Gmar Chatima Tova - May you all be sealed in the books of life, health and happiness for the coming year
As our entire country shuts down for Yom Kippur, I'd like to wish all of you a Gmar Chatima Tova.
May you all be sealed in the books of life, health and happiness for the coming year.
Labels: Yom Kippur
Gmar Chatima Tova
Unfortunately, I've had computer problems all day today, but I do want to wish you all a Gmar Chatima Tova. May you all be sealed in the books of life, health, happiness and wealth for the coming you, and may God Accept all your prayers for good.
I will be back on Wednesday night after the fast if my computer works (and yes, I am looking for a new one).
Labels: personal stuff, Yom Kippur
Former ISIS hostages: No, Sotloff didn't convert; Yes, he fasted on Yom Kippur
When Stephen Sotloff HY"D (May God Avenge his blood) was murdered by ISIS, and it was publicized that he was an Israeli citizen and observed Yom Kippur, at least one blogger
attacked him for converting to Islam (see the comments to that post).
The New York Times has now interviewed several hostages who were released from captivity by ISIS (now known more widely as Islamic State) and they confirm that
Sotloff remained true to his Jewish faith and did fast on Yom Kippur.
Former
hostages said that a majority of the Western prisoners had converted
during their difficult captivity. Among them was Mr. Kassig, who adopted
the name Abdul-Rahman, according to his family, who learned of his
conversion in a letter smuggled out of the prison.
Only
a handful of the hostages stayed true to their own faiths, including
Mr. Sotloff, then 30, a practicing Jew. On Yom Kippur, he told his
guards he was not feeling well and refused his food so he could secretly
observe the traditional fast, a witness said.
Read the whole thing.
Labels: aliya, Islamic State, Islamic terrorism, kidnapping, murder, prayers, Yom Kippur
As he's called a 'terrorist sympathizer,' Stephen Sotloff's mother talks about his connection to Israel
The mother of Stephen Sotloff HY"D (May God Avenge his blood) has spoken to Israel's
Yedioth Aharonoth daily about
her son's connection to Israel.
"The first time Steven visited Israel he immediately fell in love
with it," Shirley told those coming to comfort the bereaved family,
according to Yedioth Aharonoth.
Sotloff was an Israeli citizen,
having made aliyah (immigration) to the Jewish state in 2005, where he
studied at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya until 2008.
According to his mother, who is herself the daughter of a Holocaust
survivor, Sotloff first traveled to Israel on the Taglit-Birthright
Israel program and was enchanted by what he saw.
On Friday the family is to hold a memorial ceremony for him at the
Beit Am synagogue in Miami, where Sotloff studied as a child and where
his mother taught, and then sit shiva, the traditional seven-day period of intense mourning.
The grieving mother added "our Steven was not a man of war. He always
looked for the human things; he always told us that his goal was to
show the world what really is happening in the daily lives of citizens
in Syria during the war."
Sotloff's family has asked for privacy during their mourning; on Wednesday a family friend Barak Barfi spoke to media representatives on their behalf, saying Sotloff was "pulled by the Arab world” to “tell the stories of those who didn't have anyone else to tell them.”
Yid with Lid reports that a number of people have attacked Sotloff as a 'terrorist sympathizer.' Yid with Lid refutes those claims
here.
Labels: aliya, ISIS, Islamic terrorism, kidnapping, murder, prayers, Yom Kippur
Murdered journalist was Israeli citizen, risked life to practice Judaism in captivity UPDATED
Journalist Stephen Sotloff, who was murdered by ISIS on Tuesday, was a dual Israeli-US citizen, who risked his life in captivity to
fast on Yom Kippur and to recite Jewish prayers.
Sotloff made Aliyah
and studied at the IDC. Little information regarding his time in Israel
is known, and after he was captured in Syria it seems any connection to
Israel was deleted from his online presence in a bid to prevent the
information reaching his captors.
National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden announced the US
intelligence community's assessment of the video in a statement
Wednesday.
Colleagues and acquaintances recalled Sotloff as a generous man
fascinated by journalism and the changes gripping the Middle East, and
determined to tell stories from the perspective of average people, not
army movements on the battlefield.
A friend who was with
Sotloff in captivity told Ynet's sister-print publication Yedioth
Aharonoth that Sotloff was Jewish - a fact he hid from his captors - and
even managed to observe the Yom Kippur fast while in Islamic State
captivity.
"He told them he was sick and doesn’t want to eat, even though we
were served eggs that day," the friend said. "He used to pray secretly
in the direction of Jerusalem. He would see in which direction (his
Muslim captors) were praying and then adjust the angle."
...
Sotloff, a 31-year-old
Miami-area native who freelanced for Time and Foreign Policy magazines,
vanished in Syria in August 2013 and was not seen again until he
appeared in a video released last month that showed Foley's beheading.
...
Just how Sotloff made
his way from Florida to Middle East hotspots is not clear. He published
articles from Syria, Egypt and Libya in a variety of publications.
Several focus on the plight of ordinary people in war-torn places.
One individual familiar with the case said the family's theory
had been that Sotloff was grabbed by a criminal gang, and later
transferred or "sold" to Islamic State. This could not be confirmed by
his family, which declined interview requests.
Preparing for the trip to Syria, Sotloff reportedly asked a
fellow reporter in June 2013: "What type of lawlessness in Aleppo?
Should I keep my eyes open for anything regarding safety?"
"Can you meet with ISI," he asked, using an earlier acronym for
Islamic State. "And the quality of life? Is there still plenty of food
available? Gas?"
In a statement, Foreign Policy magazine called him a "brave and
talented journalist" whose reporting "showed a deep concern for the
civilians caught in the middle of a brutal war."
Time
Editor Nancy Gibbs said Sotloff "gave his life so readers would have
access to information from some of the most dangerous places in the
world."
Given that that Sotloff's Judaism was widely publicized after Foley was beheaded, I find it hard to believe that ISIS did not know Sotloff was Jewish. Therefore, the acronym HY"D (May God Avenge his blood) seems to fit here.
UPDATE 4:04 PM
Much more detail about Sotloff's time in Israel and his contacts with Israeli journalists
here.
Labels: aliya, ISIS, Islamic terrorism, kidnapping, murder, prayers, Yom Kippur
The UN observes all Christian and Muslim holidays as days off...
... but
Like @AliAbunimah - a
good friend of US President Hussein Obama - stays up at night fretting over global anti-Jewish sentiment....
Labels: Ali Abunimah, anti-Semitism, Barack Hussein Obama, United Nations, Yom Kippur
The Reveal with Lipa Schmeltzer and Ari Lesser
Just in time for Purim 2014 comes "The Reveal", an all new music video that takes a giant leap forward in Jewish cinematography, turning back the clock to the golden age of cinema.
Starring Lipa Schmeltzer and Ari Lesser and featuring Zvika Bornstein as none other than Charlie Chaplin, The Reveal takes a look back in time at Purim of the past in order to drive home an important lesson.
"There is a famous Jewish law that if you read the Megilla backwards, you are did not fulfill the mitzvah of Megilla," explained producer and director Danny Finkelman. "The Chasidic interpretation of that statement is that if you think the story of Purim is something that happened back in the day, then you have missed the whole point of Purim. Just like G-d's name isn't mentioned in the Megilla, but his presence can be felt throughout the story of Purim, so too, G-d continues to be with us today, every day of our lives."
Featuring an original composition by Cecelia Margules and music by Ruli Ezrachi, The Reveal has a distinctly retro feel, enforcing the timelessness of Purim and all that it teaches us.
"Maybe we don't feel G-d's presence in our everyday lives or maybe we only feel that connection on Yom Kippur at Neilah, but it is there, every single day," says Lipa.
A fun, feel good video that embodies the true spirit of Purim and emphasizes its eternal relevance, The Reveal is a Sparks Next production.
Let's go to the videotape.
I love this one.
Labels: Ari Lesser, God, Lipa Schmeltzer, overnight music video, Purim, The Reveal, Yom Kippur
He wouldn't play on Yom Kippur
I'm sure that many of you looked at the title of this post and thought I was going to talk about Sandy Koufax, who was my generation's Jew who refused to play baseball on Yom Kippur. But no, this post is about
Hank Greenberg.
The Irish didn’t like it when they heard of Greenberg’s fame
For they thought a good first baseman should possess an Irish name;
And the Murphy s and Mulrooneys said they never dreamed they’d see
A Jewish boy from Bronxville out where Casey used to be.
In the early days of April not a Dugan tipped his hat
Or prayed to see a “double” when Hank Greenberg came to bat.
In July the Irish wondered where he’d ever learned to play.
“He makes me think of Casey!” Old Man Murphy dared to say;
And with fifty-seven doubles and a score of homers made
The respect they had for Greenberg was being openly displayed.
But on the Jewish New Year when Hank Greenberg came to bat
And made two home runs off pitcher Rhodes—they cheered like
mad for that.
Came Yom Kippur—holy fast day worldwide over to the Jew
And Hank Greenberg to his teaching and the old tradition true
Spent the day among his people and he didn’t come to play.
Said Murphy to Mulrooney, “We shall lose the game today!
We shall miss him on the infield and shall miss him at the bat
But he’s true to his religion—and I honor him for that!”
Background
here.
Labels: Baseball, Yom Kippur
Gmar Chatima Tova
I needed a nap this afternoon to avoid falling asleep standing up during the evening prayers tonight :-)
Gmar Chatima Tova to all of you. May God Seal your inscriptions in the books of life, good health and happiness for the coming year. And May God grant all of your hearts' desires for good.
I will be back sometime after 8:00 pm Israel time on Saturday night, God willing.
Labels: Yom Kippur
Protest against New York Jewish federation funding of boycott Israel events
The ways in which Jewish communal moneys are spent to undermine Jewish communal interests in the United States are simply appalling.
For those who are in the New York City area and have time tonight, I highly recommend going.
I'll bet if they had
Kaporos outside more people would come.
Labels: New York Jewish Federation, Yom Kippur
The Yom Kippur partner track
It's been a wild day.... And I had about an hour and a half of sleep last night....
Mrs. Carl shared with me this reminder of what we can learn from work and why work isn't everything. It's great.
Let's go to the videotape.
Labels: Yom Kippur
Heh: Cell phones went on daylight savings time
If you are in Israel and your cell phone set the clock back by an hour this morning, you'd better re-set it to be in
Athens or Cairo or Pakistan....
Cell phone developers had prepared for the annual time change without
taking into account the possibility that the Knesset might change the date.
Concerns were raised Sunday that many may be late for work, after
mistakenly believing their phone is giving them the correct time.
Israelis usually set their clocks back by one hour in the week before
the Yom Kippur holiday. However, this year the clocks will only change
at the end of October, as is customary in Europe.
Daylight savings time is controversial in Israel, where it has become
part of the debate over religion and the state. The relatively early
time change in the fall that was customary in previous years was meant
to make life easier for observant Jews who wake up early for the Slichot
prayers, and for Jews who fast on Yom Kippur.
All this confusion will undoubtedly last until the next time that
Shas gets hold of the
Interior Ministry. And from the first link again....
Some experts argue that Israel should not switch the time at all. Summer
Time savings are minimal in Israel due to its being located closer to
the equator than Europe, they say.
That would be just fine, thank you.
Labels: daylight savings time, Shas, Succoth, Yom Kippur
Israel's Davis Cup tennis team fined for refusing to play
The Israel Tennis Association, the sponsor of Israel's national Davis Cup tennis entry, has been fined 10,000 Euros (about $13,000) for refusing to play a match against the Belgian national team...
on Yom Kippur.
The Israeli national tennis team had been scheduled to play against
the Belgium national tennis team in Antwerp on Sept. 14, which is Yom
Kippur, in the world group playoffs, the highest level of Davis Cup
play.
The Belgian Tennis Association turned down Israel’s request to
postpone the game, but the International Tennis Federation, which
sponsors the Davis Cup, intervened and changed the date of the match to
Sept. 15, but ordered the Israeli national team to pay the Belgian team
for the inconvenience of adding a day to the tournament, Yediot
Acharonot reported.
“The Israel Tennis Association is a non-profit organization, which
designates all of its funds to promote tennis in Israel and develop
Israeli tennis players. As a result, the high fine is a detrimental blow
for the budget of the professional program for the Israeli tennis teams
and to Israeli tennis in general,” Israel Tennis Association Chairman
Asi Touchmair said in a statement on the association’s website.
“As an institution that represents the State of Israel and its
values, we in the Israeli Tennis Association stand proud, before all
those who refuse to recognize the importance of the Jewish tradition, on
behalf of Israel and Jews world over,” the statement said.
The fine is ridiculous, but I think they ought to be proud to stand up for our principals at least one day per year. How old are you? Remember
Sandy Koufax?
Labels: Belgium, Davis Cup tennis, Shahar Pe'er, Yom Kippur
Most Israelis fast on Yom Kippur
A poll by Gesher, an organization that seeks to bridge gaps between religious and secular Israelis, shows that
the vast majority of Israeli Jews fast on Yom Kippur.
Approximately two-thirds of Jewish Israelis will fast this Yom Kippur
and over 80 percent will use the day either to pray or for general
introspection, a new survey published on Monday revealed.
In the
poll conducted by the Gesher social cohesion organization in conjunction
with Ynet, 64% of respondents said they would refrain from eating and
drinking for the duration of the 25-hour Yom Kippur fast, the holiest
day on the Jewish calendar.
Yom Kippur is traditionally devoted
to prayer and fasting to bring about divine compassion for the
transgressions committed during the year past.
The Panels Research Institute carried out the survey among 502 Jewish Israelis aged 18 and over, with a margin of error of 4.3%.
Forty-six
percent of respondents said they would go to synagogue for at least
some of the daylong prayer services, while 36% said they would use the
day to spend quality time on personal introspection or with their
families.
Gesher chairman Daniel Goldman said the results of the
survey demonstrated that there was a consensus in the country that Yom
Kippur represents a central day in the Israeli calendar across the
board, regardless of one’s religious background.
At least most of us agree on something....
Labels: Yom Kippur
Jewish woman in labor narrowly escapes lynch attempt
A Jewish woman in labor on Yom Kippur barely escaped with her life and her baby after being confronted by a
'Palestinian' mob on her way to the hospital (Hat Tip:
Atlas Shrugs).
Palestinian Authority terrorists continued their attacks on innocent Jewish motorists over Yom Kippur, this time attacking a woman in labor and her husband as they rushed to the hospital. The husband, Ariel Goldman of Pnei Kedem, told Arutz Sheva that the two were lucky to escape with their lives.
Their ordeal began near Har Homa at 2:30 a.m., as they drove to Hadassah Ein Karem hospital in Jerusalem. Suddenly, they encountered a point in the road that had been blocked by large stones.
As Goldman slowed the car, looking for a way around the trap, several Palestinian Authority terrorists jumped out and began to hurl rocks at the car.
The attack turned into a game of cat and mouse, as Goldman looked for ways around the rocks and tried to keep moving, while the terrorists followed the car and continued to pelt it with heavy stones, using a tactic that recently resulted in two deaths near Hevron.
The terrorists “had murder in their eyes,” Goldman said.
He finally managed to pass the stone barrier and speed away from the group of attackers, only to encounter a second group that attempted to stone the car near the Jerusalem neighborhood of Talpiot. Goldman managed to speed away a second time.
Mrs. Goldman gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
Mazal Tov.
But throwing stones is 'peaceful,' isn't it?
Labels: Har Homa, Palestinian terrorism, stone throwers, Yom Kippur
