May 13, 2008 Jonathan Mark: For pro-Israel voters, Obama's middle name should be the least of their concerns Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: The Leaker Shield Act JWisdom: Why You & I Never Die: A Jewish View of Immortality, Part II by Rabbi David Aaron May 12, 2008 Chosen Words: A newsletter for personal and spiritual growth gleaned from classic biblical and other sources that will help you enhance your day to day life. Likely the most constructive three minutes you will spend today Mark Steyn: Israel's 'doom' could also be Europe's JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: When Faith Meets Fate, Part One May 9, 2008 Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: Reverence, Yes; Worship, No Mona Charen: Did Israel Drive Out the Arabs 60 Years Ago? JWisdom: Ultimate opportunities by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky May 8, 2008 Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Israel at 3,500+ Jonathan Tobin: Still Fighting the Same War Steven Plaut: How ‘nakba’ proves the fiction of a Palestinian Nation JWisdom: Taking Israel for Granted? by Rabbi Mordechai Becher May 7, 2008 Rabbi Hillel Goldberg: Israel is irrelevant to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Dion Nissenbaum: Latest Olmert scandal could derail efforts to force Israel's compromises JWisdom: My Inner Ventriloquist by Sara Yoheved Rigler May 6, 2008 Caroline B. Glick: Anti-Zionism at 60 The Kosher Gourmet By Ethel G. Hofman: In honor of Israel's 60th anniversary, the former president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, whose members included the likes of Julia Child, is back with a smorgasbord featuring the taste and essence of the Jewish homeland JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Jewish Deer in Nazi Headlights May 5, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Busy work Jonathan Mark: Remarkable half-century old Mike Wallace interview with Abba Eban puts current anti-Israel sentiment into perspective May 2, 2008 Rabbi Berel Wein: Rote religiosity Caroline B. Glick: Whitewashing Hamas JWisdom: Parent trap? May 1, 2008 David Zwiebel: Faith communities can learn from Orthodox Jews in stimulating private philanthropy for religious education George Friedman and Peter Zeihan of Stratfor: The Shift Toward an Israeli-Syrian Agreement JWisdom: It's time to wake up by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis April 30, 2008 Jonathan Tobin: Pennsylvania's Democratic slugfest may leave some Jewish votes up for grabs The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Fresh herbs, sauteed veal and tiny creamer potatoes makes a light spring dinner JWisdom: How to Build a Mentch by Rabbi Mordechai Becher April 29, 2008 Daniel Pipes: Barack Obama's Muslim Childhood Joel Brinkley: On human rights, the U.N. once again strikes out JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: When The Truth is Unbelievable April 28, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q: I'm often stuck in the doctor's waiting room for hours! Doesn't he owe me something for my wasted time? Steven Emerson: New U.S. government policy advises agencies to avoid using some of the very same words that make up terror groups' names JWisdom: Why You & I Never Die: A Jewish View of Immortality, Part I by Rabbi David Aaron April 25, 2008 Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg: Schadenfreude isn't kosher for Passover --- or at any other time Rabbi Berel Wein: The secret of how the data bank of memory is transferred from one generation to the next JWisdom: Stepping Up to A Higher Spiritual Life by Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen, Part III April 24, 2008 Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: The successful failure Fred Burton and Scott Stewart of Stratfor: Placing the terrorist threat to the food supply in perspective JWisdom: Stepping Up to A Higher Spiritual Life by Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen, Part II April 23, 2008 Connie Ogle: An intricate game of a novel Jonathan Tobin: Making Sense of the 'J Street' Jive JWisdom: Stepping Up to A Higher Spiritual Life by Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen April 22, 2008 Jonathan Rosenblum: Why Israel's 'Leaven law' matters Caroline B. Glick: Obama the Savior April 18, 2008 Rabbi Harvey Belovski: Multimedia tool of antiquity Caroline B. Glick: Revealed Truths vs. revealed lies JWisdom: More than miracles by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky April 17, 2008 Rabbi Avi Shafran: Deconstructing Dayeinu Rabbi Elazar Meisels: Is innovation at the Seder a slap at tradition? JWisdom: Discovering Your Divine Mission, Part III by Rabbi David Aaron April 16, 2008 Jonathan Tobin: A Prayer for Sderot's Children Ethel G. Hofman: Sumptuous Seder JWisdom: The Divine is in the details by Rabbi Mordechai Becher April 15, 2008 Rabbi Dovid Zauderer: Let Charlton Heston Go! Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Jimma, tyranny's enabler JWisdom: Relationships: Beyond Mars & Venus, Part IV by Dr. Lisa Aiken April 14, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: The Snitching Supervisor Jonathan Tobin: Forget the Fun and Games! JWisdom: Sincerity is Valued Most by Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, M.D. April 11, 2008 Rabbi David Gutterman: A Mystery in the Middle East Caroline B. Glick: Why Ahmadinejad smiles JWisdom: Elevated illness by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky April 10, 2008 Stratfor Intelligence Briefing by George Friedman: A Mystery in the Middle East The Kosher Gourmet By Steve Petusevsky: The spring elegance of asparagus JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: The Power of Rational Lies April 9, 2008 Michael Feldberg: An all but forgotten Colonial doctor who put his Jewish values before his life Jordan "Gorf" Gorfinkel's "Everything's Relative" gets philosophical JWisdom: Four Rabbis in Bnei Brak by Rabbi Mordechai Becher April 8, 2008 Caroline Glick: Covering for the enemy Elliot B. Gertel: 'House' goes Hasidic JWisdom: Relationships: Beyond Mars & Venus, Part III by Dr. Lisa Aiken April 7, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q: I have a translating business. Recently someone asked me to translate some financial documents that are clearly forged. Should I agree? Jonathan Rosenblum : Israel is unwittingly helping to fuel the international campaign of delegitimization against it JWisdom: Matzah and leaven as a life philosophy by Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, M.D. April 4, 2008 Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: The Mystery of Suffering Caroline B. Glick: Fear of democracy JWisdom: Dirty Jews by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky April 3, 2008 Rabbi Y. Y. Rubinstein: Parents --- and the children who would be them The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Manweiler: Tempted by restaurant dressings? Don't be. Here are recipes that can be made at home, healthier! JWisdom: The importance of retaining a 'slave mentality' by Rabbi Mordechai Becher April 2, 2008 Mitch Albom: Child abuse, disguised as faith Jonathan Tobin: Unreasonable Accommodations JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith with Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Eliminating Jewish Influence over Germans March 22, 2007 J-Rhythms with Avraham Rosenblum: JWR's cutting-edge music program showcasing performers -- singers, song writers, musicians, and bands -- who learn and live the Torah lifestyle (OUR NEWEST IGODCAST !) Oct. 29, 2003 Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review April 15, 2008 / 10 Nissan 5768 Let Charlton Heston Go! By Rabbi Dovid Zauderer The famed, respected actor has fulfilled his mission on Earth. Now it's time for those who consider the Bible to be more than a story book to reclaim it http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | There is so much misinformation, distortion and just plain ignorance out there today when it comes to Jews and their knowledge of Judaism and the Torah. Of course, one of the main reasons for this sad state of affairs is that most young Jews today are simply not getting a solid Jewish education. And this is true even in Israel, where you would think that they would at least know the basics — living as they do in the Holy Land. A former Israeli Minister of Education once went in to a public school in Tel Aviv to test the students' knowledge of the Bible. He asked one girl, "Do you know the Aseret Hadibrot [the Ten Commandments]?" To which the girl responded, "Sorry, but I never saw that seret (she thought he was asking about a seret, the Hebrew word for movie)". Pretty sad, eh? But I think that another major factor is contributing to the abysmal ignorance of an entire generation of young Jews. Many of them (and many of us) are getting a Jewish education — only that they are getting it in distorted form from Hollywood and the media. I speak from first-hand experience. Last year I was teaching a class on campus and made reference to the Mormons. Three students called in out in unison, "Oh yeah, I know the Mormons ... I saw that South Park episode ... " Is watching South Park how the next generation is getting informed about world religions? And how many Jews now consider themselves experts in the very complex field of Jewish medical ethics because they saw a ridiculous Grey's Anatomy episode about the religious girl who refused a pig valve transplant because it's not kosher??? Now, this is not to say that there aren't serious students of religion. Of course there are. But there's no doubt that the masses are being impacted negatively — if unknowingly — by these distorted depictions. Probably the greatest culprit of all — which has caused a distortion of Judaism of Biblical proportions — is the 1956 film The Ten Commandments directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starring Charlton Heston (may he rest in peace) as Moses and Yul Brynner as Pharaoh. I would think it's safe to say that most Jews' primary knowledge of the Exodus from Egypt and the Receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai comes from that movie. Which is kind of tragic — especially since Cecil B. DeMille apparently never consulted the Bible before making the movie! Ask most Jews today, "Who did G-d give the Torah to at Mount Sinai?" They will likely reply, "G-d gave the Torah to Moses." "And what were the Jewish people doing while Moses was receiving the Torah?" ... ... "Worshipping the Golden Calf." That may be how it happened in the movie — but the version found in the Torah is quite different. The Torah's claim is that the entire people heard G-d speak at Mount Sinai, experiencing national revelation. G-d did not just appear to Moses in a private rendezvous; He appeared to everyone, some 3 million people. And this seemingly small piece of "misinformation" about what the Bible really says has some really huge ramifications. Another major mistake most Jews make about the Exodus — and for which we have to thank Director DeMille — is that we think Moses said to Pharaoh in the name of G-d "Let My people go!" After all, that is what Charlton Heston said to Yul Brynner in the movie. But it is not what the original Moses said to the original Pharaoh way back in ancient Egypt! Rather, he said "Let My people go ... so that they may serve Me" (see Exodus 7:16) "So that they may serve Me" ??? Did I catch that correctly, Rabbi? Do you mean to tell me that according to the Book version the freedom that the Jews enjoyed during the Exodus — and about which we celebrate till this very day on the holiday of Passover — wasn't merely freedom from slavery and building pyramids but was actually the freedom to go and serve G-d and spiritually grow through the 613 commandments that He gave us 49 days later at the foot of Mount Sinai??? No one ever taught me that in Hebrew School!!! You see my point with all this, I hope. Clearly, if we are to educate ourselves and our kids about Torah and Judaism, the movies are simply not the best way to do it. We need to go to the source to find out what freedom really is — and isn't. Passover is a few days away. It celebrates liberation and freedom. So it's a good time for all of us to let Charlton Heston go ... to liberate ourselves from the media-driven distortions and self-imposed ignorance that shackle us down and limit us as Jews — and to start learning about our beautiful history and religion in a more sophisticated and informed manner. This way, we will raise a generation of proud, educated Jews — something we need now more than ever. Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in Washington and in the media consider "must reading." Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here. Rabbi Dovid Zauderer is a Toronto-based college outreach rabbi. Comment by clicking here. © 2008, Rabbi Dovid Zauderer