Satire: Short Takes
Bernie Madoff died in prison this week. In accordance with his will, his tombstone will be shaped like a pyramid. … {Laurie Baron, Ph.D}
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Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireThe Brothers Belland Team on Short Stories
Almost Havana: A Collection of Short Stories by F.W Belland and Chris Belland; Whiz Bang LLC, 2014; ISBN 9780692-378885; 192 pages; $14.95; Available on Amazon Amazon.com : almost havana By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Brothers Fred and Chris Belland each contributed ten stories to this well-written collection. While reading older brother Fred’s stories,
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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. HarrisonBalancing Act: Hank Azaria’s apology for voicing Indian character Apu on ‘The Simpsons’ should lead to an honest reckoning on our bias against accents
Hank Azaria’s recent apology for voicing the character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, an Indian-born convenience store clerk on “The Simpsons,” has launched some fascinating discussions that touch on, but also transcend, the role of pop culture in shaping the world we all share. Azaria’s Apu has long come under fire for its stereotypical portrayal of Indian Americans.
Receiving Direct Feedback from Hashem
Tzarat was a consequence of numerous sins, most prominent of them was Lashon Harah – evil gossip. Interestingly, the person suffering from Tzarat was placed into quarantine, not so that the disease wouldn’t spread, but instead to demonstrate to the person with the disease that his anti-social behavior resulted in an anti-social situation. [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
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Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-RabbiWashington state passes bill with goal to phase out gasoline cars
(Reuters) – Washington state lawmakers passed a bill on Thursday setting a target to stop sales of gasoline-fueled vehicles there beginning in 2030, five years sooner than California. The target is not a firm mandate and is contingent on the state adopting a tax on vehicle miles traveled, a measure to help pay for new
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USATexas Senate approves limits on transgender student athletes
AUSTIN, Texas — Split irrevocably along party lines, the Texas Senate on Thursday approved legislation banning transgender student athletes from competing in sports within their gender identity. All 18 Republicans voted for Senate Bill 29, which would require athletes in Texas public high schools and grade schools to compete in sports based on the “biological
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USASteinsaltz’s Sage Book on the Sages
A Concise Guide to the Sages is made up of five parts. The first 271 pages of the 511-page volume focuses on the more than fifty weekly biblical portions of the Five Books of Moses which Jews read in synagogues and which many Jews study at home. Virtually all of the sayings of the Sages quoted in this section are midrashic (ideas derived from the biblical text which are not explicit in the text). {Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin}
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Jewish ReligionPost COVID, Become F.I.T.
Now before you think this column is about physical exercise and muscle growth, I’m talking here about another type of being “F.I.T.,” one that I’ve been writing and speaking about for many years. This F.I.T. has to do with being a “Fundamentally Independent Thinker” and requires no exercise equipment. “The link is what you think,” remember? Let’s delve into this a bit and see how being an independent thinker, not emotionally hooked into external events, can help you through the COVID-19 psychological upheaval. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
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Lifestyles, Michael MantellTurkey’s Erdogan’s Despicable Disregard for Women
It is hard to find something more scornful than President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s sudden decision to withdraw Turkey from the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence. [Alon Ben-Meir, PhD]
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Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle East, USA73 Fun Facts About Israel
Editor’s Note: In celebration of Israel’s 73rd birthday today, Nicky Blackburn of Israel21c.org compiled 73 fun facts about Israel:
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Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Travel and Food, Trivia, Humor & SatireProdded to act on racial justice, Biden picks liaison to Asian diaspora
By Steve Holland and Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday named a liaison to Asian Americans, who are contending with rising violence, after facing pressure to ensure greater diversity among top administration officials. Biden picked onetime congressional aide Erika Moritsugu to spearhead outreach to the increasingly politically significant Asian American
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USAHaftorah Reading for April 17, 2021
This laconic, short, prose, exaggerated sequence of events is attributed to the time of Aram’s attack on the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) during the brief rule of Israelite King Joram (851-842 BCE). A key figure was the prophet Elisha. [Irv Jacobs, MD]
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Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish ReligionU.S. Support for Palestinians Stirs Controversy
Arab nations invaded the new state of Israel before I was born, at a time when the world was still shaken by the fury of World War II. Arab leaders urged their people to flee Israel in advance of the fighting and return once they drove the Jews into the sea. [Bruce S. Ticker]
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Bruce Ticker, International, Middle East, USA