Weekly Torah Portion - Mattot

This week’s Torah portion is Mattot, the penultimate portion in Numbers. Mattot includes instructions on and lists of vows. The vows we utter, the words we say all have power. How does Judaism encurage us to think about our words? Here are links to commentaries which address this question as it resonates from [...]

More Pain and Anguish

More pain and anguish reside in lives today. There has been a devastating train accident in Pakistan and a suicide bombing in Iraq killing over 24 children.
When is the world going to learn that war perpetrates war and hate perpetrates hate?
Wishing all shalom, salaam and peace.

Inspiring Story

Dr. Barry Melnik, an Israeli doctor on vacation in London, heard one of the explosions in the underground last Thursday and rushed to the scene to help. Read his inspiring and courageous story on Israel 21c.
May each of us find ways to step forward and act heroically in difficult times.
Shalom, salaam, peace.

Oh No, Not Again

More terror in Israel. A suicide bomber detonated outside a mall in Netanya today. 3 [Update on 7/13/05 - the number is now sadly 4] people are already known to be dead and about 24 90 injured.
More hate and death. I just don’t understand it.
Here are some links to news stories:
Ha’aretz (English)
CNN
New York [...]

Example of Diversity in Competition

Today there was a nice example of diversity during the Maccabiah Games (a world-wide olympic-style competition) in Israel.
The 17th Maccabiah Games opened this week with a sterling example of Israel’s democratic values. An Israeli Arab teenage girl from the town of Sakhnin became the first gold medalist in this year’s Games with a victory on [...]

A Thought or Two on Wild Weather

Wild weather - tropical storms, hurricanes, tornados, fire-storms, blizzards, floods are sadly all too common around the world. We here in the USA were focused on Hurricane (now tropical storm) Dennis for the past few days (and those who are and will get flooding rains from the storm will continue to be focused on [...]

Another New Link

Through site-meter, I found Contemplative Activist, an interesting looking blog. Read and enjoy.
Shalom, salaam, peace,

Weekly Torah Portion - Khukat 5765

One of the topics of this week’s parashah is the famous story of Moses striking, rather than speaking to the rock. Becuase of this and Moses’ murder of the Egyptian task master, he does not gain entry to the Holy Land. This situation provokes many questions. Rabbi David Teutsch shares one response in his drash [...]

Helping those with Addictions

One of the difficult realities of the Jewish community is that some Jews (like all others) struggle with addictions to alcohol, drugs, hate and other things that damage their lives. The Central Conference of American Rabbis has prepared materials to help rabbis understand the realities and difficulties of addiction. Download and read the document [...]

Children & the London Bombings

What do we say to children of all ages about yesterday’s terror, death and destruction of lives? The Jewish Education Center of Cleveland has put together a curriculum for just such a question. It can be used at camp, religious schools, by rabbis or even individually. The curriculum is free and can be accessed [...]

More “Muslim Blogs” Links

Sunday I updated the links under the “Muslim Blogs” category. I found the links through Sister Scorpion. Today she posted more links, some of them which I found interesting at first glance, so I am adding more.
One of the goals of this blog is to share Jewish knowledge and to work for better communication and [...]

Muslim Bloggers on London Bombings

What are Muslim bloggers saying about today’s terror attack? Islamicate shares her thoughts and collects what others on the web are saying.
En’sha’allah, b’ezrat hashem (God willing), hate will soon cease.

Prayers on this difficult day

Another day of terror, pain, war and bloodshed. Sad. So sad.
My heart, thoughts and prayers are with all effected.

What is Israel?

Want to hear a thorough yet brief description of what and who Israel is today? Liron hs a brief yet thorough and clear description of Israel, especially for those who get most of their information on Israel from American mainstream media like CNN, FoxNews, MSNBC and the like. Listen to her June 25, 2005 podcast. [...]

Jewish/Israeli Podcasts

I’ve been listening to podcasts while out on walks and traveling the daily commute. I have listened to some ones with Israeli or Jewish content, and I thought it would be interesting to see how many Jewish or Israeli podcasts I could find. Below are some. If you know of more, please email [...]

Make Poverty History

Through Father Jake Stops the World, I found Make Poverty History, an effort to end world poverty. Live 8 is of course another effort to end poverty, especially in Africa.

Link Update

Thanks to Sister Scorpion, I have updated some links. She has posted an update of her own links, and I have borrowed and added. So, take a look at the links on the right, especially in the Muslim blogs section.