Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on November 19, 2020

By: Reuven Chaim Klein

The Torah uses three different words to refer to Rebecca as a girl:naarah(Gen. 24:14; 24:16; 24:28; 24:55; 24:57),betulah(Gen. 24:16), andalmah(Gen. 24:43). Of course, the most common Hebrew word for girl isyaldah.Each of these four words also has a masculine counterpart that means boy (naar, bachur, elem,andyeled). In this essay we will seek to understand the possible nuances expressed by these four sets of words, and show how they are not true synonyms.

Lets begin with the termsnaar/naarah. The Talmud (Kesuvos39a) definesnaarahas a girl from the age of twelve until six months after she has reached physical maturity. This would suggest that the termnaarfor a boy likewise refers specifically to a boy at the age of thirteen. Indeed, Rashi (to Gen. 25:27) explains that when the Torah refers to Jacob and Esau asnearim, this means that they were thirteen. This also explains why Ishmael was called anaarwhen the angels visited Abraham (see Rashi to Gen. 18:7) at that time he was thirteen years old (see Gen. 17:25).

Nonetheless, it is quite difficult to definenaar/naarahas belonging to a certain age bracket because we find those words used in the Bible multiple times to refer to girls who were not twelve years old and boys who were not thirteen. Case in point: the Torah refers to Rebecca as anaarahwhen Eliezer chose her as Isaacs wife, yet none of the commentators explain that she was twelve years old. According toSeder Olam(ch. 1), she was three years old when she married Isaac, which is too young to fit our definition ofnaarah; and according toSifrei(to Deut. 33:21), she was fourteen years old, which is too old.

This problem is compounded when we survey the various males referred to as anaarin the Bible, We find baby Moses called anaarwhen he was three-months old (Ex. 2:6). Furthermore, Ishmael was called anaarwhen he was thirteen years old, but he is also called anaarthree years later when he was already 16 years old (see Gen. 21:12; 21:17-20). Similarly, Joseph is called anaarwhen he was seventeen years old (Gen. 37:2), and was still called anaarwhen he was thirty years old (Gen. 41:12). We similarly find Josephs younger brother, Benjamin, called anaarat the age of thirty-one (Gen. 44:22, 44:33); King Davids son Absalom, at the age of twenty-one (II Sam. 18:32); King Solomons son Rehoboam, at the age of forty-one (II Chron. 13:7); and Moses attendant Joshua, at the age of fifty-seven (Ex. 33:11).

Possibly, because of these questions,Midrash Mishlei(to Prov. 1:4) expands the age limit of the termnaarto twenty, twenty-five, and even thirty years old. This resolves most of the difficulties we raised, but does not account for the cases of baby Moses, Rehoboam, and Joshua. Taken altogether, these passages suggest that the termsnaar/naarahdo not refer to a specific age group, but to something else.

When the Torah calls the seventeen-year old Joseph anaar,Rashi (to Gen. 37:2) comments that Joseph used to engage in seemingly immature childlike activities, like fixing his hair and tending to his eyes. Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrachi (1455-1526) explains that the Torah did not mean to brand Joseph anaar,but to describe his behavior asnaar-like. He doubles down on our assumption thatnaarrefers to a boy specifically between the ages of thirteen, and thirteen-and-a-half, but adds that, depending on the context, the termnaarcan sometimes apply to a male outside of that age bracket if that person somehow resembles an actualnaar.*

For example, when baby Moses was called anaar,this either refers to the fact that Moses voice sounded like the voice of an actualnaar,or that his mother had enclosed him in the basket with a sort of mini-wedding canopy expected of an actualnaarbecause she anticipated missing him getting married (seeSotah12b).

In the case of Joseph, his immature behavior was enough of a reason for the Torah to brand him anaar,even as he was older than the age usually denoted by that term. Furthermore, Mizrachi explains that Rehoboam was called anaaras a forty-one year old because he was immature and had weak leadership skills, as if he were a young boy. When Joseph was again called anaarat the age of thirty (Gen. 41:12), this did not actually reflect anything immature about Josephs behavior. Rather, as Rashi explains, the Pharaohs butler called Joseph anaarin order to disparage him and imply that Joseph was not worthy of the greatness that awaited him.

Turning to the cases of Benjamin and Absalom, Rabbi Mizrachi explains why they were callednaarat more advanced ages than that term suggests. Vis--vis their fathers, they are always going to be considered a boy, even when they are in their twenties and thirties.

Finally, Rabbi Mizrachi explains that Joshua was called anaarin his late fifties because that verse was said in the context of his serving Moses, and anybody who functions as a servant in the service of others can be called anaar,regardless of their actual age (see also Radak to Joshua 6:23, who makes this point). Although Rabbi Mizrachi does not mention this, the Torah also calls Isaac anaarat the age of thirty-seven (Gen. 22:5) and Ishmael anaar(Gen. 22:3) at the age of fifty-one. We can account for both examples by explaining that they were both attending to Abraham, and essentially just following his lead, as a child might follow his father.

With this information in hand, we can now begin to consider why the Torah might refer to Rebecca as both anaarahand analmah. Ibn Ezra (to Song of Songs 1:3) explains that the wordalmahdenotes a girl who is younger than anaarah. Accordingly, we may explain that Rebeccas physical age was that of analmah younger than anaarah but her emotional/intellectual maturity and/or her spiritual stature was on par with that of an oldernaarah. For this reason, both of those terms are appropriate in describing Rebecca. (This understanding works best if Rebecca was three years old when she was chosen as Isaacs mate.)

According to many commentators, the wordselemandalmahare related to the Hebrew wordseilumandneelam,which mean hidden. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (to Gen. 13:15) explains the connection by noting thatelemrefers to a youngnaarwho has not matured/developed yet, such that his potential remains hidden and unrealized.Peirush HaRokeachpoints out that throughout the story of David and Jonathans secret pact, the lad who served as their go-between is called anaar(see I Sam. 20:1-42), but in one instance he is referred to as anelem(I Sam. 20:22), in allusion to their need to keep the agreement hidden from Jonathans father, King Saul.

Based on this link, the commentators offer various ways of understanding the wordalmahas differing from the wordnaarah. For example,Peirush HaRokeachexplains that the termalmahrefers to a girl who is less outgoing than the termnaarahwould indicate. Accordingly, Rebecca may have already reached the age ofnaarahand perhaps even advanced beyond that technical stage of development (if she was fourteen), yet she was still analmahbecause she was hidden from other people.Peirush HaRokeachadds that the termalmahteaches us that Rebecca was such an innocent and sheltered damsel that she had never even been propositioned before, something apparently uncommon for a girl of her age at that time and place.

Rabbeinu Efrayim ben Shimshon (to Gen. 24:43) explains that the termalmahsaid about Rebecca, and the wordelemsaid about King David (I Sam. 17:56), imply a person who hides their words, which is typically a sign of someone wise. Thus,naarahmight describe Rebeccas physical age, whilealmahspeaks more about her intelligence.

Rabbi Shimon Dov Ber Analak of Siedlce (1848-1907) explains that the two terms in question refer to two qualities characteristic of people in the age of adolescence. The wordnaarrelates to the young adults tenacious industriousness, which gives them the resolve to shake off (lnaer) anything that might get in their way and impede their ambitions. The termelem,on the other hand, does not refer to the adolescents tenacity, but to their sheer power and strength. This meaning ofelemin the sense of energetic is related to the wordalim(with an ALEPH), which is the standard Targum rendering ofometz/amitz(strong or resilient).

Chizkuni(to Gen. 24:44) contends that the wordsnaarahandalmahmean the exact same thing, but thatnaarahis a Hebrew word whilealmahis Aramaic. He explains that in the story at hand, the narrator first refers to the young lass as anaarah(in Genesis 24:16) because the Torah is written in Hebrew. Afterwards, in Eliezers dialogue with the girls family, Eliezer refers to her as analmah(to Gen. 24:43) because he thought that Rebeccas family understood only Aramaic (because they lived in Harran, which is in Aram, where Aramaic was spoken). Nonetheless,Chizkunipoints out that Rebeccas family did actually speak Hebrew, because when the question of her leaving with Eliezer arose, her brother and mother referred to her as anaarah(Gen. 24:57).

Another female in the Bible referred to as analmahwas Moses sister Miriam, who watched over her younger brother as he was put into the Nile and was saved by the Pharaohs daughter (Ex. 2:8). In this case, she was six years old at the time (Shemot Rabbah1:13). It seems that this age is too young to fit the technical definition ofalmah(yaldahis more appropriate),as the Talmud (Sotah12b) felt the need to seek out exegetical explanations for the use of this appellation. The Talmud explains that Miriam was called analmahin this context because she hid the fact that she was Moses sister, or because she acted with the strength and vigor expected of an older young lady.

In next weeks essay we will expand on the idea that the termnaar/naarahis related to the concept of revealing, which contrasts very nicely with what we wrote above thatelem/almahis connected to the idea of hiding. We will also discuss the wordsyeled/yaldahandbetulah/bachur.

To be continued

*NOTE: See also Rashi (toKetuvot44b), who explains that when the wordnaarahis spelled deficiently (i.e. sans the letter HEY as the ultimate letter), it could also include a girl younger than the age of twelve. However, whennaarahappears in the plene form with the letter HEY at the end, it serves toexcludea girl younger than twelve.

EARLIER THIS WEEK,I had a chance to chat with the host of the Seforim Chatter Podcast and we spoke about my bookGod vs. Godsas well as some other projects that Im involved in. Im sure youll find the interview both informative and entertaining, so check it out by clickingHERE:

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Synonyms in the Hebrew Language Boys & Girls (Part 1 of 2) - The Jewish Voice

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Posted By admin on November 19, 2020

I grew up in a Conservative synagogue which, around the time of my bat mitzvah in the 1980s, was limiting womens participation rather than expanding it. My parents, good feminists that they were, were also part of a small egalitarian prayer community, and it was decided that although I would celebrate my bat mitzvah at our big synagogue in March, I would also chant the Torah portion with our egalitarian community closer to my birthday in November. That Torah portion was Parashat Toldot, and I have carried it with me ever since.

Isaac and Rebecca are married, and Rebecca is barren. So Isaac prays to God on her behalf, and she becomes pregnant with twins. Its a difficult pregnancy, as the children struggle in the womb. Rabbinic interpreters imagine Esau trying to come out when Rebecca passed places of idol worship, while Jacob tries to come out when she passed places of Torah study. And then, we come to the words that for me, jumped off the scroll:

She said: If so, why do I exist? And she went to inquire of the Eternal. And the Eternal answered her (Genesis 25:22-23)

The content of Gods reply is significant: God explains that the struggle taking place in her womb will continue in the world, and that the older twin (Esau) will serve the younger (Jacob). This explains a lot of what happens next, and suggests that Rebeccas act of duplicitousness, in which she tricks her husband into granting Jacob the blessing he intended for Esau, is actually her following the direction that God gave her. But what was stunning to me then, and continues to move me now, is the simple fact of the exchange. Rebecca, at a challenging moment in her life, asks God a question which relates to the very nature of her existence: Why am I here? Why is this happening? Why me? And God replies.

For millennia, interpreters have buffered the directness of this exchange. Rebecca inquired of God, yes, but it must have been through the yeshiva of Shem and Ever, the ancient school of Jewish learning where, the Midrash tells us, Jacob strained to emerge from the womb. Or: she went to ask the prophets (Rashbam). Or: she prayed (Ramban). Or: she went to inquire not of God, but into the nature of God (Kli Yakar). Or, in a move that seems drastic but in fact is the logical conclusion of a patriarchal view that cant really imagine Rebecca addressing God directly, it is Isaac, not Rebecca, who asks God and is answered (Josephus Antiquities of the Jews).

Interpretation is an essential tool when we approach an ancient text. And in fact, we do have other instances in the Bible where inquiring of God actually means asking a prophet. One could make the case that its not at all obvious what it means to inquire of God, and there is great richness in the interpretations that suggest this inquiry takes the form of philosophical musings or prayer. But sometimes, we are so focused on the interpretive meaning that we miss the obvious meaning. And the obvious meaning of this text is that Rebecca approaches God with a question and God answers her.

Even more significant, Rebecca is the first person in the Torah to start a conversation with God. Adam, Eve, Noah all of them answer Gods questions or reply to Gods commands, but none of them initiate contact. Even Abraham, who famously responds hineini (here I am!) to Gods call, does not start the conversation. Abraham challenges God about the destruction of Sodom and Gemorah, but only after God shares the divine plan with him, opening the door to Abrahams response. It is Rebecca, out of a very embodied and personal struggle, who asks God for an answer and receives one.

And so, it turns out that Parashat Toldot, the Torah portion to which I was redirected after my childhood synagogue limited womens voices, contains a powerful example of a womans voice, a human voice, with the courage to cry out to God and demand a response. Rebecca is worried about her children. She is worried about her own life. She wants to know why she suffers. And she doesnt take her question to a scholar or a prophet. She doesnt subsume it into philosophy or prayer. She speaks directly to God. Like so many women after her, she is misinterpreted and misunderstood. But God understands her, and God responds.

Our Torah is bold enough to preserve Rebeccas conversation with God. May we, created in the divine image, also strive to hear and honor every voice. And may we, like Rebecca, have the courage to open the conversation.

Read this Torah portion, Genesis 25:19 28:9 on Sefaria

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Parashat Toldot: Opening the Conversation - My Jewish Learning

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Posted By admin on November 19, 2020

The Torah uses three different words to refer to Rivkah as a girl: naarah, betulah, and almah.

The Talmud (Kesubos39a) defines naarah as a girl from the age of 12 until six months after she reaches physical maturity. Apparently, then, naar would denote a 13-year-old boy. Indeed, Rashi (to Genesis 25:27) explains that the Torah refers to Jacob and Esau as nearim because they were 13 at the time. And Ishmael is called a naar when the angels visited Abraham because he too was 13.

Yet, the Bible uses the words naar and naarah many times to refer to boys and girls who are either younger or older than 12 and 13. Rivkah, for example was either three (Seder Olam ch. 1) or 14 (Sifrei to Deuteronomy 33:21) when Eliezer chose her as Isaacs wife, yet the Torah calls her a naarah.

Furthermore, the word naar is used to describe Moses at three months (Exodus 2:6), Yishmael at 16 (see Genesis 21:12 and 21:17-20), Joseph at 17 and 30 (ibid. 37:2 and 41:12), Benjamin at 31 (ibid., 44:22 and 44:33); Absalom at 21 (II Samuel 18:32); Rehoboam at 41 (II Chronicles 13:7); and Joshua at 57 (Exodus 33:11).

When the Torah calls the 17-year-old Joseph a naar, Rashi comments that Joseph used to engage in childlike activities like fixing his hair and tending to his eyes. In other words, as Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrachi (1455-1526) writes, the Torah is not branding Joseph a naar; rather, it is describing his behavior as naar-like.

Rabbi Mizrachi explains that Rehoboam was called a naar at 41 because he was immature and had weak leadership skills; Joseph was called a naar at 30 because Pharaohs butler wanted to disparage him and imply that he wasnt worthy of the greatness that awaited him (as Rashi writes); Benjamin and Absalom were both called naar at more advanced ages because, vis--vis their fathers, they were always going to be considered boys; and Joshua was called a naar in his late 50s (in the context of him serving Moses) because this word is appropriate for anyone who functions as a servant (Radak to Joshua 6:23 also makes this point).

As for baby Moses: He was called a naar either because his voice sounded like that of a naar or because his mother enclosed him in a basket with a sort of mini-wedding canopy that would be expected of an actual naar because she anticipated missing his wedding day (see Sotah12b).

With this information in hand, we can now consider why the Torah calls Rivkah both naarah and almah. The Ibn Ezra (to Song of Songs 1:3) explains that an almah is younger than a naarah. Accordingly, perhaps Rivkahs physical age was that of an almah but her maturity and/or spiritual stature was on par with that of a naarah. (This understanding works best if Rivkah was three years old at the time.)

According to many commentators, elem/almah is related to eilum/neelam, which mean hidden. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (to Genesis 13:15) explains that elem denotes a young naar who has not matured/developed yet such that his potential remains hidden and unrealized.

Peirush HaRokeach points out that throughout the story of David and Jonathans secret pact, the lad who serves as their go-between is called a naar (see I Samuel 20:1-42), but in one instance he is referred to as an elem (ibid., 20:22) in allusion to their need to keep their pact hidden from King Saul.

Peirush HaRokeach explains that almah denotes a girl who is less outgoing than a naarah. Accordingly, Rivkah may have already reached the age of naarah and perhaps even advanced beyond it (if she was 14), yet she was still an almah because she was hidden from other people. Indeed, she was such an innocent and sheltered damsel that she had never even been propositioned before which apparently was uncommon at the time.

Rabbeinu Efrayim b. Shimshon (to Gen. 24:43) explains that almah (as Rivkah was called) and elem (as King David was called I Samuel 17:56) denote a person who hides his words, which is typically a sign of wisdom. Thus, naarah might describe Rebeccas physical age while almah relates more to her intelligence.

Rabbi Shimon Dov Ber Analak of Siedlce (1848-1907) explains that the two terms in question refer to two qualities characteristic of adolescents. Naar relates to the young adults tenacious industriousness, which gives them the resolve to shake off (lnaer) anything that gets in their way, while elem relates to adolescents strength. (Alim [with an aleph] is actually the standard Targumic rendering of ometz/amitz [strong or resilient].)

The Chizkuni (to Gen. 24:44) contends that naarah and almah carry exactly the same meaning, but naarah is a Hebrew word while almah is an Aramaic one. He explains that Rivkah is first called a naarah because the Torah is primarily written in Hebrew. In speaking with Rivkahs family, though, Eliezer refers to her as an almah because he thought they only understood Aramaic (because they lived in Harran, which is in Aram, where Aramaic was spoken).

The Chizkuni points out that Rivkahs family actually did speak Hebrew, however, because when the question of her leaving with Eliezer arose, her brother and mother refer to her as a naarah (Genesis 24:57).

(Interestingly, Rashi [to Kesubos 44b] explains that naarah spelled deficiently [i.e., sans the letter hey] can denote a girl younger than 12. Spelled full, however, it excludes a girl younger than 12.)

Another girl in the Bible referred to as an almah is Miriam, who watched over her younger brother after he was put into the Nile. She was six at the time (Shemos Rabbah 1:13), which is apparently a bit young for the term almah to be appropriate since the Talmud (Sotah 12b) feels the need to seek out exegetical explanations for the use of this appellation. It explains that she is called almah in this context because she hid the fact that she was Moses sister or because she acted with the strength and vigor expected of an older girl.

(To be continued)

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Boys And Girls (Part I) - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com

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Posted By admin on November 19, 2020

This past year has been a challenge for the whole world. Covid-19 has changed the way we do business, socialize, educate ourselves, and made everyone aware of just how vulnerable we are to a microscopic virus.

Here in Israel, like in the rest of the world, we have dealt with the virus by either totally shutting down the country or opening it up fully. Neither of those strategies have worked in the long run. The value of protecting our health has to be balanced against the economic loss caused by shutting down the economy of Israel.

After the second wave pushed the numbers of people catching Covid-19 to thousands a day, the government of Israel instituted another lockdown followed by a gradual easing of restrictions if the numbers remained low. This seems to me a smart move and embodies what the Talmud says, Who is wise? One who sees the future. The wise men of the Covid 19 committee have instituted a policy that seems to be working.

In coaching, the acronym SMART is used to formulate a goal that the client wants to reach. Lets see if the goal of protecting the health of the citizens of Israel complies with SMART.

The S stands for specific. The specific goal of the governments policy is to bring down the numbers of coronavirus infections so that we can live with the virus. It is understood that we cannot eradicate this disease completely. It is highly contagious so the best we can do is to contain it. That is the specific goal and the corona virus committee is working hard to reach it.

The second letter of the acronym SMART IS M measurable. We can definitely measure the number of new cases of Covid-19, the number of people who recovered, and those who have died. And the numbers are very promising. The number of new cases on September 30th was 9,078 and 35 deaths and on November 12th it was 613 new cases and only 11 deaths. That is a huge drop.

The third letter is A for achievable. Given the circumstances of large numbers of people living together in large cities, children going to school, and employees working together, can the goal of reducing the numbers of new cases be achieved? The answer seems to be yes. Using the internet, employees can often work from home, children can learn in virtual classrooms, and friends can visit via Skype or Zoom calls. These strategies may not be optimal, especially when it comes to the education of small children, but it does work in the short term to serve the goal of reducing the numbers.

R is for relevant. Is this goal relevant to us? Does it matter? The Covid-19 virus has turned the whole world upside down, overloaded health services, crippled economies, and caused mental stress to millions of people. Here in Israel, the virus has put many people out of work and isolated family members from each other. Curing this virus is the most important goal we have to reach right now. Research into treatment protocols has greatly reduced the number of fatalities and a vaccine in on the way to us in the near future.

T is for timely or timebound. We have come a long way since the virus first hit last January. Hospitals and research teams have worked tirelessly to find a treatment that works and develop a vaccine that can prevent us from getting it in the first place. Last May, The Israel Institute for Biological Research made important discoveries in the treatment and prevention of the Coronavirus. And the Prime Minister has announced that the international drug giant Pfizer is ready to supply vaccines to Israel starting in January of next year.

The goal of solving the Covid-19 riddle has not yet been reached, but we are well on the way. The numbers of new cases is down, schools and businesses are opening up again and slowly we are getting back to normal. If we are SMART, by 2021, we will have reached the goals of health and prosperity and that all the people of the world will realize that we are all one family and what affects one of us can affect all of us.

Mendel Weinberger is a life coach who helps men discover their inner strengths and reach their health, career, and social goals. He lives in Jerusalem. Mendel can be reached at https://kavanacoaching.com/

I made aliya from Boston in 1983 and have lived in Jerusalem ever since. I currently teach English to Israeli adults and in addition, I am a life coach who works with male clients helping them to reach their health, career, and social goals. I live in Jerusalem and have six children and eight grandchildren.

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Is Israel being SMART with COVID-19? | Mendel Weinberger - The Times of Israel

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Posted By admin on November 17, 2020

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said during a recent Cabinet meeting that with the end of the Trump administration conditions would be more favorable for acting in Americas actual interests.

In remarks aired on Irans IRINN TV on Nov. 11, Rouhani said that the Trump administration had interfered with Irans relations with other countries.

The problem of the (American) administration, which is in its final months, was that it was not very familiar with international politics. It was almost carrying out the dictates of the (American) extremists and of the Zionist regime, said Rouhani.

Some of our youth believe that we were the ones who cut off relations with the Americans. This is not the case. They are the ones who cut off relations with Iran. We did not start this, added the Iranian premier.

The post Rouhani: Trump administration almost carried out the dictates of US extremists, Zionist regime appeared first on JNS.org.

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Rouhani: Trump administration 'almost carried out the dictates of US extremists, Zionist regime' - Cleveland Jewish News

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Posted By admin on November 17, 2020

Over the weekend, the news broke that on August 7, Mohammad al-Masrithe al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiris number twowas gunned-down on the streets of Tehran alongside Osama bin Ladens daughter-in-law. According to multiple unnamed U.S. officials, he was assassinated by Israeli agents operating at Washingtons behest. Masri had organized the 1998 attack on the American embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, which left a total of 224 people dead; in 2002 he orchestrated a botched attack on Israeli targets in Mombasa, Kenya, that left thirteen dead. Yoav Limor seeks to explain both the reasons for the strike on Masri, and for the decision to leak the details:

Israels declared policy is that assassinations are only a means for preventing future attacks, not exacting vengeance. Although Israeli officials have claimed Masri was busy planning attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets across the globe, it isnt very likely considering the fact that al-Qaedawhich for years now has struggled to carry out high-profile attacksis focusing its efforts on fighting the Americans and moderate Sunni regimes in the region, not Israel.

Its more reasonable to assume that Israel lent a hand to its most important ally, despite concerns that doing so would make it a target of al-Qaeda. There is clear operational value in this, but also considerable deterrence value. Toward al-Qaeda, obviously, but mainly toward Iran, which understands it is again penetrated and is in the crosshairs of the Israelis and Americans. This message should not be underestimated: Iran is mulling its nuclear options.

Masris presence in Tehran also gives the lie to the Obama administrations claim that Shiite Iran could be a useful ally in the fight against Sunni extremist groups like al-Qaeda. Of course, such a demonstration is hardly necessary, seeing as Osama bin Laden noted in correspondence with his lieutenants that his organizations core facilitation pipeline ran through the Islamic Republic. Limor remarks:

Iran, which is fighting al-Qaida in Iraq and Syria, is hosting one of the organizations most senior figures because he serves its interest by fighting the Americans in Afghanistan. It will continue doing this as long as it serves its objectives.

Read more at Israel Hayom

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Mourning the Loss of Four Great Scholars of Jewish Ideas - Mosaic

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Posted By admin on November 17, 2020

Time has a tendency to flatten historys darkest chapters, reducing panic and persecution to footnotes and caricature. So it goes with Adolf Hitler, whose outsized image as a cartoon villain often obscures the horrifying endurance of Nazi ideology today. The Meaning of Hitler sets the record straight. , directors Petra Epperlein and Michael Tuckers eerie and insightful essay film burrows into the nexus of Hitlers mythology in a remarkable attempt to determine whether it makes more sense to understand its resilience or tune it out. As it meanders through a parade of talking heads, pensive narration, fragments of biography, and genocidal sightseeing, the movie assembles a trenchant argument against shrugging aside the specter of Nazism, and makes it clear that the fascism of the past can happen just as easily today.

This is not uncharted terrain. The Meaning of Hitler takes its title from Sebastian Haffners 1978 German bestseller, and calls out the books own legacy in a snazzy opening montage. Haffner grew up in the midst of Hitlers rise, and witnessed attempts to sanitize his evil in later decades, as lunatics like British Holocaust denier David Irving gained currency. The ensuing tome, which the filmmakers reference in a dispassionate voiceover as the dystopian book of the week, combines a biographical investigation into Hitlers lore with a practical explanation of his allure. The result provides an unassailable breakdown of how rational people can be complicit in irredeemable sins. It hurts to admit that Hitler wasnt a psychopath, but that path leads to more profound revelations about how terrible people come to power.

Epperlein and Tucker (who adopted a similar style for Karl Marx City) use the books sobering tone as an excuse to revisit the machinations of Hitlers regime, from the grandiose editing strategies of The Triumph of the Will (of which they find reverberations, to chilling effect, in everything from Star Wars to The Lion King) to his talent at the microphone. The talking heads range from writers like Martin Amis (who sees the Trump-Hitler connection mainly in terms of lying and an obsession with cleanliness) to Israeli historian Saul Friedlander, who explains that were drawn to the personality of Hitler. Cue the montage of Hitlerean parodies: Whether its Mel Brooks or Sarah Silverman, the implied question looms large: Is this subversive re-appropriating an accidental means of bolstering his posthumous effect?

Just when The Meaning of Hitler seems as if its going full Chris Marker, the directors back away from the purely inquisitive approach, acknowledging the trappings of their material in a reasonable query: Is it possible to make a film like this without contributing to the Nazi cinematic universe? The answer falls into a grey area, and its not always a satisfying place to linger, but theres a fundamental intrigue to watching them search for the right tone. Set to a jittery score by Alex Kliment and edited with the jaunty cues of a global espionage thriller, The Meaning of Hitler feels both dangerous and essential even when it amounts to more questions than answers.

Aiming for a bigger picture, Epperlein and Tucker eventually embark on visits to a wide range of historical sites. The contemporary perspective combines the raw, meditative power of Shoah with the quasi-confrontational approach of Errol Morris Mr. Death. Though a surreal visit to Hitlers bunker (now a parking lot) yields few significant insights, the filmmakers find the ultimate provocative subject in no less than Irving himself, a deranged octogenarian who leads nefarious tours to old concentration camps and other sites of Nazi influence. Irvings insane anti-semitic ramblings (some of which seem to have been caught on a hot mic) are terrifying, though The Meaning of Hitler falls short of putting them in some wider context aside from incontrovertible proof that people still think Hitler was above reproach.

But of course, we already knew that. The movies ultimate thesis that Nazis were normal people who did awful things doesnt exactly unearth new insights into the nature of the Third Reich, but it lingers on the humanity of Hitler just enough to bolster its disturbing raison dtre. Whether that comes from closeups of the shoddy watercolors from his failed first career as a street artist (for which an art historian offers a blunt assessment) or roaming the mountainous regions where he forged his ethereal man-of-the-Aryan-people brand, The Meaning of Hitler excels at assembling an exploratory nonfiction biopic.

The movie never fully succeeds at fusing these passages with the more immediate contemporary details, from the Charlottesville riots to Facebook disinformation, which come and go in fragmentary observations amid an elusive tapestry that keeps shifting around. But The Meaning of Hitler doesnt have to make sense of this decades chaos to clarify just how much it remains vulnerable to the same complaisant attitudes exploited by the German leader decades ago. The movie isnt just another cautionary tale; its a jagged intellectual wakeup call that cuts deep, and America cant hear it enough.

The Meaning of Hitler is available to stream as a part of DOC NYC through November 19. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution.

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The Meaning of Hitler Review: Terrifying Proof That Fascism Can Happen Anywhere - Yahoo Entertainment

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Posted By admin on November 17, 2020

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The election may be over, but politics soldier on. On Thursday evening, it was announced that rapper Ice Cube is set to speak at the Zionist Organization of Americas virtual annual gala on December 27. The Zionist Organization of America, or ZOA, is a self-described American nonprofit pro-Israel organization founded in 1897. Ice Cube has made recently made the rounds after it was revealed that he worked with the former president about his alleged and now irrelevant Platinum Plan. After their meeting, Ice Cube insisted that he never endorsed the former president and came for Eric Trump on Twitter for insinuating otherwise. Ice Cube is not the only celebrity whos speaking at the ZOA gala, as Academy Awardwinning actor Jon Voight is also speaking at the event. No word yet on whether Ice Cube and Jon Voight would be open to starring in a buddy comedy together.

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Ice Cube Set to Speak at the Zionist Organization of Americas Virtual Gala - Vulture

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Posted By admin on November 17, 2020

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks at a news conference in Putrajaya, Malaysia, Feb. 4, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Lim Huey Teng / File.

Pakistans Islamist prime minister said late last week that despite facing pressure to recognize Israel, he refuses to establish relations with the Zionists.

In a television interview on Thursday, Prime Minister Imran Khan did not identify the countries applying the pressure, only saying, We have good relations with them.

This suggests that the nations involved may be Arab or Muslim countries, three of which the UAE, Bahrain, and Sudan recently normalized relations with the Jewish state.

Khan emphasized his dedication to opposing Israel, saying that Pakistans founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah did so and his government would follow in Jinnahs footsteps vis-a-vis Palestine.

November 16, 2020 3:38 pm

I have no second thought about recognizing Israel unless there is a just settlement, which satisfies Palestinians, he asserted.

Khan also claimed the US is pressuring Pakistan to recognize Israel because of Israels deep impact in the US. This influence was in fact extraordinary during the Trump stint.

Speaking about the recent US presidential election, Khan also appeared to blame Israel for the ongoing war in Afghanistan, with which Pakistan shares a border.

Afghanistan is not the real issue. The real issue is Israel. It is to be seen how Biden deals with that. Whether he changes Trumps policies about Israel or continues with them, he claimed.

Last month, Khan made openly antisemitic statements to the Pakistani media, saying, The Israeli and Indian lobbies work together in America. Israels lobby is the most powerful and thats why Americas whole Middle East policy is controlled by Israel.

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Pakistan's Prime Minister Says He'll Never Establish Ties With 'Zionists,' After Facing Pressure to Recognize Israel - Algemeiner

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Posted By admin on November 17, 2020

Netflix's The Liberator tells the true story of U.S. soldier Felix Sparks, so what happened to him after World War II? Here's what you need to know.

The Liberator tells theincredible story of World War II veteranFelix Sparks, so what happened to himupon returning home? The four-part animated Netflix series provides some closing biographical information about the U.S. Army officer butnot enough for audiences to understand what kind of life he led after surviving the war. Based on Alex Kershaw's eponymous 2012 book and developed for Netflix by Jeb Stuart, The Liberator released in November 2020.

StarringBradley James as Sparks, The Liberator centers on the U.S. Army's157th regiment. Known as "The Thunderbirds," the unit - as told through voiceover narration - was trainedFort Sill, Oklahoma and consisted of Apache, Seminole, Cherokee, Sioux, Choctaw, and Mexican Americans. The Netflix miniseries begins with the regiment's invasion of Sicily, and follows them through the Italian mainland to Salerno. After a devastating defeat at Anzio, in which Sparks emerges as the only survivor ofthe 157th, he rebuilds his unit and pushes forth through France, and ultimately reaches the sad truth about Nazi Germany at Dachau Concentration Camp.

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In the series finale of The Liberator, Sparks is investigatedfor his involvement in the mass execution of Nazi soldiers at Dachau. He's ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing by none other than George S. Patton, the legendary American General who tragically passed away in car accident just months after World War II ended. "Don't let the scars ruin you," Patton tells Sparks, who returns home to his beloved wife Mary. Closing graphics in the Netflix series showthat Sparks attended law school at the University of Colorado and eventually served on the Colorado State Supreme Court. The Liberator also reveals that Sparks died in 2007 after 65 years of marriage to Mary.

Two years after the end of World War II, Sparks graduated from law school in 1947. Approximately 16 years later, his 16-year-old grandson was reportedly (via Westword) shot and killed in Denver. Around the same time, Sparks served in theColorado Army National Guard as the Cuban Missile Crisis ramped up, and later commanded the unit during the majority of the '70s.By the '90s, Sparks became involved in the organizationPeople United No Children's Handguns! (PUNCH!), and was subsequently awardedtheCommunity Champion Award by the Civil Justice Foundation; an accolade to sit alongside his Silver Star and two Purple Hearts from World War II.

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The Liberator: What Happened To Felix Sparks After World War 2 - Screen Rant

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