Read this Essay if...

...you're a liberal Jew, care about the future, and are a little nerdy.
... you have insomnia
... if you are interested in hearing what was bothering me all summer.


“A Lost Connection”

A Reflection on the State of Reform Jewish Identity in North America as Seen through the Tfilah Experience of NFTY’s Summer in Israel

For Love of Israel, Jews, and Jesus

One should always be wary of a blocked number calling, and 9 times out of 10 it's not good. this time it was the army calling to ask me to go for a day of miluim - tomorrow! My assignment was to take a group of Evangelical Christians for a "militiary/hasbara" tour of Sderot and the surrounding area.
I met the group at their Jerusalem hotel and was greeted with a standing ovation. They laughed at my corny jokes, and assured me that God himself had sent me from Chicago to protect the State of Israel.
Doing my best to stay politically silent and bereft of all personal opinions, I can't say that I remotely identified with their politics or theology. After an emotional testimonial by a Gush Katif "survivor of expulsion" (her words) we drove to Sderot and saw the usual Qassam rocket exhibit behind the police station and overlook into Gaza. I think they loved it.
We prayed. Them for me (including touching and all - I felt a little like camp challah during motzi), and them for the State the government, and for Bibi to have the God-given intellect and courage to not give one inch of land in the upcoming direct talks.
Then, as timing would have it, I came across this article today: Onward, Christian Zionist. James Carroll, of the Boston Globe and author of the excellent book Constantine's Sword, does not mince words. He comes right out and says how big of a threat this demographic is. While there is something to what he says, after spending a day with them, I think that if it's the Evangels vs. Hamas, I'll take the Evangels any day.

Finally Some Common Sense

In an Ha'aretz report, IDF soldiers are now learning polite Arabic exchanges with which to communicate with Palestinians crossing through their checkpoints. "Please," "Thank you" and "Good Morning" should have been phrases introduced eons ago, but thankfully are now entering the soldiers' day-to-day lexicon as they encounter the hopefully harmless masses of workers going through the daily perceived hassles of checkpoints and soldiers. Let's all keep in mind that real peace isn't made between leaders and treaties. It has to happen on the ground when people see each other as real people. Kol HaKavod.

Hodesh ELUL Tov - and a new look...

As Elul has begun, I thought i would return to the blogosphere and while I was at it, give a new fresh look for the upcoming 5771.

Mara (+) and I are currently in Chicago visiting family and friends which is always a good time to take a break eat tons of my former favorites, get in touch with our inner-consumer and do some reflecting.

1. Despite missing family and friends, I'm glad I live in Israel. This week most of our conversations surrounded pregnancy and everything that has to do with that. Few conversations were about anything having to do with the situation of world Jewry or Israel. What can ya do? Most people were interested in our own lives, basically the big three: Baby, renovation, job. That's life.
It is hard being away and trying to keep up on the news. It's like this distant hobby that one has. An obsessive interest in something that has no affect on our direct lives, but for some reason some of us care about it nonetheless.

2. It's sometimes hard to be an optimist when I read headlines such as this: Hamas, 10 other groups reject all forms of compromise with Israel.
Well, I guess we'll have to wait it out.

3. Look out for an upcoming missive on the state of tfilah in the North American Reform Youth movements.