A Birth Control Pill for Men - Israel 21c

A birth control pill for men (Israel 21c)

By jamming the biochemical machinery of sperm, an Israeli professor has created a new pill that could finally place the responsibility of birth control with men.

See also:
Signs point to oil under gas in Israel
Israel No. 2 in world for Internet usage
Israeli invents crossword puzzle for the blind
Israeli tour guides return to Bethlehem

Hammerman on Ethics: Is It Ethical to Read My Husband's Email?

Is It Ethical to Read My Husband's Email?

Q. Is it ethical to read my husband’s email? I don't have reason to think he's cheating, but I' m the nervous type…

You really have two compelling reasons not to open your spouse’s email: 1) he’s given you no reason not to trust him and 2) even if he were cheating, he’d be an absolute idiot to leave an email trail.....

See the complete answer here.

Our 7th Grade Class at their Recent Aliyah Service

Photo courtesy of Beth Madison

Gilad Shalit: Four Years a Captive

From Jewish Ideas Daily

Today marks four years since Palestinian infiltrators tunneled their way from Gaza into Israel, opening fire on an open-hatched tank, killing two IDF soldiers, and taking the third, Gilad Shalit, prisoner. Before long, Hamas announced it was prepared to exchange Shalit for 1,000 Palestinian security prisoners held by Israel. Then-premier Ehud Olmert declared that Jerusalem would not give in to blackmail. "We will hold no negotiations over the release of prisoners." That was then. Click for the full article


When Gilad Shalit was 11 years old, he wrote a story, "When the Shark and the Fish First Met" about two enemies that later became friends. Last year, his story was read by kids from all over the world.This year, take this opportunity to read the story and share it with others.Click here to listen to "When the Shark and the Fish First Met".Click here to download the book.

Who Speaks for American Jews?

As the programming year winds down and people begin to scatter, I'm pleased to announce that this fall's Harold Hoffman Memorial Lecture promises to be one of the most noteworthy in the history of this prestigious series. Save the date of Thursday, October 7, for a dialogue on a topic of great importance to all of us, Israel's future.

The question now isn't merely how to make the best case for Israel, but who should make it. The upstart group on the Israel Advocacy scene is J-Street, which claims, with some justification, to give political voice to the mainstream of American Jews, supporters of Israel who have progressive values and a liberal-leaning political orientation. J-Street has gained quite a bit of traction recently, as Israel has become increasingly isolated, not only from its enemies, but from many friends in the US.

But the question arises as to whether it is healthy for Israel advocacy to come from multiple addresses. This past week, Congress was flooded with various pre-Israel letters, and our representatives had to decide whether to support the AIPAC letter, the J-Street letter, or both. Does J-Street's competing with AIPAC only serve to dilute Israel's core support - and the message of Israel's case? On the other hand, do J-Street's positions allow an important segment of America's Jews to be heard, especially those frustrated with the policies of the current Israeli government - and those who otherwise might stop supporting Israel altogether?

These, I submit, are the key questions faced by American Jews in regard to Israel today:

Can we get beyond the distractions of apartments in Jerusalem and boats on the Mediterranean?

Can we stand tough against extremists while still seeking out those might really want peace?

Can we speak in one loud voice on Iran while acknowledging differences - some nuanced, others more significant, in other areas?

Can we at last turn a corner on energy legislation that will free the world from Iranian blackmail and our environment from the stain of spillage?

And in the end, when we call out to our political leaders, whose voice will they hear? Who speaks for American Jews?

Looming over it all is the specter of Iran hovering on the verge of nuclear capability. Just hours ago, the House and Senate approved tough new sanctions, which the President now must sign. That will be helpful, reinforcing the actions of the Europeans and the the UN. It is up to the President to follow through, not only in signing the bill, but in making it stick, in action and in tough rhetoric. And it is now up to American Jews speak in one voice to make sure that happens. BUT CAN WE DO THAT?

So on October 7, our dialogue will feature J-Street's founder and director Jeremy Ben-Ami, along with Alan Dershowitz, whose, powerful, articulate defense of Israeli policies has made him perhaps the prime Israel advocate of them all. Rabbi Mark Golub will moderate the discussion - which I am hoping will not become a debate. Ben-Ami and Desrshowitz already debated once, at the 92nd St Y. We don't need that. The topic is too important - and Israel's fate too fragile - for this to become a contest of debating skill (they both very good at that). I know that Rabbi Golub, perhaps the best interviewer on the Jewish scene, will be able to help us all find some common ground.

So... Dershowitz - Ben Ami: At TBE on October 7.

Mark your calendars now.

Take Your Dog (or Ass) to Work Day

Today is "Take Your Dog to Work Day." I'll spare you by not bringing either of my dogs to services this gorgeous evening, outdoors at 6:30 (dress is casual), though it is tempting! But this week's Torah portion describes how the prophet Balaam did bring his pet to work, with interesting results. For him it was "Take Your Ass to Work Day," and for this latter-day Shrek, the donkey wouldn't let him get his work done. Eventually, though, as with most pets, the ass sensitized her master, and Balaam was a better person because of it. He came to curse Israel, saw how peacefully they dwelled in their tents and composed the immortal Mah Tovu prayer.

When you think about it, although he was not an Israelite, Balaam was like many Jews who come to synagogue these days. Many of us come into the sanctuary with preconceived negative notions ("Boy is this going to be b-o-r-i-n-g!"). This story teaches us that we should leave our prejudices at the door when we come into the sanctuary, enter with open minds and open hearts, ready to experience the holy. You might be surprised with what you discover.




Parshat Balak from G-dcast.com

More Torah cartoons at www.g-dcast.com

Davennology 101: Exploring "Mah Tovu"

Kavvanot by Rafi Metz - http://www.pageformer.com/kavanot/index.html

Exploring Mah Tovu

The "Mah Tovu" prayer, that beautiful declaration of awe traditionally recited upon entering the sanctuary, is based on a vision found in the portion Balak. The prophet Balaam comes to curse the Israelites, but then, overtaken by the peaceful beauty of their dwelling places, blesses them instead. I've assembled a number of commentaries on this short but rich prayer. Both the commentaries and the verses of the prayer itself come from a wide variety of sources.

In the spirit of my Davvenology series (a term coined by Rabbi Zalman Schachter Shalomi), this collection of commentaries seeks to breathe life into this prayer by matching it with our life experiences. It is wonderful to be able to take not only from traditional commentaries, but also from modern Biblical criticism and contemporary interpretations as well. I include in my a section from Sh'ma magazine, in which we discover the sanctity embedded in every room of our homes (even the front porch).

The Mah Tovu prayer reminds us that each home is indeed a mini sanctuary, a "Mikdash Me'at."

I'll be posting more of my ongoing "Davvenology 101" series over the coming months.

To read the Davvenology 101 pdf, "Exploring Mah Tovu," click here.

Call to Action - Iran Sanction Vote Approaches

With congressional votes on sanctions to take place over the next few days, see this video call-to-action just posted by a San Francisco congregation (featuring our old friend former Stamfordite Rabbi Stephen Pearce). Now is the time to contact our representatives.

Ask the Rabbi: Is it OK to Convert for Love?

Here is my latest response to an "Ask the Rabbi" question from About.com:

Q. I am writing to you because I was dating a Jewish man, though I myself am not Jewish. After breaking up a couple of times he came to the conclusion that it won't work because I am not Jewish. It hurts me to think that all of this is due to religious differences. I have offered to convert if it will make him happy, but both he and his family say that converting just because of him is not enough. I want to give our love a chance and make it work but I don't know where to go from here. Do you think that my conversion would be accepted in the Conservative faith if I only converted so that I could be with someone? Maybe if I tell his parents that a rabbi said my conversion would be "kosher" everyone will come around and things will turn out alright. I have no faith of my own and so converting to Judaism is not a spiritual struggle for me.

A. Absolutely! Let 'em know a rabbi says it's OK. Use my name. Give them my e-mail address. I'd be happy to talk to them, anytime.

While traditionally, a rabbi is required to discourage conversion, things have changed quite a bit in recent years. Some rabbis are even actively proselytizing, something we hadn't seen in the Jewish world since Roman times. And even those who maintain more traditional standards would have much more sympathy to your predicament than they may have had a generation ago. See the full response here.

Israel: Misperceptions on Campus

TBE Bar/Bat Mitzvah Commentary: Emily Simon on Rosh Hodesh

Those of you who know me, may have gotten the impression that I like to stand out. If you have that impression…you would be right!

As you might be able to tell from my yarmulkes, my favorite colors are not your ordinary colors – neon green and neon orange.

Convinced yet?

You’ve been warned. I’m not the typical girl who is dying to go to the mall. I would rather be outside, enjoying the day. Also, unlike the typical girl, I would rather wear sneakers than flats or boots.

I hate pink. Let me put it in more socially acceptable language.

I abhor pink.

In part, I hate pink for the obvious reason- it clashes with my hair. But the main reason is that I want to be different, I want to stand out.

Standing out is a time honored Jewish tradition. We’ve always stood out. That’s what makes us Jews!

On Rosh Chodesh, we recall how Jewish women in particular were willing to stand out. According to the Midrash, Rosh Chodesh is considered a women’s holiday because at the time of the Golden Calf, the women were not willing to give up their jewelry to go against God and build the calf.
In yesterday’s Torah portion, Parshat Korach, there were four men who planned to lead a rebellion against Moshe because they wanted more power: Korach, Datan, Aviram, and Own. In the end, when they were about to pass the point of no return, Own’s name mysteriously disappears. We are told by the Midrash, that Own’s wife courageously convinced her husband to repent and separate himself from Korach, Datan, and Aviram’s evil plot.

Rosh Chodesh also teaches us that you can play an important role even if you don’t always shine the brightest. After all, Rosh Chodesh celebrates the cycles of the moon. The moon may not shine as bright as the sun, but without the moon we would have no tides, no light at night, and it provided us with the first mitzvah of the Torah, which was to commemorate the beginning of the month of Passover.One way that Jews stand out, is through Mitzvoth. For my Mitzvah Project, my friend Renee and I donated food to the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County.

TBE Bar/Bat Mitzvah Commentary: Rebecca Rakowitz on Korach

Now that I am a teenager, I am expected to be an expert at many things ranging from speed texting, to spending my parents’ money, to, of course, rebelling and / or complaining.

It so happens that I’m one step ahead of the game seeing as I’ve been a skilled complainer for a long time. In fact, I’ve been complaining my whole life! Some might say I was born a teenager – and I have the baby tapes to prove it!

There was this one incident where I didn’t want to eat my yogurt with a spoon. After to complaining to my mom over and over in my 9 month old way, I tried to drink it instead and it got all over my face and in my eyes. My mom just kept taping me crying…..she makes me watch it periodically, HER laughing hysterically and ME crying and embarrassed.

My portion, Korach, contains the story of the biggest rebellion in the entire Bible! Korach, acted almost like a teenager might’ve. After all, look what Korach does:

· He argues for his own selfish reasons, although he claims to be arguing on behalf of the people.
· He was unable to see the other person’s perspective because he thought his was the only and best perspective

It says in the rabbinic text known as Pirkay Avot:

“Any dispute that is for the sake of Heaven will in the end endure.
Any dispute that is not for the sake of heaven will not endure.
Which is a dispute that is for the sake of heaven? The disputes of the sages Hillel and Shammai.
Which is a dispute that is not for the sake of Heaven? The dispute of Korach and his entire congregation.”

This is an important passage because it reminds us that there are two liable sides to almost every argument- EXCEPT for when you are arguing for selfish reasons and, as the text puts it, not arguing for the sake of heaven”

So Judaism teaches us that arguing is good. It’s alright to disagree with an authority – AS LONG as you are doing it for the right reasons.

SO…..Teen rebellion can be OK!

I’m a big movie fan and I’ve learned a lot about teen rebellion from movies, especially from those old favorites from the ‘80s that I’ve seen countless times with my Dad, including the classics like Dirty Dancing and Ferris Bueller’s Day off.

These movies are all about teen rebellion. Ferris was a bit self-centered and went against many people including his parents to get what he wanted; a good time and a day off from school. Then again, it isn’t that bad compared to what Korach did. It’s much worse to try to seize leadership for your own selfish reasons than it is to skip school and stand on a parade float singing “Danka Schoen” in Chicago. In Dirty Dancing the young people are rebelling against authority and parents – but they had a higher cause: greater freedom and better treatment for the workers.

I’ve learned from my own experiences how important it is to argue for the right reasons. At school I campaigned for us to be able to wear sandals. With the help of complaints from other students and parents, we can now wear them – at least until the end of the year. When my principal didn’t budge at first I wanted to keep fighting it and protesting the dress code rules. My mom told me though, that you need to know how to pick and choose your battles and that there might be more important things I should be rebelling for.

I’ve been fortunate to be part of a pilot Bar and Bat Mitzvah Friendship Circle program, where teens befriend those with special needs. This is not a place where people argue at all but it really has taught me an important lesson that’ll help me when I do argue: you need to be able to see things from the other person’s perspective even if it is hard. It’s definitely hard to understand what a child with special needs is thinking but it is so rewarding when you “break through.” Imagine my joy when I was able to teach a friend something that is so easy and second hand to me but was so hard for him – like how to kick a soccer ball.


So now that I am a bat mitzvah and am ready to take on the responsibilities of Jewish adulthood, I now understand how to “know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em.” There are some battles that do need to be fought - but they need to be fought for the right reasons, for the sake of heaven.

Setting The NY Times Straight on Flotilla Terror Ties

New York Times Needs My Help to Find Flotilla Planners' Terrorist Ties: OK! Here's A Start for Their Research
By Barry Rubin*
June 12, 2010

http://www.gloria-center.org/gloria/2010/06/new-york-times-needs-my-help

The New York Times is a vast and wealthy organization with highly paid reporters and news bureaus around the world. Unfortunately, however, it seems to need a little help in gathering the news. In an editorial, the newspaper has held forth with the following sentence:

"The Israelis claim that Insani Yardim Vakfi is a dangerous organization with terrorist links. They have yet to offer any evidence to support that charge."

This is like Goldstone who keeps saying that no one has challenged his report despite literally hundreds of specific refutations. It is like the little boy who doesn't want to hear something, puts his hands over his ears, and keeps yelling, "I don't hear you!"It does, however, mark some retreat from the Times earlier statement of intense suspicion about documented Israeli claims, in which one of its writers dismisses the video footage of the soldiers being attacked with these words: "Those images of commandos being attacked with clubs and chairs are lacking context. Were they shot before or after the boarding party started using force?"Of course, the video clearly shows the deck of the ship with no Israeli soldiers on it. There is no fighting at all. The first soldier comes down the rope, holding on with both hands. He is attacked. Then a second, he is attacked. And so on for the next two. So how could the boarding party be using force when it had not yet boarded? How's that for context?In other words, the Times has updated the three famous monkeys: See no terrorism, Hear no terrorism, Report no terrorism.

But since I had an hour to spare, I decided to offer my services to the New York Times to provide some evidence about IHH links to terrorism. I offer this to the Times for publication, further research, and the names of people who might be interviewed. If the newspaper wants more of my research services, I suggest it hires me as a consultant. Otherwise, it might assign some reporters to open their eyes and read material that is available easily from reliable sources. Or they might actually do some research themselves!OK here is some of the evidence the Times says hasn't been offered:

--Hamas is a terrorist organization and IHH has acted as a support group helping Hamas obtain political support and supplies. Just as Americans are arrested for furnishing equipment and money to terrorist groups as constituting "terrorist links" the same applies to the IHH. The IHH has organized propaganda and raised money for Hamas, furnished money for the families of Hamas terrorist casualties, and performed many other services which, as noted above, makes it an organization with "terrorist links."

--Turkish raids by previous government calling IHH terrorist. In 1997, a Turkish security force raid discovered in the IHH headquarters weapons, explosives, instructions for making bombs, and other furnishings that indicate it has terrorist links. Turkish reports say that the documents captured shows that IHH members, with organizational support, were being dispatched as Jihad warriors in Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Chechnya. The group was also found to have bought automatic weapons.

--A report commissioned by the Danish government is full of data about terrorist links. See here and here.

This is how it opens the section on IHH:"Yet, the phenomenon of charitable front groups that provide support to Al-Qaida [includes]...the so-called Foundation for Human Rights, Liberties, and Humanitarian Relief (IHH).

--The respected French counterterrorism magistrate Jean-Louis Bruguière, has revealed, in the words of the Danish report:"IHH leader, Bülent Yildirim [who organized the Gaza flotilla], was directly involved in recruiting "veteran soldiers" to organize jihad activities. According to the French report, a number of operatives were sent by IHH into war zones in Islamic countries to gain combat experience. The report also stated that IHH transferred money, 'caches of firearms, knives and pre-fabricated explosives' to Muslim fighters in those countries."

An examination of IHH's telephone records in 1996 showed repeated calls in 1996 to an Al-Qaeda guest house in Milan and to Algerian terrorists operating in Europe (one of whom was notorious Al-Qaeda figure Abu Ma'ali [Abd al-Qadr Mukhtari], who operated in Bosnia)."

--IHH, according to Bruguière, was also involved in a terrorist attack on the United States, as he testified at the trial of Ahmed Ressam, a senior al-Qaida operative who in 1999 entered the United States with 1320 pounds of explosives planning to carry out a massive attack at Los Angeles International Airport. He testified that IHH had played an important role in the attempted attack, providing forged documents, agents who helped Ressam, and weapons for al-Qaida. In recent days, Bruguière has repeated his statements on IHH noting there have been attempts to intimidate him into silence.

--Statement by Mete Cubukcu, editor-in-chief of NTV, one of Turkey's largest television networks, on the German Television One show, that IHH was linked to international terrorism. Note also the presence of BPP cadre working with IHH, a party which left-wing German groups--including the one that furnished part of the flotilla passengers--described as violent and neo-Nazi. Here it is in:GermanFrenchEnglish

--IHH is part of the Union of Good, designated as a Hamas front group by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

According to this U.S. government agency: "The Union of Good's executive leadership and board of directors includes Hamas leaders, Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), and other terrorist supporters."You are also welcome to examine this detailed report from Israel on terrorist links of the IHH.Let me repeat the New York Times claim:"The Israelis claim that Insani Yardim Vakfi is a dangerous organization with terrorist links. They have yet to offer any evidence to support that charge."

Ok. Here's what I rounded up in less than an hour. I'm offering it to you for free. Now do some work of your own and issue a retraction since Israel had offered evidence. We are waiting.

*Barry Rubin is director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center and editor of the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal. His latest books are The Israel-Arab Reader (seventh edition), with Walter Laqueur (Viking-Penguin); the paperback edition of The Truth About Syria (Palgrave-Macmillan); A Chronological History of Terrorism, with Judy Colp Rubin, (Sharpe); and The Long War for Freedom: The Arab Struggle for Democracy in the Middle East (Wiley). To read and subscribe to MERIA, GLORIA articles, or to order books, go to http://www.gloria-center.org. You can read and subscribe to his blog at http://www.rubinreports.blogspot.com.

In Search of Peace (Israel 21c)

In the wake of the Gaza flotilla raid, the world's press may now be focusing exclusively on the seemingly unsolvable battle between the Arabs and the Jews, but peacemakers all over the region continue to work quietly towards a better future.

Find out more in our stories below from Israel 21c:

Israeli and Jordanian women, in business, for peace An Israeli-American academic has initiated a program that may both advance disadvantaged women from Israel and Jordan and build peace among nations.

Anyone for tennis? The Israel Tennis Center hopes to produce a professional, top caliber, mixed Jewish-Arab team that will represent Israel in prestigious international tournaments.

The economic reality of coexistence Despite economic hardships, Jewish and Arab youth will continue their rare ongoing dialogue, promises the staff at the Givat Haviva Center for Peace.

Galilee moms come together for peace [Video] For a group of Jewish, Christian, Druse and Moslem mothers living in Israel's Galilee region, peace starts in the home.

To dignify diversity The Merchavim Institute works to educate Israeli society by training Arab and Jewish teachers to pass on to their students a sensitivity to diversity.

Ten top Israeli business ventures that inspire peace in the Middle East Peace in the Middle East may seem elusive, but Jews and Arabs across Israel are working hard to create bridges though business. ISRAEL21c brings you a list of Israel's top ten coexistence business ventures.

Swinging from the coexistence trapeze Just one day "at the circus" leads to remarkable changes in the way Israeli Jewish, Muslim and Christian high school students relate to each other.

Giving voice to peace [Video] A Jaffa youth choir that combines the voices of Jewish and Arabs girls isn't just sharing its message of coexistence, it's practicing it out loud.

Incubating peace with Israel's Arab sector A flagship incubator in Israel is helping to create coexistence while ensuring that Muslim and Christian Israeli Arabs develop expertise in biotech and the life sciences.

Giving birth to peace A group of Palestinian and Israeli midwives are working together to ensure that pregnant mothers in Israel and the Palestinian territories have safe and natural births.

Israelis and Jordanians unite for emergency preparedness A regional emergency response team of Jordanians and Israelis is forging collaboration that could save lives and contribute to real peace between the two peoples.

Ushering Israel's Arabs into the global village An Israeli billionaire businessman with a social conscience is building a technology park in an Israeli Arab city, hoping to develop the residents' entrepreneurial spirit.

Hammerman on Ethics: Helen Thomas: Should We Forgive an Anti-Semite Who Apologizes?

Helen Thomas: Should We Forgive an Anti-Semite Who Apologizes?