The Rabbi on the Beach at the Shul on The Beach
Do You Know How Many Prisoners Are In For Life Without Parole Who Committed Their Crimes As Juveniles?
I do.
It depends where you ask this question. There is one answer for the United States of America, the Land of the FREE and the Home of the Brave and there is one answer for the REST OF THE WORLD.
In the REST OF THE WORLD there are 0 / ZERO / nil / Zed / zip / zilch / nada.
In the United States of America, the Land of the FREE and the Home of the Brave there Continue reading →
At Pacific Jewish Center we endeavor to share the light Judaism with the entire Beach Community. As we approach the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, the least we could do was wish the Venice Boardwalk a collective Shana Tova (A Good Year) to all the passersby.
So I set up shop outside the Shul on the Beach on a Sunday afternoon. Literally thousands of people pass the Shul on a beautiful summer Sunday like yesterday. I started all alone, but was eventually joined by Shul Co-President Alan Danziger and veteran of the Venice Boardwalk outreach scene, Rabbi Mintz and as the Klezmer Concert approached (Klezmer on the Beach Concert Was a Great Success) many, many friends, neighbors and my family. Over the course of the few hours we were there plenty of folks from the local area and as far as Australia, London, Israel (of course) and South Africa stopped by. Continue reading →
From time to time, the Shul on the Beach hosts events on Sunday afternoons and evenings that are open to the public. Yesterday we hosted a Klezmer concert on the Beach and it was a smashing success!
Dr. Ellie Goldstein’s close friend has been playing for Dr. Goldstein and his friends at Dr. Goldstein’s home for many years. Ron Grun (along with Ken Husbands) are very talented klezmer musicians and close friends of Dr. Goldstein.
Over the last year, PJC has been privileged to have Dr. Goldstein and his friends join our shul. One of the many perks of their involvement was the concert taking place in the shul. Continue reading →
Living among Christmas Celebrators for almost my entire life, I have picked up on a notion of the “Holiday Spirit” that ushers in the Holidays of Christmas and New Year’s. Folks are generally more friendly and generous under the “guise” of Holiday Spirit.
Seeing as Rosh Hashana (the Jewish New Year) is a mere 9 days away, if we were Christian and the New Year was 9 days away, we would be knee-deep in the “Holiday Spirit”. A congregant of mine told me an anecdote that would fit neatly in the “Holiday Spirit” if we had an equivalent. Continue reading →
When we think of 19th and early 20th century history, we think of everything in greyscale. It’s not our fault, picture and films from the era have clouded our ability to see those times in color.
Much of that era’s Jewish history is captured in black and white photos from Europe. It gives rise to a sense that their time was one of darkness and sadness, devoid of color. Of course this is completely false. (In fact, many would counter that the black and white mode of dress common among many orthodox Jews is more doom and gloom than the the modes of dress present in the 19th and early 20th century.)
I happened upon a selection of absolutely stunning color photographs taken in Russia in the early 20th century before the world was thrust in upheaval during the First World War. The photos are in full technicolor Continue reading →
Child Witches in Nigeria
I saw this CNN article on a friend’s Facebook page.
There is a severe humanitarian crisis in Nigeria. I don’t know how much we can do to help but I think the crisis is emblematic of social issues in our culture as well.
Innocent children are being physically abused, even tortured or killed because they are thought to be witches. If a child can be blamed for a tragedy or illness by claiming they are a witch they will be outcast, then beaten and then abandoned to rid the community of the witch. Continue reading →
Here is something that will get you in the High Holiday spirit.
Sometimes I see video on YouTube that I cannot help but share with you.
This 13 second gem was sent to me by a friend.
It appeals to my sense of humor. It actually made me laugh. Background story below…
Enjoy. Continue reading →
This past Sunday I was in Baltimore MD (Birthplace of Eliyahu Fink and his son Rami) for a very unique occasion.
My grandmother was celebrating her 70th birthday (that’s not so unique – right?) AND her recent Ph.D (yes – she just got her Ph.D). Veteran readers of this blog will remember that both my grandmothers work full time (see: My Thoughts On The Aughts). That’s an accomplishment on its own merits! Continue reading →
I honestly cannot believe that this story still has legs.
Silly me. I actually thought that if people knew the truth about Cordoba House they would simply cease to oppose its existence. (See: The Mosque at Ground Zero Has A Marketing Problem)
Yet, weeks later, people still call it a mosque and people still think it is being built at Ground Zero and people still think it is being funded by Osama bin Laden and it will become a terror cell and the reason they are building the mosque is to proclaim victory for Islam etc etc etc.
I have seen several videos about the issue. I have placed two of the videos on this page. Watch them both and you decide who makes the more cogent, reasoned, fair arguments. Continue reading →
I bet Dr. Laura is not smiling quite as wide this morning.
Dr. Laura Schlessinger is quitting the over-the-air radio business. She has been forced into a corner with no apparent way out. Her resigning was demanded in the wake of her comments to a caller in which she used racial slurs to illustrate a point.
I am not defending Dr. Laura’s use of insensitive language, however I do not think she should quit or be asked / forced to quit.
Here is exactly what happened: (Source)
A black woman called the show and told Dr. Laura that
her husband is white and his relatives frequently use hurtful racial language around her, including the “N-word.” In response, Schlessinger said “Black guys use it all the time. Turn on HBO, listen to a black comic, and all you hear is n*****, n*****, n*****.” Schlessinger also told her that “If you’re that hypersensitive about color and don’t have a sense of humor, don’t marry out of your race.”
Predictably, there was a lot of backlash and Dr. Laura was forced to quit. Continue reading →
On Twitter, someone (HT below) linked to this Verizon ad. I confess to never seeing the ad on TV but I commend Verizon for putting their ads on YouTube. Sometimes ads are art. This is one of those times.
I also admit to using Verizon for absolutely zero services. I don’t like them very much, I think their logo is dated, their name is weird and their customer service is deplorable. But I know a good ad when I see one.
Do I think this ad translates into sales? Probably not.
It remains an excellent piece of art. Continue reading →
I have visited a prison and a jail. (My Visit With Judith Clark at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility) I have learned a lot about the failures of our current system of incarceration and it sickens me. As a (realtively) outspoken individual I have made my opinions known to anyone who will listen.
I tell them that I am against prison in principle. I don’t think anyone should go to prison. It’s a waste of money and far worse it is a waste of a human being. People accomplish almost nothing while incarcerated. Society gives them a free ride and they produce next to nothing for society.
The first response I hear is usually related to the safety of society. That somehow we, on the outside, are safer if the criminals are isolated, on the inside. Continue reading →
One of the more remarkable things that has occurred in the last 50 years is the shrinking of the world. Planes fly to even the most remote locations across the globe and high-speed fiber-optic cable connects the entire global community. I can virtually visit famous landmarks and have face to face conversations with people anywhere.
Almost 2000 years ago, the established Jewish community was based in the Land of Israel. Jews were living in Europe, North Africa and Babylonia as well, but the main community was centered around the Temple and communal religious life in Israel. The Temple was destroyed almost 2000 years ago and the diaspora began. Slowly, Jews migrated all over the world. Most prominently, the communities of Eastern Europe, the Medditeranean Basin and Babylonia established large Torah communities and much of Judaism today is the product of the generations of Jews who lived in those regions.
With the shrinking of the world, Jews from all backgrounds and ethnicities have become familiar with one another and a global Jewish community has evolved. Continue reading →
The MTA has approved a pretty powerful anti-Cordoba Center ad.
Here is the ad:
I find the ad obscene. It is provocative, misleading and presumptuous all in one.
However, as much as the ICC has a right to exist, this ad has a right to exist as well. The same laws that protect the ICC, protect this obscene ad. (Note: If the ad was so incendiary as to cause violence it would NOT be protected by the constitution, in which case it would lose my meaningless approval as well)
The irony is that the folks behind the ad can hide behind the 1st Amendment but would deny the same rights to the Cordoba Center.
Way back in the embryonic stages of this blog I wrote about a father who was denied a birthday cake by a local Shoprite for his son’s birthday.
The reason? The store refused to write the child’s name on the cake.
That child’s name? Adolph Hitler Campbell. (Adolf Hitler Campbell can’t get a birthday cake)
A little while later, I reported that the child, along with his siblings were taken into protective services. (Breaking News! Ad@lf Hitl&r Campbell Update)
Following an appeal, Heath Campbell (the father) has lost custody of his children. Continue reading →
This post has been cross-posted to DovBear: Don’t Judge A Group By It’s Extremists
The Westboro Baptist Church practices and preaches an extremely fundamental version of Christianity. They hold that God punishes American soldiers in Iraq because there are “Gays in the military”. They hate Jews because Jews are they killed Jesus and are the cause of fornication. They protest at shuls, Holocaust Museums and funerals of soldiers. They are fundamentalists and like many fundies are obscene, anti-social and hateful.
There are orthodox Jews who practice a very fundamental view of Judaism. They say that God killed Continue reading →
As you can see I have added a widget to the sidebar that will allow you to “Like” Pacific Jewish Center on Facebook.
If you read this blog you are part of the PJC community and you should definitely “Like” us. So please be a pal, and “Like” us today! Certainly, if you have come to the Shul on the Beach at any point in time or join us on a regular basis you should “Like” us.
You can “like” PJC on the right hand side of this blog. Just click the “Like” next to the “thumbs up”.
If you can think of anything that should be added to the Facebook Page please let me know and I will try and make it happen!
To visit the Pacific Jewish Center Facebook Page click here: PJC on Facebook
This post has been cross-posted to DovBear: Islamaphobia and Cordoba House
It seems that the Cordoba House in downtown Manhattan has cleared a major hurdle by winning a 9-0 vote of the Landmarks Conservation Commission. (NY Times link)
Conservatives and liberals seem to be at loggerheads on this particular issue. Sarah Palin made headlines with her plea that the center be blocked and fellow right wing pundits have expressed their distaste to the center. They feel it disgraces the deceased by glorifying what they believe to be the religion that caused the tragedy at Ground Zero almost 9 years ago. Liberals, on the other hand, see the center as an olive branch to Islam and think the center glorifies America, not the dangerous form of Islamic Fundamentalism that took down the Twin Towers, 3000 victims and the U.S. economy.
I can’t say whether the center is an affront or not. Continue reading →
This past winter I wrote an article about Felony Murder for a student run Law Journal at Loyola Law School. (Read: I’ve Been Published! My Article On Felony Murder Is Online)
In researching the subject of Felony Murder I was introduced to the case of Judith Clark by Professor Gilda Zwerman who accompanied me to visit with Judith. Judith Clark has a website all about her crime, time served and the way she has rehabilitated her life while in prison. (Link: http://www.judithclark.org)
On Monday I had the opportunity to spend a couple hours with her in prison. It was very powerful. Continue reading →
I am visiting my hometown of Monsey NY this summer. My family still lives in Monsey so I always keep tabs on some the news and goings on in Monsey. This morning a fascinating post on LoHud.com (the Rockland County newspaper’s website).
The post confirms what everyone in Monsey and Rockland already knows, there has been a severe demographic shift over the last 30 years. You can see it with your eyes if you visit Rockland County and in particular Monsey. But seeing the data as presented by the post really drove home the stark reality.
According the post these are the most popular baby names over the last 30 years: Continue reading →
Chai Lifeline is a nice Jewish organization that does amazing things for children with terminal diseases and other medical problems. They have a nice website where you can see their mission statement and some of the other things that they do here: Chai Lifeline.
Their flagship program is called Camp Simcha.
Camp Simcha is a camp for cancer children and they vow to give these children the most fun and inspiring summer of their life (until next summer, hopefully).
Camp Simcha pulled off a really great stunt in Times Square this week. They got permits and arranged all the necessary medical logistics to make it happen.
Continue reading →
An arab man lied to an Israeli woman about his ethnicity. After they “consummated the relationship” she discovered he was not Israeli, he was Arab. He was charged with rape.
He has been sentenced to 18 months in jail. He will appeal.
The headlines are scandalous.
Israeli Arab who ‘raped’ a woman says verdict ‘racist’
Sex with Jewish girl costs Arab man 18 months in Israeli jail
Over on DovBear (Israeli Court Shames Itself With Idiotic Ruling) there is a fairly predictable post and discussion about the merits of the Israeli court decision. Continue reading →
This post has been cross-posted to DovBear: Dancing at Auschwitz
Everyone has been talking about this video.
From the description:
On a recent trip to Europe, a family of three generations (a Holocaust survivor, his daughter and his grandchildren) dance to Gloria Gaynor’s pop song – ‘I Will Survive’ at concentration camps and memorials throughout Europe.
This dance is a tribute to the tenacity of the human spirit and a celebration of life.
Is it appropriate for a survivor and his family to celebrate their survival in this manner? Everyone seems to have an opinion. Continue reading →
At sundown this evening, the 9th of Av, Jews all around the world will begin a 25 hour period of mourning. We mourn the loss of the great Temple in Jerusalem, and all that it symbolized. We lament the loss of our national unity and the special Temple connection. We hope and pray for a complete redemption and the messianic era of peace, harmony and sprirituality.
(Read my thoughts on Tisha B’Av from last year: Mourning The Living On The 9th of Av)
Most people are familiar with the custom to fast for 25 hours as a sign of our mourning. We suffer to try and feel what we are missing. For many people, Tisha B’Av is a fast day and nothing else.
That is tragic. Continue reading →
Join Pacific Jewish Center for High Holiday Services 2010!
The Jewish New Year is near. 5771 is upon us and one can almost hear the regal sounds of the Shofar of the Rosh Hashana services and taste the apple dipped in honey. The services are inspiring on their own. Pacific Jewish Center holds High Holidays services at the world famous Shul on the Beach. Imagine how inspired you will be with pictureesque views and vistas of the waves crashing against the west coast surf. Imagine the sun setting behind the shul as it dips below the horizon during the Neilah services at the close of Yom Kippur.
Pacific Jewish Center welcome anyone and everyone to our traditional High Holiday services. All denominations will feel welcome and non-members are treated like one of our own.
You are welcome to stop by on a Friday Evening at 6:30 or Saturday morning after 9:30 AM to experience our warm services and get a flavor for who we are.
For High Holiday tickets contact the PJC office and talk to Leslie. Contact PJC
Additionally you can contact the Rabbi during the week for a meeting, phone conversation or any questions.
Rabbi Eliyahu Fink
323.541.5251
rabbifink@gmail.com
http://finkorswim.com
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