If two Jews equal three opinions, what do you get when you mix five rabbis of various denominations to answer a topic as important as the origins of the Torah?
Answer: A rather heated discussion, to say the least.
Israel\’s former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was the guest at two Jewish functions in Los Angeles this week, on a schedule that included a closed dinner in Palm Springs and a number of private meetings. Netanyahu, who served as Israel\’s premier from 1996-1999, left for Denver on Tuesday, and was headed back to Israel this week.
Another gut-wrenching week. With the murder of American Shoshana Greenbaum by a Palestinian suicide bomber, the violence in Israel turned even more tragic, if that is possible, and even more personal.
When does life begin?\” is not your standard political question, but it\’s forcing the debate behind one of the hottest topics in Washington — stem cell research.
It was billed as a championship heavyweight bout, the great debate between Larry Flynt, publisher of Hustler and other pornographic magazines, and Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, author of \”Kosher Sex\” and other major works.
What is going on at the LA County Museum of Art? The museum\’s new Institute for Art and Cultures, which convenes painters, poets, artists and performers, writers and thinkers to \”address critical issues in the visual arts and culture through rigorous and playful discussions, performances and debates,\” has landed in our midst and overnight become a central presence. The Institute also happens to be reminding the rest of us that LA Culture exits.
Fangs bared and chests thrust out, the competitors stepped into the ring and proceeded to demolish each other in ways both fair and unfair.
After a raucous six-hour debate, 55 legislators registered their confidence in Netanyahu, 50 voted against, and an unprecedented 15 abstained or absented themselves from the ballot. The government\’s paper support is 66 out of 120 Knesset members, plus two far-right sympathizers from Rehavam Ze\’evy\’s Moledet.
The ad, which pictures a small child with a worried expression, is one way the UJF is trying to tackle the unfolding \”Who is a Jew?\” debate in Israel and to limit its impact among American donors to the UJF.
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