Catholic-Jewish crisis over

In a letter to the German Episcopate, released Thursday, Pope Benedict admitted his error in the case of Holocaust-denying Bishop Richard Williamson, whose excommunication from the Catholic Church was lifted last December. He stated clearly that a "mishap" had taken place due to the insufficient study of information taken from the Internet.

After a meeting with the pope, Haifa Chief Rabbi She'ar-Yashuv Cohen, who headed a delegation there last week stated: "This was not just another meeting. This was a special experience, a turning point, the end of a crisis. We could not have expected a warmer reception."

A positive result, it would seem, of the end of papal infallibility.

Classical music in Israel

My friend Lloyd Masel noticed that despite the wealth of classical music in Israel, accessability of information - especially for English speakers - is severely limited. I myself have often been frustrated to hear about a performance I would have loved to attend only when it was too late to order tickets, or upon reading a review the day after! The essential difference between us is that Lloyd did something about it!

Lloyd started the Living in Harmony website, which lists performances of classical music in Israel months in advance, allowing you to see the date coming and book it in your calendar.

See the full Ha'aretz write-up here.

Listen to a radio interview with Lloyd here.

In praise of latkes

Potato latkes are for me intrinsic to Hanukkah, yet here in Israel does one see latkes? No! Just doughnuts, doughnuts, doughnuts.

This is just a small example of the stylization and standardization of Jewish observance that Israel has engendered in so many areas. The delicious, savoury, once-loved latke has been ousted in favour of the far less healthy doughnut, that apparently appeals more to the notoriously sweet Israeli tooth. (Did you know that the Coca-Cola Company make a sweeter Coke in Israel?)

"Why has this been allowed to happen?", asks Barry Newman in his Jerusalem Post article, here.

Could it have originated, as he suggests, in a bolshevik conspiracy to keep women out of their kitchens and in the fields - dependent on bakeries (and the workers) for their household treats?

A sobering thought.

For whom the bell tolls...

The family of an 84-year-old Orthodox Jew who is on life support says his condition has improved substantially after hospital doctors unsuccessfully tried to pull the plug on him over two months ago on the basis that there was no hope for recovery.

Miriam Geller says that her father, Sam Golubchuck - who is unwittingly at the center of a precedent-setting court case - is now "being weaned off life-support," and "is awake and holding our hands."

I first saw the story a month ago in a Jerusalem Post article. Today in an article in Haaretz we learn that, though he may not be out of the woods yet, he has further recovered:

Golubchuck is alive today only because his family was successful in getting an emergency ex parte injunction (without notifying the hospital) from Justice Perry Schulman that prevented the doctors from removing him from life support, a move that would have violated the family's wishes and religious beliefs.

May the Almighty grant him a complete recovery.

"No man is an island, entire of itself;
every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less,
as well as if a promontory were,
as well as if a manor of thy friend's
or of thine own were:
any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind,
and therefore never send to know
for whom the bells tolls;
it tolls for thee."

John Donne

Jewish breakdancing

This could only be a Chabad simcha. Wish I could have been there!

Haaretz editor begs for Israel to be raped

On the eve of the Bush-Rice visit to Israel the editor-in-chief of Haaretz has admitted to telling US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that Israel "wants to be raped" into a settlement.

The totally inappropiate remark was made at a dinner at the home of US Ambassador Richard Jones, where Rice met with an assemblage of Israels famous, self-appointed "elites." According to The Jewish Week, Ha'aretz's David Landau implored Rice to intervene, asserting that the Israeli government wanted 'to be raped.' He later added that the opportunity to tell her this was for him a 'wet dream come true'.

Unfortunately, as Caroline Glick has observed in The Jerusalem Post, the rape of Israel is in fact happening, egged on by the likes of Landau and the current corrupt leadership of the state of Israel. (An interesting blog comment can be seen here.)

With his totally inappropriate and unacceptable metaphor, Landau essentially admitted that the majority of citizens in Israel will never agree to concessions and withdrawals of the kind he fantasizes about. He is therefore desperate for the United States to impose them by force.

In other words, he is not saying "rape me", but rather "rape them".

Latke flavoured soda?

Once again the Americans have it. Jones Soda of Seattle are making the following specialty flavours in honour of Hanukkah: Latke soda, Applesauce soda, Jelly Doughnut soda and Chocolate Coins soda. ("You bet they're kosher!")

And if that makes you feel a little queasy, the parallel Christmas pack includes Ham soda and - wait for it - Christmas Tree flavour soda. Now I wonder what that would taste like?

As Jones point out, they have even thought of the slightly mixed-up "Christmukah" folks since the entire Christmas pack - including the Ham soda - is kosher.

Merry Hanukkah!

Chinese Organ Harvesting

Chinese TV airs Elyashiv's opposition to organ harvesting (JP)

A Chinese-language international TV station recently broadcast a news item on Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv's adamant prohibition of Jews deriving any benefit from Chinese organ harvesting, even in life-threatening situations, the Jerusalem Post reports.



Rabbi Elyashiv, one of the most respected halachic authorities alive, ruled recently that it is forbidden to use organs harvested from members of the Falun Gong, a spiritual movement that is being persecuted by the Chinese Communist regime.

"It is a desecration of God's name to use organs taken from political prisoners. Even in life-threatening cases it is forbidden to receive treatment, especially the chosen people, the Jewish people, who are commanded 'do not murder.' They must not travel to China to get an organ transplant."

The broadcasting of this unequivocal Jewish ruling on organ trafficking constitutes a great Kiddush Hashem.

No Pork Bangers for England's Soccer Stars

A typical wholesome English breakfast of fried bangers, eggs, bacon, tomatoes and baked beans on toast. [Not for me thanks, it's not kosher, but it does look delicious! ]

In a slightly tongue-in-cheek article entitled "England's soccer stars swallow hotel's pork ban" the Jerusalem Post revealed that when the English Football Association booked 80 rooms at the five-star Dan Accadia Hotel in Herzilya for the upcoming Euro 2008 qualifying match between Israel and England, it accepted without a murmer the hotel's dietary restrictions, which ban the cooking of pork - or milk and meat together - in the hotel's kosher kitchens.

There was perhaps something of a quid pro quo here, since the FA had itself sent a 13-page list of requirements to the hotel that are "standard practice" for the English national soccer team on tour. (The FA official who spoke to Post would not discuss details of their requirements, but said they include removing mini-bars and restricting room service to all rooms reserved for the team.)

"The dietary restrictions will not cause any problem for the team," said an FA official. "We are satisfied that we will have an enjoyable time in Israel, and we are looking forward to our visit."

However, it appears that the Israel Football Association (IFA), is not happy with the arrangement (though what it has to do with them I fail to see). According to a source at the IFA, the local soccer federation - which has used various Dan Hotels to house players and officials for many years - has decided it will no longer do business with Dan Hotels because of this issue!

It would seem that while our English visitors can accept and respect Jewish customs, our own brethren here in Israel feel obligated to bash what is sacred to their own religion. Would the IFA demand pork - or alcohol - in a muslim country I wonder? Shame.

Virtual Street Reality

An anamorphosis is a deformed image that appears in its true shape when viewed in a particular way. A catoptric anamorphosis is viewed through a distorting mirror. An oblique anamorphosis must be seen from a particular, oblique angle.

Julian Beever is an English artist who specializes in oblique anamorphosis street drawings, which he does on pavements around Europe. When viewed from the right angle the drawings kind of "pop-up" out of the pavement at the viewer, and take on a life of their own.

Read more about this in the ever fascinating Proceedings of the Athanasius Kircher Society

Learn more about anamorphosis in general at anamorphosis.com

Orthodox Jewish Holocaust Deniers in Iran?

World slams Holocaust deniers in Iran (Jerusalem Post)





Orthodox rabbis embracing Ahmadinejad?

Amidst the general western dismay at Iran's absurd "Conference on the Holocaust" (whose main objective seems to be to plan another), these Associated Press photographs - published widely - cloud and confuse the issue.

Yes, certainly, it is known that there are anti-Zionist orthodox Jews who do not support Israel for various reasons historical, religious and political, but is it really possible that a Jew would have so little respect for his own Jewishness as to be photographed embracing the Jew-hater Ahmadinejad at a conference such as this?

Well the answer seems to be: It's a big world, there are bound to be some sick, publicity-crazy meshugoim in it.

These nuts have been turning up in the news for years. The important thing to note is that there aren't actually very many of them, it's just that the few there are manage to get around a lot. Their cabal numbers no more 35 or 40 men worldwide: 10-20 each in Israel and the US, and perhaps 5 in London and 1 in Vienna; that's about it.

They use the name "Neturei Karta", because it sounds cool and historical, and there's nothing the real Neturei Karta can do to stop them. (Not that there's much of the real NK left any more: most members have stopped using that name because they don't want to be identified with these kooks. But there are still a few NK institutions: a study hall in Meah Shearim, two schools and a newspaper, and these weirdos are not welcome at any of them.)

But nothing much can be done to stop them prancing around the world, so they continue to appear at every anti-Israel event they can possibly get to, attracting media attention left and right. They are funded by antisemites, so they have no need of any support from other Jews, which they certainly don't and wouldn't get.

Their leader in Israel (or should I say Palestine?), Moshe Hirsch, was found to have been on Yasser Arafat's payroll, and attended his funeral. Documents discosed by Israel's Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center and the Center for Special Studies (CSS) revealed that Arafat paid more than $50,000 to Hirsch, as "foreign minister" of Neturei Karta.

As to why the secular Israeli political and legal establishments leave Hirsch to run around the world when they could easily have him jailed for treason: one theory is that they see the embarrassment to religious Jewry in general (not only ultra-orthodox Jewry) as in their interests.

For an interesting article on a related type of cynicism of the secular Israeli political leadership, see this cogent article by Larry Derfner, a secular jouralist. He writes, inter alia: "I get incensed that every official visitor to Israel has to stop first at Yad Vashem - to be softened up and put on the defensive before the give-and-take of diplomacy with Israel can begin."

Added Dec. 14th: As a result of the publicity during the last few days, the Eda Haredit issued this condemnation. Also, here, Jonathan Rosenblum writes how the British member of the delegation, Ahron Cohen, has been told he is persona-non-grata in the Satmar synagogue in Manchester, where he lives, and similarly at "Rav Huna's" in Golders Green.

Protest rally in London

5 August 2006

Reuters pulls phony Beirut photo

Read the amazing full story at littlegreenfootballs.com



In the most recent in a series of online controversies to take on the mainstream media, a Web blog discredited a Reuters photograph of the fighting in Lebanon, forcing the news agency to issue an apology and remove the image from their archives.

The photograph by Adnan Hajj, shows plumes of smoke rising from downtown Beirut after an IAF bombing. Notice the repeating patterns in the smoke caused by clumsy use of the "clone" tool.

The US-based blog LittleGreenFootballs.com first wrote about the controversy and included a series of detailed animations drawing attention to doctored elements of the photograph. (Take a look at the original blog here, its incredible. There's much more than just the zig-zags in the smoke. )

What next, one wonders?

Are animal biscuits kosher?

Thanks to Canonist for pointing out this hilarious distraction in our troubled times.

To the Editor of Yated Neeman

Dear Editor,

Poschim b’chvod achsanyah. My family loves reading this wonderful newspaper, as it is the only newspaper that truly belongs in a Torah home.

I would like to share with you an experience that I recently had, one that I found very disturbing. I opened up a box of heimishe-brand animal crackers and was terribly dismayed to see that a whole array of non-kosher animals are featured! What are we teaching our children, to eat treife animals?! Are we chas v’shalom teaching our children to eat bears and elephants?

Wishing to hear a response.
I remain,
F. O. G.

Canonist asked: But seriously, how funny can this get? Some of the responses (the site is great for comments) were quite amusing.

Avraham wrote: “I have this great image of armies of little children roaming the Catskill mountains looking for bears to bring home to their bungalows for dinner.

Also: ”Wouldn’t animal crackers of only kosher animals be horribly boring? Fish, chicken, beef, lamb… well I suppose at least there’s giraffe [which is kosher]."

Jewishwhistleblower exclaimed: "Fish and meat together in the same box?"

D said: "Actually, FOG got the issue all wrong. The problem is Eiver Min haChai since the animal crackers certainly represent living creatures rather than ones geshochted, cooked an on a plate."

Jewishwhistleblower pointed out: "Clearly, if the head is still attached to your cracker it hasn’t been properly shechted. Such crackers must not have heads or, chas v’shalom, our children may learn to to eat giraffes that have not been properly shechted."

Bob added: "D, I am being dan l’kav zchus and assuming that FOG holds by the shitta that if you eat them all in one bite it’s muttar."

And finally: "Unsalted crackers are clearly a problem, chas v’shalom. Though perhaps such crackers could be broiled with direct fire, like liver, and then eaten?"

Hmm. Remember the little blue sachets of salt that used to come in bags of crisps years ago? Perhaps they could be introduced into the kosher brands of animal biscuits for educational purposes, and as a condition for receiving kosher certification.

Welcome to the club

A Jerusalem Post article by Mark Stein sums up rather well the Danish-flag-burning saga. Pointing out that:

Thus, NBC... in its coverage of the global riots over the Danish cartoons, has declined to show any of the offending artwork out of "respect" for the Muslim faith.

Which means out of respect for their ability to locate the executive vice-president's home in the suburbs and firebomb his garage.

After pointing out the absurdly unilateral nature of western "multi-cultural sensitivity", he ends with the brilliant line:

...there's very little difference between living under Exquisitely Refined Multicultural Sensitivity and Shari'a. As a famously sensitive Dane once put it:

"To be or not to be, that is the question."

The Kosher Compass (dot com)

A new spin on novelty gifts for Hanukah? (Left: The kosher compass; Right: Limoges dreidle)



Readers of the Jerusalem Post and other Jewish web content have recently been bombarded with the following advertising hype:

The compass that defies Nature! Just open the cover and find your way home to Jerusalem!

The Incredible Jerusalem Compass will show you the proper direction for your daily prayers, anywhere in the world. No Computer chips, no circuitry - this non-electric device spins and stops in the direction of Jerusalem from any place you are in the world [emphasis mine]. It's an incredible device that defies nature as it shows you the direction of your prayers and dreams... Recommended by leading Rabbis.

The question is: How true can this be? If it's non-electric, surely the only posibilities we are left with are magnets, mirrors and... miracles?

According to Parshablog it would seem I'm not the first to ask this question, and not the first either to be reluctant to shell out $24 to buy one and test it. (One would feel so silly buying one...) The patent having been located by the above blogger, it seems likely that the incredible kosher compass that defies nature is probably not more than a cute novelty item, based on the following two principles:

1) A non magnetized needle is attached to a regular, magnetized compass needle that is hidden beneath the compass face.

2) The angle between the two needles can be adjusted for different locations using a knob on the outside of the compass (visible in the picture but not mentioned in the hype).

If this is the case, you actually have to carry the "adjustment leaflet" with you when you travel, not just the compass, and using the thing in Jerusalem - with the exact direction for prayers changing at every block - might be a nightmare rather than "a dream".

Business is obviously swift, with some webstores already being "Sold Out" of the wonder item; but I suspect that before long interest will wane and the "the compass that defies nature," will do a vanishing act.

Disclaimer: I have not seen the compass itself and am merely speculating based on a basic knowledge of physics and an Internet Search.

Gaza synagogues the day after

Gaza synagogues before the Disengagement

Smashing, Positively Dashing...

Royal Ascot is well underway, and betting closed early for guessing the colour of the Queen's hat at Ladies' Day (yesterday). The bookies are down thousands of pounds due to a palace insider having snitched that HM would wear brown. (See the Times article on the ten-year old tradition of betting on this essential detail.) One feels so sorry for them. Absolutely not cricket.

Mrs Edward Claridge (above right) is an Ascot Ladies' Day regular who's usually good for a laugh, while Ms Getty (left) favours unrestrained elegance. But my dear, something simply must be done about tradesmen advertising their wares (below left)... so dreadfully "non-U"...



To see more hats, take a butchers at the BBC website, or visit the Official Ascot Image Store, or alternatively listen to a midi recording of the evocative Ascot Gavotte from My Fair Lady.

"Can I help you?" [Not]

Ever feel frustrated by inane and time-wasting offers of help from modern shop assistants who know less about their products than you do?

"To the man who tried to help me find the right computer cable at Future Shop: Thank you for taking the time to carefully read the packaging of all the cables on display right there in front of me... It was nice of you to make yourself available, but guess what? I, too, can read the information on the packages. In fact, I am an accomplished reader of the English language. And if you have no idea what cables you have in your store and what each one is for, then what exactly can you help me with?

"To everybody who works in stores, restaurants, banks -- anywhere in customer service: Clearly you have been instructed to be helpful, but please stop offering to help when you have no idea what that is."

Read Karen Hahn's beautifully expressed article at The Globe and Mail: HELPLESS