Difference between revisions of "Blog/March 2008/March 21st"

Latest revision as of 12:49, 28 March 2008

March 21st (See this week's devar torah)
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Hi again!

Purim is this week -- as I write this, actually -- and I can tell you that Purim is a much bigger holiday in Israel than it is outside the Land. For one thing, most cities have a "Purim parade". Kids seem to have unlimited supplies of firecrackers, which they set off late at night and early in the morning. I'm trying to get this written before we partake of the Purim meal, since afterwards it will probably be difficult for me to right coherently ...

This week has not had a lot of excitement to report, thankfully. But since it's Purim week, the news items are a little odd... like the Israeli Ministry of Tourism launching a campaign to encourage gay tourism. Do "gays" really go to different places than "straight" people? Have they been avoiding Israel for some reason? Why isn't the Ministry involved in encouraging "straight" tourism, since they constitute the vast majority of the population, and therefore are a bigger potential source of income? We'll probably never know...

Just in time for Purim, again: a group of "secular rabbis" is dedicating mental effort to untangling the knotty problem of what to do about breaking the glass at gay secular Jewish weddings. I didn't know it was even a problem, but there you have it.

And not too late, finally a voice of reason from the Palestinians. Not those Palestinians, the ones from Palestine, Texas.

As it turns out, I'm finishing this off just before Shabbat - so I can report on our Purim. It was very nice, we had a meal with neighbors of ours and drank enough to fulfill the mitsvah without going "overboard". I don't even have a headache, B"H! There was a huge "parade" going though Maale Adummim, with floats and dancers, and all sorts of odd things. We had to snake around it as we tried to make purchases for Shabbat this morning. The police were out in force, but looked a bit on the lethargic side. Maybe 'cause the weather was quite warm (probably 28 or so celsius).

Anyway, I have to finish getting prepared for Shabbat, so have a happy Purim if you're not finished yet, and as always,

Shabbat shalom!

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 {{blog}}
-{{bheader|March 14th|Devar/5768/Vayikra}}
+{{bheader|March 21st|Devar/5768/Tsav}}
 Hi again!
-This week Esther attended a birth, to get some practical experience as a {{wiki|doula}} before finishing up her licensing.  She said it was exciting, but the woman giving birth almost broke Esther's wrist by grabbing her hand in a vise-grip.  Maybe they should give courses on self-defense as part of the doula training!
+{{wiki|Purim}} is this week -- as I write this, actually -- and I can tell you that Purim is a much bigger holiday in Israel than it is outside the Land.  For one thing, most cities have a "Purim parade".  Kids seem to have unlimited supplies of firecrackers, which they set off late at night and early in the morning.  I'm trying to get this written before we partake of the Purim meal, since afterwards it will probably be difficult for me to right coherently ...
-We've got only three and a half months before we get possession of the "new" house, God willing -- so we have to get things lined up.  I talked to a couple general contractors this week - and found out that I might be too late to get someone for June!  One guy said he would call me back and try to arrange a visit to the house, but he hasn't called so far.  Another guy is out of the country until after {{wiki|Purim}}, but he says he is available in June and will talk to me when he comes back.  I did talk to a roofer about getting insulation on the roof and sealing the asphalt; that will be done.  And I need to talk to a mover and set a firm date - because even if we haven't done ''anything'' to fix up the house, we are moving out of the place we're in!!!
+This week has not had a lot of excitement to report, thankfully.  But since it's Purim week, the news items are a little odd... like the Israeli Ministry of Tourism launching a campaign to encourage [http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3406064,00.html#n gay tourism].  Do "gays" really go to different places than "straight" people?  Have they been avoiding Israel for some reason? Why isn't the Ministry involved in encouraging "straight" tourism, since they constitute the vast majority of the population, and therefore are a bigger potential source of income?  We'll probably never know...
-[[Blog/March 2008/March 7th|Last week]] I talked about the terrorist attack on the Mercaz HaRav yeshiva in Jerusalem.  This week, the family of the murderer erected a "mourning tent" for him.  We bleeding-hearts in Israel allowed them to not only erect a large tent, but to put Hamas and Hizbullah flags all over it.  Our neighbors [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1204546430941&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull the Jordanians] however, refused to let his relatives in Jordan do the same.  The heart-breaking irony: their reason is ''Jordan would not permit any group or individual to harm its national security by holding events that publicly supported violence against civilians''!  Why is it that Jordan "gets it" and we don't?  Not precisely related, but related nonetheless... my current personal hero and person I would vote to be Minister of Defense is [http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/3 Tvrtko Kale].  Yes, he's "only" a soccer player, but he has more ''sechel'' than anyone I've heard in the government.  The best part of the interview I linked to, is the reaction from the left-wing interviewer.  Priceless!  Also well worth reading is the artist Orit's [http://web.israelinsider.com/views/12697.htm letter to a secular friend] (Orit is not "religious" either, just FYI).
+Just in time for Purim, again: a group of "secular rabbis" is dedicating mental effort to untangling the knotty problem of what to do about breaking the glass at [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1205420721857&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull gay secular Jewish weddings].  I didn't know it was even a problem, but there you have it.
-Our enemies aren't just here across the way.  [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1204546432524&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Not-so-great Britain] has ''banned'' one of our politicians, {{wiki|Moshe Feiglin}} from entering that country, even though he has no plans to visit.  They think he's a racist or some such; but they have no problem letting in radical Muslim clerics who directly call for genocide against the Jews.  Guess where I won't be vacationing?  And of course, not content to be left out of the anti-Semitic limelight, Daniel Barenboim is raising funds for Ramallah by throwing a [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1205412391667&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Wagner concert] in a Nazi-era theater.  Right on, Daniel!  You are right at the bottom of the barrel, buddy.
+And not too late, finally a voice of reason from [http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Diplomacy/12716.htm the Palestinians].  Not ''those'' Palestinians, the ones from Palestine, Texas.
-Speaking of bottom of the barrel, why couldn't former [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1205261314864&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull governor Spitzer] keep his spitz to himself?  What is it about "men in high places" that makes them think moral behavior doesn't apply to them?  Is it that in order to achieve such a position one must usually be arrogant?  I really don't understand it.
+As it turns out, I'm finishing this off just before Shabbat - so I can report on our Purim.  It was very nice, we had a meal with neighbors of ours and drank enough to fulfill the mitsvah without going "overboard".  I don't even have a headache, B"H!  There was a huge "parade" going though Maale Adummim, with floats and dancers, and all sorts of odd things.  We had to snake around it as we tried to make purchases for Shabbat this morning.  The police were out in force, but looked a bit on the lethargic side.  Maybe 'cause the weather was quite warm (probably 28 or so celsius).
-[[Blog/February 2008/Feb 22nd|A couple weeks ago]] I mentioned [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?c=JPArticle&cid=1204546418967&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull the eyesore] being built in Jerusalem.  Original budget: 70 million NIS.  Current expenditures: 245 million NIS.  Good to see our gov't knows how to pinch a penny, particularly when they reduce allotments for education.  The newly-semi-privatized Israeli Postal Service is now going to charge a minimum of 35 NIS ''per package'' received from outside Israel.  This amounts to [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?c=JPArticle&cid=1204546441053&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull postal piracy], and affects a large percentage of the population -- and especially those who recently moved here from abroad.  Even more so now, that the dollar is at 3.40 (it was  4.305 when we made aliyah, so the purchasing power of our savings in the US is 27% lower than when we moved!)
+Anyway, I have to finish getting prepared for Shabbat, so have a happy Purim if you're not finished yet, and as always,
-Speaking of coming from abroad and piracy, deodorant which cost $3.50 in the US costs $10 here.  That explains why there is more ... em, "bouquet" here.  May you all have a fragrant shabbat!
 Shabbat shalom!
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Difference between revisions of "Blog/March 2008/March 21st"

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Latest revision as of 12:49, 28 March 2008