Romney in Jerusalem: Culture and Providence Led to Israel's Economic Success (Not Socialism)

In a speech in Jerusalem to rich donors, Mitt Romney disrespected the Palestinians and distorted the history of the State of Israel, according to our reading of a report from the AP. He insinuates that Israeli culture is superior to Palestinian culture, and that God loves Israel more than the Palestinians.And he altogether forgets to mention that Israel began as an entirely socialist state and still runs its economy and society on strong socialist...

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Update: Mittness Protection Program Dropped in Jerusalem

Update - WSJ reports that some reporters will be allowed at the Romney Jerusalem fundraiser. WSJ also reminds us that, "President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign was quick to note that Mr. Obama did not hold fundraisers on his visit to Israel as a candidate in 2008."Original post:CNN Politics Political Ticker reports that Romney will bar reporters from his Jerusalem fund raiser at the King David Hotel. They further report:In response to...

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The Annals of the Epitome of Bad Taste: The Causes of the Holocaust, Tisha B'Av and a 30% off Sale on Talmud Books - Lowest Price Ever!

In a Tisha B'Av email from Artscroll we find "The Antidote to the Destruction" containing the following incredibly crude theological insights (original typos included):...The Ya’aros Devash maintains that jews were indifferent to the spiritual poverty of “outsiders.” Instead of reaching out to the spiritually famished, most Jews tended to “mind their own business” and feel no responsibility to bring Torah and mitzvos to their brethren. That is not...

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Is Michael Phelps Jewish?

No. Michael Phelps is not a Jew.Phelps is the all-time Olympic medal winner with 19. Newsday reported on 7/31/2012:Phelps swam into history with a lot of help from his friends, taking down the last major record that wasn't his alone. He took the anchor leg for the United States in a gold medal-winning performance of the 4x200-meter freestyle relay Tuesday night, earning the 19th Olympic medal of his brilliant career, and the 15th gold.By winning...

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Our Comprehensive Book on the Origins of Jewish Prayers and Blessings

"God Bless You: The Origins of Jewish Prayers and Blessings" is our comprehensive Kindle book on the topic:The origins of Jewish prayer in the first five centuries of the Common Era, known also as the epoch of early rabbinic Judaism, the time of the Mishnah and the Talmud, the era of the Tannaim and Amoraim, and the time of Jesus and early Christianity. A detailed analysis of the textual evidence on the subject mainly from the books of the rabbis,...

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Is Tisha B'Av Relevant?

Is Tisha B'Av relevant? No we do not think that the fast of Tisha B'Av is relevant anymore. We need a holiday from Tisha B'Av.That day was for a long time a commemoration through fasting and prayer over the destroyed city of Jerusalem and the Temple. We've last visited Jerusalem in May of 2011 and can attest that the city is not desolate. It is without reservations, glorious.Who then wants the bleak story to be told? Archetypally the "celebrity"...

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Is Marissa Mayer Jewish?

Yes, the new CEO of Yahoo!, Marissa Mayer is a Jew.Hat tip to our friend David who points out, "I find it interesting that Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and as of Monday, Yahoo!, are all run by Jews."Bloomberg reported:Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) said Marissa Mayer will become chief executive officer, appointing a vice president from competitor Google Inc. (GOOG) to stem user defections and market-share losses that have fueled three straight years of revenue...

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Times Op-Ed: Compassion is Good

We applaud the study of compassion, whether as part of theology, general religious studies or now as a subject of study in the social sciences.In "Compassion Made Easy" DAVID DeSTENO wonders, "As a social psychologist interested in the emotions, I long wondered whether this spiritual understanding of compassion was also scientifically accurate."His reflections begin, ALL the major religions place great importance on compassion. Whether it’s the parable...

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Free Sunday July 15 - Eleazar by Tzvee Zahavy

Free Sunday July 15. Eleazar: Rabbi, Priest, Patriarch. Amazon Kindle e-book edition.Description: For anyone concerned with the formative period of rabbinic Judaism, the study of Rabbi Eleazar b. Azariah and his traditions is naturally important. He was prominent as a rabbi, a priest and a politician. According to rabbinic texts, Eleazar was a major figure among the rabbis at Yavneh in Israel in the second century C.E. Rabbinic literature speaks...

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Two Masterpieces

Moroni’s “Portrait of a Little Girl of the Redetti Family,” from around 1570 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)Tzvee’s “Portrait of a Little Girl of the Zahavy Family,” from 2008...

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Is Katie Homes Jewish?

No actress Katie Holmes is not a Jew. She was a Catholic, then a Scientologist and now, again, a Catholic, as the Examiner reports: Katie Holmes ditches Scientology, Tom Cruse; rejoins Catholic Church.Wikipedia reports that she is quite Catholic, "Holmes was baptized a Roman Catholic and attended Christ the King Church in Toledo. She graduated from the all-female Notre Dame Academy (also her mother's alma mater), where Katie was a 4.0 student. At...

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More of Merkin’s Madoff Murky Money Matters

Businessweek reports news of Merkin’s Madoff money matters:J. Ezra Merkin’s so-called feeder funds for Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme will pay investors $110 million, bringing total recoveries to more than $500 million.The third cash payment by Merkin’s Ariel and Gabriel funds, which has been approved by a New York Supreme Court judge in Manhattan, will be delivered within about 10 business days, liquidator Bart M. Schwartz said in a statement dated...

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DVD of the Talmudic Film "Footnote" by Joseph Cedar

Joseph Cedar's film Footnote explores the main definitions and contradictions of "Talmudic" living: the tensions between rivals, the relationships of humans to texts, the unquenchable thirst for the recognition of one's peers, and especially the unresolvable struggle of humor v. humorlessness.The DVD is scheduled for release July 24, 2012.The Times had a superb review for the film when it opened in New York. They have a nice short video interview...

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Walmart and Iran: Wipe Israel Off the Map

In 2003 we ordered a Genuine Gemstone Desk Globe from Walmart. It looked nice on the web site - just what we wanted for our office. When it came we found "Palestine" where "Israel" was supposed to be. We sent it back with a note, "I ordered a simple globe and got an insult. The globe has big letters for a non-existent country 'Palestine'. It has big letters for Jordan. It has no reference to Israel. It is disgraceful that Walmart would sell such...

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VIDEO: Waves sweep Tyler Madoff out to sea in Hawaii

A tragic act of nature swept a New York boy out to sea. A high unexpected "freak set" of waves caught a group of young hikers off guard near the Captain Cook monument on the Big Island of Hawaii. We visited there last year and spent two hours snorkeling in the cove near the monument. The seas were calm that day but they can get big and rough on other days. (And as far as we can tell, the victim of this terrible act of nature is not related to Bernie...

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Times: Is Starbucks Kosher?

Yes, many items at Starbucks are kosher according to sources cited in the Times, "Blending a Strong Interest in Kosher Ingredients With a Taste for Starbucks Coffee" by Mark Oppenheimer.The Times profiles Uri Ort who runs a web site on the topic at www.kosherstarbucks.com...Mr. Ort helpfully marks all Starbucks products with either a green light or a red light. The Frappuccinos all get red lights. The Tazo teas, green lights. Hot chocolate, green...

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Free Sunday July 8: The Kindle Edition of "Whence and Wherefore: The Cosmological Destiny of Man Scientifically and Philosophically Considered" by Zev Zahavy

At Amazon.com -- Free this Sunday July 8 from Talmudic Books the Kindle Edition published June 1 in honor of Zev Zahavy's sheloshim, thirty days after his passing. This book was originally published by my dad in 1978.Whence and WhereforeThe Cosmological Destiny of Man Scientifically and Philosophically Considered An Analysis Relating to "In the Centre of Immensities" by Sir Bernard LovellBY ZEV ZAHAVYThis important book explores the possibility...

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The Talmud of Swimming

In a Talmud-like fashion, the Times discusses which of the two main styles of swimming the freestyle is superior, more effective, or as we would like to say, more kosher."Delineating the Perfect Swim Stroke," by GRETCHEN REYNOLDS, describes the dispute over whether the best stroke is the drag or is the scull.Here is how the article explains the dispute between the "ancient saints" of swimming and the "House of Counsilman." (It helps if you chant...

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Is philosopher Saul Kripke Jewish?

Yes, the famous philosopher Saul Kripke is an observant Jew. His father, Rabbi Myer Kripke, played bridge with, and later invested with Warren Buffet in Omaha Nebraska. His father became wealthy as a result and later donated to the Jewish Theological Seminary, his alma mater. There is a wing of the Seminary named for him.The Times has a story today by Jim Holt ("Is Philosophy Literature") about philosophy, which concludes by describing the contribution...

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The Star Spangled Banner... in Yiddish (1943)

It's the 4th of July this week and time for us to sing again the Star Spangled Banner in Yiddish courtesy of Jack Balkin.1943 translation of the Star Spangled Banner into Yiddish by Dr. Abraham Asen, described as "the foremost Yiddish adapter of English poetry," and proudly presented in commemoration of the anniversary of the death of Francis Scott Key.O'zog, kenstu sehn, wen bagin licht dervacht,Vos mir hoben bagrist in farnachtigen glihen?Die shtreifen...

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