A Thought for the New Year

Jews throughout the world are preparing to observe and celebrate the festival of Rosh Hashana. It is a time when family members come together. It is a time when attendance at religious services increases. We read the old words and sing hymns old and new. It is, however, difficult for so many of us to feel that we are praying with sincerity. In response to this feeling, here are 2 quotes:

"How do I learn to pray? There is really only one answer: pray! Pray other people's prayers. You will appropriate them to yourself by using them and pouring your own personality into them. Do not wait until you 'feel like' praying, or until you know how to pray. You never will." (R. Steven S Schwarzschild)

"Prayer cannot mend a broken bridge, rebuild a ruined city, or bring water back to parched fields. But prayer can mend a broken heart, lift up a discouraged soul, and strengthen a weakened will." (Ferdinand M Isserman)

Wishing us all a year of health and fulfillment.
Shana Tova!

Notes on Nitzavim

Another religious post from the ravaj. No, not Queens Park Rangers again (o let her enjoy these brief moments of glory). Rather, a short piece on the weekly Torah portion as written for the Liberal Judaism website. Be gentle - her head is still sore from the bus accident the other day!

Parashat Nitzavim

It is all so simple in the Torah:

“Behold, I have set before you today life and good, and death and evil ... I command you this day to love Adonai your God ... so that you will live and increase, and Adonai ... will bless you. But if your heart deviates and you do not listen ... you will surely perish ... choose life, that you may live.” (Deuteronomy 30:15-19)

Obeisance to God is rewarded, and defiance will receive the ultimate penalty. The way to go seems obvious. Yet Maimonides teaches:

“Freedom of choice has been granted to every person ... This concept is a fundamental principle and a pillar of the Torah and its commandments.” (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Repentance 5:1)

Why would one choose death? What, then, may we understand the freedom of choice to mean? As Liberal Jews, we will not accept the Biblical statements that present such a polar perspective. We have seen evil prosper in our world, and we cannot accept the death of six million as punishment. The equation does not work, and thus the choice is not clear. The rabbis of the Talmud also questioned the logic of such teaching. They spent much time and space differentiating between suffering that they did see as a direct consequence of sin, and what they called “sufferings of love”. The Tanakh told them:

“Do not despise God’s chastening, nor spurn God’s rebuke; for whom God loves, God rebukes.” (Proverbs 3:11-12)

Should we believe that suffering is a sign of God’s care and attention? The ideal that hovers in our minds and our hearts suggests that love is the triumph of joy over pain. We try so terribly hard not to hurt the people we love – if God truly loves us, why would God cause us to suffer?

Perhaps the problem is that we are looking at what the choices are, rather than what ‘freedom’ means. Is freedom the licence to do as we wish? Or is our will affected beyond our control by the limitations of nature and/or nurture? Each of us may have our own understanding of these questions. All of us, however, will encounter options. We shall have to consider the consequences each one may engender, and we will make a decision.

Our portion this week raises much existential angst. At the same time, it consoles us with these words:

“This commandment which I command you this day, it is not too hard for you, nor is it far away. It is not in heaven, that you shall say: ‘who will go up for us to heaven and bring it to us and make us hear it so we may do it?’ Nor is it across the sea, that you shall say: ‘who will go over the sea for us, and bring it to us and make us hear it so we may do it?’ No, it is very close to you, in your mouth, and in your heart, that you may do it.” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14)

In other words, don’t worry so much, it is really not that difficult! All you have to do is take a good look at yourself, and you will figure out what you have to do. In these days of contemplation that precede the Days of Awe, may we find the clarity of vision that will lead us to choose life and freedom for ourselves, and all the nations of the world.

Football Joy

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Queens Park Rangers by Remsteeg
Until BBC copyright issues cause this link to be shut down, I invite you to enjoy a smashing win by my beloved Queens Park Rangers away to Wolverhampton Wanderers yesterday. Our new captain Joey Barton was previously regarded by me (and many others) as an utter thug. Now, of course, he is OUR thug. He scored a goal, and provided a smidgeon of controversy at the end. This week we shall be enjoying pride and joy at a moment of success in our new top-flight league. Hurrah!

London Statuary - The Hand of God

Early yesterday morning on our way to a funeral, we noticed that our beloved sculpture of a Fiat being clutched by a ginormous hand was being taken down, and another set in its place on Park Lane. It turns out that "Vroom Vroom" was on temporary loan as part of the local council's cultural preparations for the Olympic Games next year.

The latest piece to sit across from the Dorchester Hotel is by the same artist - Lorenzo Quinn. It is called "The Hand of God", and is pictured above. I am still getting used to it, particularly as I had thought of that exact title for its predecessor.

Euphoria Comes Easy at Everton

Here we see Tommy Smith delighted at having scored what turned out to be the winning goal for QPR at Everton today as the remaining professional Neville brother holds his head in his hands.

After the utter misery for our fans of a summer under the now-departed owners of the team, and the abject defeat at home to Bolton last week, I was ready to spend my time moaning about the new "mango"- coloured away shirts. Without hoops, it just is not a Rangers shirt. However, Mr. Akos Buzsaky (O Akos my Akos) passed the ball to the afore-mentioned Mr. Smith, who kicked it into the goal. Suddenly the afternoon, the day, the entire weekend became sunny and bright. Hello clouds. Hello sky. We won!

UUUUUUUUU RRRRRRRRR's

Feminist Cartoonist Fights Back!

This is one of a series of Orangina ads in France. The ravaj has always thought Orangina to have the best-tasting diet orange soda. But if you know as much French as the ravaj, or more even, then after reading this (via the fascinating Blog d'une Chienne de Garde) you might have to join us in rejecting the product because of its sexist advertisements.

Ms. Chienne has also shared her perspective via the following cartoon:
If that doesn't put you off the boisson ...

Reality Bites

It didn't take long for a positive attitude about QPR's chances in the Premier League to shatter in the face of a 0-4 defeat at home to Bolton Wanderers yesterday. There was the first-minute goal that was disallowed:
Then there was Bolton's second goal, which we kindly scored for them:
Not to mention the rush of blood to Clint Hill's head that got him sent off about ten seconds before the end of the match:
But the resilience of the human spirit is amazing, and QPR friends and fans are already trying to find silver linings and looking forward to next week's game up at Everton. And isn't it nice to see a Premier League shirt without a stupid sponsor's name splashed all over the front?!

Bring on the Toffees!

Premier League Here We Come

Ok so those who own and rule my beloved football team Queens Park Rangers have shown their disdain for us - the long-term hardcore fans. They have not invested they way they should have this summer, and they have priced the regular fan out of the stadium. They are still sticking with the ugly club badge that looks like a pair of fallopian tubes. Nevertheless, there is always something about the first day of the new season, some hope and a bit of anticipation. It's up to the players this afternoon, and I cannot help but root for them. Nu - good luck my QPR heroes, this afternoon against Bolton Wanderers and all season long.

UUUUUUUUU RRRRRRRRR'S

A Thought for Last Week

Here's a little bit I wrote for last week's online thought for Liberal Judaism:

"The Shabbat before the fast of Tisha B'Av is sometimes referred to as the Black Sabbath. It marks the third Shabbat between the 17th of Tammuz, when the Babylonians breached the walls of Jerusalem; and the 9th of Av, when they destroyed the Temple (in the year 586 BCE). These three weeks are historically a period of misfortune for the Jewish community, and traditional observances follow various aspects of mourning, for instance, no weddings are celebrated, listening to music is prohibited and haircuts are eschewed.

It is also Shabbat Chazon, the Sabbath of Vision, named for the Haftarah portion read at this time. The prophet Isaiah tells his vision of God's frustration and anger with the Children of Israel, who have strayed far from the path of righteousness. "The whole head is sick," says God, "the whole heart is ill. From head to foot, nothing is sound." (Isa. 1:5-6) The Israelites continue to pray and make sacrifices, but God considers it to be lip service, "Bring me no more futile offerings ... I cannot endure festivities along with evil!" (ibid. v 13) God's people have turned their backs on the teachings handed down through the generations, "O how the faithful city played the whore! Once [she was] so full of justice; righteousness dwelt there; and now - murderers!" (ibid. v. 21)

It is easy to distance ourselves from the behaviour of ancient people following ancient practices. Yet we too are Children of Israel. We also live in times of misery and destruction. We make mistakes, and we behave badly - are we really so different from the people portrayed in the Tanach? Why then is it so hard to learn from their examples?

Perhaps we are embarrassed by the wrongdoing of our ancestors. We glance at the stories now and then with the same disdain with which we would consider a prurient article in a tabloid newspaper. Jews don't do things like that. Or is it that our Progressive perspective distances us from the simple descriptions of reward and punishment related by the prophets in their books? Jews are more civilised than that. The fact is: for every human being in every era the pull of the yetser ra - the evil inclination - is equally strong. Ashamnu, bagadnu, gazalnu; we have all been tempted, we have all betrayed our potential, we have all wasted time and energy inappropriately. It is disingenuous to think that any one of us is exempt from reciting the litany of misdeeds included in our High Holyday prayers.

What then is the example that the prophet Isaiah is presenting to us in this portion? First, we might note that rather than lamenting the destruction of Jerusalem itself, he focuses on the reasons for its downfall. While it is important to mourn what has been lost, it is essential to consider what caused such a calamity. With such information we may begin to repair the world. Isaiah highlights the hypocrisy and the corruption of his generation. In turn, we need to look at the relationships that trouble us, and try to find the source of the discord. Then we must approach the problem and start to solve it. If our vision is not clear, Isaiah's is: "Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes, cease to do evil. Learn to do well; seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." (Isa. 1:16-17)

From the famine in Somalia, to an argument at work; the sister with whom you do not speak, to the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo; from children in need, to a lie you told to save face; the advent of Tisha B'Av reminds us that it is never too soon to turn away from temptation, nor to be proactive in the healing of ourselves and the world around us. The vision of Isaiah gives us hope that it is not yet too late to avert a disastrous fate. We can make a difference. If we choose to."

Are The Boris Bikes Behind It All?

This weekend the World Triathlon for men and for women was held in Hyde Park. One event. One weekend. I hear that Brits won both races. Hurrah.

It is the plan that next year this will be an Olympic course. For these races Hyde Park Corner and roads leading to it were closed. That means Park Lane, Piccadilly and arteries towards Victoria, Chelsea and Kensington. Buses were diverted but no signs shared to where. People were prevented from entering the Underground because it was too full. Streets were gridlocked. Taxis? Feh! Mounted police patrolled Knightsbridge. Walking was certainly possible but the rainfall was severe and very wet.

Nu? This was just one summer weekend full of shoppers and tourists. What on earth is going to happen during the Olympics when sports fans join the mix? Currently, Londoners are being advised to make alternative transport arrangements for getting to work at that time. Unless we shall be issued with personal jet-packs, I fail to see what those alternative arrangements might be. Except, perhaps, to sign up for the Mayor of London's bicycle scheme?

A Very Important Question

As usual, Calvin asks the important question. But there is always the possibility of a change of mind and/or heart. Take, for example, a cricket match in Nottingham yesterday. An England batsman was given out just before tea, but after a discussion in the pavilion, the Indian captain decided to reinstate him. He did not have to.

Today's Guardian asks: "Is upholding the spirit of cricket more important than getting rid of an in-form opposition batsman?" Votes are currently running at over 70% for Yes. While I am glad to see such a percentage, it is also sad that such a decision has been a cause for praise and rejoicing, rather than accepted as standard practice.

Tragedy and Terror

Many are wondering why the death of Amy Winehouse appears to be engendering more emotion here in the UK than the bombing and massacre that just took place in Norway. The former seemed inevitable, and the latter unimaginable. Of course I have no answer to this question. A couple of thoughts, however, do come to mind.

Firstly, the two events are not comparable - it was just the timing that brought them together.

I watched a survivor of the shootings on the news last night. He reported quite calmly how he had hidden beneath dead bodies to try and escape; then pointed himself out in a newspaper photo that showed the pile of corpses. He was in shock, as we all are. It is impossible to get one's head round the idea that a person could do what the murderer has done. It will take time for it to sink in, if it ever does. For most of us it happened far away, and to other people.

Amy, on the other hand, was a well-documented disaster waiting to happen. While we were all pretty sure that she was on the traditional rock-and-roll road to destruction, there was always hope that at the last minute she might save herself, or be saved. Hearing that her body had been carried away from her home on Saturday killed that hope. That was tangible, and we felt it immediately. That was something that happened to us, it was our hope that died with her.

My heart goes out to the friends and family of the victims in Norway; and to the Winehouse family. As for me - I need to find someone I love, and give them a big hug.

Who Is To Blame?

The allegations about the phone-hacking by people working for the News of the World continue to grow both in size and in awfulness. You don't need me to find you a link if you want to read the latest reports. I would like, however, to raise a point that occurred to me this morning: am I culpable?

Am I culpable? I don't buy tabloid papers. But I do check out the Daily Mail regularly online. I try to avoid the stories that refer to avoirdupois, but I have been reading about the troubles of Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene of Monaco. I don't care about reality show celebrities, but will generally look at something about a movie star. I don't care what the Duchess of Cambridge is wearing, but a picture of her and Prince William looking healthy and happy will cheer me up.

It seems harmless, or it seemed harmless until now. People are interested in this stuff. There is a market, and it is extremely competitive. Of course I am not condoning any of the reprehensible and possibly criminal behaviour. I just wonder - if more people decided not to pay attention to such stories, then would the NOTW and others not fall so far down this slippery slope?

Tennis B*ll*cks

Marion Bartoli of France lost to Sabine Lisicki of Germany today in the Wimbledon Ladies Tennis Quarter-Final. Bartoli, who had knocked out the reigning champ Serena Williams in the previous round, has been noticed for the unusual stance and wind-up of her serving motion. It got her several aces against Williams, who has possibly the world's greatest female serve. However, in combination with her perpetual twitchy jerky motions between each point, it appears to have offended the tennis purists.

The journalist Alix Ramsey writes on the Wimbledon website:

"Her serve is all arms and legs, a collection of mismatched limbs that makes the whole motion look like a giraffe going for a spin in a tumble drier."

Amusing, perhaps. Bloody rude, though. She beat Serena Williams with it! Ramsey should be so lucky.

That's my mind made up. The ravaj is going to get herself some tennis lessons!

Thank You New York State Senate

Last night the New York State Senate passed a bill that legalises same-sex marriage. And when Governor Cuomo signed the bill soon after, it became law. In 30 days, the legal marriages, and the rights and benefits with which they come, may begin!

Thank you to the Republican senators who crossed party lines and voted for equality. Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard and for so long to make this happen. Today I am proud to be a native New Yorker.

Now, come on California, for what are you waiting?!

Governor Cuomo's speech after the vote is here.
Reuters make a good point about divorce here.

When is a Jew not an Israeli?

This may be a provocative header, but I am confused. This should not surprise anyone who knows me. The particular situation that is confusing me today, however, is trying to figure out the differences between a Jew, an Israeli, and an Israeli Jew. Not all Jews are Israelis. Not all Israelis are Jews. That seems quite clear to me. But when an Israeli Jew does something that is criticised by foreign media, how does that act become definitive for all Jews?

The question is in my mind because of a story that has been picked up by the BBC, and many other internet media outlets: a Rabbinic Court in Jerusalem has sentenced a dog to be stoned to death. Read about it here. The Yahoo headline is "Jewish Court sentences ... etc".

We know that the quickest way to the heart of the British public, apart from marrying a prince, is to be a maltreated animal. Especially if you are a dog. This is a story about the unjust treatment of a dog. I'm all for animal welfare - that's why I will not eat them. It is also a story that shows an Orthodox Rabbinical Court behaving in a medieval way. The court may well have behaved exactly as the reporter suggests, i.e., believing that the dog was the reincarnated soul of the court's enemy returning to mock the judges. So what is my problem?

This is not the Judaism I live and teach, but many in the wider world will use this story to support their negative perspective of all Jews. Just look at some of the comments below the story, e.g., someone "recently read an article by a prominent Jew criticising written works apparently full of 'rampant anti-semitism' - with acts like this he can hardly blame people's attitudes against them", or "I can't believe that they should be so utterly stupid. And they want the world at large to give them credibility as a nation! No chance".

This is also not part of the life led by secular and progressive Jews in Israel. Much as millions of Muslims are neither terrorists, nor sympathetic with those who are, yet they are feared and blamed by others for the actions of their co-religionists; so it is for Jews within and without the Land of Israel. Stirring up feelings with stories like this will not help us find our way towards peace.

Feh!


A link to the original YNet story may be found here.
BBC version here.

UPDATE
report that Ma'ariv newspaper has apologised about misleading headline on this story found here.

Long Time No See

It's been a while since this page has been disturbed. The fact that the ravaj has been arranging a new job is not a real excuse, but the best she can do on a rainy miserable Sunday afternoon.

Bits and Bobs of London

On the way to an estate in Wandsworth to get a haircut from a Swiss man with a stepson called Denzil.

I Love Douglas Adams

The guy who wrote the Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy is one of my heroes. After the Torah and the Talmud, I am most likely to quote from his texts. I think it is healthy to balance the religious with the atheist!

It is ten years today since Douglas Noel Adams died, and it would only have been his 59th birthday. Gone, but very much not forgotten.

"For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much—the wheel, New York, wars and so on—whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man—for precisely the same reasons."
(The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

Unacceptable Situation

What is wrong with this picture of the Situation Room? Where is the Secretary of State? Both Hillary Clinton and a woman at the back have been edited out of the photograph by the Chasidic newspaper Der Zeitung (based in Brooklyn, NY). Ms. Clinton does not appear to be dressed immodestly, but she is sitting in the same room as some men. Apparently this would threaten the spirituality of the Jewish community if it were to be publicly printed, and so the women were photoshopped out of the shot. I wonder why the editor would choose such a photo in the first place. So might the editor, if the White House decides to do something about his flouting of the disclaimer that accompanied the picture: that the photograph "may not be manipulated in any way".

o yeah, this is what it should have been:


10/5/11 THIS JUST IN
After international exposure of this event, the newspaper apologises.