Gino http://www.jta.org/user/profile/45120 en-us zsilberman@washingtonjewishweek.com Copyright 2012 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Messrs. Moscowitz and Sider said it perfectly. What else she was, other than a fantastic writer and performer of Jewish music who brought us so much joy, is not important. I can't understand why, especially at at time like this, some yenta would feel the need to air some irrelevant private personal matter,. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 "The mayor said Emanu El's move was part of a broad migration of upper-middle-income professionals out of the city." I see comments like this in Jewish publications and am disturbed by a canard that would seem to imply all Jews are wealthy. We have our wealthy and have our low income population, and I am tired of people's implication that all Jews are rich. I first heard this when I served in the Army in the 1950s and am amazed by how many people actually believe it. You would not be doing us any favor by perpetuating this type of braggadocio even if it were true. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 James Earl Cotter's comment is shlemeilkeit. It is just stupid, stupid, stupid. What is the point? 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 I agree with you, Hindy Abelson. Those involved in hysterical Obama bashing are probably among the sore-losing Republicans, conservatives and hate group members who are always trying to make him look bad. It won't done them any good! A chaleria zol zey trefen. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 I, for one. like the Jewspotting stories; so NYTimes and JTA, please keep it up. Aside for being interesting, it makes Jews in small places aware of each other. You'd be surprised how we are everywhere. Our family was always happy to find Jews wherever we went. When the Army sent us to Alaska for 4 years, we became part of the "Frozen Chosen" at the Reform Temple in Anchorage, where my wife says I became a born-again Jew. We may be dwindling, but knowing there are some of us almost everywhere, can cause us to build communities whether religious, fraternal or only secular. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Why would anyone want to take the time to write something stupid and pointless? Is this you in another alias Moussa Aliwat or whatever your name is? 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 blackie, your comment was one of the most preposterous I have ever heard. I bet you know nothing at all about what the Reconstructionists are.all about let alone what their postions on anything are. If not for Rabbi Yoffie's comments that Cheryl included above, you would no doubt have included Reform on your s**t list, too. It must be wonderful to be able to make statements totally unencumbered of any knowledge of what you are talking about. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 To the reputed 13-year-old (in your bio) Esther Haman: You write like a third grader not a 13-year-old. I agree with your choice of the last name of your pseudonym, but not the first name. You are not fit to shine Esther's shoes. You state that what Ahmadinejad says is true? You must have come out from under the same rock as him. And what does "the truth hearts" mean? Oh, I forgot, you're only a little snot-nosed kid, right? 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Hey, Cheryl Mavrikos, you say that Ahmadinejad is a poor excuse for a living organism? I thought he was just a sock puppet in the image of a pissant. However, I object to your use of the term "sand monkey" as that can be demeaning to other Iranians, including those who are risking their lives protesting against his stealing of the election. Further, we should all contact NBC to ask them not to pander to "Ahma Dingbat" and giving him all of that publicity to spew his verbal diarrhea. Why should Ann Curry, who I adore, be made to lower herself by having to wear that shmatah while interviewing him merely because she is a woman. He should have been reqired to wear a clown suit. And yet he insults her by stating he didn't understand what she meant when she asked him about his stealing the election. What rock did this David R. Evans crawl out from under. Is he from Mars? That must surely be a pseudonym for someone who is a toady for scum of the earth dictators. I wonder if he also has nice things to say about the senile appearing Gha-Daffy who also made a fool of himself in front of the UN with his rambling. With all of his props, I was waiting for him to pull out a guitar and start singing for another half-hour. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 hillel susskind's syntax-challenged 4th grade writing seems remarkably like that disgusting malcontent Wassa Alawit's or whatever her name is. It appears that the latter may be ghost-writing the former. Also, I see that one Alex Golan has appeared on these pages as the nuevo cunning-servatist with his slimy insinuations about President Obama's background and other nasty trash-talking noises. I regret that I can't return your Rosh HaShana greeting because you do not seen to me to have a Jewish neshama, and your greeting did not appear to be genuine. You and the other "losers" lost the election. The best person won. So you need to stop acting like a bunch of cry babies with your phony "tea parties," attempts to shout down free speech, and demonstration marches filled with what appears to be a gang of bigots. After 8 years you should be happy to have a President with a brain. The future will prove Barak Obama to be one of our greatest Presidents. In the meanwhile you will have 8 years to get over it your jealousy, or to eat your hearts out.. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Hillel Susskind, I thought that was a hairy ass sitting on your slimy shoulders. You must be a relative of Joe Wilson. Boichik, you really have the wrong last name—you are surely not a "sweet child," but rather a rude and crude moron. What chutzpah you have addressing our President in that manner after he took time to issue to us High Holy Days greetings. Shame on you, this act could keep you from being listed in the Book of Life. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Ari, so then what is all the fuss about? I'm beginning to think it is a waste of time reading this stuff. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 cheryl: in Israel, one can practice any form of Christianity, any form of Islam, etc., but only one form of Judaism. That is not freedom. Why should only Orthodox rabbis be allowed to perform marriages. For years Israelis, because most are secular, have been brainwashed into believing that the synagogues they don't go to must be Orthodox. Think about it— only in Israel is there no freedom of religion for all Jews. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 I never liked boxing. How can you want to hit someone who is not a threat to you? It's a barbaric sport. Those jerks sit in the audience yelling for their favorite boxer to "kill" the other guy (which sometimes does happen). Even Mohammad Ali, "the greatest" suffered from boxing. Those who like it should just join a gym and find someone else who likes boxing and they can proceed to happily punch each other's brains out. Going to watch others kill each other is reminiscent of the Roman Gladiators fighting while all the violence loving morons in the audience cheered. We all know that Jews are good fighters when we study the history of Eretz Yisrael when we fight against those who want to kill us. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Mussa Aliwat, that was a good one! I didn't think you had a sense of humor. Now wasn't that better than all that anger that could give YOU high blood pressure? 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 I can't believe it! Mussa had something to say that almost showed some mentshlechkeit. She just had it turned around the wrong way. It's the ultra-orthos that need some tikkun rather than remaining back in the dark ages. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 I can't believe that several of you wish to curse Eretz Israel with only one choice of Jewish belief. As I am sure most of you know, most Israelis are more secular or cultural Jews than anything else—not withstanding that they seem to have been brainwashed into thinking that the synagogues they DON'T go to must be Orthodox. “Even the Jewish atheist knows quite precisely what the God in whom he [or she] doesn't believe in expects of him [or her].” —Leonard Fein 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Who is this divisive MessedUp Aliwat that never has anything nice to say about anything? She thinks one has to go to shul to be a good Jew? She thinks "Liberal" is a pejorative? The majority of Jews have always been Liberals, and proud of it. She comes up with all that oral diarrhea about Conservative Jews "encouraging assimilation and intermarriage and do everything possible to limit Jewish families to 2 children per couple maximum." LOL! That is just hysterical! She should know that it is those like her that "are finishing hitler's dream of destroying the Jewish people, and therefore . . . should be boycotted" Jews are not supposed to hate other Jews. Don't you read the Torah? Also: "Once an eagle, stricken with a dart, Said, when he saw the fashion of the shaft, ‘With our own feathers, not by others hands Are we now smitten.’” —Aeschylus, 6-5th Century BCE poet 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 I don't know all of the details of this brouhaha, but at times it doesn't pay to overreact to fools and give them more attention and publicity than they deserve. Sometimes it may be better to simply say something on the order of: "Their claim is so preposterous as to not even warrant a response." 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Watching these videos shows you what fools we have in this country--the women, especially the one wearing a TZAHAL (Israeli Army) T-shirt of all things. And kol ha-kavod to Barney Frank for how he handled the conservative lady who depicted Obama as a Nazi in the second video. What chutzpah she had! Frank made a fool out of her (actually she made a fool of herself). These conservatives who have been programmed to disrupt Democrats' efforts to support the President's health care initiatives remind me of the the McCarthy era of 1950s when Conservatives used the "communist" or "Red" label for anyone to disparage those who disagreed with them. These days they use "socialism," "socialized medicine," and "liberal," as pejoratives. In the 1950s they used to claim that fluoridation of drinking water was s communist mind-control plot (I'm not kidding). It's amazing what some of those right-wingers believe and how ill-informed they are. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 What do you think dimrod. Off the size of your shmecky! 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 C'mon Moishgil, give it a rest! 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 You clearly have to be very careful when giving tzedakah that it goes to the needy and not the greedy. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 The flagrant nepotism involved in employing family members is obvious . . . almost as bad as Rabbi Hier and his gang of "Wies guys" at the Wiesanthal Center at their main palace in Los Angeles. Last time I checked, Hier had his wife and sons on the payroll for years accounting for over $1 million in salaries and benefits annually. In an article in the Los Angeles Jewish Journal(“Center Responds to Critical News Story,” Aug. 15, 2003), Ira Lipman, “the man most responsible for setting compensation levels for the center” who as a member of the board and chair of its human resources committee is arrogantly casual in dismissing the obvious excesses and nepotism, and fails to mention that the firm of which he is CEO, Guardsmark, is listed on the Center’s IRS Form 990 for 2001 as its highest compensated independent contractor, having received $687,437 for “professional services.” It sounds like the “good ol’ boy” network is alive and well feeding at the Jewish philanthropy trough, perhaps throughout the entire system. An organization that feeds at the public trough must not only avoid impropriety but even the appearance of impropriety. If family members of President/CEO Alexander are so highly competent they shouldn't have any problem commanding equally high salaries in the private sector and allow the YMCA and Jewish Community Center of Greater Toledo to remain free from nepotism or its appearance. The same goes for other excessively highly paid employees at the organization which is not Alexander's personal cash cow to use as he sees fit for family and friends. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 We would like to believe that our coreligionists, especially rabbis would not stoop to this level. But unfortunately, we are no better or worse than any others, or so it seems. And these rabbis all come from the supposedly more religious Orthodox Sephardi congregations. In past years we have read about terrible stories of Orthodox Ashkenazi rabbis in Israel and the U.S. that were pedophiles, some molesting their own children. This is not the kind of publicity we need as there are always those who would denigrate us even without our own providing the dirt. The rabbis in this story should be prosecuted and condemned by honorable Jews everywhere. They make the rest of us seem dirty. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Response to "Student of History": I still don't understand what you are talking about. Further, quibbling about my use of the word "statement" vs. your use of "commented' doesn't make you seem smarter. Unfortunately, I don't recall reading Dina Kraft's article, and this format doesn't allow for going back and forth to look for it. I tried and lost what I started to write and had to go back twice. The tone of your first statement— excuse me —comment, seemed kind of nasty as was the rest of what you wrote concerning those who make aliyah and become anti-Semites, and you didn't indicate who you were referring to, the Russians or the Ethiopians. And those Chasidic Jews who were being "harassed, seems unusual. It's usually the Chasidim who do most of the harassing of other Jews in Israel. Student, you need to study harder, especially with regard to your writing skills 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 It would be helpful if "Student" provided some evidence to support his statement. It is well know that 80 percent of what people post without substantiation is just BS. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 It seems a new gang of commenters are now practicing their shlemielkeit on this site. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 With all of the scams that abound, people should double check to be certain that their tzedakah is really going to a worthy cause, that is, to the needy not the greedy. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Ari, I agree with you. We can't allow our enemies to bring us down to their level. I don't care for the OPINIONS of some of these hard-liners among our people. Talk is cheap, and it is easy to talk tough. And you know what they say about opinions: they're like a-holes, everyone has one, and some have two--one at each end of their alimentary canal. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 More despicable behavior of the Ulra-Orthos. And one of them set fire to a dumpster? He did something that those of his ilk consider forbidden on Shabbat, lighting a fire? But I know they will have some way of showing why that was OK in this case as they always do by twisting halachah to whatever they wish it to mean. And the throwing of dirty diapers? What chasaerim they are! As to Arkay's comment, I have no idea what he is saying. The same with Madearis's comments. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 But his wife gets to keep $2.5 million of the money he stole from others, many of whom were from among his own people. That's not fair especially since she was probably involved, although not impicated ths far. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Peaceful? or fanatical zealots? 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 More zevel mi'shvarim from most of the same group of know-it-alls whose opinions I read yesterday. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 They must have turned out a lunatic asylum to get most of these absurd comments. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 They must have opened a lunatic asylum to get most of these comments. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 And some of Hendren's best friends are Jewish, right?. With friends like Hendren you don;t need enemies! 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 I'm glad that DW Barry can read (the Torah as he claims, however he calls it the Old Testament), but writing is surely not his forte as evidenced by his comment, which is unintelligible. I wonder if even HE knows what he means by the gibberish he submitted. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Corn may be chametz for Ashkenazim, but not for Sefardim. Tamar, do you ever have anything nice to say about anything? You sound like a farbisseneh old lady. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 So are you Leland (too much just like Tamar). You think we own Israel because of our money? Wrong! It is in our advantage to have Israel as the only democracy in the Middle East. How many of our people have died defending Israel? None. Lelandeleh, Israel panders to no one, and the US doesn't expect them to kiss our butt, something they will never do. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Tamar, you are really too much! 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Tamar, why do you insist on writing stupid, meaningless comments? Don't you have anything better to do. Get a life! 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Leland Medearis, I read what you wrote several times and haven't the foggiest idea what you are saying. I'm sure that YOU know what you mean. But please, when you write for others, use the K.I.S.S. principle so that the rest of us can figure out what you are saying so I can tell whether I agree or not. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 "the total population of american Jews in 11959"? Now I know I was right about Tamar. She is from an alternate universe, and from the planet "Narishkeit." 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 This article is running a little late for Purim or April Fool's Day. It is nothing but shlemielkeit. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 I knew I could count on something negative, as usual, from Tamar, Touter of Tough Talk. Does anything please her? She writes narishkeit like, "jewish theological seminary [sic] is a holocaust/israel centered org." What is that suposed to mean? She then goes on to rant about the Jewish Theological Seminary which she clearly knows nothing about. With friends like her we don't need enemies. Tamar, "Kol Yisrael aravim zeh b'zeh." "All Jews are responsible for one another." (Sanhedrin 27b) Shape up! 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Who is this Tamar who has a penchant for coming up with such absurd and hateful comments? 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Who is this syntax-challenged Tamar that seems to always be coming up with denigrating comments? With people like her in our ranks we don't need enemies. Remember what Pogo used to say, "We have seen the enemy, and it is us." 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 The misguided people in this group and their familiies should move to Israel and try living in southern Israel just north of Gaza. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 Speaking of Jabotinsky: “Limdu B’nei Yisrael keshet: Teach the Jew how to use fist, stick and gun. It will probably make you unpopular with many of your pacifist friends: never mind. Universal peace is a Jewish idea, a Jewish prophet in a Jewish land started it, and I believe . . . it will become a reality because people fully equipped for self-defense will decide to lay down their weapons: It cannot be helped by a defenseless mob imploring its neighbors to follow its rather discouraging example. What for? In this case, anyone who would ask such a question in 1932 would deserve no answer.” —Vladimir “Ze’ev” Jabotinsky, (1880–1940, Zionist activist, soldier, orator, writer and poet; founder of the Jewish Legion during World War I. Jabotinsky greatly influenced a large section of the Jewish people and as head of the Betar movement was the undisputed source of inspiration to many thousands of Jewish youth, particularly in Eastern Europe). From "If I Were Young in 1932." 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00 This is a test comment to see if I am really logged in. 2012-02-09T;22:54:00-05:00