Tonight is really the anniversary of the creation of Israel, but the date is moved up to not coincide with Shabbat.

On this day in Jewish History
* A decree issued prohibiting the import by Russian Jews of books in any language, 1800.
* Joseph Rivlin laid the cornerstone of the first private home to be erected outside the wall of Jerusalem marking the beginning of the modern Yishuv, 1869.
* Israel was proclaimed an independent state, 1948. The first legislative act of the provisional government of the State of Israel provided for the repeal of the British White Paper of 1939, which had restricted Jewish immigration and the acquisition of land in Eretz Yisrael. The Haftara on the Sabbath following the promulgation of the law of unrestricted Jewish immigration into Israel was the ninth chapter of Amos. “And I will return the captivity of my people Israel. And they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them…and they shall no more be plucked up out of their land which I have given them, says G-d.”

Apparently, people have been digging around my holiday home…

A team of archaeologists from the University of Hamburg said they discovered the Queen of Sheba’s palace and an altar that may have once held the Ark of the Covenant in Axum, Ethiopia.

A Christian king built a new palace over the 10th-century B.C. structure, which probably didn’t survive for very long, the university said in a statement. The altar, oriented toward the star Sirius, has two columns and may have been where the Ark of the Covenant, the holiest treasure of early Judaism, was kept until the first temple was built in Axum, the researchers said.

“The special significance of this altar must have been handed down over centuries,” the statement said. “This is shown by the many sacrifices found around this spot.”

The Ark of the Covenant, featured in the Indiana Jones movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” was kept in Jerusalem for centuries, according to the Old Testament. After Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians in the 6th century B.C., the ark’s fate isn’t documented in the Bible and it entered the realm of legend.

[. . .]

The Hamburg team led by Helmut Ziegert has for nine years been investigating the origins of the Ethiopian state and the Ethiopian orthodox church. The central purpose of the field trip was to find out how Judaism arrived in Ethiopia in the 10th century B.C., and to seek clues to the present location of the Ark of the Covenant, the university said.

[Read the full article here]

Part 1

Outside in the ballagan there were protests and anti protests and anti anti protests. It was all very confusing.

Israeli flags and Palestinian flags faced off on opposite side of the street, and on the side of the Radio City Music Hall, grungy looking people chanted, “a shanda, a shame, no occupation in our name.” Seriously though, I don’t even use the word shanda. And the people didn’t even look Jewish. Appropriation of yiddish, eh?

Anyway, lots of people were passing out fliers, but nobody–except Shoshana the matchmaker who passed out mints–actually gave me anything useful. So really it’s all a waste of time. No free stuff? I’m out.

So, below, a sampling of fliers:

“Shlomo: The New Musical–the true story of the ‘rock star rabbi’ who escaped Hitler’s Germany to reinvent Jewish music, bridge worlds, and ignite the spirit of a generation one by one… LIMITED ENGAGEMENT.” Limited engagement. ‘Nuff said.

“No time to celebrate! Jews remember the nakba: standing in solidarity with 60+ years of Palestinian resistance to Zionism. This May, while Israel marks 60 years of statehood, Palestinians around the world mourn 60 years since the Nakba-Arabic for ‘catastrophe.’” Do they celebrate bombings at schools?

Read the rest of this entry »

Last night at Kikar Tzion (Zion Square) in Jerusalem, a huge but surprisingly well behaved crowd was kept entertained with a Yom Ha’Atzmaut triple whammy: Music, lasers and fireworks! It was a mad house of course but that didn’t stop people with strollers and small children from attending as well as the requisite drunk women draped in flags. Fun times, fun times. Look for more Jerusalem at 60 coverage on Jerusalemite, the Jerusalem Post and every other major Jewish publication…

Here’s video from the show:

It’s been a while since I’ve posted links to or excerpts from any of my Jewish Week singles columns . But since I’m in my waning days of holding that singles columnist title, and because in a world where I had the time to plan better, this might have been my “real” 60 bloggers post, I thought I’d make an exception for my family here at Jewlicious.

In honor of Israeli Independence Day, I’ve written a singles column that runs the gamut. I never expected that I’d end up relating Jack Bauer to Hebrew language within a singles context, but somehow it happened. An excerpt:

My father recently sent me an e-mail consisting only of a list of numbers. I called him to discuss and asked, “So, do I have to enter these numbers every 108 minutes or the hatch blows up?” While that question is made up of English words that everyone should theoretically understand, it really only makes sense to those who watch “Lost.”

There’s something about a secret language, whether it’s a literal language or an insider’s slang full of references to popular culture or shared experience that creates an instant bond. Audiences for slangy, relentlessly contemporary films like “Juno” and TV shows like “Lost,” “24” and “Heroes” go from observers to loyal adherents; they form a community because they have a shared passion for the characters and because they speak the unique language of that special (albeit imaginary) universe. They’ll talk about “saving the cheerleader to save the world,” or a roadblock that must mean Jack Bauer is setting up a perimeter and asking someone to holster his weapon.

“Star Trek” fans might have started it all in those pre-Internet days, seeking out understanding and community on the convention circuit as they donned Spock ears and kvetched about the trouble with Tribbles. A common language is a vital component to the creation of any community, whether it’s an assembly of thousands or a society of two.

Shared language creates an intimacy, even among people who have never met before. They feel chemistry in these moments of cultural confluence. When a couple is really getting along, experiences and speech patterns often sync up until both members develop a kind of special language — from the “aww, you’re my schmoopie” exchanged nauseatingly in front of single friends, to callbacks to prior experiences or the familiarity they’ve established.

My longest linguistic love affair to date is with the State of Israel. Israel, now 60 (or older, depending on how you’re counting), is the December to my May, and we communicate in Hebrew, of course. My educational background gave me a head start. Because my vocabulary came from Hebrew literature classes and from the classical texts we studied, my language developed as vital background toward understanding Israel: the equivalent of Googling Israel Hebraically to learn everything I could before we met, and establishing an instant history. (Not that anyone would ever do that for a potential romantic partner.)

Read the rest of “Language of Love,” here.

The event is a HUGE success. The vast majority of students taking part are regular students on campus, checking out the henna, food, and hookah, music, ipod challenge, and give-a-ways.
Go Anteaters for Israel!

Inbal Freund is the Director of Mavoi Satum (Dead End) a Jerusalem-based organization that advocates on behalf of Agunot. She wrote this as her 60bloggers.com post for Yom Hazikaron - Israel Memorial day on behalf of those who fell defending the State of Israel. I thought I’d share it with you.

In - memory of Noam Mayerson, my step cousin who fell in the recent Lebanon war, my cousin Chani Dikshtein , her husband Yossi and their child, Shuvael who were shot to death on their way to spending Shabbat with friends. This is also in memory of older loved ones: Shlomo Gabriel Freund, my father’s brother who gave his life while defending Gush Etzion in 1948 and of my grandmothers’ brother, David Metal who fell while commanding his troops in the south on the same year. Further I would like to commemorate my grandfather’s siblings and parents who perished in the holocaust. May their memories be blessed and guide us to meaningful growth and much joy of life in our present and future days.

A. My father.

My father has good eyes, which have seen a lot. He has grey hair that sometimes sneak out in mischievously boyish wisps from under his kippa. He has wrinkled hands with blessed old age stains, which treat every flower in his garden with great gentleness.

On Rosh Hashana, my father’s big hands open the Torah scroll at the synagogue. Full of emotion, his voice trembles above the crowd, reading from Jeremiah, chapter 31-the consolation prophecy describing the return to Zion. Embedded in that glory lays our foremother Rachel’s great agony for her lost sons- the ones who perished during the journey to Israel, and never made it to the Promised Land. When the reading is over, the cantor blesses Yonatan son of Rachel and Moshe. My father’s good eyes are lit with splendor and laughter as he steps quietly down from the Bimah back into the crowd.

In the army, my father’s role was taking care of the dead. His job was to bring them to a dignified Jewish burial. He never tells us anything of his past actions; he is not a man of many words. Until today, whenever somebody passes away in my old home town, my father vanishes for a few hours to help treat the dead. It’s called “Chesed Shel Emet” –the benevolence of righteousness. Unlike his parents’ generation who built the institutions of our country and set up its main structures, his Chesed is quiet and responsive to the events which happen around him.

Sometimes I wonder how my quiet father can carry all that weight on his shoulders.

B. Masoret- tradition.

Moses received the Torah from Sinai and passed it on to Joshua, Joshua to the Elders; the Elders to the Prophets; and the Prophets passed it on to the Men of the Great Assembly…
-Pirkey Avot

The generations which came before us are embedded within us. They escort us as we celebrate our holidays – on Yom Kippur or University graduation, their eyes are watching, examining our actions, giving advice and meaning to mundane life. We are expected to relate to them. The glory of their memories commands us to better the world. To improve what they have given us. To carry their greatness to our inheritance. To create the next part of the chain, day by day.

I study what my forefathers studied. I study what my foremothers did not always have access to. I have the freedom to wonder around beloved texts, I have the freedom to walk in ancient pathways. I live in a world which reinvents itself with every passing day, where technology dictates an ever growing pace of life. I live in the liminal space between old and new as I try to make my own way forward.

C. National Memorial Day 2007

A frantic rush. It is 10:30 am and I’m running up the mountain. It’s hot and I feel heavy. I’m running to be there on time for the ceremony, to stand next to my father when the siren that traditionally marks Memorial Day will begin to pierce our ears with memories.

It’s crowded and hot. The cemetery is flooded with people swarming in from every direction. They are dressed in blue and white; some wear only one color: black.
I run. I smile with gratitude at teenagers who wear their youth movements’ uniform as they hand me flowers to put on a grave. However, I refuse their offer, as well as the water bottles that soldiers provide for the vast crowd. For now, I run forward with the crowds.

It feels just like before a big pilgrimage. I see visions of a white river of people who are rushing towards the Wailing Wall to read the Book of Ruth on the holiday of Shavuot. Before dawn kisses the sky which lays above it, darkness is broken with a new light.

I stop. I got too high. From this standpoint, I can see my family members trying to find their way to each other. They move in the crowd, not aware of how close they really are to each other. The focal point is Noam’s grave. I witness the strong quiet presence of his parents and some of his siblings. They are all standing, ready for the ceremony. I see familiar heads everywhere. The only islands in the crowd are the graves.

I locate my father. He is standing down there, trying to gently push his way forward. I can imagine his debate with himself; whether to further protect his head from the burning sun, as I see him put his funny-looking hat over his kippa. It’s 11:00 am. My father’s big hand freezes in the air as the siren blows.

We stand and stare at the ground. New beloved ones have been buried here this year. In my mind I try to remember each of my family members who are commemorated today in the short two minutes period. I’m left overwhelmed.

The ceremony is over. We unite under the big tree we have come to know in the past year on our visits here. Our tribe members gather. My cousin’s wife, Hadassah, is 15 days late in her pregnancy; both her beautiful blond-haired daughters run around. We all hug and kiss and fill each other in on latest news. I take Noa, Noam’s new niece in my arms. She is a beautiful two-month-old baby. She is life. I say shalom to Noam’s fiancé, not really knowing what to say to her lovely enigmatic smile.

A man who rescued Noam’s body from the tank is standing between us all. Wrapped in our family, he is telling of the rescue efforts. The children run around and we are hiding from the sun behind a tree, behind sunglasses, all attuned to his story. We are embraced by the tree’s shade; we are embraced by this man’s story. We embrace him back.

The clock is ticking and we start to depart. People are going to Noam’s parent’s house to be together. With my father and others the ascent up the mountain begins. We make our way to the next ceremony, which should be taking place at 1:00 pm, on top of the mountain. My father sneaks apples to our handbags; the day is hot and long. We are all encouraging each other to drink. The sun beats down on our heads; there is still much to be done.

There is heavy security on the way to the terror victim’s ceremony. The main speaker is the Prime Minister. We wander on and on in a labyrinth of blue plastic cloth, passing through different guard points to get in to the central ceremony. Our agony is our passport on this journey. We mourn for my cousin Chani, her husband Yossi and their child Shuvael, who were shot five years ago. It’s 12:45 pm and we are afraid of being late. We start running again in the roads that lead up, passing by the tombs of Herzl’s children as we go further on our way to be with Chani’s nine living orphans.

The Talmud says, “Everyone who visits takes away one-sixtieth of the illness.” My father runs to support my cousins, to take his part.

We get there; see our family members in the distance, by the stage. We listen to the cantor crying a prayer of mourning, “El Male Rachamim,” once more and then withdraw back down the mountain to make it to the next ceremony; the hour of 1:30 pm is drawing near.

I run. I try to locate the shortest and quickest way to go down this mountain, to the Gush Etzion ceremony. To show my father the way. His brother is buried there, Rachel’s son who never made it to the Promised Land. It has been exactly 59 years of independence and loss for my father. I stand with him at the mass grave, nodding my head to greet more of the elders of our family. I kiss my twin brother, who was named after our fallen uncle. The memorial service begins. El Male Rachamim again. We stand on both sides of our father. We embrace him as his body leans towards the earth.

D. Independence Day

The sad, heavy, choking, patched blanket of ceremonies is lifted. We can never really take some pieces back as we return to our homes to prepare for our Independence Day. The shift is so dramatic. Like a transformation from a long fast to the festive joy of Purim. Like a great light that blinds eyes which dwelled in much darkness. By the evening, the sky is lit with fireworks. My head is still pounding from the sun. From the distance the fireworks sound like shots, and I have to look up to remember that this is an expression of joy which is not taken for granted. It’s an expression of freedom.

My forefathers are looking down at us, seeing good old stained hands caress our heads. My father’s soft eyes are full of light.

The 60 Bloggers project is co-production of Jewlicious.com and the Let My People Sing Festival. It is published daily for 60 days to celebrate Israel’s 60 birthday.

UCI will be hosting notorious and hateful speakers starting Wednesday with Norm Finkelstein. Which will be followed by ten days of what we casually call hate-week. Partially in response, but also as an affirmation of Jewish identity, Anteaters for Israel has spearheaded a week-long Israel celebration that we are happy to be co-sponsoring. iFest is certainly the largest attempt at UCI to bring a different view of Israel to the campus- and we hope it succeeds in speaking to the majority of students who are uninformed, and uncommitted to the radical Muslim agenda on the campus.

Perhaps the most audacious part of the week will be Thursday night, when an expected 900 people will converge for OASIS - a club night in Garden Grove.
It will be the largest pro-Israel event in OC Jewish Student history by far. Students from all over Socal are expected to this massive Israel party -with Israeli dj’s, complimentary admission drinks, and busing.

Come next week, the mood on campus will change, but we hope that this series of events will garner many more friends for Israel and the Jews on the UCI campus - where we truly believe that the majority of students are sick and tired of 1)their school being used as a recruiting ground for radical Islamic movements, 2) the vilification of Jews and other minorities, and 3) the bullying gangs of MSU students that intimidate dissenters.

Every June, MTV launches their Movie Awards, with categories like “Best Kiss” and “Best Onscreen Duo” that you won’t see during the Oscars. (Which might be what makes the Oscars so boring, but whatever.) There’s also a movie spoof contest, and “Jewno” could be a contender.

Some of you loved “Jewno,” and others either hated or didn’t get it.

The first step is getting hits to the funnyordie page on the MTV playlist page. The other two spoofs are of “The Eye” (which I’m pretty sure describes how many people saw it) and “Into the Wild,” which I didn’t see so I can’t tell you how funny/parodically-accurate it is. But I can point out that the “Jewno” video is spot-on in terms of capturing the language and plot of the original work that it spoofs, and even brings back JK Simmons to reprise his role, making it, in my humble opinion, the obvious choice.

Give it a view, and vote if you’re inspired…

And while you’re thinking of the MTV Movie Awards, check out this service announcement about Boratitis.

crossposted at 60bloggers.com

A few weeks ago, I was asked how many times I had been to Israel. I think I’m up to seven. Given my short twenty-two years of life, I think that’s a pretty good track record so far. My experiences in Israel have forced me to feel as though I’m not really at home there or in the United States. I exist somewhere between the two.

Perhaps because of this, I have incredibly distinct memories of every time I leave Israel. Besides the fabulous duty-free shopping that is in Ben Gurion airport, there are always intense tears. The first time I left Israel, I was twelve. My parents decided it would be a brilliant idea to take us to Israel for a year and subject us to the wonders of the Israeli Education System. I was miserable for the majority of the year. My day-school education had not adequately prepared me for full-time Hebrew, and let’s just say that the discipline system in the classroom was a little more lax than what I was used to. Of course, my parents knew that this would be an amazing experience for our family and, I will admit, they were completely and totally right in the end. My last view of Mavo Dakar 3 (our address in Jerusalem) was through the rear windshield of the taxi taking us to the airport. I was sitting next to my Abba, and both of us were crying profusely. Up until that last moment when we drove away, I was sure we were going to stay. My living in Israel and that feeling of never wanting to leave has stayed with me over the past ten years.

I can say quite confidently that I love Israel. And contrary to popular belief, love does mean having to say you’re sorry. I can also say quite confidently that I strongly disagree with many of the Israeli government’s decisions and the army’s actions. I have had experiences that perhaps most American Jews have not: over the past five years I have been lucky enough to become friends with people who are Palestinian. Lama, Rawan, and Mohammed, among others, inform my views of Israel just as much as Sarah, David, and Nomi do. Once again, I am in limbo between two worlds – only instead of being caught between Israel and the US, I am caught in a conflict that is made of history, religion, and directly opposing beliefs. I am constantly tested by these relationships. Most of my Palestinian friends have travel documents, not passports; their fathers and uncles have been in jail. I feel guilty for feeling guilty about not serving in the IDF. I am caught between two worlds.

At this point, I have been exposed to many views on Israel and Palestine– sometimes I agree, sometimes I don’t. I grew up in a traditional Jewish community, I have been to Ramallah, I have spent a lot of time in East Jerusalem, I have attended peace rallies in Rabin Square, and I still don’t have a solution. What I do know is that the only way to peace is through inter-personal communication. During my time in Israel, I have volunteered at Rabbis for Human Rights and the Interfaith Coordinating Council of Israel and in the US, I have worked for many years at Seeking Common Ground. Not everyone is willing to engage in this kind of dialogue, but those that are willing to do so, should. I have been fulfilled in immeasurable ways through my friendships with people that both support and challenge me.

I think my Palestinian friends would fight with me for saying this, and yet I must – I wish I had Israeli citizenship. I always feel like I lack a certain amount of legitimacy in any conversation about Israel because I don’t have a teudat zehut. Maybe one day I will make aliyah. I haven’t decided yet; I’m going to give myself a few more years. For now though, I live in a liminal state. I go out of my way to stand next to the Hebrew-speakers on the subway, I’m constantly searching for authentic hummus in the Diaspora, and I take every chance I get to return. I love Israel, I’m disappointed in Israel, I believe in Israel, I’m confused by Israel. At the end of the day, perhaps both in spite of and because of all of these feelings, Israel is home. The words of Israeli poet Leah Goldberg, and most recently sung by Israeli singer Achinoam Nini, describe the feeling best:

Oh my darling, I have grown with you
But my roots… on both sides of the sea.

Perhaps only the migrating birds can know,
When they’re suspended between earth and heaven,
This pain of the two homelands.

With you I have been planted twice
With you I have grown, pines
And my roots are in two different landscapes.

JEWLICIOUS, NEW VOICES, SHEMSPEED AND PRESENTENSE join Nina Safar in throwing what will be the most amazing Israel 60 party this side of India!
Now for all the info:
Nina Safar who is known to throw insane parties …just check this set (here)

has just announced her plans to throw a crazy live, electric, israeli, bellydancing, hip shakin, hands in the air and maybe on something else … party for Israel 60 at Galapagos May 7th.
So, if you want to throw down for very little mulla, email rsvp@shemspeed.com and get in for 8bux!

It all goes down with Israel’s own hottttt Electro Morocco, of course, Diwon with very special guests Black Sea Hotel!
p.s. If you are Israeli-ish and would like to perform, hit us up!
p.p.p.p.s. Just added some new Israel 60 Remixes Its all free and its all here….

ADDRESS: 70 North 6th St. (between Kent and Wythe) Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 11211
ALL INFO HERE

(Israel Electric is also a celebration of PresenTense’s Magazine Release Party, so graba copy and dance with Ariel and the crew!)

Taglit Birthright Israel’s latest YouTube video is a fun-filled romp across the country in celebration of Israel’s 60th anniversary on May 8th. Starring Tasha and Dishka, two Israelis from Ramle and early YouTube sensations with their Hey! clip (22 million views!), these two lip synch to the Carsitters “All Eyes on Me” as they make their way across Israel. The lead singer of the Carsitters is none other than Noa Margalit who I met at last year’s ROI120 Summit and this video was produced by Leah Stern, another ROI2007 alum and, well, me. The point of the video was to show an image of a fun and vibrant Israel - said image being more reflective of our daily reality than what one tends to see in the media. So now you know what I’ve been doing all of the last week - consorting with rock stars and traveling up and down the country in the company of serious Israeli babes.

Anyhow… here it is! Enjoy, rate, comment and share with your friends and family.

Well at least I think his name is Asor. He’s a soldier in one of the IDF’s elite commando units and his dad is Haim Watzman, author of Company C and A Crack in the Earth: A Journey Up Israel’s Rift Valley (a finalist for the $100,000 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature). In his spare time Haim blogs for South Jerusalem - a Jerusalem-based blog that leans firmly to the left. I don’t personally agree with everything he writes but he’s principled, reasonable and a pretty darn good writer. His latest post discusses his experience with the IDF that began when he enlisted in 1984. A perennial problem it seems has to do with socks. The IDF Quartermaster doesn’t give its soldiers enough, the latest generation of space age commando socks are darn expensive - and the cost has to be borne by the soldier and his family.

When I reached reserve retirement age I thought I had done my part for my country and that I, and my bank account, could rest on our laurels. Surely, I reasoned, by the time my children reach military age someone in the quartermaster corps will have realized that a pair of socks does not last for six months… Instead, the opposite happened. The army cut back further on supplies, and technology advanced. We are now in the age of the laser rifle sight, the smart bomb, and the $23 commando sock… I’m proud to have a boy who has chosen such a difficult and demanding way of serving his country. But must I pay through the nose for the naches?

Well who can argue with that? That being the case, I thought wouldn’t it be great if we kicked in some spare change to buy Asor some socks? Below you will find a PayPal donate button. All proceeds will go to the Buy Asor Some Socks Fund. Now I don’t know Haim, and I don’t know Asor, but Israel is a small country and what with the Internets and all that it ought not be too hard to find them and give them the Jewlicious-raised cash so that they can buy some socks. No donation is too small. I myself have already donated enough for one high tech commando sock ($12.50) - will you help me buy the second sock?

This one is a longer post, but it includes a few points I’ve wanted to address for a while, but hadn’t got around to.

Raphael’s brought my attention to a PresenTense article by Brauna Doidge, a Jewish Studies major, about her six-weeks’ visit to Berlin. In her article, Brauna claims that Judaism in Germany still is far from a “renaissance” and should stop comparing and being compared to the German Jewish community of the past. I’ve got to agree in so far as that the German Jewish community indeed does not seem to compare to what many people overseas perceive to have been the German Jewish community of the past. BUT, and this BUT would come in a 16 pt font size had I the possibilty of adjusting it, the concept of what made German Jewish life so distinct before WW2 seems to have been replaced by a somewhat nostalgically veiled adaption of Eastern shtetl Jewry, rich version, to the streets of Prussian Berlin. While the German Jewry of the present does not compare to the German Jewry of the past, there seem to be misconceptions galore of German Jewry in general that I’d like to address.

As I’ve pointed out referring to an article by Lewis-Kraus in a previous post, what seem to shape Jewish life in Germany today are “non-Jews that enjoy doing things they perceive as typically Jewish, such as listening to klezmer music (which was a cultural expression of Eastern European, not German Jewry), immigrants from the CIS, and NY Jews trying to live up to a cultural heritage that is not theirs, respectively trying to realize cultural dreams that were crushed in NY”. I’d also add the premise, which applies to Jews and non-Jews in Germany alike, that Germans typically are secular even if they affiliate with a religion. I can work with colleagues that are Roman Catholic, Protestant, moderate Muslim, agnostic, atheist etc. without religion ever coming up during coffee breaks. The fervor with which, e.g. more religious Muslims demand to be entitled to prayer times during work hours or with which Pentecostal or Baptist congregations of CIS-origin try to proselytise others are foreign and awkward to us to say the very least. And unless you’re a member of the clergy (that BTW live on a low fixed income here) or maybe run a religious bookstore, there’s hardly a living to be made out of doing something legal related to religion without being dependent on subsidies of some sort - or a day job. To avoid any false impressions, people that affiliate with the German Jewish community do practise their religion on various levels of observance and are not ashamed of their religious adherence, but they do not typically move through their environment radiating a Jew-aura, so to speak.

The list of should-be-there-if-there-were-a-real-German-Jewish-renaissance items includes (not exclusively) the following according friends from overseas: Yiddish, kosher food (i.e. certified, with a hechsher), synagogues, klezmer, Orthodox Jews, Jewy events / parties / be-fruitful-and-multiply events.
The list of should-not-be-there-if-there-were-a-real-German-Jewish-renaissance items includes (not exclusively) the following according friends from overseas: CIS-Jews, American Jewish hipsters, Israeli freelancers, “assimilation” tendencies.

Read the rest of this entry »

Those of you that follow the comment threads should have figured out by now that I’m an avid baker. It came as a surprise to me though that Ephraim’s a partner in baking crime, but I bet most of you enjoy baking and / or pastries.

Cheesecakes, originally a Russian Easter treat, apparently have become as much of a symbol of Jewish culinary influence on NYC diets as bagels (I’ll save the story of bagels for a different post). For understandable reasons, cheesecakes have won the top rank position when it comes to Shavuot holiday food over other dairy food items such as cottage cheese or kefir (serve the latter two if you don’t want any guests over for Shavuot next year).

Since in baking terms, Shavuot is soon to come (maybe not for those to whom baking a cheesecake means defrosting a processed one in the microwave), I’d like to ask you to share your best cheesecake recipes or variations. Above you see my first contribution, a refridgerated creamcheese cream cake on a crumble base with a thin top layer of lemon jelly, cut into halves, re-arranged and decorated with whipped cream.

C’mon now, don’t be shy. This is your bubbe’s chance to share her valued cheesecake knowledge. And who knows? With some luck, I might convince ck to hold a Jewlicious pastry fest.

Grab a glass and sit back, this is a long one.

Yesterday was Holocaust Rememberance Day in Israel and around the world. This is a day when those of us who wish to commemorate the victims of the Nazi genocidal machine in WWII stop what we do for some reflection and some consideration of those who were murdered or those who had their family and friends murdered and harmed by the Nazis. Approximately 11 million were killed by the Nazis, among whom the largest group were Jews. Anywhere from 5.3 to 6 million Jews were exterminated by the Nazis over a period of 6 years, begining with the death squads of the Einsatzgruppen who murdered about 1.5 million Jews over 18 months by going from village to village and town to town, rounding up Jews and shooting them in cold blood.

Although an exact figure will never be known, approximately 1,500,000 people were murdered by the Einsatzgruppen. The Einsatzgruppen submitted detailed and specific reports of their actions to their superiors both by radio and written communication; these reports were checked against each other for accuracy at Heydrich’s headquarters. According to those reports approximately 1,500,000 people were murdered. In evaluating this large number Justice Michael Musmanno, who presided at the trial of the Einsatzgruppen wrote:

One million human corpses is a concept too bizarre and too fantastical for normal mental comprehension. As suggested before, the mention of one million deaths produces no shock at all commensurate with its enormity because to the average brain one million is more a symbol than a quantitative measure. However, if one reads through the reports of the Einsatzgruppen and observes the small numbers getting larger, climbing into ten thousand, tens of thousands, a hundred thousand and beyond, then one can at last believe that this actually happened — the cold-blooded, premeditated killing of one million human beings.

Of course, the Final Solution, where the Nazis figured out how to commit genocide without this dirty, backbreaking work, but rather by using transports, death camps, gas chambers, slave labor and concentration camps was yet to come.

Contrary to the assertions of many on the Left and the far Right, Israel was not founded because of the Holocaust. Actually, Zionism was robust and active well before then. Even after the Holocaust, it took some years before those Jewish refugees who came over from Europe made their way to Israel. On the other hand, there were also quite a few Jewish refugees from Arab lands who made their way to Israel.

It suits the political purposes of many, however, to invoke the Holocaust both in praising Israel and in condemning it. It is not unusual to hear supporters of Palestinians complain “Why do the Palestinians have to be punished just because the Nazis murdered Jews in the Holocaust.” That is, that’s what they say when these supporters aren’t denying the Holocaust (see Mahmoud Abbas’s doctoral dissertation) or claiming the Jews caused it themselves (that’s the group that Jimmy Carter went to see, Hamas). It also suits Israeli politicians to evoke the idea of “never again” when rallying the people or when describing threats to Israel and its existence.

Yesterday in England, however, a special treat for all of us thinking about this day and its meaning was published in that lovely and biased anti-Israel newspaper, The Guardian. Signed by 100 Jewish people of some note the letter (here in bold) reads as follows - I will break it down with my comments interspersed:

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Check out these programs in LA for Yom Haatzmaut - all part of a week long program 60-4-60, organized by our partners in 60bloggers, Let My People Sing, and Jewlicious Festival sponsors Oyhoo and Craig n Co.

THURSDAY, MAY 8th, Eat, Drink, and Be…The 60-hour celebration begins with a provocative Israel-themed salon hosted by the Professional Leadership Project.

Faith Jam for Israel: A multi-religious ‘jam session’ with choirs from COR AME, Beit Tshuvah, Zimiryah Chorale and special guest artists Mare Winningham, Rick Muchow, Craig Taubman, Yuval Ron and more.

FRIDAY, MAY 9th, Friday Night Live hosts the Consul General of Israel and hip hop sensation Hadag Nachash for an unique Shabbat celebration of Israels 60th.

SATURDAY, MAY 10th, One Shabbat Morning: The Josh Nelson Project and Michelle Citrin and youth groups from throughout the city perform.

Be a part of history at the Gala Concert at the Kodak Theater with Israeli superstars Rami Kleinstein, Noa, and Idan Raichel for this Israeli Independence Day Concert. Special guests: Larry King, Kirk Douglas, Rabbi Yonah and Rachel.

This speaks for itself.

I remember vividly as a child marching in the Israel parades in suburban Detroit. I am not sure how far these marches even went - maybe only a mile. No matter. Marching as a kid with hundreds of Jews from my camps, and with Jews from every generation is a highlight of my childhood. I cherish this memory. It stood out as inspirational, amidst a Jewish communal life that was sorely lacking inspiration. Not until Jewish summer camp was being Jewish that exciting. When I read about Walk the Land’s effort to create Israel walks world-wide in solidarity with Israel on her 60th birthday, it brought back those marches and that great feeling.

The Afikim Foundation based in NY, in solidarity with Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael - aka the JNF abroad - has implemented a worldwide effort called Walk the Land in celebration of Israel’s 60th Anniversary. They hope to foster a sense of worldwide unity in support of Israel, and have already more than 100 cities participating.

If you want to participate, check out the list of cities and then register. If you want to start your own walk in your own community, contact them as well. Walkers get some neat swag and a feeling of being part of a worldwide effort. Even Jews in Mumbai are doing it.

The organizers have prepared a very comprehensive support system to help communities that want to undertake a walk - whether as part of a larger city walk or on their own. You can use the march to raise funds for important causes. They are distributing large banners with imprints of Israel - and if you hurry they may still have backpacks, water bottles and t-shirts to compliment your walk.

If you can’t BE in Israel for Yom Haatzmaut, you can Walk the Land instead.

P.s. They are also raffling off ten free trip to Israel!
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The scene gets me every time. The siren goes off and everyone stops (well everyone except for the journalists and pigeons). The buses stop. Cars stop. All you hear is the siren and for one moment, wherever you are, the stillness allows you to focus on and commemorate those that were consumed in the fire of the Shoah. Words fail me. They always do.

If you’re a woman who reads Jewlicious, you’re probably busy. You’re juggling career with a sparkling social life, or your professional identity with your online identity. You’re picking up the kids from soccer practice or play rehearsal and checking your RSS feeds on your CrackBerry. Or maybe you’re just sitting home. But the truth is, you don’t have time to take life–and your personal needs–sitting down.

From our friends in the Promised Land comes this new product that ushers in the social moment we’ve all been waiting for: pee equality for women. Welcome, P-Mate!

Of course you will think: “Does it really work?” You will never find out when you never used the P-Mate. The first time may be a little bit strange. Maybe you have never urinated while standing up before. Yet this women’s product gives a practical solution in lots of ‘urgency’-situations and while using the P-Mate, peeing while standing upright is easier than you think in the first place. Maybe you will not succeed the first time, but remember: practice makes perfect.

So if you have an ‘urgency situation,’ please feel free to whip out the piece of P-Mate material, carefully fold it into its shape, place it in the correct evacuatorial area and relieve yourself to your bladder’s content. But don’t rush into thinking that you can just whip it out of the box and use it: “Maybe you will not succeed the first time, but remember: practice makes perfect.” These are words of wisdom for us all.

But since the product’s creators are basically saying, “this is not that easy to use and you need rehearsal time until you’re a skilled P-Mate user,” I have a request/safety message: if you are using the P-Mate for the first time, please do so in the privacy of your own home. Then, when you’re confident enough, take your stand-and-deliver product out for street testing. Well, not on the street itself, because I’m pretty sure that (despite the number of children who urinate in public when they can’t find a bathroom) that’s still illegal. But the point is, practice before you pee.

You gotta love Israel. I’m leaving in 10 days. And if I spy anyone using the P-Mate, I’m so taking pictures.
Via VCCafe

The April 14th issue of Newsweek has a map and list of countries ranked according to their Green-ness, also known by the acronym EPI for environmental performance index. Israel ranked 64th. That is better than all of Israel’s neighbors, but not better than Iran, Turkey or Morocco, Gabon, Cypress or Greece. According to the article, Newsweek’s EPI/Green Rating was compiled, “With the help of Yale and Columbia universities and LinkedByAir.”

In January, Newsweek published the Green Ratings which showed Israel in 49th place. What accounts for the discrepancy? Could Israel have fallen 15 places in two months? A look at the sources quoted by Newsweek does not help us understand why Israel was dropped by Newsweek.

LinkByAir is involved with is the visuals, and they have done a great job. The Columbia and Yale study that Newsweek used in January, and the April 14th issue, is actually an international project: An Initiative of the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy (YCELP) and the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) of Columbia University, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. The study was released to coincide with Davos. Their website lists Israel as 49th, as do all their current reports.

(I have other questions about the study, which places Poland, Belarus, Russia, Hungary, and Slovakia, ahead of Israel—but that will wait to the next post.)

Let’s assume for the moment that Israel is not too green, and that Israel does more harm to the global climate as measured by the EPI than these former communist countries, and 40+ others. On what basis is Newsweek dropping Israel AND the US, but bolstering the rankings of some of others? The US was dropped from 39th in the EPI to 66th in Newsweek. Iran was boosted from 67th in the EPI to 55th in Newsweek and Turkey boosted from 72nd in the EPI to 50th by Newsweek.

Attempts to contact both the original author of the study and Newsweek were unfruitful. I left a message for the editor at Newsweek on their personal line. The lead author on the EPI study at Yale returned my call, but as of press time had not provided answers to my emailed questions.

So on what basis did Newsweek drop Israel 15 places? Pro-Israel bloggers want to know.

Next: What can Israel do to improve its EPI?

Hitler Loves the Philadelphia Flyers

 
The Montreal Canadians are in a best of seven playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers. Tuesday night they lost 3-2 in Philadelphia, giving the Flyers a 2-1 lead in the series. The Flyers won thanks to their Philthy ways - a brutal hockey style and some of the dumbest, loudest, nastiest fans in all hockeydom. The fans booed the Canadian national anthem and screamed “USA! USA!” during a 1st period brawl - despite the fact that more than half their team… is Canadian.

I live in Jerusalem. This is where God lives and I know he’s rooting for the Habs. The video above shows why - because Hitler loves the Flyers. Probably Osama Bin Laden, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Nassrallah and Haniyeh too.

OK, ok. I know this is stupid. But I miss Montreal during the playoffs. It’s my way of participating. There’s just no hockey in Jerusalem! Sue me.

 
Hear the interview and listen to him rap in Aramaic and Arabaic! Crazy! Is it safe to say Y-Love’s going places? He was interviewed on the US BBC World Service Web site in their “Global Hit” section today:

For today’s Global Hit, we meet an American hip hop artist who learned to rap in Jerusalem. His name is Yitzhak Jordan. But he goes by the name, Y-Love. Y-Love stands out in the crowd. He’s a Black Orthodox Jewish MC. And as The World’s Andrea Smardon reports, he likes to mix holy languages into his rhymes.

My friend Talia sent me this cute widget thing. It’s a quiz that tests one’s knowledge of Judaica Art. Take it for a spin:

The quiz is brought to you by Judaica Art, a Web site that sells… uhm, Jewish and Judaica themed art (and oil painting replicas!). There are only 5 questions, the answers are kind of interesting and then at the end there’s a special deal!

I don’t usually put stuff like this up but Talia was pretty persuasive and you got to give these people props - this campaign of theirs is a little more creative than the usual “here’s a banner you can put on your Web site” business. For the record, we were offered a commission on sales and I declined because it’s much cooler as a post than as a thinly veiled commercial transaction. Good luck Judaica Art people!