Volume 54 Number 64
Produced: Tue May 8 4:43:17 EDT 2007
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
186 pictures of the Lag Ba'Omer Parade and Celebration
[Jacob Richman]
48 Pictures of the Salute to Israel Parade
[Jacob Richman]
Aging
[Richard Dine]
Bowing for Shabbat (3)
[Carl Singer, Irwin E. Weiss, Esquire, Martin Stern]
Copyright Law and Learning
[Ari Trachtenberg]
Efficiency of the Shiddach System
[Ari Trachtenberg]
Israel Independence Day at the J Site + 100 Hotsites
[Jacob Richman]
Psychologist resources for sexual issues for religious patients (2)
[Alex Herrera, Joseph Ginzberg]
Tziyurim L'Meseches Yevamos
[Charles Hafner]
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From: Jacob Richman <jrichman@...>
Date: Mon, 07 May 2007 01:58:07 +0300
Subject: 186 pictures of the Lag Ba'Omer Parade and Celebration
Hi Everyone!
On Sunday, May 6, there was a Lag Ba'Omer parade / celebration in
Ma'aleh Adumim. The parade started at 16:30 from Kikar Yahalom and
proceeded to the Canion (mall). The celebration, sponsored by Chabad of
Ma'aleh Adumim, included an acrobatics / juggling show.
In addition to taking pictures, I was "volunteered" to participate in
three stunts including the "cut the carrot in the mouth / sword throw"
and a balloon / fire torch stunt. I survived, but next year I will stay
out of volunteer range :-)
I posted 186 pictures of the parade and celebration at:
http://www.jr.co.il/ma/pic/ma156.htm
When the first page comes up, press the F11 key on the top of your
keyboard for a full page view. Use the icon buttons on the bottom of
each page to navigate.
Enjoy the pictures!
Shavua Tov / Have a Good Week,
Jacob
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From: Jacob Richman <jrichman@...>
Date: Mon, 07 May 2007 06:05:17 +0300
Subject: 48 Pictures of the Salute to Israel Parade
Hi Everyone!
Steven Posner (thanks!) sent me pictures of the New York City Salute to
Israel Parade which took place on Sunday, May 6, 2007.
I posted the pictures on my website at:
http://www.jr.co.il/rally/world/r001.htm
When the first page comes up, press the F11 key on the top of your
keyboard for a full page view. Use the icon buttons on the bottom of
each page to navigate.
Enjoy the pictures!
Shavua Tov / Have a Good Week,
Jacob
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From: Richard Dine <richard.dine@...>
Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 17:22:53 -0400
Subject: Aging
A few weeks ago, someone (I think it was Carl) posted about whether he
and others were shrinking as they got older. While not a specifically
Jewish issue, or article, I highly recommend a recent article in the New
Yorker regarding aging. It indirectly offers several ideas for shuls
and communal organizations on how to better help the elderly in their
communities as well. You can find the article at:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/04/30/070430fa_fact_gawande
Richard Dine
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From: Carl Singer <casinger@...>
Date: Sun, 06 May 2007 22:10:35 -0400
Subject: Bowing for Shabbat
From: Marilyn Tomsky <jtomsky@...>
> In all the years and shuls I attended, none ever had the congregation
> stand up, then turn and face the door to the sanctuary to welcome
> Shabbat like a bride or bow to her. Then a new rabbi came and changed
> this. Many things were changed and we lost many from the congregation
> in disagreement at the new services. Finally after a few years the
> rabbi changed things again. We had to stand and turn, but we no longer
> had to bow.
>
> I felt so strongly about this, that I refused to stand and to bow. A
> day however holy is still a day. I would bow only to God. What is
> happening in your shuls?
>
> Marilyn Tomsky
What strikes me is not the issue of standing, sitting or turning around
(jump down, spin around, pick a bale of cotton) -- but the "we had to
....." (my emphasis.)
Implying somehow that this new Rabbi could dictate (vs. teach, mentor or
influence) the congregation's behavior - and in a manor that left one /
some / many congregants quite uncomfortable.
As to the standing / bowing -- As practiced most places that I recall,
standing and (turning) to face an entrance is followed by what amounts
to a gesture of welcome to a very choshuv and anticipated guest -- Bo-ee
Kallah, Bo-ee Kallah -- welcoming in Shabbos as a groom might welcome
his bride. In practice the bowing varies, but it's clearly not like on
Yom Kippur or even during Aleynu, it's more often a slight bending
forward (left and right), akin to a nod -- a gesture of greeting and
respect, not of subservience or "bowing down"
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From: Irwin E. Weiss, Esquire <irwin@...>
Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 07:29:42 -0400
Subject: Bowing for Shabbat
Marilyn Tomsky wrote regarding the practice of standing up and bowing
toward the door to welcome Shabbat, saying that she did not grow up with
this minhag.
In the Conservative shul I grew up in (Har Tzeon, in Silver Spring or
Wheaton, MD) we always did this for the final paragraph of L'cha Dodi on
Erev Shabbat. I have seen it virtually everywhere.
I have seen this for Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel, even though there is
no physical rear door.
It is a common minhag, so far as I know.
Irwin Weiss
Baltimore
<irwin@...>
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From: Martin Stern <md.stern@...>
Date: Fri, 04 May 2007 13:56:14 +0100
Subject: Re: Bowing for Shabbat
In my shul anyone who raises the slightest objection, however politely,
to any changes introduced by the rabbi is banned from the premises if he
has not already left in disgust first. In consequence, it is rumoured
that the shul has to pay people to maintain the minyan!
Martin Stern
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From: Ari Trachtenberg <trachten@...>
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:33:15 -0400
Subject: Re: Copyright Law and Learning
> From: Anonymous
> Finally, unlike your rights to a physical object, the rights of a
> copyright owner expire eventually, at which point the work falls into
> the public domain.
Actually ... your physical rights expire with your death (or with the
death of some other living organism), although you can pass them on to
your heirs.
Ari Trachtenberg, Boston University
http://people.bu.edu/trachten mailto:<trachten@...>
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From: Ari Trachtenberg <trachten@...>
Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:36:25 -0400
Subject: Re: Efficiency of the Shiddach System
From: Dov Bloom <dovb@...>
> Anyone who decides a question which is the most important decision of
> their LIFE after 5-10 minutes of meeting a stranger in my opinion needs
> their priorities or their heads examined. What can I say about anyone
> party to or supporting such a system???
As I understand it, Chasidic thought teaches that choosing your spouse
is the ultimate unreasonable act, done based on poorly defined measures
(e.g. why do you like this person rather than that one?) much like G-d's
choosing of Israel. In this case, there is no significant difference
between 5-10 minutes (and some perfunctory background checks) and
several years ...
Ari Trachtenberg, Boston University
http://people.bu.edu/trachten mailto:<trachten@...>
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From: Jacob Richman <jrichman@...>
Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2007 02:13:20 +0300
Subject: Israel Independence Day at the J Site + 100 Hotsites
Hi Everyone!
Israel Independence Day is celebrated on the 5th day of the Hebrew month
of Iyar. This year (5767/ 2007) the 59th birthday of the establishment
of the state of Israel is celebrated on Tuesday, April 24, 2007.
(Israel's memorial day was moved from April 22 to April 23 to avoid
Shabbat conflict with the eve of memorial day).
The J Site - Jewish Education and Entertainment
http://www.j.co.il
has several entertaining features to celebrate Israel's 59th birthday:
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Israel
What is the national emblem of Israel ?
"Pehsek Zeman" and "Egozi" are what type of Israeli foods ?
Who was the first president of Israel ?
What was the 1917 British Balfour Declaration ?
How long is Israel's coastline ?
What is Israel's Internet country code ?
What was "Operation Babylon" ?
Who were the first two countries to recognize Israel ?
What are Amos and Offeq ?
How many lanuages are engraved on Israeli coins used today ?
The above questions are examples from over 200 multiple-choice questions
about Israel that may be randomly selected by the online quiz. There are
two levels of questions, two timer settings. Both kids and adults will
find it enjoyable.
The Israel Geography Game
This Flash game will help you learn about the history and geography of
101 locations in Israel. There is a learning mode and game mode. Find
out if you know more about Israel than Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv and Haifa.
Israel Clipart
Whether you need a picture for your child's class project, a graphic for
your synagogue, Hillel or JCC Independence Day announcement, the Jewish
Clipart Database has the pictures for you. You can copy, save and print
the graphics in three different sizes.
Israel Word Search Game
Enter the Multilingual Word Search game and choose the language you
would like to play in: English, Hebrew or Russian. There is an easy mode
for the kids and a harder mode for us big kids. Each game is randomly
generated.
Israel topics include:
Jerusalem, Biblical Cities, Kibbutzim, Presidents and Prime Ministers,
Writers, Singers and Israeli Foods. You can even print out a blank game
(and the solution page) for offline playing.
My Jewish Coloring Book - Israel Pictures
Young kids love to draw and this online coloring book is made just for
them. Three different size "brushes" and 24 colors to choose from. You
can print the completed color pictures or print black and white outlines
to color offline.
My Hebrew Song Book - Over 200 Hebrew songs (with vowels)
for viewing and printing. All songs are in graphic format so you do not
need Hebrew installed to view or print them. Your camp fires or
sing-a-longs will never be the same.
The J site has something for everyone, but if that is not enough, I
posted on my website 100 links about Israel, ranging from history and
tourism to photographs and stamps. All 100 links have been reviewed /
checked this week.
The web address is:
http://www.jr.co.il/hotsites/j-hdayil.htm
Happy Israel Independence Day!
Jacob
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From: Alex Herrera <odat@...>
Date: Fri, 4 May 2007 09:31:18 -0500
Subject: RE: Psychologist resources for sexual issues for religious patients
> I am looking for resources, written (English preferred), on-line, or
> forums such as this on proper halachic ways in which to advise my
> patients.
Kosher Sex is a book by Rabbi Boteach. I've read it and it's pretty
good. He also has a cable TV show running on TLC (The Learning Channel)
called Shalom in the Home. He is Orthodox.
Alex Herrera
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From: Joseph Ginzberg <jgbiz120@...>
Date: Fri, 04 May 2007 13:10:25 -0400
Subject: Psychologist resources for sexual issues for religious patients
>I am a Jewish (non-religious) psychologist. I have started to deal with
>many Orthodox patients and issues of a sexual nature often come up.
In my first career I was in that field, and grappled mightily with the
issues that the above will face, in an attempt to formulate a "kosher"
approach that would also be therapeutic and effective. I was unable to
do so, because too frequently cases arise wherein the halacha mandates
actions that would not be appropriate from a psychological (and
sometimes legal) point of view.
For example, dealing with confessions of spousal extramarital issues,
masturbation, failure to act in accord with halacha when the spouse
wasn't around, and so on- could require condemnatory comments or
notifying the spouse of this behavior, not a good idea for a therapist
and certainly legally problematic.
Ergo, my response to the above: Since he says he is non-religious
anyway, would it not be better for him to remain ignorant of the
halacha? That way he will be free to do the therapeutically correct
thing, which he presumably would anyway, but without becoming a "mazid"
(purposeful violator of halacha).
Coincidentally, this past week I was asked by a divorced woman to be
"matir neder" (revoke a vow). She had for some reason a few years back
vowed not to have sex (again) outside of marriage. Now she has
apparently met someone, and wants to renege on that vow. The catch-22,
of course, is that if I do so, I am apparently allowing her to violate
halacha. If I tell her that I cannot do so, I'd be telling a lie. It
appears to me to be a case of "trey avrei d'nahara", where the rule is
that one cannot facilitate non-kosher eating if without you it's more
difficult.
FWIW, I cited my refusal of the rabbinate and declined to rule.
Yossi Ginzberg
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From: Charles Hafner <CHafner@...>
Date: Mon, 7 May 2007 10:36:23 -0400
Subject: Tziyurim L'Meseches Yevamos
My brother, Shlomo Hafner has re-published his Tziyurim L'Meseches
Yevamos , an indispensable guide with 1200 diagrams. The first 20 pages
are available to view at
www.congregationohrtorah.org/yevamos.pdf
Any feedback/comments appreciated.
thx
Charlie Hafner
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End of Volume 54 Issue 64