What do we have in Judaism that comes closest to a military parade? It occurred to me that every Sabbath morning, when we take out the Torah and walk around the sanctuary, we are actually simulating a military parade. No guns, not tanks, no jet planes to impress onlookers.
The horrid bus bombings in Beersheba on Tuesday, which claimed the lives of 16 Israelis, including a 3-year-old boy, are grim reminders that the war on terror continues to rage in Israel.
For centuries, Persian Jews have traditionally raised funds for religious activities by auctioning off or bidding on aliyot, the bringing out of the Torah and other rituals during Shabbat and holiday services. But after 25 years in Los Angeles, Persian Jews are beginning to embrace the concept of membership.
A new poll claims 75 percent of Jews favor John Kerry.
Anna Greenberg said her findings prove President Bush has made \”literally no progress\” among Jewish voters.
\”Something smells here,\” responded Matt Brooks.
Democrat Greenberg\’s poll was funded by the pro-Kerry National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC), and the NJDC published her poll. It predictably shows that Jews overwhelmingly back Kerry.
The Olympic Games are, of course, more than just games. As Bob Costas and the event\’s organizers constantly remind the world, they are a festival of humanity, a great coming together, the one moment when the planet gathers in a friendly spirit of healthy competition. Dogging your viewing of pummel-horse routines and synchronized diving, there is ample talk of the \”Olympic movement,\” a phrase intended to highlight these aspirations.
Last week, however, as the Athens games got under way, an Iranian judo champion exposed the hollowness of this rhetoric. Rather than compete against an Israeli, Arash Miresmaeili quit the Olympics entirely. As he told the Iranian government\’s official news service: \”I refuse to fight my Israeli opponent to sympathize with the suffering of the people of Palestine, and I do not feel upset at all.\”
At a time when Jews have unprecedented access to money and political power, it\’s a fair question to ask: What do we bring to the table as Jews?
Israel and the United States each have successes and failures in their respective health care systems, but the younger of the modern nations, rooted in its tradition of helping the needy, has much to teach its American ally.
OK, so let me float this one by you. Most people can\’t contend with provisional thinking, so if you\’re one of those people, please don\’t read further.
