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March 31, 2004

Welcome to America

Email from Dave:

I wanted to inform you that PBS is running a series called Independent Lens: The New Americans on March 29, 30, and 31st. The series chronicles the lives of different immigrants who are trying to make a new existence for themselves in America. I've been watching it pretty steadily.

One of the couples they document is a Palestinian couple. I can tell you that this is one of the most aggressive pieces of anti-Israel propaganda I've seen in a long time. . . . The Palestinian man spouts anti-Israel and anti-American myths freely. He organizes a rally in Chicago where they burn the Israeli flag, interspersed with Sharon going to the temple mount, and news footage that says "Ariel Sharon started the intifada," etc. You know the score. Nothing the Palestinian couple does or says is given any sort of objective context or analysis. It?s also worth noting that while the show purports to be about people coming to America, the Palestinian couple's life in the West Bank is given much more attention as opposed to the other couples' lives in their native homeland.

Judith | 03/31/04 at 10:39 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - The Fourth Estate

Cool stuff

American ingenuity continues to shower the world with gifts, for example this low-cost method of vision-testing and lens-manufacturing which could bring eyeglasses within the reach of millions of poor people around the globe. By a MIT student.

Could you have passed 8th grade in 1895? Not me. (via Amygdala)

I found this site via Mary, who thought the dolls were creepy. Well, some of them are, but I find them fascinating and some of them are whimsical and sweet. Their emotional affect reminds me of Joseph Cornell boxes, for some reason. Anyone else get that vibe?

This is old news but the uniforms are cool and the discussion is interesting. (Can I put in yet another plug for Until the Sun Falls, one of my favorite novels?)

Judith | 03/31/04 at 03:32 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Amazing things

Anyone but Kerry Dept.

This is going to be a frequent if not regular feature of Kesher Talk until November. I have lots of material [cackling maniacally].

Bloggers wonder just which foreign leaders John Kerry has been talking to. Some foreign leaders sense a business opportunity.

Continue reading "Anyone but Kerry Dept."

Judith | 03/31/04 at 03:20 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - GOTV '04

March 30, 2004

Free speech Dept.

If you are in the San Diego area, go help Citizen Smash organize a counter-protest to a rally aimed at the 32nd Street Naval Station. The rally is this coming Saturday, so time is short. Any Protest Warriors in that area?

SPEAKING OF WHICH: Oleg points out a report on the antiwar rally of a few weeks ago, that is clearly approving of the rally and its purpose, yet inadvertently features both Protest Warrior signs and a protest warrior herself (Tom's mom). No irony or cognitive dissonance is noted so far. I eagerly await the scathing letters and embarrassed correction in the next issue.

UPDATE: Looks like Smash's anti-rally was a success.

Judith | 03/30/04 at 02:31 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Power to the People

Ottoman era Jewish costume exhibit

Ottoman era Jewish costume exhibit in New York (March 31-May 7): According to a report from the Anadolu Agency, the exhibition, entitled, ''The Sephardim and The Turks: Living Together for 500 Centuries'' will be opened in New York's Center for Jewish History.

The exhibition displays costumes organized by region and period. It is a part of an ongoing program to highlight the cultures, artworks, histories and achievements of Turkish and Jewish peoples living side by side for centuries.

William | 03/30/04 at 08:56 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Jews in odd places

March 29, 2004

Full analysis of U.S. foreign policy

A lengthy report from the Congressional Research Service.

William | 03/29/04 at 09:00 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - From Sea to Shining Sea

Jews of the Old West

HBO's new series, Deadwood, features a Jew. Sol Star (John Hawkes) is an Austrian Jewish entrepreneur who teams up with former Sheriff Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) to seek his fortune during the Gold Rush in the Black Hills of South Dakota in 1876 -- not by prospecting, but by selling wares to the prospectors.

William | 03/29/04 at 07:36 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Jews in odd places

March 28, 2004

Voices of reason

Ghost Dog over at Islamicate has an interesting take on why Israel was justified in assassinating Yassin.

Also, a fascinating post on why he, as a Muslim, isn't grieving for Yassin: he's grieving for the diminished chances of peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

Judith | 03/28/04 at 07:46 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Israel vs. the world

Bloggers return from the dead

Not only is Jeff Goldstein back, but Tony Woodlief is back! (Tony and RLP and Eve Tushnet are the Christians I like to read when I want to understand how Christianity works in real people's lives.)

The reactivation of so many fine blogs reassures me that I could stop for awhile, and not only would the entire KT readership not just drain away, the important issues of the day would continue to be addressed. (Do I have an ego? Why do you ask?)

Judith | 03/28/04 at 02:13 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Around the blogosphere

Euroweenie dept.

All together now: You can't make this stuff up.

UPDATE: William Sjostrom takes issue with my use of the phrase "Euroweenie." He points out that the Irish Labour Party is about as representative of the Irish polity as Cynthia McKinney is of the US. Fair enough. But I didn't call Ireland a "weenie nation," and my flippant use of the phrase could be assumed to refer to individuals.

But given Ireland's fudging with the UN antisemitism resolution it promised to support, maybe it is a Euroweenie nation.

Judith | 03/28/04 at 05:40 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Across the Pond

March 27, 2004

Speaking truth to power Dept.

Statement by Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman, to the UN.

"There cannot be peace and terror. There cannot be peace and Hamas."

Mr. President,

In three and a half years of Palestinian terrorist attacks that have murdered hundreds of innocent Israeli civilians and wounded thousands more, this Council has not met even once to express condemnation of a single attack. Not one resolution, not one presidential statement has been adopted by this Council to specifically denounce the deliberate massacre of our innocent civilians. Not two months ago when 11 Israeli citizens were murdered in a horrific homicide bomb attack on a bus in central Jerusalem on 29 January. In the wake of our anguish, our efforts to elicit some response from the Council were not met with even a presidential statement.

And yet today, following a sad and familiar pattern, the Council convenes. Why? Not to condemn the terrorism, not to honor the memory of the hundreds murdered by it, but to come to the defense of one of its prime perpetrators, a godfather of terrorism. This is not a message of which the Council can be proud. Frankly, it is an outrage. . . .

Need I say RTWT?

UPDATE: Tom notes a disquieting resemblance.

Judith | 03/27/04 at 11:38 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Israel vs. the world

March 26, 2004

Free speech Dept.

Protest Warriors Matt and Aaron Margolis mix it up with some anti-Bush demonstrators, who exhibit their famed support for free speech.

The fight started after a man wearing an Ironworkers Local 7 sweatshirt, perched atop a subway entrance, repeatedly taunted the brothers.

Continue reading "Free speech Dept."

Judith | 03/26/04 at 01:37 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Power to the People

Blog roundup - current events

If anyone still believes than Aznar covered up evidence about Al Queda doing the Madrid bombings, here's the scoop. Aznar made all the evidence public as it came available. The Socialist Party did manipulate and lie their way into getting elected by claiming he didn't. If you read anyone still justifying the Spanish vote by claiming the electorate was upset that Aznar tried to blame ETA, hit them with this.

UPDATE: And, no, Poland isn't threatening to leave the coalition.

Continue reading "Blog roundup - current events"

Judith | 03/26/04 at 12:30 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Across the Pond

March 25, 2004

The Jewish way in marriage: "What every man wants"

Rabbi Yisroel Miller in his book, In Search of the Jewish Woman, writes about "three immensely practical secrets, secrets known to all men and almost no women":

1. Compliments a wife gives her husband hit home deeply.
A wife's opinion of her husband is vitally important to him.
2. A husband desires desperately that his wife should be happy.

According to Emuna Braverman, all men reallt want from their wives is appreciation, respect and love. If only it were that simple...

William | 03/25/04 at 08:52 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: Doing Jewish

March 24, 2004

New Brain Terminal video!

I mentioned in my mega-post on the antiwar rallies that new videos would soon be forthcoming from Protest Warrior and Brain Terminal. Here's one to send to all your "Bush lied, people died" friends.

While you're at it send them this.

Judith | 03/24/04 at 11:58 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: Liberal hawks and friends

March 24, 2004

Blog roundup

It's always a good time to pile on Noam Chomsky. The best time is when he starts a blog. Jeff fisks a begging letter from Teddy Kennedy. Bar mitzvahs of the famous. Like Franz Kafka and Bob Dylan. NASA . . . more »

Judith | 03/24/04 at 03:29 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Around the blogosphere

March 23, 2004

This is short notice but . . .

TODAY, Tuesday, March 23, 2004 5:00-6:00 pm The Israeli Consulate 42nd and 2nd Avenue New York City Amcha has just found out that the International Action Center, along with groups such as ANSWER-NY and New Jersey Solidarity (infamously led . . . more »

Judith | 03/23/04 at 04:10 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Israel vs. the world

Kofi Annan's New Year's UN Resolutions

A mildly entertaining reminder of why there is no point in asking the UN to take over administration of Iraq. . . . more »

Judith | 03/23/04 at 12:19 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Our NGO Masters

March 22, 2004

Free speech

Daniel Pipes gave a speech at American University. As par for the course, his speech was attended by a protest action. It was milder than some and didn't prevent Pipes from speaking, although from the description it sounds annoying . . . more »

Judith | 03/22/04 at 11:05 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Wackademia

How to pass the time while stuck in traffic

Only in Israel. Or Brooklyn maybe. A couple of Jews decide, as long as they are stuck in traffic anyway, to pull over and daven mincha. Read the rest. (Hey, it's more productive than pounding on the steering wheel . . . more »

Judith | 03/22/04 at 02:34 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: Eretz Yisrael

Ding dong the witch is dead

Rest in pieces, Sheik Yassin, you despicable SOB. UPDATE: Roger rounds up some commentary. So does Charles. The European tut-tutting has predictably begun. Hypocrites. No shit, Sherlock. . . . more »

Judith | 03/22/04 at 12:59 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Good news from Israel

March 21, 2004

The Google war

It used to be you had to make rousing speeches to encourage men to put down their hammers, leave their plows, pull their rusty musket out of the closet, and enlist in response to physical attacks. Now you have . . . more »

Judith | 03/21/04 at 07:35 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Antisemitism watch

Free Speech

I participated in the anti-antiwar protest yesterday with the NYC chapter of Protest Warrior, which conducted many interviews with antiwar activists as well as marching with our somewhat subtle signage. A dreadlocked dude from the conservative punk constituency showed . . . more »

Judith | 03/21/04 at 11:56 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Power to the People

March 19, 2004

How to meet your Jewish soul mate

I met mine at a hockey game, but I don't think that would work out for most people. Doron Kornbluth of Jewishdating.com has 7 tips on how to make it happen: Move to a Jewish neighborhoodJoin a Torah classMake . . . more »

William | 03/19/04 at 08:55 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: Doing Jewish

What a long strange trip it's been

Today is the one year anniversary of the start of the Iraq War. The time went by so fast, didn't it? [Some commenters thought this remark was too breezy. Fine. Read the rest of the post, read the last . . . more »

Judith | 03/19/04 at 01:00 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Taking Stock

The Iraq war began one year ago today, and I'm collecting blogger responses to the anniversary. My response is cleaning out my bookmark folder "Reconstruction 2." ("Reconstruction 1" was doing the Mozilla equivalent of bulging, so I started another . . . more »

Judith | 03/19/04 at 12:53 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

March 18, 2004

Why not to vote for Kerry

During the first half hour of the 03/18 broadcast of his show, Rush Limbaugh commented on a story which first appeared on the Norwegian internet news site Aftenposten about a meeting which took place last October between some high . . . more »

Judith | 03/18/04 at 07:46 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - GOTV '04

Vote early, vote often

Do what Jeff says. Heh. . . . more »

Judith | 03/18/04 at 05:45 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: WWIV

Jews of odd backgrounds: Hindu-Jews

Some call them "HinJews." Others say they're "Om-Shalomers." But whatever they're called, young Jews of Hindu and Jewish parentage are coming of age, marking the emergence of a new cultural subset in an increasingly diverse American Jewish population. . . . more »

William | 03/18/04 at 08:55 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Jews in odd places

March 17, 2004

Why am I not surprised?

After my mega-Mel link roundup of a few weeks ago, I kept collecting links about The Passion, but I haven't been that motivated to post them. Stick a fork in it - it's done. But I read lots of . . . more »

Judith | 03/17/04 at 04:06 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Comparative Religion

Jews in odd places: Ireland

Hag Sameach! It's St. Patrick's Day. . . . more »

William | 03/17/04 at 03:26 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Jews in odd places

The blame in Spain falls mainly on the young and stupid

I'm moving this story from the news roundup below to its own post. First there was this tantalizing blurb on an LGF thread: . . . more »

Judith | 03/17/04 at 02:21 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - 9-11 and its ilk

March 16, 2004

Baghdad 2004 = Prague 1990

I've written before that the burgeoning entrepreneurial activity in Iraq reminds me of Eastern Europe after the wall came down. Latest example. More. UPDATE: Yet more. You know you're doing good when you worry about power grid capacity, not . . . more »

Judith | 03/16/04 at 05:35 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Iraq

Blogging forecast: Continued scattered round-ups with periods of draught

I will continue to be mostly AWOL for another week or so. Meanwhile, bloggers of steel like Roger, Glenn, Meryl, Michelle, and Charles continue to bring you the news behind the news. Speaking of which, wasn't it Gil Scott . . . more »

Judith | 03/16/04 at 03:24 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Nation-building

Blog roundup: GOTV '04

This guy is keeping track of all public utterances of the Bush = Hitler meme. Sofia Sideshow is conducting an informal but informative writing workshop on constructing an effective "Bush lied" polemic, using hapless antiwar blog comments as models. . . . more »

Judith | 03/16/04 at 11:07 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Around the blogosphere

Jews in sports: Football

Robert Kraft, ownder of the New England Patriots, some time ago combined "his love of Israel with his passion for football by sinking $250,000 into the Kraft Family Stadium. Located at the north end of Sachar Park near the . . . more »

William | 03/16/04 at 08:39 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: Doing Jewish

March 15, 2004

Jews in odd places: Serbia

Serbian Jewish theater director Stefan Sablic has another hit on his hands, a deeply disturbing play set in the 1930s about a German Jewish immigrant in America and his former best friend, who becomes a Nazi. Sablic�s adaptation of . . . more »

William | 03/15/04 at 08:59 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Jews in odd places

March 12, 2004

Blogging forecast: Light with periods of intense anxiety

Moving is never relaxing. Even if you are moving 3 blocks up the street. Especially not when the old landlord is being pissy about subletting, and the new one isn't quite sure when the apartment will be ready for . . . more »

Judith | 03/12/04 at 04:45 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: Life and how to live it

Palestinian workers prevented attack at Erez

Palestinian workers waiting at the Erez crossing in the Gaza Strip to enter Israel beat and overpowered two Palestinians planning to carry out a terror attack at the site, an inquiry conducted recently by the Defense Ministry's Coordination and . . . more »

Judith | 03/12/04 at 10:42 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Good news from Israel

March 10, 2004

Waiter, there's a fly in my soup!

Bloomberg may have his hands full this summer: . . . more »

Judith | 03/10/04 at 03:18 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: NYC

Jews in odd places: Russia

Like most Russians, Russian Jews don't get along so well. . . . more »

William | 03/10/04 at 12:39 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Jews in odd places

March 09, 2004

Blog roundup

Bad kitty. Bad bad kitty. Fun Facts About Terrorists. A pean to Poland. Mary's fisking Tom Tomorrow again. . . . more »

Judith | 03/09/04 at 03:49 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Around the blogosphere

John Kerry on Israel

Some Jewish leaders yesterday voiced concern about Democratic nominee-to-be John Kerry's 1997 description of Yasser Arafat as a "statesman" and his conflicting comments on Israel's security fence. The Post reported Kerry praised Arafat's "transformation from outlaw to statesman" in . . . more »

William | 03/09/04 at 09:16 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - GOTV '04

Lieberman's next gig

It�s not exactly the White House, but would Joseph Lieberman consider taking over one of America�s premier Jewish organizations? Officials at the World Jewish Congress say Lieberman�s name has been raised in talks about leadership changes. In addition, sources in . . . more »

William | 03/09/04 at 08:33 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - GOTV '04

March 08, 2004

Jews in odd places: France

According to Roger Cukierman, president of the CRIF umbrella organization of French Jews, France sucks for Jews. Jews in France are living �in a time of malaise,� Cukierman told more than 800 guests at the group�s annual dinner in . . . more »

William | 03/08/04 at 08:52 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Jews in odd places

March 05, 2004

John Kerry on Israel

In an October speech to the Arab American Institute in Michigan, Mr. Kerry depicted the barrier as an impediment to peace. "I know how disheartened Palestinians are by the decision to build the barrier off the Green Line � . . . more »

Judith | 03/05/04 at 12:04 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - GOTV '04

Jews in odd places: Iraq

Iraq used to be home to tons of Jews, but not anymore. In January, "Nightline" profiled the 20-odd remaining Jews in Baghdad. However, nowadays you can find tons of Iraqi Jews on another continent, seeking sanctuary in New York's . . . more »

William | 03/05/04 at 08:42 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Jews in odd places

March 04, 2004

For Jewish geeks who blog

BloggerCon II has been set for April 17 in Cambridge, MA. The con is free; bloggers (or people interested in talking about blogging) need only register. As the friendly folks at Protocols noted last week, of course, April 17 . . . more »

Rachel | 03/04/04 at 09:25 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: Doing Jewish

AWOL

Blogging from me will be light this week. I'm apartment hunting in Manhattan, which is more than a full-time job. But I want to mention that Purim starts Saturday night, and there will be some righteous partying among the . . . more »

Judith | 03/04/04 at 10:03 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Holy Days

Israel still struggling to figure out "who is a Jew?"

About 300,000 of the immigrants from the former Soviet Union were described in the 2002 annual statistical report as "lacking religious classification," which does not qualify them to be married through the Orthodox rabbinate. Some of them would not . . . more »

William | 03/04/04 at 08:46 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: Eretz Yisrael

March 03, 2004

Jews in odd places: Europe

The growing number of Jewish communities throughout Europe will require young rabbis to be increasingly mobile and to tend to more than one community at one time, based on statements made at a recent rabbinical conference in Vienna. . . . more »

William | 03/03/04 at 08:59 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Jews in odd places

March 02, 2004

Separated at birth?

The movie Starsky and Hutch, being released Friday, stars Ben Stiller as Starsky and Owen Wilson as Hutch. Based on the trailer it seems to have more in common with Sabotage, the brilliant parody of 70's cop shows by . . . more »

William | 03/02/04 at 09:16 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: Sensual pleasures

Jews in odd places: Germany

Tzvi Sinensky, a young American Jew, thought he wouldn�t buy any German goods during his first visit to Germany last month. He did. Phillip Vedol thought the Germans he would meet there would be cold, formal. They weren�t. Zvi Schindel . . . more »

William | 03/02/04 at 08:42 AM | Categories: - Jews in odd places

March 01, 2004

Renovations and invitations

I've been in lots of small minyanim and havurot which don't have their own buildings and often end up meeting in churches, of which there are many more than synagogues. In fact, one of Manhattan's largest Jewish congregations holds . . . more »

Judith | 03/01/04 at 05:19 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: Doing Jewish

The Aftermath of Terror

Rabbi Lazer Brody gives some interesting advice to a family dealing with psychological fallout from a rocket (launched from Gaza) exploding in their nice, quiet, Israeli suburb. You won't get this perspective on CNN. . . . more »

William | 03/01/04 at 05:01 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Israel vs. the world

Jews in odd places: Persia

Not the Iran of today, but the ancien regime of Persia in the 5th century, according to David Bernstein over at the Volokh Conspiracy. According to his examples, Israel was not the first sovereign Jewish entity after the fall . . . more »

William | 03/01/04 at 08:34 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Jews in odd places