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September 29, 2011

This week in power: U.N. aftermath, Obama voters, Rosh Hashana message, Perry dancing

A roundup of the most talked about political and global stories in the Jewish world this week:

U.N, showdown
Leaders from both Israel and for the Palestinians ” title=”http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-s-political-tsunami-has-arrived-1.386487″>said Barak Ravid at Haaretz. “The cold welcome Netanyahu received stood in stark contrast with the massive support Abbas received from the international community. If anyone still had any doubts – this what a political tsunami looks like, and this is what international isolation feels like.” The climate has changed a bit, but “Mr. Netanyahu is ready to negotiate today—if only Mr. Abbas is willing,” ” title=”http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/28/opinion/friedman-2-for-2-or-2-for-1.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss”>wondered Thomas Friedman in The New York Times. “We really are back at the beginning of this conflict. Until each side reassures the other that both of them really do want two states for two people — not just for one — nothing good is going to happen out there, but something really bad might.”

Obama struggling
Another week, another worry for Obama as he courts the Jewish vote. An American Jewish Committee poll ” title=”http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/american-jewish-committee-poll-obama-disappoints-but-well-vote-for-him/2011/03/29/gIQAyNE6yK_blog.html”>warned Jennifer Rubin at The Washington Post. “The dichotomy between what Jewish voters think of Obama’s performance and how they will vote remains. Jews may be moving away from their reflexive attachment to the Democratic Party, but they have hardly renounced it.” It might just be ” title=”http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishFeatures/Article.aspx?id=239423″>Year of Civility” message this new year, hoping to change the culture in Washington. Furthermore, ” title=”http://blogs.jta.org/politics/article/2011/09/23/3089557/obama-and-the-rabbis”>JTA’s Ron Kampeas asked, “If sermons are not timely, who’s going to listen?” While that’s all well and good, “the bottom line is that we are spiritual leaders and not political pundits,”” title=”http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0911/64373.html”>uncovered some embarrassing video of Rick Perry dancing with some rabbis at a Chanukah celebration last year. “Every politician has to do embarrassing things to get votes. This is one of them,” ” title=”http://www.dennyburk.com/rick-perry-dances-and-prays-with-rabbis/”>said another blogger.

“Jewish men lie”
After offending the gay community with unkind words, “Millionaire Matchmaker” took aim at Jews ” title=”http://www.jewishjournal.com/keepingitreal/item/bravo_fans_hit_twitter_to_silence_patti_stanger_millionaire_matchmaker_2011″>said Ilana Angel at the Jewish Journal. I was offended, too, for a second, ” title=”http://www.mediaite.com/tv/%E2%80%98millionaire-matchmaker%E2%80%99-patti-stanger-tries-and-fails-to-apologize-for-offensive-gay-comments/”>said Jon Bershad at Mediaite. “And when you’re given a chance to apologize, you smile and point out that you only meant some of that group. Because nothing describes the entirety of a group.”

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A Rosh Hashanah Story about Special Needs

I have heard from my father the Holy Komarna. One time a Jewish peasant boy came to the big town to celebrate Rosh Hashanah.
He didn’t know how to pray. He could not even read the letter Alef. He only saw that everyone was traveling to the synagogues to participate in the holy prayers. He thought, “If everybody is going to town I must go too!”

He arrived at the town synagogue with his father and watched the congregants crying and singing together swaying to and fro.
He turned to his father and asked, “Father, what is this all about?”

His father turned to him and said, “The Holy One blessed be sits enthroned in the heavens and we pray all year long to Him. We especially pray during these two days of Rosh Hashanah when the whole world is being judged and each person is being judged for the rest of the year.”
The son responded, “Father, what am I to do since I do not know how to pray?”

His father quickly said to him condescendingly, “All you have to do is be quiet and listen to the other Jews praying. That is enough for you.”

“But Father, if I don’t know what these people are saying how is that going to effect God’s decision? How is being silent going to help me?”
His father became unnerved and blurted out, “Listen, you should be quiet so no one will know you’re an ignorant peasant!”

The son stood still for a couple of minutes as his father and the rest of the congregation continued praying and then – the young boy stood up and spoke loudly.
“I am going to pray to God in the way I know best. I will whistle to God as I whistle to my flock of sheep.”

He began whistling the sweet calling as most shepherds know. His father was enraged. The boy continued whistling with all his might not caring what other people thought.

Now, it happened to be, that this particular Rosh Hashanah, all the heavenly gates were shut and suddenly because of this pure whistling of the heart, all the gates burst open. The prayers of Israel were finally heard.

Nachlei Binah P. 317 #632 Tehillim Ben Beiti, Rabbi Eliezer of Komarno

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