of work is not at large as Mozart’s, although Beethoven died at fifty-six while Mozart died at the young age of thirty-five when he was still getting better and maturing as a composer. What great masterpieces the world would have known had he lived for another generation we do not know. There are other differences between these two giants in the history of music, too. Mozart was buried in a common grave, as was the custom at the time, while thousands of citizens lined the streets of Vienna at Beethoven’s funeral in March 1827. All later composers have had to face Beethoven’s tremendous influence. Albert Einstein was a passionate amateur musician who often played the violin while thinking of a difficult problem in physics. He was especially fond of Mozart. According to his biographer Walter Isaacson, “What Einstein appreciated in Mozart and Bach was the clear architectural structure that made their music seem ‘deterministic’ and, like his own favorite scientific theories, plucked from the universe rather than composed. ‘Beethoven created his music,’ Einstein once said, but ‘Mozart’s music is so pure it seems to have been ever-present in the universe.’ He contrasted Beethoven with Bach: ‘I feel uncomfortable listening to Beethoven. I think he is too personal, almost naked. Give me Bach, rather, and then more Bach.’ He also admired Schubert for his ‘superlative ability to express emotion.’“ Beethoven’s mentality was indeed different from that of Bach or Mozart. As Peter Watson states in his book Ideas: A History of Thought and Invention, from Fire to Freud: “All music leads up to Beethoven, says Mumford Jones, and all music leads away from him. Beethoven, Schubert and Weber comprised a smaller grouping, of what we might call pre-romantic composers, who between them changed the face of musical thought, and musical performance. The great difference between Beethoven (1770-1827) and Mozart, who was only fourteen years older, was that Beethoven thought of himself as an artist. There is no mention of that word in Mozart’s letters — he considered himself a skilled craftsman who, as Haydn and Bach had done before him, supplied a commodity. But Beethoven saw himself as part of a special breed, a creator, and that put him on a par with royalty and other elevated souls….Goethe was just one who responded to the force of his personality, writing, ‘Never have I met an artist of such spiritual concentration and intensity, such vitality and great-heartedness. I can well understand how hard he must find it to adapt to the world and its ways.’ Even the crossings-out in his autograph music have a violence that Mozart, for example, lacked. Like Wagner after him, Beethoven felt that the world owed him a living, because he was a genius.” Beethoven’s contemporary, the poet, novelist, playwright and scholar Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), was the greatest literary figure of German Romanticism, but unlike Beethoven he was hostile to the French Revolution from the very beginning. He was born in Frankfurt am Main, then a city-state within the Holy Roman Empire. Much of his life he lived in Weimar, where he also died. He helped establish this city as an important intellectual center, and along with Friedrich Schiller he was one of the leading figures of Weimar Classicism. His father was the son of an innkeeper. Goethe was educated with his sister at home by tutors until he was 16. In 1765 he left to study law in Leipzig, where he indirectly became one of the disciples of the pioneering art historian Johann Winckelmann. At Strasbourg in 1770-71 he met the intellectual Johann Gottfried Herder, who taught Goethe to look at literature and art as the expression of a specific national genius and culture. In the 1780s he went to Italy, as his father had done before him, climbed Vesuvius and visited Pompeii and Herculaneum. In Sicily he climbed one of the peaks of Mount Etna, where the ancient Greek philosopher Empedocles according to legend is said to have ended his life. Goethe was fascinated by the work of the Flemish painter Jan van Eyck. He followed public events, such as the establishment of the first railways in Britain, and read the early works of authors Victor Hugo and Honoré de Balzac in France. His correspondence was enormous and included prominent figures such as Arthur Schopenhauer and Felix Mendelssohn. Goethe was a contemporary of the influential Prussian brothers Wilhelm and Alexander von Humboldt and was on friendly terms with the post-Kantian idealist philosophers Johann Gottlieb Fichte and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. In addition to being a brilliant writer he did studies of geology and botany and created a theory of color perception. As scholar Nicholas Boyle writes in the Encyclopædia Britannica entry for Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: “In making this change to what one might call a more subjective science, Goethe was greatly helped by his study of the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, which was completely transforming the German intellectual landscape and was in particular being vigorously furthered in the University of Jena. The openness to Kant in turn made it easier for Goethe to respond positively when in 1794 one of Kant’s most prominent disciples, the poet and dramatist Friedrich Schiller, who was then living in Jena, suggested that he and Goethe should collaborate on a new journal, Die Horen (The Horae), intended to give literature a voice in an age increasingly dominated by politics. The friendship with Schiller began a new period in Goethe’s life, in some ways one of the happiest and, from a literary point of view, one of the most productive.” Indeed, Schiller’s collaboration with Goethe “was closer, longer, and on a higher level than any comparable friendship in world literature. The poets began a correspondence, which ran to over a thousand letters, and for over 10 years they discussed each other’s works and projects, as well as those of their contemporaries, in conversation and writing. Both profited incalculably from the relationship.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe showed great interest in the literatures of Britain, France, Italy, ancient Greece, Persia and India. His magnum opus is the two-part drama Faust, which accompanied him throughout his long and productive adult life. The first part of Faust was published in 1808, while part two was completed in 1831 and published in 1832 when he was in his eighties. Goethe did not invent the myth of Faust, but he brought it to an unprecedented level of psychological complexity. His influence spread across Europe, and his poetry was set to music by almost every significant Austrian and German composer after him. The great Austrian composer Franz Schubert (1797-1828) came from a musical family and was extremely prolific for his short life. He died at thirty-one, weakened from syphilis and possibly from its treatment with mercury. He had great respect for his contemporary Ludwig van Beethoven and wrote over 600 songs, or Lieder, many of which were first performed for friends in home concerts. He set music to poetry by many writers, including fifty-nine poems by Goethe. His other works include several symphonies, among them Symphony in C Major (The Great; 1828) and his famous Symphony in B Minor (the so-called Unfinished Symphony), masses and piano works. Portions of the German translation of The Lady of the Lake by the Scottish poet Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), who was popular throughout Europe, were set to music by him. Franz Schubert is often called a bridge between the Classical and the Romantic periods of European music, along with the German composer, conductor and pianist Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826) and perhaps Beethoven himself, but Schubert arguably had more in common with Haydn and Mozart before him than with Schumann, Chopin or Wagner after him. The eighteenth-century concert orchestra was much smaller than today’s. Haydn’s orchestra from 1760 to 1785 rarely had more than twenty-five players, but his successors gradually increased this number significantly. As orchestras grew in size, there emerged the need for someone to take control. After Beethoven around 1820, the conductor as we know him today emerged. There were also major and rapid changes in the instruments themselves at this time. The clarinet, a single-reed wind instrument, was introduced around 1710 and by the 1780s took its place alongside the oboe, bassoon and flute as the standard woodwind instruments. The pianoforte (Italian for “soft-loud”) or piano was invented by the Italian maker of musical instruments Bartolomeo Cristofori (1655-1732) in Florence in the early 1700s, a rare case where such an important invention can be attributed almost entirely to a single individual. At first the new instrument met with slow acceptance, but from the 1760s on, makers in Austria, Germany, France and Britain produced pianos in increasing quantity. It was for these new, square Viennese-style pianos that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Vienna composed his concertos and sonatas. Eighteenth-century pianos are often called fortepianos to distinguish them from the larger, louder forms of pianos developed during the nineteenth century. The scientific and technological advances during this extremely dynamic period of European history brought new advances in metallurgy, high-quality steel and precision casting that radically changed the way goods were manufactured, including musical instruments. Mechanical innovations brought about by the Industrial Revolution, such as interlocking rods, gears and screws, were applied to improve existing instruments. In the early 1800s, brass instrument makers applied the valve technology of the steam engine to the design of trumpets and horns. The new metal technology greatly improved the otherwise unreliable wind instruments of the eighteenth century. Keys and valves were devised which enabled horns and bassoons, for example, to play more consistently in tune. New brass instruments were invented as well, including the tuba, which became the bass of the orchestral brass section. Theobald Böhm (1794-1881), a German goldsmith and musician from Munich with experience in the steel industry, perfected a type of flute that became the basis for the modern instrument in the mid-nineteenth century. The musician Adolphe Sax (1814-1894) from Belgium created a new wind instrument now called the saxophone, familiar to a modern audience from jazz and marching bands. By the late nineteenth century the harp and the wind, brass and percussion instruments of the orchestra had almost reached their present form. New railways were connecting people, first in Britain and then throughout the Western world and beyond. Music was no longer simply a court experience but was now enjoyed by the newly-emerging bourgeoisie. Dance music, the waltz in particular, becoming a craze at the time of the Congress of Vienna in 1814-1815. In the 1820s at the time of the Carnival, Vienna offered as many as 1,600 balls in a single night. Middle-class music-making had arrived. One of the most important changes was in the sheer quantity of instruments that could be produced. In the 1770s the output of the largest piano manufacturers in Europe was about twenty pianos a year, because every piece needed to be made by hand. By 1800, Broadwood in London was manufacturing about four hundred pianos a year by employing a large and specialized work force, and by 1850 the firm was using steam power and mass production techniques to make over two thousand pianos a year. Because they were now produced in such large quantities, pianos became inexpensive enough for many middle-class families to afford one. The design of the piano was improved through a series of innovations. According to Peter Watson, “Two elements were involved here. One was the evolution of the steel frame, steel being developed as a result of the industrial revolution, which enabled pianos to become much more massive and sturdy than they had been in, say, Mozart’s day. The other factor was the genius (and marketing) of Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840), who debuted at nineteen and may just have been the greatest violinist who ever existed. A superb technician and a flamboyant showman, who liked to deliberately break a string during a performance, and complete the evening using only three strings, he was the first of the supervirtuosi. But he did expand the technique of the violin, introducing new bowings, fingerings and harmonics, in the process stimulating pianists to try to emulate him on their new, more versatile instruments. The man who most emulated Paganini, on the piano at any rate, was Franz Liszt, the first pianist in history to give a concert on his own. It was partly thanks to these virtuosi that so many concert halls were built all over Europe (and, in a small way, in North America), to cope with the demand from the newly-enriched bourgeoisie, who were eager to hear these performers.” After the Mongols destroyed the city of Kiev in the thirteenth century, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania expanded its territory to include parts of the former Kievan Rus. In 1385 it entered into a dynastic alliance with the Kingdom of Poland, which was deepened in 1569 and became the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The emerging Russian state, now centered on Moscow rather than Kiev, thus had to face a Polish rival in Slavic lands. The westward pressure of Russia was reasserted after 1613 under the new Romanov dynasty. Nicholas Ostler explains in Empires of the Word: A Language History of the World: “[I]n 1795, Russia gained control of the whole east of Poland up to the Neman and Dniester rivers, a situation that prevailed until the remapping of Europe that followed the First World War in 1918. Linguistically, this control had little effect: although the Polish language is fairly closely related to Russian, it is less so than Ukrainian and Belorussian; above all, the Poles’ political and religious history (as a Catholic nation) had been quite distinct, and in fact their literacy and general standard of living far exceeded those of the Russians. To start with, under Tsar Aleksandr I the country was accorded a separate constitution — but the Tsar found it hard to respect its terms; later, especially after 1863-4 (when Poland rebelled), attempts were made at ‘Russification’. Among other measures, Russian was imposed as the language for official business; and not only the University of Warsaw but all Polish schools were required to operate exclusively in Russian. This proved unworkable, and Polish survived. By contrast, about the same time, in 1863, a Ukrainian language law was introduced, far harsher, banning publication of all books in Ukrainian besides folklore, poetry and fiction, and was followed up in 1867….This was more effective.” Ukrainians were encouraged to view themselves as “little Russians.” However, a Ukrainian-speaking enclave existed under Austro-Hungarian rule, where their grammar continued to flourish and provided the basis for continued Ukrainian nationhood later. These Ukrainians were known as Ruthenians. Under Russian rule, a Polish natural character continued to survive. Adam Mickiewicz (1798-1855) was the greatest Polish poet of the Romantic era. Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) was the Romantic composer most closely identified with the piano, and his solo piano music won him enormous popularity. He was born near Warsaw, Poland, to a French father and a Polish mother. After studies at the Warsaw Conservatory, he performed in Vienna and toured Germany and Italy. When abroad he heard of the failed Polish revolt against Russian domination and decided to settle in Paris, where he established ties with other composers, including Franz Liszt, Hector Berlioz and, briefly, Felix Mendelssohn. His Polish roots always remained strong in exile, and Polish national themes influenced his music. He became the most fashionable piano teacher for wealthy students. The rarity of his public appearances as a pianist (he made only about 30 in the course of his lifetime) increased his cachet and allowed him to charge very high fees for lessons. Already weakened, he went on a tour of England and Scotland and made his last public appearance on a concert platform in London in 1848. He died from tuberculosis in Paris, France, in 1849. According to Peter Watson, “Chopin invented a new kind of piano playing, the one that we are familiar with today. He had certain reflexes in his fingers which set him apart from other players, at that time at least, and this enabled him to develop piano music that was both experimental and yet refined. ‘Cannon buried in flowers’ is how Schumann described it. (The sentiment was not returned.) Chopin introduced new ideas about pedalling, fingering, and rhythm, which were to prove extremely influential. (He preferred the English Broadwood pianos, less advanced than some available.) His pieces had the delicacy and yet the vivid colourings of impressionist paintings, and just as everyone knows a Renoir from a Degas, so everyone knows Chopin when they hear it….The piano cannot be fully understood without Chopin. Or without Liszt. Like Chopin he was a brilliant technician (he gave his first solo at ten), and like Beethoven (whose Broadwood he acquired) and Berlioz, he had charisma. Good-looking, which was part of that charisma, Liszt invented bravura piano playing.” The Hungarian composer and pianist Franz Liszt (1811-1886) was the greatest piano virtuoso of his time. When only nine he made his first public appearance as a concert pianist in what is now Bratislava, Slovakia, and moved with his family to Paris at the age of twelve. There he came into contact with many leading writers and artists, including author Victor Hugo. In 1830 he first met Hector Berlioz and in 1831 he heard Niccolò Paganini play for the first time. At this time he also met Frédéric Chopin. As a pianist Liszt was the first to give complete solo recitals, and between 1839 and 1847 he gave over one thousand solo concerts, touring Europe from Portugal and Ireland in the west to Romania and Russia in the east. His reception at times rivaled the hysteria sometimes afforded rock and pop superstars at the turn of the twenty-first century, and women adored him. His roots show in works inspired by Hungarian or Gypsy melodies. Liszt had an enormous impact on music by devising new techniques for piano music and by introducing innovations as a conductor. He left the concert stage in 1848, but continued teaching and helping younger composers such as Edvard Grieg and Claude Debussy. As a composer he extended the harmonic language and invented the symphonic poem. He encouraged new music by conducting performances of important works, among them the premiere of Richard Wagner’s Lohengrin in Weimar on 28 August 1850, the birthday of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The German Romantic composer and music critic Robert Schumann (1810-1856) studied piano from the age seven and soon began to compose, especially songs and piano pieces, but also symphonies and various works for orchestra. He was musically influenced by Franz Schubert and was married to Clara Schumann (1819-1896), one of the foremost pianists of her day and a distinguished composer and teacher in her own right. Many of Robert’s best-known piano pieces were written for his wife. Unfortunately, depression ran in his family. Robert Schumann had episodes of strange behavior, attempted suicide and was confined to an asylum near Bonn, where he died in 1856. Schumann wrote the incidental music to the English writer Lord Byron’s dramatic poem Manfred in 1848-49. One of his greatest accomplishments in dramatic music was Szenen aus Goethes Faust (Scenes from Goethe’s Faust). Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was an early Romantic composer, pianist and conductor. A fervent German patriot, he came from a wealthy banking family and was the grandson of Moses Mendelssohn (1729-1786), a contributor to the Haskalah, the Jewish Enlightenment. Moses Mendelssohn embraced the Enlightenment and sought a revitalization of Jewish religious thought. Like most Jews in Central Europe he spoke Yiddish, a mixture of German, Polish and Hebrew, but he also mastered German and taught himself French, English, Latin and Greek, and studied mathematics and philosophy. He was convinced that modern Enlightenment ideas did not necessarily need to be opposed to Jewish thought. Reflecting the German tradition, he was less critical of religion than the French Enlightenment often was. Although Jews were slowly gaining legal rights as a spillover from the French Revolution, Felix Mendelssohn’s father had his children baptized as raised as Christians. Felix began composing seriously at the age of eleven. At seventeen he composed the magical Overture to Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He blended influences from Bach, Handel, Mozart and Beethoven with key aspects of Romanticism, the movement which exalted feeling and the imagination, partly as a reaction to the emphasis of reason and logic during the Enlightenment. His works include Italian Symphony, the oratorios St. Paul and Elijah, a violin concerto and numerous chamber works. A fine pianist, he was also the greatest conductor of his day, an excellent organist and violinist and was well read in poetry and philosophy. The German composer and conductor Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was born in Hamburg, but spent much of his professional life in Vienna. The son of a double bass player, he showed early promise as a pianist and studied piano, cello and horn as a child. Through lessons in music theory he developed a love for the music of Bach, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. He earned money from playing popular music at restaurants and taverns and acquired a taste for folk music as well. In 1853 he met Robert Schumann and his wife Clara, who became his strongest supporters. After Robert Schumann’s attempted suicide and final mental illness, Brahms helped take care of the family while Clara returned to her previous life as a performer. He wrote symphonies, chamber music, piano works, choral compositions and more than 200 songs and made a living as a pianist and from sales of his music to publishers. Johannes Brahms’ most famous choral work, Ein deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem), based on Biblical texts, was first performed at Bremen on Good Friday in 1868 and firmly established his European reputation. His last symphony, No. 4 in E Minor (1884-85), may well have been inspired by the Greek tragedies of Sophocles, which he read at the time. In his last two decades he traveled widely as a conductor, performing mostly his own works. He was buried in Vienna’s Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) near Beethoven and Franz Schubert. Beethoven had increased the size of the orchestra. Berlioz would increase it still more. The French Romantic composer Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) followed Beethoven’s lead in his Fifth and Sixth Symphonies and “shaped his symphonies around a series of emotions that tell a story.” He created more than a dozen works that have gained the status of musical classics, among them his Symphonie fantastique (1830) and the choral symphony Roméo et Juliette (1839), and wrote the nineteenth century “Bible” on orchestration. He played flute and guitar but never learned how to play the piano. He was one of the most literary of composers; the epic poem The Aeneid by the classical Roman poet Virgil inspired his opera Les Troyens (The Trojans). He also found inspiration in many of Shakespeare’s works, in Goethe for La damnation de Faust (The Damnation of Faust) and composed the Rob Roy Overture to the writings of the Scottish author Walter Scott. After 1835 he began to conduct and soon became one of the first to make a career of orchestral conducting, touring across Europe with his own works as well as music created by other composers. The Italian Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) composed some of the most popular operas ever written, among them The Barber of Seville, Cinderella and William Tell. The latter was based on the legend (?) of the Swiss national hero William or Wilhelm Tell from the early fourteenth century, whose life symbolizes the struggle for freedom. The operas of Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924), including La bohème Tosca and Madama Butterfly, are still among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire. However, the greatest Italian composer of opera in the nineteenth century was Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), the son of an innkeeper in northern Italy who studied music as a child. Verdi is noted for operas such as Rigoletto (1851), La traviata (1853), Don Carlos (1867), Otello (1887) and Falstaff (1893) and wrote operas for houses in Milan, Venice, Rome, Trieste, Naples, Florence, London and Paris. He preferred stories that had already succeeded as spoken dramas, drawing on plays by authors such as Shakespeare, Friedrich Schiller and Victor Hugo. Verdi’s opera Aïda was first performed in Cairo, Egypt, in 1871, two years after the opening of the Suez Canal which linked Mediterranean Europe with the Indian Ocean. One of the towering figures of nineteenth-century culture was Richard Wagner (1813-1883). Born in Leipzig, Wagner had an enormous impact on all of the arts, especially his belief in the interrelationship between the arts. He brought German Romantic opera to a new height and created what he considered to be a new genre, the music drama. In his late works he developed a rich idiom that influenced composers to attenuate and even abandon tonality. Wagner was highly influential with his emphasis on music as the servant of drama. At the age of fifteen, he attended a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony which had a profound effect on him. Several of his elder sisters became opera singers or actresses. Wagner read the plays of Shakespeare, Goethe and Schiller and studied music in Dresden and Leipzig. Fleeing from creditors he spent the years 1839-42 in Paris, with little success. In the early 1840s he composed his opera Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman). After Tannhäuser from 1845, based on Germanic legends, his popularity was ensured. Yet when he supported the 1848-49 insurrection he had to flee Germany after a warrant was issued for his arrest. During the next decade he lived primarily in Zürich, Switzerland, composing, conducting and writing treatises. His discovery of the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer influenced his writing of Tristan und Isolde (Tristan and Isolde), which he composed between 1857 and 1859 in Venice, Italy and in Lucerne, Switzerland. It premiered in 1865. Having already studied the Siegfried legend and the Norse myths, Wagner began composing his massive cycle of four music dramas, Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), which took more than a generation to complete. The four operas that constitute the Ring cycle are Das Rheingold (The Rhine Gold), Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), Siegfried and finally Siegfrieds Tod (Siegfried’s Death), later called Götterdämmerung (The Twilight of the Gods). The Götterdämmerung, inspired by Ragnarök, the end of the world as we know it according to Norse mythology, premiered at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus in Bavaria, Germany in 1876. According to scholar Deryck V. Cooke, Richard Wagner “developed such a wide expressive range that he was able to make each of his works inhabit a unique emotional world of its own, and, in doing so, he raised the melodic and harmonic style of German music to what many regard as its highest emotional and sensuous intensity. Much of the subsequent history of music stems from him, either by extension of his discoveries or reaction against them.” Wagner’s standing as one of the greatest composers of all time is indisputable, but his reputation has been somewhat mired by his anti-Semitic tract Das Judenthum in der Musik (Jewishness in Music), published under a pseudonym in 1850 and under Wagner’s own name in 1869. In this essay he arguably contributed to an anti-Semitic strain in German culture that was to prove dangerous under different circumstances a few generations later. While the French, Italians and others have had a huge influence on the development of European music, the German-speaking regions have produced a disproportionate number of great names within the European musical tradition. The contributions from the Iberian Peninsula, as well as from former Spanish and Portuguese colonies in Latin America, are in my view strongest in literature. Luís Vaz de Camões (ca. 1524-1580), or Camoens in English, was one of Portugal’s greatest poets. Lope de Vega (1562-1635) was a Baroque playwright and poet whose reputation in the Spanish-speaking world is second only to that of Cervantes. Pedro Calderón de la Barca y Henao (1600-1681) is another prominent dramatist of the Spanish Golden Age. Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) was the principal Spanish composer the early twentieth century, but in general, Spain did not produce many musicians of the same stature as Velázquez or Picasso in painting. The Baroque reached a peak in northern Europe with the incredibly productive Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). A classically-educated humanist scholar who studied in his native Flanders as well as in Italy, he developed a rich, sensuous and colorful style which was very well received at the time. He was a devout Catholic and painted many religious pictures in addition to fleshy, sensual nudes, water nymphs and angels. In fact, Rubens was so successful that he established a large studio in the city of Antwerp and hired many assistants who aided him in the production of paintings. The Dutch and the Flemish, too, are not as prominent among the great names in music as they are in art. There are exceptions, among them the Belgian-French Romantic composer, organist and music teacher César Franck (1822-1890), who was born in Liège, Belgium, but came to Paris to study at the Conservatoire and became a professor of organ there in 1871. Nevertheless, when you consider the truly impressive number of great painters produced in the Low Countries, from Jan van Eyck via Rembrandt to Vincent van Gogh, then their musical contributions do not match this. Calvinist countries could produce great theologians such as the Swiss scholar Karl Barth (1886(1886-05-10)-1968), but it appears as if the major composers in the Protestant regions of Europe, like J. S. Bach, flourished mainly in Lutheran areas, not in Calvinist ones. The Swiss-born American composer Ernest Bloch (1880-1959) was Jewish. The English-speaking world could produce great literary figures such as Jonathan Swift (1667-1745), the Anglo-Irish satirist remembered for Gulliver’s Travels, or Charles Dickens (1812-1870), whose novels and short stories Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol and Great Expectations were among the most popular of the Victorian era. The English women novelists Jane Austen (1775-1817) and Virginia Woolf (1882-1941), known for her novels Mrs Dalloway, To the Lighthouse and A Room of One’s Own, must also be mentioned, as should the US-born British author Henry James (1843(1843-04-15)-1916) and the Americans Mark Twain (1835-1910) with his novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Herman Melville (1819-1891) with Moby-Dick. Yet in music, Edward Elgar (1857-1934) was the first English composer in more than two centuries to enjoy wide international recognition. He was followed by his countryman Benjamin Britten (1913-1976). George Frideric Handel spent much of his adult life in Britain and composed some of his best works there, but even he was originally born and raised in Germany. While the English-speaking world did not produce much music of the highest order before the twentieth century, it did produce brilliant authors and poets who inspired great music, none more so than William Shakespeare. As scholar Stanley Wells says in his book Shakespeare: For All Time, the English dramatist Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593) was born in the same year as Shakespeare but matured faster as a writer. Had Shakespeare, too, died at the age of only twenty-nine, Marlowe would probably have been remembered as the greatest writer of the two. Shakespeare’s reputation grew rapidly during the 1590s. In his own time his poems were far more popular and widely read than they are today, when he is first and foremost remembered as a great playwright. His diversity, his gift for mixing comedy and tragedy and his mastery of completely different literary genres was one of his greatest strengths as a writer. Franz Schubert and the Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) are but two of the major figures who have given us songs, tone poems, ballets, symphonic scores or other compositions based on some of Shakespeare’s works, and artists of the stature of William Blake, J. M. W. Turner and Dante Gabriel Rossetti have drawn inspiration from his characters. Voltaire lived in England between 1726 and 1729 and became familiar with English literature. He appreciated Shakespeare’s talent but was critical of some aspects of his plays, for instance Hamlet. Goethe admired Shakespeare and drew inspiration from him throughout his life. The writer and poet Victor Hugo (1802-1885), best-known outside of his native France for the novel Les Misérables, embraced his works more than did Voltaire. Hector Berlioz composed more great music inspired by Shakespeare than any other person, even more than Giuseppe Verdi, who himself wrote several works inspired by the English playwright, including a Macbeth opera. The French Romantic artist Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863) loved Hamlet and produced lithographs illustrating this text in addition to Goethe’s Faust. In 1847 Delacroix also helped with designing costumes for the French writer Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) and his version of Hamlet, which Delacroix disliked. Dumas is especially famous for novels such as The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers. The Russian poet Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837), the short-story writer Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) as well as Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821-1881) were great admirers of Shakespeare, but Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) was severely critical of his plays, especially King Lear. The Russian/Soviet composer and conductor Sergey Prokofiev (1891-1953) wrote the ballet Romeo and Juliet, today one of the most popular ballets based on Shakespeare’s works. It was first performed in Brno, Czechoslovakia, in 1938 and due to Communist censorship wasn’t performed in Moscow until 1950. The American composer Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), born in the United States to a Russian Jewish family, wrote the music to the musical West Side Story, set in New York in the 1950s and again loosely based on Romeo and Juliet. Many artists of the nineteenth century, especially those who did not have an independent nation state, were inspired by national traditions. The Norwegian composer and pianist Edvard Grieg (1843-1907), born in the city of Bergen, wrote songs, short piano pieces and orchestral suites that incorporated the modal melodies and harmonies as well as the dance rhythms of his native Norway. The all-pervading influence in his music is that of Norwegian folk songs and dances. Not all of his music was nationalistic; his Piano Concerto in A Minor remains a favorite. An ethnic character emerges most clearly in his songs based on Norwegian texts, especially his excellent Peer Gynt Suite (1875), written to a play by the major Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906). A successful marriage between music and text, Peer Gynt is a rich drama in rhymed couplets and Ibsen’s last play to employ verse. Ibsen is otherwise remembered for plays such as An Enemy of the People, Hedda Gabler, Ghosts and A Doll’s House. He was a man of radical ideas who challenged Victorian family values and was one of the champions of realistic drama, along with his prominent Swedish contemporary August Strindberg (1849-1912). The Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) studied Ibsen as a pioneer of modern theater with a focus on controversial social issues. From Sweden, several women writers, for instance Selma Lagerlöf (1858-1940) with her The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, and Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002), the influential writer of children’s books such as Pippi Longstocking, were among the most important names. In Denmark, the violinist and conductor Carl Nielsen (1865-1931) is regarded as the foremost composer, but literary figures such as the philosopher, theologian and cultural critic Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) and especially the Danish author Hans Christian or H. C. Andersen (1805-1875) are more famous abroad. Andersen’s massively popular fairy tales, including The Steadfast Tin Soldier, The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling and above all The Emperor’s New Clothes, have been translated into dozens of languages around the world. Bohemia had for centuries been a part of the Austrian Empire and thus, unlike Russia, a part of the mainstream of European music. Opera had long been heard in the capital city of Prague, but in Italian or in German, which was the official state language. In the nineteenth century there was growing focus on Czech traditions. Composer Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884), the son of a Bohemian brewer, wrote the comic opera The Bartered Bride, which was first performed in Prague in 1866 and secured his international reputation. He chose Czech subjects, and the sets and costumes drew on national traditions. Influenced by Franz Liszt he created a Czech national style by using folklike tunes and popular dance rhythms such as the polka. Smetana lived for several years in Gothenburg, Sweden as conductor of the philharmonic society there, but returned to Prague in 1861. His six symphonic poems are collectively titled Má vlast (My Country, from the 1870s). Of these, the most famous outside of the Czech Republic is The Moldau. He became deaf in 1874, but like Beethoven continued to compose. Smetana was succeeded by Antonín Dvorák (1841-1904), whose operas include plots based on Czech village life, local fairy tales and Slavic history. This tradition of music with a national flavor was continued by the Czech composer Leoš Janácek (1854-1928). The Czech journalist and poet Jan Neruda (1834-1891) was one of the notable authors of the era. Fyodor Dostoyevsky was a Russian fiction writer, essayist and philosopher and one of the towering figures of world literature. He grew up in a middle-class family in Moscow and acquired a love of reading, especially the works of the Ukrainian-born writer Nikolai Gogol (1809-1852) and the French novelist and playwright Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850). At his father’s insistence, Dostoyevsky trained as an engineer in St. Petersburg. While he was at school, his father was murdered by his own serfs. In 1848 he joined a group of intellectuals which met to discuss literary and political issues. Such groups were illegal at the time, and they were arrested and charged with subversion. “Dostoyevsky and several of his associates were imprisoned and sentenced to death. As they were facing the firing squad, an imperial messenger arrived with the announcement that the Czar had commuted the death sentences to hard labor in Siberia. This scene was to haunt the novelist the rest of his life.” In prison the writer underwent a profound spiritual and philosophical transformation and undertook intense studies of the New Testament, the only book the prisoners were allowed to read. His experiences there and among the urban poor of Russia greatly affected his later literary work and enabled him to attain profound philosophical and psychological insights. He also had to endure the deaths of his wife and his brother and a financially devastating addiction to gambling. Released from his imprisonment by 1858, Dostoyevsky spent several fruitful years abroad and began a productive period producing some of his greatest novels, among them Crime and Punishment (1866) and The Idiot (1868). The Idiot was influenced by Hans Holbein’s painting Christ Taken from the Cross and by Dostoyevsky’s personal opposition to the growing non-religious sentiment of the times. His last work was the epic family tragedy The Brothers Karamazov, completed in 1880. The writer died a few months later at his home in St. Petersburg. His funeral was attended by thousands of citizens. The Russian author who is closest to Dostoyevsky in literary importance is Leo Tolstoy. His novel War and Peace from 1869 is one of his masterpieces, along with Anna Karenina from 1878, universally applauded as one of the world’s greatest novels. Tolstoy’s central message is an emphasis on human love and trust, but within a realistic framework. Realism in European literature was championed by the Frenchman Émile Zola (1840-1902) and others in the mid-nineteenth century. Realist writers such as Zola and Balzac believed that literature should depict life exactly as it is, just like objective scientists do. According to A History of Western Society, Seventh Edition, “The greatest Russian realist, Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), combined realism in description and character development with an atypical moralizing, which came to dominate his later work. Tolstoy’s greatest work is War and Peace (1864-1869), a monumental novel set against the historical background of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812. Tolstoy probed deeply into the lives of a multitude of unforgettable characters, such as the ill-fated Prince Andrei; the shy, fumbling Pierre; and the enchanting, level-headed Natasha. Tolstoy went to great pains to develop his fatalistic theory of history, which regards free will as an illusion and the achievements of even the greatest leaders as only the channeling of historical necessity.” Sergey Prokofiev made an opera based on Tolstoy’s War and Peace, and another opera based on The Gambler, the great novel which Fyodor Dostoyevsky allegedly completed in just a few weeks so that he could pay off his own considerable gambling debts. Finland was a part of the Russian Empire from 1809 and the Napoleonic Wars to independence during the revolutions in 1917, but it had been a part of the Kingdom of Sweden for centuries before this. Composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) was born to a family from the Swedish-speaking minority. He became a committed patriot and learned the Finnish language, abandoned his law studies at Helsinki and devoted himself entirely to music. He was especially fascinated with Finland’s national epic, the Kalevala. From 1897 to the end of his life he was supported by the Finnish government as a national artist. His major tone poem Finlandia was written in 1899, but because of its nationalistic-sounding name it had to be renamed so as to avoid Russian censorship. Sibelius was original in his treatment of form and reworked the sonata form in novel ways, some of which were anticipated in the Prelude to Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde. He drew inspiration in his work from the Nordic landscape, as did the prominent Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto (1898-1976). The Frenchman Claude Debussy (1862-1918) exercised enormous influence on contemporary composers. He started with piano lessons as a child and began studying at the Paris Conservatoire at the age of ten, first piano and then composition. In the 1890s he lived in the “Bohemian” Parisian neighborhood of Montmartre, where artists such as Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and others drew inspiration at the turn of the twentieth century. He is often grouped with fellow French composer Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), and his work overlapped in time and sometimes in thought with that of Impressionist and Symbolist painters and writers. His major works include Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (1894), the opera Pelléas et Mélisande (1902) and La Mer (The Sea, 1905). He also planned to make an opera inspired by the short story The Fall of the House of Usher by the American poet Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), but this project was never completed. Debussy admired some of Wagner’s works, especially Tristan and his last work, Parsifal from 1882, but he drew from the French tradition a preference for restraint. He initially made a living as a music critic, but by the early 1900s he was well established as a leading modern composer. According to A History of Western Music, “The changes that Debussy introduced in harmonic and orchestral usage made him one of the seminal forces in the history of music. The composers who at one time or another came under his influence include nearly every distinguished composer of the early and middle twentieth century, from Ravel, Messiaen, and Boulez in France to Puccini, Janácek, Strauss, Scriabin, Ives, Falla, Bartók, Stravinsky, Berg, and others from national traditions, as well as American jazz and popular musicians.” A strong Russian tradition had begun with nineteenth century composers such as Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Sergey Prokofiev, and continued into the twentieth century with individuals like Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) and Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971). Next to literature, the Russian contributions to European high culture were particularly strong in ballet. Dance was prominent in pagan religious rituals and largely ignored in Christian medieval times, but secular dance as an art form resurfaced during the Italian Renaissance. Norman Davies writes: “From Italy, the baletto was exported in the time of Catherine de’ Medici to the French court, where, under Louis XIV, it became a major art form. Lully’s Triomphe l’Amour (1681) fixed the long-lasting genre of opera ballet. The modern theory and practice of ballet were largely developed in mid-eighteenth-century Paris, especially by the royal ballet master Jean Georges Noverre (1727-1810)….Russia first imported French and Italian ballet under Peter the Great, but in the nineteenth century moved rapidly from imitation to creative excellence. Tchaikovsky’s music for Swan Lake (1876), Sleeping Beauty (1890), and The Nutcracker (1892) laid the foundations for Russia’s supremacy. In the last years of peace, the Ballets Russes launched by Sergei Diaghilev (1872-1929) enjoyed a series of unsurpassed triumphs. The choreography of Fokine, the dancing of Nizinski and Karsavina, and, above all, the scores of Stravinsky, brought ballet to its zenith with The Firebird (1910), Petrushka (1911), and The Rite of Spring (1913). After the Revolutions of 1917, the Ballets Russes stayed abroad, whilst the Soviet Bolshoi and Kirov Ballets combined stunning technical mastery with rigid artistic conservatism.” The Russian-born composer, pianist and conductor Igor Stravinsky was arguably the most important composer of his time and had an enormous influence on later composers. He was born near St. Petersburg to a well-to-do musical family. He began piano lessons at the age of nine and studied music theory in his teens. After hearing some of his early compositions, the Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev (1872-1929) commissioned Stravinsky to compose for his Ballets Russes (Russian Ballet), which reigned in Paris from 1909 to 1929. Stravinsky then wrote the ballets that made him famous and are still among his most popular works: The Firebird, Petrushka and The Rite of Spring. The Firebird was based on Russian folk tales. He collaborated on them with the Russian choreographer Mikhail Fokin (1880-1942), founder of the modern ballet style, and the brilliant dancer Vaslav Nijinsky (1889-1950), born in Kiev, Ukraine, the son of a Polish dancer. Igor Stravinsky moved to Paris in 1911 and to Switzerland in 1914. Six years later, after becoming stranded in the West because of World War I and the 1917 Russian Revolution, he returned to France. During his exile from Russia, in the 1920s he turned to Neoclassicism, i.e. to reviving the styles and forms of the pre-Romantic music from the eighteenth century, then called Classic. This period included several symphonies and lasted until the opera The Rake’s Progress premiered in 1951. When World War II began in Europe in September 1939, he moved to the United States and settled in the Los Angeles region. He died in New York City in 1971. A religious tone could be found already in his cantata Symphony of Psalms (1930), and several of his late works are religious. He experimented throughout his life, and “Stravinsky’s impact on other composers was in league with that of Wagner and Debussy.” The German Richard Strauss (1864-1949), born in Munich to a musical father, was a celebrated conductor in addition to being a composer, and held positions in the opera houses of Munich, Weimar, Berlin and Vienna. He made a composition in 1897 based on the novel Don Quixote by Cervantes. By the early 1900s he turned his attention to operas, some of which were very successful. One of his works was the tone poem Also sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zarathustra) from 1896, a musical commentary to a prose-poem by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche of the same name. Nietzsche proclaimed that Christian ethics should be replaced by the ideal of an Übermensch (English: overman) who is above good and evil. Nietzsche expanded on his ideas about leaving traditional Judeo-Christian morality behind in his book Beyond Good and Evil, published in 1886. While Enlightenment philosophers viewed human beings as rational, some intellectuals, among them Sigmund Freud, the Austrian Jewish founder of the psychoanalytic school of psychology, developed a very different understanding of the human mind. In their view, human behavior is basically irrational, a constant battle between the rational consciousness and the irrational subconscious, which is driven by sexual, aggressive and pleasure-seeking desires. With its focus on the alleged dangers of repressed sexual desires, some opponents as well as enthusiasts saw Freudian ideology as implying an uninhibited sex life as necessary for mental health. Freud and his followers arguably undermined the view of man as a rational being. A climate of alienation and pessimism could be detected in the literature as well. This was especially evident in the works of Franz Kafka (1883-1924). T. S. Eliot (1888-1965) in his famous poem The Waste Land (1922) depicted a world of growing desolation, although he grew slightly more optimistic later in his life. The turn of the twentieth century was generally an age of great optimism in Europe and the Western world as a whole, then at the height of its dynamism and combined global influence through the colonial empires of the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and especially France and Britain. This was a time of rapid change in technology, society and the arts. One visual symbol of this progress was the electrification of industry, businesses and homes which brought light to the world, literally and metaphorically. Global communications and trade expanded greatly along with improved means of transportation: Internal combustion engines gradually replaced steam engines in factories, ships, trains and automobiles, and airplanes were introduced. However, certain intellectual undercurrents and a growing rejection of traditional culture indicated that there might be some dark clouds in the horizon. Apart from Latin America, where Spanish and Portuguese rule had ended generations ago, the early twentieth century represented the peak of Western European colonial rule of much of the planet, with the French and the huge British Empire in the lead. Already at this point there were critical voices among Europeans themselves, inspired by real abuses such as those committed under Belgian King Leopold’s rule in the Congo in West Africa. The short novel Heart of Darkness from 1902 by the Polish-born British novelist Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) has long been considered a masterpiece of empathy and a testimony to the abuses of imperialism. Conrad learned English as an adult and retained a strong Polish accent in spoken English, but he gained an almost complete mastery of the English language in writing. Non-conformist thinking in the arts mirrored changes in the world of physics, with relativity and quantum mechanics. Artists no longer placed a high value on traditional concepts of beauty or on pleasing the viewer, but valued originality above all else. “Success was measured not by wide popular appeal but by the esteem of intellectuals and fellow artists.” Modern painting grew out of a revolt against French Impressionism and painters such as Monet and Renoir. This gave rise to Expressionism, with its emphasis on inner, intense emotions and imagination rather than external impressions. The Dutchman Vincent van Gogh demonstrated this sentiment with his painting The Starry Night from 1889. Paul Gauguin was another prominent figure. Many painters became increasingly separated from ordinary visual reality in their works. Developments in music ran parallel to developments in painting, as composers were attracted by the emotional intensity of Expressionism. Some of them turned their backs on long-established conventions, just like abstract painters did, and arranged sounds without creating recognizable harmonies. This led to the growth of atonal music, with Alban Berg and others. Audiences at the time generally resisted modern atonal music. Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) was the leading Austro-German composer of symphonies after Brahms and Anton Bruckner (1824-1896), yet he made his living primarily as a conductor. He was born into a Jewish family in what was then the Austrian Empire but is today the Czech Republic. He received engagements at Hamburg, Ljubljana in present-day Slovenia, Vienna, Prague, Leipzig, Budapest and eventually New York City. Mahler won acceptance as a great conductor, though not always as a composer, in his own lifetime. His background brought him a complex identity as an outsider, similar to Franz Kafka, the German-speaking Czech Jew famous for the novels The Trial (1925) and The Castle (1926), both published posthumously. Kafka’s novels are filled with troubled individuals in a dark, confusing and threatening world. The Austrian and later American composer Arnold Schoenberg or Schönberg (1874-1951) was one of the most influential composers of the twentieth century, known for his atonal and twelve-tone music. The son of a Jewish shopkeeper, he was born in Vienna and moved to Berlin in 1901, where Richard Strauss got him a job teaching composition. He later returned to Vienna and taught privately. Schoenberg studied the works of earlier composers, among them Brahms. He had the support of fellow Austrian composer Gustav Mahler, but his music met stormy receptions, especially after he adopted atonality in 1908. In the 1920s he formulated his influential twelve-tone method, which he used in most of his later works. After the Nazis came to power he moved to the United States. He died in Los Angeles, California. A complex and dangerous mix of nationalistic tensions and great power rivalries combined with various alliances and misguided military policies led to the disaster known as the First World War (1914-18), otherwise called World War I (WWI) or simply The Great War. Millions of young men rotted in the trenches and died in the mud because of a seemingly meaningless war. The bloodshed brought an end to the Austro-Hungarian, German, Russian and Ottoman Empires, and independence to many of Europe’s smaller nations, especially in the east. Many European economies were wrecked, and the USA emerged as a world power and a leading player in Old World affairs. This was accompanied by growing American cultural influence abroad and the spread of musical styles such as jazz, blues and finally rock. As author David Landes puts it, “The twentieth century divides neatly at two points: 1914 and 1945. The first date marked the start of the so-called Great War — one of the most absurd conflicts in human history. These four years of combat left 10 million dead and many more maimed and stunted. They also took a prosperous and improving Europe and left it prostrate. The tragedy lay in the stupidity of kings, politicians, and generals who sought and misfought the conflict, and in the gullible vanity of people who thought war was a party — a kaleidoscope of handsome uniforms, masculine courage, feminine admiration, dress parades, and the lightheartedness of immortal youth.” World War I caused great suffering and killed much of the optimism which had existed in Europe previously. An influenza pandemic (the Spanish Flu) in 1918 that killed some twenty million additional people seemed to prove that modern life was not always benign. The horrors of trench warfare shocked those who witnessed it. The rejection of modern industry in favor of the heroic fighting of a pre-firearms society is evident in the writings of the Englishman J. R. R. Tolkien, author of the massively popular fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings and a WWI veteran. Tolkien was a personal friend of C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), a leading Christian apologist and fantasy author known for The Chronicles of Narnia series. Cultural changes were reflected in architecture, too. The “modernism” of early twentieth century architecture still stands out, with its constant experimentation and habitual rejection of old ways. There was much emphasis on functionalism, where buildings had to be functional more than decorative and where architects had to think like engineers and machine builders. According to A History of Western Society: “Franco-Swiss genius Le Corbusier (1887-1965) insisted that ‘a house is a machine for living in.’ The United States, with its rapid urban growth and lack of rigid building traditions, pioneered in the new architecture. In the 1890s, the Chicago school of architects, led by Louis H. Sullivan (1856-1924), used cheap steel, reinforced concrete, and electric elevators to build skyscrapers and office buildings lacking almost any exterior ornamentation. In the first decade of the twentieth century, Sullivan’s student Frank Lloyd Wright (1869-1959) built a series of radically new and truly modern houses featuring low lines, open interiors, and mass-produced building materials. Europeans were inspired by these and other American examples of functional construction, like the massive, unadorned grain elevators of the [US] Midwest. In Europe architectural leadership centered in German-speaking countries until Hitler took power in 1933. In 1911 twenty-eight-year-old Walter Gropius (1883-1969) broke sharply with the past in his design of the Fagus shoe factory at Alfeld, Germany — a clean, light, elegant building of glass and iron. After the First World War, Gropius merged the schools of fine and applied arts at Weimar into a single, interdisciplinary school, the Bauhaus,…[which] attracted enthusiastic students from all over the world.” The Hungarian composer, pianist and ethnomusicologist Béla Bartók (1881-1945) was arguably the most important Hungarian musical figure since Franz Liszt. He was born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in a small town in what is today Romania. His parents were amateur musicians, and he studied composition in Budapest rather than in the Imperial capital of Vienna. Among his influences were Richard Strauss, Claude Debussy, Franz Liszt, Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg. Béla Bartók created an individual modernist idiom by synthesizing elements of peasant music with the German and French Classical tradition. He collected and published nearly two thousand Hungarian, Romanian, Slovakian, Croatian, Serbian and Bulgarian song and dance tunes, using the new technology of audio recording. New technologies revolutionized music, in recording as well as in reproduction and distribution. Due to the technologies of sound recording, photography and film we have a much fuller picture of the history of the twentieth century than of any previous age. The sheer amount and variation of music from this century can seem overwhelming. According to A History of Western Music, Seventh Edition, by Donald J. Grout, Peter J. Burkholder and Claude V. Palisca, “The advent of recording technology had the most significant impact on musical culture of any innovation since the printing press. It completely revolutionized the way we experience and share music as listeners, performers, or composers.” The American inventor Thomas Edison made his first sound recording in 1877, using a tinfoil cylinder phonograph, but he intended it merely to be a dictation machine for offices. Edison soon replaced his fragile tinfoil cylinders with wax cylinders. In 1887 the German-born inventor Emile Berliner patented his Gramophone, a more practical system that recorded on a flat disc instead of a cylinder. His records were the first sound recordings that could be mass-produced by creating master recordings from which molds were made. Berliner’s system was the ancestor of all other analog disc records in popular use throughout the twentieth century. Record players became available in the 1890s. Musical performances by specific artists could now be preserved and admired forever. Recordings combined with new mass media, above all radio and TV, and spawned an unparalleled growth in the size of the audience for all kinds of music. In the 1920s, new methods of recording and reproducing sound using electricity — including electric microphones and loudspeakers — allowed a great increase in the quality and frequency range of recordings, making the medium even more attractive to both developers and buyers of music. This coincided with the growth of commercial radio broadcasts. The British American inventor David E. Hughes (1831-1900) invented the loose-contact carbon microphone, vital to telephony, broadcasting and sound recording. Charles Wheatstone in 1827 was the first to use the word “microphone,” and Hughes in 1878 revived the term in connection with his discovery. The Scottish inventor Alexander Graham Bell, a key figure behind the creation of the first practical telephones in the 1870s, experimented with early loudspeakers for his device. The German inventor Werner von Siemens patented an improved loudspeaker in 1877. The English physicist Sir Oliver Lodge (1851-1940) received a patent for another loudspeaker in 1898, and two General Electric researchers in the USA, Chester Rice and Edward Washburn Kellogg, patented the modern, moving coil loudspeaker in 1925. The evolution of diverse musical styles and popular or pop music was facilitated by these new technologies, by commercial radio broadcasts and above all by the growth of television during the second half of the twentieth century. Film music was a new genre, first used to the “silent” movies of stars such as Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977), a funny little Englishman working in Hollywood, the USA, and later for sound movies. The 1920s were a great age for German films, too. Radio quickly became a popular and influential mass medium. Despite economic setbacks during the Great Depression following the stock market crash in New York in 1929, falling prices and continuing improvements stimulated a growing market for recorded music. However, the Depression helped the National Socialists (Nazis) gain power in Germany. In 1948, Columbia Records in the USA introduced the long-playing record, or LP, 33? rpm vinyl gramophone records developed by the Hungarian-born engineer Peter Goldmark (1906-1977) and others. These quickly became popular as they allowed much longer recordings than existing alternatives. The leading American entertainer Walt Disney’s (1901-1966) animated film Fantasia in 1940 became the first major film released in stereophonic sound. The 1950s saw high-fidelity and stereophonic records and the debut of a new recording technology: magnetic tapes. The telephone engineer Valdemar Poulsen from Denmark (1869-1942) patented his telegraphone in 1898, the first practical apparatus for magnetic sound recording and reproduction. The engineer Fritz Pfleumer (1881-1945) in Germany invented magnetic tape for recording sound in 1928. The Dutch electronics company Phillips introduced cassette tapes in 1963, which quickly became popular worldwide and unlike LPs were re-recordable. However, “The new media of mass culture were potentially dangerous instruments of political manipulation.” That radio, television and motion pictures could be great tools of propaganda was demonstrated by directors Sergei Eisenstein in the Soviet Union and Leni Riefenstahl in Nazi Germany. The totalitarian ideologies of Nazism and Communism both desired strict state control of the arts. The Nazis forbade the performance of all kinds of “decadent” or “Jewish” art and established a Reich Music Chamber under the notorious Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels (1897-1945), to which all German musicians had to belong. Many artists, scientists and intellectuals fled the country at this time, among them the German writer Thomas Mann (1875-1955), author of the novella Death in Venice. The Madrid-born Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset (1883-1955) in 1929 wrote The Revolt of the Masses, where he traced the birth of what he viewed as a “mass-man” society, dominated by masses of mediocre and indistinguishable individuals. “ A prolific writer, Ortega was the head of the most productive school of thinkers Spain had known for more than three centuries.” The fear that Western egalitarian societies could disintegrate into a large mass of indistinguishable individuals had already been aired by the French political thinker Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859). De Tocqueville is most famous for his book Democracy in America (1835), published after his travels in the United States. The Diary of a Young Girl by the German Jewish girl Anne Frank (1929-1945), who lived most of her life near Amsterdam in the Netherlands, chronicles her life from June 1942 until August 1944. She was one of the approximately six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust, Nazi Germany’s program of systematic state-sponsored extermination of undesirables, especially Jews and Gypsies. Anne Frank’s diary is a touching testimony of an innocent child’s meeting with an unspeakable evil and has been translated into many languages, making her one of the most famous victims of this genocide against European Jewry. Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945, inspired his countrymen during WWII with his speeches, including the famous quotation “… we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.” Churchill was an orator, historian and artist in addition to being a noted statesman. For decades, he largely made his living as a prolific writer of books and essays for newspapers and magazines and received the Nobel Prize in Literature after the war, a rare distinction for a major politician. His six-volume memoir The Second World War is a very influential history of WWII, although it must be kept in mind that it was written by one of the leading players in the war itself, not by an objective historian. Much of Europe lay in ruins after the massive destruction caused by WWII, and many countries received American financial aid afterwards. The United Nations (UN) was founded after the war, in the hope that it could secure a new age of global peace. However, the Soviet Union under Communist dictator Joseph Stalin occupied much of the eastern half of Europe at the end of the war, and soon imposed its repressive Communist system on these countries. Europe was thus split in two large blocs separated by an ideological and physical boundary which Sir Winston Churchill dubbed the “Iron Curtain.” A Cold War rivalry ensued between the Communist bloc led by the Soviet Union and the Western bloc led by the other superpower, the United States, through the military alliance known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), created as an attempt to contain the expansion of Communism. The Cold War lasted from shortly after 1945 until the downfall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the physical symbol of the division of Germany and of Europe, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union itself in 1991. There were many minor and some medium-sized armed conflicts around the world during this period, among them the Korean War (1950-53) and the Vietnam War (1954-75), but a major, direct and in all likelihood disastrous nuclear confrontation between the two superpowers was avoided, although the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 came close to triggering such an event. The post-war period was also a time of decolonization among former Western European colonies in Asia and Africa, most of which was completed by the 1970s. The Communist system of the Soviet Union and its satellite nations was based on the writings of Russian revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin, but above all on the texts and analyses by Karl Marx, especially the The Communist Manifesto from 1848, written by Marx and Friedrich Engels, and Das Kapital (Capital in English) by Karl Marx, first published in 1867. In response to the repression of Stalin’s Soviet Union, the Englishman George Orwell (1903-1950) published the satirical novel Animal Farm in 1945 and what many people consider to be the ultimate work of anti-Utopian or dystopian literature with his Nineteen Eighty-Four, or simply 1984, from 1949. This novel describes a totalitarian state where the dictator Big Brother through his Thought Police crushes the individual and his desires. The regime relies heavily on government surveillance and state-sponsored propaganda through falsifying historical records and constantly rewriting history books. Orwell’s highly influential book introduced many terms such as “Big Brother,” “doublethink” and “Newspeak,” the new language constructed by the totalitarian state to replace the old language, into common usage. Another writer from Britain, the historian Robert Conquest (born 1917), in 1968 published The Great Terror, an account of Stalin’s purges of the 1930s. Conquest criticized left-leaning Western intellectuals such as George Bernard Shaw and the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) for “blindness” with respect to the repressive nature of the Communist regimes and accused them of being apologists for Stalin and his murders. The book The Captive Mind from 1953 by the Polish writer Czeslaw Milosz (1911-2004) tried to explain the collaboration of and fascination with totalitarian regimes among many leading intellectuals. Another text which exposed Communist crimes was The Gulag Archipelago by the Russian novelist Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008), a three-volume book written between 1958 and 1968 and published in the West in 1973. It circulated as an underground publication within the Soviet Union itself. The book, which was based on the author’s personal experiences as a prisoner in the Gulag, the system of forced labor camps which ruined the lives of millions of alleged dissidents, dealt a severe blow to the credibility of the Soviet regime. Solzhenitsyn was exiled from the Soviet Union in 1974, but returned to post-Soviet Russia in 1994. Mikhail Gorbachev (born 1931) became the last General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union until its collapse in 1991. His attempts of reform during the second half of the 1980s contributed to the end of the Cold War, although US President and leading anti-Communist Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) should receive a significant part of the credit as well. He challenged the Soviets and engaged them after 1980 in a military buildup that their failed economy simply couldn’t keep up with. Reagan, who became known as the “Great Communicator,” began his career in filmmaking and television before he was elected president, a testimony to the power of TV and the visual mass media. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe in 1989 turned out to be relatively peaceful, with the partial exception of Romania. The Czech playwright, essayist and dissident Václav Havel (born 1936) demonstrated how the lies, hypocrisy and apathy of Communist societies poisoned all human relations. In the post-Communist period he became a political leader as the last President of Czechoslovakia (1989-93) and the first President of the Czech Republic (1993-2003) after its peaceful separation from Slovakia. Some Europeans had the misfortune to gain first-hand experience with both twentieth century systems of totalitarianism. The Hungarian Jewish author Imre Kertész, born in Budapest in 1929, at 14 was deported to Auschwitz, the leading Nazi concentration and extermination camp, but became one of the few Holocaust survivors. His semiautobiographical novel Fateless from 1975 later won him the Nobel Prize in Literature. According to Kertész, “Auschwitz is the ultimate embodiment of a radically new event in European history: totalitarian dictatorship. Europe’s 20th-century totalitarianisms [Fascism and Communism] created a completely new type of human being. They forced a person to choose in a way we were never forced to choose before: to become either a victim or a perpetrator. Even surviving involved collaboration, compromises you had to make if you wanted to bring a bigger piece of bread home to your family. This choice has deformed millions of Europeans.” In the Soviet Union, the government controlled the arts along with every other realm of life. They were seen as ways to indoctrinate the people and teach them to venerate their leaders. Amazingly, a few composers managed to create meaningful music under these difficult conditions. The Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) spent his entire career within the Soviet system. All of his works were created in a heavily politicized context, which has generated a search for double meanings in his music. There was no room for dissidence under Stalin, and little even after him. Shostakovich’s music shows the influence of several other composers, including Beethoven, Gustav Mahler and Igor Stravinsky. The ambivalence of his works reflects the accommodations he had to make to survive in a repressive environment, but his undeniable talent has earned him devoted listeners throughout the world. Continental Europeans could still produce stars such as the French singer and actress Édith Piaf (1915-1963) or the German-born singer and actress Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992). However, in sharp contrast to earlier periods, during the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries the English-speaking world dominated popular music. The rise of English as the language of business and diplomacy was facilitated by Britain’s leading economic, military and technological position in the nineteenth century and by the equally dominant position of the USA in the twentieth century. Britain and its offspring still contributed to this trend, but the United States through the influence of Hollywood movies and later American television shows and series became the leader. American popular culture added another dimension to the increasingly unique role of the English language as a near-global lingua franca. American music styles such as rock and roll, or rock, blended black and white popular music. Among its great American stars was Elvis Presley (1935-1977) in the 1950s and 60s. Presley died a sad figure in 1977, but his great voice and music remained popular after his death, as did a sometimes unhealthy personality cult. Aided by rapid modern communications, rock was soon listened to throughout the world, a development the American rock musician Chuck Berry (born 1926) summed up with his 1956 hit Roll Over Beethoven. This trend was closely related to the Western “youth rebellion” and the rise of youth culture and teenagers as a major consumer group and target audience for commercial products. Electric versions of traditional musical instruments were created, and the electric guitar in particular became popular. The most popular stars of the 1960s were The Beatles, four young men from Liverpool, England, with singer-songwriters John Lennon (1940-1980) and Paul McCartney (born 1942) in the lead. They brought the art of creating catchy pop and rock melodies to a new height. During the later 1960s they became entangled with and championed many radical ideologies and also the use of narcotics, which became very widespread from the late 1960s onwards. Much of the popular music of the period was easily accessible and perhaps easily forgotten, although some of the leading artists, among them the American singer-songwriter and poet Bob Dylan (born 1941), could display more lasting melodic and lyrical qualities. The African American artist, dancer and songwriter Michael Jackson (1958-2009) was a star in the music business from he was a child. His 1982 album Thriller became the best-selling album of all time. With the highly influential video for his song Thriller he made the genre of “music videos,” short films to illustrate a piece of music, generally popular. However, from the 1990s onwards, Jackson’s personal life was mired by scandals, with repeated though unproven accusations of child sexual abuse. His increasingly bizarre personal life, extreme spending habits and seeming addiction to plastic surgery made him a symbol of some of the most decadent and self-destructive sides of Western popular culture and celebrity cultus. During the 1970s, 80s and 90s, rock gave way to far more aggressive forms of music such as hard rock and heavy metal. On the surface, these styles were radically different from that of Elvis Presley, not to mention European Classical music. However, occasionally you could find surprising elements of continuity, with some hard rock vocalists trained as opera singers or taking inspiration from Bach or Mozart. These new forms of music contributed to an incredible variety of increasingly global musical styles. Even Gregorian chant was occasionally mixed in with modern pop music. This admittedly constitutes a small niche compared to other musical traditions, but possibly a permanent niche which preserves European medieval music in its own right, not just for its later historical importance. This age will above all be remembered for the technological changes it introduced, from the spread of communications satellites and the advent of mobile phones to the Internet. Portable transistor radios became a major consumer item from the 1960s on. The Walkman, the audio cassette player brand developed by Nobutoshi Kihara (born 1926) for the leading Japanese electronics company Sony in the 1970s, changed people’s listening habits: It allowed them to carry their own choice of music with them and spawned a range of related electronic devices at the turn of the twenty-first century. By the 1980s, electronic computers were made available for home use, as were digital synthesizers. Electronic keyboards combined with personal computers made synthesized music accessible to musicians everywhere. The digital revolution affected music greatly, not just in how we record, reproduce and distribute it, but in how we create it, too. In the early 1980s, Phillips and Sony unveiled the Compact Disc, or CD. CDs soon replaced older recording technologies such as vinyl records (LPs) or cassette tapes and were gradually complemented by similar formats for movies and digital cameras. The first commercially available CD was made in 1980 and contained a recording of Richard Strauss’s Eine Alpensinfonie, played by the Berlin Philharmonic and conducted by the Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989). Soon technology was developed which made it possible to download music or even entire movies of full length from the Internet onto your Personal Computer, PC, or to various portable electronic devices. This accelerated a trend that had begun at the turn of the twentieth century with the invention of the first vinyl records. With the introduction of recorded music, people no longer had to go to a concert hall to hear great music. They could listen to it in their private homes, or even while sitting on a bus or train. Listening to music became a solitary pursuit rather than a communal one, although public concerts and live music have remained very popular as well. Thousands of digital radio stations are now available on the Internet, and various Internet websites have begun to offer digital recordings of music or films, legally or illegally, for private consumers to download at home. This has created great challenges for the music- and movie-making industries and changed the way we interact with music in profound ways. The world today is radically different from what it was in the days of Haydn and Mozart, and the kind of music played by Mozart is no longer the dominant one in Europe. There are those who lament this, but we should remember that thanks to modern technology, the works of Bach, Mozart and Beethoven can be enjoyed by far more people than ever listened to it during these composers’ lifetime, and sometimes far beyond the Western world itself. Western music has absorbed elements from other musical cultures and traditions whereas East Asians have produced some of the leading performers of European Classical music. Personally, I see no reason why music should remain exactly the same in the twenty-first century as it was in the eighteenth. Nevertheless, European Classical music does represent one of the highest peaks of global musical achievement. While Europeans should always remain open to other impulses, it would be a shame not to maintain this tradition, too, as a vibrant and dynamic one.

We recently completed the Ten Days of Repentance, that started with Rosh HaShanah (Head of the Year) and ends with Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). This is a time of year for introspection, for evaluating one’s actions over the past year and committing to improvement should God bless us with more time. I always find it disconcerting to discover that the character flaws that I examined last year—and the year before that and the year before that—are often the same ones I revisit this year. Occasionally one gets to pat oneself on the back for having made some change but, being human, there is always more to do. I don’t know if this is my own personal failing or if other people grapple with this as well, but I sometimes find myself aiming for humble soul-searching at the same time as a script plays in my mind along the lines of, “Well, o.k., so I showed a lack of (fill in the blank) when I did (fill in the blank), but compared to (fill in the blank) I don’t think I’m doing that badly.” After all, in a world filled with some really bad people, I consider myself one of the good guys. In a world filled with lots of complacent people, at least I can say that I try. Of course, that logic is terrible. God isn’t comparing me to anyone other than me. I don’t get demerits for not being on the level of some of the great women alive today but I also don’t get any points for not making the list of today’s top-ten evil women. I’m not being compared to those who lived long ago or who are yet to be born. God alone knows my potential and how much more I could be than I am. Still, the natural urge to compare ourselves to others that can serve as a spur to excellence when channeled correctly, easily turns into a game of one-upmanship. Too often, our means of valuing ourselves seems to require devaluing others. I thought of this when I read a piece praising actress Alyson Hannigan’s response to a question from her eight-year-old daughter. “I recently got asked a dreaded question by my oldest daughter,” Hannigan said. “She asked me if girls can do the same things that boys can do. Your heart just sinks when your daughter asks you something like that. For that one, I think I had a good answer. I told her that girls can do everything boys can do, and more because we can also give birth!” The actress was interviewed at a charity event donating her time and name to a good cause. I’m sure she’s a lovely woman doing her best to raise her daughters and keep her marriage strong in a difficult environment. I have no intention of directing any personal criticism her way in what I’m about to write. But, since she’s in the public eye (she has a main role on a popular TV show as well as having appeared in a number of movies) her words got attention. I think her response typifies the problem I’m suggesting. The articles I read spoke of her words as empowering and awesome. I disagree. If I was caught off guard, as parents often are, the first answer that might have popped into my head could have been along the same line but with a twist. For an eight-year-old, I might have said, “Boys and girls can do most of the same things. God made our bodies different so that when they grow up girls can be Mommies and boys can be Daddies. Together, they can have babies and build a wonderful family.” The best approach might be to answer a question with a question. “That’s an interesting question. What made you think of it?” Knowing what prompted the question lets a parent direct the answer more specifically. No matter where my answer led, my focus would be that any child should be the best that he or she can be and that it is possible to be interested and excel in many areas even if an individual wants to pursue something different from most of his or her friends. But putting boys down in order to “empower” girls is no better than putting girls down in order to “empower” boys. If the response to historical bias (which is more complex than female-empowerment experts would have us believe) is to simply to encourage a previously downtrodden group to delight in reverse prejudice, we’re not doing anything of which we should be proud. Our daughters, like me at this precious time of year, can aim for reaching for wonderful heights without needing to find people who land beneath them. MONTH OF FESTIVALS SALE Save $30 on all of our already low-priced Library Packs This Sale on our already discounted Library Packs only runs through September 30 so don’t delay! As a reminder, Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah are the last Jewish Holy Days of September. Our offices will be closed, and we will not process orders during the following times next week: Sunset (Pacific Time), Monday, September 27th through Nightfall, September 29th.

COVER REVIEW History How America Met the Mideast The U.S. encounter with the Middle East began centuries before the Iraq War, propelled by idealists eager to tranform the region in their own image. POWER, FAITH, AND FANTASY America in the Middle East, 1776 to the Present By Michael B. Oren Norton. 778 pp. $35 We often hear that Americans know little about other nations; a bigger problem is that we know too little about ourselves, our history and our national character. When it comes to U.S. foreign policy, in particular, we were all born yesterday, unaware of how present policies and attitudes fit into persistent historical patterns. So when a brilliant, lucid historian such as Michael B. Oren does bring the past back to life for us, revealing both what has changed and what has stayed the same, it is a shaft of light in a dark sky. Today, the conventional view is that George W. Bush took the United States on a radical departure when he declared a policy to transform the Middle East and that, as soon as he leaves office, U.S. policy will return to an alleged tradition of realism, rooted in the hard-headed pursuit of tangible national interests. This is both bad history and bad prophecy, as Oren shows in Power, Faith, and Fantasy, a series of fascinating and beautifully written stories about individual Americans over the past four centuries and their contact with Middle Eastern cultures. As a historian, Oren is more storyteller than grand theorist, so as a study of the complex and contradictory motives of American behavior, his book is a bit thin. Nevertheless, three powerful themes emerge from his tales: that from the Founders onward, Americans have repeatedly tried to transform Arab and Muslim peoples -- politically, spiritually and economically -- to conform to liberal and Christian principles; that since the days of the Puritans, many Americans have been obsessed with the idea of "restoring" Palestine to the Jews; and that from the colonial era to the present, many (and perhaps most) Americans have regarded Islam as a barbaric, violent and despotic religion. Whether these purposes and perceptions have been intelligent or misguided, based on reality or fantasy, Oren shows that they have been the dominant features of our foreign policy tradition in the Middle East. Oren demonstrates that suspicion and hostility toward Islam are almost as old as the nation. John Quincy Adams called it a "fanatic and fraudulent" religion, founded on "the natural hatred of Mussulmen towards the infidel." This was partly religious prejudice, of course, but that prejudice was reinforced by unfortunate experience. In the perilous early years of the republic, the Muslim Barbary powers preyed on American shipping and captured, tortured and enslaved hundreds of innocent men and women. When John Adams and Thomas Jefferson implored the pasha of Tripoli to stop, Oren recounts, the pasha's emissary insisted that the Koran made it the "right and duty" of Muslims "to make war upon" whichever infidels "they could find and to make Slaves of all they could take as prisoners." George Washington raged, "Would to Heaven we had a navy to reform those enemies to mankind, or crush them into non-existence." And Congress did create a navy in the 1790s primarily to crush the Barbary powers and protect American traders and missionaries. President Jefferson -- so often mislabeled as an idealist, pacifist and isolationist -- eagerly launched the war and ordered the permanent stationing of U.S. naval forces thousands of miles from the nation's shores. As Oren relates, the modest number of 19th-century Americans who lived in the Middle East largely considered Islam -- in the words of a former Confederate officer hired to improve the Egyptian army -- a religion "born of the sword," one that was "opposed to enlightenment" and crushed "all independence of thought and action." They found the oppression of Muslim women appalling. Being Americans, they thought the best antidote was a thorough transformation of culture and society. Protestant missionaries utterly failed to convert Muslims to Christianity, but they did work to spread the "gospel of Americanism": liberalism, technology and democracy. Over the next century, American politicians and policymakers repeatedly imagined they could liberalize a people who seemed to them bursting with "democratic aspirations," as one New Dealer put it in 1943. This may have been hubris, but if so, it was an enduring hubris. Oren quotes a mid-19th-century Arab guide warning a missionary: "You Americans think that you can do everything . . . that money can buy or that strength can accomplish. But you cannot conquer Almighty God." Yet a century later, Harry S. Truman insisted, "God has created us and brought us to our present position of power . . . for some great purpose. . . . It is given to us to defend the spiritual values . . . against the vast forces of evil that seek to destroy them." No act of international social engineering was more audacious than American support for the establishment of a Jewish state in the middle of an implacably hostile Arab world. But this idea, too, had deep roots. The earliest members of the "Israel lobby" were the Puritan settlers, who even before they reached America had petitioned the Dutch government to "transport Izraell's sons and daughters . . . to the Land promised their forefathers . . . for an everlasting Inheritance." Their prominent heirs included John Adams, who imagined "a hundred thousand Israelites" conquering Palestine; Lincoln's secretary of state, William Henry Seward; and, a century later, Woodrow Wilson, who delighted in the thought that he might "be able to help restore the Holy Land to its people." Thus, President Truman felt a deep sense of historical and religious destiny when he recognized the newly created state of Israel in May 1948, comparing himself to the ancient Persian king who also had repatriated the Jewish exiles and helped rebuild a Judean state. "I am Cyrus," Truman crowed. "I am Cyrus!" Few acts in the history of U.S. foreign policy have been less in accord with "realist" principles. Oren, an Israeli historian whose previous book was the bestselling Six Days of War, shows that U.S. backing for the establishment of Israel was rooted in religious convictions going back more than four centuries. Americans' response to the enormity of the Holocaust helped transform old Puritan dreams into reality. But even so, the essential element here was the rise of the United States to global predominance; it is doubtful that any other country -- including Great Britain, which ruled Palestine after World War I -- would have placed religious conviction and moral sentiment above selfish and practical interests. Critics from World War I onward warned that American support for a Jewish state would produce unending war, severely damage America's otherwise amicable relations with the Muslim world and, after the discovery of massive deposits of Middle Eastern oil in the 1930s, endanger access to this vital commodity. Saudi Arabia's pro-American first king, Abdul Aziz ibn Saud, flatly warned Franklin D. Roosevelt that the "Jews have no right to Palestine" and that Arabs would die fighting to resist a Jewish state. When the typically American president spoke of the horrors of the Holocaust, the typically Arab king questioned the fairness of making "the innocent bystander," Palestine's Arabs, pay for the crimes of others. If 3 million Jews had been murdered in Poland, ibn Saud reasoned, then there was now room there for 3 million more. Many Muslims' sentiments have not changed over the past six decades. And neither have those of many Americans. Despite all the crises of the past years, including the present war in Iraq, Oren predicts that the United States will continue "to pursue the traditional patterns of its Middle East involvement." Policymakers "will press on with their civic mission as mediators and liberators in the area and strive for a pax Americana." American "churches and evangelist groups will still seek to save the region spiritually." And Americans will regard the region as both "mysterious" and "menacing," as they have for centuries, and will seek to transform it in their own image. Many today may want to disagree, but they will have to wrestle first with the long history of American behavior that Oren has so luminously portrayed. · Robert Kagan, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, writes a monthly column for The Washington Post. He is the author of "Dangerous Nation" and "Of Paradise and Power."

Who says only weirdos use scythes? We’re not an organisation with any legal status, we’re just a group of guys living in the Upper Huon (Tasmania, Australia) who like scythes, or more particularly, working with them, from trimming around trees and vegie gardens through to cutting hay by hand. You can learn a bit more about us below. We’re all guys at the time of writing, but women are of course welcome, and we’ll put our shirts back on. We started getting together at 7am on Saturday mornings to collectively mow at the place of whoever’s turn it was to get some mowing done. We usually go for two or three hours, unless we’re mowing hay, in which case we’ll go until it’s done or we’re knackered for the day, or we just have to go and do something else. Scythes are the glue that holds our motley crew together. Scythes span divides, build bridges, occasionally hide hackneyed, clichéd tautologies, and even cut grass. The scythe even cuts through religious differences: we have a practising (he’ll get it right one day) Catholic, a (“who needs practice?”) Protestant, a Jewish agnostic (but he’s still not sure about that), and a guy who has “no time for religion” (except when adherents are mowing his garden). We’re not really certified Luddites. At least not all of us. Amongst us we have a photographer, a lecturer in medicine, a laboratory technician, and an IT consultant. Actually, at the time of writing, that is our entire ‘us’. We know of several more scythe mowers, and hopefully they’ll join us one day. Positions vacant include (but are not limited to) the Indian Chief, the Policeman, and anyone who looks more like Cheryl Ladd than we do. No, we don’t really dress up like this just to cut grass. At least not all of us. Tony “El Presidente” Robbie Tony was the first (as far as we know) to get into scything successfully in our neck of the woods. He mows and rakes his hay by hand, and bales it in a hand press he built himself. A television cannot be found in his house (which has nothing to do with his daughter topping the State in recent EAA tests), and he only has a computer for emails because his homing pigeon died while flying back from Leicestershire with his Luddite certification. Having been in the Huon for much less than 50 years, Tony is still regarded as a Sydney-sider in some quarters, but his family’s Enid Blyton-like farm pursuits have earned them a reputation for pitching in. Tony also headed up the volunteer committee that coordinated the first incarnation of the Judbury Growers’ and Makers’ Market. Tony is a botanist and, as well as his agricultural pursuits, he leads a Gregorian chant choir, and also has the pleasure of assisting high school students investigate the world around them, with a rigorous adherence to the scientific method (i.e. he replaces the pneumatic troughs when they forget that you can’t fill them with hot water and then rinse them under a cold tap). Tony has long dreamed of getting a group of like-scythed people together: “…if there was one other person close by who knew how to cut hay by hand, wouldn’t it be great to have the company, and half the workload? Two? Well, it would have to be better than just yourself. Three? You could start opening the cider by lunchtime.” When he hand-mows hay, he wears a kilt. Seriously. Tony is also one half of Bladerunners, purveyors of fine scythes and accessories. Derek “Which Way?” Choi-Lundberg Derek wields a scalpel by weekday and a scythe by weekends. Derek has owned scythes for years but, being left-handed, it didn’t work out so well initially. Having recently purchased a left-handed scythe, he’s never looked back, except to laugh maniacally while yelling “look at me go, look at me go!” We’re still figuring out how we’re all going to mow a paddock of hay together, should that ever happen while Derek is free of weekday commitments, but it will probably involve his starting in the middle and working out, while the normal people work from the outside in. That’s him over there with his back-to-front rig. Lecturing in gross anatomy, Derek can identify which of your organs are protruding from a serious scything wound but, not being a clinician, he can’t actually put you back together again. He can also pinpoint which of your nerves is giving you grief while you scythe, based on what part of your body is symptomatic. Despite having lived in the Huon since the 1990s, Derek’s Chicago origins are given away by the telltale accent, so he’s unlikely to be able to run for local council elections short of having a voice box reconstruction. Fortunately, this is unlikely to prove a hindrance since, also not having a television in the house, he’s unlikely to know when elections are on, even if he was so inclined. Paul “Dinger” Redding Hailing from Wollongong in 2007, Paul turned to the scythe in 2010 as a more pleasant way of controlling the grass on his block after multiple run-ins with his lawn mower. Noting that a scythe had no moving parts, he liked the fact that it was difficult to flood, had no air cleaner to deal with, and didn’t require topping up with fuel. More importantly, he knew he’d get to stand semi-naked in paddocks, picturing himself in a Tolstoy novel. Paul is a long-time commercial photographer (any stunning photos on this site are his, any not-stunning ones aren’t) and also delves into the hocus pocus of ginseng production, as well as scaring children with his inventive renditions of the pieces sung with the local community choir. Due to his photographic persuasion, “Snapper” was Paul’s nickname at school, but his uncanny ability to find any blade-damaging object within a 30 metre radius makes the extrapolation of his surname a good fit for the scythe squad. Paul has a television, which he insists is for ‘creative reasons’ involving digital photograph viewing. Marshall “Sheriff” Roberts Marshall represents the 5th generation on a family holding in the Huon. But he’s been to Hobart twice. Marshall is the other half of Bladerunners. His introduction to scything was quite unplanned: Marshall’s first scythe was given to him as a gift in 2009, by friends who regularly drove past his roadside home – i.e. in a manner similar to your true friends telling you that you suffer from halitosis. In the right situation, he now prefers to use a scythe over the many other options available to him on a commercial farm. Marshall has a television. He’s sorry. When he mows hay at Tony’s place, Marshall wears Hard Yakka drill pants and wishes he had a kilt, or some nappy rash cream. Marshall splits his time between farming and computing, and enjoys picking up an instrument and playing the same piece over and over again in an effort to convince himself he could’ve been a musician. At the time of writing, his incomplete personal projects include a bathroom renovation, weaning a hand-reared calf, plastering his son’s bedroom, a degree in literary studies, and a websi…

“Look with wonder at the depth of the Father’s marvelous love that he has lavished on us! He has called us and made us his very own beloved children… Beloved, we are God’s children right now… when it is finally made visible, we will be just like him, for we will see him as he truly is.” (1 John 3:1-2, TPT) The following is the re-working of a column I wrote last year. As I prayed about what the Lord wanted to say to you this week, I clearly sensed His desire for you to know that, while He certainly loves you, He also likes you! Yes, you read it right: God doesn’t just love you; He likes you… intensely! This may make some people uncomfortable, but until a person truly realizes their identity; who they are and who they were made to be, their ability to relate to or receive anything from God will likely be hindered. The Gospels point to this fact. Jesus commended the faith of a few people, more than others. The people in question were Gentiles, not the Jewish people He was sent to. I believe, primarily, the Jews had grown up with a set of very stringent religious, traditional norms which not only formed their personal belief system, but also bound the limits of their faith. “Lord, who am I to have you come into my house? I understand your authority, for I too am a man who walks under authority and have authority over soldiers who serve under me. I can tell one to go and he’ll go, and another to come and he’ll come. I order my servants and they’ll do whatever I ask. So, I know that all you need to do is to stand here and command healing over my son and he will be instantly healed.” (Matthew 8:8-9, TPT). This caught Jesus by surprise. This was exactly the response He desired from His own people. Unfortunately, their thinking was wrapped up in a mindset which seemed to say, “That can’t be, that’s not the way I was taught.” Jesus constantly fought against the religious establishment mindset. They didn’t just follow the commandments God gave, they established their own set of commandments, so that over the course of time, the people were burdened to uphold over 600 commandments God never gave. A powerful example of someone held in religious bondage is the woman crippled and doubled over for eighteen years. Jesus graciously announces to her, “Dear woman, you are free. I release you forever from this crippling spirit.” (Luke 13:12-13, TPT). In frustration, He turns to the religious leaders. “Hypocrites… ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” (Luke 13:15, NKJV). God sent His Son because He loves you. But the compassion He demonstrates for us in the Gospels is that He truly likes you! I wonder what would happen to our faith if we knew the God of the Bible, rather than the God of our denomination… * * * Rob Granger and his wife, Becky, serve as Executive Pastors of Grace Church San Marcos under Senior Pastors Brian and Melissa Bauer. Located at 855 E. Barham Drive, San Marcos, Grace San Marcos meets at 10 a.m. Sundays and 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays with meetings for youth, children and other groups scheduled throughout the week. Visit www.gracesanmarcos.net for further information. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Times-Advocate.

Cantor Bruce Ruben, Director, Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music, presented the following remarks at services at HUC-JIR/New York on April 13, 2015: Thank you to all of you who helped to plan this beautiful morning. I am grateful to Richard and Susan , to Joyce and the choir, and to the administration for organizing this day. Thank you to Shirley and Benjie for your beautiful words. This moment affords me a brief opportunity to look back over some of the highlights of the last nine years of my directorship. Ten years ago I was ensconced in my twenty-fourth year at Temple Shaaray Tefila and teaching history at Hunter College. (I am thrilled to see Rabbi Harvey Tattelbaum is here with us today and also my dissertation advisor Dr. Robert Seltzer.) It was only the prospect of the opportunity to help reshape cantorial education for the next generation of Reform cantors that tempted me to apply. The new cantorial model: co-clergy, demanded that he/she be able to teach, counsel, preach, and serve in a full clergy capacity. With worship changes the cantor was expected to lead bands and arrange for instruments. It was not your parent’s cantorate. The curriculum needed to be revised. After meetings with leaders of the URJ, ACC, faculty, students and alumni, the SSM faculty and I embarked on a multi year process. The new curriculum has added important new classes and integrated repertoire, liturgy and modal theory into a liturgical core. Early on I was approached by the leadership of the ACC. They realized that their program to certify soloists was not effective and asked the school to take it over. With 100s of soloists serving Reform synagogues and being falsely equated with our graduates, I felt it was crucial that the school offer a serious and effective path to professionalization. After years of planning and fund raising the CCRT program has emerged. Under the dedicated leadership of Ellen Dreskin, two cohorts are making their way through a challenging curriculum towards cantorial certification. It was clear to me that our DFSSM didn’t have some of the special opportunities open to the Rabbinical School. I pushed to make sure our students got to participate in the Mandel program and through the generosity of Sara Star, one cantorial student a year can join the Tisch fellows in a program that is both intellectually and financially enriching. Of course the biggest change during my years was our name change. Debbie inspired our students for the last years of her life- for far too short a time. A very generous donor agreed to endow our school with the stipulation that Debbie’s name be attached. In this way her spirit will always be associated with our work. Another big name change came through the courage of President Ellenson. He recognized the changes in the cantorial role and the problems associated with the term “investiture” and agreed to have cantors ordained in spite of the political pressure to do otherwise. We have strengthened the relationship with the alumni association, through the hard work of Joy Wasserman and Mandi Beckenstein. I am particularly proud of the work of the Recruitment Working Group, which has helped immensely in this crucial area. It has become a model for working groups in other schools within our institution. In the area of recruitment, we developed the Days of Learning. Joyce, Ellen and I just returned late last night from Chicago from an exciting event that almost thirty potential students and alumni attended. I am grateful to so many people for their help over these years. If I thank each one of you, we will have to delay the start of the 12:15 classes. I need to single out a few. Thank you to Jocelyn who has taken care of me in so many ways over the years. And thank you also to Harriet, who is that steady support that allows all to go smoothly. I am grateful to my faculty, most of whom are adjuncts doing this work out of devotion to the cantorial art, without much financial remuneration. I am particularly grateful to Izzy Goldstein, who served in this position for 18 years, but has practiced such tsimtsum that he never once tried to assert his views upon me, but was always there to help. I must mentioned my dear friends Mark Kligman and Benjie Ellen Schiller. Truly they have been my right and left hands. Without them I can’t imagine having accomplished much. And thanks to the rest of the full-time staff who sat around the table with me, solving problems on a weekly basis: Joyce, Merri, and recently joined by Dana , Kim and Lily. And I must mention my comrade in arms, Renni Altman, with whom I work in concert to coordinate our schools. Finally, I need to thank all our students of the past nine years who have gone through this refiner’s fire that is cantorial school. They emerge changed, ready to be Klei Kodesh for the Jewish people. I am extremely proud of them. Now, as I am stepping down as director, I look forward to returning to my original passions. I am happily serving as cantor at Brooklyn Heights Synagogue. I want to acknowledge Rabbi Serge Lippe and its president here today to celebrate this occasion. I am also looking forward to teaching Jewish history at Hunter once again, as I become the interim director of the Jewish Studies Program. Finally, I leave the DFSSM in good hands. Cantor Richard Cohen is a proven leader with wisdom and vision. I wish him much success.