IU Vandalism

Five BB gun bullet holes were found in a window on the first floor of Indiana University’s Hillel. The incidence is still under investigation as to whom is responsible for the crime. “Rabbi Susan Shifron showed a police officer five BB-sized holes in a window on the bottom floor of the building, said Capt. Jerry Minger, reading from a police report” (idsnews.com). As of now, the vandalism is anonymous but there is suspicion that an anti-Semite is responsible for this crime. There is a connection to other sources of vandalism such has graffiti on Indiana University’s Chabad house in the past year. I think that an anti-Semite is responsible for this vandalism because it occurred both at the universities Jewish centers. Also, there is a much lower Jewish population in Indiana than in other states such as areas of New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, California, and Florida. Despite the fact that high populations of Jewish students are enrolled at the university, you would think that people would be open to other religions and backgrounds. I think whoever is responsible for this crime knew where and what they were aiming at. This ignorant hate crime illustrates ethnocentrism and close-mindedness to other religions and practices. This crime did not stir much attention on campus and probably would have caused much more of a commotion if it had happened in a classroom or a main building such as Balentine or the library. Nevertheless, it is fortunate that no one was injured and not much damage was caused during the event.

Eurovision

Eurovision is Europe’s version of American Idol but started long before America’s singing competition did. There has been much controversy in the show’s past on the Israeli singers including Israeli pop star transsexual, Dana International. International won Eurovision in 1998 for her hit song “Diva.” This coming spring Noa, whose legal name is Achinoam Nini will be performing with Arab singer Mira Awad where the two will represent Israel. One may wonder why Noa is not singing solo while representing his country. Noa is probably singing with Awad because Israel is the only country outside of Europe that is eligible to participate in Eurovision. Palestinian/Arab countries are not included in the show and therefore, Noa is allowing Awad to sing with him. Noa also probably thinks that Awad contributes significantly to his singing and therefore this strengthens their performance. "The Israeli government is sending the two of you to Moscow as part of its propaganda machine that is trying to create the appearance of Jewish-Arab 'coexistence' under which it carries out the daily massacre of Palestinian civilians” (jta.org). This stand of action of the unity of Israelis and Palestinians indicate that not all Israelis and Palestinians have enemies. It is possible to demonstrate harmony between two country’s people despite war. Many people in Israel and Palestine may protest against this propaganda but in the end, Noa and Awad are setting an example for the future of their countries and its inhabitants. Hopefully this example of unity will terminate some, if not all negative ties between the two countries.

Jewish Songs

The Jewish Songbook the Heart and Humor of a People is a classic musical album composed of various Jewish singers. The songs on the CD range from a serious tone to a lighter tone. The serious toned songs consist of a slower melody and the lighter tone songs can be interpreted as somewhat funny. Ironically, comedian Adam Sandler sings “Hina Ma Tov,” a classic song, which is sung in Hebrew. Although I do not remember if it was at my elementary school Solomon Schecter or in Temple, I do remember being exposed to this song at one point or another in my life. Of the thirteen songs on the album, I also recognized Marvin Hamlisch’s song “Hatikvah.” Although these two songs are sung in Hebrew and I do not understand what they are singing, it was easy for me to recognize the melodies almost immediately. The song “Shake Hands With Your Uncle Max” sung by Jason Alexander is a funnier song of the album in that depicts a large Jewish family. I thought this song was funny because it listed many Jewish stereotypical last names and by the end of listing these names, the names just started to rhyme with each other. In the end of the listing, these songs started to rhyme with each other because the artist was probably tired of naming so many typical names. He mentions Kleinman and Cohen then mentions Brumburger, Schlumburger, Minkus and Pinkus – names that may sound Jewish but that artist is probably mocking these names. Overall, I probably would not buy this CD or listen to any of these songs on a regular basis but it was nice to recognize two of the thirteen songs on the album.

What Will The Pope Do Next?

Since the Holocaust’s termination, there have been a series of people who deny that the Holocaust ever took place. This denial is completely preposterous due to the fact that the Nazis kept detailed records and there is an abundance of paraphernalia. This evidence is seen through books, survivors, and museums that have videos, photos, journals, and other proof that the Holocaust did indeed occur. Ex Bishop Richard Williamson is a Holocaust denier and Pope Benedict XVI dismissed him in early January due to his outrageous statements. Not only did Williamson outrage Jews but he also outraged Catholics as well. I think that the Pope took proper action in dismissing Williamson. “Pope Benedict XVI has issued his strongest condemnation yet of Holocaust denial. Speaking to American Jewish leaders at the Vatican, the pope said denial or minimization of the Shoah was intolerable and unacceptable. The pope also confirmed a planned trip to Israel” (vaonews.com). It is interesting to see that the Pope has taken action with much force and seriousness because growing up the Pope was forced to participate in the Hitler Youth. The Pope is probably taking a stance against this denial because he was forced against his own will to participate in these farcical acts as a child. The Pope’s planned trip to Israel makes a huge statement in that it unites the two religions and makes this religious leader more respected that he already is worldwide. The Pope’s mission is not to gain more people who respect him but rather his mission is to promote Holocaust awareness.

Giving Back to the Jew Crew

Jewish philanthropy is a contributing factor to the closeness of Jewish communities across the nation. “Philanthropy is the basis of American Jewry’s unity as a moral community and its organization into a voluntary continental polity” (Jonathan Woocher, 1985). In my opinion, I think that this quote illustrates that philanthropy is one factor that all Jews share in common. For example, if a Jew is poor they still make an effort to donate what they can for the benefit of the future of Jewish causes. On the other hand, if a Jew is wealthy they are likely to donate larger amounts to Jewish organizations. No matter the income of a Jewish person, they are taught from an early age that giving is an important part of the Jewish religion. Not only are they taught that philanthropy is important for the thriving of Jewish well being and advancement, but there is also a moral factor. Many Jews donate money without even being asked. It is not unusual to see people donate money in multiples of chi (18). Also, many websites will give you descriptions of benefits for the amount of money that one donates. For example, if you donate $36, you will be feeding an Israeli child for a day. With donating comes power. I know that my grandparents give a large sum of money to the JCC and to Israel. They funded the building for a school in Israel and because of this large donation to a Jewish cause, they are recurrently praised for their philanthropy, giving them a higher say in decisions organizations must make. Because my grandparents are well known philanthropists to Israel and the Jewish community, they continually encourage family members and friends to donate as well. The philanthropist mindset reflects a positive identity that many can look up to.

Bar in SI

She is widely known for her romantic relationship with successful actor Leonardo DiCaprio. Israeli supermodel Bar Rafaeli made the cover of the new Sports Illustrated 2009 swimsuit edition. Rafaeli is the first Israeli model to appear in the Sports Illustrated magazine and definitely backs up the renowned beauty typical Israeli natives have to offer. Articles refer to Rafaeli as an Israeli but not as a Jewish woman. These articles probably do not refer to her as a Jewish woman because being an Israeli typically implies that she is a Jew. Also, authors of articles do not often write about the religion of the celebrity that they are writing about. Nevertheless, Rafaeli is an Israeli Jew and Israeli Jews are stereotypically better looking than American Jews. When one thinks of an Israeli they often think physically of a person who is good looking and who is naturally darker than Americans. Also, Israeli Jews do not normally have the stereotype of having large noses and other undesirable characteristics. Many Americans are stereotyped has having large noses because many American Jews are European Jews. These European Jews are often of the Ashkenazi descent meaning that Israeli Jews will have other physical characteristics. The emergence of Zionism is one reason Israeli’s are known for their unique looks. “Zionism is the international Jewish political movementthat originally supported the reestablishment of a homeland for the Jewish People in Palestine, after two millennia of exile” (wikipedia.com). This Zionist movement ultimately led to the future of the nation promoting youth, beauty, and the idea of hard work.

Gender in the Orthodox Community

There are various gender issues within the Orthodox community including women having less of a voice than men do. The feminist movement JOFA helps women obtain the rights that they deserve. For example, in the Orthodox community women are chained to their marriage against their own will. Only a man is capable of initiating a divorce when they deem it necessary. JOFA plays a vital role in the modern Orthodox community because it strives for women’s rights. Gender roles are depicted in a very clear cut way on Yeshiva University’s website. Men and women are shown as separated on the website’s photos just as they are separated in religious practices. Because I am a Reform Jew I belong to a Reform temple. I remember going to an Orthodox Bat Mitzvah in middle school at an Orthodox synagogue. At this synagogue, a divider separated the men and women with the men sitting in the front of the room and the women in the back of the room. This is how I imagine religious gatherings in the Orthodox community because this is what I was exposed to at this Orthodox synagogue. In addition, women are inhibited from exposing certain body parts and skin. For example, they must cover their elbows with long sleeved shirts, knees with long skirts, and when they get married they must cover their heads. Men are freer with what they wear in that they are enabled to wear shorts and tank tops especially when playing sports.

Keeping It Kosher

Keeping kosher in the Jewish religion may be more important for some than it is to others. For example, Orthodox Jews consider keeping kosher obligatory while Reform Jews typically do not. When browsing on ou.org, the first network that a searcher is able to click on is a tab called “kosher.” This tab opens a plethora of subheadings and thoroughly explains what it means to be kosher, why to go kosher, and even illustrates videos of how to make certain kosher foods at home (such as guacamole). According to ou.org, over 60% of American foods are kosher and many people consume kosher products without even realizing it. In agreement with ou.org, Samuel C. Heilman states that kosher foods are widely available. This statement seems to be true in that they even have a kosher section at the Indiana supermarket Kroger. It is interesting to see that they have this kosher section because there are so many other products that are kosher and are not in the kosher section. For example, Oreos, M&Ms, and Coca-cola are kosher but yet they are not in the kosher section of the market. It is also interesting to see that there is a kosher section in Indiana’s supermarket because there are so few Jews in Indiana compared to the rest of the Orthodox Jews in the United States. Over the past several years, kosher conventions have been taking place in places like New Jersey and Manhattan most likely because of their large Jewish populations. The Orthodox movement is consistently growing and thus, the kosher market is growing.