Saturday, December 25, 2010 - Motzei Shabbat

1. Christmas - obviously, I do not observe Christmas. But I recognize that I live in a country where the majority of the population is Christian. I also recognize that I enjoy full religious freedom. So quite frankly, about 99% of the political correctness related to the non-recognition of Christmas drives me nuts - such as exhibited by Canadian federal Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff - Ignatieff steers clear of C-word Ezra Levant Columnists Comment Ottawa Sun.


I am secure enough in my Jewish identity (and vicariously, of the identity of the Jewish community in Canada) not to be offended by a Christmas tree in a bank or a mall, by someone referring to the Christmas holiday as "Christmas", or by someone wishing me a "Merry Christmas". Therefore, for me, there's no need for this:




2. Here's What Is Offensive - The Palestinian Portrayal of Jesus - I have one question - how could a Jewish person who lived some 700 years or so before Mohammed be a Muslim?





From the first link - don't you just love this classic example of antisemitism?
"Amin Odeh, with Voices of Palestine, which supports the bus ad, said, "We know how powerful and aggressive the bullying by right-wing Jewish groups and their special-interest friends can be ... . We're very disappointed that this is going to affect not just our campaign. It also takes away free speech from us and other peace and justice groups."
Well, bub, if free speech is the issue, it cuts both ways. Maybe the bus company should be asked to place this on the side of their buses - and we'll see how Voices of Palestine reacts.


Oops - don't confuse anyone with facts!


Rabbi Ari Enkin points out, "born out of political realities rather than theological ones. … Nittel Nacht comes to us from an era when relations between Jews and Christians, the Church and Judaism, could be described as 'tense' at best. We are fortunate to be living in a day and age where relations between these two groups have flourished immensely."

6. Are Things Deteriorating In Gaza? A variety of links on this topic:


9. The Looney Left - I'm not talking about people who have liberal views, I'm talking about people who are so liberal that they have lost all perspective:



10. Excuses, Excuses - ever notice how when someone says something that gets them in hot water, they often say that were misquoted or were taken out of context? Sorry, Hank - not buying what you are selling - Kissinger apologizes for 'gassing Jews' remark


11. Can You Use Paypal To Donate To The UN? - What a total load of garbage and an utterly absolute waste of money, oxygen, resources and time:

12. Can The UN Be Saved? - Fulfilling the UN’s founding vision - from Israel's Ambassador to the UN (talk about a thankless job).
"Not long after helping found the United Nations, Winston Churchill cautioned an American audience to be vigilant in ensuring that the new world body served as “a true temple of peace... and not merely a cockpit in a Tower of Babel.” Sixty-four years later, Churchill’s insight about the fundamental challenge facing the UN remains just as relevant."


14. But We Write Lots Of Books - A Year in Books

15. This Week's Parsha - Stop Snitchin’ - by Liel Leibovitz > Tablet Magazine - A New Read on Jewish Life - this week, the reading of the Torah shifted to the Book of Exodus - or more properly for Jews - Sh'mot (names) - taken from the first line of the first Torah portion of the Book - "Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob."

This commentary takes some reading and is written from an unusual perspective - Stop Snitchin’ - by Liel Leibovitz > Tablet Magazine - A New Read on Jewish Life - but eventually the point is made "...Moses understands that when people do what’s right for them rather than what is simply right, society slowly crumbles. It’s a principle all of us would do well to recall."

16. By The Way, #1 - Jerusalem is Not a Settlement



18. It Must Be True - a picture is worth a thousand words:

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Tuesday, December 21, 2010 mini blog

1. I Wonder - Do you think the bus company would have permitted ads criticizing radical Islamic acts of terrorism (of which examples can be found without too much difficulty)? Don't think so - Local News Metro's acceptance of 'Israeli war crimes' bus ad draws complaints Seattle Times Newspaper and Seattle Buses To Carry 'Israeli War Crimes' Ads – Forward.com






4. I Don't Know If He Really Said It - the term "useful idiots" is often attributed to Lenin - apparently incorrectly so - regardless, it is often a perfect term to describe many people in this age of political correctness - Barbara Kay: Anti-Semitism’s useful idiots Full Comment National Post.


5. Speaking Of Political Incorrectness - Works and Days » 2011 Politically-Incorrect Resolutions






10. Amazing Finish - the end of the Eagles-Giants game on Sunday afternoon was apparently the first time in NFL history that a team won a game on the last play in regulation time by returning a punt for a touchdown - the Eagles came back from a 31-10 deficit with about 8 minutes to go to absolutely stun the Giants - in New York - 38-31.

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Saturday, December 18, 2010 - motzei Shabbat

1. At Least This Explains It Well - Hopefully these are the final notes on the rabbinic ruling controversy. This column presents the issue in an intelligent and reasoned manner that one can discuss rationally, though for what it is worth, I am still not sure that I am in complete agreement - Guest Columnist: No more racist than you or me.

(Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Chief Rabbi of Tzfat)

The points made are very similar to those made by a close friend in Israel I corresponded with about the issue - a person who is a strong Modern Orthodox Zionist with an open mind - he and I disagree on some issues, but the disagreements are civil and respectful.

To the contrary are these stories:
Finally - see this story on the same subject - Poll: 55% back rabbis' anti-Arab ruling - Israel Jewish Scene, Ynetnews - even though the poll may be entirely accurate, quite frankly, I am not the biggest fan of poll results and I am often reminded of the quote attributed to Mark Twain (who in turn attributed it to Benjamin Disraeli, but who in turn may not have been the originator of the phrase) - "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics".

2. Budget Cuts - Iran said to have cut Hizbullah aid by 40% - in the words of the eminent American philosopher Denis Leary - hey boys, life sucks, get a helmet.....

(Is poor Hezbollah next??)



4. These Guys Are Out To Lunch - German-Canadian group assails Holocaust exhibit - guys, it ain't a competition, but to suggest that every genocide should be treated equally is a bunch of politically correct baloney. As I think is well noted in the link, for very unique reasons, the Shoah stands alone.


5. Speaking Of Which - This headline gives me chills - Venezuelan lawmakers grant Chavez power to pass laws by decree - CNN.com.

6. Good - Ontario court increases Khawaja, Toronto 18 jail terms and Terrorism rulings an early Christmas present from our justice system - The Globe and Mail - nice to see the Canadian legal system show that it has a pair, so to speak (with apologies to my judicial buddies).



8. Listen Up, Kissinger - the German-Canadian Congress should listen up too - Genocide is ‘an American concern’ - The Boston Globe

9. So What If It's Someone Else's Holiday? - always room for a "fress" (Yiddish for "putting on the feedbag") - Jewish Christmas - by Marc Tracy > Tablet Magazine - A New Read on Jewish Life.



11. Hitch - one of my regular readers is a big fan of Christopher Hitchens and may not like this but.....Christopher Hitchens’s Jewish Problem

12. These Stories Seem To Be Related - just shaking my head at the positions some people take on various issues that end up being completely contrary to what they say they stand for:


14. Going It Alone - PA slams US House for opposing unilateral statehood - here's a hint for the PA - do something on your own to show you deserve recognition - we all know (if we're honest) that basically everything you have has been handed to you in one form or another and that you have shown a pretty much complete inability to look after your own "citizens", let alone rein in corruption, terrorism and antisemitism - and that you blame everything on the "occupation". But before you claim the right to proclaim that you are an independent state - show the world that you deserve it.





16. I Think I've Seen This Before - but wow, what a story - A Jew from Arabia


18. Only One Word To Describe This - OUCH!!

Montreal Canadiens defenceman (by definition, the good guy) wipes out Boston Bruins forward (and Nova Scotia native) Brad Marchand:

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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

1. Master of Idiocy - in my last posting, I wrote about Jennifer Peloto and her Master's thesis controversy. Eli Rubenstein, who is among other things, the national director of The March of the Living program in Canada, wrote this very thoughtful piece - A thesis that hurts.

I will leave this issue with 2 comments. First, while I do not know him especially well, I have had the distinct pleasure of meeting Eli on a few different occasions. I listened to him speak about the MOL program and the Shoah, and I have watched him interact with his audience. In my opinion, he is one of the most compassionate people I have ever met. He is especially sensitive to issues of racism and the need for peoples from different cultures to understand one another better to prevent anything resembling the Shoah to occur again. The programs he runs are nothing like what Peloto described in her thesis - but that is to be expected when she never interviewed any participant, staff person or survivor associated with the programs.


Second, I went in the adult March of the Living trip in 2005 (the program did not exist when I was a student). I will unequivocally state that as emotional and painful as the trip was, it was one of the best things I have ever done for my own development and as a member of society at large. I hope that by writing this blog, speaking publicly about my experience on the trip, and regularly performing other aspects of pro-Israel advocacy, I am faithfully keeping my commitment to honor the pledge that all participants make when they undertake the program - March of the Living Canada Pledge.




3. Maybe These Guys Should Go As Well - Pajamas Media » The Leftist World Council of Churches and the Jews - somehow I don't think they'd get the message.


4. H & H - no, I do not mean the bagel store where Kramer "worked" in an episode of Seinfeld. I refer instead to Hamas and Hezbollah - David Frum: The crime that could fell Hezbollah Full Comment National Post and New clash with Hamas looms – defense officials.





6. The Rabbinic Ruling Controversy - still brews:


8. Obstacle To Peace - The Palestinian Proletariat - gee, I wonder if the UN is involved at all - let's see - the "UNRWA" - looks like it is!




11. There's Actually 613 Commandments - but who am I to quibble - Top Ten - by Vox Tablet Tablet Magazine - A New Read on Jewish Life - by the way, if numerology interest you (if Judaism referred to as "Gematria"), if you add 6 +1 + 3, you get - of course - 10. Apart from the Ten Commandments, there were 10 plagues visited upon Egypt, 10 men (or men and women if you are egalitarian) are required for a minyan, ten days of awe between the Jewish New Year and Yom Kippur, and so on. I'm guessing that the fact that Montreal Canadiens' superstar Guy Lafleur wore number 10 is strictly a coincidence.


12. Oprah Forever (?) - I hope that everyone recognizes this as satire:

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