The film director Oliver Stone has once again ruffled feathers with a controversial television series that justifies those like me who think that, despite the 75% of corrosive, banal rubbish that appears on television, every now and again an important educational documentary makes having access to it worthwhile. The iconic British series “The World at War” directed by Jeremy Isaacs,…
Rabbinic Bugs
We have so many humanitarian and political challenges that face us, as humans and Jews that I suspect the only way we can cope is by being ridiculous. Anyone looking in on our religion from space would conclude we are crazy. We religious Jews have become maniacally preoccupied with bugs. Not with plagues of cockroaches, spiders, ants, or caterpillars. No…
Luck
Sam Goldwyn famously said, “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” So why do I constantly come across perfectly sane, intelligent people who tell me they are unlucky? Or religious God-fearing Jews who believe in Mazal, let alone the Ayin Hara, the Evil Eye? It does not make sense. The Bible is very clear that luck has no impact…
Choice
Thank goodness the election is over and we can get on with the fun things in our lives! The Bible clearly encourages men and women to procreate, and big families are regarded in our tradition as blessings. Avraham, for example, tells God that having a son is the one thing missing in his life. At the same time, we are…
Olympics
Thank goodness, living in a part of Manhattan that was not directly affected by Sandy, I have no personal disaster stories to tell. But in recognizing the limitations of humanity, my thoughts turned to how we humans have always thought we knew better. The Olympic games began in Greece around the time that Assyrians destroyed the Northern Kingdom of Samaria…
Presidents, Debates, and Guns
I have not and do not want to watch presidents or prime ministers debate on television. Politicians are salesmen who will tell you what is good about their products but will cover up any faults. Watching them try to curry favor reminds me why I once made the decision not to enter politics. Money plays such an important part in…