Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on September 30, 2021

Whether youre heading out or staying in, this weeks Hoboken + Jersey City (and beyond) events guide has got you covered with farmers markets, concerts, kid-friendly events, and so much more. Check out this list of all the in-person + virtual events happening in Hoboken, Jersey City, and beyond this weekend, September 29th October 3rd.

Disclaimer:Eventsare subject to change. For the most up-to-date info, please contact the host directly.

Course Begins on Wednesday, October 27th l REGISTER FOR CLASSES NOW

Rabbi Moritts Introduction to Judaism course at Temple Beth-El Jersey City, located at 2419 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Jersey City, Jersey City begins on Wednesday, October 27th. The 20-week course will be held on Wednesday evenings at 7:30PM and is free for members and just $200 total for non-members. This introduction course will focus on the hows and whys of Judaism and cover core concepts, master stories, key figures, Jewish theology and history, prayer + much more.

Email Rabbi Moritt at RabbiMoritt@betheljc.org and click here to register for class and learn more about Introduction to Judaism at Temple Beth-El Jersey City.

Friday, October 1st | 6PM | CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Hobokens Pilsener Haus & Biergarten kicks off its Annual Oktoberfest celebration starting THIS FRIDAY, October 1st at 6PM. This month-long series of events will kick off with a keg tapping followed by an outdoor music festival lasting through the weekend. Oktoberfest is a 200-year-old Bavarian traditional festival of food and drink that is taken very seriously in Hoboken, with live music to top it all off. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Wednesday, September 29th | 6:30PM

Join Urban Souls for the 4th annual Namaste and Ros to support TRUE Mentors. 100% of the proceeds directly benefit children in Hudson County. Doors open at 6:30PM, yoga class begins at 7PM followed by cocktail hour and light refreshments. Learn more here.

Wednesday, September 29th | 6:30PM-7:30PM

Get your flow on with Asana Soul. The class occurs every Wednesday from 6:30PM-7:30PM. The event is free to attend. The location is 210 Hudson Street, Jersey City. Learn more here.

Wednesday, September 29th | 7PM

Head over to House of Que for the Wednesday Karaoke event, every Wednesday. Learn more here.

Thursday, September 30th + Monday, October 4th | 4PM-8PM

The HDSID Summer/Autumn Farmers Market will be at the Grove PATH Plaza every Monday and Thursday now through December 20th. Shop at a variety of local vendors including Stony Hill Farms, Hoboken Farms, Cake Jars, and many more. Learn more here.

Thursday, September 30th | 5PM-12AM

Join CASA for a Girls Night Out at Olivias in Hoboken. The event will go towards children in foster care. Olivias is located at 1038 Garden Street in Hoboken. Reservations are recommended. Learn more here.

Thursday, September 30th | 6PM

Reserve your seat for this Jersey City Female Founders event on Sept 30. featuring Council President Joyce Watterman and JCs very Own Lynn Hazan. You will learn about starting and growing a company in Jersey City with 3 inspiring female business owners and learn about their stories and day-to-day life as entrepreneurs. Learn more here.

Thursday, September 30th | 7PM-10PM

Stop by Corgi Spirits to hear Mike Buscio play, a singer songwriter from Jersey City. Learn more here.

September 30th-October 3rd

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Jersey City Art and Studio Tour with four days filled with art, exhibitions, performances, and more. All can be enjoyed from the comfort of your home. Learn more here.

Thursday, September 30th| 6PM-8PM | Every Thursday

Stop by Roig Collection Art Gallery every Thursday from 6PM-8PM for live music played by local artists, complimentary drinks, and beautiful artwork. Learn more here.

Thursday, September 30th | 6:30PM | Every Thursday

Stop by Gia Gelato in Jersey City on Thursdays at 6:30PM for tango lessons for beginners. Learn more here.

Thursday, September 30th + Oct 1st | 7PM-10PM

Stop by 902 Brewing on Thursday + Friday from 7PM-10PM for live music featuring Dirty City and Mykesoul. Learn more here.

Thursday, September 30th | 7PM-8PM | Every Thursday

The Hoboken Historical Museum hosts a live-streamed program called Hoboken Talks every Thursday that is streamed on Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter and features a different guest every week. This weeks event featuresJennie Pu, HPLs new director. Register here.

Thursday, September 30th + Saturday, October 2nd | 7PM-8PM + 10AM-11AM | Every Thursday + Saturday

Join the Exchange Place Alliance with Zumba instructors Idania and Natalia for a fun and energized Zumba workout. This event will be taking place every Thursday evening from 7PM 8PM and on Saturdays from 10AM 11AM. This event is free and open to the public. Learn more here.

Friday, October 1st, Saturday, October 2nd + Wednesday, October 6th | Every Friday + Wednesday from 3PM-9PM + Saturday, 12PM-6PM

HDSIDs Artist + Maker Market, held at the Grove Street PATH Plaza, in Jersey City, is an open-air bazaar featuring locally crafted fine art and hand-crafted goods from small businesses while connecting artists and artisans with the Jersey City and Metro NYC community. Learn more here.

Friday, October 1st | 7PM

Stop by the Madd Hatter on Friday, October 1st at 7PM for Rage For The Ribbon, a pink-themed party raising funds for the National Breast Cancer Associations. There will be multiple raffles throughout the night, with one major raffle prize of two roundtrip tickets to Vegas and stay at Caesars Palace.

Friday, October 1st, Saturday, October 3rd | Every Friday + Sunday

Stop by Moores Place and join legendary drummer Winard Harper & friends for an old-school jam session Every Friday & Sunday. Moores Place is located at 189 Monticello Avenue in Jersey City. Call (201) 332-4309 for more info. Learn more here.

Saturday, October 2nd

The 11th annual 1Day Hoboken event is returning on Saturday, October 2. With dozens of projects around the city, its a day dedicated to making an impact. Learn more here.

Saturday, October 2nd

Join 902 Brewing on October 2nd for a 5k-ish course that starts and ends at this brewery. All participants will receive a free craft brew from 902 Brewing, a choice of a collectors pint glass or seasonal swag item from the Brewery Running Series, access to giveaways, and much more. The race will support the Lori Sorrentino Hennessey Scholarship, a scholarship named in honor of a local community member who battled breast cancer. The scholarship supports a female student of Italian descent who is pursuing a degree in education.

Saturday, October 2nd | 9AM

The annual American Heart Associations (AHA) NJ Tri-County Heart Walk is taking place on Saturday, October 2nd, and you can participate either virtually OR in-person at Overpeck County Park in Ridgefield Park at 9AM. Walkers and runners can choose to participate at the park or run their own path anywhere else donations to the organization will help improve lives and spread awareness for stroke and heart attack victims, as well as Congenital Heart Defect survivors. One such survivor is our Hoboken Girl founder, Jennifer Tripucka.

Saturday, October 2nd | 9AM-2PM | Every Saturday through December

Stop by the Hoboken Uptown Farmers Market happening every Saturday through December under the 14th Street viaduct. Enjoy live music while you shop for fresh food. Learn more here.

Saturday, October 2nd | 10AM

Join the North Jersey March for Womens Rights including Reproductive freedom on Oct. 2nd at 10AM outside of Montclairs Municipal Building at 205 Claremont Ave. Learn more here.

Saturday, October 2nd | 10AM-1PM

The TRUE Mentors Art in the Park event will be this Saturday, October 2nd from 10AM-1PM. Snacks and ice cream will be provided. There will be a walk around the neighborhood to see two of Hobokens historical murals. Learn more here.

Saturday, October 2nd | 10AM-1PM

Looking for a sustainable way to get rid of some of your gently-used stuff? Stop by the Fall Rummage Sale on October 2nd, 10AM-1PM. You must register to reserve a spot. Learn more here.

Saturday, October 2nd | 10AM-1PM | Every Saturday

Join Clean Green every Saturday 10AM-1PM to volunteer for clean-ups in Hoboken. Learn more here.

Saturday, October 2nd | 11AM-2PM

Stop by the Huge Book Sale at Church Square Park in Hoboken on Saturday, Oct. 2nd, 11AM-2PM. The event is sponsored by Friends of the Library and the Library Foundation and is part of HPLs fall library fair. Stock up on mysteries, YA, childrens books, DVDs, and more. Learn more here.

Saturday, October 2nd | 11AM-6PM | Every Saturday

Smorgasburg brings its incredible foodie expertise to 195 Hudson Street in Jersey City every Saturday. All COVID-19 protocols will be enforced in order to host a safe program for the community. Free to attend. Guests may be required to pre-register to attend. Learn more here.

Saturday, October 2nd | 12PM-6PM

Stop by Mana Contemporary for their first Open House of 2021. The event is free to the public. Learn more here.

Saturday, October 2nd| 5PM | Recurring

Enjoy an authentic Chinese culinary experience led by Chef Gilley. In these live online cooking classes, youll experience training from Chef Gilley as you prepare a variety of classic Chinese recipes completely from scratch.Learn more here.

Saturday, October 2nd | 6PM-8PM

PRIME Gallery and Main Street Pops present TheDivine, an exhibition celebrating artistic expression through the female lens with a showcase of powerful works by three women artists; Nathalie De Zan, Barbara Shelly and Brittany Vogel, each with a unique perspective and compelling stories to share. The event will take place at PRIME Gallery located at 351 Palisade Avenue, Jersey City. For inquiries, contactinfo@mainstreetpops.com.

Saturday, October 2nd | 7PM + 9:30PM | Every Saturday

Head to Brightside Tavern for this weekly comedy show with a new lineup of comedians hosted by Rich Kiamco at Brightside Taverns patio. Learn more here.

Saturday, October 2nd| 8PM

Head over to House of Que for the Dueling Pianos event, every Saturday. Learn more here.

Now-Saturday, October 2nd

Mile Square Theatre returns to the Hudson River waterfront at Sinatra Park for an open-air production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield. With the support of the Hoboken Business Alliance, the play will run from Thursday, September 16th through October 2nd and is completely free to the public. The Complete Works brings three actors together to stumble through all 37 of the Bards plays in 90 hilarious, irreverent minutes. Click here to buy your tickets.

Sunday, October 3rd | 9:30AM

Run the Jersey City Half 5K + 10K on October 3rd this race will support Sustainable JC, which Citytri has partnered with for this Jersey City Fall Half Marathon and day of fundraising. The race begins at 9:30AM in Lincoln Park, JC.

Sunday, October 3rd | 10AM | Every Sunday

Join a 2-mile fun run or walk every Sunday at 10AM. Learn more here.

Sunday, October 3rd | 10AM-1PM | Every Sunday

Join Clean Green every Sunday 10AM-1PM to volunteer for clean-ups in Jersey City, specifically in the Ward B section.

Sunday, October 3rd | 10AM-2PM

The Riverview Farmers Market in Jersey City has fresh produce, baked goods, dairy products, and more every Sunday 10AM-2PM. Learn more here.

Sunday, October 3rd | 11AM-6PM

The annual Hoboken Arts + Music Festival is back and taking place on Sunday, October 3rd from 11AM to 6PM on Washington Street between Observer Highway and 7th Street. Read on to learn about this years festival. The festival will feature artwork, food, clothing, jewelry, flowers, furniture + home decor, and other crafts by local businesses. There will be kid-friendly activities stationed on 3rd Street in the Capital One Bank parking lot. The activities will include rides, games, craft activities, face painting, and more. Learn more here.

Sunday, October 3rd | 2PM | Every Sunday

The SALT Foundation is providing Grab and Go grocery bags for anyone who may need free groceries. The Grab and Go bags will be donated every Sunday at 2PM until the food runs out at 637 Newark Avenue in Jersey City. Learn more here.

Sunday, October 3rd | 2PM

Join the Abortion Rights Rally on October 3rd at the City Hall Plaza in Jersey City. Learn more here.

Sunday, October 3rd | 2PM-6PM

The Jersey City Theater Centers first annual Immigration Arts Summit will take place on Sunday, October 3rd at White Eagle Hall kicking off the 3rd annual Voices International Theatre Festival. The Summit centers on a multi-disciplinary performance mixing dance, film, and poetry presented by immigrant artists from Guinea, Mozambique, Mexico, Jamaica, Columbia, the U.S., and Italy. Learn more here.

Sunday, October 3rd | 6PM | Every Sunday

Head to Brightside Tavern for this weekly comedy show with a new lineup of comedians hosted by Rich Kiamco at Brightside Taverns patio. Learn more here.

Now-October 17th

This festival will take place in venues across Jersey City and online, the theme this year will be art and democracy. The festival will show work from a variety of ethnic, racial, gender, and political perspectives. Learn more here.

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75 Events in Hoboken + Jersey City This Weekend | Sept 29-Oct 3 - hobokengirl.com

Category: Jewish American Heritage Month | Comments Off on 75 Events in Hoboken + Jersey City This Weekend | Sept 29-Oct 3 – hobokengirl.com
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Posted By admin on September 30, 2021

The Broadsheet: Lower Manhattans Local Newspaper

Nutten Out of the Ordinary

Governors Island to Remain Open Throughout the Year

Governors Island, the 172-acre park that has come to be regarded as one of the crown jewels of public space in Lower Manhattan.

Since Governors Island opened to the public in 2005, the 172-acre greensward off Lower Manhattan has become Downtowns equivalent of Central Parkwith one crucial difference. The latter is open 365 days per year, while the quarter-square mile of hills and towering old-growth trees that was called Nutten Island by British settlers in the Colonial Era has, for more than a decade, been accessible to the public only in warm-weather months.

That all changed on Tuesday, when Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that, effective immediately, Governors Island will remain open 12 months per year. The extended season will begin November 1, the day after the facility was slated to close for the year at the end of October.

We have a jewel in New York Harbor, Mr de Blasio said at a press conference on Tuesday. We have a place thats magical, that all New Yorkers should experience. Its going to be a big part of our future. But Governors Island, for a long time, wasnt accessible to New Yorkers for the whole year. Were going to change that. Starting this fall, were going to be opening up Governors Island year-round. Its an amazing place, a great place to go and get a break from the hustle and bustle of the City. Its part of our history. So, we are going to have now, rather than a very limited schedule, historically, from May to October, its going to be year-round that people can go and enjoy everything on Governors Island.

Above: The administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio plans a Center for Climate Solutions on the 33 acres of Governors Island currently available for redevelopment. Below: Clare Newman, president of the Trust for Governors Island.

Beginning on November 1, he said, Governors Island will be open seven days a week from 7:00 am to 6:15 pm. And to match this new schedule, were expanding NYC Ferry service to reach Governors Island daily, year-round, so New Yorkers can really, really enjoy this special place. The expanded ferry service will begin this year, when the Citys planned Coney Island route is launched as part of the NYC Ferry program. That route will now include a stop on Governors Island.

This is an exciting moment in realizing our vision to increase equitable access to this remarkable resource, and an important step in realizing Governors Islands full potential, said Clare Newman, president of the Trust for Governors Island

Lower Manhattans backyard being open year-round is fantastic news for New Yorkers from every borough, as well as for visitors to our City from near and far, said Jessica Lappin, president of the Downtown Alliance.

Governors Island has experienced a renaissance in recent years, welcoming almost one million visitors in 2019 (the last full season before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic). They were drawn, in part, by the debut of recreational amenities such as the Hillsa chain of beautifully landscaped, manmade ridges and bluffs, ranging in height from 26 to 70 feet, adorned with 41,000 shrubs and 860 newly planted trees. Another attraction is Picnic Point, where outdoor cooking grills and wooden dining tables are available for public use. Parents will small children flock to Slide Hill, which features three shorter slides (including a family slide built for two people to ride at once), and a fourth with a curving, 57-foot descentthe longest anywhere in the City.

Above: The scale of the proposed Center for Climate Solutionsup to five million square feethas inspired opposition from Downtown community leaders. Below: This rendering shows the size and location of the development zones that the de Blasio administration plans to build out on Governors Island, in the hope the the revenue brought in by these projects will fund the public amenities elsewhere on the Island.

The island is now also home to an Arts Center, operated by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, and the soon-to-be-expanded Urban Assembly New York Harbor School, which announced a planned buildout earlier this year. Visitors are additionally lured by a broad range of culinary offerings from high-end food trucks, as well as fee-based activities such as zip lining, rock climbing, and the luxury open-air hospitality experience known as glamping.

But controversy also clouds the islands future. The de Blasio administration has plans to recruit a major university or research institution as a partner in creating a Center for Climate Solutions, which will entail developing up to five million square feet of new buildings, some reaching at tall as 360 feet, on an island of low-density historic structures that reach barely a quarter of that height. These would be located on a pair of building sites (comprising a combined total of 33 acres) that the City envisions developing for nonprofit, cultural, educational, or commercial uses.

The initiative is founded on the assumption that some form of massive real estate development is required to generate sufficient cash flow to pay for other, public-benefit activities on Governors Island. This points to another difference between Lower Manhattans backyard and Central Park. The latter is simply understood to be something that is funded by tax revenue, while the former is expected to pay for itself.

But the Mayors proposal for a climate research center is far from the most contentious idea for making Governors Island profitable. During the Democratic mayoral primary earlier this year, then-candidate Andrew Yang, unaware that casinos are prohibited on Governors Island, proposed building one there.

Matthew Fenton

Affordability Comes at a Price

Vacant FiDi Lot with Troubled History Bought by Developer Specializing in Below-Market Rents

A real estate development firm that specializes in building affordable housing nationwide has acquired a site in the Financial District, where it plans to erect a 50-story residential tower. Grubb Properties, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, announced Monday that it had paid $89.15 million for the vacant lot at the corner of Washington and Carlisle Streets. The company plans to build a structure enclosing 340,000 square feet on the 11,000-square-foot site, known both as 111 Washington Street and Eight Carlisle Street.

Ars Gratia Artis

Church Street School Designates a New Leader

A Lower Manhattan cultural mainstay has new leadership. The Church Street School for Music and Art has named Piruz Partow to be the Schools executive director, where he has succeeded co-founder and longtime executive director Dr. Lisa Ecklund-Flores, who stepped down in August, after 30 years at the helm.

The Winds of Change

Sustainable Schooner, Carrying Comestibles, Makes Port in Lower Manhattan

On Saturday, September 25, the South Street Seaport Museum welcomed the Apollonia, a traditional gaff-rigged schooner, capable of carrying 20,000 pounds of cargo.

The Hudson Rivers only carbon-neutral, wind-powered merchant freighter docked at Pier 16 and offloaded a shipment of New York State cider, maple products, wool, and other sustainable goods, for sale at the Fulton Stall Market.

The Apollonia sails regularly between New York Harbor and Hudson Valley towns such as Yonkers, Kingston, Ossining, Newburgh, and Albany as part of an emerging, regional eco-friendly supply chain.

The Annual Battery Park City

Blessing of the Animals

Sunday, October 3, 2021, 11 a.m.

Sirius Dog Run, Kowsky Plaza

at the end of Liberty Street, Battery Park City

A non-denominational service.

All people and pets are welcome.

This is a great opportunity to welcome the fall season with a show of love and appreciation for our beloved pets.

BPC Dogs

9AM-6PM

SING FOR HOPE PIANOS

29 Liberty St Fosun Plaza

The highly regarded Sing for Hope Pianos program returns to 28 Liberty Plaza (Fosun Plaza) today, September 29, from 9 am. to 6 pm.

10 artist-designed pianos are available for anyone and everyone to play as a one-day-only special event.

Each of the vibrantly colorful pianos were made by local artists, and celebrate a past collaboration from across the entirety of the Sing for Hope Pianos program. Presentation of Art for All Award to Daphne Ruben-Vega will be at 12:30pm.

6PM

Community Board 1 Executive Committee

AGENDA

1. Capital and Expense Budget Items for FY 2023 Discussion

2. WTC Site 5 Project Update by Empire State Development Corporation

3. Virtual vs. Hybrid meetings in October Discussion

4. 1 Fulton Street, application for alteration and method of operation change of liquor license for HHC Fulton Retail LLC d/b/a 10 Corso Cosmo Resolution

5. 88 West Broadway, application for liquor license for HBM Tribeca LLC d/b/a Homemade by Miriam Resolution

6. 114 Franklin Street, application for liquor license for Casa Carmen LLC d/b/a TBD Resolution

7. 135 Reade Street, application for liquor license for Tribeca Hospitality Group LLC d/b/a 135 Resolution

8. 184 Duane Street, request for waiver of SLA two (2) restroom rules for LM Cafe, LLC d/b/a Laughing Man Cafe Resolution

9. 5 Beekman Street, application for liquor license for Dinex Beekman Street, LLC d/b/a TBD Resolution

10. 100 Church Street, basement, application for liquor license for a Private Members Club for 100 Church Street Club, Inc. d/b/a TBD Resolution

11. 133 Greenwich Street, application for liquor license for 133 Greenwich LLC d/b/a TBD Resolution

12. 399 Greenwich Street, application for renewal of liquor license for GST 399 Inc d/b/a Greenwich Street Tavern Resolution

13. Committee reports

12:30PM

Meeting of the BPCA Audit Committee

Battery Park City Authority

5:30PM

Brookfield Place

The Food for Thought series continues its pursuit of three goals to restart, revive, and reconnect. Join the conversation on Thursday, September 30 at 5:30 PM with guest speaker and communication expert Caitlin Harper, founder of communication consultancy Commcoterie, who will discuss how to best communicate and collaborate effectively to strengthen your relationships and succeed. Free

6PM

Community Board 1CB 1 Monthly Meeting

CB 1 records all meetings and posts them to YouTube for unlimited public access.

7PM

Museum of Jewish Heritage

Since the first Superman comic was published in 1938, there has been a persistent fascination with superheroes. Today, we see them everywhere: television, movies, comics, toys, and anywhere else one can think of. Jews have played an important role in superhero culture, both as characters and creators. Join the Museum for a program exploring Jewish superheroes with comic book writer Marguerite Bennett (DC Bombshells) and editor Danny Fingeroth (Marvels Spiderman Comics Line). They will be in conversation with journalist Abraham Riesman, author of True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee.$ 10

7PM

ART HOUSE CLASSICS: 7 BOXES

Battery Park City Authority VIRTUAL PROGRAM

Click to watch some Squirrels play

More Cappuccinos, Less Broccoli

Lower Manhattan Retail Landscape Sends Mixed Signals

Three indicators paint an equivocal portrait of the economic outlook for Lower Manhattan. The most upbeat of these is the so-called Pret Index, a metric created by Bloomberg News, which tracks the sales of lattes at various outposts of Pret A Manger, a chain of sandwich shops that largely serves office workers in urban business districts.

Data released by Bloomberg on Tuesday indicates that, among Pret A Manger locations in the Financial District and Tribeca, sales of cappuccino drinks, set a new pandemic high last week, recovering to 45 percent of sales levels from January, 2020just before the advent of COVID-19.

Sufficient Unto the Dey

Lottery Opens for New Affordable Apartments in Financial District Building

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Original post:
The BroadsheetDAILY ~ 9/29/21 ~ Governors Island to Remain Open Throughout the Year - ebroadsheet.com

Category: Jewish American Heritage Month | Comments Off on The BroadsheetDAILY ~ 9/29/21 ~ Governors Island to Remain Open Throughout the Year – ebroadsheet.com
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Posted By admin on September 28, 2021

After almost 20 years of being in the classroom I still love teaching. The reason I love teaching is that I have the privilege of teaching Judaism in Jerusalem to college freshmen spending their gap year in yeshivot and seminaries.Judaism for me is the greatest idea in the history of the world and the opportunity to share that idea with my students whom I see as my extended family, is a powerful and electric experience for me. While I am aware of how much of a clich this sounds, I really do look at each of my students as a younger brother or sister. I actually care about them and cheer for them as they make their way in this world.

My own Jewish take on things is quite simple. I really believe that at least one of the following must be true:

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Either there is a God who takes an active role in this world, the same one that made a covenant with Abraham almost 4000 years ago, pledging we would be for Him a people and He would be for us a God. It cast a special role for us Abrahams children. It comes with special obligations and burdens, but grants the gift of eternity to its adherents.

Or, perhaps there is no God. God never made this covenant, which was merely a fiction created by a tribe of desert nomads, a group of religious geniuses who stumbled upon a narrative, theology, and system of rituals that have preserved them as a distinct and separate people for close to four millennia. And in their distinction they have enriched the world through philosophy, science, math, ethics, medicine, theology, literature, physics, astronomy, and the arts.

Either way, I want to be on Team Jew. Team Jew is a formula for morality, ethics, and eternity.

I remember reading once that a great philosopher pointed out, almost as a moral condemnation, that those Jews who did not convert to Christianity in the 19th century and remained steadfast in their Jewish identity and observance damned their progeny to be murdered in the Holocaust. My immediate reaction was to be troubled by that thought, until a second later I realized that the philosopher got it all wrong.

While those Jews who did not convert did have their descendants murdered in the Holocaust; those that did convert and assimilated to become Christian Europeans damned their children to be the murderers! Between the two options, I think the choice is clear.

As for an educational method, I find too many teachers use a top-down approach. They walk into the classroom with an agenda. The agenda might be to dictate his or her own way of thinking to a student. Or the agenda may be to drill the subject or course into the head of the student. I fear there are too many teachers of Judaism that feel they have the truth and it is their job to convince their students of that same truth.

When I enter a classroom, my first thought is how can I share my excitement about Judaism in a way that will be as exciting for a teenager as it is for me as a middle-aged man? I ask myself, what are the questions I would want to ask if I was their age? I ask those questions out loud and I am not afraid to say that I dont have the answers. I do not know why the Holocaust happened. I do not know why bad things happen to good people. I do not know why we were created. Nor do I know what the purpose of life is. I am honest with my students about my own failings as both a human being and as a Jew. While I do believe it is important for the students to have tzaddikim, righteous individuals, for them to look up to, I do not serve in that role.

My role is that of a fellow thinker. I share their doubts and offer my students a path to navigate their way out of its dark shadows. I share with them, not an Oxford Debate Club reason to believe, but a real down to earth way of wrapping ones head around God and Torah. If my students were to come out just like me, I failed as a teacher. I want them to come out as better versions of themselves.

I understand that my class is but one of many distractions going on in their lives. I more than understand the allure of binge watching a show on Netflix and even though I do not have a Hollywood writers room to punch up my script, I purposely try to make my class as engaging as their favorite shows without watering down the Torah. I try to offer meaning and purpose to their lives as young humans and young Jews, something even their favorite shows cannot offer.

When God chose to translate His ideas to the world, He chose the method of storytelling to convey His divine teachings. I try to mimic that, by framing my classes through the lens of story as well.

And it is through the story of the Jewish people that I help my students find their role and help them craft their line on the next stage of Jewish history.

The writer holds a doctorate in Jewish philosophy and teaches in post-high-school yeshivot and midrashot in Jerusalem.

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The importance of teaching in Judaism - The Jerusalem Post

Category: Judaism | Comments Off on The importance of teaching in Judaism – The Jerusalem Post
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Posted By admin on September 28, 2021

Jennah Bauernfeind was raised in a Lutheran household but never really took to her Christian faith. Meanwhile, Joshua, her husband, grew up without much religion at all. But the absence of faith marked a deficit in their lives, and as 2019 came to a close, they each decided to investigate world religions determined to find something that suited them both.

Serendipitously, independent searching brought them to the same conclusion: They would become Jews.

Reform Judaism felt right to both a feeling cemented by meeting Temple Kol Ami Rabbi Jeremy Schneider. They attended Shabbat services virtually the pandemic had just begun and started talking about an official conversion process. Next month, when the couple takes Introduction to Judaism, they will be fulfilling the first requirement to become a Reform Jew.

Twice a year in Greater Phoenix, four Reform synagogues Congregation Beth Israel, Temple Chai, TKA and Temple Solel offer the introductory class under the aegis of the Union for Reform Judaism, the movements umbrella organization. The class starts Oct. 7 and has 16 sessions, which touch on a wide range of subjects: holidays, life cycle celebrations, prayer, sacred texts, theology, not to mention the breadth of Jewish history, including the Holocaust and the American Jewish experience.

In each iteration one of the four synagogues takes the lead in hosting the class and setting the curriculum while clergy from the others assist.

The students have different reasons for coming. Some are Jewish and looking to brush up on their education which likely stopped at a bar or bat mitzvah. Some are non-Jews, not looking to convert, but merely interested in expanding their general religious knowledge. But most students are considering converting or have begun the process. All four synagogues require the class for conversion.

Next month, hosting falls to Schneider.

Even though the class comes fast on the heels of High Holidays, a rabbis busiest season, Schneider finds teaching invigorating. And hes been elucidating Jewish concepts since he was in high school. He had to he was one of only three Jewish students out of 3,000 in his Houston public school and people had questions.

He loved it, even when some lessons necessitated a deft touch so as not to offend.

When his high school attempted to teach kids the dangers of drunk driving by talking about the possibility of fatal accidents, they illustrated the point by showing graves topped with crosses. At 16, Schneider pointed out that not every grave is marked with a cross. He still finds himself raising similar issues.

He likes to surprise and challenge students in his intro classes by talking Jewish right off the bat, he said. Semantics matter, and his class is a safe space for students to break down familiar words and phrases that are often misleading or wrong.

When students use Old Testament to describe the Hebrew Bible or follow the year 2021 with A.D. instead of C.E., for example, it is a reflection of living in a majority Christian society.

This class is a chance to see the world through a new lens, a Jewish lens, he said.

But his priority is showing students how to do Jewish rather than teaching a rote list of things Jews believe, he said, and emphasized that Judaism isnt something to be done while sitting on a couch eating popcorn.

Im a very visual person so whenever I teach, I always like to do activities and not just explain it from a book or as a lecture, he said. A lesson on Passover will involve a model seder for Sukkot, students make a sukkah out of graham crackers and candy.

Every moment of the day is a teachable moment. I teach through, doing, living, being everything, he said.

It helps that this falls course will be hybrid both in person at TKA and virtual for those who still arent comfortable being in a group.

Solel Rabbi Debbie Stiel taught the course last spring virtually. That limited one-on-one conversations as well as the students ability to get familiar with the space in the synagogue, she said, but the class did get to know each other fairly well and had some deep conversations on areas of Judaism that were important to them.

Engagement photo of Steven Giordano and his fiancee, Jessica Grossman.

Steven Giordano took the course with Stiel and didnt find the virtual aspect a problem. There were moments of lost internet connection, but things ran smoothly overall, he said. The big plus was that his Jewish fiancee, Jessica Grossman, could join him from time to time.

The couple met at University of Arizonas Hillel, where they both worked. In fact, his friends were a little surprised to hear he had signed up for the course. Even though he isnt Jewish, his time at Hillel had surely taught him the basics, they assumed. But the course covers so much ground, he said, the couple both learned a lot.

Its like a refresher if you are Jewish, Giordano said. And if youre not Jewish, its really helpful.

Schneider agreed with that assessment. Most Jewish students havent had a Jewish education in 20 years and have likely never had an adult Jewish education, and that puts them on a similar footing with students new to Judaism, he said.

Theyre all a blank slate.

The Bauernfeinds are anxious for the instruction to begin. Though they had the option of taking the class virtually during the pandemic, they decided to wait for an in-person opportunity since community is part of what we were looking for when we decided to pursue conversion, Jennah said.

They attended the recent High Holiday services in person, fasted on Yom Kippur and are ready to hit the ground running.

We love to learn, which is also why Judaism fits us so well. JN

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Whether converting or 'refreshing,' intro to Judaism class welcomes students in person next month - Jewish News of Greater Phoenix

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Posted By admin on September 28, 2021

From the outside, HaOgen Cafe looks a lot like the many other espresso spots that line the streets of Tel Aviv.

Located just north of the central Dizengoff Square, it has floor-to-ceiling windows and a colorful chalkboard sidewalk easel that, on a recent weekday, advertised breakfast sandwiches and an upcoming acoustic concert. Inside, a crowd of 20- and 30-somethings sit at tables, typing away at laptops. Its decorated with string lights and floor plants, with upbeat quotes and doodles scribbled in marker on the opaque windows in the back.

But HaOgen also offers something its neighborhood competitors do not the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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Thanks to this trendy location the ministry gained access to a whole new group of people in their city who are in great need of a Savior, reads a 2019 blog post on the website of the Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries, a Messianic organization that describes HaOgen as a member of the fellowship.

The coffee shops deep ties to Dugit and Messianic Judaism, a movement that believes in the divinity of Jesus while claiming to practice Judaism, are not immediately detectable to patrons. A bookshelf at the back of the cafe is stocked with Hebrew copies of the New Testament and stacks of pamphlets about the Messiah, and the cafes logo is an anchor, a historical symbol of Christianity.

Yet no signage inside or outside indicates any ties between HaOgen and any organization or religious movement. Nor does the cafes website mention its affiliation with Dugit or any religious mission.

I didnt know it was owned by missionaries, said Jessica Arnovitz, a Jewish American immigrant to Israel who lives near the cafe. Ive been before, and its a nice place.

Messianic Judaism, some of whose followers were known in the past as Jews for Jesus, appears to be growing in Israel. Messianic Jews refer to Jesus as Yeshua and use Christian holy books, such as the New Testament, that have been translated to Hebrew. Messianic Jewish groups often have ties to explicitly Christian organizations, and none of the mainstream Jewish movements consider them Jewish. As with many mainstream Christian denominations, missionary work is part of Messianic practice.

Dugits executive director told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that the cafe is not the site of efforts to proselytize to Jews. In fact, he said, Dugit does not directly run HaOgen although he said it does own the space and pay the salary of the cafes manager, a man named Argo who is also the lead pastor of an Ethiopian Messianic congregation. Argo declined an interview request from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

He added, Now, if [customers] ask us what we believe, we tell them, but we dont go and, as we call this, missionize people or, or convert people.

Only proselytizing to minors without their parents consent and offering religious conversions in exchange for a material gift are barred by Israeli law. But there is a widely held misconception that missionary activity in the country is illegal, and the government has at times seemed open to advancing that reputation. In its 2010 International Religious Freedom Report, the US State Department wrote that Israel has taken a number of steps that encouraged the perception that proselytizing is against government policy, such as detaining missionaries and citing proselytism as a reason to deny student, work, and religious visa extensions.

The idea that missionary work is illegal and the associated idea that believers in Jesus face persecution because of their faith leads many Messianics in Israel to mask their activities, according to Sarah Posner, a journalist and author who writes extensively on evangelical Christianity.

[Messianics] really played up the idea that proselytizing to Jews is illegal in Israel, Posner said. Its not as severe as they make it out to be, but they do play that up as evidence that they arent treated fairly. Elsewhere in the world, and especially in the United States, there arent those constraints at all, so they dont have a reason to have a cafe that seems like it has nothing to do with religion and is just a place you can go get a coffee.

Most Israelis who identify as Messianic have direct Jewish ancestry, while in the United States, youre more likely to encounter people who identify as Messianic Jews but are actually evangelical Christians, Posner said, adding that many American evangelical Christian churches fundraise for Messianic congregations and missionary efforts in Israel.

The number of Messianic Jews in Israel has multiplied in recent decades, according to representatives of the community. Today, Messianics in Israel number some 10,000 to 20,000, according to Yonatan Allon, managing editor of Kehila, an umbrella organization for Messianics in Israel. Representatives of the community attribute the growth partially to missionizing efforts and partially to immigration. There are Messianic congregations that reach out specifically to Russian-speaking as well as Ethiopian Israelis.

In 1999, the number of believers in total was approximately 5,000, Alec Goldberg, Israel Director of the Caspari Center, an evangelical organization in Israel, said in a 2019Q&A on the centers website. Today, 5,000 is just the number of believers in Russian-speaking congregations in Israel. And of course, as observers of the Messianic scene in Israel are aware, the number of local ministries has also multiplied, with new initiatives constantly underway.

Those initiatives include more than 70 Messianic congregations throughout Israel, according to Kehila, including one, Adonai Roi, run by Dugit and led by Mizrachi thats a a seven-minute walk away from HaOgen.

In addition to the cafe and the Messianic congregation, Dugits website says it runs a prayer room in Tel Aviv, a charity for the poor and an annual conference for women. The website also says Dugit was involved in an evangelical TV station that Israels broadcasting authority shut downlast year.

The messaging of these Messianic groups is very evangelical, Posner said. For a lot of Israeli Jews, its an unfamiliar message, unless they have a lot of political connections with evangelical Christians who, as we know, are very interested in supporting Israel and supporting settlements.

Thats unlikely to describe the typical customer of a Tel Aviv coffee shop, so some in Israel are working to alert potential HaOgen visitors to what their patronage supports.

Recently, two years after it opened, HaOgen caught the attention of Beyneynu, an Israeli organization that monitors missionary activity in the country. Founded last year by Shannon Nuszen, an American immigrant to Israel and former evangelical missionary who converted to Orthodox Judaism, the watchdog group made headlines earlier this year after it outed a family that had been actively involved in a haredi Orthodox Jerusalem community for several years but were actually Christian missionaries.

Nuszen declined an interview request, but the nonprofit wrote on Facebook last month that it had received tips regarding HaOgen Cafes Messianic mission. The post said that Beyneynu has no objection to people of different faiths operating businesses in Tel Aviv but wanted to alert potential customers to the cafes ties.

People should know, however, that this eatery is not just another bohemian caf. Rather, it is part of a well-funded, organized effort by evangelical donors to convert young, vulnerable Jews to Christianity, the Facebook post said. Were simply asking for transparency and respect.

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At this Tel Aviv cafe, baristas will serve you espresso and Jesus - The Jerusalem Post

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Posted By admin on September 28, 2021

Nobody wants to be the one to start something, especially a religion. There are two ways of handling this: Either say you are actually reviving a religion that fell into disuse longer ago than anyone can remember (thats how Judaism started: read your Bible), or say that you are reforming one thats already there (Christianity, which started as Reform Judaism; and Protestantism, which started as Reform Catholicism). Rosemary Edghill

Contemporary polytheism is great or whatever, but dont you kind of wish you could blow off all the established traditions out there and start your very own cult of personality?

Chin up, budding tyrant! You absolutely can, and Im here to help. Just follow the simple process outlined below, and youll be on your way to commanding a Pagan corner of the Internet with fire in your heart and Fix-a-Flat in your ego.

Pick an obscure, ancient, Near Eastern or Indo-European culture, preferably one with an unknown or untranslated language. (When in doubt, go with Etruscan.)

Read a couple of books on the subject.

Double-check to see if anyone else has already founded a Reconstructionist and/or Reconnectionist tradition based on the religious practices of the same culture. If such a tradition already exists, reach out to the adherents, so that you may learn from each other and enjoy fellowship and symbiotic spiritual growth.

Write your own book, the introduction of which must begin with Never before and end with Forgotten until now.

Create a Facebook page.

Destroy all who oppose you, with self-righteousness and unverifiable personal gnosis as your gleaming sword and shield.

As you may have surmised, there was an Incident on the Social Media, and Im Having Feelings about it. Im not going to name names or point fingers, because I am passive-aggressive rise above. I will, however, make up a fictional recon trad and use that as the context for an actual online conversation.

Polytheistic Guru/Admin: Good morning, devotees! Ive uploaded a calendar of the Proto-Lithuanian Unicorn Clan ritual cycle to our Files section. Of course, we do not know if the Clan had a formalized ritual cycle, since, the Proto-Lithuanian language has never been translated, so Ive reworked what we know of their seasonal celebrations to align with the standard Pagan holidays.

Group Member: I appreciate you sharing this! I came up with something very similar when I was working on my dissertation in Proto-Lithuanian Studies, and it looks like our calendars are remarkably compatible. I do have one question, though what led you to match the Festival of the Gelded Centaur with Lammas?

PG/A: Why do you ask?

GM: Well, back when I was collaborating on the Proto-Lithuanian Unicorn Clan Archeological Almanac, we were able to determine that the annual stallion castrations in pre-Christian Baltic territories generally took place in early Spring, so Im wondering if we missed something in our research. Thanks in advance for any clarification you can provide!

PG/A: Look, I tolerate polite dissent, but only to a point.

GM: Um, what?

PG/A: You need to understand that personal experience is always more valid than what any academic has to say.

GM: But I didnt I only meant You know what? I think Ill just quietly unsubscribe and go play on Twitter.

And then she left the group, and I snuck out right behind her.

Pre-Sober Pit Bull Me wouldve lost his marbles over the whole thing and thrown a few uncalled-for punches before flouncing out the door. But Im older and wiser calmer now, and I understand that snarling at some swollen-headed douche fountain isnt going to change anyones mind or make any kind of real difference.

Instead, I choose to focus on gratitude over resentment. For example, I am grateful for the members of a different virtual forum, whose discussions go something like this:

New Group Member: Hello! Can anyone recommend a good introductory book on the Proto-Lithuanian Unicorn Clan?

Group Admin: Sure! There are a lot of solid resources out there, but I suggest starting with either The Proto-Lithuanian Unicorn Clan Definitely Had a Formalized Ritual Cycle and This Is It, or The Proto-Lithuanian Language Is Really Easy to Translate, on Account of Its Basically Just Prussian with Three Extra Vowels. I hope this helps!

It does help, Mr. Welcoming and Accessible Proto-Lithuanian Unicorn Clan Reconstruction Guy. Mightily does it help indeed.

In the interest of transparency, I should mention that I originally wrote this article for a short-lived blog project called The Second Coming of Bacchus. Aweek or so after I published it, I met with my sponsor to work on a Fourth Step, and, as we are wont to do, we immediately drifted off-topic.

Sponsor: Ive been to three yoga classes in the past two days.

Me: Just out of curiosity, have you ever looked into yoga teaching certification?

Sponsor: I have, and Ive figured out how much money I would need in the bank in order to quit my job and pursue it.

Me: Youve really thought this through, huh?

Sponsor: Yup. My dream is to wake up every day and just do yoga and go fishing.

Me: Hmmm. Maybe I should quit my job and follow my dreams, too.

Sponsor: What, like starting your own Pagan religion?

Me: Oh, thats already on my Harms Done list.

Sponsor:

And then I told him about the Proto-Lithuanian Unicorn Clan, and he stopped blinking for like five minutes.

Considering he knows more about me than my family, my boyfriend, and my leather club combined, the fact that Im still able to render him speechless is pretty impressive.

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How to Become the Undisputed Ruler of a Polytheistic Religion in Five Easy Steps - Patheos

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Posted By admin on September 28, 2021

Before the Spanish Inquisition, the island of Mallorca had a sizeable Jewish community. Every fall, the island became dotted with the leaf-roofed huts that Jews are commanded to erect during the holiday of Sukkot.

But that all changed under the Inquisitions campaign of persecution that began in 1488 (four years before it started on Spains mainland) and was only officially abolished centuries later in 1834.

This year, however, the islands tiny Jewish community in the capital Palma was determined to reintroduce its Sukkot tradition with a public statement. Ahead of the holiday, the Jewish community along with the municipality of Palma erected what organizers are calling the islands first public sukkah since the Inquisition, situated in the citys former Jewish Quarter.

Its one of several firsts for the Jews of Mallorca, and its especially meaningful because it restores something from this communitys past, said Dani Rotstein, founder of Limud Mallorca and secretary of the Jewish Community of the Balearic Islands.

To be fair, Palma has seen its share of sukkahs since the Inquisition. The city and the island, which is a popular vacation destination off of Spains eastern shores, for decades has had a small but active Jewish community of about 100 members, plus several Jewish expats. They are celebrating the 50th anniversary since British expats founded the community in 1971. Palma also has a synagogue, a small Jewish museum and a resident rabbi.

But this years weeklong holiday of Sukkot will mark the first time that a sukkah will be built on public grounds with funding from the local municipality. Jews and non-Jews will be able to enjoy cultural programming, including lectures in the sukkah and tours of the area, over the course of two weeks.

The public sukkah is part of a European-wide initiative European Days of Jewish Culture, a series of events celebrating Jewish heritage in dozens of cities in Europe each year in September and October.

This development is the latest in a series of moves by Rotstein and others designed to commemorate the pre-Inquisition presence of Jews in Mallorca, who became known as chuetas, the local name for anusim or those who were forcibly converted to Christianity during the Inquisition.

On Rosh Hashanah, local Jews hosted a festive service and musical concert to celebrate the new Jewish year, with the cooperation of a local Catalan cultural center, in its garden located in the old Jewish quarter.

It was symbolic to participants because of a painful chapter in the history of Mallorcas Jewish community. In 1677, local crypto-Jews, who risked their lives by practicing their faith while pretending to be Christian, held a Yom Kippur service in secret in a garden outside the city walls.

Local Jews say that when Spanish rulers learned about the service, they salted the gardens soil to ensure that nothing could ever grow there again, and doubled down on eradicating Jewish celebrations from the island.

In recent years, authorities have made an effort to acknowledge and atone for such atrocities.

In 2018, local authorities unveiled a memorial plaque at the Palma square where 37 crypto-Jews were publicly burned in what was once known locally as the bonfire of the Jews.

In 2015, the city helped build a small Jewish museum in what used to be the Jewish quarter and that same year the parliaments of Spain and Portugal passed laws that give descendants of Sephardic Jews the right to citizenship. Millions of dollars in public funds are being invested in preserving and developing Jewish heritage sites in those countries.

Ironically, societys exclusion of chuetas proved to be the key to Judaisms revival in Mallorca, historians say: because they were not allowed to intermarry freely with the Christian population, chuetas married among themselves.

In recent years, chuetas who returned to Judaism and converted have taken the communitys reins.

Iska Valls, a chueta returnee to Judaism, Its a victory [over] the Inquisition and proof that we are like a phoenix, rising once more from the ashes.

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For Mallorca's Jews, first 'public' sukkah is a triumph over the Spanish Inquisition - jewishpresstampa

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Posted By admin on September 28, 2021

There have been many great Jewish baseball players throughout history, from Hall of Famers Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg to former Astros Brad Ausmus and Norm Miller.

On Oct. 3 at 5 p.m., Houstonians will have an opportunity to place themselves right next to greatness.

Temple Beth Torah is hosting a special virtual presentation with baseball enthusiast Greg Harris, who brought together dozens of Jewish baseball players for a special edition painting.

One lucky person will win a custom-made painting that includes the famous Jewish players, as well as their own likeness painted into the crowd right above Koufax, Greenberg and others.

Its a great gift for a Bar MItzvah, a grandchild or to honor someone who has passed away, Temple Beth Torah Rabbi Dan Gordon told the JHV. And, we are hoping it can be done in time for Chanukah.

There is no cost for the Zoom presentation, and one can purchase raffle tickets for the custom-made painting. All proceeds will go to Temple Beth Torah and its programming in Northeast Houston.

A winner will be announced during the presentation, although you dont need to be virtually in attendance to win.

During the presentation, Harris will tell in-depth and behind-the-scenes stories of how the painting came together, as well as details about the players themselves.

Its not just for your baseball nut, Harris told the JHV. These are good, human-interest stories about Jewish baseball players.

Harris, whose first job was as a peanut vendor at Wrigley Field in Chicago, has always had a passion for baseball. When he first came up with the idea to get all of the players on the painting, the task seemed like an uphill battle.

After working the proper channels and getting the approved licensing and player permissions, Harris commissioned artist Ron Lewis to paint the work of art in 2013.

The 24-inch-by-36-inch painting includes 26 current and former Jewish baseball players, along with nine prominent Jewish figures, including fans like Rob Reiner, Larry King and Billy Crystal. One thousand lithographs were made and personally autographed by most of the players.

Harris since has raised nearly half-a-million dollars for multiple charities through the works of art.

For Temple Beth Torah, the opportunity to hear Harris speak was a perfect match for a baseball-loving rabbi.

I certainly hope everyone will enjoy learning about the connection between Judaism and Jewish people and baseball, Rabbi Gordon said. People can look at role models in different ways. We can connect Jewish concepts of teamwork and sportsmanship to understand the connection.

Rabbi Gordon always has been a huge baseball fan, often combining his love of the game with Judaism. He has intertwined baseball in his sermons, as well as written essays showing the similarities in baseball and Judaism in the book, Whats Jewish About Americas Favorite National Pastime? published by Houstons Rabbi Judy Abrams, of blessed memory.

Rabbi Gordon grew up in Pittsburgh, a big fan of Roberto Clemente and the Pirates.

The first baseball game I ever attended was Roberto Clemente Night at Three Rivers Stadium on July 24, 1970, Rabbi Gordon said. Clemente was a role model for me, not only dedicating himself to the game he loved, but also helping people.

When Rabbi Gordon moved to Houston in 1990, he quickly converted to being an Astros fan. He also enjoyed following the careers of the Jewish players, both past and present.

When Rabbi Gordon heard about Harris getting all of the Jewish players together for the painting, it was an instant hit.

Ive always loved to bring my two loves of baseball and Judaism together, Rabbi Gordon said. Everyone knows Im a big baseball fan and I just think this would be great for our synagogue.

To join the Zoom and/or purchase a raffle ticket for the custom-made painting, visit temple-beth-torah.org/just-in-time-for-the-baseball-playoffs/ or email [emailprotected].

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Temple Beth Torah raffling off custom-made Jewish baseball painting that can include you in the crowd - Jewish Herald-Voice

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Posted By admin on September 28, 2021

One year after the Abraham Accords between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Israel-Bahrain ~ Morocco and Sudan signed on a few months later ~ marking the normalisation of relations between Arab-Maghreb nations and the worlds only Jewish state came into effect, the larger West Asian region remains a global flashpoint. The unravelling of the Afghan issue has not helped the situation.

But even taking that ongoing disaster into account, the progress which was expected to be made following this civilisational dtente between Judaism and Islam, and the modern nation-states they have found structural expression in, has been mixed at best. The accords are named after Abraham to emphasise the shared origin of belief between Judaism and Islam, both of which are Abrahamic religions that espouse the monotheistic worship of a singular, supreme God. But it is in the hands of ordinary mortals that the implementation of the accords rest.

There have been some positives, notably the opening of the first Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi and that of the UAE in Tel Aviv, the appointment of the first Israeli and Bahraini ambassadors to each others countries, and the establishment of liaison offices between Israel and Morocco which are expected to be upgraded to embassies in the near future. Yet, it is the opportunities lost that are arguably of greater significance. The consensus among scholars on the region is that the prospect of Israeli-Palestinian peace, especially through a two-state solution which the accords were expected to help achieve, remains as elusive as ever. This, in turn, keeps Israels pariah status among its neighbours and the wider Muslim world unchanged. The addition of four more predominantly Sunni/Arab nations to Egypt and Jordan that are willing to work constructively with Israel has also proven of little consequence vis--vis the Iran situation; the election of a hard-line Iranian president, the accelerated pace of uranium enrichment by Tehran, and the stalemate around reviving the nuclear deal have ensured there is no relief from that quarter either.

In the Maghreb, meanwhile, the Tunisian President Kais Saied has dismissed parliament, suspended the constitution, and declared a state of emergency. Opinion is split in West Asia on whether this was required to prevent an Islamist takeover of the country or whether it was a coup.

Either way, neither Israel nor its Arab neighbours, nor indeed Washington, want to as much as talk about it seriously, forget doing anything about it. Some experts believe the fact that the accords were negotiated by former US President Donald J. Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner and political adviser Avi Berkowitz has made the Joe Biden Administration less than enthusiastic in following through on their implementation. Shibley Telhami and Marc Lynch writing in The Washington Post point out that the results of the Middle East Scholar Barometer, a survey of area specialists, endorses the view that there has been very little to show in terms of tangible achievements a year after the Abraham Accords were inked.

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A year on - The Statesman

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Posted By admin on September 28, 2021

Knesset members faced criticism on Saturday night for voting to limit workplaces with coronavirus regulations but not applying the rules to themselves.

Channel 12 reported that Knesset staff members have expressed outrage that MKs will not be obligated by the Green Pass that is required for non-MKs in the building, as well as for teachers and other state employees.

MKs have immunity, so they cannot be asked if they have been vaccinated. But they can be asked to undergo regular COVID-19 PCR or antigen tests.

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Knesset House Committee chairman Nir Orbach (Yamina) urged Knesset Speaker Mickey Levy (Yesh Atid) and director-general Gil Segal to find a way to resolve the dispute.

There is no reason why we should not have to present documentation proving we were vaccinated or tested, Orbach said.

Knesset Health Committee chairwoman Idit Silman (Yamina) said the fact that MKs have immunity from prosecution did not give them immunity from COVID-19. She said MKs should set a personal example for the good of their health and that of other workers at the Knesset.

Strategic Planning Minister Eli Avidar (Yisrael Beytenu), who vocally resisted getting vaccinated for months, said MKs had confided in him that they had quietly made the same decision.

MKs Ayman Odeh (Joint List), Matan Kahana (Yamina), Sami Abou Shehadeh (Joint List), Yisrael Eichler (United Torah Judaism), Yakov Asher (United Torah Judaism), Yoav Ben-Tzur (Shas), Moshe Abutbul (Shas), Yinon Azoulay (Shas), Itamar Ben-Gvir (Religious Zionist Party), Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionist Party), Vladimir Beliak (Yesh Atid), Inbar Bezek (Yesh Atid), Ofir Akunis (Likud) and Blue and White ministers Pnina Tamano-Shata and Orit Farkash-Hacohen have also suffered from COVID-19 as well as Yisrael Beytenus Hamed Amer.

The Likud accused Prime Minister Naftali Bennett of a massive blunder that led to the deaths since the current government was formed in June.

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MKs face criticism for not following the same COVID rules they voted for - The Jerusalem Post

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