Tikkun Olam

When the three Israeli boys, Gil'Ad Shaar, Eyal Yifrach and Naftali Fraenkel were kidnapped, everyone went into a frenzy. They (we all) needed to "do something." This is very normal.  Most of us, far removed from the situation--even those in Israel who are not connected by family or close friends to the victims--felt helpless in the face of this atrocity.  So I can understand the call to prayer or to say Tehillim.  For people who don't have any other option, it's better than sitting and doing nothing.  I, for one, called my congressperson, in addition to saying Tehillim.  I wrote about it in a blog post and sent it out to everybody. But do I really believe that saying Tehillim or praying specific tefillot from a siddur will bring them back? Doubtful. There have been "studies" - not controlled, double-blind scientific ones however - which seem to indicate that mass prayer often helps to alleviate a situation, such as helping to heal someone. We say ...

This is amazing.  Representatives of the U. S. and Swiss Amish communities actually violated their own principles of avoiding modern technology and transportation to fly to Israel and visit the Kotel (meaning "the Wall," in Hebrew). The sole purpose of this visit was to ask forgiveness from the Jewish people , for not speaking up against the Sho'ah (Holocaust) during the Nazi attempt to exterminate the Jews. According to an announcement issued by the office of Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites Shmuel Rabinovitch, with whom the group met, the Amish delegates saw a great importance in coming to Israel and expressing their contrition, as well as declaring their unreserved support of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.  The Amish then promised to publicly pledge support of Israel and the Jews in the future, especially in light of the existential threats towards Israel by Iran's Ahmadinejad. It's really nice to have a friend.  Now we have two: Ca...

 (nablopomo day 11) Reb Gutman Locks answers a pastor's questions at the Kotel, seen on Jewish Israel .  Listen closely at the end to the "miracle" he promises to perform.  Remind you of something? Do you understand what he is saying?  And throughout, he is polite and respectful; a true mentsch .