Haveil Havalim #115

Welcome to the May 6, 2007 edition of Haveil Havalim.All week I had a lot of ideas about how I wanted to organize this carnival - but of course, I then realized that current events were going to dictate it, not me. Therefore I gathered some posts about the Aftermath of the Winograd Report together. I am sure future hosts will have a lot more to say about it as events continue to unfold in Israel.
One thing I did want to take an opportunity to say here was to thank everyone at JBlogs, those I've met, those I'm getting to know and those getting to know me - for being so welcoming to me.
Despite blogging for almost 4 years now I was very hesitant to join a blogging "community" for a long time. Over the summer I joined the Progressive Faith Bloggers and went to their BlogCon. It was very motivating and something I would love to see the JBlogosphere get together on. But still I dragged my feet, preferring to keep my little personal blog to myself and concentrate on the people who needed me - my children, of course and the readers at my Anti-Domestic Violence Blog.In late February I shared with my counselor some more things I had written, at her request. We spent a couple sessions talking about why wasn't I doing more with my personal blog - because despite the fact that I was disabled, blogging could put me in contact with others for debate & discussion, educate me more about the Judaism I had just embraced and help restore my courage and my "voice." She gave me the URL to Israel Forum and JBlogs and told me to go for it. So I did.And I am so glad I did. I am a read-a-holic and always have been. I have gotten into reading so many blogs I would never have seen otherwise. Whether I agree or not I am exposed daily to new information, new insight and reminded how differently the same situation can be seen among people. I get daily Torah learning I wouldn't have gotten otherwise and Jewish law is turned over & upside down as we learn together. Thank you to all the JBloggers who brought their wisdom, humor and rants to me. I must waste a good hour a day just going through Today's Catch. I thank you and my brain thanks you.Now... let's see what came in this very busy week:
MY PERSONAL PICK FOR THIS CARNIVAL
Nuch Epes Ah Chosid presents Did you get the message? posted at Nuch Epes Ah Chosid, saying, "A major post on the topic of hashgacha protis - divine intervention how nothing is by accident, and the signal from heaven we get , but we need to respond to them."
Hashem sends us "Wake up call" in form of things that upset us, or g-d forbid cause us pain. If we have the right understanding that NOTHING happens just by accident, then we remember that this is a call for action, for 'cheshbon hanefesh' to inspect ourselves repent and correct something. (from this great blog post)
General JBlogging Goodness
Yisrael Medad presents Belgian Justice or should we say Belgian "INJUSTICE"?My Right Word, saying, "Seems MyRightWord wouldn't mind getting his hands on Veronique De Keyser, or more properly around her neck" (and after reading that post can't say I'd blame him either)Yisrael Medad presents an interesting ethical dilemma that asks can we honestly trust information from an 'unnamed source'? (this one doesn't fall under whistleblower status either) Media Ethic Matter posted at My Right Word, saying, "As is his wont, MyRightWord deals with a media ethics matter concerning the identity of sources."
SnoopyTheGoon reports "Army undergoing revolution," Peretz says But what kind of revolution? Ask yourself at SimplyJews.Carl in Jerusalem presents Why Feigele can't be Prime Minister posted at Israel Matzav.
Carl in Jerusalem posts a dilemma facing the IDF & its Hesder soldiers IDF threatening Hesder (again) on ideological grounds take a look Israel Matzav.
Carl in Jerusalem presents Israel Matzav: Treason at Haaretz: Haaretz helps Iran look for nuke builders or the New York Times strikes at Israel again... a good post at Israel Matzav.
CultureTherapyDoc posts an article which I appreciated personally. It was honest, well thought out and about a lot bigger issues than a rehash of the Virginia Tech massacre - but about something missing from a lot of people these days... EMPATHYCho Copycat and Life is a Battlefield posted at Everyone Needs Therapy, saying, "Sometimes a blogger has to make some tough choices when it comes to posting. Choosing Cho once again to make a point about surviving childhood wasn't easy." (But I, for one, am glad she did!)
Elie presents What's in a (Jewish) Name a question we've all thought about at one time or another, posted at Elie's Expositions.
V presents a post I found enlightening regarding a "jewish marketing" tactic Tznius - In Defense of Gedolim - A Positive Spin posted at V's Jewish Blog.
yours truly posts about spirituality & culture being two pieces of the same puzzle at Spirituality & Culture posted at Barbara's Tchatzkahs.
Culture: Sports
Mark asks "Did you know there was a Jewish Sports Hall of Fame?" No! and this is very enlightening! Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Inductees posted at SportsBiz - The Business of Sports Illuminated, saying, "This year, the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame inducted 12 athletes, including Mark Spitz, Dwight Stones and Howard Cossell (ok, not all of the inductees are athletes)."
Mark writes about Hockey's Up and Comer Benjamin Rubin - an Orthodox Jew at An Athlete's Dilemma posted at SPORTSYIDS - Celebrating Jews In Sports, saying, "Benjamin Rubin is an excellent 18 year old hockey player whose chances to make the NHL are compromised because he is also Orthodox, and as a result will not play or practice on Shabbat."
Humor
Ah! The frustrations of rules, customer service and the airline industry as told by TherapyDoc who shows us how NOT to do behavior modification in And Another Thing: British Air and Behavior Mod posted at Everyone Needs TherapyI included this in humor because it did make me laugh - as only Debbie Schlussel can at Muslims Upset that Breast Cancer Awareness, Blacks Get Whole Month posted at Debbie Schlussel
Israel
Rafi G reminds us its not just Aliyah but successful Aliyah to strive for at Kosher Style posted at Life in Israel.
West Bank Mama gives it to us straight about Aliyah Some Straight Talk About Making Aliyah posted at West Bank Mama.
muse presents a blog post close to my gardener's heart Didn't I tell you? posted at me-ander.
Cosmic X presents a commuter's lament Commuting To The Holy City Of Tel Aviv posted at ****** Cosmic X in Jerusalem ******.
Cosmic X continues by expressing the longing of many to channel their inner 'Easy Rider' and knowing you never will in The Holy City Of Tel Aviv: Motorcycles posted at ****** Cosmic X in Jerusalem ******.
Wolfline writes a blog post I loved - about personal victory in the face of injury, disability and how love and perseverance can win out at Roni's Victory posted at Busywolf
Elder of Ziyon lets media spin have a piece of his mind with US official praises Palestinian Arab press posted at Elder of Ziyon.
Ya'aqov Ben-Yehudah alerts us It's Official...We're Rednecks.... posted at Esser Agaroth, saying, "tongue and cheek" -- yes the truth is always the most humorous! ;)
muse compares day to night with the current situation in Israel Transitions aren't always beautiful posted at Shiloh Musings.
Judaism
JackB waxes nostalgic about the Good Ole' Days vs. the Good New Days The Golden Age Of The JBlogosphere posted at Random thoughts- Do they have meaning?, saying, "A few thoughts about the JBlogosphere"
Irina has some deep thoughts about her identity - a great post we can all relate to Who Am I Anyway? posted at The IgNoble Experiment, a.k.a. Live Dangerously!.
Happy Mom of 6 asks Medical Miracles or just Mistakes personally, I have had this happen and I like to think - its a miracle but you should take a look and give your opinion at Baby Lox.
Jerusalem Joe presents a fascinating look at psychology, Jung and its relation to a Halacha at Why Women Are Exempt From Prayer In Judaism – A Jungian Explanation posted at The Israeli Tikkun Blog.
A Simple Jew shows us there's always a new opportunity for a "Lego Castle" and a new chance to be a better Jew & a better person - however it presents itself atLego Castles & The Yahrzeit Of The Degel Machaneh Ephraim posted at A Simple Jew.
Ya'aqov Ben-Yehudah tells of a date correction at Um,...Hello?! RaShB"I Didn't Die on Lag b'Omer posted at Esser Agaroth
Kashrut
Mottel presents a photo essay worth taking a look at Shechita -A Photo Essay on Ritual Slaughter posted at Letters of Thought.
and Mottel follows up the above photo essay with some thoughts about animals, ethics and ritual slaughter PETH: People for the Ethical Treatment of Humans you can weigh in your thoughts atLetters of Thought.
Jewish Blogmeister asks for help in getting BeachNut to keep their baby food kosher atBeechNut Baby Food Alert: Going Non Kosher posted at Jewish Blogmeister.
Personal
Robert J. Avrech tells many a man's dilemma of saying, "What happens when Trash TV meets Kosher Yoga."No Yen for Yoga posted at Seraphic Secret
Nuch Epes Ah Chosid writes another post I personally like this week, about failure, personal accountability & determination at Tell Me What You Want.. What You Really Really Want ?! posted at Nuch Epes Ah Chosid, saying, "A view on our personal struggle in life to be better, and yet even if we fail, we still want to be good." (Yes, I believe most people's default setting is GOOD)
muse talks about how, in her area of Israel, a simple commute can be life threatening on a daily basis at With this map... posted at Shiloh Musings.
yours truly shares more of the trials & tribulations of being a "New Ju" at OPPRESSION, CONVERSATION and FITTING IN posted at Barbara's Tchatzkahs.
Politics
Irina asks about the American Authorities and their relations to the Jewish Community today with a news story at Old News Resurface Despite All Odds posted at The IgNoble Experiment, a.k.a. Live Dangerously!, saying, "On the arrest of Rabbi Avi Weiss"
Smooth alerts us all to the WMATA's Anti-Israel posters and the letter Smooth wrote - a must read! - at My letter to WMATA, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, for partnering with US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation posted at Smooth Stone
Elder of Ziyon presents more re-writing of the English Dictionary meetings to whitewash Palestinian intentions at Elder of Ziyon: Today's Palspeak/Reuters word: "siege" posted at Elder of Ziyon.
Freedom's Cost asks some hard questions that Europe needs to ask itself “Europe or Eurabia?" posted at Freedom's Cost. (I included this one because not only is this one of my favorite new blogs but it begs a question that I asked myself on and since my recent trip abroad and seeing what is going there)
Torah
Dixie Yid brings Hashem's presence a little closer to us with What's the Pillar on Which the Whole Torah Stands? posted at Dixie Yid - Thoughts on life and Chassidus, saying, "This post discusses the pasuk, "V'ahava l'reyacha kamocha, Ani " and it's meaning as the Klal Gadol BaTorah."
Rafi G gives a very good analysis at Emor: from rags to riches posted at Torah Thoughts.
Dan gave a great lesson with analogy to illustrate Lag B'Omer at Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai's Kabbalah posted at Tsmicha.com, saying, "Lag Baomer and Kaballah"
Josh Waxman puzzler at P3: Parsha Punning Puzzle for Emor #4 posted at parshablog, saying, "This week, I've launched a serious pictorial parsha punning puzzles.[Earlier entries from the same week are:#3#2#1Though the last two listed have already been solved.]
Reb Chaim HaQoton enlightens us for Lag B'Omer with Carobs and Dates posted at Reb Chaim HaQoton.
Avrohom adler writes some learning we can all use at Daf Yomi - Chagigah 23 - JUSTIFYING A CUSTOM REGARDING GEBROCHTSDaf Yomi - Chagigah 22 - AVOIDING STRIFE posted at Daf notes.
Avrohom adler presents some debate & information on the measurements of the Ark More measures posted at avakesh.
Avrohom adler continues with - the difficulty of relating to non-observant family posted at Divrei Chaim.
Avrohom adler presents an explanation of Sefiras HaOmer: Short, straight and simple posted at Drush and Agadata.
Avrohom adler blog posts Limud Torah with Rav Chaim - COVERING THE BREAD WHEN STOPPING TO MAKE KIDDUSH posted at Limud Torah.
Avrohom adler presents Standing Up: Part 2 posted at Nefesh HaChaim.
Avrohom adler presents Emor 5632 Second Ma'amar posted at Sfas Emes.
History
Mr. Bagel wishes a very Happy Birthday to Theodor Herzl (1860) the 'Father' of Modern Zionism posted at (in my opinion-- one of the most imaginatively designed blogs in the JBlogosphere) The Original Bagel Blogger.
Yisrael Medad presents A Bit Odd posted at My Right Word, saying, "MyRightWord doesn't like the avoiding of Jabotinsky in the Shalem Center's new essay collection on Zionism."
On the Aftermath of the Winograd Report
SnoopyTheGoon presents Ask a good question a day-before-the-Winograd-bomb-dropped post which asks some very pointed questions indeed at SimplyJews.
Rafi G presents another pre-Winograd release blogthoughts on the upcoming firestorm posted at Life in Israel.
Carl in Jerusalem presents Shootout at the OK corral and includes an image of a historic U.S. document that is a good reminder for all at Israel Matzav.
muse talks about the rally Correction/Clarification--Yes, I admit mistakes! posted at Shiloh Musings.
Olah Chadasha puts the effects of Winograd and some masterful and prophetic thoughts in this post at Golda Meir He Aint posted at Greetings from the French Hill, saying, "This article is my take on the Winograd Report and what I believe Olmert's next move will be to try and delay his inevitable demise."
yitz presents MISSING THE RED QUEEN posted at Shiloh Musings, saying, "Wonderful post linking an excerpt from Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" to today's political situation in Israel."
muse presents Olmert's Greatest Miss-Calculation! posted at Shiloh Musings.
Cosmic X reminds us of history at Who's To Blame? Olmert, Peretz, Halutz, and the Israeli MSM posted at ****** Cosmic X in Jerusalem ******.
That concludes this edition. I want to thank Soccer Dad for his trust and for giving me the opportunity to host Haveil Havalim this week. Despite some technical glitches earlier in the week I have truly enjoyed it and all the submissions. I would love to do it again sometime! (o.k. so now you all know I am not in my right mind) Though, I can never hope to do it as well as Soccer Dad does!
Have a wonderful, peaceful and successful week everyone. Enjoy! - Barbara
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