Friday, March 31, 2006

Over 300 rabbis

Sometimes symbol is substance. Over 300 rabbis and imams from over 40 countries gathered in Seville for several days for the World Meeting of Rabbis and Imams for Peace, organized by the Hommes de Parole Foundation, The very facts symbolize something worth paying attention to.
The 200 included chief rabbis from countries, including Israel; the imams included Shiite, Sunni, and Sufi leaders from 5 continents, including Israel and the Palestinian territories. The symbolism is worth paying attention to.
And 20 rabbinical students, meeting with their Moslem counterparts in late night sessions, committed themselves to finding funding to meet again, and Israeli rabbinic judges signed an agreement with the Imams in Hebrew and Arabic. Substance began to transcend symbolism.

After 3 days of meetings, the group signed a public statement mandating regional follow-up, affirming mutual commitment to condemn anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, and xenophobia of all sorts, and condemned the taking of life on behalf of religion as a distortion of religious values.

We legitimated not only the Other, as a basis for mutual understanding, and there were calls for a joint council to preserve the dignity of the Temple Mount and all religious sites. Substance began to triumph.

Tense moments

To be sure the meeting of Rabbis and Imams for Peace was not all peaceful. There were public tensions among Muslims, there were behind-the-scenes matters on the Jewish side. There were challenges to the , and there were times when the majority of attendees voted with their feet by holding conversations in the hallway rather than sit in the sessions.

While neither the were ever present, looking to exaggerate any pointed moments of tension.

The challenges to communication were great by definition. The very nature of a world meeting meant that there were 5 official languages (English, French, Spanish, Hebrew, and Arabic). Plenary sessions provided simultaneous translation; small group sessions couldn't.

Most participants knew very few others before arriving, even of their own traditions. Many of the Israeli rabbis who were there under the auspices of the rabbinate had never sat together with their Jewish counterparts. Many of the Imams had never met face to face with their counterparts from the other major traditions in Islam.

Even fewer had occasion to understand the local situation of what it meant to be Jewish or Moslem in other parts of the world - or, more poignantly, to be Jewish or Moslem in the same place! Imagine the significance of French rabbis and Imams speaking with each other.
Success, no solution
While no comprehensive solution to the Mideast conflict was achieved, informal interactions made the conference into a genuine success. Most participants ran out of business cards. Commitments to stay in touch, across national borders and religious boundaries, were the norm.

A concluding symbolism: At the opening session, the room was filled with rabbis in black coats and business attire and Imams wearing Kameez, Jubbas, and Jilbabs. During the dinner after the opening session, one could see self-ghettoized tables. Black rabbinic hats sat with other black rabbinic hats, knitted kippot with other knitted kippot, Kufis, Turbans and Tarboushes sat with their like. Only those few who were more experienced with this intergroup agenda sought to mix with those of other places and traditions.

But by the middle of the conference, robes and hats were intermingling. At the concluding banquet, the formal black hats were replaced by kippot, Moslem attire was more civilian, ties were loosened and the tables were mixed.

This intermingling doesn't guarantee that the rabbis and Imams gathered in Seville for peace accomplished all that needs to be done, but we surely left with a sense of guarded optimism - and that may have been the most important and lasting message of all.
Rabbi Richard Marker is a Senior Fellow at NYU's Center for Philanthropy and a co-principal of Marker Goldsmith Advisors. Brill teaches Jewish Thought at Yeshiva University and is the director of Kavvanah: Center for Jewish Thought.

Thursday, March 23, 2006

The Yarmulke, Kippah, Coppel Book

Simple beautiful illustrations by the author will encourage your child to be proud to wear his yarmulke or kippah or kippot The child in this whimsical picture book is always proud to year his, to remind him that Someone is above us all. Come along, wherever he and his yarmulke travel, through the day and around the year!
So I think this is a nice book to get

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

It is still windy and the kippot are flying

Hay spring has arrived and we are supposed to have a nice weather however if you walk down the street you feel the cold wind blowing, I can see people walking in the street and holding on to the kippot, I did see a kippah flying and someone running to catch it what a site to see.
So when is the real spring going to come out from hiding.

Will the real spring please stand up, please stand up ...!!

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Legislative breakfast

This morning I attended a legislative breakfast that the Jewish community hosted. It was interesting to so all this politician walking around with kippot on there head no matter the race or color everyone had a hippah on. The food was good, but who can eat Sunday morning a 9 am usual I am still fast a sleep at this time on Sunday, but this Sunday I had to get up early. .

So I started eating some bagels and lox tuna fish and kosher candy I am so full now I don't know what I was thinking I really don't know why I ate so much, all I was doing was eating and clapping my hand to praise the politicians IM so not a fan of politics.

Thursday, March 16, 2006

All the chocolate

All the good stuff left over from purim is making me sick. We have tons of candy and chocolate ever time I pass the kitchen I take one its driving me crazy I think im going to dump all of it on to the street I cant take it anymore I have to start my diet immediately. Can you imagine the amount of calories in all the Nash? I need to fast now for a few days

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

The kippot did not fly

Yesterday was Purim and it was windy I did worry that the kippot will be flying all over the place but it was not so windy and my kippah did not fly off may head. I was walking down the street and I cant believe how many people went around with funny costumes I have seen someone walk around with a big Gift baskets so big that 2 people had to carry it all the kids wanted to look at it

Monday, March 13, 2006

How will I do it

The forecast has rain in it so how in the world will I be able to deliver the basket that I got from the Kosher basket place, if you will be walking in the street you will be seeing kippot flying all over from the wind and all the purim costumes wet wow what a purim to see

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Its Time to get a basket

Its time I look to get a basket with the goodies for purim I am surfing the net to see what I can get and the best place I found is Oh Nuts they have a large selection og nice baskets for purim I like the chocolate and the candy its all about the junk food Happy Purim

Friday, March 10, 2006

Yes Yes I found it


Yes I found the perfect Purin Kipah its multi color kippot wow I hope I can still get it before purim I will ask them it they can ship over night this will be the perfect purim costume just like a clown Hee Hee.

Thursday, March 09, 2006

The Purim hat

Now its time to look for a funny purim hat, I am wondering if I can get purim kippot just like I can get sports kippot im thinking of ordering a kipah with multi colors like every slice a different color im going to email to a1 skullcap if they can do it for me

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

What's up with the charity

Purim is knocking on the door and it did take care of getting Mishloach Manos I got it at Oh Nuts, its the Purim Hanger Basket and I paid for it $39 what a good deal now its time to take care of the charity I would like to donate to a widow at www.helpawidow.org its about a widow that was let alone with 13 children the father died suddelny from a heart attack so I thing whatever I can do to help the family I will donate to the fund

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

How to choose kippot

Ok so I looked at the site that sells kippot and yarmukals and they have a very large selection of kippot and I don't know what to choose should I go with brocade kippot or maybe satin kippahs or I can choose suede yarmulkes, so I will have to do some thinking and need to make the choice

Monday, March 06, 2006

Purim is around the corner


Its almost purim and I need to get Mishloach Manos I am screeching my head what do I get for my wife my mother and how about my boss wow I have problems I guess iw will check out oh nuts web site they have a beautiful selection of gifts and Mishloach Manos for any kind price it a real saver I will have them ship it IM OFF THE HOOK

Sunday, March 05, 2006

How can I get kippot

Its a few week before the bar mitzva and I am looking for kippot for the bar mitzva the hardest part is to find the site who will provide you with good quality kippot and Yarmulkes the one place i think is great is as soon as you come to the site you will see a large selection of kippot and Yarmulkes and other Jewish stuff you can get for a reasonable prices I loved visiting the site