June 25, 2018

German Festival Cancels Scottish Band Over Anti-Israel Rhetoric

Leave a Comment / Worldwide / Aaron Bandler

The German music festival Ruhrtriennale has canceled the band Young Fathers from performing on August 18 due to its anti-Israel rhetoric.

The band, Young Fathers, has been an active supporter of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, as in 2017 they refused to play in a German festival because one of the performing bands received a donation from the Israeli embassy. They also pressured Radiohead to not perform in Israel.

The Ruhrtriennale website published a press release stating that they asked Young Fathers to back away from BDS, but they refused to do so, leading to the festival canceling the band’s performance.

“The Ruhrtriennale distances itself in all forms from the BDS movement and wishes to have absolutely no connection with the campaign,” Stefanie Carp, the artistic director of Ruhrtriennale, said in the press release. “We have therefore decided to cancel the concert. We regret this immensely, because the Young Fathers would have set an important tone in the program of the Ruhrtriennale.”

Young Fathers told Artists for Palestine UK that the cancelation did indeed happen and stood behind the BDS movement as being “nonviolent and non-racist” and claimed that Israel has committed “grave violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people.”

Recent reports have linked the BDS movement to terror groups and studies have shown that violence has increased on college campuses following the growth of BDS.

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When We Hear the Cries of Children

Leave a Comment / Blogs / Rabbi Zach Shapiro

Dear all,

A story is told of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi.

He and his grandson, Tzemach Tzedek, were each studying Torah in their own rooms. In a third room on the far side of their home was a baby sleeping.

Suddenly, Rabbi Zalman heard the baby begin to cry, so he rose from his studying and went to the room where the baby was to soothe the baby back to sleep.

But the grandson, Tzemach Tzedek, was too immersed in his studies to notice the baby crying. Rabbi Zalman then said to his grandson, “If someone is studying Torah and fails to hear a baby’s cry, there is something wrong with his learning.”

(Story inspired by words of my friend and colleague, Rabbi Allison Bergman Vann).

__________________________________________________________

Friends, in the past weeks, the cries of children have been so very profound in our country. While our immigration laws need to be taken very seriously, we can not in good faith stand by as people cite religious values that give permission to this situation. And we can not become so immersed in the letter of the law that we become deaf to humanity.

Washington is striving to find a way forward with the law. But babies are still crying.

We, therefore, must act now to help. Please scroll down and follow the links in this email for action items. This is our moment in time to
rise from our routine, to acknowledge the crisis, and to work toward a solution.

Shared with love and shalom,

Rabbi Zach Shapiro

1. Sign the State of Emergency petition, sponsored by Bend the Arc with IKAR, Tru’ah, the URJ’s Religious Action Center, HIAS, and the ADL.

2. Attend the Families Belong Together National Day of Action on June 30, 2018.

3. Include one of these prayers in your home this Shabbat.

4. Call or write your elected representatives to tell them how your Jewish values inform you about this situation.

5. Send supplies directly to Texas, including:

Toiletries

Shoes

Clothes

Baby supplies

sealed snack foods

stuffed animals

phone cards

Please send them to:

Temple Emanuel

Attn: Michael Blum, Social Action Chair

4300 North C Street

McAllen, TX 78504

Rabbi Shapiro is not only the spiritual leader at Temple Akiba, but has been a source of guidance, support, reflection and a good hug since 2006. A native of Boston, Rabbi Shapiro has lived in Los Angeles since his Ordination from HUC-JIR, Cincinnati in 1997. He met Ron Galperin that same year, and they were married in a religious ceremony in 2002, followed by a legal ceremony in 2008.

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Episode 95 – The First Zionist Heroine

Every nation needs a mythical hero, a key figure in its history that against all odds, rebelled and fought the malicious powers that be in order to promise a future. To us, Zionist Israelis, the Aharonson family and the Nilly underground is as close to a mythical legend as it gets.

So much has been said and written about the British and their ruthless 31 years of occupation in Israel/Palestine between 1917 and 1948. But many seem to forget that before the British, the Ottoman Empire ruled this land for centuries. And when the first Zionists came here in the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, they had to face a ruthless, cruel and primitive regime that was soon to bring a Holocaust on the Armenian people.

It was under these circumstances that the Aharonson family, who were Romanian zionists that dwelled in the just-established village of Zikron Yaakov – decided to rebel and assist the British from within. Their underground became a remarkable story which would inspire generations.

Gregory J. Wallance is an American lawyer and an author. His book Papa’s Game was nominated to the Edgar Allan Poe Award, and he wrote several other critically acclaimed books, alongside op-eds for leading American newspapers such as the New York Times and the LA Times. His most recent book is called “The Woman Who Fought an Empire: Sarah Aharonson and her Nili Spy Ring”, and it depicts the incredible story of the Aharonson undergrounds. We’re thrilled to have him on our show to talk about these turbulent and adventurous times.

Gregory’s books on Amazon and his official website

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Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise by Lisa Niver

Secret Spring Skiing In The Canadian Rockies

Leave a Comment / Travel / Lisa Ellen Niver

After seeing the photos of the gorgeous blue waters of Lake Louise, I knew I needed to visit the Canadian Rockies in Alberta, Canada but I did not realize my first visit would be to see snow in May! I traveled by Rocky Mountaineer from Vancouver to Banff National Park and stayed at the historic and stunning Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. I skied, hiked and relaxed in this UNESCO World Heritage Area. Banff National Park is Canada’s oldest national park established in 1885 and it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as a Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site in 1984.

VIDEO: Want to Ski, Hike and Stay in Lake Louise?

This area has had many names. First called Ho-run-num-nay by The Stoney meaning “lake of the little fishes,” in 1882 a Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) workman, Tom Wilson, named it Emerald Lake, but in 1884 the name became Lake Louise in honor of Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. The area was a station for the railway called Laggan when they were building the train through Kicking Horse Pass.

Lisa Niver skiing at Lake Louise with Serge Metikosh

I loved traveling to this area by train and it was my first time in Alberta, my first time on Rocky Mountaineer and my first time skiing outside of the United States.

I spent a day at Lake Louise Resort and Gondola skiing with top instructor and guide, Serge Metikosh. He has been an instructor for over 43 years and has spent two decades skiing here. I fell in love with the long runs, stunning views and being able to ski in Banff National Park. If you want to disconnect from your busy life and connect with nature, this is one of the last wild places and has snow from November to May. Skiing Summit and Paradise Bowl was tremendously great skiing.

My ski gear including my clothes was rented from SkiBig3. You can travel here knowing that they have top quality equipment including the Blizzard Black Pearl’s that I loved using all over this mountain. I literally skied in every season as it briefly snowed on us, we had sunshine as well as spring skiing conditions.

After one of my favorite ski days ever, I stayed at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise which was developed by the Canadian Pacific Railway along with Fairmont Banff Springs and Fairmont Château Frontenac. My well appointed room had a stunning view of the frozen lake and inspired me to get outside and explore.

I borrowed snow cleats from the concierge and walked to the frozen waterfall around the lake. In the afternoon, I joined a guided hike led by Mike Vincent, who was a park ranger for 10 years and walked with a group up to Fairview Lookout. I used snow cleats and my ski pools and was rewarded with a spectacular view of the Lake and the Fairmont hotel.

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is family and pet friendly and ready to assist you in enjoying this beautiful national park. There are mindfulness walks, yoga and seven different dining options including Fairview, Lakeview Lounge, The Wallister Stube, The Chateau Deli, Poppy Brasserie, the Alpine Social (formerly the Glacier Saloon), and the seasonal Italian cuisine kitchen Lago. Do you want to have a ski experience, a family vacation a girls’ powder retreat?

Remember, Will and Kate honeymooned in the backcountry of The Lake Louise Resort and Gondola at Skoki. Don’t feel FOMA (the Fear of Missing Out), decide to come and visit! The Royals did it and the Men’s downhill world cup happens in Lake Louise too.

Enjoy my other 2018 Canada Adventures:

See more at We Said Go Travel.

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“The Rise of the Autocrats – A View From Capitol Hill” with Congressman Adam Schiff

Leave a Comment / Blogs / Rabbi John Rosove

Congressman Adam Schiff spoke to 800 people at Temple Israel of Hollywood on Sunday, June 24 in a program hosted by “Jews United for Democracy and Justice” and “Community Advocates, Inc.” with co-hosts the Jewish Center for Justice, Valley Beth Shalom Synagogue, Temple Israel of Hollywood, Stephen S. Wise Temple, and Leo Baeck Temple.

I introduced the program and was followed by Mel Levine, a former Member of Congress from Los Angeles. Adam Schiff was interviewed by KCRW “Press Play” host Madeline Brand.

Congressman Schiff offers insight into the current state of our democracy and the threats to it posed by the Trump Administration attack on America’s democratic institutions and the press, the Russian investigation, immigration to America, and the significance of the upcoming mid-term elections.

Here is the link to the conversation – https://livestream.com/accounts/1443588/events/8259785/videos/176799010

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Jewish Journal

German Festival Cancels Scottish Band Over Anti-Israel Rhetoric

When We Hear the Cries of Children

Episode 95 – The First Zionist Heroine

Secret Spring Skiing In The Canadian Rockies

“The Rise of the Autocrats – A View From Capitol Hill” with Congressman Adam Schiff

Jewish Journal