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Jew convicted sentenced prison

lionpuppyheart — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:20:08 +0000

24 November, 2009

A reply from the The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, P.C., M.P.
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs

Re: Yaghoghil Shaolian , 19, sentenced to two and a half years in Iranian-prison‏

From:	Melissa.Lantsman@international.gc.ca
Sent:	November 24, 2009 10:43:01 PM
To:	ariehperecowicz@msn.com; cannon.l@parl.gc.ca; cannol1@parl.gc.ca
Cc:	cotlei1@parl.gc.ca; Hliebman@hotmail.com

Mr. Perecowicz,

I apologize for the late reply to your email, dated November 12, 2009. I have enclosed the Minister’s response to your concerns. Please feel free to contact me should you have any additional inquires.

Regards,
Melissa Lantsman

—————————————

Dear Arieh Perecowicz :

Thank you for your email, sent to my Office on November 12, 2009, concerning the situation of human rights in Iran and the case of Mr. Yaghoghil Shaolian , an Iranian national detained by the Iranian government.

The Government of Canada is deeply troubled by the current situation in Iran and has taken many opportunities to express its condemnation of Iran’s human rights abuses and to call for the release of all those unjustly detained in Iran. On June 15, 2009, I made a statement in which I outlined Canada’s concerns regarding allegations of irregularities in the voting process and reports of violent crackdowns by Iranian security forces on their own citizens. Furthermore, on June 21, 2009, I made another statement condemning the use of violence against protestors. You may read my statements at http://w01.international.gc.ca/minpub/index.asp

Officials of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada have also relayed these concerns directly to the Iranian Chargé d’Affaires in Ottawa, on a number of occasions, as Iran is not represented by an ambassador in Canada. As well, on June 22, 2009, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, made a statement on the situation in Iran, which you may view at www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=3&id=2647. Canada has also consistently called upon the Iranian authorities to release all political prisoners and journalists who have been unjustly detained, and to uphold all of its human rights obligations, both in law and in practice.

On June 17, 2009, in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Harper clearly articulated Canada’s position on Iran:

There is no secret to the Government of Canada’s position. We have been outspoken for a very long time in the councils of the United Nations and elsewhere about the unacceptable ideology, democratic practices and human rights record of the Government of Iran. We are obviously strongly displeased by the reaction that has taken place by authorities to events this week.

We encourage those authorities to respect people’s basic human rights and to move forward on democratic progress in this country. We find the behaviour of that regime unacceptable in so many ways that I cannot even begin to name them.

On the same day, I stated in the House of Commons that:

Everyone knows that this government has been very active on the Iran file, particularly in terms of condemnation and the commitment we made at the United Nations to condemn human rights abuses.

In addition, Mr. John Weston, Member of Parliament and Government Liaison to the Persian and Iranian Community, introduced the following motion, which was unanimously adopted by the House of Commons:

That the House express:

its solidarity with, and support for, the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people;
its concern with ongoing violations of civil and human rights in Iran, and calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners; and its support for a transparent electoral process that respects the genuine will of the Iranian people.

On July 8, 2009, Canada joined with other G8 countries in expressing serious concerns about recent events in Iran. G8 Leaders deplored the post-electoral violence, which led to the loss of lives of civilians, calling interference with media, unjustified detentions of journalists and recent arrests of foreign nationals unacceptable. They called upon Iran to solve the situation through democratic dialogue and the rule of law. You may read the statement at www.canadainternational.gc.ca/g8/summit-sommet/2009/political_declaration-declaration_politique.aspx.

On October 20, 2009, Prime Minister Harper welcomed the safe release of Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari by the Government of Iran. However, he stated that “while we rejoice today for Maziar Bahari’s homecoming, we must not forget about the countless others who remain unjustly imprisoned in Iran today.”

The Government of Canada will continue to call upon Iran to respect the human rights of all Iranians, and that ordinary Iranians must be able to freely express their views without fear of intimidation or violence.

The Canadian government’s concerns about human rights in Iran are long-standing. As part of its ongoing efforts to focus the international community’s attention on the human rights situation in Iran, Canada successfully led a resolution on this situation at the fall session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for six consecutive years. Canada and 41 co-sponsors tabled a resolution at Third Committee of UNGA, for the seventh year on November 10, 2009. The resolution, which passed with significant margin of support on Friday, Noverember 20, 2009 calls on the Government of Iran to fully respect its human rights obligations and implement previous resolutions. It also expresses deep concerns about increasing discrimination and other human rights violations against persons belonging to religious, ethnic, linguistic or other minorities, recognized or otherwise, including, inter alia, Arabs, Azeris, Baluchis, Kurds, Christians, Jews, Sufis and Sunni Muslims and their defenders. Collective efforts to table such resolutions send a strong signal that the international community remains deeply concerned about Iran’s unacceptable human rights violations.

Please be assured that Canada will continue to use all means available to raise its concerns about human rights, including the post-election situation and the continued unjust detention of Iranian and foreign nationals, such as Mr. Shaolian , in Iran.

Thank you for taking the time to write and share your concerns.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Foreign Affairs

FULL STORY

To claim Gilo belongs to Arabs is a daylight robbery of Jewish property

ivarfjeld — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:24:25 +0000

Gilo has been a residential suburb of Jerusalem since 1971. The land was purchased by Jews before World War II.

The land of Gilo in Jerusalem was purchased by Jews before World War II

The suburb of Gilo is very different from the so-called Jewish outpost in Judea and Samaria, whom the Arabs and International media calls «The West Bank». Gilo is not in East Jerusalem as widely reported, but in southwest Jerusalem within the municipal borders.

It is a Jerusalem neighborhood with a population of around 40,000. The ground was bought by Jews before WWII and settled in 1971. There is no inference whatsoever that it rests on private Arab land.

Source: The Jerusalem Post.

My comment:

To claim that Jews can not build in Gilo is not only racism against the Jewish people. Its also a daylight robbery of Jewish properties.

The Arabs have always been jealous of the Zionist Jews, that returned to Eretz Israel. In modern time, the great return home to Israel started around 1895. The Jews that returned home purchased land, wherever there was a owner to be traced in this massive wasteland.

The Jews purchased sand dunes, and rocky soil.

When the Jews liberated the so called West Bank from Islamic occupation in 1967, Jews also came home to the Mountains of Zion. They gave the local Arabs the job of constructing houses. The Arabs had a saying:

«Good the Zionist are building such beautiful houses. Because one day we will just take the key´s from them, and declare these houses as Palestinians properties».

In plain English: This is theft and robbery, promoted by Islam as a struggle for independence.

Why has Gilo first developed in 1971?

Because from 1948 to 1967, East Jerusalem was occupied by Islamic forces. The Kingdom of Jordan did not give Jews access to their properties in the suburbs. The Islamic occupation was the real Apartheid.

Remembering ghosts past

aftermumbai — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:45:40 +0000

The Jewish Community of Brussels, the capital of Europe, commemorated the anniversary of the Mumbai killing

Memorial held by Jewish Community

The European Jewish Community held a memorial commemoration ceremony `YARTZHEIT’ at its centre near the EU institution headquarters in Brussels on November 18 for the Mumbai victims who were killed in a series of attacks in the |Indian financial capital in November last year.

Over 173 people including 22 foreigners were killed and more than 300 others were injured in dastardly attacks launched by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), a banned Pakistan based Islamist group. A special tribute was paid to Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivky who ran the Jewish cultural centre in Mumbai that was targeted by the terrorists. A short film on the couple and the Chabad-Lubawitch movement was also screened. Rabi Avi Tawil of the European Jewish Centre in his address said that nothing can justify the killing of innocent people in cold blood. The Deputy Chief of Mission of Israel Mission to the EU also addressed the gathering. Five candles were also lit to pay tribute to the Mumbai victims.

Whereas majority of the sites attacked in Mumbai in November 2008 have re-opened, the Chabad House run by the Rabbi couple has remained closed. The Holtzberg young son Moshe, who was plucked to safety by his Indian nanny Sandra Samuel, now lives with his nanny and his grandparents in Israel. Members of the Chabbad Lubawitch movement have promised that the Chabad House, locally known as Nariman House, that served as an education centre, synagogue and hostel for visiting Israelis, will eventually be rebuilt.

It is reported that even one year after the devastating attacks in Mumbai by Pakistan-based militants, the group behind the assault remains largely intact .Despite pledges from Pakistan to dismantle militant groups operating on its soil, and the arrest of a handful of operatives, LeT has persisted, even flourished. Mumbai victims are still crying out for justice and appealing to the international community to pressurize Pakistan to speed up the trial so that perpetrators are brought to justice without further delay.

Be the Pages: story rather than doctrine

travelersnote — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:00:32 +0000

I was walking down the old dirt paths and slowly navigating my way through the landmine of pinecones and taking in each snapshot of scenery that dripped with raw beauty. I was taken in by all the things around me. The sweet harmonious melodies of the birds singing in choired unison and the romantic whispered chirpings of the cicadas’ calling me deeper into the forest, deeper into the night. It is this call that leads me to wonder if there is more to life than a book? Is all that life is, summed up in the pages of 66 authors?

I wouldn’t be able to share with you my experience in a captivating forest if all I did was read about the forest. I might be able to give you glimpses and a sort of scientific approach to what it might feel like if I were in a forest, but the experience is vastly different than the science. One is factual, the other is life-altering. This isn’t to say that facts don’t have the ability to change our lives, but studies have shown that one out of one person are always changed by their experiences, whether good or bad. I could have explained to you a map of the forest, but it wouldn’t have given you the contours, colors and outlines that you can only experience in person.

You can sit down and read a really good book. You might even feel like you are one of the characters drifting through each of the pages, but there is nothing like living your own story. If we replace the word living with writing, then maybe what we might be able to say is that all of us are still writing not just our story, but God’s story as well. We get to write with Him. In The Bible: The Biography by Karen Armstrong, she asserts that before the Old Testament was canonized that the Jews had this belief that they were responsible to reinterpret scripture as much as possible so that it was relevant and spoke to the current structures of society. In fact, one place, she even says that they had thrown out certain parts of scripture because it wasn’t relevant to the time. For most, this is a different view to what we have been taught(but just because it’s different doesn’t mean its not true). And if it is true, then what are the ripples in the pond? I think for those who believe the Bible holds all the answers then it seems like an attack rather than an enquiry, because it seems a bit reductionistic to try and make the Bible anything other than the Word of God. Yet, this is isn’t the hope of postmoderns or those with questions. It is to experience God as those in scripture did. So rather than see the bible as trail map to be studied, it is more like an invitation between friends to come and walk with God and discover the raw unedited beauty of the journey. To come and discover God. To “taste and see that he is good”. Both words for taste and see in the Hebrew when translated mean “to experience”. God is inviting us all not to simply read the pages, but live the pages. Write the pages. And Be the pages.

Postmodernism is running through the halls of our churches and fortune 500 companies and classrooms, but is postmodernism the enemy? Can’t postmodernism be a good thing too? It can help us revisit things and begin asking hard questions that maybe aren’t that comfortable but might be necessary to pursue together to find the answers to. Postmodernism is simply asking the question “Is there more to life than this? Is there more to the Bible than this? Is there more to truth than this?” The ancient Jewish followers of YHWH believed it was imperative to ask questions. To be Jew meant you had questions. To be a person who lived and breathed meant you were a person who was driven to seek answers to those questions, no matter how long the journey took. No matter where those questions took you, it was your responsibility as a Jew to make sure you found the answer.

So, What Are We Celebrating This Year?

beyondwineandcheese — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:49:57 +0000

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, it is time to start thinking about Christmas! (Excuse me, “Winter Holidays”.) I mean, that is the practice of most retailers – in fact, once Halloween has passed they usually start putting up holiday decorations and breaking out the Santa merchandise. I’m pretty sure that most of us feel they are going just a little overboard and would like to see more focus on Thanksgiving in stores, but we all put up the tree the weekend after Turkey Day anyways. So, apartment managers, it’s time to jump on the band wagon!

Residents love the feelings that holiday decorations evoke, and it is just one more way to add a touch of home to your community. The most obvious choice of decoration is, of course, the Christmas tree:

A little overdone on the ornaments, but not a complete eyesore.

Just remember, you don’t want to alienate any of your residents, and chances are they don’t all celebrate Christmas. So choose your decorations carefully, but don’t neglect to put any up, or someone might start getting very confused…

I think it’s time for someone to go talk to their local Pastor…or Rabbi.

At least “Luke” finds this funny, as opposed to the Christmas crusaders who are fighting in the War on Christmas.

Is your apartment community having trouble getting into the spirit of the holidays? Share with us at blog@beyondwineandcheese.com!

What Did You Mean By That?

Frume Sarah — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:54:49 +0000

At a recent seudah havra’ah, I was approached by one of the guests who had attended the funeral service.

Woman (with accent): That was a lovely service.

FS: Thank you.

Woman: I mean, we’re obviously not Jewish but…

FS (interrupts): Obvious??

Woman: I mean…we don’t sound Jewish…

FS: I am quite certain that there are Jews in the British Empire.

Woman (rather indignant): We are from South Africa. We are not British.

FS: True. However, South Africa was part of the Commonwealth.

Woman: It is a Republic.

FS: It is now…

Aside from the fact that this woman was probably an Afrikaaner and most likely rejects the historical fact that South Africa WAS part of of the Commonwealth until 1961, I was left wondering whether I ought to be insulted by her comments.

What did she mean when she said that she and her husband “obviously” weren’t Jewish? What was supposed to be the tip-off? That they didn’t have horns? They weren’t swarthy?

We like to say that Anti-Semitism no longer exists in a liberal, inclusive, politically-correct haven such as the United States. And while we do enjoy freedoms here unmatched by most other countries, to pretend that there is not hatred (at the worst) or a lack of genuine acceptance (at the best) is just that; it’s just make-believe.

For the record, I do not think that this woman harbours deep hatred. I suspect she just sees us as different.

Paying attention

Tktchr — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:51:16 +0000

David Behrman of Behrman House Publishing recently blogged about technology and the new presenter-audience or teacher-student dynamic. This is something I’ve noticed too, but since I generally present about, well, technology, I guess I didn’t find it that surprising.

We’re talking about the reality that your audience, and perhaps your students, aren’t just sitting and listening to you any more. And, if they’re taking notes on their laptops, they may be checking email, surfing the web (we hope they’re looking at the sites about which you’re teaching, but who knows?) or multitasking at the same time. David reflects a bit on how disconcerting this can be for a presenter.

As a teacher, I don’t allow cell phones in class. Nor do my religious school students have laptops, so this is a model with which I don’t relate. In my computer lab, when I’m doing a demo, I expressly tell my students (and if you had me as a teacher, you’ve heard this thousands of times)… “hands off the keyboard, hands off the mouse, eyes on me, it’s all about me.”

You need to say that in a sing-song voice, with appropriate hand gestures.

So, David’s post gave me pause. Here I am, a tech teacher, and I should WANT my kids with their hands on technology. But I’m also a teacher, and giving up that control is a hard thing to do. As any good teacher knows, it’s when things get loosy-goosy that it gets scary.

So where’s the happy medium? And which medium is that? Twitter? Facebook? Student-created wikis? Blogging?

And how do we train teachers to go with the flow while still delivering content?

The Man Without a World (E. Antin's film)

Pier Marton — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:31:03 +0000

A rare opportunity for me to be involved in a silent film (and a personal way to honor Artaud in Joan of Arc).

Pier Marton at EAI

Pier Marton — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:22:02 +0000

One place to rent/buy some of my video works.



A Special Thanksgiving Lesson - From Mobile Social Networking
Steven Spencer — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:54:31 +0000
Thanksgiving is a holiday that all Americans, regardless of culture, ethnicity, religion and politics seem to rally behind.  I decided to put this notion to a test.
A couple of years ago, I decided to run a small social experiment during the Thanksgiving season.  At the time I was CEO of UPOC.   I invited members from several diverse groups into a special “What are you thankful for…?” – mobile chat group.   The idea was to have everyone give a “shout out” of thanks.   The experimental part of this mobile chat group was the source of the member groups that were invited.
These groups included:  Christian Fundamentalists, Atheists, Communists, Hassidic Jews, Muslims, Anarchists, Right to Lifers, Republicans, Druids, Democrats, Red Sox Fans, Yankee Fans, Reform Jews,  Blacks, Asians, Gays, Lesbians, Hispanics, Satanists, Israeli and Palestinian, Young and Old.
Yes!  I even invited Red Sox fans!
I tried to get the most diverse group of individuals I could possibly imagine that had open chat profiles.  In the end I invited about 5000 people and got about 500 to join.
In the week leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday,  I was careful to hide the sources of the groups of the members.
Different Cultures, Religions, Ethnicity, Sexual Preferences, and Sports Affiliations.  None of the differences were obvious, just the similarity of giving thanks.
Leading up to the holiday, the expressions of thanks were heart warming.  Many gave thanks for Family, Friends and God.  Some expressions of thanks were deeply personal including being thankful for a second chance with a loved one, being paroled from jail, having recovered from an illness, having the opportunity to see a loved one for the holiday, etc.  The expressions of introspective appreciations knew no boundaries of culture.   If you hid the chat handles from the messages you would have had a very difficult time identifying the group that a specific message had originated.  It seems that people are really just people.
Everyone has their share of joy and “meshugas”
The second unexpected part of this experiment happened after the long Thanksgiving weekend.  The expressions of thankfulness stopped and biases and bigotry emerged.
By the end of the week the word had gotten out to the participants who some of the other members of this group really were.  That’s another side of social networking, its tough to keep secrets.
Right and Left Wingers began to spar, Fundamentalists started to try to save the Satanists, Hassidic Jews were condescending of Reform Jews-  And the Red Sox  and Yankees fans – it was just too ugly to repeat…
Stripped of their diverse background identifiers, people of vastly different cultures have very similar things to be thankful about.
Once the identity veil was lifted I was thankful that everyone in the group was in cyberspace and not really in the same physical room.  I removed the group a week after Thanksgiving to avoid potential bloodshed.
Maybe there is something we all can learn from this social experiment in this season of Thanksgiving.




Breaking Down the Parable of the Ten Virgins & the Bridegroom
yourbrotherinchrist — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:02:56 +0000
Welcome back, brothers and sisters!!! 
Today we are going to discuss the parable of the ten virgins and the bridegroom.  Jesus was talking to His disciples about be ready for the last day when He shared the following parable:
“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.  And at midnight there was a cry made, ‘Behold, the bridegroom cometh;  go ye out to meet him.’  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.”
“And the foolish said unto the wise, ‘Give us of your oil;  for our lamps are gone out.’  But the wise answered, saying, ‘Not so;  lest there be not enough for us and you:  but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.’  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came;  and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage:  and the door was shut.”
“Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’  But he answered and said, ‘Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” – Matthew 25:1-12 (KJV)
Brothers and sisters, the message of this parable is very sobering.  Let’s break this parable down and discuss the thrust of the message.
First of all, cast in the role of the bridegroom is the one and only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ.  The ten virgins represent us, believers and non-believers.
Okay, so now that we know the cast, what is the tie-in to the oil and the lamps?  That’s simple, actually.  Why do we need lamps?  Lamps help us to see where we are going, right?  We are blinded when we are surrounded by darkness.
The lamps, beloved, represent our spirits/souls.  Why do I say this?  Consider the following scripture:
“The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.” – Proverbs 20:27 (KJV)
So if the lamp represents our soul/spirit, what does the oil represent?  The oil represents the Holy Spirit, which is attained through Christ Jesus.  Remember, beloved, that though Jesus is not present with us physically on earth anymore, He lives here in our hearts through the Holy Spirit.  This is the same Holy Spirit that God the Father filled Jesus, His only begotten Son, with after He was baptized by John the Baptist.  Brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ is also known as the Light of the World.  Having His light in us, we can rejoice in knowing that our lamps will be lit and shining brightly at the moment that Jesus comes for us.
You see, beloved, the Holy Spirit is the oil that shines brightly enough that all can see our light, which is the presence of the Lord in our hearts.  How can people see that light?  Well, let’s look at the type of light that the Holy Spirit emanates, as described by the Apostle Paul:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance:  against such there is no law.” - Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)
You see, beloved, when we live in Christ, we are to be faithful and obedient servants of that which He blesses and graces us with.  Frankly, the manner in which we live should be a strong witness for Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Remember, brothers and sisters, as His servants, our lives should be lived in such a manner as to reflect to others our service to our Lord and Savior.  That means we are to let the Lord’s light shine through us for all to see.  Jesus said the following about this:
“Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick;  and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16 (KJV)
Beloved, the 5 virgins that heed the Lord’s word, and live by it, are those that He will find doing His work when He returns for His bride, which is the church.  The church is comprised of all those who have accepted salvation given by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  Only those that have Christ in them will be called home to be with the Lord.  Those that do not have Christ in them have souls/spirits filled with darkness instead of light.  Since there will be no light found in such people, they will be passed over when the believers are called home.  Consider the parable of the ten virgins, and listen to what Jesus said would happen when He calls His servants home:
“Then shall two be in the field;  the one shall be taken, and the other left.  Two women shall be grinding at the mill;  the one shall be taken, and the other left.  Watch therefore;  for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.  Therefore be ye also ready:  for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh.  Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.  Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.  But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, ‘My lord delayeth his coming’;  and shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;  The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites:  there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” – Matthew 24:40-51 (KJV)
Brothers and sisters, no one knows when Jesus will return.  Jesus Himself said that only the Father knows the appointed hour.  The point is that we are supposed to constantly live our lives doing the work of our Lord and Savior so that in that “twinkling of an eye” when Jesus does return, we are found as faithful and obedient servants, diligently doing His work and will.
Unfortunately, beloved, there are many that live without Christ in their hearts.  They do not have the oil of the Holy Spirit burning brightly within them and emanating His light in their lives.  This, brothers and sisters, is all the more reason for us to constantly have our lamps lit with the oil of the Holy Spirit.  By sharing, embracing, and living the Lord’s word and love, we will be more effective in shining His light through the darkness in order to reach those that are presently lost.  Just as we were once lost before being found, we are incredibly blessed with the opportunity to help gather many of our Shepherd’s lost “sheep” by lighting up the path that will lead them home to Him.  This is our mission, beloved, and the time is now to carry it out.
No one should take for granted that the Lord will not come back for “x” amount more time.  We simply do not know the Lord’s return date and time, as only the Father knows.  Jesus could return in 5,000 years, 5 months, 5 weeks, 5 days, or in the next 5 seconds.  Regardless of how long it is until Jesus returns, we need to commit ourselves to doing His work every single day of our lives.  When He returns for us, let’s bless and glorify Him by meeting Him with as many well-oiled lamps as possible!!!
I would like to ask each and every person taking part in today’s discussion a few questions.  If the Lord Jesus Christ were to return in the next few seconds, would you be ready?  Would the Lord find your lamp lit brightly by the oil of the Holy Spirit?  Just as importantly, are you confident and assured that all of your family, friends, and loved ones would be found ready if Jesus were to return in the next few seconds?  Are you confident that hte majority of people in this world are ready to meet the Lord?
Let’s be honest, beloved.  There are a great many people that are not yet ready to meet Jesus Christ.  If Jesus were calling His faithful servants home today, an incredibly large number of people would be among those left behind.  Evidence of this can be found all throughout the world today.  Just turn on the 6 o’clock news, or go for a drive through the city, and you will see that much of humanity is spiritually lost and adrift at sea, without boat or life jacket.  This, brothers and sisters, is the urgency of our mission.  Just as with the 5 foolish virgins, those who are not ready to meet the Lord when He calls His faithful home will find out the harsh reality that the time for making the decision to commit their lives to Him has passed.
Beloved, ask the Lord for the endurance, strength, perseverance, and courage to work tirelessly to share His love and His word with as many people as possible.  The Lord will give you the words and the guidance you need through the Holy Spirit.  The time is now, beloved, for us to increase our staffing levels of faithful and obedient servants to take part in the Lord’s harvest.  Let’s get to work!!!
If you have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, but you would like to, please pray the following prayer:
“Lord God Almighty, I know that I am a sinner and that I am lost.  I know that I need to be saved from sin, but I also know that I can’t save myself.  Lord Jesus, I know that only You can save me.  I know that you paid for my salvation with your own life and blood on the cross.  I know that when You rose from the grave on the third day, you provided everlasting life to all who trust in You.  Right now, I lay down my life and let go of my pride, my vanity and every other sin that has kept me from You.  Lord Jesus, I now completely trust my life to You.  I open my heart to You, Lord.  Please come into my heart.  Please forgive me of all of my sins, and please accept me as Your child.  From this point on, I commit my life to You.  Please guide me and provide me strength as I begin to live the rest of my life for You.  In Your precious and matchless name I pray.  Amen.”
Beloved, if you just prayed that prayer then you can rejoice in knowing that you now have the presence of the Lord in your heart.  While you will still face trials and tribulation in this world, you will never again face it alone.  Nurture your new relationship with the Lord and grow that relationship by getting to know Him better.  You can do this by studying His word (the bible), while also making talking to Him continually through prayer made with thanksgiving and supplication.  All you have to do to find out what the Lord had in mind for your life when He made you is to ask Him to shape your life in manner in which serves His will and then embrace the changes that He makes in you and your life.  Welcome to the family, beloved!!!  You are precious in your Heavenly Father’s eyes, and the angels in heaven are rejoicing in your decision to accept Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior:-)  We are happy to have you!!!
Thank you for joining us for today’s discussion.  I hope you will be able to join us for tomorrow’s next discussion.  Now, go enjoy this day that the Lord has made, and make the most of it.  Be glad, and rejoice in it!!!  Share the Lord, His love, and His word with as many people as possible, doing so just as freely as the Father shared His only begotten Son with us:-)
May the Lord bless you, keep you, guide you, and make His face to shine upon you and your loved ones always.
Your brother in Christ,
 
Rev Jason Thurwanger



Arabs keeps on working for the destruction of Israel not peace
ivarfjeld — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:38:04 +0000
The Arab assault on the Jews has continued for more than half a century.
 
Mortimer Zuckerman claims the Arabs have failed to respond to any Jewish peace proposal. 
After Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres promoted the Oslo agreements, Ehud Barak, Ariel Sharon, and Ehud Olmert, prime ministers all, made dramatic proposals in search of a live-and-let-live relationship with the Palestinians – and all were rejected.
Prime Minister Sharon voluntarily withdrew every last Jewish settler and soldier from Gaza. It meant forcing close to 10,000 Jews out of their homes.
Did it bring peace?
No, the Gazans hunted the Jews who had left. They turned Gaza into a launching pad for thousands of rockets against the Jewish people.
In yet another effort to find peace, the Israelis risked their own security by dismantling security barriers and checkpoints, down from 147 to 14 in the West Bank.
They have «not been getting much credit for it», in the words of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, but the economic results are dramatic.
Obama’s speech in Cairo in June, which he thought would open a door to the Muslim world, did not gain any takers. The only one who responded to Obama was Prime Minister Netanyahu, who made public his commitment to have two states for two peoples.
Netanyahu’s approach holds that peace will come from the bottom up, not the top down. It is both about economic development and about bringing security under control.
Several hundred gang leaders created chaos in the territories, holding back commercial and economic life, demanding protection money, killing and wounding Arabs and Jews alike.
In 2007 the director of the Israel Security Agency approached the Palestinian prime minister, Salam Fayyad, offering the wanted men a deal. If they ended their involvement in terrorism, gave up their weapons, and placed themselves under the protection of the PA, they would be taken off the wanted list after a three-stage trial period.
The plan worked. Almost 80 per cent of the gang leaders have left the world of crime and terrorism.
This progress will take more time. The Israelis will not buy words; they will buy only deeds. They will not accept the West Bank as a platform for rocket attacks that could reach every major Israeli population center.
Source: U.S. News, Mortimer Zuckerman



A family Breugus
nwjew — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:39:06 +0000
A wonderful thing happened.  I recently re-established contact with a part of my family generations after a disputed will split three siblings forever. One went to Israel, another to America and the third remained in the East End of London.
 
A conversation with a New Yorker meandered onto the topic of family history.  My great-grandfather had been a successful importer of leather and it was he who, rather thoughtlessly, forgot to add his youngest daughter (my grandmother) to his will, having written it before she was born. More inconveniently, he passed on when she was still in her early teens as a result of a freak accident with a tram.   All this would have been less problematic had it not been for the fact that their mother had succumbed three years previously to a mystery illness that involved acute flatulence. (Her demise was regarded as something of a mixed blessing by the bereaved, I understand).
 
The details of what then transpired are lost in the mists of time; however, here is the gist of it.  The older brother refused to do the right thing and the other sister reluctantly went along with him.  When my grandmother came of age she sued them both with the help of her uncle and custodian who chanced that he might somehow benefit from the outcome.
 
The action failed.  Predictably only the lawyers were successful, with most of the estate disappearing down the judicial drain.  The affair left such a bitter taste that not a word passed between any of the siblings for as long as they lived.
 
This story was the family shame for years, serving as a warning to subsequent generations not to fight over money. (It may have been better as a recommendation to study law, but that is by the by).
 
Then, when the unusual surname shared by my great-grandfather, his one son, and, as it turned out, a good friend of this fellow from New York, came up in the conversation, cogs began to turn in my American companion’s head.  Two days later a phone call confirmed that his friend was my second cousin (once removed) and a descendent of my grandmother’s brother.
 
Emails were exchanged and we arranged to meet in London.  I was proud to have made this effort to rebuild the family and couldn’t help feeling that my grandma and her siblings were looking down with pride.  Finally, a nasty episode would be put to rest.
 
I walked into the lobby of his hotel and recognised the family resemblence immediately. He shook my hand with a warm smile and it was then that I felt the pain of the years fill me up, in particular my grandmother’s pain.  I said something I possibly shouldn’t have.
 
“Where’s our money you thieving swine?”
 
My cousin and I have no plans to meet up again in the foreseeable future.
 
 



The two sides of the same coin
2010calendar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:32:48 +0000
Lula, the self acclaimed “new third world leader” has warmly received against the will of the majority of the Brazilian people who has literacy enough to understand what and where Iran is, his “comrade” from Iran,  Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.


“If Iran is an important actor in this discord, then it is important that someone sits with Iran, talks with Iran and tries to establish a balancing point, so that society returns to a certain normality in the Middle East,” said Lula according the NYT and all the international press. 
So, finally, we can see how an ignorant, arrogant and definitely an opportunist low politician as Lula (yes, he sure is low and dirty with a legendary history of treason amongst his native “comrades) drops the mask of being “the guy”, acclaimed by the ingenuity of Obama in a G-20 Summit and shows that he has no limits to his ambitions of being a “world leader”. 
Brazilians Protesting the Visit

The visit of Iran’s dictator is an embarrassment to millions of Brazilian women, homosexuals, Brazilian Jewish and all democrats in general but a chance to show that in the dirty game of power at any cost, Lula wins by far. By being a hypocrite, unscrupulous “comrade” who embraces one of the most sanguinary and disgusting person who ever lived? Hopefully, this will help to show the real nature of the beast.
Obama, please be careful before saying that anyone is “the guy” once again. Everybody, be aware that “the guy” has long knives as another Austrian popular politician who dominated Germany did have back in the 30’s and is no saint at all. 
Lula, the pacifier! It’s laughable coming from the man who cannot pacify the favelas (slums) of Rio de Janeiro. 
PS: A person carrying the Rainbow Flag inside the conference hall where the Iranian dictator is staying has been arrested by the Brazilian Federal Police. The Jewish community has been barred from the press conferences. Supposedly due to the lack of security to the dictator, the conference was called off at 23:17 GMT. The Brazilian Presidency denied it but Lula reaffirmed the support for “pacific use” of nuclear energy by Iran. 



David Knows What's Up: the Ballast's New Columnist
Adam Mignanelli — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:11:17 +0000
David Knows What’s Up…and he Lives in Brooklyn.

The Ballast is proud to introduce our new bi-weekly columnist David Marchese. Our inaugural story’s theme in the spirit of the holiday, involves Thanksgiving’s travel stories. We hope you enjoy! Keep a look out for our next story as David keeps letting us know what’s up.
The Truth About Thanksgiving
This Thanksgiving, you’ll get annoyed at relatives you wish you didn’t have to see and eat till Africa gives you the finger. No shit. That’s what always happens. I can offer solutions.
Regarding the eating, maybe stop at the fourth helping of Fluffernutter sweet potatoes. You’re welcome. Make the check out to cash. And about family? I learned a new word recently: consanguinity. It means a close relation. I read the word in an interview with the author Cormac McCarthy, the schmo who wrote The Road and No Country for Old Men. He was saying something about how he doesn’t care about consanguinity. Neither do I. Neither should you. The best warm-and-fuzzy, huggy-wuggy memory I have about Thanksgiving involves sitting next to a guy on an airplane that I thought was gonna be a total drip.
I was flying from New York to Toronto the night before Thanksgiving last year. I’d gotten all comfortable in my seat when I see an old orthodox Jewish man slowly coming my way. (Before I go much further, let me just say that I’m Jewish — so cool your jets.) There’s often a lot of Orthodox Jews on the New York to Toronto flight. I’ve sat next to members of that persuasion a few times and they’re never friendly. The worst was when I shared a row with this young Orthodox couple that kept up this nasal, upwardly inflected sub-Nanny banter the whole goddamn flight. “You want I should tell Morris about your problems in bed?” — “Morris knows from such things, the putz.” On an on.
Actually, that was the second worst. Once I got stuck in the window seat when a girl and a guy that were also sitting in my row — I think they were co-workers on a business trip — started getting frisky. They asked for a blanket from the attendant and then spread it over their laps. It wasn’t hard to tell what was happening under there.
Anyway, this old guy dressed like Moses at a funeral stops at my row and asks — more like tells — in a thick Yiddish accent if I would help him put his bag in the overhead compartment. Whatever. I did it. Flight takes off and oldie’s totally hogging the arm rest and talking loudly to his wife, who’s sitting in the row in front of us. He sucks back big loogies and hocks them into his hanky. He smells like a hospital. About 20 minutes into the flight, the attendant comes by and gives us each a little packet of wasabi sesame crisps or whatever. Oldie asks if I can read the fine print on the package for him. He wants to know if the snack is kosher. I read some Hebrew word out loud to him. He complements me on my pronunciation and asks if I’m Jewish. I said I wasn’t. I just didn’t feel like getting into it and I wanted him to think that someone who wasn’t Jewish would still be able to accurately pronounce a Hebrew word.

But after that happens, the guy starts talking to me — asking what I do, where I’m from, why I’m going to Toronto. Turns out he’s really nice. He tells me that as a child his family escaped from Austria just as the Holocaust was getting into gear. Eventually, he made his way to Israel and founded a town modeled after the one his family left in Europe. I’m not making this shit up. Then when the flight ends, I help him with his bag and walk him and his wife to the customs counter and he says thanks and wishes me good luck in life.
My second best Thanksgiving experience was when I ordered a Festive Special from Swiss Chalet and they gave me an extra order of stuffing.
On to my picks for Thanksgiving’s NFL games:
Packers at Lions

I’m going with the Pack on this one. They’re better at playing football than the Lions.
Raiders at Cowboys

Cowboys. Romo hits a fall-away three at the buzzer to win it.
Giants at Broncos

Losers of four in a row, the Giants are reeling. Having either won or lost their last game, the Broncos are primed for an upset. It’s a tough call, but I’m saying this one gets canceled on account of weather.



Breaking Down the Parable of the Wedding Banquet
yourbrotherinchrist — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:09:26 +0000
Welcome back, brothers and sisters!!!
Today we are going to discuss the parable of the wedding banquet.  This is a parable that Jesus spoke to the chief priests and Pharisees of the temple.  The parable is as follows:
“The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, whcih made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding:  and they would not come.  Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, ‘Tell them which are bidden, ‘Behold, I have prepared my dinner:  my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready:  come unto the marriage.”  But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:  And the remnant took his servants, and intreated them spitefully, and slew them.”
“But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth:  and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.  Then saith he to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.  Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.’  So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good:  and the wedding was furnished with guests.”
“And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there was a man which had not on a wedding garment:  And he saith unto him, ‘Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?’  And he was speechless.  Then said the king to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness;  there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’  For many are called, but few are chosen.” – Mattew 22:2-14 (KJV)
Brothers and sisters, let’s break down the parable, staring with the cast.
The king of the parable represents God the Father.  The son that the king has arranged a marriage for is Jesus Christ.  The bride to be is the church of Christ, which is all who live in the Lord.  The servants that were sent out to invite the guests represent the prophets.  The first group of guests that was repeatedly invited was the Israelites, God’s chosen people.  Remember, that though many prophets were respected and revered for a time, they usually ended up being persecuted/killed by the very people they were trying to reach with God’s message.
The second group of guests are the Gentiles, or the non-Jews.  When the Jewish people repeatedly rejected the Father, His word, and ultimately Jesus Christ and the Gospel He shared, the Gentiles were blessed with the opportunity to receive the Gospel and to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior while also receiving the gift of salvation that is found only in the only begotten Son of God.
Why was the one guest in the parable cast into outer darkness for not having on a wedding garment?  The answer is simple.  Do you know what the wedding garment is that the guests were to be clothed with?  Consider the following scripture:
“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God;  for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” – Isaiah 61:10 (KJV)
You see, beloved, in order to attend the marriage of the Lamb of God, we must be attired appropriately.  We know that the only person we can get the appropriate attire from is Jesus Christ.  Why?  Through Jesus our sins are washed away, our hearts are purified, and we are clothed with the robe of righteousness.  The person in the parable without the robe of righteousness was a person that had not given their life to Jesus Christ, and was subsequently not wearing the necessary robe of righteousness.  Therefore, the inappropriately attired guest offended the king (God the Father). 
Brothers and sisters, there are people in this world who call themselves Christians, yet Christ is not found anywhere in them.  Such people often assume that going to church, periodically praying, and sometimes reading the bible and quoting chapter and verse is sufficient.  These are usually people that rejoice in sin Monday through Saturday, while attempting to live a Christian life on Sunday.  These are referred to as Sunday Christians, or Convenient Christians, and they do not have a place at the Lord’s table.  Why?  Beloved, Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior 365 days/year and 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Likewise, we are to be His servants at all times as well, living obediently and faithfully in serving Him.  Unfortunately, some are not sincere in their service to the Lord.  Jesus spoke of such people when He said the following about the day of judgment:
“Not everyone that saith unto Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;  but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?  and in thy name have cast out devils?  and in thy name done many wonderful works?’  And then I will profess unto them, ‘I never knew you:  depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” – Matthew 7:21-23 (KJV)
You see, beloved, while we can fool our fellow man into believing that we are someone we are not, God always knows who we are.  God knows our hearts and knows all there is to possibly know about us.  A few acts, or a few words, do not make a faithful and obedient servant in Christ.  A faithful and obedient servant of the Lord lives in service to Him at all times, while also having the Lord in his/her heart at all times.  We love His word, regularly study it, and He writes it into our hearts.  We take every opportunity to share the Lord’s love and word with anyone we can reach.  We are never ashamed to confess to others that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, and Jesus is not ashamed of presenting us to the Father and speaking on our behalf.  Beloved, let’s live Christ in our lives all day, every single day.  Let’s study His word regularly as diligent students, and let’s do His work always as faithful and obedient servants are to do.  The Lord has already given us everything by blessing us with the gift of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  Let’s show Him how much we appreciate His sacrifice, His love, and His forgiveness by doing His work and will unceasingly and with a glad heart.
Beloved, if you have not yet received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, but you would sincerely like to, then please pray the following prayer:
“Lord God Almighty, I know that I am a sinner and that I am lost.  I know that I need to be saved from sin, but I also know that I can’t save myself.  Lord Jesus, I know that only You can save me.  I know that you paid for my salvation with your own life and blood on the cross.  I know that when You rose from the grave on the third day, you provided everlasting life to all who trust in You.  Right now, I lay down my life and let go of my pride, my vanity and every other sin that has kept me from You.  Lord Jesus, I now completely trust my life to You.  I open my heart to You, Lord.  Please come into my heart.  Please forgive me of all of my sins, and please accept me as Your child.  From this point on, I commit my life to You.  Please guide me and provide me strength as I begin to live the rest of my life for You.  In Your precious and matchless name I pray. Amen.”
I you just prayed that prayer, honestly seeking the Lord, then you are now saved.  The robe of righteousness is now available unto you, and though you will still face adversity in this world, you now have the Lord with you to face and overcome anything that comes your way.  Nurture your relationship with the Lord by talking to Him often through prayer with thanks and supplication, while also studying His word.  Ask the Lord to guide your every path, and follow the path that He sets before you.  You no longer serve the sins and lusts of this world.  Your chains that tied you to the things of this world have now been broken.  Serve the Lord with all your heart, and always seek His will in all things.  Welcome to the family:-)  Know that the angels in heaven are rejoicing at your decision to give your life to the Lord!!!
I want to thank you all for joining in on today’s discussion.  I hope you will be able to join us for tomorrow’s next message.
I hope you have a wonderful and blessed rest of the day.  Remember, you are loved by the very Creator of earth, the heavens, and all life with a love that is perfect, complete, and powerful beyond our present ability to fully comprehend.  Precious one, He made you in your mother’s womb, and you are very special to Him:-)
May the Lord bless you, keep you, guide you, and make His face to shine upon you and your loved ones always.
Your brother in Christ,
Rev Jason Thurwanger



If Hugh-go, I'll see You There
dhemmat — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:17:09 +0000
I’m a geek, but in the sweetest, most buttery warm sense of the word. It’s Write-O-Rama Geekness I dress myself in. This morning, at 6:30, I sat down at my desk to preview the tentative workshop schedule for the next Write-O-Rama. My heart picked up pace quickly as I scanned the fantastic selection of class offerings, like a fat girl left alone in an elevator with a dessert cart. I want to taste every one, but I know I can’t get away with it. I will only have a chance to stick my finger into a few choice confections before the bell rings and the elevator doors open on my floor.
So in my geeky way, I scour the internet looking for a daily calendar template that I can print up and set to work with. It took me a few minutes to find one, because I started thinking about Hugh Jackman in a tank top, and had to look up pictures. This is a pleasant affliction that happens to me every single time I see the words “Hugo House”. I get hung up on the “Hugh” syllable and lose myself for a few minutes. See, isn’t an association with Hugo House beneficial on so many levels?
I digress (as if you weren’t already aware of that!);I locate and print the calendar, then gently pencil in the workshops in which I’m most interested. Seeing them all out there, hour by hour, I get a clear view of what needs to be done, and how to do it. As a compulsive planner, I draw perverse pleasure from scheduling and messing about with calendars and time slots. It gives me the same heady swoon that smelling my husband’s soft, clean ebony chest hair  gives me. Delightful. Indulgent.
And so I plan, sipping coffee and sitting up straight in my chair. I know these are tentative times. That annoys me, but I can deal with it. My first Write-O-Rama taught me that. Even though I’m a compulsive scheduler, I’m incredibly flexible. So, on December 5, you’ll see me there, bouncing on my heels like a second-grade girl, my homemade schedule in my hand as I scan the workshop schedule board, hoping that it all matches up. And if it doesn’t, I have the calendar and a pencil, and that’s all I need. Luck favors the prepared.
 
P.S. Richard Hugo House Presents Write-0-Rama in Seattle on December 5. For $45 you can choose from wads of writing classes taught by passionate and talented teachers. For $45 bucks. No bull.



History Fail
Cheezburger Network — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:00:14 +0000



Picture by: dunno source Submitted by: dunno source via Fail Uploader



A Zissn Danksgebn
eric — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:35:26 +0000
The Fly Fishing Rabbi and The Forward offer some Jewish perspective on Thanksgiving. I was thinking about this myself, after hearing an NPR story this morning about a Greek-American family whose Thanksgiving dinner consisted mostly of traditional Greek foods. I don’t recall any distinctively Jewish foods at my family’s Thanksgiving table when I was growing up; Thanksgiving was (at least implicitly) about being good assimilated Americans, symbolized by eating good assimilated American fare.
Though I’ve come to have more mixed feelings about Thanksgiving–not least because of its association with European conquest and the ensuing genocide of native peoples (an especially touchy subject for me as a Jew who does not embrace Zionism)–I still do enjoy the holiday, though mostly for the food. I’m looking forward to the cooking and the eating and the collapsing on the sofa. And with the leftovers, I’ll make some turkey-matzo ball soup.



The Silent Death of Lee Avenue
David — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:58:20 +0000

Bob Guber, The Silent Death of Lee Avenue
Haunting Shoah meditations from 1970, released by the United Synagogue of America.  Could he mean Lee Avenue in the Brooklyn? New Brunswick, New Jersey? Hard to say.
Tip of the hat to The Strange Experience of Music for this find.

“the silent death of lee avenue” (mp3)



Zionism's un-Christian Bible
pakistanpal — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:06:41 +0000
Maidhc Ó Cathail “For a nation to commit the sin of anti-Semitism brings inevitable judgement.


Zionism's un-Christian Bible
pakistanpal — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:06:38 +0000
Maidhc Ó Cathail “For a nation to commit the sin of anti-Semitism brings inevitable judgement.


Jews will be persecuted as illegal residents of new «Arab Palestine»
ivarfjeld — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:57:27 +0000
Legal experts discuss fate of settlers if Arab Palestinians unilaterally declare state in West Bank
 
The Jewish township of Ofra might be forced to surrender to the yoke of Islam in the name of «peace».
Legal experts told Ynet last Monday that if the Palestinians go through with their plan of unilaterally declaring a state in the West Bank, the settlers there could find their status changed to that of illegal residents.
The dean of Bar Ilan University’s faculty of law, Professor Yaffa Zilbershatz, told Ynet that in the case of Palestinian statehood, «the settlers would become a minority that an enlightened state must respect». .
Zilbershatz said that a growing trend in international law dictates the settlers could not be expelled as a minority, and that the Palestinians must offer them citizenship.
But she warns that the Palestinians would not have to respect this trend.
«The Palestinians could claim that the settlers are not legitimate residents, meaning they reside on territory in violation of international law, because they are citizens of a holding country and they should not have been allowed to live in the held territory», she said.
«On the basis of this claim, they could deport the population from the area, as though they were illegal residents».
But Dr. Ruby Seibel, former legal adviser to the Foreign Ministry, says the settlers fate will be determined by Israel, not the Palestinians.
«Israel is eventually the one to decide», he said. «In any case most countries in the world currently see the settlements as illegal… so their position according to international law is in a gray area».
Seibel claims that international law does not recognize unilateral declarations of statehood, so not only will the Palestinians not be able to determine the status of the settlers, they will also be incapable of setting their own borders.
«Borders need to be determined by the countries involved», he explained. «One side cannot just up and determine a one-sided reality. They can solve this with negotiations or they can resort to legal means».
Source: Ynet



What will you do for this Thanksgiving?
michellegoldenjchoice — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:52:54 +0000
We all know that Thanksgiving is that specific and acknowledged time of the year to be thankful for family, friends, the food on our plates and the roof over our heads. But that should go unsaid. Every single day we should be gratifying for what or whom we always thank over the turkey laying on the dinner table each year cramped between grandma’s stuffing or Aunt Giza’s amazingly delicious -with-marshmallows-on-top sweet potato pie.   For this Thanksgiving, why don’t we all do something special for someone else? With the Holidays approaching and a New Year just a month away, getting a head start on those New Year Mitzvahs wouldn’t be such a bad idea. A great way to do this is to get involved with JChoice.   Now I know I’m just the Social Media Intern at JChoice and started out only a few weeks ago, but what attracted me so much to the internship is the ultimate goal of the company: to network through social media to non-profit causes out there making a difference in the world by giving what us Jews call Tzedakah.   Tzedakah can be seen as an obligation of the Jewish people to give. As an important aspect of a spiritual life, Tzedakah is the Hebrew term translated as charity. The word is based on a root that means justice. Tzedakah, as well as the JChoice mission, is not and should not only be read as a Jewish thing. Giving to others and helping people should be a universal element of everyone’s daily life. Getting caught up in who’s new in Hollywood, the extracurriculars I am involved in, and of course the homework that occupies my college life, I sometimes forget about what is really important: seeing the less fortunate, smile.
 
I remember back in high school I came back from a really awesome and amazing trip and was so moved by what I experienced. Spending three weeks with my family in Africa, I couldn’t help but think of the Mukuni Village, a village we saw while staying in Zambia. The ten of us were visiting the village and talking with some of the people that lived there – those that could understand us. The children looked at us with begging eyes. My aunt suggested maybe we give them some candy and gave me what she had in her purse. As soon as they heard this word, a swarm of fifteen-twenty kids were surrounding me- grabbing at my hands, tugging at me, and crying when they couldn’t get a piece of that small piece of candy because there just wasn’t enough. As small as it was, one piece of candy would have brought a huge smile to many of these kid’s faces.  So when I came back, entering my senior year of high school and frantically applying to colleges, I put aside some of that time to organize a “Stuff Drive” with the peace club I was running at my school. As a group, we decided that these people in this village need our help and what better way than to give?   Until that trip to the Mukuni Village, I never really knew what poverty was all about. Of course we have our own poverty problems living in the United States, but until that point, I was never exposed to it. Since then, and now a college student in the city, I try to give as much as possible. I’ll give to the homeless guy sitting in the T station at Copley or the one in front of the coffee shop in Central. But when that isn’t satisfying enough, I think of other ways I can give and make the biggest ultimate impact on someone else’s life. That’s why I joined the JChoice team. JChoice is the new social network engaging Jewish youth in creative ways to make charitable contributions to diverse and meaningful causes of their choice.
 
The first step to making any kind of impact is to actively show an interest in whatever it is you want to make a difference in. After doing some research, you can become more familiar with different causes – such as those at jchoice.org. One specific cause that stands out is called Baal Dan Charities.   Baal Dan Charities provides education materials and learning aides, toys, and supplies for children ages 3-16 in need in Calcutta, India. These children are usually street children who ran away from abusive homes, child labor groups, and gangs, and live in dangerous railway stations known as “trapping grounds.” Living in such environments, these children still get abused from police, gangs, drug dealers, and sexual predators. Social workers and charities create a safe shelter at the railways at night. Children are recruited with parents when possible or are sent to halfway homes for further treatment and rehabilitation. By doing this, children can live off the streets and try to live the life every child deserves.
 
So this Thanksgiving, I’ll thank the people I have in my life, the opportunities that are available to me, and the food on my plate and the roof over my head. I’ll also think about what I can do to make a difference and continue to do so as much as I can. Perhaps you’re a student at a high school or college and want to start an organization to support a certain cause. Why not start one to help children in need? Think about yourself as a child. What made you smile? A new Barbie doll? The new Hot Wheels race car toy? What do you think would make one of these children in need smile? Sometimes it’s smaller than you think. Even as small as a piece of candy or a ten-page book.