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Galilee Diary: Remembering Amalek
Haman, according to the Scroll of Esther, was a member of the tribe of Amalek. Thus, we learn the consequences of disregarding the Torah commandment to wipe out the memory of Amalek - as long as they are allowed to continue to exist, they remain a threat, the enemy who for no rational reason constantly plots our destruction. And we read the above passage on the Shabbat before Purim every year,
Galilee Diary: Ivory Tower
By Marc Rosenstein
(Originally published in Galilee Diary and Ten Minutes of Torah)
Galilee Diary: Green thoughts II: My space
By Marc Rosenstein
(Originally published in Galilee Diary and Ten Minutes of Torah)
Galilee Diary: Green thoughts III: humility
By Marc Rosenstein
(Originally published in Galilee Diary and Ten Minutes of Torah)
Galilee Diary: Leaving the desert behind
We learn in chapter 5 of Joshua that while the generation of the Exodus had been circumcised in Egypt, their children and grandchildren born in the desert had not been. And since only the circumcised may eat of the Passover sacrifice, it seems that this ritual too was not maintained during the forty years in the desert. Anyway, we couldn't have eaten matzah in the desert as we had no grain - only manna.
Social Action Briefing - Recapping the Dialogue
Yesterday's Social Action Briefing was attended by people from all over the country! Thanks for joining in - but we know that many of you were unable to listen in, so we've got the audio available here! Check it out here:
Drumroll, Please! Our First Consultation Speaker Is...
March Madness? Indeed! Washington is buzzing with speculation about the speaker lineup at the 2009 Consultation on Conscience. It's THE place to be next month - especially for Jewish social justice activists!
Anti-Torture Meeting at White House
Torture inflicts more physical and psychological harm than other interrogation techniques which are, in fact, more effective means of obtaining crucial national security intelligence and therefore cannot be condoned by Jewish law.
And the People Agree!
On December 14th, the Environmental Protection Agency is set to announce new regulations on fine particle pollution, more commonly known as soot. The regulations are being released as part of a lawsuit between the American Lung Association and the EPA over the failure of the agency to issue new soot regulations as required. The regulations could have a significant impact on everything from coal plants to oil refineries to other industrial industries.
An Assessment of Jewish-Catholic Relations
Late in October, Cardinal Kurt Koch, president on the Vatican Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews delivered a comprehensive overview of the state of Jewish-Catholic relations to the Commission's conference with its consultors and delegates of individual Episcopal Conferences for Catholic-Jewish dialogue held in Rome on October 29. In his talk, which can be found in its entirety here, Koch sought to allay fears within the Jewish community and among Catholics committed to positive relations with the Jewish community regarding what some had perceived as a retreat from Nostra Aetate, the Second Vatican Council Declaration that has been hailed as the most significant change in Christian teaching about the Jews since the beginning of the Church.