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NOT a Bigot
I'm religious, and I'm sick of people assuming that means I'm also ignorant and incapable of thinking for myself. I'm religious. That doesn't mean I'm a bigot. I'm religious, and I'm sick of people assuming that means I'm also ignorant and incapable of thinking for myself. I�... more
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Is your cellphone kosher?
Israel's highly traditional Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community is tackling the challenges and opportunities of new communications technologies by offering new religious adaptation to modern technology.
The kosher cellphone is one of the latest results of this trend: it looks like an ordinary cellphone, can make and receive calls, and may have a calculator and alarm clock, but it cannot send or receive text messages, browse the internet or take photos - all activities that could potentially involve behaviour considered "immodest" among Haredis.
For example, SMS capability could lead to the unwitting receipt of mass text messages publicising secular events. It could also be used as a method of illicit communication between male and female teenagers. And all photos of women are forbidden, as is accessing websites with content deemed inappropriate.
The phone's other defining feature is a rabbinical stamp of approval, similar to those seen on kosher food items. All the major Israeli cellphone companies have started providing kosher phones, and even offer cheaper-than-normal packages which only connect with other Haredi numbers. Israel's highly traditional Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community is tackling the challenges and opportunities of new communications te... more -
Ronnie 'the limo driver' Mund angry cursing soundboard
Its Ronnie the limo driver sound board. This guy can curse up a storm. He is very angy Its Howard Sterns head of security.
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Sarah Silverman and The Great Schlep
Sarah Silverman wants Jews to gets their butts down to Florida for the Great Schlep.
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YouTube - Bad Karma, 24 hour Film Race 2008
A short entry into the 24 Hour Los Angeles Film Race about scalping tickets for temple on the high holy days.
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Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown
Rosh Hashanah is being observed by Jewish people around the world starting at sundown today. In Isreal security was particularly tight during the holy observance. Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the High Holy Days and marks the Jewish New Year 5769. For many Israelis, it is a time of repentance and prayer, leading up to the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement. Rosh Hashanah is being observed by Jewish people around the world starting at sundown today. In Isreal security was particularly tig... more
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Tomorrow is Erev Rosh HaShanah
Rosh HaShanah is also a time for joyous celebration, for it also represents the day of the Coronation of God as Sovereign. We sound Shofars, a rams horn that is fashioned into a trumpet-like instrument and is symbolic for its origin of the word Rosh, meaning head, in the name Rosh HaShanah. Also, we eat great feasts for supper, including fish heads. As well, we eat a variation of the typical Jewish bread, Challah. A recipe is provided Rosh HaShanah is also a time for joyous celebration, for it also represents the day of the Coronation of God as Sovereign. We sound Sh... more
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From Auschwitz to Chicago, detailed Holocaust letters survive - CNN.com
Letters secretly carried by children through the sewers of Warsaw, Poland, during the 1944 uprising. A 1933 card from a Dachau camp commander outlining strict rules for prisoner mail. A 1943 letter from a young man, who spent time in Auschwitz, to his parents.
The more than 250 World War II postal documents -- cards, letters and stamps -- have been acquired by an Illinois foundation from a private collector and will soon be on permanent display in a museum in suburban Chicago. Letters secretly carried by children through the sewers of Warsaw, Poland, during the 1944 uprising. A 1933 card from a Dachau camp co... more -
Iran launches cartoon book mocking Holocaust victims
The book's cover depicted a Jew with a hooked nose dressed in traditional clothes drawing the outlines of dead bodies on the ground.
Written by student members of the Basij militia, the book comes two years after an Iranian newspaper commissioned a competition of Holocaust-themed cartoons.
Despite an international outcry, the Iranian government later in 2006 hosted a Holocaust conference featuring a number of revisionist historians.
Inside pages have pictures of bearded Jews shown leaving and re-entering a gas chamber with a counter that reads 5,999,999.
Another picture shows a hospital patient covered in an Israeli flag and on life support, breathing Zyklon-B, the poisonous gas used in the death camps.
The education minister, Alireza Ali-Ahmadi, was taking part in an official rally for Qods Day - an annual event to show solidarity with Palestinians. In recent years - since the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president in 2005 - the event has grown more vocal and angry.
At a Qods Day rally in that year, Mr Ahmadinejad first said that Israel would be "wiped from the map". He has since used similarly aggressive language. The book's cover depicted a Jew with a hooked nose dressed in traditional clothes drawing the outlines of dead bodies on the grou... more -
Two Awesome Videos: Israelis for Obama and comedian Sarah Silverman video
Two great videos on Jewish support for presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Israelis for Obama is a touching video showing Israeli support for Obama. Then comedian Sarah Silverman, in her own unique way, discusses how to get Jewish grandparents to vote for Obama. Two great videos on Jewish support for presidential candidate Barack Obama. ... more -
Sarah Silverman Warns Jews About Not Voting For Obama
Comedian Sarah Silverman lays it all out on the table in this video The Great Schlep, telling Jewish voters they MUST vote for Barack Hussein Obama regardless of his scary Muslim sounding name. She even urges the youth to swarm Florida and convince their elders not to support John Sidney McCain III. Comedian Sarah Silverman lays it all out on the table in this video The Great Schlep, telling Jewish voters they MUST vote for Barack ... more
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Phone Atone
The presidential candidates for 2008 atone for their sins for the New Year. Happy Rosh Hashanah from Taglit-Birthright Israel! Cartoon by http://jewishrobot.com The presidential candidates for 2008 atone for their sins for the New Year. Happy Rosh Hashanah from Taglit-Birthright Israel! Cartoon... more
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Democrats threaten to kneecap Jewish nonprofits if Palin spoke..... nice
Why is it, exactly, that so many Jews are Democrats? That's right. Because Democrats are the champions of liberal, social causes. They're against tyranny and all for liberty, freedom, and especially, the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.
But heaven help you if you go against what the Democrats want. Like, say, having Sarah Palin appear in the same venue as Hillary Clinton, even if it's to protest Jew-hater Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Because then, forget about your freedoms of association, speech, and assembly.
Sources tell CBS 2 HD that a decision to disinvite Palin from the high profile rally after Clinton pulled out in a huff came as the result of intense pressure from Democrats.
[...] Sources say the axes were out for Palin as soon as Sen. Clinton pulled out because she did not want to attend the same event as the Republican vice presidential candidate.
[...] The groups sponsoring the rally against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaking at the UN were reportedly told, 'it could jeopardize their tax exempt status” if they had Palin and not Clinton or Democratic VP candidate Joe Biden on hand.
So all politicians were disinvited, most prominently, Palin.
Got that? Not only would Clinton not appear, but if the groups did not disinvite Palin, Democrats threatened their tax-exempt status. Why? Because they'd sic the IRS on them by calling it a political event. Who was threatened? Well, basically, every major Jewish group in America.
The thing that I hate the most about this? It won't stop my liberal Jewish friends from voting Democrat in any way. It won't even make them think twice about the tactics used by the Democrats. And it's far, far worse than Soccer Dad wrote about the other day. CBS didn't have the story about Jewish organizations having their tax-exempt status revoked for having Palin speak at the rally.
That's not a political party pressuring groups to do something. That's outright break-your-kneecap, Mafia-style blackmail threats.
In fact, those are precisely the kinds of tactics that the Jewish groups will be protesting on Monday. We just never expected them from the Democrats. Why is it, exactly, that so many Jews are Democrats? That's right. Because Democrats are the champions of liberal, social causes.... more -
79-year-old Holocaust survivor finally has bar mitzvah
It took Holocaust survivor Bernie Marks 66 years to realize his father's and grandfathers' dreams, but Saturday he honored them - and Jews worldwide - by becoming a bar mitzvah, which means "Son of the Commandment."
Marks spent World War II in a Jewish ghetto in Lodz, Poland and then in Auschwitz - where his mother and brother were killed - and Dachau. Marks and his father worked in several of Dachau's brutal slave labor camps until they were liberated by U.S. troops on Aprill 27, 1945.
Marks said he felt great after Saturday's symbolic Jewish passage into manhood. "I have thought about it and thought about it and sometimes it was not the right time and when it was the right time it was the wrong place," he said. "The high point for me was to be able to chant the Torah and Haftarah (a selection of writings from the Prophets) the way my father Josef and grandfather Jakub Mendel Makowski wanted me to.I was able to live long enough to accomplish my goal. I have a feeling of relief that God has watched over me."
As he chanted, Marks also thought of his father, "who was my guardian angel for 5 1/2 years of hell. He saved my life again and again - in Auschwitz by telling the guards I was five years older than I was and showing them my work permit from the Lodz ghetto; then bringing me a cup of hot water every night when I had Typhoid fever."
Rabbi Mona Alfi, who presided, noted "God did take a little bit longer, but this is your day. This is your story on redemption, your story of hope, your story of rebirth, of coming out of the fires more brave and more ready to embrace life. It is truly never too late to accomplish your dreams and grab on to life!"
After Marks completed his moving ceremony, Dr. Jeff Rabinovitz, president of the B'nai Israel Brotherhood, told him: "You obviously are a man - today you are a mench!" It took Holocaust survivor Bernie Marks 66 years to realize his father's and grandfathers' dreams, but Saturday he honored t... more -
Obama Has A Rabbi In The Family
(AP) Here's something about Barack Obama you probably didn't know: He's related to a rabbi.
His wife's cousin, Rabbi Capers C. Funnye Jr., leads a mostly black Jewish congregation on Chicago's Southwest Side. He is Michelle Obama's first cousin once removed: Her paternal grandfather is the brother of Funnye's mother.
While Obama has struggled to win over Jewish voters, vigorously defending his support of Israel in Florida and other states with large Jewish populations, he hasn't mentioned Funnye on the campaign trail.
Funnye (pronounced fuh-NAY) says he hasn't been involved in the campaign, except to donate money. But he speaks glowingly about the Obamas.
"I'm very moved and very proud of all they've become so far," the 56-year-old rabbi told The Associated Press.
In childhood, Funnye and Michelle Obama's families visited each other almost monthly. Funnye's mother and Michelle Obama's father, who were closer in age, had a good relationship, Funnye said.
Funnye and Michelle Obama, 44, lost touch in later years, though he attended her wedding in 1992. They reconnected about a decade ago when Funnye started working at a social work organization based near the University of Chicago, where Michelle Obama worked.
Funnye said he met Barack Obama shortly before the future candidate married Michelle.
"He was very caring, a little skinny and very sincere," Funnye said.
The Obamas have not publicized the connection to Funnye out of respect for the privacy of their large extended family, said Katie McCormick Lelyveld, a spokeswoman for Michelle Obama.
Funnye said he sees the Obamas occasionally at family gatherings. The Obamas have never attended services at the stately tan brick synagogue of the Beth Shalom B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation in the city's Marquette Park neighborhood.
Funnye's relationship to the presidential candidate has been relatively unknown outside the Chicago Jewish community. The Forward, a Jewish newspaper, first reported the relationship.
"It was a total surprise to me," said Ira Forman, the executive director of the National Democratic Jewish Council. "Despite coming under attack unfairly in the Jewish community, Obama didn't even mention this. I think it's a piece of the puzzle that validates him."
Some Jews have disagreed with Obama's stated willingness to negotiate with countries such as Iran and Syria. Some also have been turned off by praise the Illinois senator received from Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, whose past comments about Judaism have offended many. Obama has rejected Farrakhan's support.
Religion has played a major role in Obama's campaign, sometimes in ways that were out of his control. He has addressed false Internet claims that he's Muslim. He has defended his Christian faith, though disavowing his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and his incendiary claims.
Having a rabbi in the Obama family seems unlikely to affect Jewish voters.
Jews, who are overwhelmingly Democratic, comprise only about 2 percent of voters, according the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. But they vote in large numbers in swing states. (AP) Here's something about Barack Obama you probably didn't know: He's related to a rabbi. ... more -
Ten Signs Sarah Palin Could be an Orthodox Jew
There are stories about Sarah Palin's church and an anti-Jewish sermon.
Here are ten ways that Sarah Palin can pass as an Orthodox Jewish woman. There are stories about Sarah Palin's church and an anti-Jewish sermon. ... more -
Oldest Regularly Used Ashkenazi Synagogue Opens to the Public (photos)
Plymouth Synagogue in Plymouth, England is the oldest Ashkenazi synagogue in regular use in the English-speaking world. It will soon be open to the public. Check out these photos from Wednesday, September 3, 2008. Plymouth Synagogue in Plymouth, England is the oldest Ashkenazi synagogue in regular use in the English-speaking world. It will soon b... more
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Homophobia and anti-Semitism preached in British mosques, new documentary claims
Channel 4's documentary 'Dispatches / Undercover Mosque: The Return', which first aired on Monday, 1st September, claims anti-Semitism and homophobia are being preached at a leading British mosque.
"A female reporter attends prayer meetings at an important British mosque which claims to be dedicated to moderation and dialogue with other faiths." said Channel 4. "She secretly films shocking sermons given to the women-only congregation in which female preachers recite extremist and intolerant beliefs. As hundreds of women and some children come to pray, a preacher calls for adulterers, homosexuals, women who act like men and Muslim converts to other faiths to be killed, saying: "Kill him, kill him. You have to kill him, you understand. This is Islam.""
The programme will also feature Muslims and Islamic academics who reject and condemn these teachings of intolerance and segregation and warn of the impact this version of Islam is having on British society.
In May Channel 4 and independent film maker Hard Cash accepted damages and an apology at the High Court following a row over the original Undercover Mosque documentary, broadcast in January 2007. The Dispatches programme showed preacher Abu Usamah at Green Lane Mosque in Birmingham calling for gay people to be executed. Channel 4's documentary 'Dispatches / Undercover Mosque: The Return', which first aired on Monday, 1st September, claim... more -
Gallery of US Presidents Wearing Kippahs
This year, when Obama wore a Jewish skullcap in Israel, some people were wondering "wtf".
However, Presidents donning Kippahs is an age-old tradition.
Here's a gallery showcasing US Presidents wearing Yarmulkes. This year, when Obama wore a Jewish skullcap in Israel, some people were wondering "wtf". ... more -
Human exoskeleton suit helps paralyzed people walk
HAIFA, Israel (Reuters) - paralyzed for the past 20 years, former Israeli paratrooper Radi Kaiof now walks down the street with a dim mechanical hum.
That is the sound of an electronic exoskeleton moving the 41-year-old's legs and propelling him forward -- with a proud expression on his face -- as passersby stare in surprise.
"I never dreamed I would walk again. After I was wounded, I forgot what it's like," said Kaiof, who was injured while serving in the Israeli military in 1988.
"Only when standing up can I feel how tall I really am and speak to people eye to eye, not from below."
The device, called ReWalk, is the brainchild of engineer Amit Goffer, founder of Argo Medical Technologies, a small Israeli high-tech company.
Something of a mix between the exoskeleton of a crustacean and the suit worn by comic hero Iron Man, ReWalk helps paraplegics -- people paralyzed below the waist -- to stand, walk and climb stairs.
Goffer himself was paralyzed in an accident in 1997 but he cannot use his own invention because he does not have full function of his arms.
The system, which requires crutches to help with balance, consists of motorized leg supports, body sensors and a back pack containing a computerized control box and rechargeable batteries.
The user picks a setting with a remote control wrist band -- stand, sit, walk, descend or climb -- and then leans forward, activating the body sensors and setting the robotic legs in motion.
"It raises people out of their wheelchair and lets them stand up straight," Goffer said. "It's not just about health, it's also about dignity."
EYE CONTACT
Kate Parkin, director of physical and occupational therapy at NYU Medical Centre, said it has the potential to improve a user's health in two ways.
"Physically, the body works differently when upright. You can challenge different muscles and allow full expansion of the lungs," Parkin said. "Psychologically, it lets people live at the upright level and make eye contact."
Iuly Treger, deputy director of Israel's Loewenstein Rehabilitation Centre, said: "It may be a burdensome device, but it will be very helpful and important for those who choose to use it."
The product, slated for commercial sale in 2010, will cost as much as the more sophisticated wheelchairs on the market, which sell for about $20,000, the company said.
The ReWalk is now in clinical trials in Tel Aviv's Sheba Medical Centre and Goffer said it will soon be used in trials at the Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute in Pennsylvania.
Competing technologies use electrical stimulation to restore function to injured muscle, but Argo's Chief Operating Officer Oren Tamari said they will not offer practical alternatives to wheelchairs in the foreseeable future.
Other "robot suits," like those being developed by the U.S. military or the HAL robot of Japan's University of Tsukuba, are not suitable for paralyzed people, he said. HAIFA, Israel (Reuters) - paralyzed for the past 20 years, former Israeli paratrooper Radi Kaiof now walks down the street with a dim ... more
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