Gil Time for a New Deal for this country? – annexation (better sixty years late than never) – citizenship for all (regardless of ethnicity or religion) – education for all (no more UNRWA or unregulated schools) – national service for all (whether in the military or in public service projects and corps) – economic reform (massive … Read more
As MAGA slowly embraces its antisemitic roots, will they lose the Jewish Republican vote? (Relatedly, is “Latinos for Trump” still a thing?) “Although the fortunes of many have been wiped out, although their professions have been taken away from them, and although they live in a state of rigid suspense and fear of the moment … Read more
Whatever crimes were committed at Sedé Teiman and other bases/prisons need to be investigated and the perpetrators need to be tried and fully punished, not just for immediate justice but to reform the popular indifference in too many circles towards war crimes, crimes against Israeli law, and crimes against the human conscience. The accusations are … Read more
Zionism for Palestinians? I’ve been having great discussions with listeners to The Z Word ‘s first episode, my conversation with Palestinian author Mo Husseini . A central point of not conflict nor disagreement but, rather I would say, creative tension, between Mo and I was in the relevance of Zionism to Palestinians. Mo represented an … Read more
After I called out Grok for relying on “X sentiment” of Mamdani critics and anti-Mamdani propaganda, and asked for a “facts and figures” based approach to answering the question “Based on all known statistics and trends, is antisemitic vandalism, harassment, and violence – justified as anti-Zionism – likely to increase, decrease, or stay the same … Read more
Go to yourselfFrom what you wereTold you areFrom your father’sHopes and dreamsFrom the limitsOf those around youTo the land thatI will show youWithin your soulBeyond the horizonOf your waking worldTo the sacred soilOf your questing heartSearching for meBefore I called Go for yourselfGo for your freedom, your beloved, your truthCross over the abyssBetween what is … Read more
Finallllllly listening toShabazi – A Tribute to the PoetOn our way to Ma’ale AdummimBeautiful, bold, brassy, funky, traditional all in one sound*Chef’s Kiss*Yemen Blues – Ravid Kahalani
From his Islamic context, R Abraham b haRambam drew the obvious conclusion – if our traditional laws describe ideas and prescribe practices, and it’s accepted in the prevailing milieu to discuss those ideas and do those practices, then why aren’t we? Food for thought from the modern Middle East.
As someone approaching the subject from the Maimonidean angle, it amazes me how people attribute innovations to Rambam’s son that are actually earlier described in Rambam’s works, and much of which is first mentioned in the classical rabbinic literature. Many things that they attribute to Islamic Sufi influence are clearly revivals of the documented earlier … Read more
I respect Haredim. I think that their counter-cultural ethos is inspirational and the construction of a lifestyle revolving around the study and observance of Torah is admirable. I, too, value the study of Torah and in fact I think that it can be a valid form of national service, on par with army service, in … Read more