Category Archives: Talmud

An Israeli girl found a 1,500-year-old bronze coin at the site of an ancient Jewish village near the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel on Tuesday, the Nature and Parks Authority said.

The Yitzchaki family from the West Bank settlement of Har Bracha visited the Korazim archaeological park and played a scavenger hunt game involving the unique building style of the Talmud-era village, the parks authority said.

During the game, the girl found the ancient coin on the ground. She handed it to park staff.

This is an ancient bronze coin that, according to initial estimates, dates to the Talmudic period between the 4th and fifth centuries CE, said the archaeological park manager, Dekel Segev. This was the peak period of the Jewish village in Korazim.

Segev praised the girl for immediately handing over the coin to the park authorities.

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The girl and her family showed good citizenship and handed us the coin since it is a national treasure, he said. The coin will be passed on to the Israel Antiquities Authority for further research and preservation.

A 1,500-year-old coin found at the Korazim archaeological site in northern Israel, August 10, 2021. (Dekel Segev/Israel Nature and Parks Authority)

The Korazim site, which overlooks the Sea of Galilee, includes the remains of a synagogue. It also attracts Christian pilgrims since the name of the place is mentioned in the New Testament.

Visitors to the site can tour the grounds as well as participate in archaeological activities in the ancient town, which is a popular attraction for families with young children.

The Galilees Korazim archaeological park in October 2019. (Amanda Borschel-Dan/Toi)

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Girl finds 1,500-year-old coin at Talmud-era Jewish village in northern Israel - The Times of Israel

A crumbling synagogue in a neighborhood long ago abandoned by the Jewish community just received millions of dollars from the State of California. At a time when the state faces urgent needs for affordable housing, homeless services and drought relief, you might ask: A synagogue?

On Aug. 10, the Breed Street Shul Project announced that Californias recently passed 2021 budget includes a $14.9 million allocation for the restoration of the historic Breed Street Shul in the Boyle Heights neighborhood east of downtown Los Angeles.

Supporters of the largesse say the money will pay for much more than the rehabilitation of an old shul.

The money, said Stephen Sass, president of the Breed Street Shul Project, will not only renew a culturally iconic historic building but will spur collaboration among the Jewish, Latino and other minority communities in Boyle Heights and throughout the city.

It will be a truly transformative project, he said.

At a press conference held Tuesday outside the fenced-off shul, Sass said the newly announced funds which will be allocated to the Breed Street Shul Project through a fiscal agent, as is the case with these kinds of state allocations will help turn the long-shuttered property into a multipurpose social service and cultural space, one featuring a shared workspace for nonprofit organizations; a performance and events venue; and an exhibit and gallery space focused on the shuls unique history and Boyle Heights diverse heritage.

The building has so much extraordinary potential and need of an infusion of resources, so it felt like the right time to make a push, said California State Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, who helped lead the effort to secure state funding.

Another good reason for the windfall? California has money a historic budget surplus estimated at $75.7 billion has given legislators a chance to cross some items off their wish lists.

Courtesy of the Office of Assemblymem...

From left: Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (at lectern) was one of several elected officials and community leaders at a press conference on Aug. 10 announcing a $14.9 state grant to the Breed Street Shul restoration.

The Breed Street Shul Project was one of many organizations to receive grants from the state in the 2021 budget. The state went from a massive deficit to a really big surplus due to higher than expected revenues, and were trying to bring money to the organizations that support our communities, said Gabriel, who is the chair of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus.

The Breed Street Shul, also known as Congregation Talmud Torah, was once the largest Orthodox congregation west of Chicago. Today its 18,000-square-foot Byzantine revival structure with a Jewish star above its main entrance is a remnant of a bygone time, a period from the 1920s to the 1950s when Eastern European Jewish immigrants populated the area alongside Latino, Japanese, and Black working-class neighbors.

During the post-World War II era, Los Angeles Jews began migrating west toward the Fairfax district and to the San Fernando Valley, and Boyle Heights became a largely Latino neighborhood.

In the 1980s, the Breed Street Shul fell into disrepair, a result of the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake as well as of neglectful stewardship of an Orthodox rabbi who took control of the building.

After wresting control of the building in 1999, the Breed Street Shul Project attempted for years to garner support for restoring the synagogue and transforming it into a community center for the surrounding population.

To Sass and others, Breed Street Shul is a symbol not of an ethnic enclave, but of a diverse community that serves as a model of American democracy.

Boyle Heights shows that multi-ethnic communities are the norm in the United States, George J. Snchez, author of Boyle Heights: How a Los Angeles Neighborhood Became the Future of American Democracy (UC Press, 2021). said in a public conversation with the Forward. Sometimes thats hidden from us right when its in front of us.

In 2001, the building, whose dilapidated interior is adorned with rare frescoes of the Zodiac, was named to the National Registry of Historic Landmarks.

In advocating for the funding, Gabriel, whose 45th district includes much of the west San Fernando Valley, worked with Assembly Member Miguel Santiago, whose 53rd assembly district includes parts of Boyle Heights.

The two met years ago at an interfaith Passover seder at the Breed Street Shuls Talmud Torah. Built in 1915, the structure behind the main synagogue served as the shuls original home and for several years now has accommodated community programming. The main building the Byzantine structure has required more extensive repairs and fundraising efforts.

Gabriel said the approval of the funds provided a rare opportunity for unity during divisive times.

At a time in our politics when a lot of folks want to divide us, we have to be intentional about creating places for people to come together, he said. And this is a spot that is going to serve as a bridge and a meeting place for communities to come together.

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Why California just gave the 100 year-old Breed Street Shul $15 million - Forward

As we approach the end of 5781, I find myself both hopeful and concerned about the challenges that lay ahead for We The People of the United States, for People Israel and all of us who inhabit Planet Earth. Over this past year, the plagues of covid-19, hatred and bigotry, and climate change have created a perfect storm that challenges our physical, societal, and spiritual survival. Facing these threats simultaneously has led me to re-examine the meaning of the opening verses of this weeks parsha.

You shall appoint magistrates and public officials for your tribes, in all the settlements that Adonai your God is giving to you, and they shall govern the people with due justice (mishpat tzedek). You shall not judge unfairly, you shall show no partiality, you shall not take bribes for bribes blind the eye of the discerning and upset the plea of the just. Justice, justice you shall pursue tzedek, tzedek tirdof that you may thrive and occupy the land that Adonai your God is giving you.

(Deuteronomy 16:18-20)

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As each of this month undertakes the process we call cheshbon hanefesh, the accounting of the soul, in preparation for Rosh Hashanah, there are questions we have both the right and responsibility to ask not only of ourselves but of each other.

One question which these opening words of our parsha directs me to ask this year is: How well are the new national leaders in both America and Israel living up to the challenging standards set out here in the opening verses of our parsha?

The Talmud, (Sanhedrin 32b) suggests that the repetition of the word justice, tzedek in verse 20 implies that we must be just both in making a judgment and in reaching a compromise.

Both the Biden administration and the new Israeli government led by Naftalie Bennet and Yair Lapid face the difficult challenge of pursuing justice for all the inhabitants of their respective countries while finding themselves having to work together with legislatures in which they have razor-thin support? Can they overcome both the anger and apathy in their societies, which threatens the democracies they lead, while simultaneously defending their nations against the real threats, both foreign and domestic, that both Israel and America face in this third decade of the 21st century?

I found a hopeful answer to my question in a medieval commentary on these opening verses of Shoftim by Bachya ben Asher, a Sephardic Jew. Bachya wrote that the double use of tzedek teaches us that we must pursue justice under all circumstances: Whether it leads to your benefit or to your detriment; both in the words we speak as well as in our actions, whether the matter involves another Jew or a non-Jew. Moreover, the double use of tzedek in this verse teaches us that we cannot use unjust means to secure justice.

Bachya lived in what historians today refer to as The Golden Age of Spanish Jewry. It was a community that was at peace with its Muslim and Christian co-inhabitants. It was internally self-governing and economically thriving. I hear in Bachyas commentary upon this weeks parsha critical lessons for We the Jewish People and We the People of the United States in the 21st century. Both societies face the challenge of minority populations who, while equal under the law, face societal discrimination and economic inequality. I believe that both the Biden and Bennett administrations are committed to equal justice and equal opportunity for their citizens. I pray that both governments will succeed in this goal.

A second question that I hear in these opening words of Shoftim that are amplified by Bachyas interpretation of tzedek, tzedek tirdof is that the imperative to pursue justice, justly, is applicable not only to nations and their leaders, but is directed to each of us, personally.

As we emerge from the death and devastation of the plague of covid-19, I believe that the challenge of the year ahead is whether the fault lines in trust between governed and governors can be repaired. I worry today that the ideal shared by both American and Jewish tradition that we can and we must honor free expression of opinion while distinguishing fact from fiction is under siege. Be it health issues such as the rejection of the lifesaving vaccines that protect all of us from covid-19 or environmental challenges such as climate change which has been manifest here in America this past year by record levels of rain in the American Northeast and equally devastating draught in the West, is there not a serious injustice we are actively or passively participating in when we allow our political preferences, to trump science? Is not the God to whom we will appeal for another year of life on Rosh Hashanah both the Creative Force of our Universe and The Commanding Voice from Sinai that pleads with us Love your neighbor as yourself?!

This summer we have all felt the impact of climate change as draught and oppressive heat impact the western regions of America, while lakes and rivers overflow in the northeast and condominiums crumble in South Florida. The double use of tzedek in our parsha this week reminds me that similar to Americas communal response to the pandemic of covid-19, the effects of climate change now demand that our federal state and local leaders must develop better systemic ways to deal with these medical and environmental challenges. Our national approach must continue to be based upon both justice and compassion. Reading Shoftim this week while preparing for Rosh Hashanah, which is also called Yom Harat Olam, the birthday of the world, reminds me that we must provide help to those directly affected by the impacts of climate change and to lead our fellow Americans to come to grips with the reality of climate change and the unmistakable challenge it poses to the future of this planet.

This past Monday was the first of Elul. As you and I count down the days in anticipation of a new year, I suggest that we all inscribe upon our hearts the words tzedek, tzedek tirdof. Let us not only use it as a measure by which we judge our political leaders but also take a vow that we will not be so quick to judge others, both loved ones and those with whom we disagreewe , and that we will simultaneously judge all our actions by the measuring stick of Torah. Rather than continuing to play the blame game in the year ahead, may all block out the noise of our world on these upcoming High Holy Days to hear the Divine call to change taught to us in a small but salient little book called Avot de Rabbi Natan: When a person does something wrong to you let it be little in your eyes; when you wrong another let it be great in your eyes.

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Parshat Shoftim: The pursuit of justice - The Jewish Standard

The moment Artem Dolgopyat tumbled, twisted and turned his body to the tune of an Olympic gold medal, the debate over who is or should be a Jew has roared across the Israeli landscape. The plaintive cry by Artems (admittedly) non-Jewish mother before the cameras They wont let my son marry here! has vaulted the conversion crisis into center stage of the publics consciousness. How can a genuine Israeli hero, who deeply loves our his! country, who humbly laid at our doorstep that for which we so desperately crave positive world attention not be embraced as a full-fledged Jew? Is that not the height of hypocrisy, the depths of degradation?

Artem, of course, is just one of many thousands of Russian immigrants as many as a quarter million who are not halachically Jewish, and so are unable to wed here in Israel, where marriages are conducted solely by the religious, rather than civil authorities. This crisis is not a new one (we have plenty of those, too, dont worry!); it has been percolating from the moment Israel decided to throw open its doors to Soviet Jewry in the late 1980s. This, I wholeheartedly believe, was a wise and wonderful decision, because it greatly increased our nations critical mass (hence the joke: what is Israels second-most popular language? Hebrew!) and played a major part in jump-starting our ascendant economy.

But this modern exodus to Israel was bound up in a spiritual Gordian knot of mythical proportions, prompting us to ask: How can we wave our halachic wand and turn non-Jews en masse into Jews? If there is a halachic will driven by intense public pressure can there somehow be a halachic way?

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Yet at the same time, we observe that it was not uncommon in the Biblical era for prominent Jews to marry non-Jews. King Davids third wife, the mother of Avshalom, was the daughter of the king of Geshur; Davids son Solomon had a slew of wives from various nationalities (Edom, Ammon, Egypt) who, according to Nehemiah, did not convert. Ditto Samson and Delila.

Consider, too, the famous story of Hillel, who unabashedly converted both a man who wanted to become Israels high priest because he liked the special clothing that came with the office (though, of course, a convert cannot become a kohen), as well as a fellow who wanted to be taught the entire Torah while standing on one foot. Hillel is blessed for bringing them under the wings of Gods spirit (Shabbat 31). And the very same Talmudic source with which we began this article goes on to say that we should not be overly stringent or onerous in our treatment of a potential convert.

It is true that no one approach to conversion will satisfy everyone; certainly the more extreme religious circles some of whom do not allow conversion under any circumstances will set the bar so high that only the rarest candidate will manage to vault over it. But a spirited effort to solve this dilemma has to finally be made on a large scale.

Shortly before the last election, I was privileged to sit with Naftali Bennett and discuss a few current issues with him, this one included. I told him that, sadly, Modern Orthodox Jews like ourselves may never be accepted as equals by much of the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) world. But that cant deter or dismay us; we can hold our heads up high, with pride. We have absolutely nothing to apologize for, nor are we religiously inferior in any way. Our attitude of tolerance for every Jew, our love of the State of Israel and our strong work ethic along with our excellence in Torah study and observance is one that God surely smiles upon.

And so I suggested that our now prime minister an original thinker if ever there was one gather together a cadre of bright, innovative, Zionist Orthodox rabbis who can constitute a brain trust to grapple with issues exactly like this one and come up with strategies for Jewish survival. It should be comprised of bona fide talmidei hahamim, intensely committed to the future of our state, who recognize the need for everyone in that state to feel that they are a valuable part of the nation. If we develop and propose solutions that are palatable to the majority, and are in consonance with our glorious tradition, I believe that eventually the Jewish world at least the majority of it will come around to accept them.

As of this writing, Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana is working on a new approach to facilitate conversion, and I wish him much success. It is a bold venture, but these are times that demand boldness and creativity, where the risk is commensurate with the reward. A rabbinic support group such as the one I described can provide him with a vital firewall to have his back in this all-important project. If he and we succeed, the entire Jewish people will have earned a truly gold medal.

The writer is director of the Jewish Outreach Center of Raanana; jocmtv@netvision.net.il

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Conversion controversy: Can the Jewish people win a gold medal? - The Jerusalem Post

In a time of selfies and self-esteem, humility is a forgotten virtue. The Jewish traditions emphasis on humility runs counter to our zeitgeist, which places each individual at the very center of the universe. It is challenging for us today to make sense of Maimonides suggestion that the proper way is not merely that man be humble, but that one should be of a very diminutive spirit, and their spirit extremely lowly. In some of the pre-war European Mussar Yeshivot, which were devoted to developing spiritual greatness, the students would constantly repeat aloud ich bin a gornisht, I am a nobody; this habit was meant to cultivate humility. Contrast that with social media, the very purpose of which is to declare the opposite: I am a somebody, and I am worthy of attention.

For this reason, contemporary readers are shocked by archaic descriptions of radical humility. The following passage in Maimonides Commentary to the Mishnah (Avot 4:4) is a good example of this:

I saw in a book from the books on characteristics that one of the important pious men was asked Which day is the one upon which you rejoiced more than any of your days? He said [back], The day that I was going on a boat and my place was in the lowest places of the boat among the packages of clothing, and there were traders and men of means on the boat [as well]. And I was laying in my place and one of the men of the boat got up to urinate and I was insignificant in his eyes and lowlyas I was very low in his eyesto the point that he revealed his nakedness and urinated on me. And I was astonished by the intensity of the trait of brazenness in his soul. But, as God lives, my soul was not pained by his act at all and my strength was not aroused. And I rejoiced with a great joy that I had reached the point that the disgrace of this empty person did not pain me and [that] my soul did not feel [anything] towards him.

This type of saintly behavior seems strange to contemporary readers, and raises questions about the value of humility. Is humility submitting to humiliation? How can one live a life of joy with such a lowly self-image? Furthermore, humility seems to undermine ambition. If a humble person doesnt see any value in their own abilities, they will never produce anything. Rabbeinu Bachya ibn Pakuda, the 11th-century author of the classic ethical work, Chovot Halevavot, grappled with how he could be both humble and an author.

In his introduction, he openly discusses his doubts about writing this brilliant work. He says: when I thought of proceeding to carry out my decision to write this book, I saw that a man like myself is not fit to compose a work like this. I estimated that my . knowledge was too inadequate, and my intellectual faculties too weak to grasp the topics [But] I knew that many great works were lost due to fear, and many losses were caused by concern. I remembered the saying: it is part of prudence not to be overly prudent. Therefore, I found myself obligated to force my soul to bear the task of composing this book. Bachya has to convince himself to disregard his own humility and write his book, because he recognizes that if every humble person desisted from writing, too much would be lost. Humility was always a complicated virtue; and in a time when self-worth is our primary cultural currency, humility seems like a roadblock to happiness.

Our difficulty with humility is that we imagine it to be a form of self-affliction, and perhaps even self-delusion. But humility is also quite practical, and more necessary than ever. In our Torah reading, there are several regulations regarding the King; he has to limit the amount of horses and money he has, and must keep a Torah scroll with himself at all times. These rules are instituted in order that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left (Deuteronomy 17:20).

The Ramban explains that this represents an obligation for the King, and everyone else, to be humble. And the Torah outlines why this is so important: an arrogant king will ignore the Torahs responsibilities and lose his connection with others. A humble King will be compassionate; as Maimonides puts it, he will be merciful and compassionate to the small and great and attend to their wants and welfare [and] show respect for even the lowest of the low (Laws of Kings, 2:6).

There are other benefits to humility. The Talmud asserts that humility is a prerequisite to learning, because we cannot learn if we believe we have all the answers; wisdom is found in those humble enough to learn from anyone. These rules recognize that arrogance is destructive. An arrogant king could become drunk with power, detached from his values, his people, and even common sense. A basic sense of humility is critical to the proper functioning of society.

But humility is more than a practical attitude; it is an ideology. Maimonides radical humility is meant to liberate humanity from the foolish desire for honor. Moshe Halbertal describes Maimonides view this way: The humble man, the man of lowly spirit, is one whose self-esteem does not depend on social recognition. It follows that humility is not a belief in the lowliness of ones stature; rather, it is indifference to the value of honor. This is revolutionary. For the Greco-Roman political tradition, recognition on the public stage was a central value; but for Maimonides, God stands at the center.

Maimonides radical humility is meant to liberate humanity from the foolish desire for honor.

Once a person no longer seeks the accolades of others, they will base their self-worth on whether they have served God and fulfilled their mission. As Halbertal notes, Maimonides view of humility threatens a political order built on controlling the public through honor and shame, because the humble will be far more independent than those who seek honor. This is the ideology of radical humility; to pursue ones mission without regard to stature, status or honor.

Once a person no longer seeks the accolades of others, they will base their self-worth on whether they have served God and fulfilled their mission.

The truly humble are driven not by ego, but by purpose. Indeed, they will often achieve lofty goals, but make little of it. Their attitude is that they are just doing their job.During World War II, Irena Sendlerowa, a young mother and social worker, was a member of a Polish underground movement devoted to saving Jews. With great courage and cunning, Sendlerowa used her position to smuggle 2,500 children out of the Warsaw ghetto and hide them in orphanages. After receiving a long overdue honor from the Polish government in 2007, she did not take a bow; instead, she shared her own abiding disappointment: I could have done more this regret will follow me to my death. When pressed by reporters about whether she was a hero, Sendlerowa responded: Every child saved with my help and the help of all the wonderful secret messengers, who today are no longer living, is the justification of my existence on this Earth, and not a title to glory. She was a humble hero, unworried by popular opinion or the dangers in her path.

This is the ideology of humility; it matters not what humans think of you, only what God expects of you. And if you succeed in fulfilling your mission, you may have justified your place on earth.

I just wish the justification for my existence on earth was as good as Sendlerowas.

Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz is the Senior Rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun in New York.

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Comments on: The Revolutionary Idea of Humility - Jewish Journal

The Talmud says, Truth is the seal of the Holy One, blessed be He.

Rabbi Luzzatto (1707-1746) taught Truth is one of the very foundations upon which the world stands.

A civilized, moral society is in danger when lies become normal and truth is ignored.

God reminds us to be distant from falsehood because falsehood can shake the very foundations of the world.

We have all had times where we have been less than truthful, sometimes in order to protect anothers feelings, but often when we dont want to admit we have been wrong.

We teach our children they should always tell the truth and watch as they squirm when theyve been caught in a lie.

It can be harder to admit mistakes as we get older, but it becomes even more important because our very society may depend on our honesty.

Ive been thinking a lot lately about honesty and the character it takes to hold to the truth and point out falsehoods.

When people refuse to accept the truth, but continue to spread lies, our society is indeed at risk, especially when the lies can be spread without facts and with a simple keystroke.

It takes effort to discern the truth.

It is so much easier to just accept information that fits our worldview, or when we dont want to acknowledge that our own views are mistaken.

Sadly, in todays fractured world, those who speak the truth are now enduring threats of harm or even death, making integrity and strength of character even more crucial.

It is never easy to stand against those who wish us harm for simply speaking the truth.

The Torah repeatedly teaches the importance of honesty.

Rabbi Chaim Stern points out that it is essential in a civilized society for people to be able to live with a sense of security, knowing they will be treated fairly and honestly.

Someone with character does the right thing, no matter the consequences.

Character

Throughout history we have seen countless people who stood up against a wrong though it may have cost them friends, family, their job, their political office or even their lives.

A person with integrity does what is right, not what is safe or what will keep them in power.

A desire to obtain or stay in power can make people lose all sense of right and wrong.

Abraham Lincoln said it well: Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a mans character, give him power.

Avraham ibn Hadai, a Jewish 11th Century Spanish philosopher, physician and political figure, explained how insidious lies can be, and warned people of faith and integrity to avoid them: Prefer death to a lying word, for the ripple-effect of its plunder is worse.

Adolf Hitlers ominous words sound very familiar today: If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.

Faith

All faith traditions warn us to avoid lying or bearing false witness.

The Buddhist Eightfold Path and the 10 Commandments of Judaism, Christianity and Islam all stress the importance of honesty.

The Talmud teaches that truth is the very foundation of the world, and when falsehoods are spread, we are nudging at that foundation.

The commandment against bearing false witness is clear.

One scholars elaboration of this commandment says it forbids: Speaking unjustly against our neighbor, to the prejudice of his reputation, bearing false witness against him and in any way endeavoring to raise our own reputation upon the ruin of his.

We must be sure the words we speak about others are not an attempt to stay in power or enhance our own reputation by ruining theirs.

It would be prudent to listen to the great Jewish philosopher Maimonides (1135-1204): Let the truth and right by which you are apparently the loser be preferable to you to the falsehood and wrong by which you are apparently the gainer.

Let us be sure that what we say is not just something we heard that fits with what we already believe.

We must have the courage to stand up for truth, and we cannot remain silent when hatred and deceit are accepted as the lens through which we are told we must view the world.

We must be less concerned with winners and more with who has the honesty and integrity to always speak the truth.

The foundation of the world may depend on it.

Kein yehi ratzon may it be Gods will.

Shalom.

_________

Issues of Faith is a rotating column by five religious leaders on the North Olympic Peninsula. Suzanne DeBey is a lay leader of the Port Angeles Jewish community. Her email is [emailprotected]

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ISSUES OF FAITH: Finding the courage to stand up for truth - Peninsula Daily News

Jews everywhere have long warned that the campaign to boycott, delegitimize, and ultimately destroy Israel is motivated by, and in turn feeds, hostility toward Jews. Such was the case during the most recent conflict between Israel and Hamas, which saw a 115 percent surge in antisemitic incidents, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

Those who actively oppose Israels right to exist play a clever rhetorical game to attempt to exonerate themselves from responsibility for this uptick: They point out that even Jews can be anti-Zionist, so how can opposition to Zionism be antisemitic? To equate anti-Zionism with antisemitism, they conclude, allows Zionists to unfairly shield Israel from criticism.

To be clear, Zionism is not equivalent to support for Israeli government policy. It is the movement dedicated to establishing, and now maintaining, a Jewish national homeland in the Land of Israel. Zionism flows out of Judaisms most sacred and fundamental texts, beliefs, history, and practices, and is one of the primary ways in which contemporary Jewsboth in Israel and in the Diasporaexpress their Jewishness.

Meanwhile, anti-Zionism is not merely criticism of Israeli policy. At one level, it engages in a systematic falsification of thousands of years of Jewish history and the centrality of Israel to Judaism, thus robbing Jews of their identity and heritage. At another level, it promotes what would inevitably be a violent dissolution of the State of Israel, home to more than half of the worlds Jewish population.

And what of the claim that Jews cannot be antisemitic? Proponents of this argument likely have in mind groups like Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow, two groups that are frequently tokenized to provide a Jewish veneerof respectability to anti-Israel rhetoric. Also consider New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg, who is Jewish, and whose own hostility toward Israel obfuscates the antisemitic nature of anti-Zionism. Last month she opined that attacks on Jews over Israel are a gift to the Right, demonstrating greater concern over political ground lost on the Left than with Jewish assault victims.

That these groups and individuals have a Jewish background makes their attempt to drive a wedge between Jews and Zionism all the more convincing. This smokescreen creates a false sense that Jewish opposition to Zionism cannot be antisemitic, when in fact it certainly can.

This smokescreen creates a false sense that Jewish opposition to Zionism cannot be antisemitic, when in fact it certainly can.

Viewpoints must be judged on their own merits, not on the identity of those espousing them. And according to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliances widely-adopted definition, antisemitism doesnt require a special animus or personal hostility towards Jews as Jews. Those who promote policies that endanger Jewish security or malign and delegitimize major components of Jewish identity are complicit in antisemitism, full stop.

This phenomenon of Jewish antisemitism is nothing new.

Throughout the Middle Ages, Jewish apostates spread lurid inside stories of Jewish blasphemy and perfidy against Christians, prompted anti-Jewish religious disputations such as the burning of the Talmud, and reinforced anti-Jewish claims of deicide and blood libels.

During the 19th century, Otto Weininger, an Austrian thinker of Jewish descent, wrote an antisemitic screed entitled Sex and Character that was later incorporated into Nazi propaganda and praised by Hitler.

A century later, the Jewish wing of the Soviet Communist party known as the Yevsektsiya was tasked with the destruction of traditional Jewish life, the Zionist movement, and Hebrew culture. These Jewish antisemites agitated to close down synagogues and Jewish cultural centers throughout the Soviet Union. For them, Zionism was counter-revolutionary and reactionary, harming the assimilation of Jews into the workers paradise.

Todays Jewish anti-Zionists are simply following the long tradition of Jewish antisemitism. Often from assimilated backgrounds at odds with the mainstream Jewish community, they gain in-crowd standing by reinforcing widespread anti-Jewish attitudes and repeating falsehoods such as the idea that Israel engages in apartheid, war crimes, and genocide.

The recent wave of anti-Jewish harassment and violence is the latest confirmation that the anti-Zionist movement is inextricably linked to hatred toward Jews. People of good faith must not allow themselves to be misled by those who use their Jewish identity to cover for their antisemitic ideologies.

Russell Shalev is editor-at-large of the Jaccuse Coalition for Justice and an attorney with the International Legal Forum.

Read more here:

Anti-Zionist Jews and Antisemitism - Jewish Journal

Four Orthodox Jewish school in Hackney have managed to fail a combined 29 of their last 30 Ofsted inspections.

Bnois Jerusalem Girls School, Wiznitz Cheder School, Talmud Torah Yetev Lev, and TTD Gur School are have all been rated as inadequate since at least 2014.

Each failed to meet independent school standards in monitoring inspections this year and all scored low for quality of leadership and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils.

Wiznitz Cheder was savaged for weak implementation of health and safety policies, a refusal to teach pupils about same-sex orientation, and teaching that does not help pupils to make sufficient progress in the subjects they learn.

The report added: The current school building is not maintained to a high standard.

Inspectors at Bnois Jerusalem where pupils are not allowed to discuss same-sex relationships were banned from talking to students about anything but safeguarding, behaviour and bullying.

They also discovered a refusal to mention evolution in science classes, a limited PE curriculum, and a reluctance to introduce any recognised qualifications for pupils in Year 11.

The report concluded that pupils continue to be disadvantaged by having a limited choice for further and higher education.

Kids at Talmud Torah Yetev Lev were found to have poor English skills with inspectors claiming that a narrow curriculum and weak teaching meant that pupils continued to underachieve.

And TTD Gur was slammed for poorly-run secular classes where teachers werent properly trained to teach phonics.

Inspectors added that school leaders were unable to talk about the actions taken to address the unmet standards since the previous inspection as headteacher Rabbi Israel Najman was the only person who knew what was going on and he failed to turn up to the inspection.

The coronavirus outbreak meant that the Hackney Citizen was unable to print a monthly newspaper for three months.

We're grateful that we have since been able to resume printing. This would not have been possible without the generosity of our readers, whose donations kept the paper from disappearing completely at a distressing time for residents.

A huge thank you to everyone who gave their time and money to support us through the lockdown, and to those who continue to do so as we slowly recover from the dramatic fall in advertising revenues, on top of the existing challenges threatening the future of local journalism.

A one-off donation or a regular contribution from anyone who can afford it will help our small team keep the newspaper in print and the website running in the coming months and years.

Find out how you can donate.

Thank you for your support, and stay safe.

The Hackney Citizen team

See more here:

Four Orthodox schools in Hackney fail 29 of last 30 Ofsted visits between them - Hackney Citizen

Join Maayan for Rabbanit Gilla Rosens upcoming shiur-The Daughters of Zelofchad and the Development of HalachaRegister atwww.maayan.orgto get the Zoom link.This class is free! Sponsored by the Levisohn family.

Never miss the best stories and events! Get JewishBoston This Week.

Gilla Rosen is the dean emeritaof the Yakar Center for Tradition and Creativity. She has lectured at a number of institutions, including Yakar, Nishmat, Pardes, Lindenbaum and Hebrew University. She teaches Gemara, Midrash and Tefilla and serves as a Nishmat Halachic Advisor for women. Gilla is an engaging and multidimensional teacher, best known for her outstanding ability as a Talmud teacher.

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The Daughters of Zelofchad and the Development of Halacha - jewishboston.com

By Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb

Jewish people teach Jewish values to their children, and to all who wish to be informed about their faith. If one is asked Should I or should I not? we generally respond with clear and certain advice: Yes, you should if the value is a positive one, or No, you should not when the value in question demands inaction.

Strangely, however, there is one positive value in our religion to which we are not to respond Yes, go and do it. I speak of the value of zealotry.

Zealous acts are noble acts in our tradition. This is illustrated in the story begun in the last weeks Torah portion and concluded this week in the parsha named for the zealot Pinchas (Numbers 25:10-30:1).

Pinchas confronted a Jewish prince named Zimri in an act of idolatrous promiscuity with a Midianite woman named Kozbi. He took a spear in his hand and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. For this he is commended by the Almighty Himself, who says, Pinchas was very zealous for My sake. Therefore I give unto him My covenant of peace. Because he was zealous for his G-d, and made atonement for the children of Israel.

Clearly, zealotry is a divinely approved positive value. Yet, I ask you, dear reader, suppose you had witnessed such an immoral and defiant act about to take place and would come to ask me, your rabbi, whether or not you should take up a spear and thrust it through the two sinners. Would I be permitted to encourage you to emulate Pinchas?

The Talmud, in a passage in Tractate Sanhedrin 82a, tells us that Moses himself was uncertain as to whether this act of taking human lives was permissible and Pinchas acted on his own. Indeed, the Talmud clearly states that if someone comes to inquire as to whether or not to commit such an act of extreme zealotry, he should not be instructed to do so. I, as a rabbi, would have to discourage you from taking up the spear and taking the lives of even the most blatant of sinners.

Yet, elsewhere in the Bible and in postbiblical writings, we find others besides Pinchas who performed similar acts of zealotry. One of them is the prophet Elijah whose story is read in other years in the haftarah for this weeks parsha (I Kings 18:46-19:21). Elijah, whom our sages equate with Pinchas, says of himself, I have been very zealous for the L-rd. The children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant.

Yet another famous example is the High Priest Matityahu, whom we all recall from the story of Chanukah. Of him we read, Matityahu saw a Jewish man about to offer a sacrifice on an alien altar in the presence of the entire congregation, and he was zealous, and swiftly slaughtered the manand smashed the altar to bits; thereby, he was zealous on behalf of the Torah just as Pinchas had done to Zimri. (Maccabees I: 1:45-50)

What a paradox! Three great heroes of the Jewish people, all praised highly for their zealotry. And yet, if any of us today were to inquire of a Jewish rabbi of the highest rank, or of a Jewish court, as to whether he could emulate them and zealously harm a sinner, he would not receive permission to do so.

It is apparent that such acts of zealotry are limited to those whose motives are of the purest order, and who are moved by their sincere desires to restore the glory of G-d when it is publicly profaned. Zealotry is not for every man.

This is a timely lesson. There are many Jews today who are stirred by feelings of righteous indignation to protest actions and statements that, to them, seem blasphemous, immoral, or just plain wrong. But they dare not act, and certainly not act violently, against those actions or statements. They must first be certain that their motives are as pure and authentic as were the motives of Pinchas, Elijah, and Matityahu. And none among us can be so certain of our motives!

Our times call for a different approach entirely. Today, we must conform to an almost opposite Torah valuenamely, tolerance.

That tolerance is preferable to zealotry is a lesson found in the very text which tells of Pinchas zealotry. After he commits his violent act, the Almighty concludes His statement of approval with the gift of My covenant of peace. Many of our commentaries, notably that of the Netziv, emphasize that this covenant was given to Pinchas as a kind of corrective, as a way of demonstrating that, although zealotry is sometimes warranted, the ultimate Jewish value is peace.

For individuals who are sincerely motivated to be zealous, there is a helpful perspective that encourages us to find holiness buried within heresy, and sanctity somewhere in the midst of sin. When human faults can be seen as transient aberrations which cloud so much that is good and noble, zealotry fades into the background, and kindness and compassion prevail.

This perspective is expressed eloquently in the poetic words of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, in his brief collection, Midot HaRayah. I am indebted to my good friend, Yaakov Dovid Schulman, himself an eloquent and poetic soul, for providing me with a translation of this passage:

Tolerance:

When tolerance of points of view comes from a heart that is pure and cleansed of all evil, that tolerance is not liable to chill the flame of holy feelings containing simple faithwhich is the source of all life. Instead, that tolerance broadens and magnifies the foundation of heaven-directed fervor.

Tolerance is armed with a very great faith. Ultimately, it realizes the complete impossibility of a soul being emptied of all holy life. This is because the life of the living G-d fills all life. And so, even where actions come out in a destructive fashion, where points of view collide into heresy, there still must bein the midst of the heart, in the depth of the soulthe living light of hidden holiness. And this is apparent in the good aspects that we find in many corners, even on those ravaged avenues touched by heresy and corroded by doubt.

From the midst of this great, holy knowledge and faith comes tolerance, which encircles everything with a thread of kindness.

I will assemble Jacob, all of you! (Micah 2:12)

Words to remember, especially today.

See the original post here:

When zealotry tops tolerance as Jewish value - The Jewish Star