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May 16, 2008

Rabbi Hillel Goldberg: Torah talk 'lost in translation'?

Diana West: Israel is not a freedom franchise, Mr. President

Caroline B. Glick: Understanding Hizbullah's power play

JWisdom: Real estate and real living by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

May 15, 2008

Jonathan Tobin: Finding a Reason to Do Nothing

Oline H. Cogdill: Jesse Kellerman paints art world tale in brilliant strokes in 'The Genius'

JWisdom: Blake Nordstrom Speaking! by Sara Yoheved Rigler

May 14, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Snitching to the IRS

The Kosher Gourmet by Jill Wendholt Silva: Spring greens with fennel and herbs

JWisdom: A Righteous Gentile by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

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 July 22, 2005 / 15 Tammuz, 5765

Dems definition of separation of church and state is all state and no church

By Tony Snow

Tony Snow
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Rev. Jim Wallis, editor of the left-wing magazine Sojourners, wants to help Democrats get their groove on with Christians. Michael Lerner, who edits the left-wing Jewish magazine Tikkun, hopes to do the same with Democrats and Jews. Both know their party has big problems with devoutly religious Americans, which is why they're hosting a "progressive interfaith conference" this weekend at the University of California-Berkeley.

Just one problem: Wallis, Lerner, et al., well aware of the historic tensions between church and state, have decided to resolve the problem by tossing faith overboard — as if that somehow will convert disaffected Southern Bible thumpers and disillusioned Rust Belt Catholics.

The interfaith confab begins not with a prayer, but an "opening visualization." The gathering's 24-page prospectus lists G-d but four times — three in political contexts; once in the question: "I don't believe in G-d and I don't have a spiritual practice, but I know the country needs a Spiritual Left. Can I play a useful role in the movement?"

Jesus fares even worse, appearing but once in the literature — as "the ultimate Christian progressive." During the four-day gathering, Islam gets but one seminar; Buddhism, three; and environmentalism (from a spiritual perspective), four. In other words, Gaia beats out Buddha, Jesus, Moses, Muhammad and Sri Krishna.

Meanwhile, such bedrock notions as changeless truth and humble submission before the Almighty don't arise at all. The "progressive activists" treat religion as an ascetic hobby — like bowling without the beer — and lump all beliefs together under the gooey heading, "faith communities." Forget about theology. These folks favor "spirituality." They want their politics, not their faith, to make them feel holy, and set out to compensate for the perceived inadequacy of scripture by devoting an afternoon to "theory development."

This is the kind of conference Hugh Hefner would love. The most popular topics, with at least six sessions apiece, are pacifism and sex. One discussion panel will tackle, among other questions: "How can we help religious institutions become sexually healthy? . . . How can faith communities address ALL families including GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered) families? . . . Are there forms of sexuality between consenting adults that are not acceptable from the standpoint of a progressive religious or spiritual community? Must sex, for instance, be covenantal and not merely recreational — and what exactly should be the dimensions of such a covenant?"

Attendees also will get plenty of chances to jeer at the enemy, who isn't Satan, but Jerry Falwell. One lecturer vows to show how "Christian fundamentalists" think we live in the end times, and that "this belief is a prime mover in the Bush administration approach to the Middle East and other policies." Others ridicule as warmongers and bigots those who examine the actual texts of the Bible and the U.S. Constitution.

From start to finish, "progressive" theory devours divinity. A rabbi will advocate dignitarianism and excoriate "rank-rankism." Another group wants to debate the proposition that "to institutionalize through law the goals of social change movements of the past has had a passivizing effect." And who would dare miss Carol Flinders' lecture on "Spiritual Hungers meet Feminist Thirsts and a Movement is Reborn: Feminism catches fire when it reconnects with its spiritual roots"?! Or the debate about a Social Responsibility Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

Only a ruthless and cruel comic would concoct something as hollow as this. It is as if swingers had gathered to redefine themselves as saints and reclassify their impulses not as mortal corruption, but the stuff of immortal "progressivism."

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The organizers don't believe in a G-d who is greater than they are. They figure such faith is for suckers and hicks, whom they hope to woo from the pews by means of alluring promises of life without stress, woe or college-tuition payments. The Creator (or, as they call Him, the Left G-d) plays a pivotal role by serving as the frontman for everything from government-paid sabbaticals for everybody to a "new militancy" in the labor movement.

The Lerner-Wallis brigades, evidently believing the term "Red State" refers to Leninist strongholds, want Christians, Jews and Muslims to capitulate — ignore their holy books, surrender their devotion to an almighty G-d, dispense with charities and ministries of small deeds, and join "progressive" forces obsessed with military surrender and condom distribution.

Personal responsibility? Forget about it. Sin and Salvation? You must be kidding. This is a conference for a world devoid of conscience but drenched in condescension — the kind of thing doomed to failure because its votaries will never understand that apostasy is not "progressive" and that Uncle Sam and G-d are not one and the same.

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