Well I consider my posts similar to sermons. I plan news stories daily, but i plan my mega posts, also known as “A Word from the Author” over a course of days. I know that you are saying, ‘well i see news stories under this category as well, what does that mean?’ Next week will be when i will have A Word from the Author each day(except Fridays and Saturdays). They will be on a number of topics in first person and i will begin one today explaining my category classifications, what makes a news story in the “Topics of Jewish Community” category, or “Topics of Israel”?

Adam Lambert, Jewish American Idol runner up, had an interview this afternoon with Jewish Journal.com before a concert later this evening. He revealed alot about his family and his Judaism which he terms as “Lightly Jewish”. Lambert also mentioned alot about his mother’s side of the family. His mother is of the Jewish faith while his father is non Jewish. Adam also mentioned about how he wishes to go to Israel but hasn’t so far and actually has no knowledge of Hebrew. Adam also never had the Bar Mitzvah ceremony because of how he “dropped out” of Hebrew school at a young age. Lambert also mentioned about his maternal grandparents are deceased and how he considers his father and him to have a “teacher-parent” relationship. Also, like many Jewish mothers, she will not be on the outside of the bubble that comes with his new fame. His mother, Gail Lambert, will be on his administrative staff and will be with him when he goes on tour. Adam also mentioned how his family don’t have Christmas and always celebrate Chanukkah each year. They do celebrate Passover, but not regularly. Adam didn’t mention whether they had their own seder or not at the home, but im pretty sure they did. Adam Lambert is one of a handful of American Idol figures including Elliot Yamin, Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell(Paternal Jewish background), and Mikalah Gordon of Paternal Jewish background. Lambert was also asked about one fear that he may have during his carrer and he stated “Obscurity. That would be a shame. That would be a real shame. If I have anything to say about it, it won’t happen no matter what goes on with my career.”

Disclaimer: The material below is of a satirical nature.

Jews of the world:

We have been accused several times over the past millennium of using the blood of Christian babies to bake our traditional Passover matzos. I don’t want to confirm or deny these allegations. However, considering our obligation to uphold our reputations as cheap – I think it’s only appropriate that we discuss the economic pros and cons of using the blood of Christian babies as opposed to plain water.

Now, from a pure economic standpoint, the blood of a christian baby can only make approximately 50 matzahs. Whereas water can make an indefinite amount. And since no death is involved in the making of a water-matzoh – it would increase the chances of us staying in the same town for more than a year!

But what about tradition?

In an interview with Yosse the “Barber,” I had the opportunity to pick his brain about the differences between an official blood-matzah and your common water-matzah. “Vel, de blood-matzah helps you fulfill your Passover obligation een de most strictest of senses – veras ze water-matzeh only fulfills it half-tuchessed” he said, adding: “plus, you just can’t beat zat home-made pure blood-matzah taste!”

Clearly water is a possible alternative – but should we sacrifice our tradition for it? What do you think?

In many parts of the United States, school is starting tomorrow. Not only with school starting, many Jewish children know that the holidays are on their way. Which also means time out of school to observe the holiday. There is a list that the Conservative movement set out that includes the list of Jewish holidays with their dates and when being out of school is necessary according to Jewish Law. This will help many teachers with Jewish students understand when to have assignments for them when they come back and when to assign tests before they are out for break. Also, the list is very pluralistic with showing info about how long Reform and Reconstructionist Jews observe the holiday(one day) while Orthodox and Conservative Jews celebrate it for two days depending on the holiday(for example, Yom Kippur is only one day universally). Here is the link for those interested, i recommend highly for any Jewish parent or even for those in the workplace to give to their boss.

FESTIVALS DURING THE TIME OF JESUS^©

ARISTEO CANLAS FERNANDO
Peace Crusader and Echo

What is a lunar calendar?  A lunar calendar is based on the revolution of the moon around the earth which takes 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 2.8 seconds or 29.5306 days or one lunation.  Twelve lunations comprise a lunar year with 354 or 355 days.  It is short by about eleven days from a solar year like in the present Gregorian calendar.  A lunar calendar retrogresses through the seasons.

What is a lunisolar calendar?  A lunisolar calendar is a lunar calendar that  keeps the months in their proper seasons by inserting or intercalating a month every two or three years in a 19-year period called Metonic Cycle.

When the Israelites left Egypt in the 16^th century BC, they were using a lunar calendar only.  It was the month of Abib then, springtime.  They used this lunar calendar in celebrating their festivals.  The months were numbered 1 to 12.  To mark the beginning of every month, the Israelites celebrated the New Moon Festival of Rosh Hodesh.  During the reign of King Solomon in the 11^th century BC, some of the months were mentioned in the Holy Bible, like Zif, the second month (1 Kings 6:1, 37); Ethanim, the seventh month (1 Kings 8:2); and Bul, the eighth month (1 Kings 6:38).

The Old Testament mentions that there are only 12 months in a year.  These are in 1 Kings 4:7 and in 1 Chronicles 27:1.  There is no mention of a thirteenth month or the intercalation of a month.

When Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians during the seventh century BC (637 BC), the Israelites were brought to Babylon as captives.  While there, they learned about the lunisolar calendar that their conquerors were using.  They adopted it and when they returned to Jerusalem about 50 years later, they had two calendars in use—a lunar calendar and a lunisolar calendar.  Both these calendars were used until the Hillel II reformed the Jewish calendar in AD 358/359 to a form still in use today.  Hence, during the time of Jesus, the Israelites were using two kinds of calendars.

The following table shows the dates the Jewish festivals were celebrated in the calendars from 4 BC to 1 BC:

	Calendar used	When celebrated	4 BC	3 BC	2 BC	1 BC
Feast of the Dedication	Lunar	15th day of the seventh month	Adar 15, 3757 (Mar 11)	Adar 15, 3758 (Mar 1)	Adar 15, 3759 (Feb 19)	Shevat 15, 3760 (Feb
Feast of Weeks or Pentecost	Lunisolar	Sivan 6	Sivan 6, 3757 (May 30)	Sivan 6, 3758 (May 19)	Sivan 6, 3759 (Jun 7)	Sivan 6, 3760 (May 27)
Passover	Lunar	14th day of first month	Elul 14, 3757 (Sep 3)	Elul 14, 3758 (Aug 23)	Av 14, 3759 (Aug 13)	Av 14, 3760 (Aug 1)
Feast of Unleavened Bread	Lunar	15th-21st day of first month	Elul 15-21, 3757 (Sep 4-10)	Elul 15-21, 3758 (Aug 24-30)	Av 15-21, 3759 (Aug 14-20)	Av 15-21, 3760 (Aug 2-8)
New Year’s Day	Lunisolar	Tishri 1	Tishri 1, 3758 (Sep 20)	Tishri 1, 3759 (Sep 9)	Tishri 1, 3760 (Sep 28)	Tishri 1, 3761 (Sep 16)
Day of Atonement	Lunisolar	Tishri 10	Tishri 10, 3758 (Sep 29)	Tishri 10, 3759 (Sep 18)	Tishri 10, 3760 (Oct 7)	Tishri 10, 3761 (Sep 25)
Feast of Tabernacles	Lunisolar	Tishri 15-22	Tishri 15-22, 3758 (Oct 4-11)	Tishri 15-22, 3759 (Sep 23-30)	Tishri 15-22, 3760 (Oct 12-19)	Tishri 15-22, 3761 (Sep 30-Oct 7)

The Feast of the Dedication was in commemoration of the dedication of the First Temple that Solomon built.  It was originally held on the 15^th day of seventh month (Ethanim) during the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles (1 Kings 8:2).

It is assumed here that the year AM for anno mundi of the Jewish calendar was already being used from 4 BC to 1 BC.  The year 3760 is 3760 A.M.

The season-dependent festivals of the Feast of Weeks (or Harvest Festival assumed to be on Sivan 6) and the Feast of Tabernacles (or In-gathering or Booths) were placed in the lunisolar calendar so that they would be celebrated in their proper seasons.

File:  festivals.htm     URL:  http://www.geocities.com/peacecrusader888/festivals.htm
First uploaded:  2009-08-02     Last updated:  2009-08-02     Rev. No. 0

Copyright © 2009 Aristeo Canlas Fernando
All rights reserved.

The New York Times “Haggler” column featured an informative and relevant article on travel protection insurance.  Like all insurance – if you didn’t need to file a claim – you are happy.  If, like me, you don’t buy things like earthquake insurance in Ranana and flood insurance in Beersheva – you are also happy.

But what if you were being cautious and bought insurance that covered Trip Interruption, Trip Delay, Trip Cancellation and whatever else you could think of? And what if you actually had to cancel the trip?

The New York Times covers a story of a couple that bought Trip Cancellation Insurance from the travel agent that sold them the trip. The premium was 10% of the cost of the trip (which is high for almost any kind of insurance – even for Bear insurance in Yellowstone). The husband had a heart attack and they cancelled.

The story only gets worse, and I won’t repeat it here. But if you are the type or even have good reason to buy Trip Insurance, bear in mind the following, when reading the fine print that you may get a credit (and only for use with the same travel agent) instead of a refund.  The call center operators seem to be instructed to use every comforting word like “protection” and “guarantee” while never invoking the word “refund”. They will not say refund, but you will hear it. So, read the fine print and insist that the term “full refund” appears somewhere in the agreement. And enjoy your fall foliage cruise to New England.

• Morgantown Furniture Outlet Mall – Pennsylvania
• Air Canada Blog Post
• Car Rental Blog Post
• Florida Blog
• Hawaii Blog
• Golf Blog Post
• Virginia Blog Post

Well, it’s been grand, it really has. And now I only have one king left up my sleeve…

Okay, remember how way back in Part One I asked you to put Yoshiahu aside and come back to him later? Well, now is that ‘later’.

Yoshia is actually incredibly cool. Way back in Melachim Aleph, when Yeravam ben Nevat was king (this is, in case you don’t realize, generations before Yoshia’s time), an unidentified navi prophesied the birth of Yoshia as basically an ideal king (and no, people, you cannot take this as prophesying the birth of Jesus, because he actually specified the name ‘Yoshia’, and was Jesus named Yoshiahu? I think not).

Flip ahead (literally– from Melachim Aleph to Divrei Hayamim Bet! although you could also flip literally ahead to just Melachim Bet) to when Yoshia’s actually king, and we see for ourselves what a great guy he was. Part of it, admittedly, is the power of comparison– anyone who comes right after Amon and Menashe and right before Yehoachaz, Yehoiakim, Yehoiachin, and Tzidkiya is bound to look good– but part of it is definitely his own merit. He got rid of all the evil altars, gave the cohanim proper burial/burnings, and had Beit Hamikdash rebuilt (that is, fixed up– it was already technically there; just in a state of disrepair [rhyme unintentional]). Moreover, when the Torah was found, Yoshia prayed to God for forgiveness for his forebears not keeping it, and– even though he was informed that it wasn’t enough to stop a giant churban– had everyone do tshuva.

Perhaps his crowning glory was the Pesach that he celebrated throughout the kingdom, the like of which had not been seen since the days of Shmuel.

I think I’ve made my position clear. I’ll be honest here– this series on kings was as much to educate myself as other people. It upsets me when people assume that kings are good (or bad) without argument to back that up. It also frustrates me that people sing (literally) the praises of David, who was a bit of a jerk, and continually exalt Shlomo, who did some seriously bad stuff, and even pay lip-service to Shaul, who was awful, but never do enough research to give credit to the man who was arguably (and this is certainly my argument) not only the best but indeed the only truly good king we (i.e., the Jewish people) have ever had.

Forget “David Melech Yisrael”! The next time someone makes a comment to me about kings or the mashiach, I’m saying, “Well, the last good king we ever had was YOSHIA! YAY FOR YOSHIA!”

(…And that was it for Bad Kings. I guess I’ll have to think of something else to write next time?)

!!!

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND—In January of 1991, shortly after introducing her to my new Spanish girlfriend who had just arrived in Chicago, my grandmother, Mary Lurie (of Blessed Memory), invited me to her house for lunch one Saturday afternoon. During lunch she commented on how pleased she was that I seemed to have found a nice girl and asked me what, if any, my intentions were regarding this new relationship. Before meeting Virginia in Granada (we were introduced by a mutual friend, a Berber named Sarah, who I befriended during the two years I lived in Granada and who, coincidentally, became Virginia’s yoga teacher during her last two years at university there), I had had only one long-term relationship with a girl I met while in high school—a Jewish girl (who later joined the Christian faith)—from a religious family whom I would spend about seven years with, the last four of which were spent living together in Los Angeles.

After telling my grandparents about Virginia—her family, her studies, her future plans to become a research scientist—my grandmother took a somber stance. “I want to say something and I hope you won’t take it the wrong way,” she said, my wide-eyed expression matching that of my grandfather’s as we were hardly accustomed to hearing my light-hearted grandmother speak in such an austere tone. “You know we’re a Jewish family,” she continued. “It may not be my place to say, but I want to say it. I’d like you marry a Jewish girl.” And before I could even comprehend what she had said, she followed up immediately saying “And if you don’t marry a Jewish…as long as you should be happy.”

Rewind

I’ve spent the last 18 years playing those words back in my mind. And though my 11-year marriage to Virginia ended amicably in 2003—and produced two amazing children—I often wonder if my grandmother’s words—though spoken with love and encouragement—were unsound. I want to make it perfectly clear that my marriage to a non-Jew (Virginia considers herself a non-practicing Catholic) was a good one. From the very beginning Virginia was always supportive of my “Jewish tendencies,” accompanied me to synagogue and took a participatory role during all the Jewish holidays, often taking off work to help my grandmother in the kitchen on Rosh Hashanah and Pesach. Our wedding, a beautiful weekend-long affair in Green Lake, Wisconsin, was performed under the traditional chupah, or marriage canopy, officiated by a Reform Rabbi and consecrated by our signing of the ketubah, the Jewish marriage “contract.” Even when our children were born she insisted they be raised with a Jewish identity.

Now I know and understand that my marriage to a non-Jew was not halachically sanctified, nor are my children considered Jewish according to Jewish law. And while the latter continues to give me a great deal of anguish at times—taking us back to the age-old question of “who is a Jew?”—I am satisfied by the Jewish identity and upbringing I am providing my children. More so is that I believe my children “feel” Jewish, which, at best, is a good seed to have sown for a future that I hope will include conversion somewhere down the path of my children’s lives.

Becoming

In a recent telephone conversation with my mother, I had told her that I needed to have my tefillin replaced, teffilin which I have had (though rarely used until recently starting to lay them every day except for the Sabbath when it is not permitted) since my bar mitzvah. My newly-begun custom of laying tefillin started back in May following a visit to the home of Liverpool’s Lubavitch Rabbi, Avremi Kievman. I had stopped by the Rabbi’s house to drop off a gift, a copy of my book of poetry, “My Zayde,” for the hospitality he, his wife and family extended upon me during Pesach, and when just before leaving he asked me—as a good Chabad Rabbi should—if I had put tefillin on that morning. I hadn’t, of course, so he ushered me back into the house and in “102 seconds” wrapped my arm and head in the black leather phylacteries, made me repeat the prayer over tefillin and the Shema, and I was on my way—a mitzvah done by one and all. I have been laying tefillin ever since. So when I informed my mother about my acquiring a new set of tefillin (at about $450 at today’s exchange rate) she asked if I was becoming Heimishe, or ultra-orthodox. I thought about her question for a few seconds and pondered its deeper meaning. Becoming? What an interesting concept. Was the act of donning tefillin each day making me more observant? Or the fact that I attend Friday night services or go to shul on Saturday mornings, light candles and say kiddish on Friday evenings?

I remember something that Rabbi Kievman had said some months ago. We were talking about customs and what I called the “importance” of maintaining traditions as I have for years considered myself to be a “Traditional Jew.” The Rabbi quickly refuted. He said that the idea of maintaining traditions for tradition’s sake is what hurts Judaism most and is one of the fundamental flaws of the Conservative and Reform Movements. Lighting candles on Friday night because my ancestors did or going to shul on Yom Kippur because if I don’t my great-grandfather will “turn over in his grave” are not the right reasons for lighting candles or going to shul.

So when my mother asks me if I’m becoming more observant, I feel that what she is really asking is if I’m becoming more Jewish—two questions that require two very different answers. According to Jewish law I am Jewish, have always been and always will be—from cradle to grave. Even if I were to convert to Catholicism and become Pope Richard I (it does have a certain ring to it!), I would still be Jewish. So for me it is impossible to become more Jewish than I already am. I’m Jewish and that’s that. About my becoming more observant, that’s a whole other can of worms that begs a million other questions, mainly “can I become a more observant Jew while not being fully observant? That’s to say, how will Orthodox Judaism judge me for having married a non-Jewish woman and raising non-Jewish children albeit with a so-called Jewish identity? And now that I appear to be, for a number of reason which I have not delved into fully, becoming somewhat more observant, how will my current relationship (with a non-Jewish woman with whom I’m expecting a non-Jewish child this coming December) be viewed by the mostly more observant Orthodox Jews with whom I now regularly pray and associate?

What’s That on Your Head?

For the first time in more than a decade, I find myself living in a society where it is not uncommon to see Jewish men walking down city streets of Liverpool, Manchester or London with yarmulkes on their heads or wearing Trilbys and black suits revealing the fringes of their talit katan beneath their clothing. I must admit to having a deep desire to wear a yarmulke in public (though nowhere in the Torah is its use prescribed) and to don the talit katan each and every day as is prescribed by the commandment that states: “Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: They shall make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments… And this shall be tzitzit for you, and when you see it, you will remember all the commandments of G-d, and perform them” (Numbers 15:38-39). But what I am unsure of is how this will be interpreted by others and the bigger question it begs is whether or not I should not be “privileged” to outwardly display my Jewishness as I have seemingly disregarded some if not most of the basic foundations of halachic law in the first place by not observing the Sabbath, marrying a non-Jew and not following an observant lifestyle as prescribed by the written and oral laws. It comes down to this: would I be a hypocrite or be deemed deceptive by Orthodox Jews should I outwardly appear observant while inwardly not uphold the very laws which observant Jews go to great lengths to sustain?

Many non-observant people would probably tell me to follow my heart, that if I feel I’m doing right by wearing a yarmulke and tzitzit—or even a long beard, side locks and a Shtreimel—to express my Jewishness, than it must be right. But I know better. Or do I? That is the dilemma which I face almost on a daily basis. And when the Rabbi drove me home last night after having attended my first Thursday evening Torah study group at his house, I didn’t think twice about not removing my yarmulke upon leaving his home and driving in his car. I did, however, remove it—though not in any clandestine way—before entering my building and going upstairs to my flat.

Questions and More Questions

As I eagerly await the arrival of my new set of tefillin from Israel, I continue using a “loaner” pair from the Rabbi and wonder if I shall ever muster up the courage to commit to wearing tzitzit beneath my clothing or wear a yarmulke during waking hours. What I do know is that I am committed to a Jewish way of life, to raising my children with a Jewish identity and Jewish values and to continue asking questions and seeking new ways of living a holier, more purpose-driven life. I also know that I dearly love the mother of my unborn child and that I am committed to pursuing a long-term relationship with her though she is not Jewish and has made it clear from the beginning of our relationship that conversion is something she probably would not consider.

I don’t regret marrying and having children with my first wife, and there is every indication that Wendy and I will eventually marry as well. Perhaps the only regret I do have is not being reared in an environment conducive to a more observant religious life. And the more I think about it, at times I wonder—though without any remorse or disrespect—if perhaps I regret not looking for a deeper meaning of those loving and encouraging words my grandmother spoke all those years ago.

US Air has started daily flights to Israel from Philadelphia.  Prices seem quite low to places other than Philadelphia.  I managed to book a flight on their Israel site to Boston for $875 (via Philadelphia). Interestingly enough, the exact same flight to Philadelphia costs $200 more.

Flights leave TLV at 11:15p and arrive at PHL 5:10a (Oy Vey!).

Flights leave PHL at 9:15p and arrive at TLV 3:30p+ .

Reasons to fly US Air:

1. You want to go to Philadelphia (or just avoid New York)
2. Good deals to other US cities
3. Sully may be your pilot

As far as Frequent Flyer miles are concerned:

1. Miles may be accrued on the US Air Dividend program or on programs of Star Alliance Partners (most relevant to TLV2JFK readers are Air Canada, United, Austrian, Turkish, Swiss, Lufthansa and Singapore)
2. 80,000 US Air Dividend miles can get you to the States including Hawaii, Central America and the Caribbean.

With the addition of US Air, the following 4 cities are served non-stop from Israel:

New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Philadelphia

Before we get all excited about that – guess which  5 UKRAINIAN cities are served non-stop from Israel.

Give up? They are:

Kiev, Lviv, Odessa, Simferopol and Dnipropertovsk

Lets hope ElAl puts back the non-stop to Miami, so we can tie the Ukrainians.

• Festivals Blog
• Adventure Travel Blog
• Zion and Bryce Blog Post

While I was awake in the early hours of Shabbos, I had some great ideas about how to help my friends and family that don’t keep kosher understand my dietary choices. I will be traveling a lot with my family this summer and that means that the conveniences of New York kosher cuisine won’t be as plentiful. So, what is a kosher observant family supposed to do when traveling out of the “kosher zone”?

First of all, it is important to understand the laws of keeping kosher. Some families have been keeping kosher for decades; others have been keeping kosher for a week. Personally, I started keeping kosher in September 2001. Before then, I ate everything and everywhere my heart desired. It was my journey of Jewish re-discovery that I was introduced to the kosher cuisine that would change my eating habits from that day forward. Like many Jewish American families, I associated kosher food with Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, and Passover. It was at those times of the year that the kitchen in my house was taken over by brands like Manischewits and Streits. My mom would “put up” the most amazing chicken soup with the fluffiest matzo balls I’ve ever eaten. The oven would overflow with the smells of brisket, kishke, and tzimmus. My family and I would make our annual journey to the kosher bakeries in Skokie and stock up on honey cake and boubka. I loved these times of the year. Even though I wasn’t raised in a kosher home nor one that kept Shabbos, it was the effort of my family to share these holidays in full force that made me the Jewish mom that I am now.

Even though things are different today and I now keep kosher religiously and observe Shabbos every week, my extended family does not. It doesn’t make me love them any less; in fact I love them even more. I just have to prepare my own food plan for my husband and children in advance. This is nothing new for people that have certain food allergies, suffer from lactose intolerance, diabetes, and vegetarians. Just because I don’t eat your food doesn’t mean I don’t love you!

While the laws of keeping kosher may seem limiting to most people, it made perfect sense to me. It is not as hard or isolating as people think, and it’s even good for you. I have attached some links that I find helpful in my attempt to explain my food requirements to people that feel that I have gone off the “creep end”. I am still the same me, I just eat differently and here are some reasons why:

I stumbled upon JewFAQBlog  a weblog commenting on news and events.  As rabbi/humorist Jack Moline noted, “Everyone who keeps kosher will tell you that his version is the only correct version. Everyone else is either a fanatic or a heretic.” (Growing Up Jewish, 1987).

Kosher Links that will satisfy your kosher curiosity include  The Orthodox Union,  Star-K Kosher Certification, and KosherQuest.  Has a member of your family become kosher recently? How has this affected family occasions?