There is a myth that on the Day of Atonement most Jews turn up at synagogue. I have serious doubts about this “statistic”. Even it is true, attendance is around the synagogue rather than in it and is a social identification rather than a spiritual one. In order to explain why I think this is let me digress. I have…
The Pope and Islam
Well now it’s the Pope’s turn to get it! It’s over his remarks about Islam’s history of spreading religion by the sword. It is true he was quoting a medieval source and, frankly, the record of Christianity in Medieval times was immeasurably worse than Islam. Just recall what happened to the population of Jerusalem when the Crusaders conquered it in…
Sliding to the Right
As an interested party, I am delighted at the rejuvenation of Torah in Judaism and the increase in commitment of a very significant section of it. Yet I am very worried about the drift to the right primarily because of its anti-intellectualism, conformism, and fundamentalism. But I have always maintained that this is a phase and it will pass. Very…
Ken Loach and Friends
Golda Meir is reported to have said, “I can forgive the Arabs for killing our sons, but I cannot forgive them for making us kill theirs.” My variation of this is to say that I can forgive the apparently rational enemies of Israel for criticizing and pillorying the state beyond the bounds of logic and equity, but I cannot forgive…
Computer Games
Many of us “older” people are totally unaware of the most powerful, the most widespread and the most wealthy religion in the world today. It is a religion that attracts as its devotees virtually all the young people on our globe. They spend more time deep into the night on it than on any other single activity–and often more than…
The Grand Old Duke of York
Oh the Grand Old Duke of YorkHe had ten thousand menHe marched them up to the top of the hillAnd he marched them down againAnd when they were up they were upAnd when they were down they were downAnd when they were only half way upThey were neither up nor down. Now, I know I am no military expert. I…