Fly El Al — they know what Tefillin is

In one particular subset of American society, people were recently abuzz with the news story about how a plane was diverted from its NYC-Louiville flight plan, on account of a Jewish teenager taking out his tefillin (phylacteries) on the flight and praying.

It probably won't happen again for awhile at this point. But one can never be too sure...

תודה לדבורה על התמונה

Eretz Nehederet, Israeli "SNL," on the Israeli efforts in Haiti

Above you will find an amusing skit from the weekly Israeli television satire, Eretz Nehederet. From what I understand, the Israeli government's and army's efforts in Haiti have made front page news in the States. It certainly did here, too.

The skit is hilarious. Certainly gives Jon Stewart, Larry Wilmore and Aasif Mandvi  a run for their money in terms of champions of sardonic wit.

Among the stories about Israel's involvement in Haiti, on both sides of the ocean, some have criticized Israel's aid (in the most extreme manifestations) as a media ploy. The argument goes: there are countless human rights problems in Gaza — drive 50 km, and don't cross an ocean to save children dying under destruction.  (see here for a series of examples).

Under Rabbi Brant Rosen's personal blog post, and also the cross-listing on Jewschool, reads:

If it comes from Israel, is it still “Israel bashing?”

This cynicism is caustic. I will not go as far to say it's dangerous. But it lacks subtlety and shows a certain discomfort with one's arguments.

It's a satire, folks. An amusing, hilarious political commentary.

I say this with a dose of frustration and anger because it seems to me to be the height of absurdity to criticize Israel, its military, its government, in any way for going to Haiti and setting up hospitals for one of the great natural disasters in my lifetime. It is the height of irony to be so harmfully cynical about Israel's motives for saving lives in Haiti.  Objectively, the Israeli army was the first to arrive.

Moreover, such a claim on the above blog uses precisely the same tools of political gain that the individual is accusing Israel for in the first place. (Translation: to accuse Israel of manipulating its political and moral image in the world because of its action in Israel = using said "manipulation" for political gains to push Israel down and hence elevate the suffering of Gazans).

Let us all elevate the level of discourse in this entire process. Cynicism acts as the foil to hope.

Rabbi Heschel articulates this agenda throughout God in Search of Man, manifested here as an example:

The dreadful confusion, the fact that there is nothing in this world that is not a mixture of good and evil, of holy and unholy, of silver and dross, is, according to Jewish mysticism, the central problem of history and the ultimate issue of redemption. The confusion goes back to the very process of creation (371).

One can and should criticize Israel in various ways, politically, religiously, for some of its moral choices. Because it takes way to long to do something as simple as paying the electricity bill.

But don't go looking to do so. It's ugly.  And it undermines the fundamental arguments, often important ones in their own right, that you are trying to make.

Israel's actions can and should be celebrated. In this case. And in countless others, as well.

We can hold tensions in balance. And when we lose this capacity, we destroy ourselves with the dangers of polarities.

Milat HaYom — Spanish edition

My friend Maksi from Argentina just expressed to me that he needed to get out of Israel over break, perhaps to go to Europe, to "freeze his brains."

It's a new expression which I'm going to translate directly in the future, as well. We'll see if it catches on. Help make it happen.

Necesito /enfriar / un poco/ la cabeza
I need  / to freeze/ a little/ my brains

I need to freeze my brains, I need to relax, I need to get out and get some air.

The Obamas — Spokespeople for Israeli Cable TV

An amusing TV ad for the Israeli YES television network. It is unclear to me how the jokes go over on Israelis, but I certainly got a few laughs out of this.

Milot HaYom

We happened across a hapax legomenon in my Bible class today today (a word that appears only once in the course of the Bible).

It turns out that said word made its way into modern Hebrew. Quite a journey, no?

תרגלתי, tirgalti, from Hosea 11:3:

א) כִּי נַעַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וָאֹהֲבֵהוּ וּמִמִּצְרַיִם קָרָאתִי לִבְנִי
ב) קָרְאוּ לָהֶם כֵּן הָלְכוּ מִפְּנֵיהֶם לַבְּעָלִים יְזַבֵּחוּ וְלַפְּסִלִים יְקַטֵּרוּן
ג) וְאָנֹכִי תִרְגַּלְתִּי לְאֶפְרַיִם קָחָם עַל זְרוֹעֹתָיו וְלֹא יָדְעוּ כִּי רְפָאתִים

The New JPS translation suggests this word is "pamper," the 1917 version "taught." The more recent translation takes a more liberal interpretation of teaching, of God taking the people Israel in God's arms and instructing them. In either case, the verse stresses the parent instructing a child.

Here is the translation of New JPS for verse 3:

3. I have pampered Ephraim, Taking them in My arms; But they have ignored My healing care.

And the 1917 JPS translation:

And I, I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.

Meanwhile the modern definition:

תרגל, tirgel (בניין פיעלֹ, piel verb construction): to train (someone)

And a fun phrase from class, as well.

אין לי ידיים כפולות, ain li yadayim k'fulot: literally, "I don't have hands which are doubled," ie. I can only do one thing at a time. I have one set of hands

Artistic expression of Biblical themes — a helpful website

Check out this website which organizes art from various Biblical stories. Want a collection of many of the artistic representations of the Akedah (Binding of Isaac)? You can find that here.

And while we're on the subject, an amusing New Yorker cartoon.

The text: "Quit worrying about corroborating your sources — it's not as if anyone's going to take all this literally"

The Forward's Jewish education section

For those interested, the Forward published its Jewish education section this week. Several articles of note.