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May 25, 2012
Mark Clayton: Is Hillary's State Dept. hacking Al Qaeda? Not quite
Erika Bolstad: Temple cancels Wasserman Schultz speech
The Kosher Gourmet by Ethel G. Hofman: The former president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, whose members included the likes of Julia Child, is back with contemporary Shavous cuisine: Ruby Fruit Soup, Sweet Noodle Kugel with Cheese, Key Lime Curd, Calsone Casserole Frittata with Wild Mushrooms, Sun-dried tomatoes and Olives, Baked Tilapia with Pepper Cheese Cream and Brown Sugar Shortbread
May 24, 2012
Jeff Jacoby: The peace process battered Israel's reputation
Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
Of politics and prayer
By
Gary Rosenblatt
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
On first blush, there seems to be little connection between the two seasons foremost on our minds these days: the presidential campaign and the High Holy Days.
Indeed, one seems driven by aggression and cynicism, forsaking openness and honesty for twisting the facts in a way to make one's opponent seem wrongheaded at best, evil at worst. And the other appears to be about inner reflection, stepping away from the everyday world to reconsider our actions in light of our deepest values and faith.
But in truth, politics — and especially this campaign — and the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, are about change.
It's a word that seemed to launch and represent Barack Obama's unlikely quest for the
presidency. To him, change was the panacea to our nation's troubles, from the longstanding war in Iraq to an economic crisis that grows more frightening each day. Obama's message: Be rid of the eight years of the Bush administration/Republicans and respond to our domestic problems and the international community in a new spirit of engagement.
John McCain, widely respected for his wartime heroism and many years in the Senate, has interpreted change in his own way, distancing himself from this most unpopular president, and calling for a new spirit of bipartisan cooperation in Washington that he says only he has the experience to lead.
But along the way, one senses that political handlers have convinced the candidates that the only way to win the presidency is to "go negative" and to shed their most appealing qualities — for Obama, an analytical approach to problems, and for McCain a reliance on his own instincts.
We are told that Obama is too cold and McCain too hot in tone and style, and that what America wants to see is a leader who is thoughtful and confident, charismatic and compassionate.
As we move toward the final days of the presidential campaign in a nation increasingly divided between Red and Blue, between opposing visions of how America should deal with its growing problems, domestic and foreign, what, if anything, do the High Holy Days teach us?
It's an age-old challenge for religion, to link our soul-searching to our daily concerns. But in truth the theme of these Days of Awe, like that of this political season, is all about the need for and capacity to change — in this case, the challenge to take stock of our thoughts and actions and turn inward, not to escape reality but to better ourselves in responding to the trials of everyday life.
When we are commanded to emulate G-d and be a holy people, it does not mean to live a life removed from society but rather to engage with others in ways that make them, and us, more human, in the best sense of the word.
The High Holy Days are not so much a stepping out of time to think holy thoughts we don't have time for all year, but a period of honest assessment of our behavior and values, and a rededication to engage in actions we know to be more purposeful and productive.
The quiet moments of prayer help us cut through the layers of protection and self-defense, to humble ourselves so that we may indeed achieve teshuvah, or repentance, in our relationships with those around us and with G-d.
It is that ability to alter our direction and priorities that cleanses and renews us each year and sets us on the path we know we should strive for, whether or not we complete the journey.
Through prayer and reflection and the comfort of familiar liturgy, we come to see that change need not be dramatic. It can be a quiet affirmation or a nuanced shift within us that feels right. And it may help us take a fresh look at the world around us, including a political scene we've grown numb to, opening us up to an assessment of the issues and candidates that goes deeper than the political spin that confronts us daily.
Entering a new year we always feel we are encountering the unknown, and 5769 seems destined to be a pivotal year — for our country, under new leadership; for a financial climate whose excesses have given way to our deepest fears of insecurity; and for Israel, with new leadership facing daily crises and the prospect of a nuclear threat to its existence.
Who shall live and who shall die, we recite on Yom Kippur, confronting our deepest fears. But also on our minds: who shall lead and who shall stumble? Who will prosper and who will be laid low? Who shall achieve a meaningful life, and who shall drown in shallowness?
Despite its solemnity, Yom Kippur ultimately is a day of optimism, ending with the hope and prayer that we be sealed in the Book of Life, and reminding us that for all of our yearning for change, the key to authentic transformation resides within each of us.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in uplifting articles.
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Gary Rosenblatt is editor and publisher of The Jewish Week of New York, the largest Jewish newspaper in America.
© 2008, Gary Rosenblatt
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