var fbShare = {url: ‘http://www.samueljscott.com/2010/03/06/speak-hebrew-not-yiddish/’,size:‘large’} JERUSALEM — Whenever I hear American or European Jews speaking Ashkenazi Hebrew on the bus or in synagogue, I go nuts. And I shake my head at the growing popularity and revival of Yiddish among some Western Jews:
Although no one knows exactly how many Yiddish speakers there are […]
Entries Tagged as 'Religion'
Speak Hebrew, Not Yiddish
March 6th, 2010 · 5 Comments · Anti-Semitism, Anti-Zionism, Britain, Business, Culture, Europe, Immigration, Israel, Judaism, Language, Personal, Politics, Religion, Russia, The Middle East
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Life in Israel
March 6th, 2010 · No Comments · Culture, Israel, Judaism, Liberal Pundits, Personal, Politics, Religion, The Middle East, War, War on Terror
var fbShare = {url: ‘http://www.samueljscott.com/2010/03/06/life-in-israel/’,size:‘large’} People always ask me what it’s like in Israel. Since I don’t usually have hours to respond with a nuanced, lengthy discussion, I normally boil it down to one sentence: “This country is the perfect combination of heaven and hell.”
Bradley Burston, a local columnist, puts it another way: “Living in […]
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Marriage — Brain or Heart?
March 3rd, 2010 · 6 Comments · Business, Civil Liberties, Culture, Dating, Economics, Education, Egypt, Feminism, India, Israel, Judaism, Personal, Politics, Religion, Sex, The Middle East
var fbShare = {url: ‘http://www.samueljscott.com/2010/03/03/marriage-brain-or-heart/’,size:‘large’} Ninth in an ongoing series of essays
BANGALORE, India — While I was traveling to the Silicon Valley of the East in December 2006 with my Suffolk University M.B.A. class in Boston to study business there for a week, I popped into a local tourist trap to look at some […]
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You know, like, homosexuality’s bad, okay?
March 2nd, 2010 · No Comments · Bible, Christianity, Culture, Religion, Sex
var fbShare = {url: ‘http://www.samueljscott.com/2010/03/02/you-know-like-homosexualitys-bad-okay/’,size:‘large’} I confess: I don’t know who Miss Beverly Hills is, nor do I particularly care. I find her recent defense of her anti-gay beliefs compelling, however. Especially illuminating is the pause when she is asked if one can both be Christian and gay.
I think Miss Beverly Hills’ response – or […]
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Christian Israel
February 27th, 2010 · 3 Comments · Christianity, Culture, Israel, Journalism, Judaism, Law, Palestine, Politics, Religion, The Middle East
var fbShare = {url: ‘http://www.samueljscott.com/2010/02/27/christian-israel/’,size:‘large’} The Jerusalem Post has unveiled a revamped website with a Christian section that contains this interesting article: “Will Israel Obey God or Man?”
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The Israeli Arse
February 25th, 2010 · No Comments · Culture, Humor, Israel, Judaism, Religion, The Middle East
var fbShare = {url: ‘http://www.samueljscott.com/2010/02/25/the-israeli-arse/’,size:‘large’}
Since Israeli is a collection of so many people from so many cultures and countries, people here love to poke fun at each other (and themselves). “Arsim” is a (plural), stereotypical, derogatory term for a certain subculture of Mizrahi Jews, those who came to Israel from the neighboring Arab […]
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Divided Jerusalem
February 22nd, 2010 · 9 Comments · Boston, Christianity, Civil Liberties, Culture, Europe, Immigration, Islam, Israel, Judaism, Law, Massachusetts, Palestine, Personal, Politics, Religion, The Middle East
var fbShare = {url: ‘http://www.samueljscott.com/2010/02/22/divided-jerusalem/’,size:‘large’} JERUSALEM — An city government official recently made an announcement that is realistically true in terms of Middle East peace:
Yakir Segev, who holds the East Jerusalem portfolio in the Jerusalem municipality, made an uncharacteristic remark on Friday, declaring that the Palestinian neighborhood east of the separation fence were “no […]
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Women of the Wall
February 16th, 2010 · 7 Comments · Civil Liberties, Culture, Feminism, Israel, Judaism, Law, Personal, Politics, Religion, The Middle East
var fbShare = {url: ‘http://www.samueljscott.com/2010/02/16/women-of-the-wall/’,size:‘large’} JERUSALEM — A group of ultra-Orthodox Jews verbally assaulted a group of women praying at the Western Wall, called them “Nazis,” and blamed them for the Holocaust.
It’s just another example of the insanity that pervades extremist groups in the Middle East. The group, members of Women of the Wall […]
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TSA Insanity">TSA Insanity
February 15th, 2010 · 3 Comments · Civil Liberties, Culture, Islam, Israel, Law, Palestine, Personal, Politics, Religion, The Middle East, War on Terror
var fbShare = {url: ‘http://www.samueljscott.com/2010/02/15/tsa-insanity/’,size:‘large’} Stories like this make me grateful for the security measures taken by El Al, Israel’s main airline:
Ryan was taking his first flight, to Walt Disney World, for his fourth birthday.
The boy is developmentally delayed, one of the effects of being born 16 weeks prematurely. His ankles are […]
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Racism and Outsiders
February 11th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Anti-Semitism, Boston, Civil Liberties, Culture, Education, Islam, Israel, Judaism, Palestine, Personal, Politics, Religion, The Middle East, War, War on Terror
var fbShare = {url: ‘http://www.samueljscott.com/2010/02/11/racism-and-outsiders/’,size:‘large’} JERUSALEM — Forecast Highs, written by the news editor of the Jerusalem Post, notes the results of a recent poll on racism towards Jews:
In the predominantly Muslim nations surveyed, views of Jews were overwhelmingly unfavorable. Nearly all in Jordan (97 percent), the Palestinian territories (97%) and Egypt […]
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West-Bank Settlements
February 9th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Anti-Semitism, Civil Liberties, Islam, Israel, Judaism, Law, Palestine, Personal, Politics, Religion, The Middle East
var fbShare = {url: ‘http://www.samueljscott.com/2010/02/09/west-bank-settlements-2/’,size:‘large’} JERUSALEM — Hillel Halkin makes a not-so-modest proposal for peace in the Middle East:
There is one obvious solution for Israel’s West Bank settlements that has been all but completely overlooked: Let the settlers continue living where they are, but in the state of Palestine.
As a conception, it’s […]
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Too Many Men
February 7th, 2010 · No Comments · Business, China, Culture, Dating, Economics, Education, Feminism, Politics, Religion, Sex, The Middle East, War
var fbShare = {url: ‘http://www.samueljscott.com/2010/02/07/too-many-men/’,size:‘large’}
Michael J. Totten watches this YouTube video and makes an important point:
I don’t know much about demography, but Martin Kramer makes a strong case in just a few short minutes for the idea that a surplus of military-aged males is a big part of the Middle East’s […]
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A quick rundown
February 5th, 2010 · No Comments · Religion, Science, Sex, The Middle East, Uncategorized
var fbShare = {url: ‘http://www.samueljscott.com/2010/02/05/a-quick-rundown/’,size:‘large’} I said it once; I’ll say it again: clearly, religion is not the real cause of Islamic terrorism. Debate me all you want, but I will insist and never be convinced that religion is nothing more than a cloak donned by hypocrites, liars, and the criminally insane.
Hopefully, good news […]
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In the West Bank
February 3rd, 2010 · No Comments · Bible, Business, Civil Liberties, Culture, Economics, Israel, Judaism, Law, Palestine, Personal, Politics, Religion, The Middle East, War, War on Terror
var fbShare = {url: ‘http://www.samueljscott.com/2010/02/03/in-the-west-bank/’,size:‘large’} MA’ALE ADUMIM, the West Bank — So I was driving with a friend from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv a few months ago, and we came to a security checkpoint after twenty minutes. It was then that I realized that we were taking a path different from the one used […]
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Orthodox Dating
February 2nd, 2010 · 2 Comments · Culture, Dating, Feminism, Judaism, Religion, Sex
var fbShare = {url: ‘http://www.samueljscott.com/2010/02/02/orthodox-dating/’,size:‘large’} For those who are interested or curious, I just read a good article on dating in Orthodox Judaism — shomer negiah and all.
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