by Mobius [➚] · Sunday, July 30th, 2006
Every country has it’s own version of The Daily Show. In Israel it’s called Eretz Nehederet (A Wonderful Country). In the latest episode…
The comedians on the program were called up for emergency reserve duty, to save us all from the media’s discourse on the new round of violence, getting more and more hackneyed by the second. The show has always known how to puncture holes in the nation’s long-faced atmosphere, holes that are by no means too big or too offensive, but just the right size to let in some fun and criticism.
This special edition had it all, all the ridiculous aspects of this conflict that many people – those who are not too terrified in the bomb shelters – had thought of, but couldn’t really put into words. They had President Moshe Katsav, who is under investigation for alleged sexual harassment, clad in a white bathrobe adorned with the national flag, up in the North “sympathizing with the citizens of Israel,” but actually having a quick tryst at a resort. Of course, Katsav said that now was the time “to forget the past.”
Eretz Nehederet got it just right – when the war’s raging, apprehension and patriotism take over, quite understandably, and quite fortunately for the leaders and other public figures, whose incompetence and misdeeds are shoved off the headlines.
This is praise, no less, from the rightward-leaning Jerusalem Post. I consider it testament to the critical distance Israelis maintain from their government’s actions. Makhloket (disagreement) is our nature. We thrive on dissent.
In Lebanon, they too have (had?) a similar program called A Nation’s Smiles, which is “famous for poking fun at politicians of all stripes.”
Not two months ago, the show spoofed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, leading his supporters to riot across southern Lebanon — apparently in the neighboorhoods you’re presently seeing reduced to rubble — burning tires and blockading streets.
The incident brought one Lebanese journalist, Faysal Itani, to write:
Lebanon’s history relative to the Arab world is one of public freedoms and respect for the private sphere. Fifteen years of police-state rule could not end that tradition. But now that precious heritage is being sacrificed on the altar of political correctness and sectarian ‘coexistence’. The Lebanese government has called for Pierre Daher, the executive director of the TV channel that aired the comedy, to be brought in for questioning about the episode. Sheikh Nasrallah himself called for an end to the riots but not before thanking his followers for their show of “support†instead of distancing himself (and his party) from the entire fiasco.
The government has assured us that the entire matter will be handled through due process of law instead of affirming the sanctity of free speech enshrined in our constitution. But what Lebanese law calls for immunity for politicians from public criticism? And what type of ‘coexistence’ are we attempting to salvage? Coexistence requires a certain level of tolerance and openness. It cannot be based on mutual intellectual imprisonment or on placating those who claim a right to use violence to express disdain for a piece of comedy. Any coexistence that can be shattered with a joke is not coexistence at all but merely a nervous co-habitation of the same piece of land.
At the time of the incident, the AP reported:
Clearly on the defensive, the charismatic Nasrallah said Monday the riots were spontaneous and that his activists helped restore order rather than inflame tensions. He rejected characterizations of the incident by anti-Syrians, whom he accused of hyping the disturbance.
“All that’s happening will not undermine the determination and will of the resistance (against Israel),” he said. “If those carrying out these actions think that through such language and behavior they could reach a point where they can besiege, isolate and finish off the resistance they are wrong. … I promise them that they will fail, God willing.”
Hizbullah’s guerrilla campaign helped drive Israel out of southern Lebanon in 2000 after a 22-year occupation, the first time Israel was forced to withdraw its army from Arab land. The group has been keen to sustain that image while trying to convince skeptics that the 12,000-plus rockets in its arsenal are designed to deter a possible Israeli attack.
But there is concern that Hizbullah wants to use its powerful military machine against anti-Syrian groups and other parties in Lebanon. Hizbullah’s detractors also worry it could come to the aid of Iran by attacking Israel. U.S. intelligence officials go even further, saying they believe the group could carry out “terror attacks” on Tehran’s direction.
Ohhh, looks like someone’s got their finger on the nose of this charade.
It’s a damn shame Israel’s turned all its potential allies into enemies.
by Mobius [➚] · Saturday, July 29th, 2006
They say that terrorism is the only means of remediation for those rendered desperate by a system which offers no justice. Hence the Hamas charter states, “There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors.”
Last week I was horrified to see this image by Mike Flugennock adorning the sidebar on Infoshop:
When you lend your voice to this perspective — glorifying martyrdom and random acts of violence against civilians — you help create an atmosphere which makes things like Friday’s shooting in Seattle not only possible, but attractive.
***
According to a
2005 report by the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, “holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the State of Israel” is a modern manifestation of antisemitism.
On December 12, 2005, Dror Feiler of European Jews for a Just Peace wrote on ZNet,
This is the flipside of a position, frequently expressed by Prime Minister Sharon and many Zionists, that refuses to make any distinction between the interests of Israel and those of Jews worldwide. Why it is permissible for them to make this elision but evidence of antisemitism when others do so is not clear. It might even be taken as evidence of double standards… In reality it is all too often Zionist rhetoric which fuses the notion of Israel’s interests with those of Jews worldwide and thus fuels what the EUMC identifies (other things being equal) as a potential indicator of antisemitism.
It is clear, by the merit of incidents such as this alone, that the fates of diaspora Jewish communities and Israel are inextricably linked. That, however, does not imply that individual Jews are responsible for the actions of the state of Israel. We are certainly made to feel responsible, by our families, our communities, and our leadership. We feel compelled to concern ourselves and to act. But individual Jews are not responsible for actions taken by the government of the state of Israel. Diaspora Jews cannot vote in Israeli elections, and it’s not much like the government respects which way the public votes anyhow. So disregarding our own bound hands and holding Jews — whether in Seattle or Sderot — responsible for what is going on in Lebanon and Gaza cannot possibly be justified.
But you’ll see. Some will line up to justify it.
Ari Halberstam died for your sins. And now so has some poor woman in Seattle.
Mazal tov.
by Mobius [➚] · Saturday, July 29th, 2006
TMZ.com:
TMZ has learned that Mel Gibson went on a rampage when he was arrested Friday on suspicion of drunk driving, hurling religious epithets. TMZ has also learned that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department had the initial report doctored to keep the real story under wraps.
TMZ has four pages of the original report prepared by the arresting officer in the case, L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy James Mee. According to the report, Gibson became agitated after he was stopped on Pacific Coast Highway and told he was to be detained for drunk driving Friday morning in Malibu. The actor began swearing uncontrollably. Gibson repeatedly said, “My life is f****d.” Law enforcement sources say the deputy, worried that Gibson might become violent, told the actor that he was supposed to cuff him but would not, as long as Gibson cooperated. As the two stood next to the hood of the patrol car, the deputy asked Gibson to get inside. Deputy Mee then walked over to the passenger door and opened it. The report says Gibson then said, “I’m not going to get in your car,” and bolted to his car. The deputy quickly subdued Gibson, cuffed him and put him inside the patrol car.
[...]
The report says Gibson then launched into a barrage of anti-Semitic statements: “F*****g Jews… The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world.” Gibson then asked the deputy, “Are you a Jew?”
[...]
Deputy Mee then wrote an eight-page report detailing Gibson’s rampage and comments. Sources say the sergeant on duty felt it was too “inflammatory.” A lieutenant and captain then got involved and calls were made to Sheriff’s headquarters. Sources say Mee was told Gibson’s comments would incite a lot of “Jewish hatred,” that the situation in Israel was “way too inflammatory.” It was mentioned several times that Gibson, who wrote, directed, and produced 2004′s “The Passion of the Christ,” had incited “anti-Jewish sentiment” and “For a drunk driving arrest, is this really worth all that?”
NY Times:
“If it’s true what’s reported, frequently hatred, bigotry and prejudice, which is controlled, explodes at moments of stress and crisis,†said Rabbi Abraham H. Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League. “Liquor loosens the tongue of what’s in the mind and in the heart, and in his mind and in his heart is his conspiracy theory about Jews and hatred of Jews.â€
Gibson, whose father is a known Holocaust denier, is currently at work on a mini-series about the Shoah for ABC television.
by David Kelsey [➚] · Saturday, July 29th, 2006
It is long past time to end the debate. It is time to stop entertaining the idea that merely addressing disenfranchisement, root causes, and entering into dialogue alone will safeguard this nation generally or our community specifically from domestic terrorism sufficiently. It will not.
It is time for the mainstream Jewish community in its entirety to back a moratorium on immigration from those nations where either the leadership or the population is hostile both to this country and to our community.Â
Obviously, dissidents should be exempted, and certainly there are other categorical exceptions as well that need to be considered, and more still on a case by case basis.
When it comes to terrorism, no one is saying “most.â€
It is a very small percentage of Muslims that directly cause quite a bit of mayhem. But even if the percentage stays at the same very low percentage, more domestic Muslims equals more domestic terrorists and hate criminals.
It is a cruel numbers game. It is in our interest to preempt an increase in their numbers here through immigration.
It’s nothing personal.Â
It’s just war.
by E. [➚] · Saturday, July 29th, 2006
nuff said.
Full Story
by Kol Ra'ash Gadol [➚] · Friday, July 28th, 2006
According to a BBC report, Israel has begun targeting cell phones to warn Lebanese to leave southern Lebanon: “On Friday, residents of southern Lebanon reported receiving recorded messages on their mobile phones from an unknown caller. The speaker identified himself as an Israeli and warned people in the area to leave their homes and head north. ”
It’s not precisely clear how the Lebanese are supposed to actually accomplish this, since according to the reports I’ve been reading, (Here is one from Time, also cited inthe BBC Report above) the roads are almost impassable: “Almost all the roads that criss-cross the hills and valleys of the south have been heavily cratered from multiple air strikes, making them impassable. Even United Nations peacekeepers with their armored personnel carriers have abandoned the effort to resupply or evacuate residents of southern villages because of the conditions of the roads and the Israeli shelling and air strikes. ‘We are in close contact with the Israelis to request safe passage but their answer has not been forthcoming,’ says Milos Strugar, senior advisor to the UN force, known as UNIFIL.”
Still, most are trying – some, of course, are refusing to leave their homes, which will undoubetdly add to the current tragedy. Please folks, try: homes can be rebuilt….
But I digress: it’s interesting to see the ways in which Israel is indeed trying to convince people to go. The Time article noted above, also notes, “The Israelis also are using more unorthodox methods of conveying their warning — SMS text messages and recorded voice messages to local officials. Hassan Dbouk, who works with Tyre’s municipality, says he received an early morning phone call on his landline and heard a voice say ‘This is the Israeli Army. We are about to increase our military operations in south Lebanon and you are advised to leave immediately to north of the Litani.’ ‘I’m staying,’ Dbouk says.”
by Jewish Robot [➚] · Friday, July 28th, 2006
by BZ [➚] · Friday, July 28th, 2006
The coolest independent Friday night minyan in New York City and the coolest independent Friday night minyan in Washington DC… together at last! Kol Zimrah and Tikkun Leil Shabbat are having an exchange this summer. KZ is joining TLS in DC this Shabbat (July 28-29), and TLS is joining KZ in NY for a future Shabbat (August 25-26). It all begins tonight! If you’re in DC this weekend, join us at Green Door at 6:45 pm for services and a potluck dinner. See the Tikkun Leil Shabbat website for more information.
by Y-Love [➚] · Thursday, July 27th, 2006
You might think that Hezbollah’s leader is anti-Israel.
Among other things, he was quoted in 2002 as saying: “If we searched the entire world for a person more cowardly, despicable, weak and feeble in psyche, mind, ideology and religion, we would not find anyone like the Jew. Notice, I do not say the Israeli.”
He makes it a point to distinguish: he is not insulting Israelis, but Jews.
Then why are references to Jews conspicuously left out when he speaks on Al-Jazeera? An example.
Is anti-Semitism sufficiently out of vogue on the world arena that it would warrant a PR-induced edit? Or is Nasrallah editing himself for America, which would be a moot point considering that he is in cahoots with Iran and Syria? What would cause Nasrallah to stop his anti-Jewish vitriol?
Unless, as was stated before, perhaps this is just another example of things left out of the mainstream media? I ask the information question (ba’ei Y-Love) — what exactly ARE the two sides in this current war?
by Y-Love [➚] · Thursday, July 27th, 2006
The line between honest political criticism and virulent anti-Semitic hatred is becoming increasingly blurred, especially in Europe. From Spain’s PM Jorge Luis Rodriguez Zapatero’s ill-timed kaffiyeh to what Iran is calling “daily” protests in Belgium, anti-Israel sentiment is not only in vogue, it is the current intellectual haute couture. However, increasingly, anti-Israel sentiments and anti-Zionism’s acceptance in the media has now allowed even the most ugly of anti-Semites to come out into the open and say what they really feel. Ad absurdum.
New Zealand’s StuffNews gives the disturbing blurb:
The leader of German’s extreme right NPD party was detained yesterday, together with scores of other party supporters, for chanting anti-Israeli slogans. A police spokesman in northwestern town of Verden said 40 people, including the NPD’s leader Udo Voigt, were briefly held under a German law against incitement of the people.
The crime can carry a penalty of up to five years in prison and is used, amongst other things, to prosecute Holocaust deniers. The NPD said in a statement its party members were accused of chanting “Israel – international genocide centre.”
For those of you who didn’t know, the NPD is the German National Democratic Party. It got 25% of the first-time voters’ popular vote in the Eastern German province of Saxony. Mr. Voigt is famous for quotes such as these, which are from his interview with the White Nationalist self-dubbed “fanzine”, Final Conflict:
“Using the Nuremberg Trials as a basis, the phenomenon of the Third Reich is reduced to one of purely criminal causes. In Germany today, there is a man, Herr Reemtsma…who has reserved to himself the right to portray the glorious Wehrmacht in a kind of Hollywood cliché. One day, the history books of this Republic will have to be rewritten in this respect.”
“The so-called ‘liberation’ of Germany on May 8th 1945 cost the lives of another 3,000,000 Germans in the post-war period; Germany lost a third of her territory to Soviet, Czech and Polish Communists; and the victors staged a Court of Revenge in Nuremberg. It was the belief of this ‘court’ that crimes had only been committed by the Germans during the war.”
And you can make your own inferences regarding the “Third Power” that the NDP wants to form.
It behooves every Jew to watch the new European anti-Zionism — in this writer’s opinion, a sort of twisted lovechild of al-Qa’ida and the SS — as it is perhaps more dangerous than its Middle Eastern counterpart. For as we all know too well, from the centers of culture and “progressive thinking” can come the worst of tragedies and disasters.
by Mobius [➚] · Thursday, July 27th, 2006
- An IAF officer alleged that IDF chief of staff Dan Halutz ordered bombers to destroy 10 buildings for every rocket that lands on Israel.
- Israel hit two Red Cross ambulances in an air strike Sunday and on Tuesday killed four UN observers in a subsequent strike, after being repeatedly warned they were shelling too close to the UN station in southern Lebanon. Kofi Annan has proclaimed the act an “apparently deliberate targeting.” Israel denied the allegation and PM Ehud Olmert expressed his “deep regret” for the incident.
- Indymedia Beirut alleges that Israel is using chemical weapons against Lebanese civilians.
- Meretz party chairman Yossi Beilin has petitioned Israel’s high court over PM Olmert’s failure to officially declare war in Lebanon.
- Arutz Sheva reports that a BBC correspondent admitted that many of the supposed civilians killed in Israel’s airstrikes were actually Hizbullah operatives, and that he himself witnessed Hizbullah using civilian cover to launch attacks against Israel.
- Kiryat Shemona intends to evacuate all of its citizens.
- Hizbollah says it plans to hit Netanya next. That’s twice the distance their rockets currently reach.
- Israel is planning to establish a mile-deep buffer zone along the Israel-Lebanon border, not unlike the buffer zone it established along the Gaza-Egypt border.
- Italy’s premier has offered to commit troops to a peace keeping force in Lebanon.
***
As the second week of fighting nears its closing, I have become personally unable to find any substantial justification for the scale of Israel’s response (in northern Lebanon, at least), as it has done nothing at all to bring the rocket barrages to a halt (another 100 rockets landed on northern Israel yesterday, over 1,500 so far). Rather, it has only resulted in the collective punishment of Lebanese civilians who, ultimately, have suffered more than they could conceivably deserve for giving Hizbullah free reign in the south.
More »
by Mobius [➚] · Thursday, July 27th, 2006
I deleted a comment yesterday left on Orthodox Anarchist by a Montreal resident calling himself “fuc israel” who, in the same breath, called “Zionist Jews” “Nazis,” praised Hizbullah, and wished for the Jews’ extermination.
Note to “fuc israel,” let alone the fact that Hizbullah’s backers renamed their country Iran (persian for aryan) as a salute to the Nazis, when you call for the extermination of another people, it is you who holds the most in common with Nazis. No one should be exterminated by anyone. How’s that?
But, ah, those kooky Canucks. Little Green Footballs (granted, hardly a beacon of tempered thought and criticism — in fact, we’ve reamed them so many times on Jewschool that they redirect all traffic from the site to the IDF’s homepage) posted this lovely photo (you may need to copy and paste the link into your browser) of a man at last week’s anti-Israel rally in Montreal sporting some rather stylish Hizbullah fashions in an expression of solidarity with a group which has proclaimed the present conflict “the beginning of the end for Israel.”
Likewise, a JTA newsbrief reported earlier today,
The Israeli-Hezbollah conflict is having repercussions in Canada, according to B’nai Brith Canada.
The group says anti-Semitic incidents have increased in recent days, including a bomb threat against a synagogue, the stoning of worshippers emerging from evening prayers and a Jewish family being sent a decapitated pig.
Wow. That last one’s pretty original.
Not to worry, “fuc israel,” Canadians like yourself aren’t alone in making bad Nazi analogies. They now ascend from every corner where colonialists, fascists, racists, and antisemites are hunting for excuses to erase the guilt of their pasts (and presents). Despite the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia declaring “comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” a manifestation of contemporary antisemitism, thus far a British parliamentarian with the Conservative party compared Israel’s actions in Lebanon to the Nazi razing of the Warsaw ghetto; likewise, an unattributed editorial in the South African Mail & Guardian made a similar comparison to Lidice; and in the greatest affront to both sense and history, Dutch Socialist party leader Jan Marijnissen told Penthouse that Islamic terrorism is akin to WWII-era resistance against Nazism. This sentiment was apparently not lost on Greek protesters in Athens, who chanted “Hizbullah! Hizbullah!” while lobbing rocks, bottles, flares and molotov cocktails at the Israeli embassy. (After all, such behavior, in no way, substantiates Israel’s fierce response against those who overtly state their desire to destroy it.)
Recalling Hizbullah’s attacks on Argentina’s Israeli embassy in 1992 and a Jewish community center in 1994 (let alone the recent actions of countless useful idiots who, once again, decry Jewish nationalism as racist and Israel’s [overzealous and disproportionate] self-defense as illegitimate, while championing Islamic nationalism and acts of terrorism against civilians as legitimate acts of resistance) Israel on monday warned international Jewish communities to brace themselves for attack, moving Jewish institutions around the world towards a heightened state of alert.
Joy of joys.
Fuck Hizbullah and all its cheerleaders. Fuck ‘em all right in the ear.
by Jewish Robot [➚] · Thursday, July 27th, 2006
by Yoseph Leib [➚] · Wednesday, July 26th, 2006
When I first came back from Israel, I got involved in an informal shabbos community throughout New York. Masters of something they called the “ruckus shabbos,” whereby shabbos would be, just crazy, with constant drunken singing, dancing, and yet a strange modest self-control that would generally keep things from getting “out of hand,” We rocked hard all through different houses, communities, and national parks in and out of the tri-state area, most rainbow gatherings, and sometimes even Canada or Mexico. Somehow we started referring to each other as Gefilte fish, either because of the tightly packed car rides, lack of any leadership or secular purpose (no head or tail), or just the drinking. The “Ge” became rastafarized as a “Jah” as we recieved Nyabingi smicha at the national Rainbow Gathering, with Bingi Icon Rocker-T even playing a set for us at one of our many flop houses in Washington Heights once.
Mostly initially inspired by the wilder shabboses we were turned on to in Israel, with a devotional party passion and love for the songs that we’d picked up here and there from Shlomo, R’Nachman and sometimes raffi or uncle Moishy, we had some mighty good shabboses, indeed. People met and fell in love, got married, divorced, religious and post religious, with the proud accomplishment of almost nothing but some strongly built friendships, and a few people charmed into the Sabbath religion. We’ve mostly long since disbanded yet stayed together, meeting up in Jerusalem, weddings, and the odd shabbos where any of us are nearby. We’ve all grown and changed very much both theologically and in all those other ways too, decreeing the Jahfilte Fish movement, as it somehow came to be called, dead and over a number of times.
At one point we got a website, mostly for announcements, but also for the occasional Torah clipping or something. It was pretty simple and stable for a while.
And then, at some point things started to get out of control.
Not with personal attacks, mostly, more with controversial theological positions, explorations of anti-nominanism, drug morality, sexual virtues and demands… keep in mind that we’re all a bunch of kids, from like 19-30 something, most all from orthodox backgrounds… suddenly exposing each other to progressively radicaler Torah and ideas–
back and forth raising and lowering stakes as we’d get either bored or threatened by the discourse.
So there’s been a conservative response every so often, especially when we’d degrade into cheap yeshivish bathroom humor, or some blanketly droll statement about the evil of such-and-such group or the virtue of such and such drug– But now it looks, like at long last, the site might be ending.
The moderator of the site, one of the coolest, lovingest people I know, is about to call it quits on the basis of moral distrust of some of the Torahs being given over, and no one of the rest of us has the technical skills to moderate much. We’re still negotiating, but basically he felt that some of the ideas being promolgated are too far beyond the acceptable norms of Torah.
The main problem has been recent postings of Neo-Sabbatean teachings controversies having to do with the nature of Jesus Christ’s trip and whether messianism is inherently or even vaguely anti-nomian…
We’d gone past a period of some controversy, from the Naked Shabbos case which was cross explored here on Jewschool and there on Jahfilte. But now, it looks like the conversation is ending, after a period of really radical stuff, some of which felt for me like the most important discussions ever.
Because it’s easy to justify radical ideas in a secular or academic context, but for it to happen organically inside what’s basically an orthodox youth culture– that might be powerful. We tried to argue everything on the basis of the holy, instead of dismissing the holy outright, which made this forum feel somehow authentic and homey to me.
And now that it’s about to be over, I welcome y’all to take a look. See if you find anything worth saving, or, if for some strange reason any of you want to take over hosting, some of us would appreciate it. This is our first time being shown to the larger world, so… be nice. feel free to comment while there’s still time, post chat stuff, insight, political ideas, and if you know of anywhere cool to go for shabbos, let us know.
www.jahfiltefish.com
by YehuditBrachah [➚] · Wednesday, July 26th, 2006
For the sale price of $14.99, plus shipping and handling, you too can be burdened with your own crown of thorns!
Because my inbox is often full of Jewy emails, Gmail, through their beneficent cornucopia of targeted advertising, has bestowed upon me many sites supposedly related to my life. (Notwithstanding their constant barrage of Spam recipes. Spam enchilada bake, anyone?) Occasionally there will be a link to an actual Jewish site, like Chabad or Hebrew language teaching sites. Most of the time, however, they are to sites with seemingly Jewish content that turn out somewhat different.
Today’s jewel: The Shofar Man.
“The Shofar Man,” the link above my inbox said, detailing a short list of Judaica items. My interest was piqued. I’m going to be a rabbi — I’m always looking for a cute little number to cover my head with in shul. I clicked.
The homepage was innocuous. My tab in Firefox read “The Shofar Man is your Israel connection.” Usually my Israel connection is Mobius or like assorted hippies in Nachlaot or Bezeq operators who owe me my deposit back. But okay, I was willing to give this Shofar Man character the benefit of the doubt. Apparently, he was a real visionary:
“The Shofar Man was birthed during a trip to Israel in 1996. This occurred when Jim and Carla Barbarossa visited the Holy Land. While Jim and Carla were shopping in the city of Jerusalem, Jim purchased a Giant Yemenite Shofar to bring home. To Jim’s surprise, G-d spoke to him to blow the Shofar as He would lead him. In October 1996, Carla had a dream that she was pregnant and Jim was taking her to the hospital in a small car. Jim reached under the seat and pulled out a Jumbo Yemenite Shofar and said, “I will blow this during the birthing process.” During that same month, Jim and Carla went to Africa with the Shofar in hand. Jim blew the Shofar as G-d directed, and deliverances, healings, and miracles followed. Since then, Jim has been teaching nationally and internationally on the Ancient Hebrew Instrument of Praise, Worship, & Warfare. …Today, The Shofar Man is a retail and wholesale supplier of Yemenite and Rams Horn Shofars as well as Talis (Prayer Shawls). All horns are imported directly from Israel where they are hand crafted to meet all Kosher standards… “
When browsing the products, I saw the ubiquitous “Emanuel” workshop wall hangings and ridiculously expensive napkin holders found on Emek Rafa’im and in Ben Gurion airport. But there, at the very top of the online catalog listings, was this:
Complete with your own gift box and a blood red bow!
Then I learned that the Shofar Man was on tour!
His tour biography was a little different from the one on his homepage:
“Jim and Carla Barbarossa are Ephesians Chapter 4 Evangelists and are the founders of Step By Step Ministries. God has called Jim and Carla to reach the 9 out of 10 Christians that never witness and teach them how to, while at the same time releasing and raising up the gift of the Ephesians Chapter 4 Evangelist in the Local Church. In May of 1996, Jim purchased a Shofar while in Israel. Since then God has anointed him to blow it and teach on it. Many healings, miracles and deliverances have taken place during the blowing of the Shofar. Jim is an entrepreneur-businessman, and author who has been blessed with a powerful testimony and loves to teach by example. Carla is a true worshiper and has the gift and anointing to bring people into the Fathers presence through worship and dance. Jim and Carla’s desire is to help you find God’s will for your life while at the same time perfecting you to do the work of the ministry…”
Thank you, Gmail, for this enlightening link. Seriously, though: I am so captivated by Christian interest in Jewish ritual items, specifically manufactured in Israel, and their reappropriation into Evangelical and charistmatic Christian practice. For one stop on the tour,
“The Shofar Man is calling God’s Worldwide Army of Shofar Blowers (watchmen) to assemble and release a thundering explosive earth shaking prophetic Shofar Blast! Preparing the Way of the Lord!!! (There will be a special laying-on of hands anointing service for all Shofar blowers in attendance.)”
The tour features “God’s Army of Dancers, Flag Bearers, Worshippers, and Prayer Intercessors,” and display and use of Jewish ritual objects. What fuels this interest? Who are the people bundling their crown of thorns in the same Shofar Man package with their tzitzit and tichelet?
Crown of thorns aside, though, I think my favorite result of the whole diversion was a co-presenter at the Shofar Man’s conference:
Truly high fashion: Cohen Gadol replica outfit. …Is that a real goat?
by BZ [➚] · Wednesday, July 26th, 2006
Today’s New York Times reports on “a growing culinary Little Israel, in pockets throughout the East and West Village”, reviewing a number of joints that serve hummus, shakshuka, burekas, and other Israeli favorites — “edible comforts that are ever more poignant now that their region is torn by violence”. We’ll have to take a Jewschool field trip sometime to see for ourselves!
The article says that a third Hummus Place location (in addition to the existing two in the East and West Villages) has opened on the Upper West Side. Is this for real??? Does anyone know where it is?
by John Brown [➚] · Tuesday, July 25th, 2006
Two days ago, United Nations human rights official Jan Egeland criticised Israel for breaching human rights laws in its bombardment of Lebanon. Prior to that, Egeland had described Israel’s month-long military offensive in Gaza as a “disproportionate use of force”, and reported that “Nearly one third of all casualties in the Lebanon-Israel conflict have been children” and that “it appeared neither Hezbollah nor the Israelis seemed to care about civilian suffering”
Now, four United Nations peacekeepers have been killed in an Israeli air strike on a United Nations observation post in south Lebanon. The dead included observers from Austria, Canada, China and Finland. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said he was “shocked” at the “apparently deliberate targeting” of the post. Dan Ayalon, Israel’s Ambassador to Washington, demanded that Annan apologize for the remarks, which he called “baseless.”
Coverage:
Israeli bomb kills UN observers – BBC
Israel bomb kills 4 UN observers in Lebanon – Reuters
Annan: UN base was ‘apparently deliberately targeted’ – Ha’aretz
Four UN observers killed when Israeli bomb hits their post – Israel Insider
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