| Yehuda Lave is an author, journalist, psychologist, rabbi, spiritual teacher, and coach, with degrees in business, psychology and Jewish Law. He works with people from all walks of life and helps them in their search for greater happiness, meaning, business advice on saving money, and spiritual engagement. Love Yehuda Lave Join my blog by sending me an email to YehudaLave@gmail.com | | | | | The Three Musketeers at the Kotel | | | | | Amnesty International Accuses Israel of Apartheid in Impending Report By Hana Levi Julian - | | | | | It appears that Amnesty International is launching a full-scale Apartheid campaign against Israel. The Amnesty International (AI) organization is joining in the international NGO apartheid attack against Israel in a report resembling that of the anti-Israel Human Rights Watch (HRW) organization, set for release this week, the NGO Monitor reported Sunday in a tweet. Advertisement
The fact that people actually believe such a ridiculous accusation is stark evidence of the ignorance about Israeli society — where Arabs are found integrated into every area of life at all levels, including management — and Israeli civil rights, to which every citizen is entitled regardless of ethnicity, nation of origin, gender, race, religion, etc. A leaked copy of the 211-page report to be released Tuesday was obtained by the watchdog organization NGO Monitor, which noted in a series of tweeted statements that dozens of NGOs and their United Nations allies have campaigned for more than two years against Israel, using pseud-reports to accuse the Jewish State of apartheid. "Amnesty has a rich history of antagonism toward Israel & Jews, with antisemitic incidents, #BDS campaigns, #lawfare, and other forms of demonization," NGO Monitor commented.
'apartheid state' Amnesty International accuses the Jewish State of "institutionalized and systematic discrimination against Palestinians within the framework of the definition of apartheid under international law," claiming "discriminatory and exclusionary Israeli laws, policies and practices against Palestinians." "Unsurprisingly, the report consists of a warmed-over mixture of false/distorted factual and legal claims from previous NGO and UN publications. A year after the @HRW version, which is virtually identical, Amnesty jumps on the bandwagon to boost the apartheid hate campaign," the NGO Monitor commented. "Amnesty constructs an imaginary narrative of the conflict: no terror infrastructure in Gaza (just Israel being "ruthless"); "peaceful protesters," not rioters in "mixed cities" in May 2021; terror links of Palestinian NGOs are erased. "The "legal" analysis looks like a repeat of invented and confused definitions, created for Israel alone, offered by @HRW. Both NGOs mix up concepts like state vs. individual responsibility and the status/relevance of various int'l treaties," NGO Monitor wrote. "Make no mistake. Amnesty wants to use sanctions, boycotts, arrests of Israeli officials to attack Israel's existence as a Jewish state. Much of the Arab world moves to peace with Israel; Amnesty wants a return to the Cold War, state boycotts, and Soviet propaganda. "The purpose is to characterize the right of Jews to sovereign equality in their historic homeland as a violation of the intl' legal order. The overarching political objective is to erase and subsume the nation-state of the Jewish people into a single state of Palestine. "By attaching its brandname to dressed-up nonsense, @amnesty counts on the echo chamber of journalists, UN officials, diplomats & NGO partners to repeat the slogans and lies automatically. But there is nothing new here and it shouldn't be treated as such," the organization added. Blogger Elder of Ziyon, who also managed to get a copy of the report, observed that "every nation on Earth gives fewer rights to non-citizens." Pointing out that the 1971 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice quoted by Amnesty said nothing about apartheid, Elder of Ziyon quoted directly from the document: 130. It is undisputed, and is amply supported by documents annexed to South Africa's written statement in these proceedings, that the official governmental policy pursued by South Africa in Namibia is to achieve a complete physical separation of races and ethnic groups in separate areas within the Territory. … 131. Under the Charter of the United Nations, the former Mandatory had pledged itself to observe and respect, in a territory having an international status, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race. To establish instead, and to enforce, distinctions, exclusions, restrictions and limitations exclusively based on grounds of race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin which constitute a denial of fundamental human rights is a flagrant violation of the purposes and principles of the Charter. "International law did not define the crime of apartheid in 1971. This ruling did not try to define apartheid in any sense," Elder of Ziyon wrote. "South Africa freely admitted it had a policy of apartheid. The entire question before the IJC was whether South Africa's policies in Namibia were a violation of the UN Charter. . . Amnesty is lying – and they know it." Advertisement
| | | | No Justice, No Peace By Ziona Greenwald, J.D. If you had to name the seven Noahide laws (and didn't remember them from your yeshiva days), what would come to mind? Of course, there are the obvious prohibitions against murder, theft, and illicit sexual relationships. There is the commandment not to eat from a live animal (eiver min hachai) – in a sense, directing one toward harmony with nature and respect for G-d's lower creations. And there are two laws addressing one's relationship with the Creator Himself: Do not curse G-d, and do not worship other gods (which puts a line through most of the world's other religions). That makes six. So what are we missing? Not a commandment to honor one's parents or to not covet another's possessions, as might be expected. Number seven, directed at the community rather than the individual, is a rather surprising choice: batei din, an imperative to set up courts and administer justice. Considering that we have 613 commandments of our own to follow – and our own (today uncentralized) religious courts – what relevance does the Noahide mitzvah of dinim have for us? According to the Rambam and many subsequent poskim, the obligation of dinim applies to all humanity, Jews and non-Jews. Interestingly, the Ohr Sameach says that the sheva mitzvot bnei Noach obligate Jewish youngsters who understand right from wrong but have yet to reach the age of mitzvot. But beyond the halachic parameters of this commandment is an appreciation of the supreme importance G-d places on the provision of justice in society. It's not enough to be an upstanding and believing person in your private life. G-d expects us all to join the Justice League – to support public institutions that uphold civil law, encourage moral and ethical behavior, and deter and punish malfeasance. The last few years have seen crime skyrocket across America. Twelve major cities broke homicide records last year, following a 30 percent increase across the nation in 2020. So-called "smash and grab" robberies – brazen commercial theft committed in broad daylight as security guards stand by helplessly – have led major chains to shutter stores and law-abiding citizens to think twice before going out to shop. Hate crimes have surged to the highest level in more than a decade. This rise in crime comes on the heels of nationwide anti-police protests alleging racism. Supported by the once far-left and now dominant stream of the Democratic Party and by cultural elites with virtually no stake, the "defund the police" movement made icons of career lawbreakers who had the misfortune of dying at the hands of police officers. Major cities read the mood and slashed department budgets, while thousands of cops chose to leave the profession due to the backlash. The trend away from longstanding criminal justice principles has steamrolled through the legal system as well. Under recent bail laws passed in New York, for example, judges must suspend their judgment and release dangerous defendants back onto the streets. Manhattan's new D.A., echoing his counterparts in other big cities, is downgrading a bevy of felonies, including armed robberies, to misdemeanors. He also says he won't prosecute fare evasions, resisting arrest, or driving with a suspended license, and his office will no longer request sentences of life without parole even for the most heinous crimes. This woke vision of justice promotes the rights of the lawbreakers at the expense of the law-abiding. Punishment, accountability, even labeling offenders as criminals (they're now "justice-involved persons," which sounds like community volunteers) – those are old-school notions. The line between perpetrators and victims is increasingly blurred. Large portions of contemporary society disregard the Noahide laws of personal and sexual morality. And despite their high-minded perorations, the politicians they elect fail to maintain a justice system founded on Noahide principles. The result of this broken social contract, as the biblical Noah himself saw, is chaos. While justice must be tempered with sensitivity, just as in parenting our children we try to discipline with love, our Sages warned us against misplaced mercy: One who is compassionate when he should be cruel will come to be cruel when he should be compassionate. Those who champion the new concept of justice might have good intentions, but then so did Saul when he spared the life of Amalek's king against Hashem's orders, inspiring Chazal's teaching about the danger of unchecked subjectivity. Only when society accepts that there are objective categories of wrong and right can we navigate complex moral and ethical issues without getting lost in a morass of gray. | | | | | Learn to Spot a Fake COVID-19 Test
https://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspx?emailid=43906 The spread of the Omicron COVID variant suddenly increased the demand for at-home testing kits and COVID-19 testing sites. Scammers have instantly noticed this and are tricking unsuspecting consumers through selling fake tests, setting up false testing sites, and asking for consumers' personal data with the intent of identity theft. More on the dangers of such fraudulent schemes and how to spot them below. How to spot a fake at-home COVID test Like COVID tests are among the most sought-after merchandise these days. Everyone is trying to have a few kits on hand, just in case. With this rapid rise in demand, the number of fraudulent tests had also risen dramatically. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently warned the public that several fake at-home COVID-19 tests are circulating on the market. Further, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalled 200,000 unauthorized COVID-19 test kits produced by ACON Laboratories. The name of the test is "the Flowflex SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test (Self-Testing)," and the FDA points out that this product did not receive an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the agency. To complicate matters further, the company has another test - the Flowflex COVID-19 Antigen Home Test - that did get EUA authorization. Verywell Health points out that the ACON test in the blue box is the one that's been recalled and the one in the white box is fine to use. In addition, over 2 million Ellume COVID-19 Home Tests, which were initially authorized but turned out to give too many false positives, were also recalled. If you're not sure if the test you have at home is real, you can easily check it on the FDA website. Their website lists many test kits and features the brand names of each product for easy reference. You can access it here: FDA list of authorized COVID-19 tests You can also reference this list to avoid buying a counterfeit test. When purchasing an at-home COVID test, choose a reliable source like your local pharmacy. Avoid buying tests from street vendors, websites other than pharmacies, through email or telephone calls. There have been reports of vendors selling expired or fake tests in old boxes, as well as tests from unknown foreign sources. "Packaging should also not be in foreign languages, and all kits should come in boxes, not as individual pieces or in plastic bags," said Geoff Trenkle from Total Testing Solutions, a company that produces COVID-19 tests, to Healthline. If someone is selling tests door-to-door or contacts you about COVID tests via telephone or email, this is a red flag. Scammers interested in your personal information with the goal of identity theft will often call or visit unknowing consumers and offer them free COVID tests in exchange for social security numbers and other personal data. Learn to detect a fake COVID testing site Like Fake COVID test kits are not the only scam you may encounter these days. Fraudulent rapid testing sites have popped up all across the country as well. Tents and other pop-up facilities have been caught stealing people's credit card information and social security numbers, and many of them have claimed that they work with healthcare organizations. When searching for a COVID testing facility, ask your doctor or local health department for a recommendation. You can also ask the testing site to say where they will be processing your sample. Every lab has a CLIA number, which you can look up online and contact if you have questions or didn't receive your results.
https://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspx?emailid=43906 | | | | | This Guide Will Teach to Identify 8 Types of Arthritis
https://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspx?emailid=41261 Did you know that the most modest classification of the medical term "arthritis" includes at least 50 types of conditions? Some classifications differentiate between over 100 types of arthritis. Still, most people can only name two: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Knowing what the term arthritis means helps us understand so many types of arthritis that exist. The word arthritis is derived from the Greek arthr- for joint and -itis, medical terminology for inflammation. So, essentially, any kind of inflammatory joint condition can be defined as arthritis, irrespective of the cause. This also explains why the reported 50 million adults and 300,000 children suffering from arthritis across the US may experience varying symptoms and require different treatments.
Understanding what kind of arthritis you or a family member has can help you manage the condition more effectively and choose the best treatments. These are the 8 most common types of arthritis. 1. Osteoarthritis Like Osteoarthritis is the type most of us think of when we are asked to describe arthritis, and rightfully so. After all, osteoarthritis is the most common kind of arthritis. According to the CDC, it affects 32 million Americans. Also known under the name degenerative arthritis, this condition usually begins after age 50. This condition occurs when the cartilage that lubricates your joints dissolves, making the bones rub together. The excessive friction, in turn, produces the all-too-familiar symptoms of the condition: - Joint inflammation - Morning stiffness - Pain - Limited mobility - Bone injury - Osteophytes, bony lumps (bone spurs) that appear around the joints or spine. Like most types of arthritis, osteoarthritis is diagnosed through joint imaging, bloodwork, and a physical exam. To learn more about osteoarthritis, read this article - The Early Warning Signs of Arthritis.
2. Thumb arthritis Like A common subtype of osteoarthritis is thumb arthritis. It affects the joint at the base of your thumb called the carpometacarpal joint, and it can be confused with carpal tunnel syndrome. The condition manifests itself through persistent stiffness, swelling, or pain at the base of your thumb.Women above age 40 are more likely to suffer from this condition. Thumb arthritis requires early treatment because it can be really debilitating and limiting to patients. The severe hand pain patients experience interferes with one's ability to grasp items and complete everyday tasks like opening jars or doors.A simple way to test for thumb arthritis is by touching the tip of your index finger and thumb so that it makes an O shape. If the resulting shape resembles a D more than an O, this could indicate thumb arthritis.
3. Rheumatoid arthritis Like Rheumatoid arthritis is the second most common form of arthritis. Despite popular belief, rheumatoid arthritis usually occurs between the age of 30 and 50. Rheumatoid arthritis tends to become rarer as you get older. Unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition, meaning that it begins when the immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues.Apart from the joints, rheumatoid arthritis can damage other body parts, such as the heart, blood vessels, lungs, skin, and vision. The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are different from those of osteoarthritis. For example, patients suffering from this condition may experience fatigue, loss of appetite, and fever years before the joint symptoms appear.A frequent symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is Sjögren's syndrome - a condition when your eyes and mouth are always very dry. Joint symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis tend to begin in smaller joints, namely the fingers and the toes.Other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis coincide with other types, namely:- Morning joint stiffness - Tender and swollen joints that can be warm to the touch - Firm bumps under the skin, commonly around the elbows.Related Article: Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Basic Facts.
4. Gout Like Image Source: www.scientificanimations.com/ Wikimedia CommonsGout is a type of arthritis that occurs when urate crystals accumulate inside the joins. These crystals cause sudden attacks of pain, swelling, redness, and extreme tenderness in one or a few joints, most commonly the big toe. A gout attack can develop within a few hours and may continue for days or even weeks. Almost 4 percent of the adult American population suffers from gout, and anyone can get it, although men are slightly more likely to get it than women. A diet with too much protein may also increase the level of uric acid in the blood, which could lead to more urate crystal deposits in the joints. Gout requires treatment to reduce the pain and minimize joint damage. The affected joint can also become infected, which requires urgent medical care.
5. Psoriatic arthritis Like Image Source: Wellcome Images/ FlickrPsoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritis that arises in patients suffering from psoriasis. The autoimmune skin condition is poorly understood, but it has a genetic component and usually develops in people aged 30-59. Psoriasis looks like red scaly patches or white dots on fingernails, and it can spread to the joints. Although the condition is the most likely to affect the fingers, making them swell up and turn pink, any part of the body, including the spine, can be plagued by psoriatic arthritis. Joint swelling, stiffness, and pain are the most common signs of the disease, and these symptoms can come and go, just like the psoriatic skin rash itself. 6. Juvenile arthritis Like Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is the most common type. This is a group of autoimmune disorders that affect children 16 years old and younger. Like most arthritis types, juvenile idiopathic arthritis causes swelling, pain, and stiffness in the joints, as well as fatigue and fevers.Swollen lymph nodes and skin rashes are less common but can occur as well. Unfortunately, the condition often causes complications, such as misaligned joints, bone damage, eye damage, and it may affect the child's growth. If a child exhibits any of the symptoms mentioned above for over a week, seek medical care.
7. Ankylosing spondylitis Like Ankylosing spondylitis is another terrifying form of arthritis that makes the lumbar vertebrae fuse together. It is more common in men than women, but the exact cause of ankylosing spondylitis is unknown. The symptoms of the condition vary a lot and can begin as early as late adolescence or in your 40s. The condition starts with a feeling of stiffness or pain in the lower back, but over time, it spreads to the shoulder, hips, and ribcage too. The symptoms typically worsen during periods of inactivity, such as sleep or long periods of sitting. The complications of the disease include eye damage, problems breathing, and even heart damage.
8. erythemitosis Like Systemic lupus erythematosus is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed health conditions of all. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that affects the entire body, including your internal organs and brain. It often damages the joints and other connective tissue in your body. Joint pain due to lupus usually begins in the hands and feet, and then spreads to other areas.This condition is more prevalent among women than men, and it can cause anything from fatigue, joint pain, and chest pain to hair loss, skin rashes, and mouth sores. With lupus, diagnosing it as early as possible to prevent severe damage to the internal organs is crucial. It is done through a physical exam and blood tests.Share this information with family and friends!
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