Reflections whilst fasting on Tisha B’Av. The superstitious side of me (yes I do indeed have that little irrational spirit sitting inside my brain that needs to be swatted regularly) says that of course the war would be tough during the Nine Days, but that as soon as it is over and the Shabbat of Comfort begins everything will get…
Not the UN
Calls for the United Nations to send peacekeepers into Lebanon are a sick joke. Have we forgotten that previously Indian UN peacekeepers lent their uniforms to Hezbollah? Indeed, are we all unaware that there are UN “peacekeepers” in Southern Lebanon still, at this very moment? What HAVE they been doing? The United Nations is useless and it should be scrapped.…
Rabbi Louis Jacobs
Accolades have been rightfully heaped upon Rabbi Dr Louis Jacobs in death (in stark contrast to the scandalous way most of Anglo-Jewry treated him when he was alive). But his loss will not have much effect on Anglo-Jewry, precisely because his brand of Judaism has become very much a minority interest. Once, ironically, it was that of the more Orthodox…
Gay Parade
In an uncharacteristic show of unanimity, the Jewish, Muslim and Christian clerics of Jerusalem have united in calling for a ban to a projected Gay Parade in the Holy City. This confirms an opinion I have long held, that fundamentalists across the religions have more in common with each other than they do with liberal members of their own religion.…
Chassidic Gang Wars
“Supporters of rival candidates for the new spiritual head of the Satmar Chassidim clash on the streets of Williamsburg.” The outcome of the struggle now depends largely on the proceedings of civil courts. They have been asked to decide who the heir to the Satmar real estate empire is. Meanwhile we are left with a negative impression of the mix…
World Cup, Jewish Style
How can I justify to you or to myself wasting hours in front of a television set watching two teams of bipeds struggle for possession of a lump of leather and no sooner do they get it then they try to get rid of it. They battle like tigers, pull bodies and shirts, kick each other’s groins, feign agony, jostle…