Haveil Havalim #154

11 of the Twelfth Month 5768

Founded by Soccer Dad, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs -- a weekly collection of Jewish & Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. It's hosted by different bloggers each week and coordinated by Jack. The term 'Haveil Havalim,' which means "Vanity of Vanities," is from Qoheleth, (Ecclesiastes) which was written by King Solomon. King Solomon built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and later on got all bogged down in materialism and other 'excesses' and realized that it was nothing but 'hevel,' or in English, 'vanity.'

But first, a few words from our sponsor...

1) A number of bloggers do a tremendous job of submitting posts. Our new and fabulous, fearless leader, Jack, requests that you please not submit more than three of your own posts. That's three,...not 15, but 3. You can easily remember this because "3 is the counting of the holy hand grenade, not one, not two, [not 15], but 3 -Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

2) We are still looking for more hosts.

"It is fun and exciting." -Jack

3) The deadline for submission is Friday. Yes, it used to be Saturday night, but no longer.

4) There is a vicious rumor going around that hosts automatically gain an invitation to a waffle breakfast at Jameel's place.

Jameel? Where are my waffles? Did Ill Call Baila get hers? Please make mine with spelt flour and without eggs. I'm on a diet. Also, please hold the vanilla, or any other spirit, called for in the recipe.

Until I see my waffles, I am afraid that this rumor cannot be confirmed.

And, now we go back to our regularly scheduled program....

How to begin?

Well, I was going to BORE you with my PROBLEMS: unemployment, noisy neighbors, lack of funds, the inability of most American Jews' to fathom that "lack of funds" cannot always be remedied by going to the kaspomat (automatic teller machine), fear of homelessness, etc. Did I mention noisy neighbors?

No, I wouldn't want to do that.

Instead I'll just dive right in. As I receive posts throughout the week (by the way, that's a HINT, by the way), I try to look for developing patterns or emerging themes. Other than a certain elimination of a particularly nasty Arab and the on-going bombardment of the Negev Desert, the only pattern or theme I saw developing was that posts coming in could easily have fit into any number of categories. As the week progressed, I was receiving more and more posts which were very focused, dictating the addition of categories.

What does that mean? I have no idea.

By the way, I wanted to make sure that everyone knew that you may submit posts on Sunday if you have 'em. I know that many of you worry about writing your best post of Friday. Then having already submitted a fair few during the week, you may be concerned about going over the rule of thumb limit of three, and thus decide to wait until Friday to make your decision about which of your posts to submit. I wouldn't worry too much.

I believe that any reasonable host would be happy to field a few of your posts on Friday or a couple over the rule of thumb limit over the course of the week. However, submitting 15 posts, all one hour before Shabbath...is not ideal,...in my VERY humble opinion.

Torah

Bar-Kokhba at For Zion's Sake shares some Torah thoughts before Shabbath in You Are My Witnesses.

Ze'ev at Israel Perspectives says that Only Israeli Judaism is Authentic!

Ari at Lion Of Zion tells us How Jewish Women Knew When To Light Shabbat Candles in the 18th C.

Questions About Aviner wants to know why Rabbi Shlomo Aviner has ignored the rulings against him of a Beth Din of Gedolei HaDor, including Rabbi Avraham Shapira ztz"l, Rabbi Dov Lior and Rabbi Ya'aqov Yosef, and why Jews continue to revere this man, when it may very well be forbidden to listen to his instruction on any issue.

A local exhibit of Cadavers On Display encouraged Daled Amos to review the halachoth (Jewish Laws) related to the handling of the deceased, and their body parts.

On a much lighter side, Daled Amos has great news: The First Yemenite Yeshiva will be opening in the U. S. A.

Eric at The Israel Situation, who will be hosting Haveil Havalim two weeks from now, bridges the Torah and Israel sections, by trying to make heads or tails for us of the relationship between religious Judaism and Zionism.

Israel

Ze'ev starts this section off with a video at Israel Perspectives, asking the question, "Can a Jew who doesn't live in Israel be a Zionist?" Check out the answer from Rabbi Avi Weiss.

Aqiva at Mystical Paths shares a Shabbath observation from his new neighborhood in Israel in Defending the Torah vs. Loving Your Fellow.

Loyal Soldiers addresses the protecting of our homeland Batya's In The Eye of the Storm.

In The Nature of our War, relatively new blogger on the scene in Israel, Tomer Devorah describes both our physical (part 1) and our spiritual (part 2) struggles. I'll bet you didn't know just how much of a stronghold Christian missionaries have been gaining in Israel.

I posted The U. S., Israel, and Christians for Ellen Horowitz. You probably did not realize the depth of the connections among these three, including the current elections in the U. S., revealed in this comprehensive round-up with commentary.

In The News

Joe Settler informs us of the efforts to expose the shenanigans of the Shalom Achshav (Peace Now) organization in Moral Victory.

Smooth Stone enlightens us to the not so hidden truth of "Israeli Apartheid Week".

Meanwhile Avi at Tel-Chai Nation reports that tax dollars are going from Fatah to Hamas, and that Hezbollah's Imad Mughniyeh has been blown to bits.

Snoopy The Goon at Simply Jews adds Imad Mughniyeh, may he Rest In Pieces, while Carl at Israel Matzav asks, "Was Mugniyah planning a terror attack in Egypt?"

Elder Of Ziyon reports on the recent re-destruction of Qever Yosef (Joseph's Tomb) in "The Muslim Youssef Wali." So does Yid With Lid in Palestinian's Burn Joseph's Tomb AGAIN!. And
Carl also reports on its aftermath in 'Palestinians' declare Joseph a Muslim.

The Haahmonean gives his take on the elimination of Mughniyeh in Dear Naysayers: We got Imad, and this is just the beginning.

Faith In Nathan and
The Hashmonean report on the earthquake we had here in Earthquake and Shake, Rattle, and Roll respectively.

Personal

Gila at My Shrapnel continues to share her healing process after being the victim of a bomb attack in The Waiting Game and LSD.

Batya at Me-Ander shows us how the Weather Changed and wishes A Blogger's Mazal Tov.

Politics

Tamar Yonah at "Israel National Blogs" provides us with a comprehensive explanation of the state of Israeli politics, politicians, and their motives in How Our Politicians Get Owned.

Robert at Seraphic Secret also gives us his analysis of the state of affairs in Israel, with its internal and external threats in The Decline and Fall of the State of Israel.

Sultan Knish reminds us to remember Amona and see the end of Israeli democracy. He includes a video and must-see photos.

On the other hand, Gila at My Shrapnel tells us why she feels really by for Olmert right now in Bamba And/Or World Peace.

This leads us to looking at....

S'deroth

I don't think it matters why the situation is the way it is. Nor does it matter what you think should or should be done about Azza (Gaza), or about the Northern and Western Negev, now reaching Ashqelon on a regular basis, this city in Israel, along with its surrounding areas, deserves its own section.

Batya at Shiloh Musings explains some of the problems with the government, and brings us photos of last Sunday's demonstration against the government's failure to do anything to stop the rocket attacks, in The Battle Cry Makes Me Nervous.

Dan at Tzipiyah.com probably asks the most important question - "What can we do to help Sderot residents?"

Tamar also at Tzipiyah.com provides one answer to this question in a personal piece simply entitled "S'derot."

Joe Settler, posting at The Muqata, reports on S'deroth residents' new strategy in Sderot To Launch Homemade Rockets. If you ask me, it's about time. Linda at Something...and Half of Something also heard about this, but gives an interesting twist on it. If you're in the U. S., and even if you're not, I recommend you read her post Tit For Tat.

Eric at The Israel Situation offers his analysis in Israel's Diplomatic Options.

The next piece comes from Israeli Satire Laboratory, whom you will usually find in the humor section. I have no doubt that there will be mixed reactions to this post. Please don't be too harsh with him. Extreme circumstances sometimes call for extreme actions to hammer the point home. Please read what Olmert Promises....

Yid With Lid provides another important solution to be implemented. Condi Rice is Coming- MAKE HER STAY IN SDEROT !

Completing the Israel section is Ruth Matar at Women In Green. Be sure to read her Open Letter to President Bush: Whose Land Is "Palestine?" in which she points out the president's fundamental error.

Judaism & Jewish Culture

Baruch at Orthodox Freelancers Guild presents The Conclusion of My Moetzes Historical Research -- Shandeh!

Dan at Tzipiyah.com covers what he believes to be important Causes for Jewish Student Activists.

Wives, Mothers, Sisters, and Daughters

Miriam at Live From Israel explores a woman's relationship to Torah and prayer in a repost from her other blog.

Little Frumhouse on the Prairie presents "What Do We Want from out Mikvah Ladies?"

Tzni'uth

Jacob Da Jew also addresses an issue related to women, how men look at them, in Taking "Modesty" Too Far.

Samurai Mohel also chimes in on the tzni'uth (modesty) question with Rabbanit Bruria Keren, Anorexia, Alternative Therapy and Women’s Religion.

Dating

Frum Satire gives us a VERY comprehensive and personal look at the whole shiddukh process in Thoughts Before, During and After a Shidduch Date. He then asks the question - Is taking a shidduch to Starbucks too cliche? I guess you can figure out was my answer was to this question.

From Outside The Homeland

The Race For The Whitehouse

Rabbi Without A Cause tells us about his Guilty Pleasure: Sen. Barak Obama and Optimism. Carl at Israel Matzav says that Obama is Bad for the Jews. Another Barak Obama Israel Hating Adviser suggests that Yid With Lid is not so optimistic, as he exposes yet another "not so secret" skeleton in Sen. Obama's closet.

Meanwhile, Debbie Schlussel asks, "Why are Hillary and liberal Jews lying about an anti-Semitic filmmaker and Hillary fundraiser?"

We are reminded of another "not so secret" secret in Sultan Knish's Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton - Two Presidential Candidates Who Have Never Won an Election.

By the way, Sultan Knish also wants you to know why you should vote for John McCain.

And last but not least, Batya explains why these are not her elections.

More News

According to Daled Amos, when it comes to releasing terrorists, the Clintons beat Olmert to the punch.

Avi at Tel-Chai Nation reports on Anne Frank's protector who moved to Toronto.

Judith at Kesher Talk reports on a interesting story unfolding in New York. What happens when a Habbadniq becomes principal in a mostly Hispanic public school?: Read Madre de Dios, The Principal is a Jew!! Soccer Dad gives his take on this story as well in Yiddishe Nachas.

Avi at Tel-Chai Nation reports some disturbing news. The U. S. State Dept may help shield palestinians from having to pay victims of terror. Fortunately, according to Daled Amos, Sen. Specter & Eight Others say Let Lawsuits Against Palestinian Terrorists Stand.

The Anti-Racist Blog exposes "Palestinian Awareness Week" at the University of Michigan. Smooth Stone exposes the extent of the harassment Jews incur by these same individuals, on Shabbath no less, in Support SPURN.

Jewish Organizations

Every week, if you look, Jewish organizations acting on behalf and for the "greater good" of Israel and the Jewish People are exposed for the codependents (and I'm being nice here) that they are.

Debbie Schlussel exposes the Anti-Defamation League [ADL], an organization she used to be proud of, and it gets worse. Caroline Glick exposes AIPAC's Mystifying Behavior.

Slices Of Life

Check out the cute and descriptive "Swinging" at These Dreams of Who???

In Memorial

Debbie Schussel remembers Rep. Tom Lantos z"l in Rare Democrat who understood Islamic terror will missed.

Media Watch

Judeopundit examines Ramzy Baroud on manufactured realities.

Snooy The Goon at Simply Jews reviews John Podhoretz on Michael Chabon - OTT?


Elder Of Ziyon suggests you check the latest episode of the latest episode of Hamas kidTV. He also rips apart a couple of writers in Pseudo-intellectualism Is Fun!

Rafi G. at Life In Israel exposes some photographic shenanigans of the Israeli Ministry of Education no less in Distorting Reality With Pictures.

Smooth Stone reports on How Rachel Corrie really died. Remember this?

Family

Kosher Academic and her family are Going Green...kind of.

Jack at Random Thoughts presents a personal piece, Coping With Sick Parents.

Therapy Doc's Connecting The Dots educates us on the dynamics of bilingual families, possibly even our own.

Carl's Signs Of Life is a poignant story of a father and son. "The bombing [is] the beginning of the story, and not its end."

A Simple Jew shares on his personal midoth work in Another 40 Days - Reopening The Notebook - Part 1.

Travel

Call me too much of a compartamentalizer (Yes, I have decided that this is indeed a word), but Mottel at Letters Of Thought deserves his own category. Check out his photos and narrative in A Trip To Slovenia, and you'll see why. By the way, I recognized one of the guys in your photos, Mottel. Toras Emes, right? Small world.

Food

I still am not not sure how tongue-in-cheek Ezra at Jewneric is trying to be in this up and coming blog. So, I'm playing it safe by putting in the "Food" section. What I AM sure about is that Ezra is right on about Sushi and Tel-Aviv (good heksherim our there by the way) and that certain big and trendy, Jewish blog collaborations and sites (that shall remain nameless at the present time) had better be on their toes, because Jewneric is here,...and this blog actually features some talented, young writers. Check out Ezra's "About the Impending Israeli Sushi Strike and the Implications and Ramifications upon the Future of the Israeli Society."

Humor

OK, so here's the humor section. Starting us off is the Israeli Satire Laboratory, who we have already seen has been concerned about what's been happening in S'deroth. ISL asks, "Can Flying Pigs Save Sderot?" But, wait a minute. This idea doesn't sound so farfetched.

Now check out Head Of Doodle's Phone And Disease. I'll bet you have some of the same thoughts as this yeshiva bochur.

Back in the U. S., Shira at On The Fringe asks that we use our imagination when looking at a photo she put up. Could it be that a shark is really eating Grand Central Station? I think she might have something there.

Potpourri

Well, you'd think that with all of my categories, I would have been able to avoid a "Miscellaneous" section. Well, I did because Link Heaven from NY's Funniest Rabbi really is more of a potpourri than a miscellaneous post.

Meta-Blogging

Batya is close to her 100,000 hit son her blog Me-Ander. She tell us more about it in Counter Milestone.

Oh, and by the way, it's THAT time of year again...

"The 2008 Jewish & Israeli Blogging awards working committee is now forming. If you're interested in being an active participant in making the 2008 awards happen, now is the time to speak up. We need...."(Read more....)

Some of you may know that I am not the biggest fan of the JIB's. I have nothing against them. I just think they sometimes bring out the... well, not the best in people. That's not the fault of the awards, though, but of individual bloggers. I do have one recommendation to make the, now forming, JIB's committee. Add the following category: "Most 80 x 15 px Rectangular Link Buttons."

A Final Note...

I pride myself on being as open-minded and inclusive as possible, when hosting Haveil Havalim, even though Jack has told me that he is continuing Soccer Dad's policy of giving discretion to the host. (Jack, please place a comment below, if you want to clarify that.) I know that this continues to surprise and amaze some of you.

My main goal was to include every blogger whom submitted something. I actually know and LIKE some of the bloggers with whom I often disagree better than some of the ones with whom I often agree. But, hey, that's just me.

I only eliminated a few of posts from inclusion, one was from a non-Jew, whose site I really liked. It's just that his submission had absolutely nothing to do with being Jewish or with Israel. It was an innocuous, and completely non-offensive post. I just couldn't make the connection.

I also believe I received a "spam" carnival submission. Not sure.

The last rejected post came from a Christian pastor, who wanted to teach us some Talmud.

Uh-uh. Ain't gonna happen, not when I'm hosting. And, for those who are interested, this is forbidden al pi halacha. I'm not telling you what you should or shouldn't do, just providing you with some information. (Watch. Someone will dawqa include a post like this just to show me.)

(I await your comments of mocking disapproval.)

That concludes the 154th edition of the Haveil Havalim Blog Carnival. Stay tuned for the 155th edition, next Sunday, 18 Adar I/February 24 back at Jack's blog, Random Thoughts - Do they have any meaning?.

Also, check out the latest edition of the Kosher Cooking Carnival hosted by Batya at Me-Ander. The next edition will be out soon at Gillian Pollak.

Please send your posts for next week's edition of the Haveil Havalim Blog Carnival via the Blog Carnival Submission Form. I found this to be very helpful in organizing your posts this week. Plus, it doesn't look like we have a host for next week, so there wouldn't be any other place to send your links to. If you're interested in hosting or receiving more information about the carnival, please contact Jack at talktojacknow-at-sbcglobal-dot-net.