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My Uncle Ronnie Greenwald Speaks at the Agudah Convention

rabbifink — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:22:30 +0000

My great uncle, Ronnie Greenwald is not the kind of person who is usually invited to speak at the Agudah Convention. It’s too dangerous. He speaks his mind, is willing to challenge people, and he is very respected and beloved by the orthodox Jewish community.

Apparently, something got in the head of the Agudah Convention powers that be and they invited him to speak about the challenges some of our youth are going through in their lives. He speaks from experience, excellent instinct, and wisdom.

Two things to note:

Random clapping at the wrong times is cringeworthy but sadly humorous. You’ll notice what I am talking about.

The people who needed to hear this speech more than anybody else were not present. When the speech ends you can see the dais is empty. The rabbis in leadership positions needed to hear this speech more than anyone else. Maybe you can send then the youtube clip to watch on their shmutz phones.

Enjoy the speech. There is so much in there and almost all of it is right on the money. Please send this to as many people as you can:

HT: Mordechai Hanover on Facebook

Stop Bullying in Frum Schools

rabbifink — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:30:10 +0000

This is a real problem. I truly hope this program is successful.

I have no idea if the curriculum is good or bad, useful or useless. Anything that can be done should and must be done.

Bullying is happening all over the world and the orthodox Jewish schools are not immune. I know of modern orthodox schools that have developed their own programs and they work. But there is a reputation in the more yeshivish schools that there is bullying and violence. I have seen it first hand.

FIX IT. NOW.

The View From the Other Side

rabbifink — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:33:22 +0000

A friend on Twitter linked to this video yesterday. I watched it and found it very fascinating.

Some of you might find it boring. But that is only because we have different interests. I love to see how people react to being questioned about their beliefs. I love seeing how people react to being informed about another’s beliefs. I love to watch people who don’t know that they are being watched.

If you are like me at all. You will like this video.

A young Israeli woman works at a hotel in London that serves kosher food and is designed for orthodox Jews. The conversations that she has with some of the patrons are enlightening. Some people make good impressions, others do not.

It’s a great reminder to orthodox Jews that we need to be educated on our traditions so that we do not make up nonsensical answers, use a condescending tone, make assumptions and just in general reflect positively upon orthodox Judaism.

(I wonder if it is legal to film people without their consent and then post the video on youtube…)

If you have thoughts on the video please share them in the comments.

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HT: @BethanyShondark

Pacific Jewish Center and Pella Were on the Local News

rabbifink — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:49:41 +0000

The world famous Pella Singers performed at our Chanukah lighting on Santa Monica Promenade a c0uple of weeks ago. It was a great event. People from all over the world joined in for a few minutes of our Chanukah celebration.

The news cameras were there. I was interviewed by KABC-TV for a segment that never aired. But KTLA did broadcast a small piece of the gathering. We’ll take it!

Watch the video here:

Find out more about Pella: http://www.pellasingers.com/

Tim Tebow’s Relationship With His God

rabbifink — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:55:15 +0000

There is nothing quite like Tim Tebow.

He is one of the most decorated NCAA Football players of all time. He worked for years as a Missionary spreading the Gospel in Southeast Asia. He is arguably the worst passing quarterback in the NFL. He is by far the most talked about sports personality.

Quite a combination. Much of the talk of Tim Tebow relates to his very obvious religious beliefs. I say they are obvious because Tebow kneels in prayer during the game. He points to the sky all the time. He invokes the name of his God every time he has a chance to do so. Tebow’s antics inspired an entire internet meme called #Tebowing. People would kneel as if in prayer at the most awkward times and places and snap a picture. This is aside from the very clever #occupytebow movement which is not relevant to this blog post.

The point is that Tebow takes his religion very seriously. Whenever athletes thank God and praise God for their accomplishments it can be irksome to everyone. Religious people of the same religion, religious people of other religions and atheists can all find ways to be offended.

Does God really want the Home team to beat the Away team? Does God really give special powers to some teams and not to other teams? Does a player’s religious conviction really have an impact on a game?

I think the answer to all those questions is no. See: Whose Fault is a Dropped Game-Wininng Touchdown? for my feelings on this one.

In fact, please read that post because you’ll see that I actually agree with Tim Tebow on this issue.

Tebow was asked about invoking God as part of his athletic accomplishments and he didn’t take the bait. He answered that he doesn’t give God the credit or the blame. He is merely using his platform as a way of teaching people about his religion. He emphatically denied that his religion gives him an edge or that he can play better because of God. He focused on the opportunity to use his fame and success to glorify the name of his God.

He also mentions that football does not define him. He is defined by his morality and good acts. He is defined by his character. So his religion is not a cause. It is merely a basis for his life. It is not part of his game on the field.

I think that is a great answer. Great job by Tebow.

What is interesting to me is that Tebow invokes the name of his God, Jesus, and that is somewhat acceptable within society. Imagine a Muslim player praising Allah or a Jewish person praising God (not Jesus). I don’t think they would be as accepted.

Christian displays of religious fervor are far more tolerated than that of any other religion. It can make the rest of us feel uncomfortable. Tebow is doing it in a way that minimizes the discomfort for others but even his way has rankled many people. It would be wise for people to limit religion to religious activities and not pepper it throughout their public lives.

Watch Tebow’s interview. The religious stuff is near the end:

Chevrolet’s New Ad “Borrows” From Dear Photograph

rabbifink — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:14:40 +0000

A Typical "Dear Photograph" Submission

A little while back I posted a link to a really amazing Tumblr blog called “Dear Photograph”.

The idea is hard to explain but when you see it for yourself the whole thing makes perfect sense and is quite touching. Dear Photograph is a blog that posts current photos of a place with a smaller old photograph of the same place being held in the same space. So for example you would see a new photo of a home and where the front steps would be there is an old photograph of some people standing at the front steps.

The effect is amazing. The submissions to Dear Photograph can evoke powerful emotions.

It’s so cool that I wish I had thought of it myself. Ever since I saw the blog I wished I could do some of my own Dear Photograph submissions.

Apparently, Chevrolet’s marketing firm wished they had thought of it too.

A new ad campaign marking 100 years of Chevy uses the exact same concept by placing old photographs of Chevy cars and trucks in front of present day backgrounds. The resemblance to Dear Photograph is uncanny and obvious.

There is no attribution to Dear Photograph. I assume that Dear Photograph was not part of the campaign. A little Googling told me that I am not the only one to notice the similarities. See this: AdWeek and the comments on YouTube.

It can be argued that the idea is not original to Dear Photograph either. I don’t know if it or if it is not. I can understand if Dear Photograph is annoyed by their idea being used by Chevy without being compensated for it.

On the other hand, there is no greater validation for an artist than know that their idea is being used in a multimillion dollar campaign for a 100 year old car company. It must feel great to see their vision on TV and being used commercially. If you think about it, 10 years ago there would have been no way for anyone not an ad executive to have their idea in a commercial. Now, Dear Photograph, a little blog has their idea in a huge commercial. Obviously, they would like to get paid, but it is a huge step forward for the “suits” to be taking ideas from bloggers!

Either way, Dear Photograph has gone mainstream and if you want to see Chevy’s inspiration head on over to their site. I think a Jewish / Israel centric Dear Photograph would be amazing. It would be really cool to see old photos of people in Israel at important sites superimposed over current photos of the same places.

Here is the Chevy ad:

Link: Dear Photograph

Moral Equivalency in the Media: Gilad Shalit and Terrorists

rabbifink — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:39:11 +0000

One of the more dramatic events in my lifetime has been the recent release of Gilad Shalit. I think most Jews thought he would never go home. He was released, the price was very high and now a week later we can reflect on the deal and its ramifications.

Perhaps the two biggest complaints that supporters of Israel have expressed are related not to Shalit, but to the 1000+ prisoners exchanged for Shalit. These complaints are divided into two categories. One category refers to the celebrations in Gaza when the prisoners returned. They were given a hero’s welcome and treated in a way that offended many people who felt that criminals and terrorists should not be celebrated.

I believe this criticism is partially valid. All kinds of prisoners were released. Some were terrorists and murdereres. Others were agitators who jumped the fence or snuck into Israel without permission. They were all released together. The worst offenders were supposedly sent to other countries, not Gaza.

For a governing body to cheer and promote terrorism there is absolutely no justification. It is horrible and should be obvious to any reasonable person that it is bad.

However, I do not take issue with the celebrations of individuals who were welcomed by their families and friends with cheers and whoops of joy. I have seen hardened criminals in American court and seen the reactions of their friends and families when they are released or acquitted. It is the same. I think we can all see that friends and family can be permitted to enjoy the moment their criminal / terrorist family members return home. I do not have a problem with it all.

The second category of complaint refers to the equivocation of some of the media and UN leadership of Shalit and the 1000+ prisoners. A similar complaint has been lodged by some members of the Jewish community against its own members who have equated Shalit with Pollard or Rubashkin. The complaint hods that there is a moral equivalency implied when Shalit and the prisoners are compared. The video below powerfully demonstrates the issue. (Watch it after you finish reading.)

I agree that any moral equivalency is absurd. No normal person could think that Shalit is equal to terrorist or even to Jewish criminals.

I don’t necessarily agree that moral equivalency between Shalit and the terrorists was as common or prevalent as some others might perceive. There is a tendency to expect certain things from media coverage. When these expectations are not met one response is to get upset or point out that the media is biased or anti-Semitic or anti-Israel. I think that perhaps the expectations are simply off.

The media is not reading into each and every word it says like a Talmudic passage. They are reporting and for the sake of brevity, interest, ratings, or many other factors may present a headline or story from which something offensive can be inferred. In my opinion this is a useless exercise.

Take the primary example in the video below. The SkyNet reporter segues from the Shalit story to the “human element” of the released prisoners. Somehow this is deemed horribly offensive. I just don’t see it. There is no implied moral equivalency. What is being said is simply what was remarked above. There is a human element when hundreds of people who have been locked up come home. Isn’t there? So why the outrage?

I prefer to reserve my outrage for the actual words and acts of the despicable terrorists you laugh and giggle when told how many people they have killed. Sick.

Enjoy the video below.

HT: EN

New Nike Commercial for Jumpman23 Features Orthodox Jews

rabbifink — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 06:39:43 +0000

This is cute.

Showcasing basketball leagues across the country, this Nike ad includes the “Jewish Under 40 League” in Brooklyn.

I have no idea if they are actors or bona fide “Jewish Under 40 League” ball players, but the cameo of the rabbinic looking figure on the sideline has got to be the funniest part of the commercial.

UPDATE:

GET YOUR VERY OWN “JEWISH UNDER 40 LEAGUE” T-SHIRT! CLICK –> HERE

Yom Kippur Message: The Bird of Hope

rabbifink — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:56:16 +0000

REPOST: I posted this last year in anticipation of Yom Kippur.

The song is The Bird of Hope, the singer is Mordechai ben David.

For me, this song has always been a powerful metaphor for Yom Kippur. I really wanted to share it with you but it was not available anywhere online. So I decided to do it myself. I made this video ~~yesterday~~ last year. The pictures don’t do the lyrics justice, but it was worth making the video so everyone could hear the song before Yom Kippur.

Please watch the video and contemplate its important message.

No matter where how drastically we fall, we can always rise from the ashes to great heights. We just need to make the right choices.

On a side note, this song was recorded in 1979. Mordechai ben David’s voice is so incredible in this song. It’s amazing that he is still recording new songs, but after listening to this, you will note that he a shadow of his former self…

I want to wish everyone a successful Yom Kippur. Please forgive everyone who may have harmed you. I know I have.

Please share this video to help everyone prepare for Yom Kippur.

One of the Best Videos I Have Ever Seen: Disconnect and Enjoy

rabbifink — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:38:13 +0000

This video has been making the social media rounds. I have a lot of video making experience (around 50 or so projects in the last 10 years) and in my opinion most of the videos that come out of the orthodox Jewish community are not very good.

This one is good.

It is shot well, edited well, the music is very good and most of all, its message is universal and worthwhile.

So I remind myself and all of you: Disconnect and Enjoy

Landmark Eyewitness Identification Case Decided in New Jersey Supreme Court

rabbifink — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:31:08 +0000

In a criminal trial, several kinds of evidence are provided by the prosecution to prove the defendant is guilty. The most influential of these forms of evidence is often an eyewitness identification. A case with a positive ID is almost always going to result in a conviction.

The most common cause for an erroneous conviction of an innocent person is eyewitness misidentification. For years, experts have been explaining that misidentification can occur by mistake and with good faith. That doesn’t make them reliable. It just makes misidentifications into honest mistakes.

In many states legislation has been proposed to curb the effects of eyewitness identification. In New Jersey, the Supreme Court has spoken from the bench in an effort to fix this problem.

When an eyewitness identification may be unreliable, the judge in the case is required to hold a hearing to determine the witness’ reliability and then must instruct the jurors how much weight to place on the identification. In most cases the evidence will be heard, but the judge will educate jurors on the reliability of eyewitness identification.

Social science and decades of research have shown that eyewitness identifications are very often unreliable. Factors such as fear, bias, unfamiliarity with the defendant, focusing on the weapon, police misconduct, length of time between the crime and the ID all play into the reliability of the identification. Time and time again, identifications have been shown to be erroneous and have contributed to the death of innocent defendants via the death penalty and decades of prison time for other innocent defendants.

The New Jersey case comes ahead of a highly anticipated United States Supreme Court case next year that will decide an eyewitness identification issue. It is likely that the Supreme Court will follow the model set forth by the New Jersey Supreme Court.

Link: NY Times

For an amazing account of a false eyewitness identification watch these two videos. The story of the conviction is interesting and enlightening, but the story of the exoneration very inspiring:

Klezmer Concert 2011: A Huge Success!

rabbifink — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 07:01:16 +0000

Once again, the Klezmer concert was a huge success.

A beautiful cross-section of Jews from around the world enjoyed the lovely musical intonations of Ron Grun. Pacific Jewish Center members showed up to the concert in strong numbers. But the non-members who joined us for the event made the concert even more special.

On another typical Venice Beach Sunday, dozens of folks popped their heads into the shul. Some stayed for the entire concert. Others made stayed briefly.

But everyone enjoyed. Once again, we were proud to spread the light of Torah and Judaism to the Venice Boardwalk community.

It was wonderful meeting all the people who stopped in for some of the concert and I hope we see you again soon.

OUR NEXT EVENT will be an art gallery over Labor Day weekend. Admission will be free.

We hope to see you then.

Thank you to the Goldstein family for sponsoring the Klezmer Concert again.

Enjoy some snippets below. (MY good HD video cameras were not available so you’ll have to bear with the iPhone HD quality. It’s pretty good. But not s good as last year’s video.)

Alan Dershowitz on “Who is a Jew”

rabbifink — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 01:12:34 +0000

(Photo via NY Times) Branca was disconsolate after giving up the home run that won a pennant in 1951.

The NY Times has been busy with a story about Ralph Branca and his heritage.

Who is Ralph Branca? He’s the guy who gave up the “shot heard ’round the word”.

What’s the “shot heard ’round the world”? The home run hit by Bobby Thompson of the New York Giants that was immediately followed by “THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!”

Branca has a largely ignominious place in sports lore because he gave up that epic home run.

During an investigative report on his life by reporter Joshua Prager, it was discovered that Branca’s mother was a Jew who emigrated to the United States in 1901 from what was then Hungary. Branca was as shocked as anyone to learn that his mother was a Jew. Perhaps he was even more shocked to discover that he was a Jew as well. For in Jewish law, if one’s mother is Jewish, one is Jewish!

Branca was raised Catholic.

As a kid, Branca was a “Shabbos goy”, a term I despise for its less than glamorous connotations. He performed certain tasks forbidden for Jews on the Sabbath. (In all likelihood, it was equally impermissible for those Jews to ask young Ralphie to perform those tasks on their behalf, but I digress.) Branca is quoted at the end of the story in the Times as saying that he better remain a Catholic, otherwise he would have been liable for all his “helpfulness”. To save his soul, Branca, now 85, says he must remain Catholic.

His faulty logic notwithstanding, Branca is a Jew.

At least according to Jewish law he is a Jew.

Alan Dershowitz is of a different mind.

“Ralph Branca is not a Jew,” said Alan Dershowitz, a Brooklyn-born Dodgers fan, lawyer and Harvard professor. “Whatever the definition, it doesn’t include someone who willingly accepted a different religion. He didn’t stay home on Yom Kippur like Koufax.”

“Koufax altered strength and guile and knew that you pitch for six days and you rest on the seventh,” he said. “Branca was straight-on; you could see there was nothing Jewish about Ralph Branca.”

It’s unclear if Dershowitz made these comments before the revelation that Branca’s mother was Jewish. If it was before, the big reveal then I am not sure what the Times is using this quote for. It is was after the revelation that Branca’s mother was a Jew I am completely at lost at how someone’s non-choice, Branca was raised Catholic or someone pitching style can be the determining factor as to one’s Jewishness. What in the world is Dershowitz saying?

According to Jewish law Branca is a Jew. Whether he knew it or cared for or not, he is a Jew. In this respect, Judaism is a family. A long lost cousin who did not know he was related to you can’t be excluded from the family because he has a different style than the rest of the family (if that is even a reasonable assertion, which it is not).

I am disappointed in Dershowitz and I welcome Ralph Branca to the tribe. Even if he was always part of it and even if he doesn’t want to be…

Links: NY Times 1 and NY Times 2

Watch the “shot heard round the world”:

HT: BG

A Magical Moment in USA Women’s Soccer

rabbifink — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:58:20 +0000

On Sunday the USA Women’s soccer team played against the Brazil Women’s soccer team in a quarter-final World Cup match.

Soccer is a wonderful sport. My son loves to play, whenever I watch it I enjoy it. I really want to go to a World Cup or English Premier League game someday. Yet, soccer plays 4th or 5th or even 6th fiddle for most sports fans.

To be fair, a lot of the under 30 crowd loves soccer and are avid soccer fans. But by and large, soccer is not an American pastime.

But in my opinion, soccer produces some of the most magical moments in all of sports. Landon Donovan scored a winning goal against Algeria in extra time during the 2010 Mens World Cup. It was a magical moment. But I believe it has been outclassed by a more magical moment during Sunday’s match. The USA Women are a top team and they were playing against a top team. The USA was down one goal in extra time of an extra period. Then this happened:

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I don’t know why, but sports in general, soccer more than most, especially the USA National Teams has the ability to brings tears to my eyes. Something about soccer tugs at my heartstrings more than other sports or entertainment. I find the sheer joy and bliss of soccer players in a moment like this very inspiring.

I hope you do as well.

How is Helping Gang Members Fix Their Lives and Serve as Gang Interventionists a Bad Thing?

rabbifink — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 07:01:24 +0000

Janice Hahn

Without getting to far afield in the nitty gritty of the local politics, there is an election for a seat in Congress representing the 36th Congressional District on Tuesday.

The Democratic candidate is Janice Hahn. She appeared to be a shoo-in for the seat in a fairly moderate to liberal district. One particular issue has turned the tides of the race and created a virtual heat heading into the final weekend.

The issue (this is as “neutral point of view” I can put it) is Hahn’s policies with regard to gang members. In particular she facilitated the placement of criminals as gang interventionists and had them paid via a third party.

It is hard for me to see how this is being portrayed negatively. Or more to the point, why this is being portrayed negatively. The biggest crime issue in Los Angeles is gangs. One of the more effective ways of curbing gang violence is negotiating peace treaties. I met the fellow who negotiated the truce between the Bloods and Crips. It took almost 10 years to form an agreement. (His name is Aquila Sherrils.) Hahn enlisted the help of some senior gang members to negotiate for peace between gangs. These representatives were paid by football legend Jim Brown’s foundation. She also strongly supported programs to help gang members receive recognition for changing their lives. All of this seems very good.

Yet, Fox LA ran a nearly 10 minute segment on Janice Hahn’s “horrifying” involvement with gang members. The bias and slant in this report is embarrassing (for them) and an indictment on the public. If the public does not want to see programs and initiative such as Ms. Hahn’s what do they want? If working from within gangs to promote peace treaties is a bad idea, what is a good idea? If it is seen as a blemish on ones record for thinking creatively and bravely about how to solve the gang problems what would a sparkling record look like?

This report has me so upset at Fox, the public and the organizers of Hahn’s opponent’s campaign who are text messaging the entire district about this horrible report. Note, the report makes no accusations of wrongdoing or impropriety. It is simply the concept that Hahn is helping gang members that is so obscene that it renders her am unqualified conduct. As one website promoting Hahn’s indiscretions put it: Hahn is directing public funds to “support violent, inner-city criminals”.
Disgraceful.

Tell me what you think.

(Sorry, whoever uploaded this video squished everybody…)

Link: Politico

Disclaimer: I do not endorse or support any candidate in this race. This blog post is for information purposes only. I am not saying I agree with Hahn on this issue. I am saying that the way she is being portrayed as a villain for doing good work is very disturbing to me.

The Arctic Light Video by TSO Photography: Beauty Beyond Words

rabbifink — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:48:03 +0000

And now for something completely different…

If my last three posts offended you or made no sense to you, I hope I can win you back with today’s post.

This is one of most beautiful videos I have ever seen.

It was shot in the arctic circle and demonstrates one of the more fascinating phenomena on planet earth. The sun barely rises above the horizon, moves a bit to the side and then sets shortly thereafter.

Much of Jewish law is predicated on when the sun rises and sets. It assumes a fairly balanced day as far as daylight and darkness with variations for summer and winter. But I just can’t imagine a 2 hour Shabbos or 2 hour fast day. Maybe that is why orthodox Jews don’t live (as far as I know,) in the arctic circle.

Our world is so beautiful. Enjoy it!

Link for complete description: Vimeo

Via: Gizmodo

Bill O’Reilly, Jon Stewart, Common and the Selective Outrage Machine

rabbifink — Tue, 24 May 2011 23:28:09 +0000

A little controversy arose when the First Lady invited several performers to the White House for an evening of poetry.

The controversy surrounded the invitation of a rapper named Common. The controversy was not over whether rap is actually poetry. It was about the character of this man named Common.

I confess, I never heard of Common before this controversy. But in October 2010 a Foxnews.com report called him a rap legend and told him “your music is very positive. And you’re known as the conscious rapper.” (See this link: Fox News, as seen here: Media Matters.)

Seems like a great choice.

But Bill O’Reilly disagreed. It was his opinion that having Common sing at the White House was a travesty. His reasoning? Common sings a song in support of a convicted cop killer who was part of the Black Liberation Army. O’Reilly opines that anyone who sings a song like that must never be allowed to perform at the White House.

Jon Stewart took him to task and O’Reilly invited him to debate the issue on The O’Reilly Factor.

This is how it went down [watch this now if you haven't already seen it]:

Stewart wins this debate. Clearly. There is a selective outrage machine in all of us. In this instance it was O’Reilly’s selective outrage machine that was exposed as inconsistent if not racist.

It is important to note that although we may have a selective outrage machine, there are very different ways we can deal with that outrage.

I disagree with O’Reilly’s other premise that if a man sings a song about a cop killer that defines him as a person and any further discussion of that person that does not express outrage over that song is some sort of approval of that song. In other words, just because Common sings one song about a convicted cop killer, that should not disqualify any other positive contributions he can make as as an artist or a human being.

Agreeing with, or celebrating, or hosting someone does not and should not mean that that person has carte blanche approval for anything and everything they do.

Yet this phenomena exists. It exists all over the place. One place it exists is Orthodox Judaism. Especially more insular, right wing brands of Orthodox Judaism (RWOJ).

Theologically and historically speaking, this is an important phenomena in RWOJ. Certain people and their opinions are acceptable, others are not. Thus, the entire life of the person is considered when deciding if their opinion can be relied upon or considered.

This may be important to the theology and history of RWOJ, but I find it unfortunate. Many good ideas could be lost or discarded simply because of the names of the people who thought of them. People are complex. Their ideas in one area might be wrong or unacceptable, but by acknowledging another aspect of their ideas that is not wrong and is acceptable we are not giving approval to the entire corpus of the persons previously held ideas and positions. It’s a standard that is impossible to uphold. No two people agree on everything. Inevitably everyone can be thrown under the bus for something.

But that’s not what happens. What ends up happening is exactly what happened with O’Reilly. Selective outrage.

In the RWOJ community it can mean that thieves or abusers are still voices that can and must be heard, but others with far less severe crimes, perhaps they wear the wrong head-covering or the wrong color suit, are marginalized and disqualified by the selective outrage machine.

It is completely normal to be selectively outraged. We all have biases and we all have different priorities. The problem is when the selective outrage machine also determines who has a voice and a right to be heard. Then we risk losing important ideas and contributions to our communities. There is no machine I know of that can bring those lost voices back.

Who Knew? Banning Something Makes It More Popular

rabbifink — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 02:00:05 +0000

This item will not surprise orthodox Jews.

We all know how great a ban can be for business. Just ask Rabbi Nosson Kamenetsky or Rabbi Natan Slifkin how their sales were after their books were banned. Their books became collectors items!

So it’s no surprise that a documentary film banned by the Mexican government is soaring in popularity. The film is called “Presumed Guilty” and I have not seen it yet. So whatever I am writing is based on what I have read and heard from others.

The film is banned because it exposes the Mexican judicial system as a sham. Not only are the trials and proceedings full of injustices, the prison system is equally woeful and inhumane. The protagonist of the film has been excluded as a suspect by all forensic evidence, he has a legitimate alibi and the witness to the crime could not identify him. Yet, he was convicted and re-convicted in a corrupt legal system.

To avoid the embarrasment and the cries to reform the system, Mexico declared the movie illegal and its claims do not need to be addressed.

The ban is always used in the same way. To avoid the substantive claims in a book or movie, authority dismisses the book or movie as illegal. That way they don’t have to deal with the claims.

Luckily, people are smarter than that. When something is banned, people want to know why. They want to know what was so offensive that deserved a ban. Usually, the contraband is found compelling and the people see through the veiled attempt by the authority to pretend that the flaws or issues in their own systems need addressing. If something is ban-worthy, it is probably making good points.

In the case of this movie, it is a point about justice.

In the cases of Rabbis Kamenetsky and Slifkin it was about the fallibility and humanness of rabbinic leaders.

All these examples make great points. If they are wrong, I would love to hear why. I would love to see some evidence to the contrary. But when something is banned and response is not necessary. A ban is the ultimove sign of weakness in authority. When their only defense is “you can’t see what they have to say about us”, their defense is not a defense at all.

The ban on Presumed Guilty has been lifted for the time being. It is back in theaters and DVD sales are soaring. For now…

Link: Economist

Watch the trailer here: (contains some disturbing images)

Fun Video of the Exodus Using Technology by Aish.com

rabbifink — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 06:59:15 +0000

A little while back, Google did a video like this and it has become a sort of meme. It’s a cute meme. It takes some creativity and usually its pretty good.

Aish.com did a nice job with this story of the Exodus using the same style.

It’s great to see the story being told in a new medium and while remaining basically true to the text of the story.

So kudos to Aish, enjoy the video and enjoy your pre-Pesach preparations!

Some People Are Making Certain That The Typewriter Does Not Die

rabbifink — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:08:25 +0000

I read a fascinating article about an interesting phenomena in the NY Times.

Technology pervades our lives. Phones that have little computers inside them that can take lovely photos and videos, share them with the world, access the entire Internet and make a phone call live in our pockets. We have computers at home. We have computers at work. Many people use electronic devices to read books. (See: Orthodox Jews and E-Readers).

Some people feel like it has gone too far.

As a result, typewriters are surging in popularity. The unwieldy, noisy, with no delete button typewriters of the 40′s and 50′s. I am not that old, but when I was in 2nd grade I remember the school office secretary had a typewriter. But it was fancy and used a screen to show what you were typing, even had an automatic delete function and was not black metal. Those are not the popular typewriters. People want the old fashioned ones.

A really nice point is made in the article by a Ms. Kowalski:

“You type so much quicker than you can think on a computer,” Ms. Kowalski said. “On a typewriter, you have to think.”

Writing on a computer is like using a pencil. Typing on a typewriter is using pen, or perhaps more like chiseling into a stone. Because we can type faster than we write, sometimes we write things that are incorrect, or stupid. The same thing happens when we speak before we consider the weight of our words. It can be a great exercise in cognition to type without the luxury of delete. I had a half a thought to publish this post in typewriter style, that is, without deleting or modifying anything. It would have been incoherent. I can barely write one sentence without making a correction or two, or three.

But the message is clear. Sometimes we do need to slow down.

Another great lesson I learned from the typewriter enthusiasts is the need to focus. Just while writing this blog post, I have checked and replied to email, replied to a Twitter conversation and commented on a Facebook post. There is something about using a uni-tasker. A typewriter can only do one thing. It helps one to focus and I suppose that is a good thing too.

The last thing I take from this typewriter revival is a bit of nostalgia. Some of us have it, some of us don’t. But in orthodox Jewish life there is much nostalgia. One of the greatest areas of this nostalgia is in the area of Torah study. Old books are treasured and revered. Old printings of those books are treasured and revered. Most significantly, old ideas are treasured and revered.

Using a book to study Torah is the standard. Torah scholars pore over books with ink and paper every day. Many of those texts are available digitally. But the old fashioned way lives on. When no one in the world is reading books anymore, I am positive that Torah will still be studied from books and read during services from scrolls. That nostalgia is built into Judaism. We revere the ancient, we respect the past, we look back to our parents and grand parents with love and admiration and we integrate all that into our present and future.

Personally, I love old things. Maybe one day I will get myself a typewriter, but until then I will need to practice typing more effectively the first time around…

Link: NY Times

Meanwhile, laugh at this:

Inspirational Video: TMB Panyee FC

rabbifink — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:54:39 +0000

I saw an inspirational video that needs to be shared.

We sometimes forget how fortunate we are. We have access to the greatest inventions, medical care, information, comfortable living conditions, every kind of food under the sun and things our great grandparents only could have dreamed of. Sure we have our probelms too. But our problems are mostly “First World Problems“. The Internet goes down during an epic Internet battle, our cell phone drops an important call, our takeout food is a bit soggy etc etc etc. These are First World Problems.

Around the world, others have Third World Problems. Dirty water, no medical care, hunger, extreme poverty, no electricity etc etc etc. Depending on where we are in the world, our problems are to varying degrees. The solutions to those problems depends on our ingenuity, willingness to think out of the box and creativity. Everywhere you go, people are dealing with whatever obstacles present themselves. Or sometimes people stagnate and resign themselves to their problems and don’t seek solutions. To me, that is failure.

Throughout history, Jewish people have use difficult situations to improve the world. In fact, the Talmud, one of the greatest gifts to mankind, is really a result of persectution. Due to the banning of Torah study and a lack of communication between various academies it became necessary to record the Talmud for posterity. Imagine if they had simply thrown in the towel and felt their impossible situation had no solution. The world would be a far darker place.

In our own lives we may be riddled with complications or issues and we don’t know how to extricate ourselves from our situation or fix what is broken. That is a sad place to be. We can all suffer from lack of inspiration at times. If you are feeling even just a tad uninspired I have the perfect way to jumpstart your creative juices. Watch this video.

On a floating village in Thailand called Koh Panyee the youth had nowhere to play soccer. But they needed an outlet. So they got creative and it paid off for them in a big way. The short film is based on the true story from 1986.

Enjoy.

Wonderful Passover Message From The Federation

rabbifink — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:39:54 +0000

In the spirit Passover when we proclaim in the Hagada that anyone who is hungry can join our Seder, the Federation is reminding us to do our part to stamp out hunger. Too many people are going hungry and there is much we can do to help. Sometimes all we need is a reminder. This excellent video is the perfect reminder.

So in your Passover preparations, remember those who are in need. There is an old Jewish custom called “Maos Chitim” to provide our less fortunate brethren with the funds needed to purchase Matza, wine and other seder necessities. Don’t forget to set aside some charity for those less fortunate this Pesach.

Enjoy the video:

HT: Holy Hyrax

The Soul of Jewish Music Concert in Los Angeles

rabbifink — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 05:32:02 +0000

This concert looks amazing.

Three uniquely Jewish music styles in one concert. Three masters of their craft performing together. Three entertainers worth seeing on their own are performing together on one stage in Los Angeles on March 30 2011.

The Soul of Jewish Music with Itzhak Perlman, Cantor Yitzchok Meir Helfgot and a Klezmer Ensemble promises to be an amazing night of Jewish music. It is not often that classical, klezmer and cantorial music styles share a stage, but this concert will do just that.

Not to mention, one of my favorite comedians, Elon Gold will be performing as well. Elon performed for an organization I worked for previously and he was a huge hit. He is a TV star and stand-up comedy star and he tells some of the best “Jewish jokes” I have ever heard.

I hope I can get tickets for this event (they are expensive) and hope I can attend. If you live in Los Angeles, and can afford it, don’t miss it.

If I sound excited it is because I am. And this is not a paid for or sponsored advertisement.

Tickets: Ticketmaster

Enjoy the clip below of rehearsal and some interviews.

HT: YS

Cricket in Compton Keeps Ex-Cons On The Straight and Narrow

rabbifink — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 05:30:36 +0000

Compton is one of the toughest neighborhoods in Los Angeles. It has been ranked as the 17th most dangerous city in America. Gangs are a part of daily life in Compton. The streets are run by ex-cons, cons and future cons. Drugs and death pervade the very air.

Gang life is usually not a choice for folks growing up in these neighborhoods. It’s like being born into a family. You’re in because you’re born in. It is extremely difficult to break free from the gangs. But it can be done.

I think it is obvious that providing non-violent outlets for youth is an important tool for helping youths avoid the gang lifestyle. The problem is that most “outlets” don’t create the family feel, structure and sense of belonging that a gang provides. The exception to that is sports. Being on a team, especially a good team feeds the same hunger that a gang feeds. Unfortunately, sports teams are also run over with gangs. The teams represent the gangs. The winners assert dominance over the losing gang.

On a deeper level there is another flaw with most sports as an alternative to gang life. Sports don’t really demand etiquette and respect. Trash talking is part of the game. Then there is the violence. Basketball, soccer and football, the most popular “pick up” sports in SoCal are rough and tough games. There is jostling, tackling, fouls and much contact between players. One could say that sports feed into the violent gang culture to a degree.

That is why this BBC report on a Cricket team from Compton is extra remarkable. Cricket has pageantry, etiquette and respect. It is the ultimate gentleman’s game. Somehow, the sport has caught on in Compton. The team has toured across the world drawing rave reviews from more experienced cricket teams in real cricket countries.

The team has been somewhat successful in getting kids off the streets but they have higher goals. They want to build a cricket field in Compton. I wish them the best of luck.

Keep up the good work!

Video off the BBC report:

HT: JM

Link: BBC and http://www.comptoncricketclub.org/

Tell Someone You Love Them

rabbifink — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:30:40 +0000

Background: A soldier in Afghanistan called a woman whom he thought was his girlfriend. He left her a very sweet, brutally honest message. The problem was that he called the wrong person. It sounds funny. It sounds like a Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm premise. But it’s real. And it’s heartrending.

I cried when I heard it and it reminded me to tell those who are closest to me how much I care about them.

I hope it does the same for you.

And of course, if you know who the soldier or the girlfriend are, please help them find each other…

Link: Telegraph

Obligatory Ted Williams Post: The Real Message

rabbifink — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 21:24:36 +0000

You’ve all heard of Ted Williams. Not the baseball player who is cryogenically frozen, the homeless man turned Radio Personality and media darling.

His story is inspiring. But it’s also really depressing. Why?

The book / movie about Michael Oher (Go Ravens!), The Blind Side, tells the true story of a homeless, gentle giant who can play football. His background is typical for an inner city mionority. His parents were incapable of raising him or his siblings.

In the southern hospitality tradition, an affluent, influential family takes him in and raises him as their own. They help him with his school work and his football. Overall, he is a success and winds up in the NFL and an anchor player on a team that has been in the playoffs in each of his first two seasons. It’s a great story. The Blind Side (Movie Tie-in Edition) (Movie Tie-in Editions)Read the book, see the movie. Either way, it’s a powerful story

What is the real message of the story? Leigh Anne Tuohy, the real woman who adopted Oher in real life says:

There are a million Michaels. Not every kid has the potential to become a star player in the NFL, but that kid may be the person who grows up to cure cancer, or who becomes a great husband or wife to someone.

The “Michaels” are living in horrible conditions with little to no chance of discovering their gifts and talents. Theirs is a life of survival. And many do not.

The urban, gang riddled centers of our cities is sacrificing their youth. And lest you think it’s not YOUR problem, it is. The cure for cancer is in one of their potential lives. The next great discovery is being lost because so many of our youth don’t have the opportunity to hone their skills and talents.

There are a million Michaels. Their plight is a social problem that affects all of us. Too many intelligent, charismatic people are lost to the inner city.

Ted Williams is another exception. He was homeless. He had no shot at a better life. His talents would have remained hidden too. But he got lucky.

We can’t rely on the good fortune which befell Micheal Oher and Ted Williams to save an entire generation of lost minds.

I will never forget the enduring message of the ubiquitous PSA from the United Negro College Fund. “A mind is a terrible thing to waste“. When I was a kid, I heard that slogan a million times. One time for each of the million Michaels.

A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Yet, as a society, we do it all the time…

To me, that is the real, and depressing, message of the Ted Williams story.

Here is the original UNCF PSA:

My New Year’s Message to Y’all and the Google Zeitgeist 2010: Year in Review (Video)

rabbifink — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 20:02:42 +0000

For reasons that evade my feeble mind, Google released their Zeitgeist 2010 video THREE WEEKS ago. (Oh wait, there is an explanation for that; see this: Christmas Creep and Judaism.)

If you know me well, you will not be surprised that I protested the early release of this video by not watching it until a few moments ago. It’s a great video. Google uses their products in a bit of justifiable self promotion to remind us of what we searched for on the Internet this year. The production quality is excellent. The content is even better. The video moved me and I think it will move you as well.

I’m glad Google made this video and I am happy to share it with you.

Just think, you never know who or what will change to world. Next year, it could be you…

Have a great New Year’s and see you in 2011.

Also, please check out these New Year’s posts from previous years.

2010: My Thoughts On The Aughts

2009: The Year in Review

The President Signs the Repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”

rabbifink — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 23:37:15 +0000

Photo: AP

I was asked what I felt about the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Short answer: It’s about time.

DADT made it illegal for anyone who was openly gay to join the military. It also prohibited military recruiters from asking potential military enlistees about their sexuality.

Perhaps 17 years ago this was a step forward, today it is a backwards policy.

A policy that so blatantly discriminated against a significant portion of our country’s citizens and told them that they were not welcome to assist in the defense of their own country is a bad policy. No matter where one stands on the issue of gay rights and gay marriage, there is no legitimate reason to exclude those who are gay from proudly serving their country.

In the United States it is not a crime to be gay. It should not hinder one’s ability to be a patriot either.

I understand that the military may be a slightly hostile place to those who are gay. That is an issue that gay soldiers will need to deal with. They are used to be outsiders and I am sure they will be just fine in the military.

As the president said today: “We are a nation of ‘out of many, come one‘”.

I am proud to be one of the many.

Watch the singing below. If you don’t care for the speeches and just want to see the actual “John Hancock” skip to the end around the 25 minute mark.

Since the Eclipse Was Rained Out in Los Angeles

rabbifink — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 19:06:53 +0000

I saw this video of last night’s eclipse and wanted to share it with all of you in Southern California who missed the whole thing because of the torrential rain…

Beautiful, isn’t it?

Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse from William Castleman on Vimeo.

VIDEO: Frankel Torah Dedication Ceremony on the Venice Boardwalk

rabbifink — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 23:12:43 +0000

My friend Cliff Baldridge just happened to be zipping by the Shul on the Beach during the Frankel Torah Dedication at the Shul on the Beach. His camera is always ready to record interesting footage and he captured a few minutes of the outdoor portion of the ceremony. Cliff was kind enough to put this HD video together so that you can see what the event felt like on the beach.

Watch this video and you’ll get a real feel for what it was like out there on Sunday. If you look at all the peripheral people watching from the sidelines you can see how many folks were able to enjoy the ceremony on the Venice Boardwalk.

Points to Ponder: Angry Birds

rabbifink — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:24:15 +0000

Like over 42 million others I have played Angry Birds.

I don’t play every day and when I play I only play for a few minutes. I am by no means addicted or obsessed. But I do recognize that many of you out there ARE addicted and obsessed. People play Angry Birds at an irrational rate.

Even if Angry Birds is played at an irrational rate there are some good questions that need answering about the saga of the Angry Birds. I get why they are angry – they lost their eggs, but pretty much the rest of the game requires a tremendous suspension of disbelief.

Important questions get asked and unfortunately, are unanswered in the video below.

The video reminded me that just because something is an accepted truth, does not mean it should not be questioned.

It better to have a question with no answer than not to have asked at all.

And sometimes you need just one member of a community to simply ask “why” and think out of the box to foster change and growth.

And sometimes that member never enjoys the results of their questioning…

That is a universal lesson.

Link: Kotaku / Dorkly

YU Basketball Coach in the Wall Street Journal (with a cameo by a PJC family member)

rabbifink — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 18:17:11 +0000

As if the YU Maccabeats weren’t giving YU enough press (This Year’s Hottest Chanukah Song: Candlelight by The Maccabeats | Jewish Holiday Music), the YU Maccabees (basketball team) got some nice press last week as well.

The Wall Street Journal has a nice piece on Dr. Jonathan Halpert. He is the YU basketball coach of 39 years. That is a long time to be doing any job. Certainly in a field dominated by the coaching carousel, it is a worthy achievement.

The article is nice. It tells of the challenges of managing a team of Orthodox Jewish basketball players. Shabbos and Holidays are off limits to games and practices. The daily grind of a YU student includes religious studies until mid afternoon and then secular classes that can go until 8 PM.

Halpert gives the reader insight into his coaching and life philosophy and as a reader I found him to be inspiring.

In the article, there is one anecdote about making an impact on a player’s life.

There was the player who was cut but served as team manager for a year, made the squad the following season and hit a game-winning three-point shot at the buzzer. Dr. Halpert made five DVDs of the game for the player to show to his children. “That’s good to keep you going another five years,” he said.

A nice story. But even nicer because I happen to know that player.

That player is Aryeh Magilnick. Son of PJC members Judd and Denise Magilnick.

And I happen to know what shot Halpert was referring to. And now you do too.

Click the video to watch Aryeh Magilnick hit a classic buzzer beater. (Assume there is a buzzer and that the shot was released just before the buzzer sounded.)

Link: WSJ

(Another young adult who grew up at PJC and was featured on my blog: A Member of the Pacific Jewish Center Family Making Us Proud in Thailand)

This Year’s Hottest Chanukah Song: Candlelight by The Maccabeats | Jewish Holiday Music

rabbifink — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:37:01 +0000

By now you probably have seen this one. If you haven’t, where have you been? I admit it, this one should have been first.

This is a great addition to the Jewish Chanukah music genre. It loses a few points for not being an original tune, but the guys do a great job “making it their own” as Simon Cowell would say. And the lyrics seem a little forced at times.

But the production is pretty good overall and the popularity of the video speaks for itself. Oh, and I would have loved to see a cameo by Taio Cruz. Maybe in the remix…

They have now been featured on CNN, The NY Post, The Huffington Post, WPLJ.com and every single one of my Jewish friends’ Facebook page.

Enjoy the Maccabeats singing Candlelight…

The Most Famous Chanukah Song | Jewish Holiday Music

rabbifink — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:15:41 +0000

This song was more popular when I was a kid. Back when Adam Sandler used to be funny. In those days of yore, Sandler used to sing songs that were mildy funny and usually entertaining.

One of those songs was the now famous Chanukah song. With its pop culture references, wacky rhymes and Sandler’s whiny voice, it has become the staple of Chanukah songs that non-Jews know.

So, here is Adam Sandler and the Chanukah song…

Enjoy.

How Do You Spell Chanukah? The LeeVees | Jewish Holiday Music

rabbifink — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:45:51 +0000

Tonight the Jewish Holiday of Chanukah, Chanuka, Hanukah, Hanukkah begins.

Happy Chanukah, Chanuka, Hanukah, Hanukkah.

No this is not an SEO trick. And no there is no official spelling either.

It’s a song hint…

Everywhere you go, you hear holiday music. There is a dearth of decent Jewish Holiday music. This has become a sore spot for many Jews. They want to hear overplayed cliches and appeals to emotion for their holiday too. I can’t say I agree.

Yet, once in a while a great Jewish holiday song comes along and it deserves to be shared and heard.

Over the next few days I will be posting some Jewish holiday music that I like.

We begin tonight with my absolute favorite. How do you spell Chanukah? by The LeeVees.

I need to thank my friend Rabbi Quinn for introducing me to this song 6 years ago. Thank you!

Enjoy.