tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57665972011-04-22T05:19:50.544+03:00WHAT-O!a few thoughts on the path to freedom...Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comBlogger1061100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1127295668333835962005-09-21T12:24:00.000+03:002005-09-21T12:41:08.336+03:00Katrina fundraising updateI baked sesame crackers and Sally Lunn buns, which I sold to raise money for hurricane relief. I raised altogether 520 shekels (about $120). Then I went to Bank Hapoalim, hoping to deposit the money in the special bank account I gave a few days ago in this blog. According to Bank Hapoalim, the account number is incorrect. I got the account number from a newspaper, so I Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1126077712599058462005-09-07T09:42:00.000+03:002005-09-07T10:21:53.593+03:00Hurricane Relief UpdateI last blogged as part of the international effort by bloggers to encourage donations for the victims of Katrina. But of course, I needed to do something myself. But what?Last month I had some horrendous bills to pay and I don't have much spare cash. What kind of fundraising could I do?I pulled the American Heritage Cookbook off my shelf and searched it for recipes from NewRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1125660562155491162005-09-02T13:22:00.000+03:002005-09-02T14:34:05.233+03:00Blogging for Katrina DayWhenever disasters have hit anywhere throughout the world, Americans have proven themselves to be the most generous, energetic helpers in the world, bar none. Last December, the efforts of American military teams, USAID, and other bodies, were in the area doing the most urgent, practical things to help the living and account for the dead in the aftermath of the tsunami.NowRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1124967820294081432005-08-25T13:30:00.000+03:002005-08-25T14:03:40.300+03:00Today I stood in line for a couple of hours at the Misrad Harishui in Talpiot, Jerusalem, in order to take the "teoria" -- the written test on rules of the road, which is required for prospective new drivers. Never mind that I learned to drive at age 16 in the United States; I let my driver's license lapse for years because I never believed I would be able to own a car in this country. Now both Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1124882656130163592005-08-24T14:16:00.000+03:002005-08-24T14:24:16.136+03:00Well. My good intentions (with which the road to hell is paved three feet deep), to write more on this blog during last week's university break have come to nought.Now, please check out the serious analysis by Rev. Mark D. Roberts of Pope Benedict XVI's speech to Muslim leaders during the World Youth Day gathering. Rev. Roberts' series, "Pope Watch" is well worth your attention. It appears, not Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1123484352900316782005-08-08T09:28:00.000+03:002005-08-08T09:59:12.923+03:00The miracle of tshuvaKevin Cullen has an article in the Boston Globe about Shane Paul O'Doherty, an Irish seminarian who was once an IRA terrorist, guilty of attempted murder and of wounding many innocent people, and indirectly responsible for the death of Ethel Lynch in a bomb factory "work accident."A few days ago, I cited an article about the Islamic "martyr" who lived after his attack on an Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1123250813589040732005-08-05T17:05:00.000+03:002005-08-05T17:06:53.596+03:00Just what we needed...Yesterday, a Kachnik, Eden Natan-Zada, AWOL from the IDF, committed an act of terrorism, killing four people in Shfaram and injuring many others. This act has been unequivocally condemned by Prime Minister Sharon and other Israeli government officials. The army was quick to announce that the murderer would not receive a military burial.Kach was banned as a political party Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1123136466909079392005-08-04T09:17:00.000+03:002005-08-04T09:21:06.916+03:00The Wall Street Journal has a review of David Bentley Hart's book, The Doors of the Sea. In the aftermath of the tsunami, many asked, How could a loving God allow such a thing to happen? The author, an Orthodox Christian theologian, addresses this painful and puzzling issue.Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1122643143360240942005-07-29T16:14:00.000+03:002005-07-29T16:19:03.366+03:00New book on Buddhist historyFindlay Dunachie of Samizdata has a review of The Buddha and the Sahibs by Charles Allen, a book about how Buddhism came to the West. My only quibble is that Buddhism does not teach reincarnation, as mentioned here, but rather rebirth, and not quite as described in this piece. The book has quite a bit of information on the process of piecing together what's known of Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1121675980948799682005-07-18T08:59:00.000+03:002005-07-18T11:59:55.773+03:00A "martyr" who livedNasra Hassan has written about the preparation given to suicide bombers. Her article appears in Times Online here, and apparently there was another article published in the New Yorker . As I read her description of an attack carried out in 1993, I realized that it was an attack that I myself witnessed, one morning on the way to work. One of the bombers, it turns out, was Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1120807715062650062005-07-08T10:07:00.000+03:002005-07-08T10:28:35.506+03:00Another AtrocitySo now 7/7 enters the calender of days to remember. I am still awaiting news from a friend in London. Although I have no reason to think she would have been in the area of the bombings, she has an extended family some of whom could have been involved.It's hard to be patient when the news first hits that something big has happened. You go through hours of picking up all the rumors Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1119866462632980842005-06-27T12:50:00.000+03:002005-06-27T13:01:02.636+03:00CongratulationsMark D. Roberts posted a lovely tribute to teachers on his website.It leads me to take this opportunity to congratulate my daughter Razi as she concludes her year at Seminar Hakibbutzim, a teacher training college in Israel, and joins the ranks of certified English teachers. This past year, she was teaching second and third graders, and it was really a challenge for her -- forty Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1118901381590712812005-06-16T08:46:00.000+03:002005-06-16T08:56:21.600+03:00This academic year I sat in on Simcha Epstein's survey of the political and social history of Israel. There's a lot of ground to cover since 1948, so in many ways the class may have lacked a certain depth, but it also introduced me to areas of our history that I either never knew about or didn't know enough about. It still amazes me that Israel's complex multi-party political system manages to Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1118580180507428112005-06-12T15:39:00.000+03:002005-06-12T15:43:00.513+03:00Hag Same'ach!Too all my Jewish friends, Hag Same'ach as the holiday of Shavuot comes in, celebrating the ancient barley offerings brought to the Temple in Jerusalem, and the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai.Meditation and JudaismThe Buddhist Channel has posted a review of Jewish books on meditation. The article was originally from the Forward (New York), by Jay Michaelson.Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1118321593305838652005-06-09T15:38:00.000+03:002005-06-09T15:53:13.310+03:00Okay, okay, I know I'm remiss in posting lately. But a couple of reviews of Cinderella Man caught my eye. In particular, check out the two-part commentary by Mark D. Roberts here and in particular, here.When the film came out, I wondered about the depiction of Max Baer as a brutal killer in the boxing ring -- was it true, I wondered? and was it possible that Max Baer was being depicted in any Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1115801513474815932005-05-11T11:18:00.000+03:002005-05-11T11:51:53.543+03:00Memorial Day 2005I once asked a Holocaust historian if there were any figures on the number of survivors who committed suicide after their liberation from concentration camps and from hiding. He said there weren't, and another person once commented that it didn't make sense -- how could people choose to end their own lives when they had just become free?I have a strange feeling that the suicide Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1115618874821438092005-05-09T09:02:00.000+03:002005-05-09T09:07:54.853+03:00Sorry I haven't been writing much lately. Too busy at work and at home.In the meantime, please do check out Engage, a website set up in response to Sue Blackwell's campaign to boycott Israeli universities, an idea that passed in the UK's Association of University Teachers. Only those Israeli academics who vocally oppose Israeli policies will be outside the boycott. This is heinous. Besides Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1115273261834017332005-05-05T08:39:00.000+03:002005-05-05T09:07:41.903+03:00Holocaust Memorial DayYesterday evening, restaurants and places of entertainment in Israel were closed, and Israel radio and television stations scheduled memorial programs (notably the ceremony at Yad Vashem) and music appropriate to the memory of some six million men, women, children, murdered by the Third Reich and its collaborators. Read Caroline Glick's article in today's Jerusalem Post.Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1113982905219879342005-04-20T10:26:00.000+03:002005-04-20T10:41:45.220+03:00I haven't posted much because of work-and-Pesach-cleaning, but I did catch the live broadcast last night of the appearance of the newly-elected Pope Benedict XVI.My more liberal Catholic friends must be plotzing; many of them have vilified the former Cardinal Ratzinger.For myself, the more I become acquainted with his writings, the more I like what he stands for. Perhaps the best (pre-election) Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1112873551916348432005-04-07T14:14:00.000+03:002005-04-07T14:32:31.916+03:00Skellig MichaelWhen I was growing up, there was an immense distance between Protestants and Catholics. It wasn't common to attend worship services in each other's churches, and common prayer was nearly unheard of. Orthodox Christians were unknown, their churches the province of descendents of immigrants from Eastern Europe. So it is a refreshing thing to hear the words of praise from so many Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1112507222081698402005-04-03T08:34:00.000+03:002005-04-03T08:47:02.083+03:00Rest in peace with the saintsKarol Wojtyla, known to history as Pope John Paul II, has passed on to eternal life. His strong voice of faith, and morality, and his courage will be missed in a world that seems so often upside down and backwards when it comes to the appreciation of the value of human life and the necessity for human beings to take responsibility for their actions.Someone pointed outRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1112164974994436232005-03-30T08:39:00.000+02:002005-03-30T08:42:54.996+02:00Preparing for PesachDennis Prager has been writing a series about Judeo-Christian values. In Part IX, he explains the Torah's attitude to the Egyptian culture of death. It's a must-read, and an excellent mental preparation for the hard work of preparing for the coming holiday of Passover.(hat tip to Relapsed Catholic)Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1112079925237629022005-03-29T08:49:00.000+02:002005-03-29T09:05:25.240+02:00Long hiatus, I know... just too busy at work, and at home, and yes, I often feel like the Hemulen who loved silence -- "am I retired yet?" In case you didn't get that -- "The Hemulen Who Loved Silence" is a charming story by Tove Janssen among the Tales from Moominvalley. The poor Hemulen was a nice, shy and unassuming relative of a great booming family who owned a luna park. When the whole Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1109840814038334612005-03-03T11:04:00.000+02:002005-03-03T11:06:54.040+02:00Those of you who are following events in Lebanon and Syria will want to bone up on Lebanese poliitics. Jonathan, the Head Heeb, has been writing a series on "Lebanese Politics for Beginners."Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1109677694659932052005-03-01T13:37:00.000+02:002005-03-01T13:48:14.660+02:00The breathtaking events in LebanonWill the red-and-white revolution succeed in forcing Syria to pull back its troops? At this point, it's looking more likely by the hour, although a few voices have advised caution in assessing the situation.My own hope is that as democracy spreads in this region, it will lead to more realistic reporting in the Arab and Muslim press about Israel. At present, the Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1109154966274410572005-02-23T12:30:00.000+02:002005-02-23T12:36:06.273+02:00In honor of Pres. George Washington, whose birthday was commemorated on the 22nd, Power Line wrote a bit about his remarkable leadership in the formation of the United States. Of special interest in this post was a long quote from the Newport Jewish congregation's letter to Washington on the occasion of his visit to the city. The language may be a bit flowery and old-fashioned, but we need to be Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1108622861127276462005-02-17T08:13:00.000+02:002005-02-17T08:47:41.133+02:00Austin Bay on "The Ground Truth about Ground Zero."I've never had much patience for conspiracy theories, even when they crop up in various forms in my working day at the Center for the Study of Antisemitism. Some of the most pernicious theories, however, have arisen in the wake of 9/11, and the American magazine Popular Mechanics has published an article debunking the most widespread of them. YouRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1107935263862232262005-02-09T09:45:00.000+02:002005-02-09T09:47:43.863+02:00"Maybe this time"
That was the headline on an Israeli paper this morning, reflecting the summit at Sharm-as-Sheikh. Like most Israelis, I feel that one must be cautious about the whole thing. Captain Ed pretty much sums up the questions here.
Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1107430173754483972005-02-03T13:27:00.000+02:002005-02-03T13:29:33.753+02:00WOW!
Kinky Friedman is running for governor of Texas.
Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1107264181953973302005-02-01T14:50:00.000+02:002005-02-01T15:23:01.953+02:00Feast of St. Brigid of Kildare, the "Mary of the Gael"
Browsing through the stacks in the humanities library at Hebrew University one day, I discovered a whole shelf of books in the Irish language, along with some volumes in English about Irish culture. One of the treasures was a scholarly edition of the earliest known legends of St. Brigid of Kildare.
Brigid is a curious figure in many ways. Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1107067530005342282005-01-30T08:41:00.000+02:002005-01-30T08:45:30.006+02:00Jonathan, the Head Heeb, has a post with links about "The Schindler of Tunisia." The focus on Holocaust commemoration is in Europe and Israel, and few people know much (if at all) about the situation of the Jews of North Africa under German occupation, and in Vichy-controlled Algeria.
Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1106825899083623492005-01-27T13:38:00.000+02:002005-01-27T13:38:19.083+02:00Today marks the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birdkenau death camp by the Red Army. Please think over what a U.S. career diplomat is thinking about how the world got to that particular nadir of human morality. Note that the comments at the end of his blog are representative only for the writers who submitted the comments.
New Sisyphus: The New Mein Kampf: Zarqawi SpeaksRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1106550511014569462005-01-24T08:05:00.000+02:002005-01-24T09:08:31.013+02:00Dhimmi Watch has a post about a campaign by UK Muslims to deface offensive advertising, billboards and the like. This naturally brings to mind a similar campaign (on a much smaller scale) in the 1980s in Jerusalem. In this case, it was in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, and the issue was the posters for various products that were placed in the advertiser's window on bus shelters. Vandals began Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1106462002187671552005-01-23T08:33:00.000+02:002005-01-23T08:33:22.186+02:00Gilly is writing about his experience in the IDF reserve. Don't miss it. If I forget thee......: From Citizen to Soldier and Day 3--Getting Reacquainted.Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1106208588492111752005-01-20T10:09:00.000+02:002005-01-20T10:09:48.493+02:00At the Wall
Noa has written beautifully about women at the Western Wall Jerusalem revealed: Women and The Wall.
The subject of women and public (as opposed to personal) prayer is one of mixed feelings for me. I used to davven every day, but then I hit a period in my life of profound disillusionment with religion, particularly as its practices are almost exclusively defined by men with their Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1105514690703301882005-01-12T09:23:00.000+02:002005-01-12T09:24:50.703+02:00Natan Sharansky, writing in the Wall Street Journal has something to say about prospects for the Palestinian future: "Our Test for Abu Mazen."
Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1105434056149831392005-01-11T10:31:00.000+02:002005-01-11T11:00:56.150+02:00Some time back, I wrote about the rather complicated issue of Sri Lanka's proposed law to combat Christian evangelization among Buddhists. As I pointed out, the Buddhist leadership in the country recognized that authentic conversions take place (to which they have no objection), and made it clear that their concern was over evangelicals who proselytize in a way that constitutes harassment. An Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1105342769451079912005-01-10T09:36:00.000+02:002005-01-10T09:39:29.450+02:00Gilly at "If I forget thee..." will be posting about his upcoming miluim (IDF reserve duty). He is hoping to get comments and spark a discussion about any issues that come up, since he'll be serving this time in an area in which IDF soldiers will be in contact with Palestinians.
Besides this special project, Gilly's blog is a great read. I had the privilege of meeting him at the Israeli bloggersRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1104999012638467602005-01-06T09:53:00.000+02:002005-01-06T10:10:12.636+02:00For my Orthodox and Catholic Christian friends, may you be blessed with great joy on this feast of Epiphany.
I was surprised to learn that Epiphany (Jan. 6) is also called the "Feast of Lights" by Orthodox Christians. An explanation of its history can be found here. Is it still the case that in Europe, this date (rather than Christmas) was traditional for giving gifts? Epiphany commemorates the Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1104824052057087862005-01-04T09:18:00.000+02:002005-01-04T09:34:12.056+02:00The Head Heeb has been delving into English court records; some time back he reported that historic files from the Old Bailey have become available online. Today he recounts the story of Hosea Youell, a young Jew convicted of theft and murder in 1747 and hanged at Tyburn in November of that year. Youell, who was illiterate, apparently had very little knowledge of Judaism, and was encouraged to Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1104737198956498002005-01-03T09:07:00.000+02:002005-01-03T09:26:38.956+02:00Donate to the South East Asia Relief Fund
To my Israeli readers, if you haven't already done so, please give what you can to aid the people of South East Asia.
You can find out more at Isra-Aid. There is information on their website for various ways to donate. You can make a deposit in this bank account:
South East Asia Relief Fund
c/o National Council for Volunteerism in Israel
Bank Leumi Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1104503377061638272004-12-31T16:02:00.000+02:002004-12-31T16:29:37.060+02:00I'm sorry to say I predicted this
Last night, my daughter went to a wedding, and as people picked up their place cards, they were given---I kid you not--- noise-reduction ear plugs!
Mind you, I always try to remember to carry earplugs when going to a wedding, and on one occasion I saw a very elderly woman dancing with the earphone type of hearing protector, and I thought to myself, it's great Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1104387731670204482004-12-30T08:05:00.000+02:002004-12-30T08:22:11.670+02:00I was feeling a little frustrated lately because I want to donate to a credible organization to help the tsunami victims, but I didn't know where to turn. Other bloggers have already noted that there are pathological criminal minds out there already soliciting funds for bogus "humanitarian organizations." My own problem, since I don't have dollars or a credit card usable outside of Israel, was Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1104311591360769122004-12-29T11:13:00.000+02:002004-12-29T11:27:31.226+02:00Saber-toothed Tigers and the Design Specifications of Human Life
The Diplomad writes an essay on human life that could be the start of a fine Buddhist meditation on impermanence -- including the last paragraph. Think about it with an open mind if you consider yourself "Left," "Green," or maybe even Democrat.
The ghost of my mother
Many thanks to my readers who inquired if I was okay, after I Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1103790243610494922004-12-23T10:10:00.000+02:002004-12-23T10:24:03.610+02:00Another long hiatus while I dealt with some health problems.
What brought me to blog today: an article in the New Zealand Herald with the snappy title, "Bowling for Palestine." In case you were wondering where some of Arafat's millions have been invested by his various money managers. While local Palestinians got murdered when accused of selling property to Israelis, Arafat himself was not Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1100158212059568292004-11-11T09:27:00.000+02:002004-11-11T09:31:50.086+02:00More on Veterans Day
Winds of Change has some good links to further Veterans Day material.
I forgot to mention that this day is also Remembrance Day in Great Britain and the Commonwealth. There will be memorial ceremonies today at the British Military Cemetery on Mount Scopus.
Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1100153352531021082004-11-11T07:54:00.000+02:002004-11-11T08:12:03.216+02:00Veterans Day
Perhaps because Veterans Day is historically connected to the end of World War I (whose aftereffects we are still experiencing), it has always had the sense of bereavement about it. But the day itself is meant to honor those who served, and those who survived.
In the midst of dealing with day-to-day military life, it may be hard to appreciate what it's all about--so many petty Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1100093507940853952004-11-10T15:24:00.000+02:002004-11-10T15:31:47.940+02:00Semper Fi
Happy 229th birthday to the United States Marine Corps!
You guys and gals are the greatest! I know I could never do the job you're doing, and you have my respect and my thanks.
Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1099633427768736782004-11-05T07:43:00.000+02:002004-11-05T07:43:47.766+02:00Is he or isn't he?
Dead, that is, speaking of Yasser Arafat. Very confused reports have issued from Paris over the last few days, with reports that he is currently on life support.
Okay, I know I've probably read too many Emma Lathen mystery stories, but World Net Daily speculates that Suha Arafat may have been left out of her husband's will. WND often has good scoops, but I personally think Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1099379184353404602004-11-02T08:38:00.000+02:002004-11-02T09:06:24.353+02:00Curiouser and curiouser
I never thought I'd be linking to an article in Arab News, but an anonymous staff writer gives a hint at a most amusing devloping dispute in the Palestinian Authority: to whom, exactly, does the $4.2 to 6.5 BILLION fortune belong? Is it Arafat's? The PA's? The article mentions that Arafat owns resort hotels in Spain, Italy, France, Switzerland, and Austria; a major shareRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1099026838842798762004-10-29T07:13:00.000+02:002004-10-29T07:13:58.843+02:00Skandal
A story I hope will get more and more coverage, with more and more detail: Issam abu Issa, founder of the Palestine International Bank, writes in the Middle East Quarterly about the corrupt Arafat regime, Arafat's Swiss Bank Account - Middle East Quarterly - Fall 2004Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1098954157897511242004-10-28T10:44:00.000+02:002004-10-28T11:02:37.896+02:00Death watch?
Years ago, I worked in an office with one of those high-powered bosses who was very energetic but also had an annoying voice, in which he expressed definite opinions about everything. He was very good at some things, and the office seemed to run pretty efficiently, so I didn't mind the high-powered, sometimes obnoxious part too much.
Well. Finally this person retired, and after a Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1098704063185363862004-10-25T13:34:00.000+02:002004-10-25T13:34:23.186+02:00Lisa at Jerusalem revealed has posted the story of Henrietta Szold, the founder of the Hadassah School of Nursing. It's a must-read.
Szold was instrumental in setting up Israel's early modern healthcare system, and her dedication to this project stemmed in part from her decision to overcome a romantic betrayal. Why do I call it a "decision"? Because it's the sort of thing that strong people do Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1098348299825646242004-10-21T10:16:00.000+02:002004-10-21T10:49:39.960+02:00The new Buddhist Channel
Anyone who enjoyed reading the Buddhist News Network was probably disappointed when the site suddenly shut down recently. A new, completely reorganized site--The Buddhist Channel-- is due to open October 25. It will feature Buddhist news items, music, e-cards, and Buddhist interest stories and teaching. One of the things that impressed me with the previous Buddhist news Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1097739985388590872004-10-14T09:30:00.000+02:002004-10-14T09:46:25.386+02:00Long time, no blog...
The last few weeks were just too hectic. One thing you can say for Jewish holidays, they are not intended to be restful. Change of pace, sure, but restful...NOT.
Today, I'd like to point readers to "Jerusalem Revealed" where Noa describes her first day of nursing school. A must read.
I wish you the best, Noa, as you start your second career. As a nurse myself, I know the Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1095924535248930122004-09-23T08:59:00.000+02:002004-09-23T09:28:55.246+02:00Why I have a cell phone
I was leaving the university on Mount Scopus yesterday about 4, and my usually silent phone began ringing. I had three calls: my daughter called to make sure I was all right, since a bus I often take goes through the French Hill neighborhood; my co-worker who was still in the office called to make sure I was all right, too; my friend Elana called for the same reason.
As Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1095154776062552832004-09-14T12:39:00.000+03:002004-09-14T12:39:36.063+03:00Islamists as "Ghost Dancers"?
Jinnderella Hot Needle of Inquiry: Ghost Dancer Cult and David at rishon rishon have both written about the similarities between the native American ghost dance cult of the late 19th century and today's Islamists. Both posts are worth a read.
One of the things that has fascinated me since 9/11 has been the changing ways in which the public has gotten educated aboutRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1094932684974954772004-09-11T22:58:00.000+03:002004-09-11T22:58:04.973+03:009/11
When Beliefnet: religions, spirituality, prayer, God, angels, politics, meditation... started, I was really excited about it as a source of religion news and commentary. After it went commercial, the quality of this site deteriorated amazingly. But this lead story on the anniversary of 9/11, "Vengeance Chic" by Jason White is beyond disgusting.
There is a HUGE difference between saying "We Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1094724482500540422004-09-09T13:08:00.000+03:002004-09-09T13:08:02.500+03:00Froggy Ruminations has some comments ("Beslan I" and "Beslan II") on the change in mindset necessary to counter a terrorist assault similar to the one in Beslan.
Commentators have remarked that Israeli teachers are armed. In fact, not all Israeli teachers are armed (although I do recall for certain that my kid's kindergarten teacher carried a handgun, circa 1981-1982). There are security guards Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1094378340729433592004-09-05T13:52:00.000+03:002004-09-05T12:59:00.730+03:00This day begins with a heavy heart, for the round of funerals for those murdered in Beslan will begin soon.
I found I could not write about this incident as it was happening—so many others are eloquent and make the same points I would make, and such incidents in any event leave me speechless.
Dave Kopel of National Review Online suggests arming teachers as in Israel and now, Thailand. Donald Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1093786641706635052004-08-29T16:24:00.000+03:002004-08-29T16:37:21.706+03:00Pre-dawn Look-Up
In case like me you're new to amateur astronomy, you might want to know that for the next few days, the bright, bright light in the pre-dawn eastern sky (northern hemisphere) is Venus. A much dimmer light moving closer to Venus is Saturn, easy to spot when the two appear to be hanging out together (never mind that they're acutally thousands of miles apart).
I am longing to peerRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1093721470864887382004-08-28T22:04:00.000+03:002004-08-28T22:31:10.863+03:00End of Vacation
The university was closed for a week, and I realize I really need about six weeks off. It took the first three days of my time off just to catch up with accumulated lost sleep.
Fortunately, after doing that, I started fiddling with my new telescope. I had to fiddle with it because the instruction booklet was entirely in Chinese, and the most I can read in Chinese are my name, Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1090495917476143782004-07-22T14:13:00.000+03:002004-07-22T14:31:57.476+03:00And what would you do with a 72 million-bhat birthday gift?
The Buddhist News Network reports a story from The Nation (Bangkok) about the King of Thailand's gift of 72-million bhat for a program to promote the observance of the Five Precepts and Buddhist values among government officials. I have no idea how much that is in terms of U.S. currency or the Euro. The money was a gift to the king onRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1090386959354860282004-07-21T08:11:00.000+03:002004-07-21T08:15:59.353+03:00More on the "unethical conversion" controversy in Sri Lanka
Ven Dhammika, who converted from Christianity to Buddhism, has written an article posted on the Buddhist News Network with his view of the subject. He condemns attacks on churches, and makes it clear that there is no problem with conversion per se, just with the type of Christian who harasses, makes subtle threats, or offers Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1089713361281113632004-07-13T12:54:00.000+03:002004-07-13T13:09:21.280+03:00Some books about Gandhi, and a biography of V. S. Azariah have been reviewed by Jean Bethke Elshtain in Christianity Today.
I used to admire Gandhi, until I learned that he fully expected Hitler to disarm as a result of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's appeasement; and his advice to the persecuted Jewish community of Germany was that they go willingly to their deaths as a means of Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1089636125060125262004-07-12T15:38:00.000+03:002004-07-12T15:42:05.060+03:00Welcome to a new blogger
Check out Israelpeace/salaam/shalom
"deerlife" writes about longings for peace, and the grassroots groups who daily work for better relations between Israelis and Arabs. In the midst of all the "troubles" here, it is a miracle that people still believe and work for understanding and a better future for all of us.
Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1089625525692546782004-07-12T12:39:00.000+03:002004-07-12T12:45:25.693+03:00Another report on the anti-missionary legislation in Sri Lanka
The Tablet--a respected London-based Catholic weekly--has a brief item about the proposed legislation, indicating that various Christian bodies on the island are uniting to oppose the bill. The overall tone is negative, and gives no details or quotes from Buddhist leaders.
Requires registration to read it. (Only a few Tablet Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1089382431841450932004-07-09T17:12:00.000+03:002004-07-09T17:13:51.843+03:00Anti-conversion legislation
The Buddhist News Network has had coverage lately on proposed legislation in Sri Lanka to limit the activity of certain Christian missionaries, and to prevent “unethical conversions.”
This is a thorny issue in many countries, invariably raising concerns about freedom of religion and conscience. Israel, too, has similar anti-missionary legislation based on the Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1089107183319078012004-07-06T12:43:00.000+03:002004-07-06T12:46:23.320+03:00Just Let go!
Just when you think everybody in the world has probably seen all three segments of The Lord of the Rings, along comes Imshin at Not A Fish with a noteworthy insight about the nature of clinging--whether it applies to Frodo's final dilemma or our own clinging to ideas and things--not necessarily "evil" things like the Ring--past their moment of need.
To what do we cling?
James LileksRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-10872031246830322004-06-14T11:13:00.000+03:002004-06-14T11:52:04.683+03:00I need to start blogging more often. I've actually been really busy lately, and usually I like to write something more like an essay than a quickie blog...
Sneak Preview
Last night a friend invited me to the employees pre-opening tour of the new Terminal 3 at Ben-Gurion Airport. Wow! It is HUGE! Will it seem more or less sizeable when there are crowds of travelers walking the halls?
I was Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1083764194272768982004-05-05T16:36:00.000+03:002004-05-05T16:39:46.013+03:00Shul Spotter
The witty Anglican website Ship of Fools has a neat section called “Mystery Worshipper” in which visitors describe and rate the services at Christian churches. Church services are “rated” by volunteers, most of whom have a fine sense of humor, as well as respect and appreciation for Christian culture.
Ship of Fools has pretty much got the Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1080309694662758702004-03-26T16:01:00.000+02:002004-03-26T16:04:06.810+02:00The world turned upside down
In the wake of the assassination of Sheikh Yassin, a Palestinian comment was that he was a great religious leader, “like the Dalai Lama.”
This is outrageous.
Let’s see. If the Palestinians had been invaded by the Chinese à la Tibet, what might be their situation today?
Mosques and Islamic schools, museums, and cultural centers would have been systematically Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1079850048019919452004-03-21T08:20:00.000+02:002004-03-21T08:23:14.610+02:0021 March 2004
On Friday evening, the Al-Aqsa Brigades murdered a 20-year-old jogger in the neighborhood of French Hill. The young man was George Khoury, son of a prominent Arab Christian lawyer, Elias Khoury, who has worked hard for Palestinian rights. George Khoury was studying economics at the Hebrew University. He was making a genuine contribution to his society. Read more about his family inRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1078905513298354162004-03-10T09:58:00.000+02:002004-03-10T10:00:48.450+02:00The invaluable Head Heeb has an essay today that starts a series on Arab members of the Israeli Knesset, beginning in 1948. Don’t miss it.Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1078902541515834092004-03-10T09:09:00.000+02:002004-03-10T09:11:17.293+02:00For those of you fascinated by the more bizarre (or tragic) aspects of extreme Catholic piety, the London Review of Books offers “Some girls want out” by Hilary Mantel, a review of four recent books on St. Gemma Galgani, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, and anorexia, “holy” and otherwise.Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1078642534556487642004-03-07T08:55:00.000+02:002004-03-07T08:57:46.716+02:00Good Purim! Good Purim!Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1078499320845588682004-03-05T17:08:00.000+02:002004-03-05T17:10:51.983+02:00Friday!
I used to wear a pin that said T.G.I.F---thank God it’s Friday. That was before I got into observing the Sabbath, after which Friday became one of those Impossible Days. Today I’m off the hook as far as cooking is concerned. My daughters and I take turns with the pre-Sabbath cooking, but my day began at 5, when I took a shower, made a blessed pot of coffee, read my email and a couple of Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1078307948971247462004-03-03T11:59:00.000+02:002004-03-03T12:01:17.200+02:00Yesterday I was privileged to meet blogger Tacitus who has been visiting Jordan and Israel this week. We walked about the Hebrew University’s Mount Scopus campus (it’s really pretty this time of year, and I appreciate the constant work done by the gardeners). We had lunch at Anna Ticho House, now a branch of the Israel Museum. Good vegetarian/fish meals served on the patio, and inside, you can Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1078305048373090082004-03-03T11:10:00.000+02:002004-03-03T11:12:57.216+02:00More links to the discussion of Gibson’s “Passion.”
A Catholic order, the Passionists, put out a special issue of their journal Compassion discussing the film. The article “Christian Mystics and the Passion of Jesus” sums up pretty much what I wrote a couple of days ago about Anne Catherine Emmerich.
A number of Catholic websites have posted links to the Center for Jewish-Christian LearningRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1078124980335851112004-03-01T09:09:00.000+02:002004-03-01T09:11:47.106+02:00The Chicago Sun-Times reported yesterday that French theater chains have shown a reluctance to schedule showings of The Passion, preferring to wait until it is shown in other European countries.
France has had a spate of anti-Jewish incidents (synagogue arson, and the burning of a Jewish school, as well as personal attacks against Jews on the street). Last week, Israeli President Moshe Katsav Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1078036841132431312004-02-29T08:40:00.000+02:002004-02-29T08:42:46.450+02:0028 February 2004
The Gibson film in the context of the present wave of antisemitism
In the last few days, the reviews of Mel Gibson’s film have been mixed, with a lot of attention given to the violence, which has been described by some as “pornographic.” In my own previous post on Feb. 25, I raised the point that despite the claim of “historical accuracy” I question just how much violence was Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1077717770668434332004-02-25T16:02:00.000+02:002004-02-25T16:04:52.826+02:00Anne Catherine Emmerich and Holy Imagination
Biblical literature holds a great power over the human imagination because the narratives in the Bible are so sparse, and hence, a little frustrating. We want to know all the details, but what we have are a few sentences that sketch a portrait that can be filled in with meditation, a careful reading of the text and commentaries, seeking out background Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1077703837862177352004-02-25T12:10:00.000+02:002004-02-25T12:12:39.810+02:00The swirl of controversy around Mel Gibson’s Passion
I have not seen the film, and I am not sure that I will see it unless it turns out to be necessary for my job (I work for a center that sponsors academic research on antisemitism). At one point in my life I decided to be more careful about what films I watch for entertainment, and I generally stay away from overly violent films or teenage sexRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1074494730690857652004-01-19T08:45:00.000+02:002004-01-19T08:46:54.920+02:00In addition to Kathy Shaidle's comments, check out Shai's remarks. Scroll down to "Diplomatic art brouhaha". My favorite comment: "The moment the artist has to come and personally explain the point of his artwork, the problem is the artist, not the viewers."
Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1074492680041139342004-01-19T08:11:00.000+02:002004-01-19T08:12:44.716+02:00Kathy Shaidle of "relapsed catholic" has some further sensible comments about Israeli ambassador Zvi Mazel's fury over the "Snow White" exhibit. Scroll down to "News Flash! Art has consequences..." Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1074413359745908252004-01-18T10:09:00.000+02:002004-01-18T10:10:45.530+02:00As Purim approaches
The Head Heeb has a thoughful post about "Amalek and Jihad." Check it out, along with the comments.Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1074411737892927882004-01-18T09:42:00.000+02:002004-01-18T09:43:41.233+02:00Musing on a diplomatic incident...
I've had the opportunity to meet a few ambassadors in the course of working at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. They're a varied lot. The Austrian ambassador is always impeccably dressed, for example, while the Czech ambassador appears to be quite casual and human, and I once had a good-humored conversation with the Polish ambassador. The days of top hats Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1073549730702273302004-01-08T10:15:00.000+02:002004-01-08T10:16:44.543+02:00January 8, 2004
Qaddafi's Switch in Time is the heading for a very interesting update on what the Col. has been doing lately.Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1072943250167881982004-01-01T09:47:00.000+02:002004-01-01T09:48:36.763+02:00Wishing everyone a happy and fruitful Civil New Year. Father Sibley of A Saintly Salmagundi has an appropriate image for the holiday known in Israel (and a few other places) as "Sylvester."
Civil New Year partying is rather controversial in Israel. The ultra-Orthodox establishment resents having a holiday named for an antisemitic Catholic pope-saint," and in past years, the Chief Rabbinate made Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1071143738591476972003-12-11T13:55:00.000+02:002003-12-11T13:56:24.326+02:00December 11, 2003
Sorry I haven’t been blogging much lately. Just overwhelmed with work, and also with a rather nice project. In my small community, we used to have a public library. I set it up and kept it running on No Budget for several years, but when I got a job off the moshav, I just couldn’t do it anymore. The library shut down, and over the years, all the books and supplies got scatteredRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1068473300668243122003-11-10T16:08:00.000+02:002003-11-10T16:08:18.463+02:00Veteran’s Day
Veteran’s Day, when I was a girl in the 1950s, was often still called “Armistice Day” -- a reference to its origins as the date on which the “guns of August 1914” fell silent at last in 1918. Like most grade school kids, I found the short period of silence at 11:00 a.m. annoying, and little understood what lay behind the observance. That was a time in which stiff red paper poppies Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1068026696612024712003-11-05T12:04:00.000+02:002003-11-05T12:04:55.166+02:00Jewish-Christian dialogue
Bill Cork, who is director of Young Adult and Campus Ministry for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Houston-Galveston, has a very informative website called “ut unum sint” in which he often discusses interfaith issues, particularly the current alarming rise in antisemitism, as well as the more positive side of interfaith relations. If you have any interest at all in these Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1067247969000992092003-10-27T11:46:00.000+02:002003-10-27T11:46:08.116+02:00In memoriam
Today marks the fourth anniversary of the murder of my friend and neighbor, Esh Kodesh Gilmore during the early days of the second intifada. Later this afternoon, family and friends will make a sad procession to the cemetery overlooking the highway on the outskirts of Jerusalem.
Kodesh was about five years old when my family came to live at Me’or Modi’im, in the central part of Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1066805422221932612003-10-22T08:50:00.000+02:002003-10-22T08:50:21.673+02:00The Head Heeb has a fascinating post today, "From Gibralter to London." I became fascinated with Gibralter after seeing a rather amazing Jewish wedding contract (ketubah) decorated with the Gibralter coat of arms, and a few years ago, a group of young men from the Rock were in Israel studying at a yeshiva and two of them married girls from my moshav. Gibralter figures prominently in the Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1065606165902929982003-10-08T11:42:00.000+02:002003-10-08T11:57:18.433+02:00Jonathan, the Head Heeb has a post today (with more to follow) called "Finessing the Fence." I am very ambivalent about the security fence under construction, but Jonathan raises some important points if we are to have any kind of future here. Check out his remarks. The Head Heeb also writes quite a bit about Africa, and those reports are much appreciated by those of us who believe that African Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1065342430484826312003-10-05T10:27:00.000+02:002003-10-05T10:27:10.260+02:00Blogging has been non-existent for awhile because of work pressures.
Yet another attack in Haifa
On Friday, as I was bustling around preparing for Shabbat, I had this sense of impending doom. I suppose it was because things have been “quiet” for awhile, not to mention that certain anxiety that springs from the approach of Yom Kippur --- will we really be sealed in the Book of Life for the comingRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1064318601499867322003-09-23T15:03:00.000+03:002003-09-23T15:03:21.623+03:00Happy Birthday, Elana!!
My friend Elana Friedman did something wonderful for her birthday. Over the years she has written many poems, and has now printed them as a book, Making Room. I have her permission to post some of her poems here.
First here is a look at a busy Jewish mother preparing for Shabbat, and the poet’s response.
Challahs
They make their own challahs, my friends
With toddlers Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1063358457698745802003-09-12T12:20:00.000+03:002003-09-12T12:20:57.743+03:00Good Shabbos! Good Shabbos!
Torah portion this week: Ki tavo, Deut. 26.1-29.8; Haftarah: Isaiah 60.1-22
I've been assigned the pre-Shabbat cooking duties, so I can't write much today. My whole house smells like basil because I'm making pesto from the fresh basil that grows in my front yard.
Last Shabbat, I decided to re-read Lee Levine's great book, The Ancient Synagogue: The First Thousand Rev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1063268574811416932003-09-11T11:22:00.000+03:002003-09-11T11:22:54.836+03:00How to tell that your guardian angel is working overtime:
My next door neighbor and his friend were going to go to the Hillel coffee shop on Emek Refaim street two nights ago, but just as they were setting out, his friend began to complain that her contact lenses were hurting her, and they decided to return home. At about 11:20, the coffee shop was destroyed by a bomber.
Steven den Beste at USSRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5766597.post-1063091599546728572003-09-09T10:13:00.000+03:002003-09-09T10:13:19.643+03:00ddjsRev. Huatouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10457635252144026244noreply@blogger.com