And... This Year's Purim Sign is:

Have a happy, healthy and joyful Purim everybody!!

I trust that you can read my sign.

I've been trying out various Megillat Ester readings.  The first was at neighbors.  It was quiet, but the reading wasn't clear.  I couldn't make out the words and had trouble following.

So, this morning I went to a small shul, call it the "shtibel."  The reading was very good, clear, dramatic.  The place was noisy for my needs, but I got there early and found a seat in the back corner.

I still haven't decided where to go tonight.  I planned on walking down the hill to neighbors in a different neighborhood, but the blessed rain has returned.

No Need To Panic!

I woke up in the middle of an anxiety attack of sorts.  On my mind was Saturday night after Shabbat and I was in a hotel organizing myself for some performance which would take place in a short while.  Suddenly I realized that since I hadn't checked out of the hotel immediately after Shabbat I'd be booked/charged for another night.  We can't afford it.  I had fouled up for sure.  I was in a panic.  What should I do?  How can I pay for it?

Slowly as I began waking up, or was I still in that dream, my mind began to clear.  This was just a dream.  I was home.  I didn't have to pay any hotel bill.  I worked hard to calm myself down physically.  What a peculiar dream....

Now I really ought to finish up here, get myself showered, dressed and dovened (pray.)  And then I must pack the Purim mishloach manot food gifts.  After that I have to go to a Megillat Esther reading, 2/4.

The Purim Situation, Havel Havelim

We have a situation here, a Purim situation, in the Israel Situation and it's called:

Havel Havelim!

It's highly recommended that you check it out!

It's That Time of The Week...

Yes, an hour before candle-lighting, before Shabbat restrictions kick in.  I must return to the kitchen.  I cooked a bit less than usual, since we have two days of Purim and I'll be cooking for those meals.  My Shabbat cooking doesn't have to shouldn't last the week.

I wonder if you agree with my Purim Pet Peeve.  Maybe I should have cross-posted here.  Sorry, nu, maybe you want to guess before clicking?

Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach

Have a Peaceful & Blessed Shabbat

Fussy About Food

I'm the type who's always washing my hands with soap when handling food for myself and others.  It was a shocker when I began noticing that most people don't.

Ironically, uselessly, in many restaurants the staff wear gloves in order not to touch the food, but they don't take the gloves off when handling money.  And studies have shown that money is full of bacteria and viruses.  I also can't stand the use of those wet-wipes (all brands) used for cleaning hands and food surfaces, because the chemicals aren't wiped/rinsed off.  It turns my stomach to think of eating those chemicals.  I prefer (when it's possible) soap, water and a clean water rinse for cleanliness.

In another couple of days, we'll be celebrating the Purim holiday.  It's a Jewish holiday to commemorate our victory in Persia over those who wanted to annihilate us.  It's customary to dress in costumes to hide our identities, like G-d hid and controlled events in His mysterious ways.  We're commanded to give charity to the poor in our Jewish community, read the Purim story in the Scroll of Esther, have a thanksgiving feast and send food packages for the feast to others.

As I write this, I picture some of the plates which arrive from well-meaning neighbors.  Even when I wasn't trying to avoid sweets and carbohydrates, I just couldn't touch the unwrapped food items, candies, cookies etc touched by who knows how many dirty hands.

I admit that I'm probably a terribly neurotic fanatic about food cleanliness.  During the years I was the cook at the local day care center for infants to three year olds, there were no cases of food-born illness.

Yes, I've heard that it's healthy to get the body used to local bacteria and viruses at an early age.  That's why many people new to a region (like those moving to Israel) find themselves constantly ill during their first year.  Their bodies just aren't immune.  There are easier ways to get vaccinated.

I don't know what Mishloach Manot, food gifts, we'll receive this year, but especially with my elderly father in the house, I'll have to be extra careful about what's put on the table for noshing and eating.

Food-Filled Fast Day

Rather ironic, keeping my mind off of eating food by cooking all day.  The Jewish Holiday of Purim is preceded by a fast.

Physically I don't have trouble fasting.  The Problem is more in my mind, like craving coffee all day, but I didn't have a headache.  I just love to eat.  I was pretty tired by the end of it.

Nu, what did I cook?

• my famous, very easy tnt, delicious vegetable soup
• a bunch of banana and chocolate chip cakes
• one batch of my whole wheat Hamantaschen, cookie dough and no margarine
• this kids love it chicken

The soup is really for Mishloach Manot,  the food gifts we give on Purim.  But we broke the fast on it, and my father enjoyed it.  The chicken is for Shabbat and during the week.  And the cake and Hamentaschen are also for Mishloach Manot.  It's so easy to bake cakes. 

Now I ought to try to take a walk.

Celebrating Purim With JPIX at Pesky's

The latest JPIX is posted by Pesky.  Take a look. There are lots of posts, but....

Jpix at Pesky's

Stop in and please send my regards!

It's A Good Thing I Get Up Early

Just as I was getting into bed, alarms went off in my head:

"Oops! Tomorrow's Ta'anit Ester, the Fast of Ester, and I forgot to drink extra water!"

Then, another part of my brain replied:

"I get up early enough to drink some water before starting the day."

And that's what I did.

Tzom Kal

Have an easy fast 

I'm Grateful for Help

The other day a neighbor sent a short email.  Typo, it's "-" not "--."

And today, someone corrected a typo on my Arutz 7 blog.  I just fixed it, and I also fixed the identical mistake on Shiloh Musings.

Thanks to all who let me know when I've goofed.  Let me reword this:

"Thanks to all who politely let me know when I've goofed."

I appreciate it!!!

It Sure Paid To "Window-shop" (Check the Prices) The Breakfast Deals

When I was working, I didn't think twice about the price of a simple meal out in a restaurant every week or two.  But now there's no money for it, so when I do meet a friend for a meal I have to be much more frugal.

I got to downtown Jerusalem earlier than needed the other day to meet my friend, so I "cased the joints," as the saying goes.  OK, maybe the wrong saying, but...

Israeli "breakfast deals" are pretty good.  You get a two-egg omelet to your specifications, coffee, juice, salads, some cheeses, a roll, butter, jam and sometimes even more.  Some restaurants offer the deal all day, while others limit it to "until 12:30," or some similar hour.

The prices of these feasts have been climbing of late, or is it just my shrinking budget?

With time, rather than money to spare, I checked out a few classic Jerusalem spots, concentrating specifically on two which give me discounts.  Some restaurants offer a little form to fill out with the bill, entitling you to "membership."

First I went to Rimon, where I can get a 10% (or is it just 5%) discount.  The price for breakfast was NS49.  Then I walked towards the Lion's Den, HaGov, which was our meeting spot.  Just across from it is the new modern boutique hotel, the Harmony, which has a restaurant outside and in the lobby.  They, too, were charging NS49, no discount.  Just past there, is Luigi which offers a discount, possibly 15% to members, and the pre-discount price is only NS41!  That's a big difference!  The two breakfasts ended up costing us only NS74!

Yes, I'm pretty spoiled having Jerusalem's kosher choices.  In many places, you're lucky to have one kosher restaurant and in some cities it's just in the local Jewish community center.

Our meals weren't the gevaldik enormous ones which you could easily share.  They were fine for us.  The roll was OK by Israeli standards and great by New York ones.  I'm sorry that I ate it.  It's rare that I do, since I restrict my carbohydrates and grains.  I doubt if I could have found a better deal in downtown Jerusalem.  Sorry, but I didn't photograph it.  I was too hungry.

2 Walks +

My husband was in today and could watch my father.  And though I could have traveled, I decided to save money and stay home.

I walked twice, morning and night plus the walk with my father.  It's very difficult to get enough exercise, and when I'm home I eat too much.  I don't want the weight I lost to return.

Three friends were supposed to come every week to exercise, but it hasn't worked out.  One friend came a few times and we did Pilate's to a DVD, and another friend came once or twice and we sweated to the Oldies on a Richard Simmons DVD.

I've really slowed down, my computer and I are competing for the slowest award.

Yes, A Sports Bar and Grill in Jerusalem!

The color scheme for Jerusalem's new Sports Bar & Grill is red and mustard yellow, making this a perfect Ruby Tuesday post.

HaGov, The Lion's Den

Sports Bar & Grill

5 Yoel Solomon Street

Jerusalem

Shomer Shabbat, Kosher

Open Every night except Friday

7pm (Saturday night opening time later) until 4am

On Tuesdays, just post any photo you like (it must be one of your own) that contains the color RED and then link to this blog.

Is This A Hardware Problem?

Ol' Crotchety, aka this computer, has been refusing to upload (is it?) pictures from cd's to my blogs.  We must find a way to get a new fully-functioning computer!

A friend of a friend sent me a link to an obituary about Avi Schaefer.  I remember him and his twin brother from my second Nefesh B'Nefesh aliyah flight.  I wanted to add more pictures to the post I wrote on Shiloh Musings about him.  I finally gave up when nothing posted.

Then I tried to send the pictures to the author of the JPost obituary, but my computer refused to send them claiming I didn't have th rights or some other nonsense.

Here's the picture I had posted just after the flight.  I'm able to use the link from my original picture post.

My most sincere sympathies to the family.  HaMakom y'nachem...

It Was Worth The Calculation

Today when I was in Jerusalem I did my annual candy shopping.  Yes, I only buy candies once a year, for the Purim Mishloach Manot, food gifts.  I always buy by the weight, but the first stores I found were selling the little wrapped candies I like to get at 1 for NS1. 


I was curious to see if it paid, so I examined the package to discover the weight, just 30 grams.  Then I tried to calculate what weight I would get at the per kilo price.  I had remembered something like NS18, which according my my calculations would give me just over half a kilo.  That was pretty dumb of me; the price was much higher.  Later when I found that all the stores were selling them for NS24.  So, let's calculate:

24 X 30 =

720 grams!

Yes, that means that you're paying a lot more when you buy them one by one, rather than by the weight.

The unwrapped candies are less money, but I feel safer with wrapped ones.  I didn't find any price variations, and I didn't have the time to search all over.

Just In Time For Purim

A certain Jblogger insulted the Kosher Cooking Carnival a while back by claiming that kosher food recipes had no place on a halacha (Jewish Law) blog.  That preposterous statement surely disqualifies him as an expert in kashrut.  My reaction was:

"I wouldn't eat from his kitchen."

There is no kosher food without halacha, and this wouldn't be much of a Jewish blog (jblog for short) without mentioning  the latest Kosher Cooking Carnival, this time located in Adventures in Mama-Land.

If you'd like to host one of these monthly Jewish blog carnivals, please contact me.  We now follow the Jewish calendar.  And please send in all posts concerning kosher food, whether it's tradition, recipes, halacha, or cookbook and restaurant reviews etc.

Oops! Almost Forgot "Voices!"

I've been up since real early, since I hope to go to the pool this morning.  I get up an hour earlier than my usual very early on "pool day."  I'm not one of those "bed to door" people who manage to leave their homes before their eyes are barely open.  I need time, lots of time from waking up to leaving my home.

Spending a lot of it by the computer is a bonus.  After the alarm wakes me and I visit the WC and turn on the computer I go to the kitchen and set up the coffeemaker for two giant mugs.  Then I pour myself some water, drink it, pour some more and then take it to the den and computer to finish that off.  I check my email, blog, drink the coffee and spend some quality time in the WC, of course.  That little room must be visited quite a few times before I can leave home.

Eventually, I shower, dress, pray the morning prayer, make and eat breakfast... and then I can leave the house if that's what's scheduled.

So, this morning, when checking my mail I saw a panicky email from Sharon asking for my Voices Purim article.  I quickly wrote it and emailed it back.  Sorry for being so late.

Yes, She Can! Ruti's Havel Havelim

This week's Havel Havelim blew in from the east, from Ruti, because she can!  Take a look; you'll be very impressed.

Ruti did a great job.  Maybe she ought to try a Kosher Cooking Carnival!  The next one, anytime today, will be an adventure in Mama Land. Keep checking.  And if you're interesting in taking your turn as host, please let me know.  Thanks!

If At First You Don't Succeed...

I'm trying again.  Call this Part One, because after over an hour, only two pictures succeeded in uploading onto the blog.

I wasn't raised on Israeli flora and fauna.  I barely know the names of the plants I bought.  My knowledge of fauna is pretty general, like dogs, cats and birds.

So, here are two out of the five pictures I tried to post.  No, I don't know their names!

If you do, please educate us in the comments.  Thanks

I Give Up!

I had started a different post, an illustrated one with plants and a bird I can't identify.  But somehow the pictures never progressed to the post, whatever it's called...

upload, download-- it was no load, not loaded at all

So, G-d willing, bli neder, (not swearing to it) I'll try another time.

We have two computers, both old and too weak in the brain to handle the minimal workload.

We need to buy new ones but no money available.  And I know that it's foolish to buy secondhand or not the latest, because they'll just last less time.

Recommendations welcome, suggestions, warnings etc.

Thanks

Computer Viewing Tip

Many people tell me that they don't use the computer much because it's uncomfortable to look at the screen for long.  Most (all) of them are people with glasses, and today, many wear various bi and multi-focal ones.

I wear reading glasses, the low variety, which I can perch on my nose low enough so that I can look over them for distance while reading, crocheting etc.  Yes, like bifocals without the upper glass.

That set-up is perfect for crocheting as I watch TV or a DVD movie, but it's not comfortable when trying to watch a movie in an airplane.  The little screen is too far for my reading glasses and too small to be seen clearly without.  My low reading glasses aren't comfortable when working on my pc in the den.  Luckily I have some old reading glasses with full-size lenses.

For those who have bi and multi-focal lenses, I recommend getting a simple pair of glasses to be used at the computer with only the reading lenses, and make it clear to your optician and Optometrist, the professional calculating the strength what the purpose for your glasses is, and try to reproduce (measure in advance) the distance between your eyes and your computer screen.

Multi-focal and bifocals aren't all that great at times.

He May Not Be 39, But He's Funny!

This week the movie club didnt see a movie.  We met and we laughed, because we saw three Jack Benny Shows. 



This scene with Jack Benny and Marilyn Monroe wasn't on the shows we saw, but google volunteered it.


I promised them more, since there are two more on the DVD, and I have another DVD with Red Skelton's TV shows.

Very, VERY Dry!

Yesterday I did a rather risky experiment to save money.  I laundered my grey and white woolen bathrobe in the washing machine. (Obviously the colors of the robe colored my color decision for this post.)

For years, I'd been sending it out for dry cleaning.  It gets very dirty.  Being a "Victoria Secrets" robe, it's made/designed for tall willowy women and even after losing some weight, I can't change certain things.  Willowy, I'm still not.  And at my age, height can only go down.  So, yes, it drags on the floor.

My European washing machine has that "woolmark symbol," so I figured it was a reasonable risk.  The robe is so large, I wasn't afraid of a little shrinkage.

I just figured that it would take days and days to dry inside the house.  There's a limit to my risk-taking when it comes to laundry.  I wasn't going to hang it outside.  What a shock yesterday evening when I discovered that it was already dry, less than twelve hours after being placed on the folding dryer.

Yes, we've been having unseasonably hot weather for mid-February, hot and dry.

My Little Gmach, "Loaner"

It's customary in traditional Jewish circles to have a "gmach 
" for all sorts of needs. A gmach is a fund, collection, of something that gets lent out or leased for minimal money. Sometimes it's money lent at easy terms.

I have an extra pair of reading glasses. Friends know about them, and sometimes, like today, I get a call:

"My glasses are broken/missing. Can I borrow a pair?"

It's a very easy, no fuss, way of helping people.

Dumbing Down

I had planned on a very stimulating and intellectually challenging study day at Matan for this year.  I took their Bible-Touring course last year and loved it.  The only reason I hadn't already paid before my life suddenly changed was because I was hoping to negotiate a discount.  It's not cheap.  I would have offered to barter some services if they had agreed.

Then my mother fell and I had to go to New York and bring my father to live with us.  That has been my full-time commitment for quite a few months already.  I can't commit to anything else, nor do I help with my grandchildren.

It's a different life.

I've slowed down to match it.  I miss the intellectual challenges last year's course had offered.  It's, also, hard to keep the weight off, because I don't exercise enough.  Staying home also makes me eat more.

Of course it could be much, much worse.  People are wonderful and helpful.  I shouldn't complain.

I don't know what G-d has planned for next year.

Almost Like Summer

We've had unseasonably warm winter weather, yes, while so much of the world is covered by snow. A newscast said that 48 out of the 50 states have snow.

Israel isn't America, nor Europe.

My father even took off his heavy jacket, the one he wears in the house. I bought it for him for Chanuka. He was suffering so from the cold. We'll probably have another couple of cold spells before it's officially summer. And then we'll ask:

"What happened to spring?"

There isn't much spring here in Israel, no fall either.

Mazal Tov, Ruby Tuesday!

As I was going through the pictures on my latest Cd, this was the first one with red.  I didn't plan on choosing it.  I was looking for flowers or some other nature scene.  Then that red winter coat hit my eye.  How could I ignore it and the story?

Last week, two young kids who grew up in Shiloh got married.  One was born in Mexico and the other in the USSR.  Living in Shiloh united the two families with the wedding of their children. 

As you can see from the picture, one of the mothers is in a wheelchair.  She is temporarily handicapped, so a friend took charge of wheeling her around, and that ruby red coat with the fur collar belongs to one of them.

On Tuesdays, just post any photo you like (it must be one of your own) that contains the color RED and then link to this blog.

Food Alert: Read the Fine Print!

For many, many years, I've been buying the same tomato paste/concentrate. It was made of tomatoes only. It was a very dark, blood red. Then one day, a couple of weeks ago, I opened a can and some bright red "mush" stared up at me. Nu, this didn't look like my old trusty tomato paste. Could I be mistaken?

I checked the can. I was right.  I don't think that the writing came out clearly here in the picture, but trust me.  There's more than just tomatoes in the paste.

So, the next time I needed tomato paste I went over every single brand in the store.  There wasn't any other concentrate of 28-30%.  I had to settle on the 22%.  So I found two brands without additives.  Nu, how could I choose one.  I checked the sodium.  One had almost double the other one.  Yes, of course I took the lower sodium.

Read the fine print and don't take for granted that products won't change.

Kosher food consumers or those with lactose or celiac restrictions must also be alert to changes in recipes and ingredients.

Read the fine print.

Oops! Must Choose A Movie

I haven't yet chosen and announced and reminded the movie club of a movie for this week, and it's already Monday, two days before we meet.  There were requests for a comedy.

Oops!  It's very hard to find a decent comedy. I don't know if we have any more in our collection.

Nothing Like The Gantseh Megillah

Better late than never, the latest Gantseh Megillah is posted for your reading pleasure. Enjoy! Enjoy!

Suddenly Sans Cellphone

Not me actually, my husband.  He ended up going to work without his phone; I'll leave the story at that, sans details.  The story isn't the story.  Nu, does that make sense?

We're used to checking in, his letting me know when he'll be back, which bus etc.  Also if the bus is delayed.  Today isn't a routine day, which makes for more guess work.  There was a time when that was the norm, but now it's odd.

In some ways life was less stressed when we didn't know every detail, when we had to accept that we're not in control, that we can't really predict.

I remember waiting for various people, having to just wait, wonder when I should just "give up."

Today it's call, call and call.  Now with "call waiting" calls are even interrupted, so different from years ago.

Is today better, or worse?

Chodesh Adar Tov! Havel Havelim Rosh for Chodesh Adar, Not A Joke

Chodesh Tov one and all.  This year we have one Adar but two days of Rosh Chodesh Adar.  It's supposed to be a happy time, but somehow my computers aren't cooperating in publishing this Havel Havelim.  I tried the method I used when blog carnival was down, but things change in Adar, and it didn't work.  Eventually, G-d willing, I'll have this posted on both my blogs, and I hope and pray that you intrepid jbloggers will post about and pass the links around so a maximum of readers will have the great opportunity to to read the posts from the humongous international collection of Jewish bloggers, jbloggers as we're known.  

I've probably lost some posts along the way, those I added, because they didn't arrive via blog carnival, so if you can't find yours, please send it in the comments.  I'm pretty sure I caught all of the junk/spam they forwarded, if I missed something, please let me know via the comments.  And of course please feel free to write something nice in the comments if you think it applies.

Havel Havelim is the most veteran of the jblogger carnivals and probably one of the longest running blog carnivals there is. Blog carnivals are like "floating" internet magazines. They float from blog to blog, like "floating crap games," l'havdil.

Havel Havelim, the international jblog carnival, was established by Soccer Dad, and is now run by Jack. The term “Havel Havelim” is from Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, which was written by King Solomon, who built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and later on got all bogged down in materialism and other “excesses” and finally realized that it was nothing but norishkeit, “havel” or in English “vanities.” I think that King Solomon and his father King David were the original "bloggers." The books they wrote, when you take them chapter by chapter, can easily be described as blog posts. The stones they used to write on made them last, so that we can read them now. I doubt if today's technology will preserve our words for so long.

There are two other jblogger carnivals, the Kosher Cooking Carnival and JPIX 

which showcase everything about kosher food and picture posts with Jewish themes. If you're interested in hosting a KCC, please contact me.

Westbank Mama calls for pro-Israel posts.

Mazal Tov to Voices Magazine on its thirteenth anniversary!!

leah aharoni presents Game Theory Exercises for Children posted at Ingathered.

Allison Josephs presents Birthday Musings | Jew in the City posted at Jew in the City.

rickismom presents An Open Letter to My Fellow Chareidi Community MembersBeneath the Wings, saying, "I really don't know where this fits best. Perhaps Israel...." posted at

Mordechai Torczyner presents Poll: What makes a great Purim Seudah?The Rebbetzin's Husband. posted at

Yisrael Medad presents My Right Word: COUNTERPOINT"S 1986 NIF ReportMy Right Word, saying, "MyRightWord reminds us that the New Israel Fund was unmasked back in 1986 - but few paid attention" posted at

Yisrael Medad presents Mocking Tonge Site Up posted at My Right Word, saying, "MyRightWord hopes the new mocking Jenny Tonge site will go viral"

Antisemitism

Lady-Light presents Shouting One Down: Better than Intelligent Questions?Tikkun Olam, saying, "(Please forgive me for the last-minute submission. I have an excuse...!)
Heckling on campus: the answer to "free speech."" posted at

Culture

Mimi presents Shuk: Nazareth in the Galilee posted at Israeli Kitchen, saying, "Walking through the Nazareth shuk was like visiting another country."

G6 presents The KAJ - Breuer's Bris Milah Menorah posted at Guess Who's Coming To Dinner.

Neil Fleischmann presents Mr. Rogers Goes To The Senate posted at NY's Funniest Rabbi.

Yosef Greenberg presents A New Face on the Grandfather Clock posted at Yachdus, saying, "Trends in the Chareidi marketing, especially relation to the Internet."

History

Shifra blogged about Gush Katif Remembrance Day on Ink and Quill.

Yosef Greenberg presents Thank You David Ben Gurion For Spreading Torah Learning posted at Yachdus, saying, "Why is there so much Torah learning in Israel?"

Lady-Light presents Honest Questions about Israel and Palestine posted at Tikkun Olam, saying, "If people admitted the truth about the history of how Palestine became Israel, and the role of the Arabs in that history, they would see that the Arabs and British are to blame for the state of the Middle East today."

Humor

SnoopyTheGoon presents Ahmadinejad discovers Avatar posted at SimplyJews.

Ciaran Blumenfeld presents The Tastemaker Challenge: Show me the Kugel!Momfluential Media, saying, "Thought this was a funny post about a recent blogger potato challenge - they left out the Jews! Must have been afeared of our Kugel." posted at

Israel

Devo K presents Weather or not... posted at In the middle, on the right.

Joel Haber presents When a Handshake Isn’t Just a Handshake posted at Fun Joel's Israel, saying, "Based on a response to the post I included in last week's Havel Havelim."

mother in israel presents Wedding Costs posted at A Mother in Israel, saying, "Part of a series on Israeli weddings in the religious community."

Batya presents The New Israel Fund and Planting Seeds For The Future posted at Shiloh Musings.

Jacob Richman presents New Israeli Educational Stamps Posted Online posted at Good News from Israel, saying, "Thanks!
Jacob"

Sharon A presents Water, Water « The Real Jerusalem Streets posted at The Real Jerusalem Streets's Blog.

harry presents Fact and Fiction: Beit Avi Chai launches film series posted at Israelity.

harry presents Listen to the music posted at Israelity.

harry presents Super group jams in Jerusalem posted at Israelity.

Ben-Yehudah presents Good News! ...But Not Really That Good posted at Esser Agaroth.

Joel Katz presents Religion and State in Israel - February 8, 2010 (Section 1)Religion and State in Israel. posted at

Joel Katz presents Religion and State in Israel - February 8, 2010 (Section 2)Religion and State in Israel. posted at

Ariel Ben Yochanan presents Israel Is Anti-Jewish posted at The Torah Revolution, saying, "B"H - Israel is the only country in the world today who's regular army engages in distructing synagogues and harrassing its Jews."

Yisroel presents Snow "State of Emergency" Best Thing to Happen posted at Artzeinu.

SnoopyTheGoon presents The Point of "No Return" posted at SimplyJews.

Joel presents Oren Smiles at J-Street: So? posted at The Israel Situation, saying, "My weekly addition to the Israel Situation. This week, we discuss Michael Oren and J-Street"

Soccer Dad presents Israel Adds Cyber-Attack to IDF posted at Defense Tech.

Judaism

Paul Kipnes presents I Almost Made Myself Cry at the Bar Mitzvah posted at Or Am I?, saying, "A Bar Mitzvah of a special needs child brings tears all around."

Soccer Dad presents Snow Thoughts posted at JewishByte.info Baltimore's Jewish Byte - The Daily Site for your Jewish Byte, Jewish News, Baltimore Jewish News, Baltimore Jewish Info.

Soccer Dad presents Bernard Lander, ז?ל posted at Cross-Currents.

Heshy presents The Na’vi Makes a Prophecy: Judaism in�Avatar posted at Frum Satire.

ProfK presents How a Knowledge of Vocabulary is Going to Save the Yeshiva System posted at Conversations in Klal.

Suzy presents LETS PUT SOME JOY IN IT tip for parents and teachers posted at A bit of Light.

Hadassah Sabo Milner presents Tznius Question posted at In the Pink.

Hadassah Sabo Milner presents Teens and Purim Drinking posted at In the Pink.

~JP~ presents Shabbos Practices posted at NGOmeter, saying, "My (almost) weekly Jewish post that relates to NGOs @NGOmeter. Thanks for putting in the work this week!"

Lady-Light presents Another Jew comes Back to Tradition posted at Tikkun Olam, saying, "(Batya, please choose the 3 posts of mine which you like the most). I always love these stories of secular Jews returning to the fold; it warms the cockles of my heart...!"

Kashrut

Ilana-Davita presents Kosher Meals on Cathay Pacific posted at Ilana-Davita.

Personal

Bored Jewish Guy presents Guys have feelings too posted at Bored Jewish Guy.

Rahel presents My Audition Adventure posted at Elms in the Yard, saying, "What happens when a middle-aged American expat auditions for Kochav Nolad? Find out...."

rutimizrachi presents Amazing, but true. posted at Ki Yachol Nuchal!, saying, "G-d was clearly teasing me. Yes, He does have time to play jokes on people, even while He's busy with maintaining Creation. He's G-d, after all..."

I've also discovered that it's best to just go where G-d sends us.

Soccer Dad presents Notice to Friends and Followers of Joshuapundit posted at J O S H U A P U N D I T.

Lady-Light presents My Virtual Family posted at Tikkun Olam, saying, "Thank you--I love you all!!"


And here's more in the saga of my caring for my very elderly father, are all these expensive aids a scam?

Politics

Lady-Light presents Afraid to Name the Enemy? Take it Away, Latma TVTikkun Olam, saying, "This is under "politics" because of political correctness, the prevalence of which, in the United States, is preventing it from seeing the truth and acting accordingly.
It's also funny--especially that American Hebrew accent!" posted at

Robert J. Avrech presents Michele Bachmann: “America Will Be Cursed If We Reject Israel.” posted at Seraphic Secret.

Torah

Batya presents The Ten Commandments, "No Other G-ds" Includes Democracy and Other Western Idols posted at Shiloh Musings.

Binyamin miller presents FNQ – 5 q's for the Week - Controversial Stories in Tanach posted at Fear No Question, saying, "5 questions on how to deal with sins of Biblical characters"

Mordechai Torczyner presents The "Seventy Faces of the Torah" FallacyThe Rebbetzin's Husband. posted at

Josh Waxman presents The Samaritans make Yisro bow posted at parshablog, saying, "It is a general feature of the Samaritan Torah that they "fix" the text to solve difficulties. This is something to keep in mind if you would think to rely on a Samaritan variant as preferable to the Masoretic text. Three examples from this week's parsha alone. They make Yitro bow to Moshe; they make the nation hear the sounds; and they emend Har Eval to Har Grizim, which they deem holy. There are others. Also, Ibn Ezra argues against Lower Biblical criticism."

Josh Waxman presents Charoses and the authenticity of the Zohar posted at parshablog, saying, "If named Tannaim or Amoraim mentioned in the Zohar think the tapuach is the apple, but according to true Chazal the tapuach is the citron, then how could the Zohar be anything other than a forgery?"

Yechezkel presents Ad K'dei Kach - The Ten Commandments Revisited posted at Achas L'Maala V'Sheva L'Matta, saying, "Looking at the Ten Commandments from a new perspective. It's deja vu all over again."

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