10/10/2011

Yom Kippur Night 5772

I am no computer geek. Brad can confirm that. My kids can definitely confirm it. My cell phone is Ruthie’s ancient one from four upgrades ago. Yet, I am inspired by the life and too-early death of Steve Jobs two days ago, at the age of 56.

In 1993 he was quoted in The Wall Street Journal:

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.”

This was during his days in the “wilderness”, after he had been turfed out of his own company, before being brought back in t...

02/08/2011

Hi all,
The fact you are reading this is proof that I survived and am functioning fairly normally. I am not sure that my normality is normal, but hey.
So the London Triathlon is an amazing event! Truly world class. I turned up at the excel centre (A place I have never been before and was taken aback by its sheer scale – it is a massive building! ) I was surprised by the fact there was loads of parking! I unloaded my bike and found my way to transition – wow its vast ! Rack upon rack of bikes and gear – I am guessing approx. 100 Racks.
I racked up and went to scope out the course I watched...

17/05/2011

A Bug’s Life
Notes prepared by Rabbi Hillel Simon, Chief Rabbinical Inspector, Kashrut Division, LBD

Checking fruit and vegetables for insects: General Guidelines

All leafy vegetables and herbs should be cleaned in the following manner:
a. The leaves or cut pieces of herbs should be soaked in mildly salted (1 tablespoon to a bowl) warm water for 3 to 5 minutes. The bowl should be either white or transparent as this is ideal for lighting the water.

b. The pieces should be swirled vigorously in the water, although care should be taken, especially in the case of lettuce, that the leave...

09/11/2010

" Israel is a rogue state".



Gabriel Latner is the Cambridge University law student who
was assigned by the Cambridge Union debating society to argue the affirmative
side of the proposition. He used the opportunity to take on others on his
side and argue in favour of Israel. His conduct earned him a lifetime
banning from the Cambridge Union (see http://www.varsity.co.uk/news/2689 for details; excuse the intemperate language quoted in the article).You might want to know that Lauren Booth was on the proposing side too - no surprise there then! Just imagine the scene most of the ...

06/09/2010

Eruv Tavshilin: What's that??

By Nachum Mohl

Eruv Tavshilin: You might scratch your head and wonder what is it. Eruv Tavshilin (eruv means a mixture or mix and tavshilin means cooked items) is a procedure that we need to do when the days of Yom Tov immediately precede the Shabbat. This year, 2010, Rosh Hashanah is on Thursday and Friday as are the first two days of Succot and the first two days of Simchat Torah/Sh'meeni Atzeret. We have no regular non holiday between Yom Tov and Shabbat on which we can prepare for the Shabbat.

Why do we have an Eruv Tavshilin?

It is forbidden to co...

20/04/2010

Dear Mr. Todd

I was very disturbed to read the adjudication (14 April) of the Advertising Standards Authority about an advert for tourism in Israel.

Under Israeli stewardship the religious shrines of Jerusalem are protected and accessible to all for the first time since the days of Jesus. By saying that photos of the Western Wall and Dome of the Rock cannot be shown in Israel tourism advertising, the ASA is therefore preventing them being shown in any tourism advertising. That cannot be to the benefit of tourists.

I understand that this ASA adjudication can be reviewed by the In...

13/04/2010

In accordance with a resolution passed by the Knesset in 1951, today (Monday 12 April) is Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day).

This past Shabbos at Kesher, we had some "Second Thoughts on Yom HaShoah", in which we discussed the background to the several alternative dates proposed for remembering the Holocaust. I also gave expression to the ambivalence toward Yom HaShoah to be found in some religious circles, and which I personally share.

One aspect of that ambivalence is cogently (and forcefully) presented in an essay (to which I referred) written by my friend Rabbi Ephraim Buchwal...

18/03/2010

As today is the 1st of the Hebrew month of Nissan, we are pleased to share with you an essay written by "founding friends" of Kesher, Michael and Daniel Cogoi, on the significance of Nissan as the first month of the year. In an email to Rabbi Simon they wrote as follows:

"We would like to dedicate this article to Yocheved and Josh since Pesach will be the first chag they will celebrate together.

If you like it you can circulate on the Kesher newsletter. It may not be the best article but its most relevant feature is that it is written by your talmidim. In that sense it may (hopefully) b...