Odds & Ends

The opinions expressed on this webpage represent those of the individual authors and, unless clearly labeled as such, do not represent the opinions or policies of TBS. Empire of Wealth by John Steele Gordon. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States dramatically increased military production. The operation was coordinated by Donald Nel­son, who had been the executive vice president of Sears Roebuck and would now head the newly created War Production Board: "In the first six months of 1942, the [U.S.] government gave out more than $100 billion in military contracts, more than the entire gross national product of 1940. In the war years, American industry turned out 6,500 naval ves­sels; 296,400 airplanes; 86,330 tanks; 64,546 landing craft; 3.5 million jeeps, trucks, and personnel carriers; 53 million deadweight tons of cargo vessels; 12 million rifles, carbines, and machine guns; and 47 mil­lion tons of artillery shells, together with…

The opinions expressed on this webpage represent those of the individual authors and, unless clearly labeled as such, do not represent the opinions or policies of TBS. Do we worship Hashem or Halacha? At the end of the day, as last week’s Torah portion proclaims, Hashem holds most dear the principle in which he packages His halachot and mitzvot: “And you shall live by them.” By STEWART WEISS  MAY 7, 2020 14:05 I first became acquainted with this phenomenon some years ago when I received a call, shortly before Passover, from a woman I did not know. She was calling to ask me whether a certain product contained any hametz in it. Not familiar with the item, I asked her to begin by reading the list of ingredients. She had hardly begun when I interrupted her and said, “Sorry to tell you this, but that product is not kosher.” “I…

The opinions expressed on this webpage represent those of the individual authors and, unless clearly labeled as such, do not represent the opinions or policies of TBS. Why a full Kinneret means more than just hydrology By ROSSELLA TERCATIN -  APRIL 13, 2020 After an abundant rain hit Israel over the last weekend, the Water Authority announced that the level of its waters reached its full capacity, marking a record since 2004. For a long time, scarcity of water represented one of Israel’s major challenges. As the third decade of the 21st century opened though, this is no longer true, thanks to a rapid advancement in water-related technologies that have been able to turn previously unusable resources – sea and waste waters – into major supplies. Yet, very few in the country have not been rejoicing in the fact that during the past two winters the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) level has…

The opinions expressed on this webpage represent those of the individual authors and, unless clearly labeled as such, do not represent the opinions or policies of TBS. ‘Tzahalit’ – slang from the IDF I think the term falafel stuck because it was a way of lessening soldiers’ fear of senior officers.” By YAAKOV BAR-ON -  MARCH 14, 2020 LINGUIST AND lexicographer Dr. Rubik Rosenthal recently published ‘Speaking Tzahalit (photo credit: ARIEL BESOR)   With Israel’s third election behind us without a clear path to a coalition, the political parties are feeling the Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads. They are not resting on their laurels, but instead are on high alert. In order to refrain from shooting from the hip, and to not be caught with a short fuse, they are mobilizing their forces and assembling their political experts in the war room in an effort to prepare for…

The opinions expressed on this webpage represent those of the individual authors and, unless clearly labeled as such, do not represent the opinions or policies of TBS. An Amazon's tiara - the cultural history of Wonder Woman This Purim, as thousands of girls around the globe dress up as Wonder Woman, we shed more light on the myth and facts behind the fabled princess. By HAGAY HACOHEN, AARON REICH - MARCH 6, 2020   Why is Queen Esther the most popular Biblical heroine for Purim costumes? While the Bible isn’t lacking in powerful heroic women that young girls might aspire to be – Deborah was a judge, Yael killed Sisera – Esther seems to be the people’s choice since Italian Jews decided to make Purim into a carnival around the year 1500.   The reasons for Esther’s popularity might sound familiar. She has a book named after her, has a…

Halakhic Guidance from CJLS about Coronavirus   Please find information below from Rabbi Rabbi Elliot Dorff, CJLS chair, Pamela Barmash, CJLS co-chair, Rabbi Joshua Heller, chair of the Rites and Rituals Subcommittee, and Rabbi Ashira Konigsburg, Chief Operating Officer, providing guidance for individuals and communities affected by Coronavirus. Please note that this is not an official responsum of the CJLS.    In response to queries posed to the CJLS and the Rabbinical Assembly office about quarantines and closures due to the COVID-19 (known as the Coronavirus), we urge those who are ill  to stay home, and those whom medical authorities have recommended for quarantine or self-quarantine to follow medical advice and stay in quarantine. Pikuah nefesh, protecting human life, overrides almost every other Jewish value.    A. All should follow advice regarding hygiene and handwashing. In particular:  Congregations should discourage handshaking and other direct physical contact  It is advisable to refrain…

The opinions expressed on this webpage represent those of the individual authors and, unless clearly labeled as such, do not represent the opinions or policies of TBS. Rabbis with knives between their teeth are needed How is it possible the religious parties have failed to inspire the majority of Israelis to feel closer to Judaism and to foster a greater appreciation for the Jewish way of living? By NATHAN LOPES CARDOZO - JANUARY 24, 2020   Now that there is a serious possibility that the chess players in Israeli politics will be drastically moved around and a predominantly secular government is going to lead the country, it is high time the religious parties and institutions, as well as their leaderships, ask themselves some hard and uncomfortable questions.   How is it possible that after more than 70 years, the religious parties have failed to inspire the majority of Israelis to…

The opinions expressed on this webpage represent those of the individual authors and, unless clearly labeled as such, do not represent the opinions or policies of TBS. Rescuing academics from the Nazis – well, sort of The story of how US academia vetted and weighed which Jews it would save from the Holocaust. By GLENN C. ALTSCHULER - JANUARY 16, 2020 ALBERT EINSTEIN was chosen as ‘Person of the Century’ by ‘Time’ magazine in 1999. US academia found him a place so he could escape the Nazis, but the book discusses many other academics who were less fortunate.   With Nazis in control of the German government, Daniel O’Brien, a Rockefeller Foundation official based in Europe, wrote in his diary, “The Jews are being put out everywhere and without justice.” In April 1933, the government dismissed all Jews from civil service positions, including universities and research institutes, even if they…

The opinions expressed on this webpage represent those of the individual authors and, unless clearly labeled as such, do not represent the opinions or policies of TBS. Can the Israeli baseball team win an Olympic medal? Can a baseball team made up mostly of professional, college and semiretired Americans bond as a lineup to win an Olympic medal? We’re about to find out. By ELLI WOHLGELERNTER  - JANUARY 10, 2020   Baseball catcher Ryan Lavarnway remembers being in his hotel room in Seoul, South Korea, getting his body worked on by Yoni Rosenblatt, the strength and conditioning coach for Team Israel.   It was the eve of the opening game of the 2017 World Baseball Classic, the quadrennial competition known as the sport’s “World Cup.” The international baseball community was shocked when Israel qualified: no one saw it coming, and no one gave the team a chance to win a…

The opinions expressed on this webpage represent those of the individual authors and, unless clearly labeled as such, do not represent the opinions or policies of TBS. The stolen missile boats Israel used in the Yom Kippur War Half a century has passed since Israel defied a French embargo and stole its own boats from Cherbourg harbor on Christmas Eve, titillating the world media. By ABRAHAM RABINOVICH  - DECEMBER 21, 2019 THE DESTROYER ‘Eilat,’ first victim of the naval missile age.(photo credit: GPO)   Fifty years ago this Christmas Eve, five small naval vessels slipped out of Cherbourg Harbor after midnight into the teeth of a force-nine gale. Ordered by Israel from a local shipyard, the “patrol boats” had been embargoed by France for political reasons. The Israelis were now running off with them.   The vessels would be refueled at sea by Israeli merchant ships moving into position along…