by Mobius · Wednesday, September 29th, 2004
Having spent my entire life living in a country where the only comparable experience is sidewalk Christmas tree sales, I can’t help but marvel at the site of such stacks of palm fronds lining the streets of Jerusalem.
For the uninitiated, the palm fronds are used in the construction of sukkahs — temporary shelters utilized during the holiday of Sukkot, the annual Jewish harvest festival, which begins this evening. To learn more about Sukkot, click here.
Oh, and, FYI: Danya’s got a great related post on her Sukkot preparations here.
by Mobius · Wednesday, September 29th, 2004
The NY Press has named Kehilat Hadar, the Upper West Side’s trendy egalitarian minyan, the best Jewish dating scene in the city. Watch attendence multiply significantly…
[Update] I wrote something kind of mean and snarky here earlier that I feel bad about and want to take back cuz I don’t want to “wish” such negative things upon Hadar as it were. I feel bad about the way I characterized the community in the situation, and despite feeling uncomfortable with what I’d written after the fact, I left it anyway for some reason. So, yeah, sorry ’bout that. I don’t know what was on my mind this morning. I really have nothing but nice things to say about the people there.
by Mobius · Wednesday, September 29th, 2004
E!’s got a piece on the Madonna/Egypt story we’ve apparently been credited with breaking in the Western world.
by Mobius · Wednesday, September 29th, 2004
“Israel Insider is an independent, nonpartisan online publication that aims to provide an ‘inside perspective’ on the latest news, analysis and commentary from and about Israel.”
Which is why they’re kissing Women in Green director Nadia Matar’s ass, giving her and Moshe Feiglin a soapbox from which to espouse openly against the Gaza withdrawl, and are going out of their way to make the government agency responsible for the withdrawl look as insidiously evil as possible with one of the snarkiest and most obnoxious pieces of “news journalism” ever presented as such.
Mmm, gotta love that nonpartisanship!
by Mobius · Wednesday, September 29th, 2004
JTA reports,
A synagogue in New York City is losing support from its umbrella organization because it invited a gay rabbi to give a sermon during Rosh Hashanah, according to reports.
The Union for Traditional Judaism is pulling its support from the Montauk Minyan, which featured Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg as one of its speakers during the holiday, the New York Jewish Week reported. A spokesman for the small congregation says Greenberg did not address gay or lesbian issues during his talk. But the union says homosexual behavior is incompatible with Jewish law.
Well that’s nice and reprehensible.
by Mobius · Wednesday, September 29th, 2004
Settlers in Kiryat Arba and Hebron are complaining that IDF soldiers are using Meir Kahane Park, particularly the area around Baruch Goldstein’s grave, to engage in sexual activities with female cohorts. Revered as a hero in Hebron, Goldstein opened fire inside a mosque 10 years ago, killing nearly 30 Muslim worshippers.
Oh poo, they’re desecrating a murder’s grave. How awful!
by Mobius · Wednesday, September 29th, 2004
Is a personal vendetta against Jews on the part of an FBI agent responsible for the AIPAC probe that yielded allegations of Israeli espionage? That’s what Maariv seems to think. More on this in the Jewish Journal. Edwin Black, author of IBM & The Holocaust and The Transfer Agreement, reports for JTA here.
by Mobius · Wednesday, September 29th, 2004
Israeli scientists at Technion University have managed to make physical representations of MC Escher’s artwork, using new 3D printing technology. Of course you all know which one my favorite is… Also check out the funky-ass menorah and magen david they made here. (c/o BoingBoing)
by Mobius · Wednesday, September 29th, 2004
by Moishe Oofnik · Tuesday, September 28th, 2004
Haaretz reports:
The Courage to Refuse movement and one of its founders, Israel Defense Forces reserve Captain David Zonshein, have been nominated for the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.
[...] “Our candidacy is a victory for those who love Israel, and a victory for Zionist values and the Israeli spirit, which have championed an uncompromising battle defending the State of Israel alongside protecting human life, human rights and honor,” Zonshein said.
The refuseniks definitely deserve the prize, though I am not sure Arafat, Peres or Rabin would make that great a company.
by Mobius · Tuesday, September 28th, 2004
Coming up on Tuesday, October 5 at 4 PM in the Gan Sacher skate park on Sderot Hanasi Ben Zvi, our friends at Gili’s Skateshop (Jerusalem’s premier skateboarding accessory shop) will be holding a skateboarding competition. Prizes will be awarded to the best flat-surface tricksters, including a brand new Premimum skateboard, and an Element sweatshirt. Live music by DJ Marky Funk. Click here for flyer in Hebrew.
by Ronen · Monday, September 27th, 2004
The other day, Mobius ended a post about Israel by wondering
I mean, that is if you even in part accept the assesment that what is happening here is wrong…
Well what is happening in Israel? On this blog, we hear a lot about the negatives. But Israel is a complex society that does a lot of good, and yet still has a lot of room for improvement.
I thought I would share this story, from the Jewish Agency for Israel’s web site, about a program to cultivate technical and scientific skills and thus future opportunity for Ethiopian-Israeli youth. Obviously, this is just one example of a positive Israeli program, and there are many. We have a lot to be proud of in Israel, and let’s not let our desire for positive change obscure that.
by The Town Crier · Sunday, September 26th, 2004
Not that anything found on Pravda can be taken as truth unless verified elsewhere (due to its Enquierer-esque headlines and articles) but according to the Russian web-loid, Israeli businessman Haim Shiban has plans in effect to acquire 50% of shares the Arabic satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera. Pravda credits “Lebanese newspaper Al-Mustakbal with reference to Israeli sources” as their source for the story. According to the piece, Shiban has also invested 1.5 billion in American Fox News, a German station and an Israeli network.
by Mobius · Sunday, September 26th, 2004
The AP reports,
The members of Beastie Boys are flashing liquor and cash while betting on a street-level parlor game — with a Jewish twist. Instead of a 40-ounce brew, Adrock throttles a bottle of Manischewitz wine. In lieu of dice, MCA tosses a dreidel as Mike D hangs back with a gold Kiddush cup. Moments later, MCA, the band’s self-styled Kung Fu master, chops through a thick stack of matzo bread like Bruce Lee busting through three-ply mahogany.
The crew got all Jewed up for a magazine photo shoot. I wonder for whom… Could it be?
by Mobius · Sunday, September 26th, 2004
Cox News Service reports,
The Rev. Jerry Falwell said yesterday that evangelical Christians, after nearly 25 years of increasing political activism, now control the Republican Party and the fate of President Bush in the November election.
Full story.
Wow. I feel freer already.
by Mobius · Sunday, September 26th, 2004
by Mobius · Sunday, September 26th, 2004
The UK Guardian reports,
Rumours of a link between the US first family and the Nazi war machine have circulated for decades. Now the Guardian can reveal how repercussions of events that culminated in action under the Trading with the Enemy Act are still being felt by today’s president.
Full story.
by Mobius · Sunday, September 26th, 2004
Well, if Reuters says we did it, it’s got to be true.
