Tikkun Olam

Over two dozen US newspapers including the Washington Post last weekend decided against publishing a cartoon depicting a couple where the girlfriend just converted to Islam. Apparently the cartoon, prior to the decision, was shown to several Muslims working there who may have expressed their concern, after which the decision not to publish was made. Was this the right decision? What about the first amendment to the constitution providing for freedom of speech? Are we "running scared" of Muslims, but Jews and Christians are fair game? Is this the ultimate in political correctness? Here is the video on MSNBC. Click on or copy and paste the address in a new browser, go to "Editor's Picks," and search the pages for "Is Islam Off-Limits in Comic Strips." http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?f=00&g=64e9ad4e-b6ea-48d3-a321-adb1e5e71900&p=News_Editors%20Picks&t=m5&rf=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/&fg = Here is the link to the actual cartoon: htt...

For the past couple of weeks I have been reading some serious blogs which question Judaism, the divinity of the Torah, halacha, the TSBP (Torah she'be'al peh=oral Torah), and other minor questions such as whether or not G-d exists, not to mention creationism versus evolution, etc. As they started saying in the 70s, this is some heavy stuff (well, that sure dates me). All of these questions are important. I myself have questioned many aspects of my religion, and still have questions while I continue to be "Orthodox" (whatever that is). I've made the decision that the benefits outweigh the negatives, and the fact that I still have some doubts is ok. I had a fairly strong Jewish and secular education, and no, it didn't solve all the problems nor did it answer all my religious and existential questions. So what? I judge my religion as a whole by the behavior and actions of its adherents, not only by what it professes. On the whole, I would ask you: 1) Do Jews prov...

Some more JEWISH HUMOR ( thanks to Betzalel, my Jewish Joke Research Scientist ) : Signs on Synagogue Bulletin Boards : 1. Under same management for over 5767 years. 2. Don't give up. Moses was once a basket case. 3 What part of "Thou shalt not" don't you understand? *************************** Shul committees should be made up of three members..two of whom should be absent at every meeting. Sign over the urinal in a bathroom at Hebrew University: "The future of the Jewish people is in your hands." My mother is a typical Jewish mother. Once she was on jury duty. They sent her home. She insisted SHE was guilty. Any time a person goes into a delicatessen and orders a pastrami on white bread, somewhere a Jew dies. It was meal time during a flight on El Al. "Would you like dinner?," the flight attendant asked Moshe, seated in front. "What are my choices?," Moshe asked. "Yes, or no," she replied. An elderly Jewish man is knocked down...

As I said in my last post, I was somewhat depressed by various situations, one of which I wrote about. Sometimes it is best not to dwell on one subject which is 'getting you down,' because often the deeper and deeper you delve into it, the murkier the waters become. . . and your vision becomes unclear. So I decided to 'surf the web,' to "research' (term used very loosely) my next post. In the course of reading my email and various blogs looking for a new post-theme, I came across a funny joke, so in order to get myself into a happier state ( Delaware ), I visited one or two of these joke sites to shift my pair-a-dime(s!) You will read a good Blonde Joke when you click on the title link*, and this one below was sent to me by my friend Betzalel. I do not know it's origin. I do know my husband could probably relate to this, with his "four food groups" of peanut butter, single malt, donuts & coffee: My kind of doctor... Q: I've heard that card...

I was depressed. But I shouldn't be. My depression is due to a combination of factors, some personal, some national. In this post I am addressing the national: the Likud primaries, which were held yesterday in Israel. Bibi Netanyahu ("same old, same old") won. My candidate (even though I am not eligible to vote...yet...), Moshe Feiglin, lost. Or did he? He garnered 23% of the vote, which was approximately double that of the last election. A full quarter of Likudniks are fed up with the politcal-existential situation in Israel and see Moshe Feiglin as different, as not-afriad-to-speak-the-truth-about-the-real-situation, and as a real, tangible hope for the future of Israel's survival as a Jewish State. For yet another example of his lack of fear of 'political correctness,' just read this article he wrote which I found on Arutz Sheva, about young Israeli men evading the draft. It is like spraying ice cold water with a high pressure hose on anyone who refuses to ...

I had intended merely to comment on everyone’s comments, and acknowledge your participation in this ‘forum’ about my previous post, but my comments began to e-x-p-a-n-d, to the point that I decided to make it it’s own Post. So I am now BREAKING TRADITION (sarcasm intended) and responding to everyone’s comments on "A Post of It’s Own!" First of all, I want to say that I knew my previous post would raise some hairs. I wrote it because it was a subject which was important to me. It was a situation where I felt there was a ‘wrong’ that needed ‘righting.’ I did not intend in any way, shape or form to offend anyone, but on the other hand, although I am tolerant and accepting of the culture or customs of others, when I see them as harming others or detrimental to others’ health and welfare, I will speak up about it. That is what the title of my blog, “ Tikkun Olam ,” means: to help correct wrongs and repair the world. To understand some of this, you might have to click on the ‘comme...

Terrible calamities seem to be befalling the frum community lately. A good friend of my son in Israel was severely injured in a van accident on the East Coast - please say tehilllim for Yehoshua Meshulam ben Sarah Leah . I also heard about two Israeli Haredi boys on a hike collapsing and dying from the heat and dehydration, which is terrible and shouldn't have happened. And then, I read two articles about the accidents. I could not believe what I read: it seems that their Rabbanim in the Yeshivot have outlawed hiking (and renting cars), because both of these activities are dangerous to your health (c lick on the title link to read one article. ) Correct me if I'm wrong, but something seems amiss here: the Rabbeim did what ? They added a new Yeshiva course in life skills? In how to survive in a hot desert climate? Did they institute a driver's education and safety course in the Yeshiva? Apparently not. Instead, in their great wisdom and with great common sense, they for...

My loyal readers (yeah, that means you! ), you know that I sometimes-- well, ok--most of the time--intersperse various and sundry Hebrew words in my posts. Sometimes I translate them, and sometimes not; so here is your big chance to learn Ivrit, free, and online at your convenience--so that you will never be in the dark about those untranslated words again. Here is a sample, but click on the title link to get the full lesson from Uncyclopedia* (Disclaimer: the following is a bit irreverent, has graphic content, and gets even raunchier the further you read; click on title link at your own risk. Blog author NOT responsible for contents. Adults over 18 only. No refunds.): HowTo: Learn Hebrew *From Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia. Goys may not have enough chutzpah to understand Jewish wit. Kvetch about it all you want, but that won't help you understand it. Fill your kepellah with knowledge more suited for you. “Mchh Mchh Mcht, Chht Chht Mchht Hey! you speak fluent Hebrew!...