Tuesday, December 8, 2015

John Lennon and Torah from Mount Zion

Rabbi Yehuda Lave

Tomorrow the email will come from my other server..Please let me know if you don't get the email on Wendesday the 9th.

Just Once 

There are many positive and beneficial things that we know we should do, but we may feel that continuing to do them will be too difficult. "How can I keep being this way all the time?" we ask ourselves.

Telling ourselves, "Just once," can help us start. After we do something positive once, we begin to build up momentum; it becomes easier than we had assumed to keep doing the positive action more frequently.

Doing a worthwhile action "just once" doesn't seem so daunting. The next time it comes up, say you'll do it "just once" again. Even if it truly is difficult, since we only have to motivate ourselves "just once," right now, we can build up our level of inspiration and motivation.

Think of something that you would want to do but also consider difficult to repeat. At the next opportunity, start by taking action "just once." If you're having difficulty thinking of something to do "just once," keep thinking until you find an area to apply the power of "Just once."

Love Yehuda Lave

ISRAEL: Tel Aviv and it's skyscrapers are lit up for the Festival of Lights as it publicizes the miracle of Chanukah.

A 51 year old Saudi man and his 6 year old wife…does anyone see anything wrong with this?

1

Speaking of something Goofy here is a divorce lawyers office. The 51 year old above will probably use their services

John Lennon and Yoko Ono interview on the Cavett Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1KZGPYjleE

John Lennon - Imagine (Live '72)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJCR8mCk4bA

John Lennon - Imagine (Live)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2hvkPyiAFE

John Lennon - Imagine HD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVg2EJvvlF8

Eagles Hotel California

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpAkMk0phOs

Ringo Cries over John Lennon's Death

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqXkOTYoys8

ENGLISH IS AMAZING!

Amazing word lesson

This is the best, most Interesting English lesson I have had to date.

Did you know "listen" and "silent" use the same letters?

Do you know that the word "racecar" spelled backwards still spells "racecar"?

And that "eat" is the only word that if you take the first letter and move it to the last, it spells its past tense "ate"?

Have you noticed that if you rearrange the letters in "illegal immigrants," and add just a few more letters, it spells: "Go home you free-loading, benefit- grabbing, resource-sucking, non-English-speaking assholes and take those other hairy-faced, sandal-wearing, bomb-making, camel-riding, goat-shagging, raggedy-ass bastards with you."

How weird is that?

TORAH FROM KING DAVID'S TOMB MT. ZION, JERUSALEM, ISRAELWeekly Drasha from Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Goldstein, shilta "Rebbe of Ba'al Tshuvas" Rosh Ha'Yeshiva of Diaspora Yeshiva, SPREADING TORAH FROM ZION since 1967

In last week's Torah Portion Vayishlach, we learned that there is a morality of dignity and majesty, of power and capability. At the climax of the battling brothers (Jacob/Yisrael and Esau/Edom), Jacob displayed his greatness both spiritually and physically--he was able to defeat an "evil" angel and defuse the anger of a brother/ a foe. Yisrael made peace and settled in the Land of Our inheritance, Eretz Yisrael. More importantly, we learn from Jacob and his family basic human rights, especially to defend whatever GD gave them, and to defy the opposition, if the opposition is wrong and immoral. Specifically, we learn an important lesson of cleaving to the moral values distinguishing the Jewish Nation from whom we dwell amongst. Like Jacob we must defend ourselves from the effects that foreign cultures have on us. We have the responsibility to be on guard against both the physical and spiritual dangers posed to us by our "friends." In this week's Torah portion Vayeshev, the focus shifts from Jacob to his favored son, Joseph, the son of his "old age." In Joseph, Jacob saw a continuation of himself as well as aspects of all the other tribes. We learn "like father, like son." How? If we compare their lives there are many similarities--they were born circumcised; both mothers were barren and were born thanks to a miracle; their brothers hated them; both through Divine protection in miraculous ways went from pauper to "prince;" both were intimately connected to and protected by the Divine Presence; —the Shechina dwelled with them in a depraved country; which explains how they got married after leaving Eretz Yisrael and had sons that became the founders of the Jewish Nation. More importantly, Jacob loved Joseph because of his Torah-knowledge and his aptitude for greatness. However, this extra love from Jacob displayed with a gift of a multicolored jacket caused a chain of events that lead to dissension and estrangement among brothers. The climax of this episode being the "many" brothers throwing "lone" Joseph into a pit; then selling him as a slave; dipping his precious jacket in goat's blood; and relating the "socalled death of Joseph" to their Father. What a major lesson we can learn from the brother's alienation of Joseph? We must appreciate one of the most precious gifts that Hashem has granted humans: the sense of unity that members of a family feel for each other— that expresses itself in love and devotion. We must refocus our attention on a basic virtue in Judaism and have an "attitude of gratitude." We must know that whoever proves to be an ingrate is punished. Indeed, the punishment here was that the gift of unity was taken away from the people who failed to appreciate it. By obsessing over the nonsensical—a multicolored jacket—the brothers overlooked and failed to appreciate the real happiness of dwelling together as 12 brothers. Had Joseph's brothers understood this, Jewish history would have taken on different dimensions, and our historical experience would be a different one. Thus, we must learn from our forefather's mistake and grow closer as a nation by cultivating brotherliness--love for each Jew no matter the circumstances. Also, being devoted to fulfilling our destiny as the Covenantal Community--a community that is a merger of many ideas, the synthesis of all the colors of the spectrum. Indeed, it is a combination of contradictory ideas rather than merely an assembly of individuals. Am Yisrael Chai! We live because of the experience of brotherliness on the part of the Jewish people throughout the world. As Chanukah approaches let's prepare by focusing our attention on the praises of King David and see "how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together." We must appreciate each other--no matter the levels of learning, observance, beliefs, or political ideas--simply because we are siblings in the Jewish Family. United by a common past and a common future. May we be the blessed generation to see the miracle

Why the New Israel fund supports a boycott

 Why NIF Supports a Boycott of Israel, and Why We Must Stop It

DECEMBER 4, 2015 4:37 AM 9

Ronn Torossian, Hank Sheinkopf, and George BirnbaumAaron Penken Alissa Doctoroff UJAAvraham BurgBDS movementNew Israel FundNew Israel Fund BDS New Israel Fund donors
A BDS protestor.  Photo: Mohamed Ouda via Wikimedia Commons.

A BDS protestor. Photo: Mohamed Ouda via Wikimedia Commons.

Over the last year, we have researched and published many articles examining the boycott movement against Israel, and revealed a number of the financiers of this anti-Israel undertaking. Our articles have appeared in The New York Post, The Hill, The Jerusalem Post, The Jewish Press, The Algemeiner, and dozens of other newspapers worldwide.

Together, the three of us have worked for Prime Ministers Olmert, Sharon, and Netanyahu, and multiple Israeli foreign ministers and several mayors of Israeli cities such as Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. All three of us realize, as do the vast majority of Jews ­ and civilized people ­ that the boycott against Israel is a very real danger.

We heed the words of Prime Minister Netanyahu who echoed the entire Israeli Zionist political spectrum when he said, "The boycott generators do not see the settlements in Judea and Samaria but the settlements in Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Beersheba, Haifa, and of course, Jerusalem, as the focus of the conflict." Netanyahu continued, " We must not cave into the pressure. [We must] expose the lies and attack the attackers. We shall unite forces in Israel and abroad, expose our enemy's lies, and fight for the Israeli citizen's right to live their lives peacefully and safely."
We stand united with Israel in exposing the attackers.

As difficult as it is to say, one of the most egregious forces working against Israel is an American Jewish organization ­ The New Israel Fund (NIF). The NIF is sophisticated, well-organized, and well-funded, and it is a leading funder of programs and groups that harm Israel.

It misleads many people with its friendly name, humanitarian philanthropy, and clever marketing tactics.

Technically, the New Israel Fund officially opposes the worldwide Boycott Divest Sanctions (BDS) movement. Yet it funds groups that encourage boycotts of all areas of Israel post-1967. The New Israel Fund claims that the post '67 areas are not parts of Israel, and therefore this should not be considered a "boycott."

Numerous individual leaders within NIF support BDS personally, and numerous grantees of NIF work in the BDS movement as well.

The NIF also funds attempts to demean the IDF and discourage young Israelis from serving in the armed forces through such NGOs as Breaking the Silence, B'Tselem, and others. It funds media bias intended to isolate Israel through the likes of +972 Magazine. NIF grantee Hamoked is an NGO that funds lawsuits supporting the families of terrorists. The Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity Movement and others work toward attempts to disobey Israeli judicial bodies ­ including the Israel Supreme Court. The list goes on and on.

The New Israel Fund harms Israel. This is why we expose the funders who help foster the boycott.

It is remarkable how successful the NIF has been at infiltrating the American Jewish community:

  • Alisa Doctoroff, President of UJA-Federation is a major donor and supporter of NIF, as is Rabbi Aaron Panken, President of Hebrew Union College the largest training school in the world for Reform Judaism. He is on the NIF International Council.
  • They are joined on the International Council by Avraham Burg, former deputy speaker of the Knesset, who recently declared in Yediot Aharonot that "Zionism is over." In September 2003, he wrote in The Guardian that "Israel, having ceased to care about the children of the Palestinians, should not be surprised when they come washed in hatred and blow themselves up in the centers of Israeli escapism."
  • Also joining them on the International council is Kathleen Peratis, a lawyer who supports BDS andwrote an op-ed declaring, "If you want two states, support BDS." She described BDS as a "non-violent tool," and wrote, "[N]ot buying Sodastream or Gush Etzion wine is a start." Peratis has met with Hamas members, and brags about it.


Are these people with whom the Presidents of UJA and Hebrew Union College should sit in positions of leadership with?

Among donors to the NIF are the Jim Joseph Foundation, the Jewish Communal Fund, The the Lopatin Foundation, the Leichtag Foundation, and others. They also donate millions to "respectable" Jewish causes, but that does not make their funding of the boycott acceptable.

There are synagogues who donate to The New Israel Fund, including Temple Beth El of Santa Cruz, CA; Tzedakah Hevra at Congregation Beth El in Sudbury, MA; Congregation Emanu-El B'ne Jeshurun in Wisconsin; Kehila Chadasha of Bethesda, MD; Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia; Temple Beth Avodah of Newton Center, MA; Temple Shalom of Newton, MA; Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco; and Temple Israel Center in White Plains, NY.

This disease, this sickness called self-hatred is widespread; perhaps it is to be expected in an American Jewish community where assimilation is nearly 70%.

In Israel, there is consensus among the Left and Right that boycotting is absolutely unacceptable, and the recent move by the EU to label products from post 1967 regions reaffirms how devastating it is. Birthright Israel, perhaps the most successful American Jewish organization of this generation will no longer work with NIF, and the ruling Likud Party calls NIF "anti-Zionist."

Even with a sense of disgust, we must continue with this vital mission. American Jews ­ their institutions and leaders ­ are funding a boycott that harms the Jewish state; they must be held accountable. Those who stand with the New Israel Fund are standing against Israel. To suggest otherwise is as much a lie as the NIF's claims that it opposes boycotts. We urge anyone affiliated with it to stop supporting this organization. The New Israel Fund is neither a friend nor supporter of Israel, and the Jewish community must oppose it.

George Birnbaum is an international political consultant, who formerly served as chief of staff for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hank Sheinkopf, CEO of Sheinkopf Communications, is a leading political strategist who has worked on campaigns in four continents. His clients have included former president Bill Clinton.

Ronn Torossian is a New York-based Public Relations executive and author of For Immediate Release.

More on NIF and its supporters.....http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/259974/new-israel-funds-responsibility-boycott-against-ronn-torossian

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