PR Negotiating Hype? or Unbending Principles?

There's nothing for Bibi to discuss with Obama
Besides my usual varied postings on Shiloh Musings and me-ander, you can read the weekly international Jewish Bloggers Magazine, Havel Havelim. 

Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, according to his aid, media adviser Nir Hefetz, won't bend on the "settlement issue."  Read carefully, Hefetz is his "media adviser," that means public relations, image etc.  I wouldn't read much policy in that.

Bibi has already come out with lots of mixed messages about our rights to live freely in the Land of Israel.  He's a PR expert, a master with words and images.  The big problem is that the State of Israel isn't some toiletries or shoes to be marketed.  It's a life and death issue.

Our enemies, like Jimmy Carter, are uncompromising in their demands that we have no rights to live and build Jewish life, homes, communities in Judea and Samaria.  We in Israel and Jews all over the world must recognize the fact that the world doesn't care what happens to us.  They didn't care seventy years ago when the Nazis persecuted and murdered Jews, and they don't care now.  The war against the Nazis had nothing whatsoever to do with helping Jews.  It was to stem German aggression.  Germany's aim was to take over the world starting in Europe.  That's what World War Two was all about.  A historian like Netanyahu should know that.

There's nothing for Bibi to discuss with Obama.  He should stay home and build our country!  That's the best defense!

"War Crimes," "Peace" and Other Lies

Seder Rosh Hashannah & Expanding Jewish Traditions

There's more to read on Shiloh Musings and me-ander.  Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach!

I grew up in a Jewish home of minimal Jewish traditions.  I discovered Torah Judaism when Modern Orthodoxy was beginning to shake off the "new immigrant" mentality where the priority was to fit into American society.  That was about forty-five years ago, and since then Jewish learning and delving into the Halachik (Jewish Law) literature has grown amazingly.

Those two sufficed even in the religious homes a generation or two ago.  But now, like the "bragging" about how late one was up expounding Torah and "yitziat Mitzrayim," the Exodus from Egypt, at the the Passover Seder, now on Rosh Hashannah there's competition "l'shaim Shamayim," of course in the Name of G-d, for the number of foods and blessings, in many case no more than Hebrew puns, to bless the new year.

Another Jewish Holiday which has seen a boom, unexpected increase in the observance of a once minor aspect, is Shavuot.  Outside of Israel, Shavuot was a pretty-much unknown, ignored and forgotten holiday, except by those who were seriously religious.  So, unlike wine and matzah on Passover and honey on Rosh Hashannah there certainly weren't many Jews studying Torah all Shavuot night.

In recent years, the study of Jewish texts on Shavuot night can be found all over the world and not only in strictly Orthodox frameworks.  In Israel, there's an amazing variety of learning, lectures and discussion groups throught the night open to Jews of all observance, all stripes and styles. Many Jews who don't fit the mold, don't wear the uniform are taking their Judaism very seriously.  Thank G-d.

No doubt Moshiach Ben David is on His Way!