White beans cooked in a tomato broth and served over rice are the quintessential Sephardic comfort food. And they are the perfect food to cook for these crisp, cool, short Autumn days.
Domesticated in the New World, white beans soon became beloved staples in the Old World cuisines of the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Middle East. In the Ladino world this simple, hearty and nutritious dish is called “avas con arroz,” and “fassoulia” or “lubiyah” in the Arabic speaking countries of the Ottoman Empire.
Rachel’s Turn: My husband Neil’s great-grandparents emigrated to Palestine from Bulgaria in the late 1800’s and his grandfather attended the famed agricultural school “Mikveh Israel” near Holon. Established in 1870 as a youth village and boarding school, it was the first Jewish settlement outside of Jerusalem. He would reminisce on his younger days at the school and recount that he and the other boys subsisted on a daily diet of “avas con arroz” (beans with rice).
During the 60’s, when Neil was a young boy in the Crenshaw Village/Leimert Park neighborhood, the weekend barbecues featured shish kebab and “avas con arroz.” While the beans were always white northern beans made in a tomato sauce, the rice would either be Spanish style red rice or plain white rice and they had to be eaten together, with the beans spooned over the rice.
White beans have a delicate, nutty flavor and are wonderful additions to soups and stews, casseroles, chilis and cholents. They come in many different varieties, like Great Northern, cannellini and navy beans. They are interchangeable in recipes, all adding a creamy richness to any dish. These little white wonders are indispensable sources of protein, calcium and fiber. They are also a phenomenal source of many micronutrients including copper, iron, folate, magnesium and potassium. While the traditional Sephardic cook would add marrow bones to make a heartier broth, today’s cook can keep it tasty and vegan.
White beans have a delicate, nutty flavor and are wonderful additions to soups and stews, casseroles, chilis and cholents.
Rachel’s White Bean (Avas) Recipe
1 pound white beans, soaked overnight
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet red paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons Pareve chicken consommé
White pepper and salt, to taste
2 bay leaves
8 cups water
Sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat until onion becomes translucent. Add drained beans, garlic, spices, tomato paste and consommé. Stir for 5 minutes, then add bay leaves and water. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and reduce heat to low. Allow beans to simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until beans are tender. Serve hot over rice.
Rachel Sheff and Sharon Gomperts have been friends since high school. They love cooking and sharing recipes. They have collaborated on Sephardic Educational Center projects and community cooking classes. Follow them on Instagram @sephardicspicegirls and on Facebook at Sephardic Spice SEC Food.
A Jewish cemetery in Grand Rapids, Michigan was vandalized with graffiti expressing support for President Donald Trump.
Jewish Insider reporter Jacob Kornbluh tweeted out photos of the graffiti, which show the word “Trump” spray-painted on top of four headstones and “MAGA” [Make America Great Again] spray-painted on top of two headstones.
Michigan Jewish Dems say several headstones at the Ahavas Israel Jewish cemetery in Grand Rapids were vandalized with pro-Trump messages ahead of the president's rally tonight pic.twitter.com/3l25sxACOi
Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) reported that Congregation Ahavas Israel owns the cemetery. The vandalism was discovered on November 2 and is believed to have occurred over the weekend.
Ahavas Israel Rabbi David Krishef told JTA that the graffiti doesn’t necessarily indicate anti-Semitism.
“Whoever did this may or may not have known that this was a Jewish cemetery,” Krishef said. “I don’t want to blow this up into a known and definite incident of anti-Semitism. We don’t know that it was.”
Anti-Defamation League Michigan tweeted, “We are appalled by the reported desecration of gravestones at the Ahavas Israel Cemetery in Grand Rapids, MI. We are in close touch with the Jewish community and Law Enforcement to investigate this vandalism.”
We are appalled by the reported desecration of gravestones at the Ahavas Israel Cemetery in Grand Rapids, MI. We are in close touch with the Jewish community and Law Enforcement to investigate this vandalism. pic.twitter.com/mVeGrlsWxE
Home Shalom promotes healthy relationships and facilitates the creation of judgement free, safe spaces in the Jewish community. Home Shalom is a program of The Advot Project.
Please contact us if you are interested in a workshop and presentation about healthy relationships, self-worth or communication tools.
“You can achieve the impossible only by attempting the possible.” ~Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan
Everyone knows this story: It’s the famous Torah story in Genesis where God chose Noah to continue the human race because of his righteousness.
Except that’s not how the story really goes. Even though the Torah clearly states, “Noah was a righteous man,” the problem lies in the phrase that follows: “he was blameless in his age.” Nearly every rabbinic commentator throughout the centuries has suggested that this passage must be understood as teaching us that Noah wasn’t really that great, just the best that God could find at the time. The Hebrew phrase, “tamim haya b’dorotav” means literally that Noah was “righteous in his generation.” In referring to this phrase, Rabbi Yohanan taught in the TalmudSanhedrin 108a: “In his generation but not in other generations.”
As one example, the rabbis compared Noah to Abraham. When Abraham learned that God intended to wipe out Sodom and Gemorrah, he immediately argued for God to spare these cities, lest their righteous citizens be wiped out along with the wicked. But when Noah learned that God intended to wipe out the entire human population on Earth, he never spoke a word in anyone’s defense. Instead, he simply began building the ark that would save his own family from God’s destructive power.
Noah’s story always makes me think about what Mordecai Kaplan said, that “You can achieve the impossible only by attempting the possible.” Noah wasn’t a miracle worker, he was simply a man who was “good enough” in a society filled with people who were worse. In fact, he wasn’t the kind of person you’d expect to achieve the impossible at all —just someone you could rely on to do the possible.
Doing the possible was putting one foot in front of the other, nailing one board on top of another, getting the job done one step at a time. After all, according to the Torah, for Noah, simply doing what was necessary and possible was enough to save the entire world.
All of us are in the same boat (pun intended) as Noah. We are called upon simply to do what we can, to speak up when we see a wrong, to stand up when we see someone in need of support or comfort, compassion or justice, and in doing so, perhaps like Noah, be the source of redemption for our world as well.
[Islamabad — The Media Line] Pakistan has officially announced its decision to give provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), formerly known as the Northern Areas and part of the larger Kashmir region that has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, while addressing a public gathering in Gilgit city, announced the decision on November 1, the date the area was merged into Pakistan in 1947 during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948, sometimes known as the First Kashmir War and the first of four Indo-Pakistan Wars.
“We have decided to grant Gilgit-Baltistan ‘provisional’ provincial status, which was their demand. We have taken this decision keeping in mind UN Security Council resolutions,” Khan, wearing a traditional Gilgit feathered wool hat, told his audience.
“We have taken this decision keeping in mind UN Security Council resolutions.”
“One of the many reasons Gilgit-Baltistan remained backward was because it was cut off from the rest of Pakistan,” he explained.
Ali Amin Gandapur, federal minister for Kashmir affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, told The Media Line that “the historic decision” will bring a “significant change” to the status of the Gilgit-Baltistan people.
“It will play a pivotal role in the prosperity of the region. The people will be able to exercise greater constitutional rights,” he explained.
“It will play a pivotal role in the prosperity of the region. The people will be able to exercise greater constitutional rights.”
“The 73-year-old dream of constitutional rights has come true, and the loyalties and sacrifices of the people of GB are honored by Prime Minister Imran Khan,” the minister said, adding that Khan had engineered the move “with the consensus of all political leaders,” including those of the Pakistan’s Peoples Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), the country’s two main opposition parties.
“The required legislation is about to be completed, and Gilgit-Baltistan will be given full provincial status after their general election on 15 November 2020,” Gandapur stated.
Gilgit-Baltistan has been a self-governing territory within Pakistan. It is overseen by a chief minister and governor, like the original four provinces. The present system was introduced in 2009 through presidential decree.
Before the 1947 partition, Gilgit-Baltistan was part of British India and “greater Kashmir.” As such, it was ruled by Hari Singh, a Sikh maharaja, a Sanskrit title meaning “great ruler,” “great king” or “high king.”
After the end of British rule in the subcontinent, mass protests surged in the Muslim majority areas of greater Kashmir, and Singh declared the merger of “greater Kashmir” with India. Local residents rejected this and revolted.
On November 1, 1947, after a deadly guerilla war, Gilgit-Baltistan’s Sikh military governor, Brig. Gen. Ghansara Singh, surrendered to revolutionary guards and the Islamic State of Gilgit was declared. On November 16 of that year, Pakistan took administrative control.
Gilgit-Baltistan is highly mountainous and considered very beautiful. It is at the confluence of the world’s greatest mountain ranges – the Karakoram, Himalayas, Hindu Kush and Pamir. It borders China, Afghanistan and Indian-controlled Jammu-Kashmir, an area also disputed between Pakistan and India since partition.
In August 2019, the Indian Parliament passed the Jammu and Kashmir (Reorganization) Bill, which divided the region into two union territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh − both to be governed directly by New Delhi.
Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir has been in a state of lockdown since then. Curfew-like conditions have been imposed. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Indian troops are regularly deployed to the region.
The Indian government has condemned the latest Pakistani move, claiming it brings a material change to Indian territory. Pakistan responded by issuing a statement: “False claims by India can neither change facts nor divert attention from India’s illegal actions and Human Rights violations in occupied Kashmir.”
With an area of 28,174 sq.m., Gilgit-Baltistan is divided into three administrative sectors and 14 districts. The estimated population of the region is 2 million. It is a multi-ethnic, multilingual and multi-sectarian territory.
It is also the gateway to the $64 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, commonly known as CPEC.
CPEC is part of Beijing’s massive Belt-and-Road infrastructure project, a network of roads, railways and pipelines aiming to connect China’s strategically important northwestern Xinjiang Province to the far-away deep-water port of Gwadar in Pakistan’s Balochistan Province, located on the shores of the Arabian Sea opposite Oman.
“Given the high tensions in India-China and India-Pakistan relations, Pakistan’s decision shouldn’t be taken lightly,” Michael Kugelman, a leading expert on South Asia and a senior associate at the Wilson Center in Washington, told The Media Line.
“Given the high tensions in India-China and India-Pakistan relations, Pakistan’s decision shouldn’t be taken lightly.”
“It will be perceived in New Delhi as an attempt by both Islamabad and Beijing, which values the region as a key area for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor CPEC development, to deliver a blow to New Delhi’s territorial claims,” he continued.
“India has never pursued its claims to Gilgit-Baltistan as much as it has with Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and so I don’t anticipate any major crisis. We can expect some angry rhetoric from India, but that’s about it,” he said.
In response to a question from The Media Line, Kugelman said: “Washington’s recent military agreement with New Delhi to supply it with sensitive and detailed intelligence indicates just how much the US has cast its lot with India…. It’s quite clear that the US views India as its top strategic bet in South Asia.”
“Washington’s recent military agreement with New Delhi to supply it with sensitive and detailed intelligence indicates just how much the US has cast its lot with India…. It’s quite clear that the US views India as its top strategic bet in South Asia.”
Kugelman notes that “from a US perspective, the Gilgit-Baltistan move will be the latest development in an increasingly volatile India-China-Pakistan triangle. It will also be seen as a move that will benefit Washington’s Chinese rival by potentially giving more permanent status to a region that figures so much in the China-Pak economic corridor, and in Belt-and-Road Initiativeprojectsmore broadly.”
Syed Sair Hassan, an Islamabad-based geostrategic analyst and retired Pakistan Air Force group captain (a colonel in American parlance), says “nothing can be predicted” before the result of the US presidential election is made known.
“American policymakers know very well that Chinese global influence is growing day by day, so to encounter it, the US policymakers remain ever in action,” Hassan said.
“American policymakers know very well that Chinese global influence is growing day by day, so to encounter it, the US policymakers remain ever in action.”
Adil Faroque, an Islamabad-based regional security and political analyst, told The Media Line that “CPEC has further magnified the geo-strategic and geo-economic significance” of the Gilgit-Baltistan area.
“The US-Indo alliance would view it as a negative development from their strategic perspective because CPEC passes through Gilgit-Baltistan,” he said. “Besides this, CPEC provides alternative access to Chinese exports, which is currently dependent upon sea trading routes falling under the US-led coalition’s dominance.”
Mumtaz Gohar, a human rights activist hailing from Gilgit-Baltistan, told The Media Line: “In the past, every ruling political party in the [Pakistani] federal governments had introduced various ordinances and laws for Gilgit-Baltistan, but such steps were temporary and had not significantly impacted the living standards of GB’s people.”
He called Khan’s announcement “like putting old wine in a new bottle.”
“It’s like putting old wine in a new bottle.”
The vote for the Gilgit-Baltistan legislative assembly will be held on November 15, with the active participation by Pakistan’s mainstream political parties.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party and a son of the late prime minister Benazir Bhutto, has established a headquarters in Gilgit city as a base for visiting remote areas to run the party’s campaign.
While addressing a public gathering in Gahkoch township in the Ghizer district, Zardari said that “the people of Gilgit-Baltistan would defeat the Khan-led puppet party” in elections later this year.
“The Imran Khan-led government brought poverty, hunger, price hikes and unemployment to the people of Pakistan,” he noted.
Zardari further claimed that his “slain mother, Benazir Bhutto, had taken the first step to introduce the democratic system in Gilgit-Baltistan.”
Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman, a senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and until this past June chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, told The Media Line that “the interim administration had completely failed to implement election rules and regulations. Federal ministers are violating the rules and visiting the areas to run the federal ruling party.”
Rehman rejects Khan’s announcement of provincial status for Gilgit-Baltistan and says that in an election campaign, such statements amount to a “booster slogan, nothing more.”
Khwaja Kashif Meer, a leading analyst based in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, a territory situated south of Gilgit-Baltistan that has also been claimed by India since 1947, told The Media Line that “China had firmly demanded of Pakistan to end the disputed status of Gilgit-Baltistan and to upgrade its status as a province.”
The Chinese were not ready to invest in the disputed areas, he added.
“In Gilgit-Baltistan’s coming elections, the Pakistan Peoples Party is the favorite in the eyes of the powerful Pakistani establishment,” Meer said, “but whoever wins will be in a weak position because of Islamabad’s tight grip.”
“In Gilgit-Baltistan’s coming elections, the Pakistan Peoples Party is the favorite in the eyes of the powerful Pakistani establishment, but whoever wins will be in a weak position because of Islamabad’s tight grip.”
As an editor, I sometimes have to address weekend emergencies. Normally, the level of weekend work isn’t too hefty, and I can dash off an email from anywhere in the world, then get back to lazing about.
This past weekend, my boyfriend and I decided to visit the Bay Area, and I assumed that I’d be able to abide by the usual routine. But this was the weekend before the election, and I was on edge. Lots of pieces were coming in and had to go up quickly. I was checking my phone constantly, maybe every minute. I barely even looked at the beautiful scenery.
So on Sunday, in Monterey, I was walking toward a pier, phone in hand, not paying any attention at all to the world around me, waiting for the moment I could return to my computer. All I could think was, why won’t this author get back to me?!
But then, my boyfriend did something really smart. He shut off my phone, took my hand, and led me to the pier. We only had walked about halfway, but my hand started itching its way back to my pocket, worried I’d missed some buzz (Phantom Vibration Syndrome is a real thing; look it up). And, to boot, we didn’t see anything. So I suggested turning back.
My boyfriend then did another very smart thing (there’s a pattern here). He shrugged his shoulders and said, “let’s continue. Why not?”
On we walked, and as we approached this one rock, I gasped.
There, blending in seamlessly with the rock, was a sea lion. A portly, hairy, slippery creature that resembled an oblong beanbag chair with whiskers. It lay still for a few minutes, and my boyfriend and I gently speculated if it was dead. But then, it moved. Wriggling its neck and fins, it stretched out to maximize how much of its body was in the sun. I watched the sea lion roll its neck, and my neck loosened in response. Opening its eyes, the sea lion looked at us, seemingly rolled its eyes, and went back to its business. Which was apparently doing nothing.
But in that moment, as I made eye contact with that creature, I was struck by the thought — Wouldn’t life be better as a sea lion?
I mean, think about it. Sea lions don’t have to worry about current events, only the passing currents. Sea lions don’t blubber on about the unfairness of the world, they keep their blubber for warmth only. Sea lions don’t navigate sharp commentary and biting remarks — only sharp rocks. No worrying about making that article getting up on time, making sure that this one piece sparks conversations rather than hinders it, lamenting about people not using the Oxford comma. Just me, the sea, and the sun.
It seemed perfect. I already had part of the name — “Ari,” or lion in Hebrew.
I thought about sea lions for most of the car ride home. Like a child newly obsessed with dinosaurs, I suddenly needed to know everything about them. So I went to Wikipedia and read about sea lions, seals, and sea otters.
I learned snippets of useless, fascinating facts. Sea lions, apparently, lay on rocks to rest, mate, or clean their fur. Apparently, when sea otters mate, the male sometimes bites off the female’s nose. And, here’s the kicker — sea lions and sea otters have multiple mates.
I really don’t want to share my boyfriend, I thought. So ended my fantasy.
Later, as I pondered my brief obsession with sea lions, I realized that I wasn’t actually obsessed with the animal. I was obsessed with the ability, for a moment, to just lay in the sun without a care in the world. No, duh, you’re probably thinking. It’s stupidly obvious now, but when I was carrying my phone in my pocket, I forgot that we can — and should — take our moment in the sun.
Part of my forgetfulness can be attributed to the addictive design of our devices, which directly feed the reward center of our brain. Several studies have noted that we even forget to breathe when we check our emails. Seeing that sea lion reminded me to breathe. One email can wait.
And, as I thought more about it, being a sea lion is a really, really idiotic wish. I am blessed to have one of the most fundamentally human jobs — being an editor. Each day, I get to read prose, write sentences, and edit language to make it even more beautiful, precious, and astounding. Each day, I can pick up a pen, pencil, or brush, and can create figures, scenes, and colors beyond my wildest imagination.
And each day, I can choose to be a sea lion and just lay in the sun and be thankful for life’s blessings.
Scarlett Johansson married ‘Saturday Night Live’ Weekend Update host Colin Jost the weekend of October 26 in an intimate ceremony attended by immediate family and close friends, in accordance with the CDC’s COVID-19 guidelines. The couple became engaged in May 2019 after two years together.
“He’s very charming and very thoughtful and romantic,” Johansson, who has been married twice before, said then of the surprise proposal. “Even you kind of imagine what that moment’s gonna be like, it’s still a beautiful moment.”
Coincidentally, Johansson will star and produce “Bride,” a feature for Apple TV+ about a woman who is created to be the perfect wife and escapes the marriage to find her identity and her power. She has completed the Marvel/Disney film “Black Widow,” which was originally set to premiere in May but has been rescheduled for May 7, 2021. She’ll voice a character in the animated musical “Sing 2,” alongside Reese Witherspoon and Matthew McConaughey
Few hobbies are more pandemic-proof or recession-proof than reading. Whether you prefer hardcovers or e-books, you can read just about anywhere. Many of us are still home-based, and below are 30 recommendations for those seeking some new titles for their reading lists.
Perhaps the classic 1964 James Bond film “Goldfinger” marked the beginning of 1960s Bondmania. Incorporating much unpublished
material, including photographs and the original typed screenplay, “The Goldfinger Files” is an illustrated history of the film’s iconic scenes shot in Switzerland’s Urseren Valley, as crowned by the car chase with Bond’s gadget-laden Aston Martin.
To maximize publicity for the film, its makers took the unorthodox step of inviting journalists and photographers onto the set, resulting in a wealth of photos, including those by Hans Gerber, Josef Ritler and Erich Kocian. In addition, you can expect dozens of private pictures revealing candid, behind-the-scenes moments complete this documentary flipbook of golden-age James Bond culture.
Dan Schlossberg has written over 25,000 articles and 40 books about baseball while covering it for 50 years for major media outlets and MLB.com. In turn, even the most rabid baseball fan ought to thrilled and educated by Schlossberg’s “The New Baseball Bible.” Called “The New Baseball Bible” because the weekly Sporting News tabloid called itself “the Bible of Baseball,” this unorthodox illustrated paperback is not only a tribute to baseball history but a treasure trove of Americana. Pick it up anywhere, flip the pages in any direction, and smiles will flow.
In Thomas Koulopoulos’ new book “Reimagining Healthcare,” the author examines how we can fix healthcare without drastic policy change mired in politics and bureaucracy by implementing “smartsourcing.” What is smartsourcing, you ask? Simply put, it is a strategic decision by healthcare service providers (HSP) to invest more of their resources into developing its core competency while partnering on those areas that are outside of the core.The USA needs to make the transition from “sick care” to “healthcare,” and Koulopoulos clearly breaks down the “Ten Culprits” currently holding back most patients from experiencing the best healthcare possible.
In 1988, a young, mid-level employee named Art Bell pitched a novel concept to the chairman of HBO: a television channel which just focused on comedy. In turn, the station that would soon become Comedy Central was born. Bell’s new memoir “Constant Comedy: How I Started Comedy Central & Lost My Sense Of Humor” takes readers behind the scenes into the comedy startup on its way to becoming one of the most successful and creative purveyors of popular culture in the United States.
From disastrous pitch meetings with comedians to the discovery of talents like Bill Maher and Jon Stewart, this intimate and laugh-out-loud funny memoir peers behind the curtain and reveals what it’s really like to work, struggle, and ultimately succeed at the cutting edge of show business. “Constant Comedy” is Bell’s first memoir and hopefully not his last.
“Completely Me” is a story about a little girl who never noticed there was something different about herself until others pointed it out. When she decides to stand up for herself, she teaches the townspeople an important lesson about acceptance.
In the words of Ellen Brazer, author of “Clouds Across The Sun, And So It Was Written” and “The Wondering Jew: My Journey Into Judaism”: “Beneath the context in this magical little book, Completely Me has an underlying honesty and truth that Justine Green touches with her beautiful words. Adults and children alike will be enriched by her message. Read and enjoy.”
After helping kick-start the alt-country genre with Green On Red, Chuck Prophet has emerged as one of the most respected musicians of his generation. This authorized biography draws on extensive interviews with Prophet, plus fellow musicians, producers, friends, and associates. It was published to coincide with his new album, “The Land That Time Forgot.” It is not the only great title from Jawbone Press featured within this round-up.
Gary Greenberg was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. He attended Penn State University where he majored in rugby, beer and coeds and miraculously graduated with a B.A. degree in journalism in 1976. He has now been writing professionally for more than 40 years, primarily as an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. Since 1999, he has owned and operated the freelance writing service SuperWriter, Inc.
Beer has been around since the tail end of the Stone Age, and it is more popular than ever in the 21st Century as the craft brewing industry explodes across America and beyond. Unfortunately, that creates a problem that beer-lovers tend to wear around their middle. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In “The Beer Diet: How To Drink Beer & Not Gain Weight,” natural health journalist and avid homebrewer Gary Greenberg explains how small adjustments in your life can make a huge difference in your waistline, and your overall health. “The Beer Diet” not only offers invaluable health tips but also pays homage to the world’s most popular beverage and even shows you how to brew your own.
Talia Lavin is every skinhead’s worst nightmare: a loud and unapologetic Jewish woman, acerbic, smart, and profoundly anti-racist, with the investigative chops to expose the tactics and ideologies of online hatemongers. “Culture Warlords” is the story of how Lavin stumbled into a byzantine online culture of hate, becoming one of the nation’s leading experts on how white supremacy proliferates online, who has herself become the frequent target of extremist trolls. Some journalists go into war zones in far-away places, but Lavin traverses war zones on the Internet.
Philip Goldberg has been studying the world’s spiritual traditions for more than 45 years. He is the author or co-author of some 25 books published in more than a dozen languages. His book “American Veda” was named by Huffington Post and Library Journal as one of the Top 10 Religion Books of 2010; it was followed in 2018 by the popular biography “The Life Of Yogananda.” He blogs on Spirituality & Health and cohosts the Spirit Matters podcast.
“Spiritual Practice For Crazy Times” has the tools and techniques you need to access the sanctuary of peace and fortress of strength within you – all at a moment’s notice, in whatever time you have available.
Featuring 211 classic tales from the Brothers Grimm – including favorites such as “Hansel and Gretel,” “Cinderella,” “The Frog Prince,” “Rapunzel,” “Snow White” and “Rumpelstiltskin” – “The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales” is accompanied by 40 color plates and 60 black-and-white illustrations from award-winning English illustrator Arthur Rackham, whose books and prints are now highly sought-after collectibles. The fourth book in the Timeless Classics series from Rock Point, it has nearly 800 pages of classic fairy tales to enjoy, making it a standout for your personal library collection.
With a handy page that shows the later month, as followed by individual pages for the months of 2021, this 12″ × 12″ wall calendar features stylish and captivating illustrations of llamas that will be sure to put a smile on your face all year long. So whether you are celebrating Llamakkah, Llamaween, or the 4th of Jully, “Llama Nation 2021” will have you in sassy stitches. It makes for an ideal gift for the animal lover, artistic friend, or llama aficionado in your life.
Tony Parker had a dream. Everyone told him he would never achieve it. By the time he was three years old, Tony was already dribbling a basketball in his hometown of Gravelines in France. In his bedroom, surrounded by posters of his idol Michael Jordan, he imagined himself making it to the NBA and leading his team to a championship. Everyone told him to forget it. He was too short, too skinny, too slow. Besides, no NBA team would ever turn its fortunes over to a point guard from Europe.
After a 20-year professional career, four NBA championships, and an NBA Finals MVP award, it is safe to say Tony Parker has succeeded beyond all of his dreams. This candid, conversational autobiography takes fans on a whirlwind tour which includes Parker’s early life in France, his years in Texas alongside Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan, and his time on the red carpet as part of one of Hollywood’s most glamorous couples. In turn, for the first time in the English language, the beloved Spurs point guard opens up about his life and career in the NBA, on the international stage, and beyond.
With many of us venturing out of lockdown and hitting the road for some R&R, we may find ourselves with more quality time in the car these days. The TableTopics Conversation Starter collection is a super-fun way to pass the time while engaging with friends and family. The travel edition, titled “Destination Anywhere,” ought to have everyone talking about their adventures in no time.
The TableTopics set includes cards with questions designed to begin engaging conversations. This is sure to get everyone off of their iPads and smartphones in no time. Now available via both Amazon and national retailers, as currently priced around $25.00.
Matt Glasby’s “The Book Of Horror” focuses on the most frightening films of the post-war era, from Psycho (1960) to It Chapter Two (2019). It examines exactly how these films scare us across a series of key categories. Each chapter explores a seminal horror film in depth, charting its scariest moments with infographics and identifying the related works you need to see.
Glasby’s book ultimately Includes references to more than 100 classic and contemporary horror films from around the globe, in addition striking illustrations from Barney Bodoano. In turn, this is a rich and compelling guide to the scariest films ever made. An ideal gift for any fan of horror in your life.
“First Among Nations” is the debut novel of author Dr. Ira Mosen. Tackling the difficult issues of antisemitism, anti-Zionism, regional conflict, religious stereotypes, interpersonal relationships and personal struggle through a touching and thought-provoking story, “First Among Nations” is a book of the times. Mosen’s characters are brought to life within the beautiful backdrop of the Holy Land and introduces us to the many different facets of life in modern-day Israel, with fresh insights and perspectives into understanding this remarkable country and its people. Dr. Mosen also hosts a podcast, as launched in September 2020.
After his sister was paralyzed in a accident, author John Byrne realized he needed a way to provide her with her own vehicle with the controls she could use to be able to attend college and live as normally as possible. Byrne’s answer was to ride his bicycle across the country, from fire station to fire station from San Francisco to the Brooklyn Bridge. Ultimately, donations poured in to support Byrne’s ride.
“Lauren’s Ride” is not just an account of my bicycle ride across the country. Instead, it is the story of a brother’s love for his sister. It is also a tale of firefighters everywhere bonded by brotherly love, faithfulness, a desire to serve and a willingness to work together. Meanwhile, it also documents a young man’s search for his roots ending at his grandfather’s firehouse on the other side of the continent. You ought to feel great about humanity after reading this book.
Leadership today is outmoded and ill-suited to activate and engage the most diverse work-force in history. This is why leaders capable of inspiring, engaging, aligning, coaching, and coaxing out individual and team brilliance are more in need than ever before. The more technology pervades our lives, the greater our need for clarity, courage, caring, culture, and talent cultivation — all things that machines cannot create for us.
In the words of author Omar L. Harris: “This book was born out of crisis. The global employee engagement crisis to be exact. Nearly every business book I read points inadvertently to the culprit for this crisis but unfortunately they haven’t moved the needle. And the people who do the good work keep suffering. Well, no more. With this manifesto, we declare that toxic, ego-driven leadership is dead. In its wake shall rise the era of Servant Leadership – where the people who create value for customers have more than a seat at the table, they are actively heard and leaders respond to their needs. All you have to do to join us is to read the manifesto and pass it on. This revolution is hand to hand and word of mouth driven.”
The London-based TV program “Ready, Steady, Go!” began broadcasting in August of 1963 and, within a matter of weeks, became an essential television ritual for the newly confident British teenager. It set trends and became the barometer of popular culture by attracting and presenting everyone who was anyone in popular music: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, The Animals, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Otis Redding, and many more. RSG! also provided the first small screen exposure for then-unknowns such as Rod Stewart, Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Donovan, and Jimi Hendrix. The show ran for three and a half years, setting a blueprint for music presentation and production on television that resonated over the following decades and can still be felt today.
Ready, Steady, Go! has never been documented in full detail in the U.S. until now, as BMG Books has published Ready Steady Go: The Weekend Starts Here. Featured in this lavishly illustrated and definitive history of the show are hundreds of photographs — the bulk of them previously unpublished — as well as exclusive essays from the likes of Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, Ray Davies, Andrew Oldham, Chris Stamp, Donovan, Lulu, and others.
From its introduction in 1946 by the Italian firm Piaggio, the Vespa enjoyed quick success. The scooters’ diminutive size and affordability were perfect for promoting postwar mobility and soon became more than a means of transport but a cultural icon. “Vespa Style & Passion” tells how the scooter evolved into a marque that has sold over 19 million units on six continents. A rich selection of visuals includes dozens of studio images of the most significant models as well as period advertisements, rare archival photographs, and images of Vespas in popular culture and motorsport. Mod culture, perhaps most responsible for spreading scooter culture, is also given its due with images of customized Vespas.
The Vespa is not simply a scooter, but the scooter, known and appreciated the world over—a rare example of a motor vehicle that survived crises and fashions, always remaining faithful to the original concept. This is the definitive story of that influence.
Peter Ticktin is the founder of The Ticktin Law Group based in Deerfield Beach, Florida. After graduating from New York Military Academy, Mr. Ticktin received his first law degree from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, and began practicing law in Canada as a barrister in 1972. Within his first year of practice, he defeated the Uniform Summons, resulting in the dismissal of all misdemeanors that used the form within the Province of Ontario, and changed the criminal laws in Ontario’s appellate courts and the Supreme Court of Canada.
Ticktin and President Donald Trump attended the New York Military Academy together when they were teenagers. This was a formative time when Ticktin saw Trump early on exhibiting the leadership skills so evident today, delivered fairly, but with kindness and sensitivity. This book is a look into Ticktin’s relationship with a young Trump.
Have you ever felt deflated at work? Whether you are just starting your career or have finally gained enough experience to advance to your “dream” job, you may find yourself disillusioned by difficult bosses or coworkers, drained by unreasonable demands, or disappointed with the lack of growth opportunities.
Given these lousy elements of your job, how can you achieve fulfillment from your work? In “Is This A Lousy Job Or Is It Me?” executive coach Terri Jacke explores how every success and every struggle at work can be used to develop your character, which determines the way you handle each experience. By using stories — sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking – Jacke invites you to join her on a journey that chronicles her growth through the 7 stages of character development at work: Beginning, Yuckiness, Fear, Authenticity, Boundaries, Love, and Exit.
In Live Not by Lies, author Rod Dreher shows how identity politics are beginning to encroach on every aspect of life. Civil liberties are increasingly seen as a threat to “safety.” Progressives marginalize conservative, traditional Christians, and other dissenters. Dreher points out how today’s elites and elite institutions are abandoning old-fashioned liberalism, based in defending the rights of the individual, and replacing it with a progressive creed that regards justice in terms of groups. Dreher has done extensive research to provide historical context to today’s left-wing totalitarianism. He ultimately reveals the far-reaching menace of progressivism’s modus operandi.
Inspired by the desire to end the needless wasting of leftovers, 15-time Emmy Award Winner, restaurateur, and YouTube sensation Sam Zien — who currently boasts 2.13 million subscribers and counting — has created the ultimate guide to meal prep, reducing food waste, and a primer for important techniques and methods to set yourself up for success. The book also has a comprehensive chapter on Thanksgiving leftovers, filled with fresh ideas for your turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and even pecan pie. Chef Zien’s genuine and engaging personality, along with vibrant color photography, make this book a lifesaver for busy folks who are looking for dinners that they can finally be excited about.
Written by Hodinkee Editor-in-Chief Jack Forster, coauthored and edited by Aaron Sigmond and with a foreword by renowned industrial designer Carl Gustav Magnusson, “ACCUTRON: From The Space Age To The Digital Age” is a collector’s item that delves into not only the history of the Accutron brand and its technology, but also the Accutron lifestyle and its new generation of precision timekeeping.
Its 6 in-depth chapters highlight the creation and design of Accutron, its position as one of the most important innovations in watchmaking history, its participation in the first great age of space exploration, its work on various projects with the U.S. military and much more. A conversation piece indeed from the ’60s to the present, Accutron is now certain to be the center of attention once again, with the book offering an exclusive backstage look at the brand’s newest historical timekeeping advance: the world’s first watch powered by electrostatic energy.
With COVID-19 sweeping the globe, it is crucial to stay healthy now more than ever. While drinking water alone will not prevent or cure the virus, the CDC states that hydration is good for overall health and helps the body in several ways.
Infused with health tips, advice, and fun recipes, “Water Wellness” is packed full of all the information you need to ensure you stay hydrated every day: 160+ pages covering why it’s so important to stay hydrated. “Water Wellness” is designed to help you drink enough water every day to achieve optimal health and maintain the right fluid balance.
The second book from the founders of Brewdog, “Brewdog: Craft Beer for the Geeks” aims to go deeper into the science and styles of craft beer in this full-color, gorgeously designed taproom bible. With sections such as “The Science of Flavor” and “Why Temperature Is King,” beer geeks ought to be satisfied with the wealth of knowledge presented by these craft beer experts. Recipes and sections on beer and food pairing will thrill food and beverage enthusiasts who want to go further in exploring flavor combinations. And a “DIY Dog” section on at-home brewing with recipes and trouble-shooting tips exemplifies the punk, open-source ethos that Brewdog is known for.
A Kids Book About is basically a kids book publisher that tackles difficult issues like racism and disabilities. Co-founder and CEO Jelani Memory turned a single book into a series featuring new authors, creating a publishing company that makes kids books that matter, because kids are ready. These books are twice as long as most children books, enabling a deeper dive on each subject. They also manage to honest and do not shy away from the most difficult aspects of each topic.
Matt and Nick Jackson (Photo courtesy of All Elite Wrestling)
The tag team known as The Young Bucks — comprised of brothers Nick and Matt Jackson — started their professional wrestling journey in Southern California before adulthood. These days, the Jacksons are not only one of the world’s top wrestling tag teams, but also both EVP’s within All Elite Wrestling, the world’s second largest wrestling company. Thus, millions of people watch The Young Bucks each week.
“Young Bucks: Killing The Business From Backyards To The Big Leagues” tells the full, true, authorized story of Nick and Matt Jackson. It features over 60 photographs and alternates between each brother’s perspective, this entertaining memoir is a complete portrait of what it means to grow into — and give back to — wrestling, the sport and profession they embody and love.
James Buckley Jr. has been writing sports books for adults and young readers for more than 25 years after working for Sports Illustrated and NFL. Among his best-known titles are “Perfect: The Story Of Baseball’s Perfect Games,” “Unhittable,” “Eyewitness Baseball,” “The Visual Dictionary Of Baseball” and Obsessed With Baseball.” He is the author of more than 20 sports biographies for young readers, including the recently published graphic nonfiction title “Babe Ruth: Baseball’s All-Time Best.”
Officially licensed, “The National Baseball Hall of Fame Collection” gathers biographies, statistics, and photos of more than 175 members of the most exclusive club in the sport, all in 1 beautiful book every baseball fan should own. Separated into chapters by position, The National Baseball Hall of Fame Collection highlights the best and the most memorable players, events, championships, moments, and more. The text has been updated through the 2020 Hall Of Fame elections, with Derek Jeter, Marvin Miller, Ted Simmons and Larry Walker joining their fellow inductees within the pages of Buckley’s book.
Jacob Goldstein is the co-host of the popular NPR podcast “Planet Money,” which provides a well-researched, entertaining, somewhat-irreverent look at how money is a made-up thing that has evolved over time to suit humanity’s changing needs. Lively, accessible, and full of interesting details (like the 43-pound copper coins that 17th-century Swedes carried strapped to their backs), “Money: The True Story Of A Made-Up Thing” is the story of the choices that gave us money as we know it today.
At least seven people have been killed and several others have been injured from a November 2 shooting nearby a synagogue and Jewish community center in Vienna, Austria.
Arutz Sheva reported that shots were fired outside of Seitenstettengasse Temple, a synagogue that was targeted in Palestinian terror attacks in 1979 and 1981. Amichai Stein, a reporter for the Israeli public broadcasting outlet Kan, tweeted that a terrorist blew himself up with an explosive belt.
Avi Mayer, managing director of global communications for the American Jewish Committee (AJC), tweeted that “the Jewish community of Vienna has reportedly been instructed to stay indoors and remove kippot (skullcaps) and other Jewish items” due to the shooting.
The Jewish community of Vienna has reportedly been instructed to stay indoors and remove kippot (skullcaps) and other Jewish items following an attack targeting a synagogue in the city. (Ynet)
The AJC tweeted, “We are horrified by reports of multiple shootings at Jewish institutions in Vienna. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Austrian Jewish community at this time. We will continue to monitor the situation as it develops.”
We are horrified by reports of multiple shootings at Jewish institutions in Vienna. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Austrian Jewish community at this time. We will continue to monitor the situation as it develops.
The Anti-Defamation League similarly tweeted, “ADL is aware of the reports of shootings near a synagogue in #Vienna. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and are in touch with the Jewish community on the ground. We are praying for the safety of Vienna at this time.”
ADL is aware of the reports of shootings near a synagogue in #Vienna. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and are in touch with the Jewish community on the ground. We are praying for the safety of Vienna at this time. https://t.co/oWXAoLbdUa
THE MEDIA LINE — Democrats could block a landmark US weapons sale to the United Arab Emirates to avoid irritating Iran because their presidential candidate, Joe Biden, says he wants to negotiate with Tehran to contain its nuclear development, says an Israeli analyst.
Prof. Eytan Gilboa, an expert on US policy in the Middle East at Bar-Ilan University’s Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, says that if Biden wins and the Democrats sweep both houses of Congress, it could threaten the planned sale of 50 F-35 warplanes to the UAE, as well as an expansion of the Abraham Accords, which were concluded between Israel and the UAE as well as Bahrain.
“The assumption is that [Biden] won’t follow [President Donald Trump’s] path of that regional alliance because of his desire to negotiate a deal with Iran,” Gilboa told The Media Line.
“The assumption is that Biden won’t follow President Donald Trump’s path of that regional alliance because of his desire to negotiate a deal with Iran.”
“Supplying arms to Gulf states and adding more countries to the regional alliance with Israel will infuriate Iran, so he might put that on hold,” he stated.
Late last week, the State Department announced it planned to swiftly advance the sale of the fighter jets to the UAE, foregoing the standard – though not formalized – 40-day period usually extended to Congress to review and approve such deals.
Democratic lawmakers, who already hold a majority in the House, have expressed their frustration with the rushed process.
Rep. Eliot Engel, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, warned that “rushing these sales is not in anyone’s interest.” Sen. Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that “recklessly accelerating the timeline around a reportedly artificial deadline precludes sufficient consideration.”
Since the Trump Administration has decided to try to finalize the sale before the UAE’s National Day on December 2, Congress will have less time to decide whether to authorize or block the transaction.
According to Gilboa, “everything” hinges on Tuesday’s election.
“If there was any normalcy and continuity between changing administrations, like there historically was, then it wouldn’t matter who won the elections,” he explained.
“Congress would never redo deals, but the American system is so crazed right now, that who knows what’ll happen,” he stated.
“Congress would never redo deals, but the American system is so crazed right now, that who knows what’ll happen.”
In addition to the Abraham Accords, signed in September at the White House, the Trump Administration has brokered a preliminary peace deal between Israel and Sudan, and says other countries in the region are interested in deals of their own.
Some Democrats in recent years have called for a tougher approach toward Israel over the conflict with the Palestinians in order to force Jerusalem to take such steps as freezing West Bank settlements or releasing Palestinian prisoners.
Some have also called for halting the generous US military aid given to Israel by former president Barak Obama, and using it as leverage on the Palestinian question. Biden, however, opposes this approach and refused to include it in the party’s 2020 platform.
“The more progressive parts of the party believe that all these [Gulf] countries are reactionary and that the US should cut ties with them,” said Gilboa, who has served as senior adviser to Israel’s Foreign Ministry and prime minister.
“The more progressive parts of the party believe that all these Gulf countries are reactionary and that the US should cut ties with them.”
“We’ll see what influence and positions they’ll have [if Biden wins]. He’ll have to give them something to ensure party unity,” he said.
In Jerusalem, government officials continue to criticize Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s handling of the deal. Netanyahu was alleged to have secretly promised Washington in August that he would not oppose the sale of the state-of-the-art planes to the UAE in return for its agreement to normalize ties with Israel.
The alleged promise, said to have been given without receiving assurances that Israel’s qualitative military edge (QME) would be maintained and without consulting or notifying military or defense officials, broke with long-standing Israeli policy regarding such deals.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz, a rival of Netanyahu’s, says his recent talks with US Defense Secretary Mark Esper secured handsome compensation for Israel.
“The US promised to preserve Israel’s QME, and that’s anchored in American law,” Daniel Diker, a fellow and senior project director at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, told The Media Line.
“These [F-35s] are different kinds of Mercedes, so to speak. There are ways to ensure Israel has the most advanced jets,” he said, alluding to the common US practice of slightly downgrading or modifying weapon systems sold to Middle Eastern countries.
As to the effect the unprecedented deal might have on the region, Diker says he expects it to whet the appetites of the UAE’s neighbors.
“I believe we’ll see similar requests from other Gulf nations. But it will take a few years until that happens, and many things can change between now and then,” he said.
“I believe we’ll see similar requests from other Gulf nations. But it will take a few years until that happens, and many things can change between now and then.”
Gilboa agrees.
“Anything could happen. The new Congress could delay or cancel agreements that the current Congress approves,” he stated.
“Sure, that will be very difficult to do,” Gilboa continued. “But it’s a very complex system in Washington. Anything could happen.”
In a world transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic and a heated presidential election in the United States, South African based group The Shabbat Project is organizing virtual pre-Shabbat and Shabbat events so Jews can take a much needed break from the 24-hour news cycle.
From Nov. 6 to Nov. 7, The Shabbat Project — which has brought Jews of all ages and backgrounds together for weekly Shabbat services since 2013— will provide education and spiritual materials for an intimate home Shabbat experience in more than 1,600 cities and 106 countries.
Given stay-at-home and social distancing regulations, Shabbat Project has reinvented itself, emphasizing the idea that families and friends can still celebrate “Shabbat at Home” safely during the pandemic.
Amid COVID-19 challenges, Shabbat Project’s founder and director Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein said in a statement that the response to the Shabbat Project has exceeded expectations.
“We have lived through times of chaos and confusion. But our homes have been havens. And Shabbat can ensure they remain so – places of stability and security, kindness and connection, warmth and love,” Goldstein said. “In a world turned upside down, Shabbat can keep us the right way up,”
The project includes everything a family unit would need to prepare for Shabbat on their website. If this is your first time welcoming in Shabbat, check out the seven-step guide to observing Shabbat. For frequent observers and those brushing up on their Shabbat knowledge the website also includes checklists, reflections, virtual prayer sheets and videos to prepare for the 24-hour holiday.
Pre-Shabbat events will take place around the world and will include virtual challah bakes, online Shabbat classes, cooking webcasts, global sing-a-thons, and virtual synagogue tours.
Because everything is virtual this year and events are online, the geographical barriers dissolve. Seed UK —an adult and family Jewish education organization— will broadcast a 24-hour challah bake featuring 19 different live events from cities such as Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Sydney, Moscow, Toronto, and New York. A pre-Shabbat event in Arizona featuring Latino pop singer Miriam Sandler will include participants from four continents. In the wake of the Abraham Accords, an event hosted in Israel will include the Jewish communities of Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Kuwait, and Oman.
Challah bakes are also set to take place in Argentina, which will unite Jewish communities in 32 cities across the country for the first time. Long Island’s “Cook and Connect” event, will feature young chef and Food Network’s “Chopped”winner Rachel Goldzwal, who will bring together teenagers from around the world to share traditional Shabbat dishes and cultural cuisines. An all-day “women’s day” event hosted in Netanya will also feature celebrity chefs, international singers and filmmakers.
“This is front-row access to Jewish life all over the globe,” Goldstein said. “You could attend a challah bake in Singapore, sit in on a Shabbat cooking class in Panama, enjoy Kabbalat Shabbat at the kotel, and end off with havdalah in Colombia. It’s an opportunity to experience different Jewish cultures and Shabbat traditions from the comfort of your home.”
This isn’t just an opportunity to connect with Jews all over the world, it is an opportunity for communities to give back. A group of Israeli volunteers will be cooking and delivering all four Shabbat meals to Magen David Adom first responders in Raanana, Herzliya, and Kfar Saba. A website in Denver is offering Shabbat meals, Shabbat classes and Shabbat “survival kits” on demand.
This isn’t just an opportunity to connect with Jews all over the world, it is an opportunity for communities to give back.
In South Africa, where the movement first formed, the Shabbat Project’s head office in Johannesburg will distribute 7,500 bags filled with Shabbat-themed goodies to the South African Jewish community. In Karnei Shomron, members of the religious-Zionist Bnei Akiva and largely secular Tzofim youth movements will be working together to deliver food parcels and flowers to residents of the town affected by COVID-19.
In a new Shabbat Project initiative, “Flowers for Shabbat,” people across the world can send flowers and personal messages to a list of people in Israel including COVID-19 patients, doctors, frontline healthcare workers, volunteer first responders, lone soldiers and elderly people who are isolated during the pandemic, among others. Around 40,000 had been ordered so far and will be delivered on Friday Nov. 6, in time for Shabbat.
While the 2020 Shabbat Project arrives during an intense time for many around the world, Goldstein believes that Shabbat especially virtual Shabbat can provide positive, unifying and peaceful energies that people are craving.
“In these turbulent times, Shabbat can be a safe-haven for us, a respite from the 24-hour news cycle, and from all the negativity and divisions that are ravaging our society,” he said. “Right now, we’re desperate for a better world – and we can build it: right here at home, with our families, within our four walls. May this Shabbat be a force for unity and healing. May we all find calm and comfort in Shabbat.”
For more information about The Shabbat Project or to find events in your time zone, visit the website.
