“Of 500 Israelis between the ages of 15 and 18 surveyed, 43 percent said soldiers, both conscripts and reservists, should be permitted to say no to duty in the territories, while 57 percent said they should not be allowed to refuse.”
Filed under
Filed under
The UK Sun reports that Madonna had received several terrorist death threats on her and her children, which is why she cancelled her 3 concerts in Israel. She specualted that it was because of her “Jewish Kaballa” religion but others claim it is because she represents many things they hate about Western Culture.
[Update] The pop star denies receiving any threats.
Filed under
Dr. Khaled M. Batarfi has an op-ed in today’s Arab News on the merits of making Israel a binational state. Here’s my response, which I forwarded to both the editors and the author.
I support the idea of a secular, binational state ideally, but concerns to retain the Jewishness of Israel are not without merit.
The goal of Zionism was to create a state in which Jews could rule themselves and not be at the mercy of a gentile majority, whereas they had, for whatever reason, until the creation of Israel, been persecuted by the gentile majority in nearly every nation in which they’ve lived. Thus, primarily, the creation of a Jewish state serves to provide a safehaven for Jews escaping persecution, and further, to provide an environment in which they could fulfill their aspirations for self-determination.
If a binational state were to be formed, that safehaven would no longer exist. Numbers indicate that the Palestinians would outnumber the Jews within just a few years. Considering the entrenchment of antisemitic thought within the Palestinian liberation movement–thanks to religious fundamentalists and corrupt political leaders who woefully use age-old Jew-hatred as a rallying point for their people (that, apart from creating a generation of Palestinian shihadis, has given way to recent outbreaks of antisemitic violence across Europe, which the EU reports has been largely carried out on the part of young Muslim males)–it is understandable that Jews would find it hard to trust that, in a binational democratic state, the Palestinian majority would not use their political influence to “punish” the Jews for the last 60 years of conflict.
Until more Palestinian moderates come forth, and more Arab lay-people speak out against racism and hatred (particularly antisemitism directed at both Jews and Arabs), as well as take a stand against the use of terror (such as the recent shooting of a Jewish woman and her four daughters, and then the subsequent firing-upon of their funeral, which would seem to reap no political benefit whatsoever), democracy or not, Jews, frankly, have no reason to trust that they will be safe and free in a binational state.
And, well, history is on their side in this case.
Filed under
Now you can get to Los Angeles for $100 and help fix the Jewish professional sector! The Professional Leaders Project “will bring together 20-something Jews in a Dynamic and interactive environment to examine and brainstorm strategies that will enrich Jewish professional life.”
What’s next, Hawaii for free?
Filed under
Back in the last quarter of the last century, I made my living largely by working with multilingual typography – with Hebrew, English, and Cyrillic in particular. In 1990 I led a panel at Type90 at Oxford on multilingual typography and felt confident that I would be doing similar work, but better, forever.
As it happens, the tools continued to suck and I was frustrated and there was all this cool stuff to do on the web, so I moved on. Fifteen years later, tools are finally beginning to get exciting again, and I’ve started a “Hebrew Typography” weblog to get some of the materials I’ve developed, along with new ones, onto the web.
Now consider something else: KlezKanada, one of my favorite Klezmer gatherings. This one takes place at a Jewish summer camp north of Montreal in late August. It always includes amazing teachers in everything ranging from dance to singing to theatre to making music. There are great kids activities, as well.
The one thing lacking at KlezKanada, KlezKamp, KlezCalifornia, and other such events has been someone to speak to Hebrew letterforms: what Hebrew typography looks like, or how to put together a songsheet or CD liner notes that work well for readers (or singers). Being the only Hebrew Typesetter, Extraordinaire of my acquaintance, and desiring to spend time with some of my best friends, I have convinced the organization to let me teach on these subjects this year. I hope someone is able to tear himeself or herself away from playing music to do so. My wife, Judith Pinnolis, of the Jewish Music WebCenter will also be there, speaking about Women in Jewish American music, as well as giving her popular workshops on finding music resources on the web. We’ll also be working on an as-yet-unspecified weblog project to put pictures, writing, and possibly sounds from the week up on the web as it happens.
In short, klezmer may be middle of the road Jewish activity now, but KlezKanada is still out there on the edge of what defines Jewish culture and Jewish memory, and this summer, Judy and I and fellow Kampers will do what we can to explore the edges of Jewish culture in cyberspace. You can follow the prep on the various related websites (the Klezmershack, the Jewish Music Webcenter, the Hebrew Typography weblog, or best, come on up to KlezKanada and party with us for the week, Aug 25-29, 2004.
For further information about KlezKanada — and do register soon to get a place — see the Aug 23 listing, or visit the KlezKanada website, www.klezkanada.com.
Filed under
The Wiesenthal Center has levied a warning (bypass reg) to Jews not to travel to Greece and to steer clear of the upcoming Olympic Games in August, citing the Greek government’s disinterest in combatting antisemitism. Israel, which will be participating in the games, as well as providing security for the event, has not endorsed the Wiesenthal Center’s position.
In related news, a bit of a stir has been created by the fact that the Olympics’ website lists Israel under Europe (buh?) and has an asterisk in the place of Israel’s capital. The asterisk leads to a link on the UN’s website for further information on the topic. In turn, Palestine (which technically isn’t a country yet) is listed under Asia, and until a few months ago, had Jerusalem listed as its capital.
Also related, a Greek jav thrower has gotten clearance to represent Palestine in the upcoming games in Athens. Ha’aretz reports the athelete, Sofia Sakorafa, “hope[s] to represent the Palestinian team in an expression of solidarity for the Palestinians’ plight as a people living under Israeli occupation.”
And finally, Yassir Arafat has offered to “protect the Olympics from terrorism,” according to The NY Post. The man responsible for the massacre of 11 Israeli atheletes at the 1972 Munich games has instructed his shihadis to “protect, cooperate and prevent any isolated attack,” or so says Palestinian diplomat Marwan Abdelhamid. Now that’s what I call unmitigated gall… or as Post puts it, Olympic-size chutzpah!
More words from The Good Doctor on Olympic terror at ESPN.
Filed under
The Chicago Tribune The AP reports,
The branch of American Judaism that pioneered elevating women to leadership positions is now wrestling with an uncomfortable issue: Where have the men gone?Reform Jewish leaders in many communities say females outnumber males in areas ranging from summer camp to synagogue leadership, prompting concern that men feel abandoned by the religious movement and are turning away from it.
Filed under
The Canton Repository reports (bypass reg),
For many of today’s teens, the Bible, human history’s most important book, is so “yesterday.” Ignorance abounds, and worsens with each generation.Blending spiritual, cultural and profit-making motives, publishers are cleverly attacking that gap, repackaging and sugarcoating Scripture with add-ons and hot formats.
Behold Refuel (Transit-Thomas Nelson), which disguises the New Testament as a teen magazine for guys. The cover promises, in all capital letters, “Extras: Girls, Cash, and Cars” and “Girls Spill It All!”
Mmm, that’s just how I like my religion: delivered deceptively and in slick packaging! Why not just make a “teenage sex wager” movie that’s really a metaphor for Jesus?
Filed under
The Hill reports,
Jewish donors are split over whom to back in the Democratic primary in Georgia’s 4th District, where former Rep. Cynthia McKinney, who has been hostile to Israel and taken money from groups with possible terrorist ties, is hoping to make a comeback.
Demonize a woman much what? Ampersand has a nice post here on “The Screwing of Cynthia McKinney.” Hell, the best Frontpage could do is point at her dad. When I point to the Nazi ties of Bush’s grandfathers I’m charged with holding sons accountable for the crimes of their fathers. Why is this okay when dealing with McKinney?
Filed under
The NY Post reports,
An Orthodox Jew was dismissed from the jury pool in the Lynne Stewart case yesterday after he told a judge he couldn’t be fair and impartial to the radical lawyer.“I don’t think I can do it,” the Yeshiva teacher told Manhattan federal Judge John Koeltl, who yesterday began the painfully slow process of cutting down an initial pool of 500 potential jurors to an eventual panel of 12.
“Put me on another case,” said the teacher.
Stewart represented blind Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, imprisoned in 1995 for urging followers to blow up U.S. landmarks. She was charged in 2002 with illegally helping him communicate with his followers from prison while she was supposed to be on official attorney-client business.
Well that was certainly responsible of them…
Filed under
Filed under
Check out Israel’s 19 year-old Miss Universe contestant, Gal Gadot. Rowwr! Be sure to watch her video interview. It’s mad funny. (c/o Solomyr)
And while we’re on the subject of fine ladies, please welcome Ariela Krevat to the Jewschool blogteam…
Filed under
Neil Steinberg of the Chicago Sun-Times reflects on what it is that makes Israeli women so damn sexy.
I’ve read countless in-depth analyses of the complex situation in Israel, parsing the various political issues, parties and leaders, revisiting the historical details of wars and conflicts. Yet I don’t remember anyone raising the subject of why Israelis are so damn good-looking. Another dire result of terrorism, I suppose. When you have people periodically blowing themselves up in crowded public places, you can’t very well expect the press to start turning out stories with headlines like: “Israel: Land of Hot Babes.”But it’s true. And particularly noticeable when you leave Jerusalem, with its hordes of pale Hasidim decked out in acres of black fabric, and go to Tel Aviv, where secularism rules. Women are so good-looking it’s dangerous.
Actually, I kinda dig those “hordes of pale Hasidim.” Something about those payot…
Filed under
Filed under
Malibu Chicken must go: Sean Caples, owner of Malibu Chicken, said the landlord of the property, Chabad of Malibu, acted unfairly when it told him he must leave by May 15. A new kosher meat restaurant will move into the building on Pacific Coast Highway near the Malibu Pier the next day. Caples said Chabad had been trying to kick him out of the property for the past two years, and had been uncooperative in attempts to negotiate.
Stars Flock To Save Local Chicken Shack: this is hardly some swanky, stuffy, overpriced restaurant. The little surf restaurant has cheap prices, friendly service and, if traffic patterns are just right, a view of the ocean across the street.
[...]
A petition drive has been started to save Malibu Chicken, and nearly 2,000 people, including Adam Sandler, have signed it.
Didn’t Adam Sandler endorse Chabad at their TV fundraiser back when?
Filed under
Tonight’s West Wing: “IN SEASON FINALE, GAZA SLAYINGS OF KEY U.S. OFFICIALS MIGHT DRAG FUMING PRESIDENT INTO UNENDING CYCLE OF VIOLENCE – In the season finale, events in the tinderbox Gaza Strip spin out of control after the murders of high-ranking U.S. officials and back home the angry President (Martin Sheen) weighs appropriate military action. “
Anybody watch?
Filed under
This is the first time an Arab-Israeli group wins the Israeli National Soccer cup. But not everybody is happy. Check out this mourning ad:
With great sorrow and deep anguish we inform you of that “Ichud Bnei Sakhnin” has won the Israeli National Soccer Cup. The fan club site will be darkened until tomorrow. From: the Betar Fan website, Betar fans, Israel, and the Jewish People.
I wish this was only a marginal minority in Israel.
Filed under
follow us on Twitter
follow us on Facebook
subscribe to our email