Haveil Havalim #335 - The Gilad is Free! edition

Welcome to Haveil Havalim #335, the Gilad is Free edition!

But first, the boilerplate:
Founded by Soccer Dad, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs -- a weekly collection of Jewish and Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. It's hosted by different bloggers each week and coordinated by the formidable Jack. And as usual, I include all posts submitted, regardless of my personal opinion on their contents, and I added some from my own browsing.

First, and definitely foremost: Gilad Shalit's release
Batya presents her opinions in Not To Rain on The Shalit "Parade", comparing the deal to a flimsy succah, as well as Gilad Shalit versus Natan Sharansky and Next Time Will Be Worse.

Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver has a lot to say in The Shalit deal—disgraceful and deadly, and Cosmic-X calls it A Criminal Mistake. The Muqata shows why, with a Freed Terrorist's vow, and Yisrael Medad (who did not submit anything this week?) may have a report of the first victim of the released terrorists.

Sharon A offers a series of photographs of the Shalit tent, and related scenes, in Gilad Shalit Home.

Frume Sarah will exhale, while Esser Agaroth presents Welcome Home, Gilad Shalit!

Mrs. S. presents PM Netanyahu's speech in “And the sons will return to their border”.

Leah-Perl Shollar writes about pregnancy, the Hoshanos prayers and Gilad Shalit's time as a hostage, in "Deliver Us!"

Simply Jews offers us Understanding the Swap, and Treppenwitz offers us Perspective, while Life In Israel presents the view of Rabbi Nir ben Artzi.

As for the media, rickismom doesn't see coverage of the deal for Gilad's release in the international media, in The World Ignores; We Are “Sweet and Sour”. While Jewlicious says the New York Times gets it wrong on Israel yet again.


And who's about to forget that it's been Yom Tov for the past three-plus months weeks?
Susan Barnes talks Community and High Holidays in Were High Holy Day Services Boring? Next Year, Try This.

Want some great Succos pictures? Check out Sharon A's unique 'Occupy' demonstration in Occupied on Sukkot, and then see My Shtub's A Simple Sukkah in the Fall.

Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver presents The four kinds: Individuality, complementarity, and unity and Sukkah: Unity through transcending all divisions.

Mrs. S. suggests The latest hiddur for preserving your arba minim, while Adventures in Mama-Land takes the kids on a Chol haMoed trip.

Rivkah Lambert Adler discusses, describes and dissects her Simchat Torah in Simchat Torah Redux.

Jacob Richman presents Good News from Israel: New Video: The Jerusalem Sukkot March and Photos of Second Hakafot.


Next, here are some personal posts
Ki Yachol Nuchal offers some great photos and a chain of reminiscences in 4 years. 22 years. 1941 days.

Chaviva mourns Professor Gerald Shapiro.

The estimable Jack has musings on fatherhood and the dad blogosphere in The Media Does Not Define Me, while Crazy Jewish Convert reflects on One Year of Blogging.

Ima Bima (and David) review The Princess and the Peanut, while Elle muses on the passing of a year, and the changes it brings.


And some Israel News, beyond Gilad
Bibi has a meme! See it in The First Israeli Meme.

Joel Katz presents Religion and State in Israel - October 17, 2011 (Section 1) and Religion and State in Israel - October 17, 2011 (Section 2).

Fun Joel is starting a series with Top 10 Things to Do in Jerusalem – Part 1.


Food!
Steve Ornstein offers Israel's BIRA 2011 – Beer Festival, while Kosher Beers reviews New Belgium Belgo.

Yosef gives us a pareve dessert recipe in Chocolate Avocado Mousse with Fresh Raspberries (Dairy Free).

Okay, not really under "Food", but Modern Uberdox has an observation on the relative kashrut of Starbucks and Hulu.


And to close this issue, let's have some Judaism, please
R' Gil Student has an interesting bit of history in The Chazon Ish vs. Rav Soloveitchik.

Harry Maryles discusses Gadol criteria in A Gadol in Name Only?

Susan Barnes talks about a key mitzvah in Visiting the Sick: Lesser Standing and Greater Stature.

Esser Agaroth is none too happy in Rashi's Daughters. [For my own critique of the scholarship in the Rashi's Daughters series, click here and here.]

And in reading Baruch she'Amar closely, I realize that Life is a Verb.

And that’s it for this week; the next hosted listed is for two weeks hence, at The Velveteen Rabbi! Submit your posts here.

Haveil Havalim #317 - The Lag ba'Omer edition

Welcome to Haveil Havalim #317, the Lag ba'Omer edition!

For those who saw the original title: I changed it because I don't want to let the CEO of Canada South hijack this week's Haveil Havalim. He'll get his due with an entire section in the posts below, but that's it.

And now for the boilerplate:
Founded by Soccer Dad, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs -- a weekly collection of Jewish and Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. It's hosted by different bloggers each week and coordinated by the formidable Jack And as usual, I include all posts submitted, regardless of my personal opinion on their contents, and I added some from my own browsing.

Post of the Week
Rabbi Daniel Rapp writes movingly about a mentor in Learning from Rabbi Dr. Aaron Levine at Hirhurim.


Lag ba’Omer!
Jacob Richman offers a guide to Educational websites about Lag Ba'Omer, and Rafi has a piece on Rav Shteinman's psak on Lag ba'Omer in Meron at Life in Israel.

Is Lag ba’Omer really Saturday night-Sunday? Check out Harry’s Lag b’Omer is Saturday night. Or maybe not.

And Our Shiputzim talks about the real Iyar Challenge“.

The Obama Speech
My favorite critique is here, at Andrew Breitbart’s Big Hollywood: Gene Simmons Slams President Obama’s Israel Policy.

And perhaps the Arab world didn’t like it either, says Elder of Ziyon.

Matityahu Ben-Yosef presents Stanley Goldfoot’s Zionist Response to Obama’s Middle East Speech, and Batya presents Obama Has Taken Off the Mask

Cosmic X goes point-by-point with The Obama Plan Not Grounded in Middle East Reality, and Yip Bop adds With Friends Like These, Who Needs Friends? - News Beyond News!.

Joe-Settler puts it simply: Netanyahu Bibi-Slaps Obama, at the Muqata, while Eric looks at recent history of US-Israel relations in The Democrats and Israel.

The Personal and the Off-Beat
ProfK offers Paraprosdokians to lighten the day at Conversations in Klal.

Jack needs 50 comments at, well, This post requires 50 comments...Ready...Go...

Kindred Spirit writes personally and powerfully in Leap of Faith, and Mystery Woman details an important parenting lesson in Letting Go.

Frume Sarah talks about her mother and smoking in Ongoing, while Rickismom talks pottery and relationships in In a Split Second, and Elle waxes poetic about her impending move in sentimental me.

Kosher Beers reviews Shiner Double Wheat 102. Yum. I think?

Schvach talks aging and Bob Dylan in AARP as History.

Harry talks about an odd baby-name chosen in Israel, in Do you like Like?


Israel
Harry has an interesting retrospective on Kupat Cholim in Nostalgia Sunday – 100 Years of Healthcare.

Nakba while still on the agenda, as Ben-Yehudah offered a Nakba النكبة Day Wrap-Up! and Batya presented The Most Dangerous Ramification of Yesterday's “Nakba” Riots and Invasion. This while Cosmic X compares Nakba Day and V-E Day in The Super Nakba is Coming.

Daniela reviews Osem's Pizza Ketchup and Milka's Milkinis Chocolate.

Batya presents A Georgraphical History of Israel, This Neck of the Middle East.

A Walker in Jerusalem presents Walls and values. Maybe she could go for a long walk with Batya. Or they could just take the train, since Batya’s Getting Impatient.

Joel Katz talks religion, politics and more in Religion and State in Israel - May 16, 2011 (Section 1) and Religion and State in Israel - May 16, 2011 (Section 2).

I learned quite a bit when I asked, Who owns the Holocaust – Israel or the Diaspora?

And you’re probably not thinking about Shemitah at the moment, but the wondrous Menachem Butler offers Shemitta; (How) to observe, or not at the Michtavim blog.


Judaism
R’ Gil Student discusses justifications for dishonesty in Abortion and Deception, at Hirhurim.

Josh Waxman describes a confluence of Evangelical and Kabbalistic predictons of the end of the world, in The world ends tomorrow, the day before Lag BaOmer.

Chaviva is running an interesting survey with The Tzniut Project, and Risa offers her response at Hair we go again!.

Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver presents Learning Torah with humility, and also talks Pesach Sheni and second chances at Pesach Sheni: A second chance. For more on Pesach Sheni and Second Chances, check out Once again, with feeling! at Ki Yachol Nuchal.

I offered a suggestion for shul’s looking for help collecting a minyan, in Come to minyan, get a free batting helmet.

Susan Barnes makes a few points about labels and self-labels in Why the Current Use of the Term “Torah Jew” is a Chilul Hashem.

Josh Waxman takes on Reader Response -- Is it good to debunk Torah Codes?.

Leah-Perl Shollar inveighs on the definition of “melachah” in Lawsuit Over Jews’ Shabbos House: Work and Rest.

Finally, Chaviva is raising funds, and along with it sharing an interesting story, at Saving a Sefer Torah.

And that’s it for this week; tune in next time at Frume Sarah for Haveil Havalim #305! And in case Blog Carnival is back up and running, submit your posts here.

Haveil Havalim #304 - The Blog Carnival Went Bust edition

Welcome to Haveil Havalim #304, the Blog Carnival Went Bust edition!

Yes, that’s right; I received none of the posts submitted via Blog Carnival this week. It's true - you faithfully filled out their form, chose categories, even added thoughtful notes in the Comments box, sent your data off into cyberspace and gullibly believed their automatic confirmation email... and I received bupkis.

On the down side, that meant a lot of work for me this week. On the other hand, it means I ranged far and wide - even farther and wider than I usually go for HH - to bring you the best of this week's Jewish and Israeli blogosphere, including many writers who have never submitted posts to HH. [And to all of you who didn't submit - please don't make me go looking for you next time! When Blog Carnival works, you can submit here.]

Then, late tonight, the incredible Jack evaded Blog Carnival security and rappeled into their digital vault to send me the top-secret file of submissions, so I received those as well. As usual, I included all submissions, regardless of point-of-view, although I did exclude posts that were published prior to this past week. You know who you are.

I hope you’ll enjoy!

First, the boilerplate:
Founded by Soccer Dad, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs -- a weekly collection of Jewish and Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. It's hosted by different bloggers each week and coordinated by the formidable Jack. And this week, Jack does what Jack does best in They Paid Me $500 For This Post.


PLEASE READ THIS FIRST
Everyone Needs Therapy talks about treatment for abuse victims in Treating Bill Zeller. It won't put you in the mood for HH, but please read it anyway. And then read Bill Zeller’s last words.


EGYPT
Risa links to a Song Worth 1,000 words!, as did David Betbender here, on the dangers of Egypt’s revolution (Note: kol isha in the Youtube video), presenting an interesting counterpoint to Rachel Barenblat’s more optimistic On Egypt, protest, and liberation.

Treppenwitz notes that Tzippi Livni is optimistic, too, although her optimism is about her own opportunities. And then there's Rabbi Michael Lemming's universe.


ISRAEL
Rutimizrachi rallies support for a project to start a homeless shelter in Yerushalayim, calling for votes in the Dell Social Innovation Competition - which ends February 14th – in While all the earth's foundations shake.

Davebender remembers the explosion of Space Shuttle Columbia in Elegy For Columbia (A Meditation).

Ben-Yehudah asks some hard-but-necessary questions about Jewish/Israeli partnerships with evangelicals in Mt. Carmel Blaze Breaks Firewall Between Faiths, while Rickismom highlights the need for building more partnerships for Jews with other Jews in “Y” and the Wedding / “They Won’t Lynch You….”.

Rutimizrachi calls attention to the difficult state of a Bedouin who is protesting on behalf of Gilad Shalit in A breath of hope in a sea of anxiety.

Jameel salutes Lt. Aliza Landes, part of the IDF’s New Media unit. And speaking of new media and Israel, Seraphic Secret calls our attention to Iranium, The Movie.

Cosmic-X has the latest letters in the campaign to free Jonathan Pollard, here and here.

Matityahu Ben-Yosef lectures on the true meaning of Zionism in Taking back Zionism?

Ben-Yehudah writes about the government’s investigation of Rabbi Dov Lior in The State Continues Its Battle Against The Torah. For some serious scholarly material related to the topic, see Menachem Butler’s outstanding Robert Eisen, The Peace and Violence of Judaism, and Rabbis Aharon Shmuel Tameres, Shlomo Goren, and Shaul Yisraeli.

Ever hear of Marrickville? Me neither - but Snoopy the Goon did... and perhaps those kind Marrickvillians (Marrickvilloons? Marrickvillains?) should see this post at Or Am I? to find out about more things they should be boycotting.

Yisrael Medad appeared on Russian RT Television's CrossTalk, wrote on Schoenberg's Jabotinsky music, and was certain you wouldn't see tzitzit on a player at the Super Bowl. [Guess he didn't see this ubiquitously plugged video, huh?]

Joel Katz presents Religion and State in Israel - February 7, 2011 (Section 1) and Religion and State in Israel - February 7, 2011 (Section 2).

Nothing new here, but worth reading Wake Up Hollywood: Sitcoms Won’t End Jihad. (I especially enjoyed the first comment.)

As always, Harry keeps us posted on the lighter side of Israeli society, this time with Jesse James meets the Hebrew Anvil, Israeli Anti-Chef Super Bowl meal [which may address Benji Lovitt's question about a certain Israeli company's Super Bowl party] and Stay-home Israeli dads…

…and while we’re on the lighter side, David Betbender covers the purported UFO sighting over Har haBayit.

Finally, Jacob Richman offers views of New Israeli Educational Stamps.


RANDOM
Who better to offer Random Thoughts? JackB takes on the bullies and their parents in When Mean Girls Grow Up.

I’m not weighing in on the Is Starbucks Kosher question – but Arbitribe does, and with some great cartoons. Maybe she should illustrate FrumSatire's Getting Stoned at a Bar Mitzvah next.

Frume Sarah has an interview with the author of Hush, silver-prize winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award.

Have an idea for a shidduch for a woman from Baltimore? Great – Do it by Purim, and you’ll gain $2500 for your efforts! For more, see Shades of Grey’s post here.

Frum Female offers thoughts on the Chinese Rosh HaShanah Parade in New York, and I found Chana’s brief Policemen, Priests and Psych Wards worth mulling.

This is truly remarkable: Mississippi Fred MacDowell offers the story of the 18th century Swedish Graanboom family – who moved to Amsterdam to convert to Judaism.

Modern Uberdox reflects on life, Judaism and being alone on an airplane in Reflections of a chassunah.

Does living at home mean you’re immature, and does living independently mean you have evolved into an adult? Bad for Shidduchim isn’t so sure.

I’m pretty sure I didn’t get what was going on in this post at A Blob of Something Different, but I liked it anyway, so here it is.


JUDAISM
I totally missed the first-ever Jewish Identity Day; glad I read about it at Thinking Jew Girl.

This isn’t a blog post, but take a look at the New York Times on the annual SOY Seforim Sale at Yeshiva University. And if it really needs a blog post in order to count, then see Tzvee’s sardonic take here.

Hirhurim hosts the thoughts of a giant talmid chacham, Rabbi Michael Broyde, on Brain Death and Organ Donation.

Are rabbis too strict about birth control and abortion? A Mother in Israel wants to know.

Kochava compares conversion and falling in love, at Crazy Jewish Convert, and Elle describes her own current state in Honesty, at On Becoming Devoted.

Susan Barnes answers the Judaism-related questions that bring people to her blog, at Your Questions Answered.

Hey, Susan, Chavi wants answers to some questions, too. (By the way, Chavi: Both are addressed in Shulchan Aruch, believe it or not…)

And speaking of rabbis, Parshablog looks at the alleged prediction by the Lubavitcher Rebbe z”l that Gulf War I would end on Purim. (Yes, I know not everyone agrees with the “z”l” I included – witness those cited in this post at An Aspiring Mekubal!)

On the Torah side of things, Parshablog asks, "How does Rav Yosef translate tachash?"

I had some thoughts on things that synagogues should be noticing, in Lesson from the Super Bowl: Hidden Yardage. Orthonomics, in the meantime, has some thoughts about a new way to teach which, perhaps, the Jewish community should be noticing.

Life in Israel offers an interesting discussion on having female teachers for male students here, and Harry Maryles adds his own thoughts here.

ProfK asks why some people believe life was better for Jews in der heim.

A Chabad House in Florida goes bankrupt, and Wolfish Musings offers commentary on the Chabad business model.

The incomparable Menachem Butler offers scholarship tied to the yahrtzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu (observed last week and next month), at his Michtavim blog. I posted my own thoughts on the yahrtzeit, too.

Israel News presents What is "Jewish" in the Diaspora?

Thinking about prayer? Allison Josephs emphasizes the communicative elements of prayer in I Just Called to Say I Love You: Why Orthodox Jews Pray Every Day, while Ben Slobodkin offers A Tallit Poem by Yehuda Amichai.

And Daniel ben Shmuel weighs in against segulot in The Amuqah Idolatry.


FOOD
Our Shiputzim hosts the Kosher Cooking Carnival for Adar!

Yosefa Huber offers a remarkable post, Sending Food, on the ins-and-outs of Chesed Meals

Daniela debuts on HH with reviews of Osem's Flat Salt Pretzel and Ben & Jerry's Cubby Hubby Ice Cream…

… and pretzels must be in the air this week, as Home Shuling presents some tasty-looking Pretzel Challah...

...And what are pretzels without beer? My brother reviews Blue Moon Spring Blonde Wheat Ale at the Kosher Beers blog. [Yes, that was January, but I love the name of that beer.]

But if it’s healthy food you seek, you might try Yosefa Huber’s Bulgur Bulgur Pilaf: The Instant Whole Grain instead. Or Mrs. S's advice on Eight Easy Steps for eating a Pomelo.


FOR KIDS (Jay3fer, you get your wish…)
I'm not sure there is a "good" way to introduce children to the Shoah; see Midianite Manna's note on the topic here.

Jay3fer offers a Free Printable Foldable Shabbat Micro-Book (with folding tutorial), Jewish Homeschooling Blog Carnival #5 and a Parshah Overview for kids for Parshat Tetzaveh [part of an on-going series].

And Jacob Richman adds more than 1000 questions to his free, online Bible Quiz – which is really for adults, too!

BATYA’S BLOGS
And in what may be my favorite part of doing HH, the prolific Batya presents
Over $100,000 to Defend a Pro-Arab Jew?

and

And Who Really Is That Jordanian King Abdullah? And Whose Land is This?

and

Romantic? Hah!

and

Ehud Barak vs The IDF

and

Outgoing COS Gabi Ashkenazi at Tel Shiloh

and

Does Mubarak want to die in the saddle?

And that’s it for this week; tune in next time at To Kiss a Mezuzah for Haveil Havalim #305! And in case Blog Carnival is back up and running, submit your posts here.

Haveil Havalim #291 - The Tribute to Stephen Harper Edition

It’s hard for me to believe this is my sixth Haveil Havalim, but here it is! The Stephen Harper Tribute Edition, Haveil Havalim #291.

First, the boilerplate:
Founded by Soccer Dad, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs -- a weekly collection of Jewish and Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. It's hosted by different bloggers each week and coordinated by the formidable Jack.

Now: Why is this a tribute to Stephen Harper? And who is Stephen Harper, anyway?

Stephen Harper is the prime minister of Canada. I don’t blame you for asking, though; when I moved to Canada I barely knew this country had a prime minister at all, and I couldn’t have told you his name for all the loonies in the world. But there it is – Stephen Harper is the head of Canada’s Conservative Party, and he runs the government, and here’s why I am paying tribute to him:

Stephen Harper defends Israel, on November 8:


In a country with a large and vocal anti-Israel lobby, Harper has nothing to gain from this stance. And as he said in the speech above, he has the bruises to show for his history of support of Israel in the UN; as Israel Matzav wrote last month, Canada lost its shot at a UN Security Council seat because of its support for Israel. So I salute this man for his courage.

I’m glad to note that Harper’s speech did not go unnoticed in the Jblogosphere; here are a few of those who blogged it:
Ruti Mizrachi
We are for Israel
Jewish Internet Defense Force
Israel Matzav
The Jerusalem Connection Report

Thank you, Prime Minister Harper!

And now, on to the week’s posts:

Israel
Three years into aliyah, rutimizrachi presents Three-Year Mizrachi Report.

I think Protektzia may have been the first Israeli word I ever learned; if it wasn’t, it should have been. Mrs. S. presents Protektzia at its very best .

Some don’t need Protektzia, just the encouragement not to back down. See A Living Nadneyda’s post, Don’t worry, the blogosphere is behind you.

Wow – Israel’s post office launches a tax for package recipients! New heights/lows in chutzpah there. Check out Stop mailing us stuff before January, at the Muqata.

This was a fascinating read: Cosmic X presents The Awesome Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu Interview - in English!.

For a bit of Israeli fashion, Harry presents A Green Fashion Event Green Inspired by the Sea of Galilee.

Cats in Jerusalem? Really?! (Heh.) Harry presents Mewling visitors.

I stopped reading Debka years ago; they remind me of the Jewish Press of my youth, the headlines of which declared imminent war with Syria every week, non-stop, for a decade or so. SnoopyTheGoon presents Oy vey, Debka... and a missile fired from an American warship.

Oy. SnoopyTheGoon presents The village of Ghajar: torn apart by politics and apathy.

Yisrael Medad has photos from his diplomatic meeting in A Bit of Diplomacy.

Cosmic X presents Mazal Tov! Margalit Har-Shefi Engaged.

Joel Katz presents links to many articles in Religion and State in Israel - November 8, 2010 (Section 1) and Religion and State in Israel - November 8, 2010 (Section 2).


Travel
Maya talks about her first post-aliyah trip to the US in On going home again....

Jameel does India and airline food (a bad mix, apparently) in Rant of the Day. I think he should invest in chocolate bars. Lots of them.

How about a little bit of Europe? Ilana-Davita presents 10 Things I Love About Antwerp.

Going somewhere by sea? Life in Israel answers one of your biggest questions: Does a yacht need a mezuzah?

This one includes a piece about non-travel: Marilyn Stowe talks about Israeli leaders who cannot visit the UK in Faith, the law and freedom of speech.

Risa travelled to Tel Shilo, and she writes about it in Protection on the ground and in our hearts.

Running a marathon doesn’t really count as travel, but I liked this category for my brother’s Of Marathons, Missions and Meanings.

And one of my favorite bloggers, the inestimable Jack, returned from a road trip in The Road Warrior Returns.


Off-beat
Nils J. Sandback offers Piano Humour: A Victor Borge Tribute.

Yisrael Medad presents I Can Finally Fit Pamela Anderson Into My Blog. I'm happy for you, Yisrael.


Food!
Risa presents KCC #60 Kislev Cooking Carnival.

Chavi talks about how she is dealing with a challenge in the conversion process in What to Do When You're Craving Treif.

Ilana-Davita talked about Belgium above; well, my brother reviewed a beer called New Belgium Skinny Dip at his Kosher Beers blog. Apparently it’s lime-flavored; I wonder who came up with that idea…?

I am an olive-lover, so I appreciated Harry’s Foto Friday – Olives take center stage.

Got Elk? Take a look at Tzvee’s post, Is Elk Meat Kosher? to find out where you can get it.


Judaism
I loved this idea: The 5-Second Rule, at Modern Uberdox.

Beit din requirements are front-and-center in Converts & Fear: Is a Beit Din on Halachic Thin Ice?.

Susan Barnes talks about her first taharah at She is Pure. I love the nail polish remover line.

To shake or not to shake? Cosmic X presents The Old "Shaking Hands With a Woman" Controversy.

Judaism ought to be flexible for Uncle Hymie’s sake, don’tcha think? Frume Sarah presents The Inconvenient Truth. Been there, done that (although not with a bris, that I can recall)…

Hebrew lessons here: Jacob Richman presents Uploaded New Learn Hebrew Video - Handheld Items.


The Jewish Community
ProfK has a plan for re-structuring tzedakah organizations at One solution to the tzedakah problem.

Want to know about Jewish Homeschooling? Jennifer in MamaLand presents Jewish Homeschooling Blog Carnival #2: Kislev 1, 5771.

I posted a piece on the most senior members of minyanim around the world: 139.

A Mother in Israel has a long-running series on Marriage in Israel today; her latest installment is Fearful Parents Promoting Young Marriage.


Chanukah
Jacob Richman offers Chanukah Educational Resources and 175 Chanukah Videos.

phyllis anticipates Chanukah’s light in winter’s darkness, at Rosh Chodesh Kislev.


Personal
Rabbi Yitzchak Schwartz, a friend and colleague, passed away this week; Yisrael posts about it here.

sheva offers pictures and gratitude to HaShem in Birthdays and little miracles.

Galit Breen (Minnesota Mamaleh) also has pictures, along with a contest, in Minnesota Mamaleh: Family Pictures.

Denise L. Eger sends a message of hope in Here is my It Gets Better video.


Ummm…
Rabbi Michael Lemming presents Reflections On T'shuvah and True, I Am Religious, But.....


Batya
Batya presents New Blood in Moetzet YESHA (Council)?.

Batya presents "Hear, Hear" for Hair-Covering.

Batya presents Nu, For This I Made Aliyah.

Batya presents Celebrating Rosh Chodesh Kislev at Tel Shiloh.

Batya presents Women's Hair Covering, Lots to Say.

Batya presents Tzachi Hanegbi, What Happened?.

Batya presents Reminds Me of My Youth.

Batya presents Beautiful Music for A Package From Home.

And that concludes this week’s edition of Haveil Havalim. I hope that you enjoy reading these posts as much as I did!

Next week will be hosted by To Kiss a Mezuzah. You may do so by using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Haveil Havalim #274 - The Experimental Edition

Welcome to Haveil Havalim #274 - the Experimental Edition!

First, the boilerplate:
Founded by Soccer Dad, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs -- a weekly collection of Jewish and Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. It's hosted by different bloggers each week and coordinated by the formidable Jack.

So what's the Experiment?

Usually, we divide up Haveil Havalim categories based on the subjects of the posts – Israel, Personal, Torah, Humor, and so on. This time around, though, I thought I might do it a bit differently; I tried to categorize posts based on the way the blogger’s voice came across to me.

We have close to 70 links here, about two-thirds of which came by submission; this edition took considerable work, so I hope I haven't botched it completely with my experiment.

And on that upbeat note: Onward!

Comedians
Benji Lovitt offers the experiences of an American in Israel watching a European game in Show Saturday Night and More World Cup.

Jack offers Don’t Mess with the Uni-Blogger. He may not have intended it as comedy, but I’m laughing…

And A Time of the Signs found a great bargain on chicken tights for only 100 shekel!


Teachers
Joshua Waxman walks us through a fascinating interplay of apparently conflicting midrashim in Was Pinchas descended from Yisro or Yosef?

Therapydoc counsels with great insight on fitting in with a demanding set of in-laws.

What should be in a yeshiva curriculum? Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver presents the views of a Lubavitcher Rebbe in Vital skills and knowledge for Yeshivah students.

Financial Advice for Newlyweds is available from the expert at Orthonomics.

Homeshuling talks about the value of engaging children through involvement in key Jewish celebrations in Experiential Jewish Education. With cake.

Rabbi Yehoishophot Oliver discusses the greatness of the Alter Rebbe's mother.

Conversations in Klal presents thoughts on the use of social labels in looking at the Klal.

The Curious Jew offers material from Rav Yaakov Weinberg on the Rambam’s Eighth Principle of Faith.


Linkers
Leora offers a beautiful edition of JPIX Spring 2010!

Jacob Richman offers resources related to the Three Weeks with Online Educational Resources about the 3 weeks and Tisha B'Av.

R’ Gil Student links to an essay on the position of Rav Soloveichik regarding Women Rabbis.

Jack gives us a link to Elena Kagan’s answer to the question of where she was on December 25th.

Joel Katz offers a potpourri of Israel- and Judaism-related news articles.

Life in Israel notes the restoration of Lebanon’s only synagogue.


Chefs and Foodies
My brother rates Coors Light in his weekly Kosher Beer review. I’m pretty sure it was a thumbs-down, although he worded it pretty gently.

Jameel advertises a waffle breakthrough at Will the Muqata ever be the same?

Mirjam Weiss offers a shoo-in candidate for the Kosher Cooking Carnival, with lifelong friendships and good food in Lambs to the Daughter, and then she follows up with Shmaltz ? The Sequel.

alto artist presents 928. Chocolate on her momentous childhood discovery that food allergies can change, and contrasts this with the theoretical immutability of religious conviction.

Harry talks Israeli fashion, and food, in Marzipan Hats.


Observers
Jack offers us Reality, and I can only smile and think, “Been there, done that….”

Hadassah discusses the demands she makes of her children when they are Dressing for shul [bringing to mind my own Synagogue Dress Codes post from two summers back].

Mrs. S. describes the remarkable success of R’ Moshe Abu Aziz in A hero of Biblical proportions, and rutimizrachi offers a video of a young Israeli singer in "Only Israel" [note: kol isha], while Jameel presents the first religious female Israeli Air Force cadet.

Yoav B offers a soldier’s view of IDF-related film in Recommended IDF films from all times.

Minnesota Mamaleh celebrates her eighth anniversary with Eight Going on Nine.

I could have just as easily put this one in Teachers: Israeli Soldier’s Mother talks about Gilad Shalit and her reaction to her son’s army experiences, in Do you know how close I was to Lebanon?.

Frume Sarah talks about not making Newsweek’s Top 50 Influential Rabbis in America list. Neither did I – but then, I’m in Canada.

Elianah-Sharon presents a tear-jerker of a memorial post with Today I wore pink.

With a light-hearted post, Rickismom presents The Drink.

Ilana-Davita offers a thought-provoking Weekly Interview: William Kolbrener.

Harry talks about a new Israeli law prohibiting use of underweight models in Israeli models can pack it on.


Editorialists
Harry leads us off with the Free Gilad march, in Four years in a Hamas jail.

And on to Emmanuel, where Ben-Yehudah presents cogent thoughts in his Response To Stern's Arabs YES! Zionists NO!, and My Obiter Dicta sees blame all around in Emanuel Redux.

Jewlicious, unlike Professor Sagi, is glad to see the Education Ministry mandate knowledge of Judaism in the national curriculum, in Fear Not: The Torah Won’t Kill You Unless Someone Beats You With It.

Mother in Israel goes to town on a new study linking breastfeeding and dairy allergies.

Yisrael Medad notes the subtle and un-subtle tricks of anti-Israel journalism in UK Telegraph Tries its Hand At Anti-Israel Fauxtography.

Susan Barnes asks why Jews do not travel the newly excavated tunnels running north from the Western Wall, in Mah Zeh Achim?

Daniel Ben-Shmuel presents The Mixed Multitude Strikes Again!.

Independent Patriot presents Social Justice, Autism, Society and Acceptance: With a Little Politics Thrown In- OK Alot of Politics.


Creative Writing
Rachel Barenblat offers a beautiful and thought-provoking poem on motherhood, Creation and much more in Another mother psalm: song for the sixth day.

Jack offers up This Time, an installment in his Fragments of Fiction series.

I saw a woman on the roof of a parking garage, and was moved to wonder what was behind the scene.


Proliferants
Batya - Another: G-d's In Charge, Siyata d'Shamya, Story, Bad Definition and Translation Fouls Things Up, Does It Pay (Or Is It Safe) To Help Israel?, "Paying The Price", Life Isn't Fair, and There Are Things That Can't Be Equally Divided.

Lady-Light presents Nablopomo for July: Somebody SAVE Me... , I'm a Savta! (Again!), A Beautiful Name for a Beautiful Soul and The Emperor Has No Clothes: Hareidim Exposed.


The Orthoprax Rabbi
And one more category, for those who made it to the end: This past week, The Orthoprax Rabbi burst on the scene, partly boasting about leading an Orthodox synagogue without practicing Judaism and partly pleading for people’s sympathy. Response came quickly from various blogosphere voices, including:
Kvetching Editor,
Emes ve’Emunah,
AddeRabbi,
Daniel Saunders,
Fink or Swim,
and, of course, Yours Truly.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Haveil Havalim using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on the
blog carnival index page.

Haveil Havalim 268 - The Victoria Day Edition!

Welcome to the Victoria Day 268th edition of Haveil Havalim!

First, the boilerplate:
Founded by Soccer Dad, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs -- a weekly collection of Jewish & Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. It's hosted by different bloggers each week and coordinated by the formidable Jack.

The term “Haveil Havalim,” which means "Vanity of Vanities," is from Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), and is another way to say, “Don’t get bogged down in meaningless things…”

And now on to Victoria Day:

As a new oleh to Canada [not unlike Bibi Netanyahu], I feel obligated to name this issue of HH in honor of Queen Victoria, the first sovereign of Confederated Canada, whose birthday is celebrated this weekend with a statutory holiday.

Of course, some Canadians also call this weekend May Two-Four, both for the actual May 24 birthday and for the number of cans of beer in a case… and Quebecois call it National Patriots Day because they are anything but national patriots... but I digress.

Why would a Jew, even one who lives in Canada, be interested in Queen Victoria? Read on!

Judaism
Queen Victoria and the Jews? You bet. Victorian England weighed in on behalf of Jews during the 1840 Damascus Blood Libel and Rhodes Blood Libel, and the Catholic Church’s 1858 kidnapping of Edgardo Levi, and Queen V also granted knighthoods and titles to several of our kinsmen. [For more on the status of Jews in England in Victorian times, see Richard L. Stein's review of Constructions of "the Jew" in English Literature and Society: Racial Representations, 1875-1945.

Most interesting to me, though, is the report that Victoria insisted on circumcision by a mohel for her male descendants. Why? According to this site, it’s because she believed her family was descended from King David. Go figure.

Despite the paucity of submissions during this Shavuos-truncated week, I was able to find a good many Judaism-related posts to include:

Leah presents a reflective piece on matters both between human and Gd and between human and human with What Your Car Can Teach You (With Some Help from Up There) at Ingathered, while To Kiss a Mezuzah learns about that major nexus of human/Gd and human/human, the issue of Lashon HaRa (harmful speech), here. And for a fascinating insight on the human/Gd relationship and how it connects to the Torah’s prohibitions against idolatry, check out Or Am I?.

For an interesting take on the lessons one can learn from a yeshiva student, see Love of Torah--in honor of Shavuos, posted at A Chassidishe farbrengen. And while we’re on chassidim, check out Harry Maryles on the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s “missing years” here.

Trilby is sometimes credit with coining "How odd / of Gd / to choose / the Jews," to which the classic rejoinder is, "Not / so odd / the Jews / chose Gd." Along the same lines, Allison Josephs presents The Chosen (Last) People at Jew in the City. If you're into the topic, you might also want to check out one of my favorite humor pieces ever, Gd Names Next Chosen People.

Dealing with issues of Christian and Jewish evangelism, Minnesota Mamaleh presents Religion is Coming Home at TC Jewfolk.

Ben-Yehudah highlights the importance of Har haBayit in The Custom of Going to the Kotel on Shavu'oth at Esser Agaroth.

R’ Gil Student looks at the second day of Shavuos and its status in an attempt to save a woman from agunah status, here. I wasn’t familiar with that teshuvah of the Chatam Sofer, but I am glad to say ברוך שכוונתי regarding his logic.

Israel
Was Queen Victoria a Zionist? Under her patronage, the Palestine Exploration Fund was chartered. As they state on their website, “The PEF was founded in 1865 and is the oldest organization in the world created specifically for the study of the Levant, the southern portion of which was conventionally known as ‘Palestine’.” Their website includes a work called Jerusalem in Original Photographs: 1850-1920, which sounds interesting.

Were the Byzantines Zionist? I hope not, since that would horrify the anti-Zionists rioting on behalf of their bones, as reported by Jameel as well as Rafi G. Pagan we can deal with, but Zionist...?

Comedy Central? Definitely not Zionist, as Rafi G notes here and Seraphic Secret blogs here.

Now, is Elvis Costello a Zionist? Not so much, but read Contemplating Costello’s cancellation at Israelity.

Double Tapper has a look at potential war scenarios for Israel 2010 here. Will it help that the economy is strong and resilient, per a study reported at Israel Matzav? Here’s hoping...

An important read for American advocates for Israel: David Bedein presents Israel Resource Review - How to Communicate Concern Over US Middle East Policy to Members of the US Congress who oversee US State Dep't Middle East Policies. For Israeli advocates, Batya offers her own approach with Aim Carefully--Here's The Protest Letter at Shiloh Musings.

Batya also presents Dangerous Roads, on Arab drivers, at Shiloh Musings.

Jew vs. Jew hatred is front and center in The Latest Hate Rally, posted at Esser Agaroth, and it’s the source of strife in one of Jameel’s early adventures, as described here.

And for another side of Jew vs. Jew, Rahel presents Bully at the Bus Station at Elms in the Yard. I would write off Noa Raz’s account as an inflation of reality based on her history with haredim – after all, this is an uncorroborated account of an event that purportedly occured in a public place – but we’ve seen what the zealous are capable of…

On a lighter note: Mrs. S. presents Summer Plans 1.0.

Personal
Look here for some interesting information on Queen Victoria’s personal life… or just check out these posts to find out what’s happening in the lives of your favorite Jewish bloggers:

We lead off with a moment of great – and well-deserved – maternal pride from A Soldier’s Mother here. And may Aliyah by Accident merit such pride for the son whose birth was announced here this week.

Jack wants to protect his kids and wants them to know that, but doesn’t want them to know that they need protection. Hmmm....

Batya presents a vignette of bashert in It Could Be Written As A Great Short Story, and her thoughts on explaining Shavuot to her father with Shavuot, Cheesecake and Blintze Holiday as well.

Heshy Fried breaks from satire (I think) to offer economic advice with Frum man contemplates suicide over finances at Frum Satire. He might also take a look at Orthonomics’ take on the Areivim plan. And for a trifecta of challenging economics, see Lost in Kollel.

Musings of a Maidel talks about dating pressure here, while Sarah muses on answering tough personal questions on a first date here.

Ari is annoyed with the growth of Big Government in America; he should try Canada...

Tzipporah is still digging...

Harry presents Divorce and death on Facebook, reflecting on personal status updates, at Israelity. And on a lighter note, Harry presents Whale hears of tax breaks, returns to Israel.

And last, but not least – what would the week after Shavuos be without a cheesecake recipe? Thanks, Mom in Israel! Although, Israeli Mom doesn’t want you to have cheesecake on Shavuos. And Chaviva highlights the non-dairy aspects of the Yom Tov as well. Maybe they’ll go for chocolate crunch bars, courtesy of Ima on (and off) the Bima?


That concludes this edition! Submit your blog article to the next edition of Haveil Havalim using the carnival submission form.