I'm moving...
head on over to jepaikin.wordpress.com
It's much better. Quite nice, roomy, nice view of the ocean.
You should check it out.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
Overheard in New York...
Black Bible-thumper: Jesus will save you! Have you been saved? Praise Jesus!
Passerby: Praise Allah!
Black Bible-thumper: Fuck you, motherfucker! Jesus will kick your ass!
--42nd & 8th
Overheard by: The Jewish Asian
Passerby: Praise Allah!
Black Bible-thumper: Fuck you, motherfucker! Jesus will kick your ass!
--42nd & 8th
Overheard by: The Jewish Asian
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Religious Balance in the State of Israel
This is a part of an ongoing discussion that the ARZA-KESHER Fellows have been having. Heavy stuff! I'm so glad to have dumped it out of my head and onto "paper." I've been mulling over it for quite a while... and I still am...
****************************************
Before you even attempt to discuss what role religion has in the State of Israel, I belive that you have to recognize that the entire discussion depends on how you define Judaism / Jews / Jewish / the Jewish people...
Avram Infeld if famous for his passionate statement "Judaism is NOT a religion. It is a PEOPLE WITH a RELIGION." I think this is a good starting point. But we need to go one step further. I believe strongly that the most basic definition we can arrive at is that there is this identifiable group of people (Jews) that in addition to the cultures and customs of its peoplehood, happens to have a religion (Judaism) that was instrumental in solidifying its peoplehood-ness {is that a word?!}. It's this instrumentality that must be recognized and is vital to this dicussion.
Yes, we were a nation before we had a religion injected into our people... but it was that religion which solidified our peoplehood-ness and has allowed us to remain intact for so many millenia. To remove the religion from the people would be a disaster. In short... You can take the people out of the religion, but you can't take the religion out of the people. (This is a topic for another discussion... not enough room here to delve into it)
With this in mind, I believe that Israel, as a Jewish state, MUST have a certain aspect of religiosity in it. Yes, Israel should be able to rule on who is considered a Jew... but they must do it CAREFULLY. I know this is a somewhat contentious statement. First, let me say what I believe would happen if Israel didn't have a say in this matter.
If Israel promulagetd a cultural notion of Judaism, it would be very easy for anyone to claim "Hey! My version of Judaism is equally legit" Even in the Reform movment, we strongly denounce Messianic Judaism, Jews for Jesus, and Secular Humanism. I believe that these expressions of Judaism are misguided and do not have a place in Israel. I know that this is similar to the argument that the ultra-orthodox use against the Reform Movement, however I believe that there's a big difference between the two. Even the Reform Movement draws lines somwwhere... a cultural notion of Judaism in Israel would blur or alltogether erase these lines.
Secondly... If Israel were to espouse a cultural notion of Judaism, it would make it very easy for anti-Zionists and those with anti-Israel sentiments to argue against the legitimacy of a Jewish state. Without the biblical claim to Eretz Yisrael, it becomes very easy to say "Ok, the Jews are a people... but why do they have to have the land of Israel?" or "You know what, without a religion... the Jews really aren't a people." Reform Zionism, as a form of religious Zionism, is grounded in some understanding that theology has an influence on our Zionism. (What exactly that theology is... man, I have had some serious debates on that. I think that's another topic for discussion)
So how does the State maintain some aspect of religiosity, without being discriminatory? It's a very delicate balance. To be truly democratic, Israel must recognize the three (four?) major movements in modern Jewry and invite them to the table in determining what the religious policy of the State should be. NOW... I'm not naive. I know that the reality of such a discussion taking place is slim to none - thanks in great part to the fracturing divisiveness of the ultra-orthodox. But I do believe that if Israel is to remain democratic, while acknowledging the necessity of some dose of religion, such a discussion is painfully necessary.
Perhaps there should be both a political knesset and a religious knesset. A religious knesset wouldn't have unwavering powers, but it would at least provide a forum for discussion and a system of checks and balances in religious matters.
Furthermore... if a Jew in Israel chooses to be secular... so be it. As long as they're not espousing beliefs antithetical to Judaism (i.e. messianic Judaism, Jews for Jesus, etc.) that decision is theirs to make. I may not disagree with the choice, but it's not my choice to make. If the state should recognize the major worldwide Jewish movements (which it must), then it also needs to recognize that the vast majority of its Jewish constituents are secular. It needs to stop disenfranchizing these Jews and find a way for them to feel comfortably Jewish within the Jewish state. Non-religious Jewish weddings must therefore be permitted (as long as it's two Jews getting married... if it isn't, then it should be a secular wedding).
Should "chiloni" be considered a legitimate movement in Israel? That's a tough question. Should "apathetic" be considered a legitimate political party in Canada or the U.S.? I know it's an option on facebook, but... No, I don't think being secular should be considered a legitimate movement. By that, I mean that while those who choose to be secular shouldn't be disenfranchised of rights, it doesn't necessarily mean that they automatically get official recognition as a religious movement. I think it's similiar to trying to create a non-political political party. It's anachronistic. Yes, the chiloni are an identifiable group of people within Judaism, but are they a religious group of people? Choosing to be secular is a religious choice, but does making that choice automatically entitle you to the status of a religious movement. My inclination is to say no, but I'm not entierely sure yet.
Wow. I know that was a lot. And I know that some of what I said is potentially controversial and provocative. And that's good. Please challenge me on these things, and if I've been unclear in anything, it's only because I didn't want to add even more to my posting. If I've been unclear, please ask me to elaborate on what I've said.
I feel better now dumping that all out of my brain. I've been mulling over this for a while. And I think I've found the topic for a master's thesis
Balance... it's all about balance.
****************************************
Before you even attempt to discuss what role religion has in the State of Israel, I belive that you have to recognize that the entire discussion depends on how you define Judaism / Jews / Jewish / the Jewish people...
Avram Infeld if famous for his passionate statement "Judaism is NOT a religion. It is a PEOPLE WITH a RELIGION." I think this is a good starting point. But we need to go one step further. I believe strongly that the most basic definition we can arrive at is that there is this identifiable group of people (Jews) that in addition to the cultures and customs of its peoplehood, happens to have a religion (Judaism) that was instrumental in solidifying its peoplehood-ness {is that a word?!}. It's this instrumentality that must be recognized and is vital to this dicussion.
Yes, we were a nation before we had a religion injected into our people... but it was that religion which solidified our peoplehood-ness and has allowed us to remain intact for so many millenia. To remove the religion from the people would be a disaster. In short... You can take the people out of the religion, but you can't take the religion out of the people. (This is a topic for another discussion... not enough room here to delve into it)
With this in mind, I believe that Israel, as a Jewish state, MUST have a certain aspect of religiosity in it. Yes, Israel should be able to rule on who is considered a Jew... but they must do it CAREFULLY. I know this is a somewhat contentious statement. First, let me say what I believe would happen if Israel didn't have a say in this matter.
If Israel promulagetd a cultural notion of Judaism, it would be very easy for anyone to claim "Hey! My version of Judaism is equally legit" Even in the Reform movment, we strongly denounce Messianic Judaism, Jews for Jesus, and Secular Humanism. I believe that these expressions of Judaism are misguided and do not have a place in Israel. I know that this is similar to the argument that the ultra-orthodox use against the Reform Movement, however I believe that there's a big difference between the two. Even the Reform Movement draws lines somwwhere... a cultural notion of Judaism in Israel would blur or alltogether erase these lines.
Secondly... If Israel were to espouse a cultural notion of Judaism, it would make it very easy for anti-Zionists and those with anti-Israel sentiments to argue against the legitimacy of a Jewish state. Without the biblical claim to Eretz Yisrael, it becomes very easy to say "Ok, the Jews are a people... but why do they have to have the land of Israel?" or "You know what, without a religion... the Jews really aren't a people." Reform Zionism, as a form of religious Zionism, is grounded in some understanding that theology has an influence on our Zionism. (What exactly that theology is... man, I have had some serious debates on that. I think that's another topic for discussion)
So how does the State maintain some aspect of religiosity, without being discriminatory? It's a very delicate balance. To be truly democratic, Israel must recognize the three (four?) major movements in modern Jewry and invite them to the table in determining what the religious policy of the State should be. NOW... I'm not naive. I know that the reality of such a discussion taking place is slim to none - thanks in great part to the fracturing divisiveness of the ultra-orthodox. But I do believe that if Israel is to remain democratic, while acknowledging the necessity of some dose of religion, such a discussion is painfully necessary.
Perhaps there should be both a political knesset and a religious knesset. A religious knesset wouldn't have unwavering powers, but it would at least provide a forum for discussion and a system of checks and balances in religious matters.
Furthermore... if a Jew in Israel chooses to be secular... so be it. As long as they're not espousing beliefs antithetical to Judaism (i.e. messianic Judaism, Jews for Jesus, etc.) that decision is theirs to make. I may not disagree with the choice, but it's not my choice to make. If the state should recognize the major worldwide Jewish movements (which it must), then it also needs to recognize that the vast majority of its Jewish constituents are secular. It needs to stop disenfranchizing these Jews and find a way for them to feel comfortably Jewish within the Jewish state. Non-religious Jewish weddings must therefore be permitted (as long as it's two Jews getting married... if it isn't, then it should be a secular wedding).
Should "chiloni" be considered a legitimate movement in Israel? That's a tough question. Should "apathetic" be considered a legitimate political party in Canada or the U.S.? I know it's an option on facebook, but... No, I don't think being secular should be considered a legitimate movement. By that, I mean that while those who choose to be secular shouldn't be disenfranchised of rights, it doesn't necessarily mean that they automatically get official recognition as a religious movement. I think it's similiar to trying to create a non-political political party. It's anachronistic. Yes, the chiloni are an identifiable group of people within Judaism, but are they a religious group of people? Choosing to be secular is a religious choice, but does making that choice automatically entitle you to the status of a religious movement. My inclination is to say no, but I'm not entierely sure yet.
Wow. I know that was a lot. And I know that some of what I said is potentially controversial and provocative. And that's good. Please challenge me on these things, and if I've been unclear in anything, it's only because I didn't want to add even more to my posting. If I've been unclear, please ask me to elaborate on what I've said.
I feel better now dumping that all out of my brain. I've been mulling over this for a while. And I think I've found the topic for a master's thesis
Balance... it's all about balance.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Like a fish(ner)?
Quotes of the Evening:
"I could fillet you!" ~ Melissa
(Condition for posting: "You can only put that up if you tell people that I'm filleting you while we're in a knife fight" ~ Melissa)
"I love moisturizing my cuticles"
"I could fillet you!" ~ Melissa
(Condition for posting: "You can only put that up if you tell people that I'm filleting you while we're in a knife fight" ~ Melissa)
"I love moisturizing my cuticles"
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
From Mira's Blog... Profound and Relevant
Apparently my definition of holiness is different than other people. It could, I suppose, be argued that mine is immediately incorrect, as I do not consider myself to be an observant Jew – the phrase I heard from my mother growing up and that I have somewhat adopted is ‘Religious Reform,’ though recently I lean more toward ‘progressive.’ I have gone to Hebrew Day School for 14 years, though that does not make me a better Jew than anyone else who attended public school, nor does it mean that I am a lesser Jew because I did not attend Yeshiva, I do not wear skirts unless I choose to for a special occasion, and I do plan on covering my head when I get married (which will not be in the next few years). I know the laws, though not all in full detail (I’m still hazy on whether or not we’re supposed to give back a found wallet if the owner is not Jewish, and how many metres of grass my cattle can have if my neighbour is my brother in law. I believe that for my Judaism to mean something to me I must choose those adherences which enhance my spiritual growth. I do not believe in blind faith, though I find it a fascinating topic of study and often envy those who can subscribe to it.
I believe that the basis of holiness is the golden rule. Love thy neighbour as thyself. I believe that we must strive to go beyond that – try thinking of someone else first, though ensuring your own health and safety. I’ve heard arguments against this by people who bring up self-loathing, and those who do not treat themselves with dignity and honour. Perhaps it should be ‘love your neighbour as you wish you could love yourself.’ Through the loving of others we reach that beautiful, fulfilling place beyond self acceptance, and can reach self love.
I am in shock, I am frightened, and I am so disappointed by the events which are happening in Israel and indeed the entire world, but particularly the Jewish community, in regards to this march for pride and tolerance. I am in shock because as much as I am not so naïve to think that Jews do not commit sins against Jews (I just participated in Rabin’s memorial day with a moving ceremony in Kikar Rabin – accompanied by a Gaza protest, of course) I am disgusted and stunned at the scope to which people will use my religion, MY religion, OUR religion, and use it to incite hatred against a group of people who were born being attracted to people with a different combination of X and Y chromosomes than we are told is natural. Whose only sin is wanting to express that attraction and love without the common discrimination and violence that can be seen, and appallingly even now expected and accepted and somewhat institutionalized, here. I am shocked that a group who claims to and is seen to represent the epitome of my religion, the core of it, those who protect it, will use my religion to disobey what I see as far more important laws in order to subjugate another group who are doing nothing to them personally. These important laws are led with our friend the Golden Rule. They include respect for all people, accepting/welcoming the stranger, and recognizing that EVERYONE is created in the image of God. I find those to be so much more important and basic to this religion which is so integral in their lives than ensuring that one group which, according to traditional Jewish law, is not permitted to express their feelings openly (it does not say that one cannot have these feelings, by the way – we just can’t act on them) will not speak out against prejudice in a legal gathering which is their basic right as well.
I am frightened. Not only a knot in the pit of my stomach that something will happen while I am at the rally, which I will not outwardly share with people because I am so adamant about the importance of going but also the cause of the reason I am not directly convincing people who are on the fence to go, perhaps in order to avoid my own guilt should something, God forbid, happen. I am also frightened both for my faith personally, and the future of the religion as a whole. Me personally, I am afraid of losing faith. Why should I want to stay a part of a religion which condones this violent, immoral and, in my eyes, sac-religious behaviour? It is only my personal beliefs and the faith in my community that are holding me in. It is my drive to change rather than run away, and to know that they best way to do that is from the inside and with a dedicated heart and soul. For the religion, I don’t see how the rest of the world can’t detest us right now. For the progressive and ambivalent of the world, they see an archaic, violent people which will not stand by each other when we hurt. For those who hate us already, they have more reason and see us as divided and weak – what better opportunity to strike than when we cannot agree on who gets to march and where, and who is allowed whom in their private bed, never mind holding hands in the street.
I believe that the basis of holiness is the golden rule. Love thy neighbour as thyself. I believe that we must strive to go beyond that – try thinking of someone else first, though ensuring your own health and safety. I’ve heard arguments against this by people who bring up self-loathing, and those who do not treat themselves with dignity and honour. Perhaps it should be ‘love your neighbour as you wish you could love yourself.’ Through the loving of others we reach that beautiful, fulfilling place beyond self acceptance, and can reach self love.
I am in shock, I am frightened, and I am so disappointed by the events which are happening in Israel and indeed the entire world, but particularly the Jewish community, in regards to this march for pride and tolerance. I am in shock because as much as I am not so naïve to think that Jews do not commit sins against Jews (I just participated in Rabin’s memorial day with a moving ceremony in Kikar Rabin – accompanied by a Gaza protest, of course) I am disgusted and stunned at the scope to which people will use my religion, MY religion, OUR religion, and use it to incite hatred against a group of people who were born being attracted to people with a different combination of X and Y chromosomes than we are told is natural. Whose only sin is wanting to express that attraction and love without the common discrimination and violence that can be seen, and appallingly even now expected and accepted and somewhat institutionalized, here. I am shocked that a group who claims to and is seen to represent the epitome of my religion, the core of it, those who protect it, will use my religion to disobey what I see as far more important laws in order to subjugate another group who are doing nothing to them personally. These important laws are led with our friend the Golden Rule. They include respect for all people, accepting/welcoming the stranger, and recognizing that EVERYONE is created in the image of God. I find those to be so much more important and basic to this religion which is so integral in their lives than ensuring that one group which, according to traditional Jewish law, is not permitted to express their feelings openly (it does not say that one cannot have these feelings, by the way – we just can’t act on them) will not speak out against prejudice in a legal gathering which is their basic right as well.
I am frightened. Not only a knot in the pit of my stomach that something will happen while I am at the rally, which I will not outwardly share with people because I am so adamant about the importance of going but also the cause of the reason I am not directly convincing people who are on the fence to go, perhaps in order to avoid my own guilt should something, God forbid, happen. I am also frightened both for my faith personally, and the future of the religion as a whole. Me personally, I am afraid of losing faith. Why should I want to stay a part of a religion which condones this violent, immoral and, in my eyes, sac-religious behaviour? It is only my personal beliefs and the faith in my community that are holding me in. It is my drive to change rather than run away, and to know that they best way to do that is from the inside and with a dedicated heart and soul. For the religion, I don’t see how the rest of the world can’t detest us right now. For the progressive and ambivalent of the world, they see an archaic, violent people which will not stand by each other when we hurt. For those who hate us already, they have more reason and see us as divided and weak – what better opportunity to strike than when we cannot agree on who gets to march and where, and who is allowed whom in their private bed, never mind holding hands in the street.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
A Castle in the Clouds?
The following is my response to a posting on Mike's blog.
***************************************************
Interesting ideas...
One thing I struggle with is the "concept of constantly challenging ourselves to think differently,"
I do believe it's critical to any movment to challenge itself, otherwise it just remains stagnant. But I also believe that one of the greatest "flaws" (perhaps "challenges" is a better word) of the Reform Movement is that it is constantly doing things differently. (In the grand scheme of things... look at the evolution of responsa in just the past 25 years alone).
Theologically, philosophically, liturgically, religiously, etc... I think what will allow us to grow the most is if we grow our roots and stick into something permanent.
If you ask most Reform Jews "what's permanent about Reform Judaism?"... what response do you think you'll get? I'm not even sure myself.
It's a delicate balance. We need to grow to remain relevant and vibrant in the 21st century, but we also need to be standing on firm ground. I feel too often that Reform Judaism is a castle in the clouds. I believe that if we root ourselves strongly, we'll be able to grow even more. It's physics... look at trees.
Just as you note, it's so important to be able to say "HEY!! Look at it this way!"... we're taught that the Torah has 70 faces, and it's critical to explore those new faces. Let's just remember when we're exploring that all those faces are on the same head and even if someone is looking at a different face, it's still the same head.
***************************************************
Interesting ideas...
One thing I struggle with is the "concept of constantly challenging ourselves to think differently,"
I do believe it's critical to any movment to challenge itself, otherwise it just remains stagnant. But I also believe that one of the greatest "flaws" (perhaps "challenges" is a better word) of the Reform Movement is that it is constantly doing things differently. (In the grand scheme of things... look at the evolution of responsa in just the past 25 years alone).
Theologically, philosophically, liturgically, religiously, etc... I think what will allow us to grow the most is if we grow our roots and stick into something permanent.
If you ask most Reform Jews "what's permanent about Reform Judaism?"... what response do you think you'll get? I'm not even sure myself.
It's a delicate balance. We need to grow to remain relevant and vibrant in the 21st century, but we also need to be standing on firm ground. I feel too often that Reform Judaism is a castle in the clouds. I believe that if we root ourselves strongly, we'll be able to grow even more. It's physics... look at trees.
Just as you note, it's so important to be able to say "HEY!! Look at it this way!"... we're taught that the Torah has 70 faces, and it's critical to explore those new faces. Let's just remember when we're exploring that all those faces are on the same head and even if someone is looking at a different face, it's still the same head.
The way of Man (or Woman)
When some disciples of a deceased tzaddik came to the Seer of Lublin and expressed surprise at the fact that his customs were different from those of their late master, the Seer exclaimed, "What sort of God would that be who has only one way in which he can be served! God does not say, 'This way leads to me and that does not.' Instead God says, "Whatever you do may be a way to me, provided you do it in such a manner that it leads you to me."
-Martin Buber, The Way of Man
******************************
I spent this past weekend up at Camp George for the Hillel Arts and Culture retreat. I was expecting a relaxing weekend, and that is indeed what it was... for the most part.
I've come to grips with the fact that Toronto is not the most Jewishly pluralistic place on earth. In fact, it's nowhere near it. Culturally and philanthropically it is... but religiously it most certainly is not (with some notable exceptions). But even though I've learned how to live in this environment, I don't accept it - I'm always looking for ways to change it, and so I've been so thrilled at the latest endeavour by a few of us at Hillel to host a roundtable discussion with rabbis from each movement. Sponsored by KESHER, Koach, and Yavneh, it looks like it's going to be amazing.
That being said, there were a number of instances this weekend up at camp that... shocked me. Right now I don't have the mental capacity to delve into a commentary on each of them, but for the time being I'll share some of the choice phrases that I encountered....
"If Reform Judaism accepts homosexual marriages, why doesn't it accept incestuous relationships?"
"Pluralism is what's ruining Hillel and the Jewish community as a whole"
"This is the Talmud... have you ever seen one of these?" (Condescendingly, to a Reform Jew)
Granted, these comments represent the extreme end of the spectrum, however they are indicitive of the dire need to begin a mass education of the Toronto Jewish community... starting with the youth... about the importance of K'lal Yisrael and Jewish solidarity.
I'm not sure where to start - perhaps flying over the city, dropping leaflets with Buber's quote on it.
-Martin Buber, The Way of Man
******************************
I spent this past weekend up at Camp George for the Hillel Arts and Culture retreat. I was expecting a relaxing weekend, and that is indeed what it was... for the most part.
I've come to grips with the fact that Toronto is not the most Jewishly pluralistic place on earth. In fact, it's nowhere near it. Culturally and philanthropically it is... but religiously it most certainly is not (with some notable exceptions). But even though I've learned how to live in this environment, I don't accept it - I'm always looking for ways to change it, and so I've been so thrilled at the latest endeavour by a few of us at Hillel to host a roundtable discussion with rabbis from each movement. Sponsored by KESHER, Koach, and Yavneh, it looks like it's going to be amazing.
That being said, there were a number of instances this weekend up at camp that... shocked me. Right now I don't have the mental capacity to delve into a commentary on each of them, but for the time being I'll share some of the choice phrases that I encountered....
"If Reform Judaism accepts homosexual marriages, why doesn't it accept incestuous relationships?"
"Pluralism is what's ruining Hillel and the Jewish community as a whole"
"This is the Talmud... have you ever seen one of these?" (Condescendingly, to a Reform Jew)
Granted, these comments represent the extreme end of the spectrum, however they are indicitive of the dire need to begin a mass education of the Toronto Jewish community... starting with the youth... about the importance of K'lal Yisrael and Jewish solidarity.
I'm not sure where to start - perhaps flying over the city, dropping leaflets with Buber's quote on it.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Watch this until the end. Definately.
Will Ferell for Mac
http://appleclips.podOmatic.com/entry/2006-06-10T09_16_09-07_00
http://appleclips.podOmatic.com/entry/2006-06-10T09_16_09-07_00
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Quazi-Evil Marketing Tactics + Great Musician = Happy Ears
Ever hear of Chris Velan?
GREAT musician!
I had heard a song of his at camp, but didn't know who it was. I downloaded it tonight, then went searching for him online. I found his site... guy's from montreal. I listended to the convinently provided samples and then bought both of his albums on iTunes, thereby succumbing to the quazi-evil marketing tactics of apple :-)
You should go out and succumb to the quazi-evil tactics... your ears will be happy!
(He's got a Ben Harper regaae vs. Jack Johnson folk sound)
GREAT musician!
I had heard a song of his at camp, but didn't know who it was. I downloaded it tonight, then went searching for him online. I found his site... guy's from montreal. I listended to the convinently provided samples and then bought both of his albums on iTunes, thereby succumbing to the quazi-evil marketing tactics of apple :-)
You should go out and succumb to the quazi-evil tactics... your ears will be happy!
(He's got a Ben Harper regaae vs. Jack Johnson folk sound)
Monday, August 28, 2006
"Is that Pink Floyd's logo? You're a hippie. I can tell you're Jewish. I like stereotyping people, it's easier."
Man in Blockbuster: "Is that Pink Floyd's logo?"
Me: (Wearing pink pig Pink Floyd shit) "Sort of?"
Man: "Are you a hippie? I thought only hippies listened to Pink Floyd. You must be a hippie, you're wearing a bandana"
Me: "Umm?"
Man (After seeing me take out my wallet that says 'Steve's Packs, Jerusalem' on it: "You're Jewish! I should've known. Jews are crazy. I'm from Israel"
Me (laughing): Ok.
Man: I stereotype people, it's easier that way.
Blockbuster clerk (to man): "Do you speak hebrew? My friend tought me how to say (in Hebrew) I want your vagina. (to me): here are your DVDs. Have a good night"
Me: Wow. Thank you.
Man: "L'hitraot!"
Me: (Wearing pink pig Pink Floyd shit) "Sort of?"
Man: "Are you a hippie? I thought only hippies listened to Pink Floyd. You must be a hippie, you're wearing a bandana"
Me: "Umm?"
Man (After seeing me take out my wallet that says 'Steve's Packs, Jerusalem' on it: "You're Jewish! I should've known. Jews are crazy. I'm from Israel"
Me (laughing): Ok.
Man: I stereotype people, it's easier that way.
Blockbuster clerk (to man): "Do you speak hebrew? My friend tought me how to say (in Hebrew) I want your vagina. (to me): here are your DVDs. Have a good night"
Me: Wow. Thank you.
Man: "L'hitraot!"
Friday, August 18, 2006
Overheard in New York
Crazy lady: Hooray! Jewish people!
Guy Wearing "Israeli Defense Force" t-shirt: Actually, I'm Catholic.
--60th & Madison
Guy Wearing "Israeli Defense Force" t-shirt: Actually, I'm Catholic.
--60th & Madison
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Thursday, July 13, 2006
30 Unknown Facts: "One More Thing Stolen From Nug's Blog" Version
30 unknown facts/secrets about yourself.
1. What does your MySpace headline mean?:
I don't use MySpace.
2. Elaborate on your default photo.
Picture of me with my bedouin clothes from Israel.
3. What's your middle name[s]?
Ellis
4. What is your current relationship status?
Single and searching.
5. What are you wearing right now?
Shorts, DMB t-shirt
6. What is your current problem?
Paying off my debt.
7. What do you love most?
Judaism, family, friends, my dog
8. What makes you most happy?
See above.
9. Are you musically inclined?
Guitar is life. Music is living.
10. If you could go back in time, and change something, what?
Destroy the Hezbollah terrorists that attacked Israel today.
11. If you MUST be an animal for ONE day- what would you be?
A bird. I need to fly.
12. Ever have a near death experience?
Driving back to camp three days ago. TERRIFYING.
13. Name an obvious quality you have?
I have hair.
14. What's the name of the song that's stuck in your head right now?
Afternoon delight.
15. Who did you cut and paste this from?
Nug.
16. Name someone with the same b-day as you:
Emily Cohen, Marco Polo, Agatha Christie, Cannonball Adderley, Tommy Lee Jones, Dan Marino, Oliver Stone, Prince Harry of Wales
17. Have you ever destroyed someone's property?
Possibly.
18. Have you ever been in a fight?
Yes.
19. Have you ever sang in front of a big audience?
Hell yes.
20. What's the first thing you notice about the OPPOSITE sex?
Hair, eyes.
21. What do you usually order from Starbucks?
Coffee.
22. Do you have a crush on anybody?
I'm at camp right now. I have a crush on everyone.
23. Ever had a drunken night in Mexico?
Nope. But I've had many drunken nights in Israel.
24. Has anyone ever said u looked like a celebrity?
Yes - Ed Robertson, and one of the Moffats. Ewww.
25. Do you still watch kiddy movies or TV shows?
Absolutely. I watched Shrek this week and love Sesame Street.
26. Did you have braces?
Yup.
27. Are you comfortable with your height?
Sure.
28. What is the most romantic thing someone has ever done for you?
Stayed up all night talking.
29. Do you speak any other languages?
Hebrew and French.
30. Whats your favorite smell?
Israel, Camp, after-rain smell, cedar, vanilla, anything baked, my grandparents houses, New York City
1. What does your MySpace headline mean?:
I don't use MySpace.
2. Elaborate on your default photo.
Picture of me with my bedouin clothes from Israel.
3. What's your middle name[s]?
Ellis
4. What is your current relationship status?
Single and searching.
5. What are you wearing right now?
Shorts, DMB t-shirt
6. What is your current problem?
Paying off my debt.
7. What do you love most?
Judaism, family, friends, my dog
8. What makes you most happy?
See above.
9. Are you musically inclined?
Guitar is life. Music is living.
10. If you could go back in time, and change something, what?
Destroy the Hezbollah terrorists that attacked Israel today.
11. If you MUST be an animal for ONE day- what would you be?
A bird. I need to fly.
12. Ever have a near death experience?
Driving back to camp three days ago. TERRIFYING.
13. Name an obvious quality you have?
I have hair.
14. What's the name of the song that's stuck in your head right now?
Afternoon delight.
15. Who did you cut and paste this from?
Nug.
16. Name someone with the same b-day as you:
Emily Cohen, Marco Polo, Agatha Christie, Cannonball Adderley, Tommy Lee Jones, Dan Marino, Oliver Stone, Prince Harry of Wales
17. Have you ever destroyed someone's property?
Possibly.
18. Have you ever been in a fight?
Yes.
19. Have you ever sang in front of a big audience?
Hell yes.
20. What's the first thing you notice about the OPPOSITE sex?
Hair, eyes.
21. What do you usually order from Starbucks?
Coffee.
22. Do you have a crush on anybody?
I'm at camp right now. I have a crush on everyone.
23. Ever had a drunken night in Mexico?
Nope. But I've had many drunken nights in Israel.
24. Has anyone ever said u looked like a celebrity?
Yes - Ed Robertson, and one of the Moffats. Ewww.
25. Do you still watch kiddy movies or TV shows?
Absolutely. I watched Shrek this week and love Sesame Street.
26. Did you have braces?
Yup.
27. Are you comfortable with your height?
Sure.
28. What is the most romantic thing someone has ever done for you?
Stayed up all night talking.
29. Do you speak any other languages?
Hebrew and French.
30. Whats your favorite smell?
Israel, Camp, after-rain smell, cedar, vanilla, anything baked, my grandparents houses, New York City
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Nu?
Long overdue, as usual.
I’m in the Baltimore airport. It seems I often find myself in some random airport in America as I write new entries (which doesn’t say much for my blogging frequency...)
This past week I had the pleasure of attending the URJ's Lifelong Jewish Learning Commission retreat and then immediately afterwards the URJ Board of Trustees meeting. Pretty important stuff.
We're working really hard to get a lot of facetime for the KESHER Leadership Council with the Union bigwigs so we can finally get some hard resources. And we're doing really well.
I attend these meetings and conferences and retreats a lot, and I'm so lucky to be able to travel around the world and meet amazing people who are amazingly dedicated to their Judaism. Plus, the opportunity to hang out with friends in (usually) nice hotels is also a bonus. Believe me, we work really hard and deserve the comfortable beds!
The time spent at these meetings really rejuvinates the desire in me to work as a Jewish Professional - as a Rabbi, or otherwise. But I know that as soon as I get back up on stage, I'll be dreaming of applying to the National Theatre School after I graduate. This pendulum swinging back and forth is going to have to come to a screeching halt within the next year as I decide what to do after graduation, and it's getting a little more nervewracking each day.
I leave for Israel in three days for the World Zionist Congress. Needless to say, I am ridiculously excited to get back to the country. THE country. I'm there for a week and a half, then I come home for my cousin's (Catholic) wedding, and then I leave for camp the next day.
The next two weeks are going to be a little insane :-)
I'll be blogging, podcasting, and video-casting live from Israel starting on Wednesday, and you'll be able to follow me and ARZA Canada at: www.VoteReformJudaismCanada.com/blog
I'll post a last entry before the summer within the next couple of weeks with information on how to reach me at camp. And then I'm sure this blog will be stagnant until September :-)
Aleh V'hagshem.
I’m in the Baltimore airport. It seems I often find myself in some random airport in America as I write new entries (which doesn’t say much for my blogging frequency...)
This past week I had the pleasure of attending the URJ's Lifelong Jewish Learning Commission retreat and then immediately afterwards the URJ Board of Trustees meeting. Pretty important stuff.
We're working really hard to get a lot of facetime for the KESHER Leadership Council with the Union bigwigs so we can finally get some hard resources. And we're doing really well.
I attend these meetings and conferences and retreats a lot, and I'm so lucky to be able to travel around the world and meet amazing people who are amazingly dedicated to their Judaism. Plus, the opportunity to hang out with friends in (usually) nice hotels is also a bonus. Believe me, we work really hard and deserve the comfortable beds!
The time spent at these meetings really rejuvinates the desire in me to work as a Jewish Professional - as a Rabbi, or otherwise. But I know that as soon as I get back up on stage, I'll be dreaming of applying to the National Theatre School after I graduate. This pendulum swinging back and forth is going to have to come to a screeching halt within the next year as I decide what to do after graduation, and it's getting a little more nervewracking each day.
I leave for Israel in three days for the World Zionist Congress. Needless to say, I am ridiculously excited to get back to the country. THE country. I'm there for a week and a half, then I come home for my cousin's (Catholic) wedding, and then I leave for camp the next day.
The next two weeks are going to be a little insane :-)
I'll be blogging, podcasting, and video-casting live from Israel starting on Wednesday, and you'll be able to follow me and ARZA Canada at: www.VoteReformJudaismCanada.com/blog
I'll post a last entry before the summer within the next couple of weeks with information on how to reach me at camp. And then I'm sure this blog will be stagnant until September :-)
Aleh V'hagshem.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Hmm...
Jesse -- [noun]: A master of sexual gratification 'How will you be defined in the sexual dictionary?' at QuizUniverse.com |
Well... now that we got that out of the way.
Shabbat Shalom to you!
It's raining outside, it's my cousin's (Orthodox) Bat Mitzvah on Monday, and the entire weekend is a celebration! Things at work are getting crazy geared up towards the Congress in Jerusalem, which is weird because as I get closer to the end of my job, things also get busier. Strange.
In a couple weeks, a bunch of us are going to Hawley's cottage for 5 days. I need that time. It's going to be my purge week to get rid of the year's stresses, so I can go to Israel and camp free of shit. A wonderful buffer week.
After that, it's my cousin's (Catholic) Wedding, then camp.
Summer's delightful. I love it. Especially when it involves Israel and camp.
It's raining outside.
I also like the rain.
I've caught onto this new Pandora music thing. It's fantastic. I'm finding a plethora of new music. So wonderful.
Check these bands out:
Pernice Brothers
The Bats
The Bevis Frond
Chuck Prophet
The Finn Brothers
T.S. Monk
Brendan Benson
Rusted Root
The Jayhawks
Good stuff there.
Shabbat Shalom to y'all
Thursday, May 11, 2006
WE DID IT!!!
REFORM MOVEMENT WINS IN CANADIAN
WORLD ZIONIST CONGRESS ELECTIONS!
ARZA CANADA IN FIRST PLACE WITH 7 OUT OF 19 SEATS
Canadian Election Results:
ARZA Canada: 7 seats
United Torah Coaltion (Orthodox): 7 seats
Mercaz Canada (Conservative): 3 seats
Hatikva Canada & Zionistparty.com: 2 seats
I'll post more on the significance of this later. For now, we're just so elated!
WORLD ZIONIST CONGRESS ELECTIONS!
ARZA CANADA IN FIRST PLACE WITH 7 OUT OF 19 SEATS
Canadian Election Results:
ARZA Canada: 7 seats
United Torah Coaltion (Orthodox): 7 seats
Mercaz Canada (Conservative): 3 seats
Hatikva Canada & Zionistparty.com: 2 seats
I'll post more on the significance of this later. For now, we're just so elated!
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
high school kids are smart
I've been reading over the letters of intent from the kids running for the executive board of NFTY-NEL (the youth group I used to be a member of, and incidentally still devote a considerable amount of time to). Some of the things these kids (read: intelligent young people) have to say are quite inspiring. This one blew me away.
I hope this letter finds you well. I would like to start off by recounting a very traumatic day for me: First I ate a plentiful, calorie-rich meal to commemorate the affliction of my ancestors. My emotions rose as I used my thousand dollar computer and forty-dollars-a-month internet connection to read about the suffering of people who live on less than a quarter a day. My anxiety grew as from my leather couch I witnessed images flickering on my flat screen TV of a world gone mad, with rising gun and gang violence, a growing rich-poor gap, and genocide around the world, tidily presented by the multi-billion dollar news networks. I guess the emotional climax was when I realized the paradox of our time: suffering is just so darn comfortable... In our modern world, awareness is scanning headlines in an internet browser; ‘paying it forward’ means passing along a chain email petition you know nobody will ever read; and taking action equates to buying a mass produced t-shirt that says ‘Bush sucks.’ Comical, clever, and compelling: a triple threat.
Way to go. Step up to the plate and kick some ass.
I hope this letter finds you well. I would like to start off by recounting a very traumatic day for me: First I ate a plentiful, calorie-rich meal to commemorate the affliction of my ancestors. My emotions rose as I used my thousand dollar computer and forty-dollars-a-month internet connection to read about the suffering of people who live on less than a quarter a day. My anxiety grew as from my leather couch I witnessed images flickering on my flat screen TV of a world gone mad, with rising gun and gang violence, a growing rich-poor gap, and genocide around the world, tidily presented by the multi-billion dollar news networks. I guess the emotional climax was when I realized the paradox of our time: suffering is just so darn comfortable... In our modern world, awareness is scanning headlines in an internet browser; ‘paying it forward’ means passing along a chain email petition you know nobody will ever read; and taking action equates to buying a mass produced t-shirt that says ‘Bush sucks.’ Comical, clever, and compelling: a triple threat.
Way to go. Step up to the plate and kick some ass.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Shuffle Your Life
Put your music library on shuffle and answer the questions with songs in the order they come up. it doesn't really make sense at times, but some answers you come up with will freak you out.
1. What's my mood like right now?
I am a Rock - Simon & Garfunkel (!!!)
2. How's tomorrow going to be for me?
Does Anybody Really Know What Time it is? - Chicago
3. What kind of person am I?
Undecided - Dave Brubeck Quartet (!!!)
4. Am I loved?
The End - The Doors
5. How can I achieve my highest potential?
I Forfive You - Ari Hest
6. What should I do with my life?
She Don't Use Jelly - Ben Folds Five
7. What is my theme song?
So Much to Say - Dave Matthews Band
8. What is my best quality?
Song that Jane Likes - Dave Matthews Band
9. How does my sex life look?
Ballad of Jed Clampett - Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (STRANGE!)
10. What's the meaning of life?
Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones
11. How do people see me?
Jane - Barenaked Ladies
12. Would I make a good catch?
New Kid on the Block - Barenaked Ladies
13. How crazy am I?
One Angry Dwarf... - Ben Folds Five
14. Will I have a good life in general?
Somewhere - Dave Brubeck Quartet
16. Can Natalie Portman and I ever be more than friends?
Nothing Special - Dunkan Sheik
17. What's going to happen to me this week?
Solid - Soulive
18. Where will I be in a year?
One Sweet World - Dave Matthews Band
19. What is my biggest wish?
Manifest Destiny - Guster
20. What is the love of my life doing at this very moment?
Psycho Killer - Moxy Fruvous (Uhhhh... Maybe I don't want to know...)
21. How will I die?
I Did It - Dave Matthews Band (Suicide???)
22. What will happen after I die?
Over the Moon - RENT
23. How do my friends feel about me?
Guns 'n Roses - One In A Million
Strrrrrrrrrrange
1. What's my mood like right now?
I am a Rock - Simon & Garfunkel (!!!)
2. How's tomorrow going to be for me?
Does Anybody Really Know What Time it is? - Chicago
3. What kind of person am I?
Undecided - Dave Brubeck Quartet (!!!)
4. Am I loved?
The End - The Doors
5. How can I achieve my highest potential?
I Forfive You - Ari Hest
6. What should I do with my life?
She Don't Use Jelly - Ben Folds Five
7. What is my theme song?
So Much to Say - Dave Matthews Band
8. What is my best quality?
Song that Jane Likes - Dave Matthews Band
9. How does my sex life look?
Ballad of Jed Clampett - Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (STRANGE!)
10. What's the meaning of life?
Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones
11. How do people see me?
Jane - Barenaked Ladies
12. Would I make a good catch?
New Kid on the Block - Barenaked Ladies
13. How crazy am I?
One Angry Dwarf... - Ben Folds Five
14. Will I have a good life in general?
Somewhere - Dave Brubeck Quartet
16. Can Natalie Portman and I ever be more than friends?
Nothing Special - Dunkan Sheik
17. What's going to happen to me this week?
Solid - Soulive
18. Where will I be in a year?
One Sweet World - Dave Matthews Band
19. What is my biggest wish?
Manifest Destiny - Guster
20. What is the love of my life doing at this very moment?
Psycho Killer - Moxy Fruvous (Uhhhh... Maybe I don't want to know...)
21. How will I die?
I Did It - Dave Matthews Band (Suicide???)
22. What will happen after I die?
Over the Moon - RENT
23. How do my friends feel about me?
Guns 'n Roses - One In A Million
Strrrrrrrrrrange
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
I guess I'm a Drama Hippie
HURRAY FOR TYPECASTING! (again - stolen from Nug's blog. Too bored)
--DRAMA DORK--
[x] Ever been in a play?
[x] Have you ever seen a Broadway show?
[x] More than 10 Broadway shows?
[x] Does your current job involve theater in some way?
[x] Want to end up working in/for theater
[x] Can you recite all of the lyrics to your favorite play/musical?
[x]Do you break out into random songs whenever/wherever!!
[ ]Do you like the 'Sound of Music'?
[x] Did you like the Broadway show you saw?
Total X: 8
--HIPPIE--
[ ] Is your hair long?
[x] Do you own a tye-dye shirt?
[x] Do you want to save the animals?
[x] Do you think war is unnecessary?
[x] Do you like classic rock?
[x] Have you ever participated in a protest?
[ ] Have you ever been overcome with a desire to hug a tree?
[x] Is your idea of fun sitting around one person playing a guitar and singing along?
[x] Do you see someone playing frisbee and automatically ask to play?
Total X: 7
--METALHEAD--
[ ] Do you have long hair?
[x] Do you like Beer?
[]Have you ever been in a Moshpit?
[ ] You don't believe in God?
[ ] You got a Pentagram on some clothing article etc.?
[ ] You own some spikes?
[x ] Can you play guitar?
[x ] Do you own Boots?
[x] Do you rock out?
Total X: 4
--REDNECK--
[ ] Do you have a couch in your front yard or porch?
[ ] Do you drive a truck?
[ ] Do you like four-wheelers?
[x] Do you like to get dirty?
[ ] Do you like country music?
[ ] Do you have a broken car in your back yard?
[ ] Do you own a cowboy hat?
[ ] Do you have more then 4 different animals at your home?
[ ] Do you watch Larry the Cable Guy videos?
Total X: 1
--GOTH--
[ ] Do you wear black eyeliner?
[x] Is most of your clothing dark?
[ ] Do you think about death often?
[ ] Do you want to die?
[ ] Are you a social outcast?
[ ] Do you like Hot Topic?
[ ] Do you enjoy Tim burton movies?
[ ] Are you mean?
Total X: 1
--HARDCORE KID--
[x] Do you own band shirts?
[x] Is a bandana part of your everyday outfit? (Today and Yesterday for sure)
[ ] Do u wear tight pants?
[ ] Do you hate "Push Pits"?
[ ] Is going to a show a bi-weekly ritual?
[ ] Is there "X's" or the word "MOSH" in your screen-name?
[ ] Do you sometimes or often wear camo?
[ ] Does your myspace profile play a hardcore song?
[ ] Do the words "headwalking, windmills, and pill-on" mean anything to you?
Total X: 2
--SKATER/PUNK--
[ ] Can you skateboard?
[ ] Do you wear Skateboarding shoes?
[x] Do you do stupid stuff with your friends?
[ ] Have you gotten in trouble with the Cops
[x] Do you watch the x-games?
[ ] Do/did you have any piercings other than your ears?
[ ] Do you like mohawks?
[x] Do you wear Band t-shirts?
[ ] Have you called someone a poser recently?
Total X: 3
--PREP--
[ ] do you say the word "like"?
[ ] Do you shop at Hollister/Abercrombie&Fitch/AE/Aero?
[ ] Do the people in Hot Topic scare you?
[x] Do u giggle alot when youre with your friends/girlfriend/boyfriend?
[ ] Have/do you watch(ed) LAGUNA BEACH?
[ ] Do you like pop music?
[x] Do you want/have a little dog?
[x] Do you laugh a lot?
Total X: 3
--GANGSTA--
[ ] Do you act ghetto sometimes?
[ ] Do you wear do-rags?
[ ] Do you like hip-hop?
[ ] Was Tupac truly the greatest rapper in the world?
[ ] Do you believe he's alive?
[ ] Do you like afros?
[ ] Have you ever said "Fo Sho"?
[x] Do you like to dance?
[x] Do you own 40 cds or more?
Total X: 2
--EMO-
[ ] Do you cry often?
[x] Do you wear hoodies?
[ ] Do you like soft music?
[ ] Do people not understand you?
[ ] Do you write your own poems?
[x] Do you dye your hair red, black, or any dark color?
[ ] Do you cut your own hair?
[ ] Do you sometimes feel very lonely?
[ ] Is "Ohio is for lovers" by Hawthorne Heights a good song?
Total X: 2
--SURFER--
[ ] Do you surf?
[x] Do you wear flip flops all year around
[ ] Is your hair shaggy or layered?
[ ] Do you wake up before 6 every morning?
[x] Do you own any pairs of shorts?
[ ] Do you think the ocean is radical?
[ ] are you tan?
[x] Do you want to be at the beach right now?
[x] Do you hate tourists?
Total X: 4
--GEEK--
[ ] Do you wear glasses?
[x] Do you get good grades?
[ ] Do you use an inhaler?
[ ] Do you stick pens and calculators into your shirt pockets?
[x] Are you on the computer often?
[ ] Do you ever get picked on?
[x] Do you look forward to goin to school?
[ ] Are you shy around the opposite sex?
[ ] Do you play video games?
Total X: 3
Repost this with the top stereotype that fits you.
(the one with the most X)
Title it "Stereotypes - I guess im a ___"
--DRAMA DORK--
[x] Ever been in a play?
[x] Have you ever seen a Broadway show?
[x] More than 10 Broadway shows?
[x] Does your current job involve theater in some way?
[x] Want to end up working in/for theater
[x] Can you recite all of the lyrics to your favorite play/musical?
[x]Do you break out into random songs whenever/wherever!!
[ ]Do you like the 'Sound of Music'?
[x] Did you like the Broadway show you saw?
Total X: 8
--HIPPIE--
[ ] Is your hair long?
[x] Do you own a tye-dye shirt?
[x] Do you want to save the animals?
[x] Do you think war is unnecessary?
[x] Do you like classic rock?
[x] Have you ever participated in a protest?
[ ] Have you ever been overcome with a desire to hug a tree?
[x] Is your idea of fun sitting around one person playing a guitar and singing along?
[x] Do you see someone playing frisbee and automatically ask to play?
Total X: 7
--METALHEAD--
[ ] Do you have long hair?
[x] Do you like Beer?
[]Have you ever been in a Moshpit?
[ ] You don't believe in God?
[ ] You got a Pentagram on some clothing article etc.?
[ ] You own some spikes?
[x ] Can you play guitar?
[x ] Do you own Boots?
[x] Do you rock out?
Total X: 4
--REDNECK--
[ ] Do you have a couch in your front yard or porch?
[ ] Do you drive a truck?
[ ] Do you like four-wheelers?
[x] Do you like to get dirty?
[ ] Do you like country music?
[ ] Do you have a broken car in your back yard?
[ ] Do you own a cowboy hat?
[ ] Do you have more then 4 different animals at your home?
[ ] Do you watch Larry the Cable Guy videos?
Total X: 1
--GOTH--
[ ] Do you wear black eyeliner?
[x] Is most of your clothing dark?
[ ] Do you think about death often?
[ ] Do you want to die?
[ ] Are you a social outcast?
[ ] Do you like Hot Topic?
[ ] Do you enjoy Tim burton movies?
[ ] Are you mean?
Total X: 1
--HARDCORE KID--
[x] Do you own band shirts?
[x] Is a bandana part of your everyday outfit? (Today and Yesterday for sure)
[ ] Do u wear tight pants?
[ ] Do you hate "Push Pits"?
[ ] Is going to a show a bi-weekly ritual?
[ ] Is there "X's" or the word "MOSH" in your screen-name?
[ ] Do you sometimes or often wear camo?
[ ] Does your myspace profile play a hardcore song?
[ ] Do the words "headwalking, windmills, and pill-on" mean anything to you?
Total X: 2
--SKATER/PUNK--
[ ] Can you skateboard?
[ ] Do you wear Skateboarding shoes?
[x] Do you do stupid stuff with your friends?
[ ] Have you gotten in trouble with the Cops
[x] Do you watch the x-games?
[ ] Do/did you have any piercings other than your ears?
[ ] Do you like mohawks?
[x] Do you wear Band t-shirts?
[ ] Have you called someone a poser recently?
Total X: 3
--PREP--
[ ] do you say the word "like"?
[ ] Do you shop at Hollister/Abercrombie&Fitch/AE/Aero?
[ ] Do the people in Hot Topic scare you?
[x] Do u giggle alot when youre with your friends/girlfriend/boyfriend?
[ ] Have/do you watch(ed) LAGUNA BEACH?
[ ] Do you like pop music?
[x] Do you want/have a little dog?
[x] Do you laugh a lot?
Total X: 3
--GANGSTA--
[ ] Do you act ghetto sometimes?
[ ] Do you wear do-rags?
[ ] Do you like hip-hop?
[ ] Was Tupac truly the greatest rapper in the world?
[ ] Do you believe he's alive?
[ ] Do you like afros?
[ ] Have you ever said "Fo Sho"?
[x] Do you like to dance?
[x] Do you own 40 cds or more?
Total X: 2
--EMO-
[ ] Do you cry often?
[x] Do you wear hoodies?
[ ] Do you like soft music?
[ ] Do people not understand you?
[ ] Do you write your own poems?
[x] Do you dye your hair red, black, or any dark color?
[ ] Do you cut your own hair?
[ ] Do you sometimes feel very lonely?
[ ] Is "Ohio is for lovers" by Hawthorne Heights a good song?
Total X: 2
--SURFER--
[ ] Do you surf?
[x] Do you wear flip flops all year around
[ ] Is your hair shaggy or layered?
[ ] Do you wake up before 6 every morning?
[x] Do you own any pairs of shorts?
[ ] Do you think the ocean is radical?
[ ] are you tan?
[x] Do you want to be at the beach right now?
[x] Do you hate tourists?
Total X: 4
--GEEK--
[ ] Do you wear glasses?
[x] Do you get good grades?
[ ] Do you use an inhaler?
[ ] Do you stick pens and calculators into your shirt pockets?
[x] Are you on the computer often?
[ ] Do you ever get picked on?
[x] Do you look forward to goin to school?
[ ] Are you shy around the opposite sex?
[ ] Do you play video games?
Total X: 3
Repost this with the top stereotype that fits you.
(the one with the most X)
Title it "Stereotypes - I guess im a ___"
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Stolen shamelessly (or possibly with a little bit of shame) from Nug
I swore I'd never post these, but I'm so damn bored from writing papers right now. This is my well deserved break.
*****
These are supposedly 30 questions no one would think of to ask you. We'll see how this goes.
1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
"Shit, I need to shower"
2. How much cash do you have on you? $5 American
3. Whats a word that rhymes with door? Floor, for
4. Favorite planet? Earth.
5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your mobile? Dad's Cell.
6. What is your favorite ring on your phone? BNL Sining "Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young" (sung repeatedly to the tune of "Deck the Halls"
7. What shirt are you wearing right now? Palendrome t-shirt
8. Do you "label" yourself? on occasion. I don't like pigeon holes, though.
9. Name the brand of shoes you're currently wearing? not wearing any right now, but Caterpillars when I do.
10. Bright or Dark Room? Dark.
11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you? Nug is an incredibly humourous, savvy, brilliant, and generally compassionate man (when he's not making fun of me for being Jewish).
13. What were you doing at midnight? Writing a paper.
14. What did your last text message you received on your mobile say? hi
15. Where is your mail box? Front door.
17. Who told you he/she loved you last? One of my parents.
18. Last furry thing you touched? My dog. Or the mould on a piece of bread.
19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days? Beer? Does beer count?
20. How many rolls of film do you need to get developed? None.
21. Favorite age you have been so far? 21
22. Your worst enemy? Procrastination.
23. What is your current desktop picture? A picture of camp.
24. What was the last thing you said to someone? "Ummm?"
25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly? Flight.
26. Do you like someone? I like many people. Do I like a singular person? Yes, that too.
27. The last song you listened to? Sattelite, DMB
28. If the last person you spoke to was getting shot at, would you run? I'd run in and take the bullet.
29. If you could punch one person right now, who would it be? Hugh Heffner... YOU'RE MINE!
30. What is the closest object to your left foot? My right shin.
*****
These are supposedly 30 questions no one would think of to ask you. We'll see how this goes.
1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
"Shit, I need to shower"
2. How much cash do you have on you? $5 American
3. Whats a word that rhymes with door? Floor, for
4. Favorite planet? Earth.
5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your mobile? Dad's Cell.
6. What is your favorite ring on your phone? BNL Sining "Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young" (sung repeatedly to the tune of "Deck the Halls"
7. What shirt are you wearing right now? Palendrome t-shirt
8. Do you "label" yourself? on occasion. I don't like pigeon holes, though.
9. Name the brand of shoes you're currently wearing? not wearing any right now, but Caterpillars when I do.
10. Bright or Dark Room? Dark.
11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you? Nug is an incredibly humourous, savvy, brilliant, and generally compassionate man (when he's not making fun of me for being Jewish).
13. What were you doing at midnight? Writing a paper.
14. What did your last text message you received on your mobile say? hi
15. Where is your mail box? Front door.
17. Who told you he/she loved you last? One of my parents.
18. Last furry thing you touched? My dog. Or the mould on a piece of bread.
19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days? Beer? Does beer count?
20. How many rolls of film do you need to get developed? None.
21. Favorite age you have been so far? 21
22. Your worst enemy? Procrastination.
23. What is your current desktop picture? A picture of camp.
24. What was the last thing you said to someone? "Ummm?"
25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly? Flight.
26. Do you like someone? I like many people. Do I like a singular person? Yes, that too.
27. The last song you listened to? Sattelite, DMB
28. If the last person you spoke to was getting shot at, would you run? I'd run in and take the bullet.
29. If you could punch one person right now, who would it be? Hugh Heffner... YOU'RE MINE!
30. What is the closest object to your left foot? My right shin.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Friday, March 17, 2006
Two weeks?
Almost two weeks have passed, and I'm still trying to gather together my thoughts of Fred. Ironically, because of the show, I guess I really haven't had time to sit down and let it sink in that he's gone. Every now and then, I get a pain in my heart. Every now and then, tears come to me on stage, but I choke them back and continue on with the scene. Tonight, I read Nug's journal and had another choked up moment. I really need it. I need to break down and cry and let it all out, but I don't know when it will come. Until then, I leave you with Nug's thoughts. They are marvelous....
******************************
From Nug's Blog...
I'm going to try to do this...
When I came to York in 1993, I really didn't know what I wanted to do. Well, I had an idea; I wanted to be a radio DJ. I knew that no amount of school was going to help me be a radio personality, though. I signed up for classes and went about my first week or so of school. That particular year I got to experience the joys of Jewish holidays for the first time, as my schedule went "frosh week", then a week off for Rosh Hashana, then a week back at school. I wanted to do something other than school (and drink as a hobby), much like I'd done in high school. I saw a poster for auditions for a Vanier College play. Now, living in Vanier Residence, I figured that this would be perfect as I wouldn't have to go outside and everything was contained in the same building complex. Plus, other than reading out loud in class, this would be great for practicing my announcing skills. The poster gave time, room number, and said, and I quote, "there will be incidental music." To this day, I stand by my belief that this was a typo, and it should have read, "incidentally, it's a musical."
I went to the audition with a monologue prepared (from a play we'd self-produced in high school, a series of teenage angst-riddled musings... I think called "Sometimes I Wake Up In The Middle Of The Night"), and ready to have some fun. I wasn't in the theatre department, so I figured this was going to be a lot like my high school, where people from all over the educational map were in the shows. I walked up to the table at the door and asked to sign up. They told me that I could go inside in 10 minutes, then asked which one of Fred's classes I was in. "Who's Fred?", I asked. Apparently, this Fred guy taught two classes, one in acting and one in stage construction, and his students were required to audition. Not me, I'm here on my own accord.
I went in and did my monologue in front of about 4 people, including this older man who then asked me if I could sing. "I can, but I don't," I replied. He hopped up to the piano and played "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", which I sang. Then he had me sing the alphabet. Then he had me sing it like I was selling a car. I made sure to have fun here, opening the door of the car to show the interior on "gee". This guy then says, "Can you come back next Wednesday?" I asked him if I'd done something wrong, and he told me that callbacks were that day. "What are callbacks?" "I'm Fred. See you next Wednesday."
I came back and nailed the callback. I met a young man named John Catucci that day and we both made in into "Romeo and Juliet", which had somehow been written into a musical. That was my first Vanier College Productions show, and when I got to know Fred Thury. I hated him at first. I was there to learn my lines and do the show, and this guy was getting into my head and making me think things I didn't like to think about. About me, and what my opinions were on topics that were unsettling or unfamiliar. He told me that I needed to change my mind about things. About halfway through the rehearsals, he caught me babysitting our set one night (which we all took turns doing) listening to old TV themes and Sinatra songs. He said, "You can't like this stuff! You're a metal dude!" I told him he needed to change his mind about things. He liked that.
I did a few more shows while I was at York. Then, I graduated but stuck around helping out with various productions. I directed, I wrote, I improvised, I sang and danced. I painted, I hammered, I wired, I lit. All the while, I was learning how to be a better person. Fred and I argued and yelled, but mostly we laughed and made things work. And then a day came when I couldn't do a show for him. I felt terrible. Fred said that is was okay because I'd done about 15 shows for him in the last 6 or 7 years. That couldn't be right, but I went up to York today and, sure enough, it's 15 different productions that have my name on them in our little history book.
Fred was the first gay man I'd ever met. The first gay man married-to-a-woman-and-with-kids I'd ever heard of. He was the first person to really push me into different roles and different ways of thinking. "Spherical thinking" will be part of my vocabulary forever. He let me try things, and fail, and try again. He allowed me a lot of freedom in that company. I've done every job in that theatre. Every job IN theatre, from box office to producer. I learned everything from him.
What I really enjoyed was Fred's way of letting us discover things for ourselves. He'd never tell us how to say a line, or how to act. We'd make our own choices and then he'd discuss why we chose that direction. Frequently, he'd say it wasn't what he had in mind, but he liked what we were doing. We'd changed his mind about something and he admitted that. I respected that immensely.
Without Fred, I never would have met, John, Josh, Ron, Steve DelBalso, Perry, Edwards, and countless others. Without Fred I never would have tried to do anything other than "fat guy" roles. I would have never sang in public. I would have never improvised. Never written a play. Never directed. Never produced my own show. Never tried sketch comedy. Never heard of Second City. All of these things are second nature to me now.
Fred succumbed to an illness that, by all accounts, he should have died of in 1985. A very complicated illness involving blood and cancer and horrible surgeries. The entire time I've known him, he's been sick. He never let it stop him, he never let it get him down. It beat him up mercilessly and he still kept on going. He was opening another show this week and was sewing all the costumes for it. And I'm not surprised in the least.
I'm a little sad that in recent years, what with post-secondary education being what it is, that the shows have suffered at VCP. With younger students coming in, and more students needing to work to make ends meet, it's harder for them to make a commitment to a show. And this was hard on Fred who was used to a solid commitment. Fred had been getting more and more frustrated with the lack of commitment to his company. I know it's been hard for this particular show, as they've had to recast over 80% of the show in the last two weeks. But, Fred called a few old VCPers and they all said yes. Because it was Fred. Fred brought community to a university that has none. He made a family in a desolate place. Fred created a network of people who graduated to various businesses that would help each other out, and help new VCPers, in a heartbeat.
And tomorrow, I will go to Fred's funeral. I will see a lot of old friends... Many I've lost touch with over the years. I will see some people I don't want to see, and lots that I will never want to let go of. We'll share some stories about Fred... I'll probably tell the story of the time his one false tooth (which he had on a plate and had to sometimes remove to eat) fell out of his shirt pocket and into s pile of sawdust. I didn't know he had one then. He picked it up, dusted it off, and said, "you didn't see that." I laughed for half an hour, and he did too. But of all the stories I'll hear, nothing will hurt me more than knowing that I can't call him to talk. And when he would say hello, and you'd introduce yourself he would say, "I remember you." And he would. He remembered us all. Every. Single. One. Of. Us. From over 30 years of shows at York.
And we will all remember him.
"Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh." -George Bernard Shaw
******************************
From Nug's Blog...
I'm going to try to do this...
When I came to York in 1993, I really didn't know what I wanted to do. Well, I had an idea; I wanted to be a radio DJ. I knew that no amount of school was going to help me be a radio personality, though. I signed up for classes and went about my first week or so of school. That particular year I got to experience the joys of Jewish holidays for the first time, as my schedule went "frosh week", then a week off for Rosh Hashana, then a week back at school. I wanted to do something other than school (and drink as a hobby), much like I'd done in high school. I saw a poster for auditions for a Vanier College play. Now, living in Vanier Residence, I figured that this would be perfect as I wouldn't have to go outside and everything was contained in the same building complex. Plus, other than reading out loud in class, this would be great for practicing my announcing skills. The poster gave time, room number, and said, and I quote, "there will be incidental music." To this day, I stand by my belief that this was a typo, and it should have read, "incidentally, it's a musical."
I went to the audition with a monologue prepared (from a play we'd self-produced in high school, a series of teenage angst-riddled musings... I think called "Sometimes I Wake Up In The Middle Of The Night"), and ready to have some fun. I wasn't in the theatre department, so I figured this was going to be a lot like my high school, where people from all over the educational map were in the shows. I walked up to the table at the door and asked to sign up. They told me that I could go inside in 10 minutes, then asked which one of Fred's classes I was in. "Who's Fred?", I asked. Apparently, this Fred guy taught two classes, one in acting and one in stage construction, and his students were required to audition. Not me, I'm here on my own accord.
I went in and did my monologue in front of about 4 people, including this older man who then asked me if I could sing. "I can, but I don't," I replied. He hopped up to the piano and played "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", which I sang. Then he had me sing the alphabet. Then he had me sing it like I was selling a car. I made sure to have fun here, opening the door of the car to show the interior on "gee". This guy then says, "Can you come back next Wednesday?" I asked him if I'd done something wrong, and he told me that callbacks were that day. "What are callbacks?" "I'm Fred. See you next Wednesday."
I came back and nailed the callback. I met a young man named John Catucci that day and we both made in into "Romeo and Juliet", which had somehow been written into a musical. That was my first Vanier College Productions show, and when I got to know Fred Thury. I hated him at first. I was there to learn my lines and do the show, and this guy was getting into my head and making me think things I didn't like to think about. About me, and what my opinions were on topics that were unsettling or unfamiliar. He told me that I needed to change my mind about things. About halfway through the rehearsals, he caught me babysitting our set one night (which we all took turns doing) listening to old TV themes and Sinatra songs. He said, "You can't like this stuff! You're a metal dude!" I told him he needed to change his mind about things. He liked that.
I did a few more shows while I was at York. Then, I graduated but stuck around helping out with various productions. I directed, I wrote, I improvised, I sang and danced. I painted, I hammered, I wired, I lit. All the while, I was learning how to be a better person. Fred and I argued and yelled, but mostly we laughed and made things work. And then a day came when I couldn't do a show for him. I felt terrible. Fred said that is was okay because I'd done about 15 shows for him in the last 6 or 7 years. That couldn't be right, but I went up to York today and, sure enough, it's 15 different productions that have my name on them in our little history book.
Fred was the first gay man I'd ever met. The first gay man married-to-a-woman-and-with-kids I'd ever heard of. He was the first person to really push me into different roles and different ways of thinking. "Spherical thinking" will be part of my vocabulary forever. He let me try things, and fail, and try again. He allowed me a lot of freedom in that company. I've done every job in that theatre. Every job IN theatre, from box office to producer. I learned everything from him.
What I really enjoyed was Fred's way of letting us discover things for ourselves. He'd never tell us how to say a line, or how to act. We'd make our own choices and then he'd discuss why we chose that direction. Frequently, he'd say it wasn't what he had in mind, but he liked what we were doing. We'd changed his mind about something and he admitted that. I respected that immensely.
Without Fred, I never would have met, John, Josh, Ron, Steve DelBalso, Perry, Edwards, and countless others. Without Fred I never would have tried to do anything other than "fat guy" roles. I would have never sang in public. I would have never improvised. Never written a play. Never directed. Never produced my own show. Never tried sketch comedy. Never heard of Second City. All of these things are second nature to me now.
Fred succumbed to an illness that, by all accounts, he should have died of in 1985. A very complicated illness involving blood and cancer and horrible surgeries. The entire time I've known him, he's been sick. He never let it stop him, he never let it get him down. It beat him up mercilessly and he still kept on going. He was opening another show this week and was sewing all the costumes for it. And I'm not surprised in the least.
I'm a little sad that in recent years, what with post-secondary education being what it is, that the shows have suffered at VCP. With younger students coming in, and more students needing to work to make ends meet, it's harder for them to make a commitment to a show. And this was hard on Fred who was used to a solid commitment. Fred had been getting more and more frustrated with the lack of commitment to his company. I know it's been hard for this particular show, as they've had to recast over 80% of the show in the last two weeks. But, Fred called a few old VCPers and they all said yes. Because it was Fred. Fred brought community to a university that has none. He made a family in a desolate place. Fred created a network of people who graduated to various businesses that would help each other out, and help new VCPers, in a heartbeat.
And tomorrow, I will go to Fred's funeral. I will see a lot of old friends... Many I've lost touch with over the years. I will see some people I don't want to see, and lots that I will never want to let go of. We'll share some stories about Fred... I'll probably tell the story of the time his one false tooth (which he had on a plate and had to sometimes remove to eat) fell out of his shirt pocket and into s pile of sawdust. I didn't know he had one then. He picked it up, dusted it off, and said, "you didn't see that." I laughed for half an hour, and he did too. But of all the stories I'll hear, nothing will hurt me more than knowing that I can't call him to talk. And when he would say hello, and you'd introduce yourself he would say, "I remember you." And he would. He remembered us all. Every. Single. One. Of. Us. From over 30 years of shows at York.
And we will all remember him.
"Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh." -George Bernard Shaw
Sunday, March 05, 2006
PREMIERING THIS WEEK
Vanier College Productions presentsthe world premier of
comedy errors
a musical complication based on
Shakespeare's The Comedy of ErrorsOn stage at the Vanier College Studio Theatre,
258 Vanier College, York University | 4700 Keele Street
March 10-25 (peformances Wednesdays through Sundays)
Call 416.736.2100 ext. 40023 for tickets, or talk to me!
Tickets only $10.00 for students!
http://www.yorku.ca/vanier/Vanier-VCP.html
Thursday, February 09, 2006
I heard these annoucements in the Pittsburgh Airport tonight... HA!
"Your attention please. This is a courtesy announcement. If you are on the moving sidewalks, please stand directly in the middle, so as to block everybody in your path. Thank you"
"Your attention please. Mr. Smith, your flight is departing. If you're not on it, you better run, cause it's going to leave!"
"Your attention please, flight 107 to Tokyo, connecting... somewhere... has now departed. Thank you"
"Your attention please. Mr. Smith, your flight is departing. If you're not on it, you better run, cause it's going to leave!"
"Your attention please, flight 107 to Tokyo, connecting... somewhere... has now departed. Thank you"
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
Free Speech is Great, but is Anybody Listening?
Written by Jesse Paikin, Contributor
Wednesday, 25 January 2006
http://www.excal.on.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1317&Itemid=2
Edward Corrigan's letter to President Lorna Marsden regarding the university's alleged "suppress[ion of the] discussion of Palestinian human rights" is a fine example of the right to free speech that we so value at our university and in our country. It is also an example of the drivel masquerading as newsworthiness that so frequently invades Excalibur.
I do not wish to jump back into the ongoing Israel vs. Palestine debate, however, I will briefly address one of the issues that Corrigan raises, as I feel that it is important to present the inherent flaws in his argument.
The most disturbing argument Corrigan presents is his belief in Israel's "ethnic cleansing of Palestinian Arabs", which he believes is "a crime not unlike the one committed against Jews in the WWII". Here, Corrigan resorts to an emotional attack
rather than the constructive criticism that he states he is an ardent supporter of.
Corrigan chooses to ignore the fact that Israel's actions are most certainly not racially motivated and are not carried out with some sort of systematic "final solution" in mind, as he suggests. His correlation is flawed and offensive, and is only designed to provoke an emotional response. This is a prime example of the repeated techniques used by many anti-Israel propagandists. Flinging facts and figures back and forth doesn't hurt people, so instead they use emotional attacks, with such disturbing falsities such as "apartheid state", "ethnic cleansing" and "Nazi-like". These attacks have no place in the arena of constructive criticism and intellectual debate.
The ongoing Israel vs. Palestine debate has apparently shifted from the rotunda of Vari Hall to the pages of Excalibur. It is not hard to ponder why. Those of us who remember how outrageous the atmosphere was in the past are simply tired of the shouting and screaming matches, where the loudest and most provocative voices determined the winner. People got tired of the spectacle and stopped watching. The likes of Corrigan, who are more interested in provoking emotional responses than in stimulating intellectual debate, have been searching for a new arena for their circus-like antics. And they have found it - on the opinion pages of Excalibur.
This in mind, I have been wondering for months if people are just as tired of reading the fights on paper as they were tired of the fights in Vari Hall. Perhaps Excalibur should commission a poll.
This all being said, Excalibur is to be commended for valuing free speech and for keeping the many voices of this debate in some sort of balance. I would hope that future debaters do not waste their valuable right to free speech by flinging intellectual feces at each other.
Wednesday, 25 January 2006
http://www.excal.on.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1317&Itemid=2
Edward Corrigan's letter to President Lorna Marsden regarding the university's alleged "suppress[ion of the] discussion of Palestinian human rights" is a fine example of the right to free speech that we so value at our university and in our country. It is also an example of the drivel masquerading as newsworthiness that so frequently invades Excalibur.
I do not wish to jump back into the ongoing Israel vs. Palestine debate, however, I will briefly address one of the issues that Corrigan raises, as I feel that it is important to present the inherent flaws in his argument.
The most disturbing argument Corrigan presents is his belief in Israel's "ethnic cleansing of Palestinian Arabs", which he believes is "a crime not unlike the one committed against Jews in the WWII". Here, Corrigan resorts to an emotional attack
rather than the constructive criticism that he states he is an ardent supporter of.
Corrigan chooses to ignore the fact that Israel's actions are most certainly not racially motivated and are not carried out with some sort of systematic "final solution" in mind, as he suggests. His correlation is flawed and offensive, and is only designed to provoke an emotional response. This is a prime example of the repeated techniques used by many anti-Israel propagandists. Flinging facts and figures back and forth doesn't hurt people, so instead they use emotional attacks, with such disturbing falsities such as "apartheid state", "ethnic cleansing" and "Nazi-like". These attacks have no place in the arena of constructive criticism and intellectual debate.
The ongoing Israel vs. Palestine debate has apparently shifted from the rotunda of Vari Hall to the pages of Excalibur. It is not hard to ponder why. Those of us who remember how outrageous the atmosphere was in the past are simply tired of the shouting and screaming matches, where the loudest and most provocative voices determined the winner. People got tired of the spectacle and stopped watching. The likes of Corrigan, who are more interested in provoking emotional responses than in stimulating intellectual debate, have been searching for a new arena for their circus-like antics. And they have found it - on the opinion pages of Excalibur.
This in mind, I have been wondering for months if people are just as tired of reading the fights on paper as they were tired of the fights in Vari Hall. Perhaps Excalibur should commission a poll.
This all being said, Excalibur is to be commended for valuing free speech and for keeping the many voices of this debate in some sort of balance. I would hope that future debaters do not waste their valuable right to free speech by flinging intellectual feces at each other.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Is this a balanced article? I'm interested in people's thoughts.
January 16, 2006
The Things That Have Not Changed
By Fareed Zakaria
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10756413/site/newsweek/
The graveyards are filled with indispensable men, Charles de Gaulle once remarked. Ariel Sharon would seem to be the exception, one who truly became irreplaceable in his final years. Everyone seems to agree that his passing from the political scene would change everything, opening up a political void and jeopardizing the prospects for progress between the Palestinians and Israelis. But perhaps de Gaulle was right, even in the Middle East.
Sharon came to hold the view that he is now firmly associated with-unilateral disengagement with the Palestinians-extremely reluctantly. Withdrawal from Gaza was always a left-wing idea. In fact, the Labor Party leader, Amram Mitzna, campaigned on it in the 2002 election. Sharon rejected any such thinking, believing firmly in a "Greater Israel," one that he had risked his life conquering and building.
What changed his mind were demographic realities-namely the prospect that as the Palestinians multiplied, Jews would become a minority in their own country. Add to this a political reality: Israelis had soured on the dream of a Greater Israel-because they saw that it came with Palestinians in it. The Israelis wanted out. Sharon, a shrewd politician, recognized these trends and followed them.
These realities persist with or without Sharon. That is surely why his new party, Kadima, continues to poll as well as it did weeks ago, even though Israelis know now that Sharon may not lead it. Kadima fills a political vacuum. The Likud position remains a flat refusal to give up land, which the Israeli public thinks is implausible. The Labor Party, on the other hand, opposes unilateralism, arguing for a negotiated comprehensive settlement with the Palestinians. Israelis think this is naive. "The Palestinians cannot deliver, but we cannot stay," says Israeli politician Alon Pinkus. "These are the two pressures that will shape any Israeli government's approach." That means some kind of unilateral disengagement.
To be sure, Sharon's role was vital. He was the one leader who could break the taboo on returning land and evacuating settlers. Israelis trusted him to implement a difficult policy. He had credibility on the right, with the security forces and with key segments of the electorate. His probable successor, Ehud Olmert, actually advocated withdrawal from Gaza well before Sharon did, but would still face a huge challenge in executing any new moves. The West Bank is far more important to the Israeli right than Gaza was, and perhaps most important, Olmert is not Sharon.
Even with this large caveat, I do not believe that Sharon's absence would prove to be the crucial stumbling block. That's because the great obstacle to progress in the Middle East is no longer Israeli intentions but rather Palestinian capabilities. The big story that no one wants to admit yet is that the Palestinian Authority has collapsed, Gaza has turned into a failed state and there is no single Palestinian political organization that could create order in the territories and negotiate with Israel. Palestinian dysfunction is now the main limiting factor on any progress in the peace process.
There were many hopes that Gaza could become a model of what the Palestinians would do once liberated from occupation. Last week The Christian Science Monitor reported on the new scene: "As the first year devoid of an Israeli presence since 1967 dawns," it wrote, "armed militias roam the streets freely, foreigners are kidnapped with regularity, and the measure of a man in this coastal territory is not his political title, or even the size of his house, but the number of AK-47-wielding bodyguards he employs."
Some of these problems are not all of the Palestinians' making. Israel has ruled them harshly and disrupted their political and economic life, and some of these disruptions continue even in Gaza. Goods have to be loaded and unloaded at checkpoints, people checked and rechecked, all of which imposes huge costs on normal activities. But whatever the past and whatever the constraints, the fact remains that Gaza lacks a single authority, a functioning government, and as a result is in a "state of anarchy," in the words of The Christian Science Monitor. This is not the model that people had hoped for.
If the United States and the international community are looking to push along the peace process, the urgent need is to build Palestinian governing capability. Without that, Israeli intentions do not matter. If the Palestinians can get their act together, the spotlight will inevitably shift to the Israelis. And then the United States should urge Israel to continue in the direction that Ariel Sharon has pointed toward, separating itself from the Palestinian population in a process that inevitably will result in a Palestinian state on more than 90 percent of the territories captured in the 1967 war. A sense that this is what Sharon would have done eventually will be essential in moving to that settlement. In that sense, he might still prove to be utterly indispensable.
The Things That Have Not Changed
By Fareed Zakaria
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10756413/site/newsweek/
The graveyards are filled with indispensable men, Charles de Gaulle once remarked. Ariel Sharon would seem to be the exception, one who truly became irreplaceable in his final years. Everyone seems to agree that his passing from the political scene would change everything, opening up a political void and jeopardizing the prospects for progress between the Palestinians and Israelis. But perhaps de Gaulle was right, even in the Middle East.
Sharon came to hold the view that he is now firmly associated with-unilateral disengagement with the Palestinians-extremely reluctantly. Withdrawal from Gaza was always a left-wing idea. In fact, the Labor Party leader, Amram Mitzna, campaigned on it in the 2002 election. Sharon rejected any such thinking, believing firmly in a "Greater Israel," one that he had risked his life conquering and building.
What changed his mind were demographic realities-namely the prospect that as the Palestinians multiplied, Jews would become a minority in their own country. Add to this a political reality: Israelis had soured on the dream of a Greater Israel-because they saw that it came with Palestinians in it. The Israelis wanted out. Sharon, a shrewd politician, recognized these trends and followed them.
These realities persist with or without Sharon. That is surely why his new party, Kadima, continues to poll as well as it did weeks ago, even though Israelis know now that Sharon may not lead it. Kadima fills a political vacuum. The Likud position remains a flat refusal to give up land, which the Israeli public thinks is implausible. The Labor Party, on the other hand, opposes unilateralism, arguing for a negotiated comprehensive settlement with the Palestinians. Israelis think this is naive. "The Palestinians cannot deliver, but we cannot stay," says Israeli politician Alon Pinkus. "These are the two pressures that will shape any Israeli government's approach." That means some kind of unilateral disengagement.
To be sure, Sharon's role was vital. He was the one leader who could break the taboo on returning land and evacuating settlers. Israelis trusted him to implement a difficult policy. He had credibility on the right, with the security forces and with key segments of the electorate. His probable successor, Ehud Olmert, actually advocated withdrawal from Gaza well before Sharon did, but would still face a huge challenge in executing any new moves. The West Bank is far more important to the Israeli right than Gaza was, and perhaps most important, Olmert is not Sharon.
Even with this large caveat, I do not believe that Sharon's absence would prove to be the crucial stumbling block. That's because the great obstacle to progress in the Middle East is no longer Israeli intentions but rather Palestinian capabilities. The big story that no one wants to admit yet is that the Palestinian Authority has collapsed, Gaza has turned into a failed state and there is no single Palestinian political organization that could create order in the territories and negotiate with Israel. Palestinian dysfunction is now the main limiting factor on any progress in the peace process.
There were many hopes that Gaza could become a model of what the Palestinians would do once liberated from occupation. Last week The Christian Science Monitor reported on the new scene: "As the first year devoid of an Israeli presence since 1967 dawns," it wrote, "armed militias roam the streets freely, foreigners are kidnapped with regularity, and the measure of a man in this coastal territory is not his political title, or even the size of his house, but the number of AK-47-wielding bodyguards he employs."
Some of these problems are not all of the Palestinians' making. Israel has ruled them harshly and disrupted their political and economic life, and some of these disruptions continue even in Gaza. Goods have to be loaded and unloaded at checkpoints, people checked and rechecked, all of which imposes huge costs on normal activities. But whatever the past and whatever the constraints, the fact remains that Gaza lacks a single authority, a functioning government, and as a result is in a "state of anarchy," in the words of The Christian Science Monitor. This is not the model that people had hoped for.
If the United States and the international community are looking to push along the peace process, the urgent need is to build Palestinian governing capability. Without that, Israeli intentions do not matter. If the Palestinians can get their act together, the spotlight will inevitably shift to the Israelis. And then the United States should urge Israel to continue in the direction that Ariel Sharon has pointed toward, separating itself from the Palestinian population in a process that inevitably will result in a Palestinian state on more than 90 percent of the territories captured in the 1967 war. A sense that this is what Sharon would have done eventually will be essential in moving to that settlement. In that sense, he might still prove to be utterly indispensable.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
An island of calm in a stormy sea
The responses to the Ha'aretz articles on Sharon's stroke are typical. Most offer prayers for a speedy recovery. Too many claim that this is G-d's punishment for evacutating Azza. Some people just try to spark up the typical Israel vs. Palestinians debate.
This response stood out. It's by a guy named Raymond Blumenthal from somewhere in New York. Read it and think...
~~~~
Sharon is a complicated person. He is not only one of Israel's greatest Generals but ranks as one of the world's military leaders. I respected him as a General but was not happy with him in his early days as a politician. He was a proponent of settlements, not understanding of the Palestinians and used a heavy hand with some of Israel's neighbors.
But one thing made him different from most other leaders in the Middle East. He learned. He understood that Israel could not go on doing what it was doing to the occupied territories. Israel had to rethink its way in the world and its future. Like the good General he was, he realized that sometimes you must retreat and reformer your lines before you continue.
He, more then most other people, felt that giving up Gaza would be painful but it had to be done. Was he not partly responsible for the capture of Gaza and the settlements? Those who lament over the loss of Gaza are shot sighted. They only see one small part of what is Israel. Gaza would never be part of Israel. What I worry about is the Israel of today, not the one of 2000 years ago.
He made many mistakes in the past, and if he recovers, he may make a few more. But remember what he has done has always been for the good of Israel and its people. He doesn?t deserve the abuse of some religious zealots who want to live in the past.
This response stood out. It's by a guy named Raymond Blumenthal from somewhere in New York. Read it and think...
~~~~
Sharon is a complicated person. He is not only one of Israel's greatest Generals but ranks as one of the world's military leaders. I respected him as a General but was not happy with him in his early days as a politician. He was a proponent of settlements, not understanding of the Palestinians and used a heavy hand with some of Israel's neighbors.
But one thing made him different from most other leaders in the Middle East. He learned. He understood that Israel could not go on doing what it was doing to the occupied territories. Israel had to rethink its way in the world and its future. Like the good General he was, he realized that sometimes you must retreat and reformer your lines before you continue.
He, more then most other people, felt that giving up Gaza would be painful but it had to be done. Was he not partly responsible for the capture of Gaza and the settlements? Those who lament over the loss of Gaza are shot sighted. They only see one small part of what is Israel. Gaza would never be part of Israel. What I worry about is the Israel of today, not the one of 2000 years ago.
He made many mistakes in the past, and if he recovers, he may make a few more. But remember what he has done has always been for the good of Israel and its people. He doesn?t deserve the abuse of some religious zealots who want to live in the past.
Monday, January 02, 2006
A Brave Priest
| In a Past Life... |
 You Were: A Brave Priest. Where You Lived: Burma. How You Died: Decapitation. |
Freedom Rock
| You Are a Freedom Rocker! |
 You're stuck in the 70s - for better or worse Crazy hair, pot soaked clothes, and tons of groupies Your kind showed the world how to rock Is that freedom rock?... Well turn it up man! |
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