Informed Consent

Posted on: August 16th, 2012

Despite the fact that major Poskim spanning several generations declare that the lack of Metzitza B’Peh does not invalidate Bris Milah – some even requiring alternative safer methods - the fact remains that there is a strongly held view mostly among Chasidim that Metzitza B’Peh is an absolute requirement of Bris Milah.

‘Muslim Brothers’ Invading Park Avenue

Posted on: August 15th, 2012

After quitting his Queens House seat disgraced by "texting," former Congressman Anthony Weiner and his wife Huma Abedin, a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (whom Michelle Bachman accused of being part of a Muslim Brothers conspiracy, seeing as her brother is a Muslim Brother—like her father and her mother, who are also Brothers—this is so Abbot and Costello) have acquired what the NY Post describes as a $3.3M "sprawling, 12th-floor Park Avenue trophy residence" which is owned by Rosen Partners LLC, which the Post says is headed by a close Clinton friend, Jack Rosen.

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Like Allah, Islamic Revolutions Devour Their Own Children

Posted on: August 15th, 2012

Muslims can't agree on what Islam is. What they can agree on is that most other forms of Islam are heresy and, depending on the severity of the heresy, their practitioners may be killed. "Big fleas have little fleas, Upon their backs to bite 'em, And little fleas have lesser fleas, and so, ad infinitum." Islamic revolutions have countless smaller fleas who interpret Islam more strictly and are even more determined to turn society into an exact ideal replica of 7th Century Arabia.

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The ‘Nine Questions’

Posted on: August 15th, 2012

I generally do not respond to patronizing comments on my blog. However, the questions raised by a recent commenter are common ones and deserve answers.

Why Your Best 20th Birthday Present is a Pension

Posted on: August 15th, 2012

You’re never too young to start planning for retirement.

Help Save the World!

Posted on: August 14th, 2012

About a month ago, I received an email from a 16 year-old girl from Europe, saying that she was on the way to the airport to fly to Israel. She said that her mother read my blogs at The Jewish Press and hoped that maybe I could help her, not knowing where else to turn. She wants to finish high school in Israel, make aliyah, and go into the army. Her present high school is all gentile and Moslem and very anti-Semitic. Could I help her, she asked?

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The Moderate Paradox

Posted on: August 14th, 2012

Our current political grammar, which leans heavily on ideas such as moderation and extremism, was crafted by the left. Like Orwell's Newspeak, the meaning of such words is relative and varies unpredictably. That relativism has given us the moderate Taliban and the moderate Muslim Brotherhood. Before long, it might give us the moderate Al-Qaeda member.

The Wrong Stuff of the Right

Posted on: August 14th, 2012

I recently saw a picture of the first Agudah convention taken almost 100 years ago. There were people in all manner of dress: light suits, dark suits, vests… some had hats, some caps, some just plain Kipot. Many clean shaven, few with peyos… All were there and all were the equivalent of the Charedi world we have today. This was the Agudah of Yesteryear.

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Who Gained From the Sinai Attack?

Posted on: August 14th, 2012

I’ve been wavering back and forth on this, but more and more people I’ve proposed this theory to are beginning to say that there might be something to it. Last week’s Sinai attack is still a mystery. A bunch of Palestinian terrorists kill the soldiers of a Muslim Brotherhood run country, all to get 2 [...]

Dear Hillary, What Were You Thinking?!

Posted on: August 13th, 2012

The State Department wont let the Jerusalem-born children of US parents, to list Jerusalem, ISRAEL on their US passport for fear of upsetting the Arab world, yet you criticize Israel for not allowing Jews freedom of prayer on the Temple Mount?

Police?…Or Shomrim?

Posted on: August 13th, 2012

The public the Shomrim serve trusts them more than the police. They ought to be disabused of that notion. Shomrim should be an auxiliary to the police, not the other way around.

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Tears Don’t Protect Against Murder

Posted on: August 13th, 2012

Tears don't protect against murder. They don't stop killers from killing. They don't prevent the authorities from looking the other way when the killings happen because there is something in it for them. They don't bring the terrorists to justice. They don't even ensure that the truth will be told, rather than the lie that rationalizes the crimes.

Morsi, Obama, the Best Thing that Ever Happened to Israel

Posted on: August 13th, 2012

The short history of the state of Israel is paved with mistakes, some of them understandable, some difficult to comprehend. But, in my opinion, no mistake even comes close to the signing of the Camp David Accords.

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Is Ryan Good for the Jews? Make that ‘Are the Jews Good for Ryan’

Posted on: August 13th, 2012

The selection of Paul Ryan, with his proposals for a trimmed-down federal budget, may not bode well for the Republican ticket among Jewish voters. And since Florida is the largest of the swing states, its Jewish voters will have a huge impact on the presidential election. On the other hand, the "Israel first" Jewish voters, after three years of constant conflict between Obama and Netanyahu, are not likely to stick with the president. Finally, what does it mean when Romney concedes the independents at the center and pick a VP to the right of him politically?

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The Greatest Gift You Could Leave Your Family

Posted on: August 12th, 2012

How to lighten the load in the case of disaster.

Olympic Runners Would Die…

Posted on: August 12th, 2012

I wonder if anyone in the Olympics has thought of the reality that people in Israel's south live with every day.

Of Truth and Belief

Posted on: August 12th, 2012

As currently defined, an Orthoprax Jew tends to follow Halacha, but may question the existence of God or whether the Torah was given to us at Sinai .

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‘Paul Ryan Will Not Be Mitt Romney’s Running Mate’

Posted on: August 12th, 2012

This is too delicious for words. On Friday, Bruce Bartlett of the Fiscal Times published a column under this very headline. It should obviously be filed under the "Dewey Beats Truman" category.

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Video: Romney Channeling Republicans’ Wishes?

Posted on: August 11th, 2012

On Saturday, Mitt Romney introduced his running mate, Paul Ryan, as "the next president of the United States."

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Hot Pastrami Sandwich on Mars

Posted on: August 10th, 2012

After finishing a meal in which we ate bread, we are to thank God for the food and for the Land which He has given us, as we say, “Blessed are Thou, O Lord, for the Land and the sustenance,” and even if a Jewish astronaut were to eat a pastrami sandwich on the moon, or on Mars, he would still thank God for the pastrami sandwich and the Land of Israel.

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