Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Showing posts with label Religion Jewish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Religion Jewish. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 01, 2019

Condemnations of The New York Times antisemitic cartoon


Condemnations of The New York Times antisemitic cartoon

Hat tip: Julie Lenarz, “If an openly anti-Semitic cartoon makes it into the international edition of @nytimes, you know how far Jew-hate has creeped back into the mainstream. This cartoon was handpicked, signed off, published. Not an honest mistake.”

Jerusalem Post Diaspora: FLOOD OF CONDEMNATIONS OF NEW YORK TIMES FOR ANTISEMITIC CARTOON

Congressmen join former ambassador to Israel and journalists in slamming the newspaper.

BY SETH J. FRANTZMAN   APRIL 29, 2019

Condemnations of The New York Times increased over the weekend after the paper’s international edition published an antisemitic cartoon. The offensive image was of a blind US President Donald Trump wearing a yarmulke, being walked by a dog with the face of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and wearing a Star of David collar. Despite the paper calling it an “error of judgment” to publish it, congressmen and Jewish organizations joined the chorus of outrage.

Read more here: https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Antisemitism/Flood-of-condemnations-of-NYT-for-anti-Semitic-cartoon-588044

https://dayhoffwestminster.blogspot.com/2019/05/condemnations-of-new-york-times.html


++++++
Kevin Dayhoff for Westminster Common Council
Westminster Municipal election May 14, 2019
Authority Caroline Babylon, Treasurer.

Carroll County Times: www.tinyurl.com/KED-CCT
Baltimore Sun Carroll Eagle: http://tinyurl.com/KED-Sun

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Monday, December 07, 2015

Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish friends, neighbors, family, and loved ones.


Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish friends, neighbors, family, and loved ones.

Chanukkah


From new twists to favorite traditions, Hanukkah Lights offers stories that touch the essence of a long-standing celebration: the resurgence of Jewish religion and culture after being forbidden by the Seleucid Empire, which sought to impose Greek values.

The holiday of Hanukkah, or "dedication," stems from the rededication of the temple at Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. As the legend goes, Maccabean fighters who had defeated King Antiochus IV's supporters were left with only a day's supply of oil for the temple — but it lasted for eight days.

While it is not a major holiday — the events marked by Hanukkah took place in 165 B.C., long after the Torah was written — Hanukkah is marked by a wide range of music, the reading of psalms — and food fried in oil, commemorating what is often called a miracle of light.


Related NPR Stories
Chanukah, or Hanukkah? Dec. 26, 2005
A Hanukkah Dilemma Dec. 25, 2005

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From the website, “Judaism 101 found here: http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday7.htm

This website is simply a must for those who care, but are just not that familiar with the religion of important friends…

On the 25th of Kislev are the days of Chanukkah, which are eight... these were appointed a Festival with Hallel [prayers of praise] and thanksgiving. -Shabbat 21b, Babylonian Talmud

Chanukkah, the Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the festival of lights, is an eight day festival beginning on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.
Chanukkah is probably one of the best known Jewish holidays, not because of any great religious significance, but because of its proximity to Christmas.

Many non-Jews (and even many assimilated Jews!) think of this holiday as the Jewish Christmas, adopting many of the Christmas customs, such as elaborate gift-giving and decoration. It is bitterly ironic that this holiday, which has its roots in a revolution against assimilation and the suppression of Jewish religion, has become the most assimilated, secular holiday on our calendar.


The story of Chanukkah begins in the reign of Alexander the Great. Alexander conquered Syria, Egypt and Palestine, but allowed the lands under his control to continue observing their own religions and retain a certain degree of autonomy. Under this relatively benevolent rule, many Jews assimilated much of Hellenistic culture, adopting the language, the customs and the dress of the Greeks, in much the same way that Jews in America today blend into the secular American society.

More than a century later, a successor of Alexander, Antiochus IV was in control of the region. He began to oppress the Jews severely, placing a Hellenistic priest in the Temple, massacring Jews, prohibiting the practice of the Jewish religion, and desecrating the Temple by requiring the sacrifice of pigs (a non-kosher animal) on the altar.

Two groups opposed Antiochus: a basically nationalistic group led by Mattathias the Hasmonean and his son Judah Maccabee, and a religious traditionalist group known as the Chasidim, the forerunners of the Pharisees (no direct connection to the modern movement known as Chasidism). They joined forces in a revolt against both the assimilation of the Hellenistic Jews and oppression by the Selucid Greek government. The revolution succeeded and the Temple was rededicated.

According to tradition as recorded in the Talmud, at the time of the rededication, there was very little oil left that had not been defiled by the Greeks. Oil was needed for the menorah (candelabrum) in the Temple, which was supposed to burn throughout the night every night. There was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight day festival was declared to commemorate this miracle. Note that the holiday commemorates the miracle of the oil, not the military victory: Jews do not glorify war.


Our rabbis taught the rule of Chanukkah: ... on the first day one [candle] is lit and thereafter they are progressively increased ... [because] we increase in sanctity but do not reduce. -Shabbat 21b, Babylonian Talmud

Chanukkah is not a very important religious holiday. The holiday's religious significance is far less than that of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, and Shavu'ot. It is roughly equivalent to Purim in significance, and you won't find many non-Jews who have even heard of Purim! Chanukkah is not mentioned in Jewish scripture; the story is related in the book of Maccabbees, which Jews do not accept as scripture.

The only religious observance related to the holiday is the lighting of candles. The candles are arranged in a candelabrum called a menorah (or sometimes called a chanukkiah) that holds nine candles: one for each night, plus a shammus (servant) at a different height.

On the first night, one candle is placed at the far right. The shammus candle is lit and three berakhot (blessings) are recited: l'hadlik neir (a general prayer over candles), she-asah nisim (a prayer thanking G-d for performing miracles for our ancestors at this time), and she-hekhianu (a general prayer thanking G-d for allowing us to reach this time of year).

See Chanukkah Candle Lighting Blessings for the full text of these blessings. After reciting the blessings, the first candle is then lit using the shammus candle, and the shammus candle is placed in its holder. The candles are allowed to burn out on their own after a minimum of 1/2 hour.

Each night, another candle is added from right to left (like the Hebrew language). Candles are lit from left to right (because you pay honor to the newer thing first). On the eighth night, all nine candles (the 8 Chanukkah candles and the shammus) are lit. See animation at right for the candlelighting procedure. On nights after the first, only the first two blessings are recited; the third blessing, she-hekhianu is only recited on the first night of holidays.

Why the shammus candle? The Chanukkah candles are for pleasure only; we are not allowed to use them for any productive purpose. We keep an extra one around (the shammus), so that if we need to do something useful with a candle, we don't accidentally use the Chanukkah candles. The shammus candle is at a different height so that it is easily identified as the shammus.

It is traditional to eat fried foods on Chanukkah because of the significance of oil to the holiday. Among Ashkenazic Jews, this usually includes latkes (pronounced "lot-kuhs" or "lot-keys" depending on where your grandmother comes from. Pronounced "potato pancakes" if you are a goy.) My recipe is included later in this page.

Gift-giving is not a traditional part of the holiday, but has been added in places where Jews have a lot of contact with Christians, as a way of dealing with our children's jealousy of their Christian friends. It is extremely unusual for Jews to give Chanukkah gifts to anyone other than their own young children. The only traditional gift of the holiday is "gelt," small amounts of money.
Another tradition of the holiday is playing dreidel, a gambling game played with a square top. Most people play for matchsticks, pennies, M&Ms or chocolate coins. The traditional explanation of this game is that during the time of Antiochus' oppression, those who wanted to study Torah (an illegal activity) would conceal their activity by playing gambling games with a top (a common and legal activity) whenever an official or inspector was within sight.


Read much-much more here: http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday7.htm
*****

Saturday, September 19, 2009

I Gotta' Love You Rosh Hashanah

I Gotta' Love You Rosh Hashanah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOTOdBzSpYc

Download the song, lyrics and more at http://rhgirl.com

Taglit-birthright israel presents "I Gotta' Love You Rosh Hashanah"

Starring birthright alumna Michelle Citrin as Rosh Hashanah Girl http://michellecitrin.com

Music by Michelle Citrin and William Levin Video Edited by Simon Weaver Created and Directed by William Levin - http://jewishrobot.com



20090918 sdsom I Gotta Love You Rosh Hashanah
*****
My http://www.explorecarroll.com/ columns appear in the copy of the Baltimore Sunday Sun that is distributed in Carroll County: https://subscribe.baltsun.com/Circulation/

Friday, March 13, 2009

Transcript - Bill Moyers Interviews Karen Armstrong


Transcript - Bill Moyers Interviews Karen Armstrong

March 13, 2009

This is the transcript of the March 1, 2002 Bill Moyers’ interview with ecclesiastical scholar Karen Armstrong.

If you can get past Mr. Moyers’ preachy, whining, supercilious, manipulative and hyper-politicized approach to what should remain in the domain of intellectual; you will find Ms. Armstrong is extraordinarily knowledgeable in the study of comparative religions – especially the three religions of Abraham - and delightfully articulate.

I wish that the interviewer had been Charlie Rose… / Kevin Dayhoff

Transcript - Bill Moyers Interviews Karen Armstrong

March 1, 2002

BILL MOYERS: She was a spark plug in my PBS series on Genesis, her books are best sellers, "The History of God", "The Battle for God", "Jerusalem". She's written a biography of Buddha, and a short history of Islam. Soon we'll have her new memoir of her life after the convent where she spent seven years as a nun. Joining me now is one of the world's foremost students of religion, Karen Armstrong. Thank you.

KAREN ARMSTRONG: Thank you Bill.

BILL MOYERS: If you were God, would you do away with religion?

ARMSTRONG: Well, there are some forms of religion that must make God weep. ...


Read the entire transcript here: Transcript - Bill Moyers Interviews Karen Armstrong

20020301 Bill Moyers Interviews Karen Armstrong
SDOSM 20090313
http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript_armstrong.html

Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Samuel J Scott: The Zohar

Samuel J. Scott: The intersection of politics, religion, media and business

The Zohar (1:1b) January 13, 2009

An
ongoing series

[I recently purchased the
new, English translation of the Zohar, the book that laid the foundation for Jewish mystical thought and the Kabbalah. It is the most important book in Judaism after the Bible and the Talmud. As I go through the Zohar, I will be publishing excerpts here for any readers who may be interested in addition to my series of commentaries on each week's Torah portion.]

Read his entire post here:
The Zohar (1:1b)

http://samueljscott.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/the-zohar-11b/

20090113 Samuel J Scott The Zohar

Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish friends, neighbors, family, and loved ones.


Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish friends, neighbors, family, and loved ones.

Chanukkah


From new twists to favorite traditions, Hanukkah Lights offers stories that touch the essence of a long-standing celebration: the resurgence of Jewish religion and culture after being forbidden by the Seleucid Empire, which sought to impose Greek values.

The holiday of Hanukkah, or "dedication," stems from the rededication of the temple at Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. As the legend goes, Maccabean fighters who had defeated King Antiochus IV's supporters were left with only a day's supply of oil for the temple — but it lasted for eight days.

While it is not a major holiday — the events marked by Hanukkah took place in 165 B.C., long after the Torah was written — Hanukkah is marked by a wide range of music, the reading of psalms — and food fried in oil, commemorating what is often called a miracle of light.


Related NPR Stories
Chanukah, or Hanukkah? Dec. 26, 2005
A Hanukkah Dilemma Dec. 25, 2005

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From the website, “Judaism 101 found here: http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday7.htm

This website is simply a must for those who care, but are just not that familiar with the religion of important friends…

On the 25th of Kislev are the days of Chanukkah, which are eight... these were appointed a Festival with Hallel [prayers of praise] and thanksgiving. -Shabbat 21b, Babylonian Talmud

Chanukkah, the Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the festival of lights, is an eight day festival beginning on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.
Chanukkah is probably one of the best known Jewish holidays, not because of any great religious significance, but because of its proximity to Christmas.

Many non-Jews (and even many assimilated Jews!) think of this holiday as the Jewish Christmas, adopting many of the Christmas customs, such as elaborate gift-giving and decoration. It is bitterly ironic that this holiday, which has its roots in a revolution against assimilation and the suppression of Jewish religion, has become the most assimilated, secular holiday on our calendar.


The story of Chanukkah begins in the reign of Alexander the Great. Alexander conquered Syria, Egypt and Palestine, but allowed the lands under his control to continue observing their own religions and retain a certain degree of autonomy. Under this relatively benevolent rule, many Jews assimilated much of Hellenistic culture, adopting the language, the customs and the dress of the Greeks, in much the same way that Jews in America today blend into the secular American society.

More than a century later, a successor of Alexander, Antiochus IV was in control of the region. He began to oppress the Jews severely, placing a Hellenistic priest in the Temple, massacring Jews, prohibiting the practice of the Jewish religion, and desecrating the Temple by requiring the sacrifice of pigs (a non-kosher animal) on the altar.

Two groups opposed Antiochus: a basically nationalistic group led by Mattathias the Hasmonean and his son Judah Maccabee, and a religious traditionalist group known as the Chasidim, the forerunners of the Pharisees (no direct connection to the modern movement known as Chasidism). They joined forces in a revolt against both the assimilation of the Hellenistic Jews and oppression by the Selucid Greek government. The revolution succeeded and the Temple was rededicated.

According to tradition as recorded in the Talmud, at the time of the rededication, there was very little oil left that had not been defiled by the Greeks. Oil was needed for the menorah (candelabrum) in the Temple, which was supposed to burn throughout the night every night. There was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight day festival was declared to commemorate this miracle. Note that the holiday commemorates the miracle of the oil, not the military victory: Jews do not glorify war.


Our rabbis taught the rule of Chanukkah: ... on the first day one [candle] is lit and thereafter they are progressively increased ... [because] we increase in sanctity but do not reduce. -Shabbat 21b, Babylonian Talmud

Chanukkah is not a very important religious holiday. The holiday's religious significance is far less than that of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, and Shavu'ot. It is roughly equivalent to Purim in significance, and you won't find many non-Jews who have even heard of Purim! Chanukkah is not mentioned in Jewish scripture; the story is related in the book of Maccabbees, which Jews do not accept as scripture.

The only religious observance related to the holiday is the lighting of candles. The candles are arranged in a candelabrum called a menorah (or sometimes called a chanukkiah) that holds nine candles: one for each night, plus a shammus (servant) at a different height.

On the first night, one candle is placed at the far right. The shammus candle is lit and three berakhot (blessings) are recited: l'hadlik neir (a general prayer over candles), she-asah nisim (a prayer thanking G-d for performing miracles for our ancestors at this time), and she-hekhianu (a general prayer thanking G-d for allowing us to reach this time of year).

See Chanukkah Candle Lighting Blessings for the full text of these blessings. After reciting the blessings, the first candle is then lit using the shammus candle, and the shammus candle is placed in its holder. The candles are allowed to burn out on their own after a minimum of 1/2 hour.

Each night, another candle is added from right to left (like the Hebrew language). Candles are lit from left to right (because you pay honor to the newer thing first). On the eighth night, all nine candles (the 8 Chanukkah candles and the shammus) are lit. See animation at right for the candlelighting procedure. On nights after the first, only the first two blessings are recited; the third blessing, she-hekhianu is only recited on the first night of holidays.

Why the shammus candle? The Chanukkah candles are for pleasure only; we are not allowed to use them for any productive purpose. We keep an extra one around (the shammus), so that if we need to do something useful with a candle, we don't accidentally use the Chanukkah candles. The shammus candle is at a different height so that it is easily identified as the shammus.

It is traditional to eat fried foods on Chanukkah because of the significance of oil to the holiday. Among Ashkenazic Jews, this usually includes latkes (pronounced "lot-kuhs" or "lot-keys" depending on where your grandmother comes from. Pronounced "potato pancakes" if you are a goy.) My recipe is included later in this page.

Gift-giving is not a traditional part of the holiday, but has been added in places where Jews have a lot of contact with Christians, as a way of dealing with our children's jealousy of their Christian friends. It is extremely unusual for Jews to give Chanukkah gifts to anyone other than their own young children. The only traditional gift of the holiday is "gelt," small amounts of money.
Another tradition of the holiday is playing dreidel, a gambling game played with a square top. Most people play for matchsticks, pennies, M&Ms or chocolate coins. The traditional explanation of this game is that during the time of Antiochus' oppression, those who wanted to study Torah (an illegal activity) would conceal their activity by playing gambling games with a top (a common and legal activity) whenever an official or inspector was within sight.


Read much-much more here: http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday7.htm
*****