Haveil Havalim #332 - The Rosh HaShannah תשע"ב/5772 Edition

5 of the Seventh Month 5772

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.'

This edition is entitled the Rosh HaShannah Edition, not only because we just came through another Rosh HaShannah, but because most of the posts presented here are related to Rosh HaShannah or the fall holiday season.

Every year, I take a look at the relationships in my life. Have I been a good son? Have I been a good friend? Roommate? Employee? What can I do to improve my part in these relationships? In other words, how have I done in the area of בין אדם לחברו (between a Jew and ones fellow)?

Lately, I have been more attracted to secular Jews than religious ones, at least right-wing ones, or those with whom I share similar concerns over the environment. Often they are surprised when I do not try to get into their faces about Torah and misswoth, and how everyone should believe the way I believe,...you know,...kind of like my (rather self-righteous) blog. ;-)

I live in a "mixed" building, in a "mixed" neighborhood, and hang out at a coffeehouse frequented by secular and Haredi Jews, and everyone in between. If that's a good, bad, or neutral. For now, it just is.

Maybe I am just chilling out, or something.

The area of בין אדם למקום (between a Jew and The Almighty) is just that, between Him and me. But, maybe I'll share my experience with this in the future.

Although I may have come close to crossing the line in the comments I make throughout this edition, I hope that I was successful in expressing disagreement without being disagreeable.

If not, I am sure that you will hesitate to let me know....

The Velveteen Rabbi starts us off with her view of the "Arab Spring" in the form of a Rosh HaShannah sermon. This is another example of how her views on Arabs, Torah, and justice are radically different from mine. I gather from Velveteen's post Hopes For Israel and Palestine that we also have radically different visions of peace in the Land. I envision a flourishing Torah-observant, Jewish population residing in all of Israel, including Judea and Samaria, among other lands not currently in Jewish hands. Whereas she seems to put both Arabs and Jews into a Western box (but, I could be mistaken).

Ariel at Torah Revolution elaborates on this theme in Three Fronts War. So does Mr. Cosmic X in The Murder Of Asher And Yonatan Palmer and in The Stone Which The Builders Rejected..., in which he shares the story of he and his son surviving a terrorist attack.

I am wondering if the Shilo Muse was the only one who bothered to listen to PM Netanyahu's United Nations Address, and, for that matter, to criticize it. She also recognizes that it is Life Or Death, [with] Nothing In Between. She also chimes in on the possibility of a Pseudostinian State.

Adina Kutnicki at MidEast Outpost gives us disturbing news about the application of Israel's "Administrative Detention," which allows the government to hold citizens without indictment, nor contact with counsel. Furthermore, the evidence is not always made available to the accused for scrutiny.

Getting back to Velveteen Rabbi, her Six Ways To Usher In The New Year shows how much we area alike,...although I do not do tashlikh.

Yekutiel guest posting at The Torah Revolution suggests that we Do What We Pray and Distinguish Between The Holy And The Secular.

The Rebbetzin's Husband wants to inspire us for Yom Kippur in Remember! He also offers up fo discussion Shailophobia: The Fear Of Answering Questions.

A Chissidishe Farbrengen wants to as well in Monarchy, Democracy, and Rosh HaShannah. and in

Sharon at The Real Streets Of Jerusalem reports on the [non-] Friday Riots of a week and a half ago. She also gives us a photographic Rosh HaShannah message.

Brian at Israelity also shares a great message with us in A Person Validation Of Zionism. Moms outside of Israel, with kids living in Israel, especially need to read this.

These New Year's Pomegranates from Rachel at Israelity are not what you think. Check 'em out!

Daniella at Isreview reviews Roladin's Sticky Bun For Rosh HaShanah and Beit Yitzchak's Sheep's Milk "To Go" Yogurt.

David at Israelity lets us in on the American music group REM's connection to Tel-Aviv. Nu? Who knew? I sure didn't.

Elms In The Yard pays Final Respects to Dola Ben Yehudah and Max Whitman, and shows us Plants Of The Season In Various Guises.

Mr. Cosmic X brings us out of Israel (figuratively), and asks, "Who Is The Real Obama?"

Last but definitely not least, check out the current edition of the Kosher Cooking Carnival at Cooking Outside The Box.

Wrap-Up
You may submit posts via our on-line submission form. Next week will be hosted at Liberty's Spirit, and the week after that at To Kiss A Mezuzah. Oct. 23 and Oct. 30 are still open. Velveteen Rabbi will be hosting on Nov. 6.

We still need more hosts! It's not so hard, and you get a bump in hits to your blog, not to mention the added exposure!

If you would like to host, please contact Jack directly at talktojacknow@gmail.com.