Category Archives: News
Astronomers Find Coldest Star in the Universe
Astronomers have detected a new candidate for the coldest known star — one whose temperature is roughly equivalent to a fresh cup of tea.
Would you like your star with milk and sugar?
Astronomers Find Coldest Star in the Universe
Jew Roundup
The Phoenix New Times has reached a new low in its publication of Jew Roundup by Michael Lacey. At the request of a congregant, my Rabbi wrote the following response, Letter to the Editor, to the Phoenix New Times and encourages others who find the material as reprehensible as he does to contact them, complain about the article, and demand an apology and retraction of the material.
In addition to calling the Phoenix New Times at 602-271-0040, you can also email the editor by clicking this link.
As Rabbi Lavinsky points out, it is not the racism of this post alone that is troubling, but also,
The publication of this article just a few days before Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, highlights just how clueless the New Times is to the sensibility of a people that has already done more than their share of suffering over the years.
Jew and non-Jew alike, please take a moment to read Rabbi Lavinsky’s Letter to the Editor, and contact the editor yourself.
We must not be silent.
Italian P.M.: Stop West Bank building
Reading this article from JTA this morning made me think of something new pertaining to Israel.
Have you ever had an opinion or conviction that was contrary to the majority? Whether it was school, work, family… whatever… have you ever had to go it alone when it comes to doing what you believe is the right thing? Chances are you have, and when you did I’m sure it was incredibly uncomfortable. But you stood against the tide somehow and held true to what you believed to be the right course of action. It was still hard.
Reading this article made me think of this. I picture Israel as a kid on a playground being bullied and picked on because she’s different. It’s not quite the right imagery I’m looking to portray, but I think you get the idea of what I’m referring to. Shame on Italy for calling Israel to do this. Shame on the U.S. for calling for similar action.
How much pressure has she withstood in her short existence? How many times have the Arab countries tried to destroy her? How many times have her allies pressured her to give up the land she was given and earned from self-defense?
Even if Israel were to go back to its pre-1967 borders there would be no peace with the Arab countries. They don’t want their land back, they want Israel gone. Until that happens there will be no peace. It’s not about land. It’s not.
I love the statement P.M. Netanyahu made about Jerusalem last week,
The Jewish people were building Jerusalem 3,000 years ago and the Jewish people are building Jerusalem today. Jerusalem is not a settlement. It is our capital.
I think that sums it up pretty well. If we’re going to be pressured until the last one of us jumps into the sea, then we may as well stick to our guns. Way to go, Netanyahu.
Riots at the Temple Mount
The JTA published this story about Palestinian youth locking themselves in the Al-Aksa Mosque and throwing stones at police and non-Muslim visitors to the Temple Mount. This was not just a random event. Apparently, according to the JTA, it was called for by the Wakf and other Islamic organizations asked Muslims to gather at the Temple Mount because radical Jews were laying the cornerstone for the third Jewish Temple. I don’t know about you, but hearing ‘radical Jew’ doesn’t really strike fear into my heart. Every now and again one of us fly off the handle, but for the most part the two words don’t really belong in the same sentence (unless you’re talking about a Jewish skateboarder from the 90s). Moreover, I really think that if the cornerstone were being laid it would be difficult for Jews to keep that a secret… unless Mossad was doing it. Otherwise, that’s too big an event to keep to yourself.
This article did make me think of the Messianic era, when it’s finally ushered in and Mashiach makes himself known and does all of his messianic work. I imagine then that things will be quite interesting and quite disruptive for just about everyone (“Earth and all its inhabitants dissolve” (Psalms 75:4 JPS)). In the end though, the world will be a peaceful place as “Nation shall not take up Sword against nation; They shall never again know war.” (Isaiah 2:4 JPS)
At that time the world will live in peace. Unlike a couple of other religions I know of, this era does not mean the entire world will be homogenous in its religious practice. There will be Jews and non-Jews, just like before, except that there will be peace and all people will be united in the belief and worship of the One G~d. Jews, Muslims, and Christians will finally peacefully coexist.
How productive will the Nations be when we can all work together? How much good will be done when there is no longer a budget for armies and navies? We all know the destructive power of an aircraft carrier, but what good will it do for the world? What will be the medical advances? What will the poorest and most desperate parts of the world look like after a year?
This story covered by the JTA is ,sadly, not uncommon. I look forward to the day when all peoples can walk peaceably side-by-side at the Temple Mount.
Neo-Nazi march blocked in Dresden
Here’s a really cool article from the JTA about 10,000 protestors stopping a neo-nazi march in Germany’s eastern town of Dresden. You can read the full article here.
While most of the protestors were peaceful and simply formed a human chain to prevent the neo-nazis from moving forward some became violent, physically blocking their progress by burning trash bins and destroying the vehicles they had traveled in. This is my favorite part of the article,
Ultimately, police informed the right-wing marchers that authorities could not guarantee their safety, and urged them to call off the march.
I love reading these types of things and am especially thrilled by this because it happened in Germany. It’s poetic that the nation that caused the destruction of 6 million Jews has stopped what Lena Roth calls “the biggest neo-Nazi march in Europe.”
What’s even more amazing about this is that it all happened on the 65th anniversary of Dresden’s bombing, killing an estimated 25,000 civilians. At a time when it would be so easy to let the gears of war turn, 10,000 people turned the gears of peace.
A Helping Hand for Haiti
Op-Ed Contributors – A Helping Hand for Haiti – NYTimes.com
Take a moment to read the article above written by former President GW Bush and former President Bill Clinton. They have opened a charity organization, the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. Here’s the reason you should donate through these men; 100% of your donation goes to Haiti. 100%. Red Cross, while a good organization, covers its costs with your donations and your entire donation does not make it to your intended location. Considering the situation of Haiti, I want all of my donation to be available to help the Haitians.
Pictures on Flickr
I’ve opened a Flickr account. It is now my primary tool for sharing pictures. Feel free to come by, take off your shoes, and make yourself comfortable. Comments and feedback are welcome and appreciated.
It’s the Jews’ fault we desecrated their menorah
So says the Moldovan church in their recent ‘apology’ for the removal and replacement of a menorah in another location upside down. Read the entire article here.
What do you mean? Did you see the way those Jews were displaying themselves? They were totally asking for it.
I’m sorry. This is what the article sounds like, and blaming one’s criminal actions on another’s appearance is unacceptable.
Sign stolen from Auschwitz concentration camp
The sign at the entrance to the Auschwitz concentration camp was stolen today. Read the entire article here. I wonder who stole it, what their agenda is, and what story we will hear when it’s recovered.
May it be recovered soon. In the meantime, a temporary sign is in its place.
