Volume 9 Number 8
Produced: Sun Sep 5 23:09:20 1993
Subjects Discussed In This Issue:
Apt in Jerusalem
[Steve Werlin]
Dinosaurs and Kashrut
[Joseph Galron]
Jewish Fiction (5)
[Sam Zisblatt, Neil Parks, Jonathan Traum, Norman Miller,
Judith Neufeld]
Kosher in Binghamton NY
[Sam Gamoran]
Moshiach & Peace Agreement
[Ezra Tanenbaum]
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From: Steve Werlin <swerlin@...>
Date: Wed, 25 Aug 93 8:47:18 CDT
Subject: Apt in Jerusalem
I am looking for a 2 bedroom apartment in Jerusalem for December 21 -
January 6. Please respond to me at:
<swerlin@...>
Steve Werlin
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From: Joseph Galron <JGALRON@...>
Date: Thu, 2 Sep 93 03:13:58 -0400
Subject: Dinosaurs and Kashrut
I would like to hear [read] what you think about the following article
from the International edition of the Jerusalem Post (Aug. 21, 1993):
"Dinosaurs and kashrut certificate 'incompatible'" by Herb Keinon.
"The Hemdat Council for Freedom of Science, Religion and
Culture has called on the secular public to boycott food
companies that "surrender to the whims" of various kashrut
supervisory bodies.
The call followed a threat by the Agudat Yisrael kashrut
department to withdraw its kashrut certificate from Tara
dairy products if they do not remove dinosaur pictures and
stickers from their products.
According to Rabbi Zvi Gafner. manager of Agudat Yisrael's
kashrut department, "dinosaurs re a symbol of heresy, while
our kashrut certificate symbolizes faith. The two symbols
are incompatible on the same product."
Gafner said that he has not yet heard from Tara whether they
will stop using dinosaurs to help market their products.
Rabbi Ehud Bendel, a Conservative rabbi who is the director
of Hemdat, said: "If the haredim want to ignore scientific
proof of the existence of dinosaurs, that is their right. But
it is the obligation of the secular public and the enlightened
religious public to strongly reject any attempt at extortion or
coercion."
I did not post this article to make waves or flames, but I would like
to know what the Jewish religious community in the U.S. thinks about
this, and I hope that this public will understand why the relations
between the Haredim and secular Jews in Israel are so polarized.
Joseph (Yossi) Galron
<JGalron@...>
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From: <zisblatt@...> (Sam Zisblatt)
Date: Wed, 25 Aug 93 15:52:32 -0400
Subject: Jewish Fiction
Just to add to the list of books, "The Alhambra Decree" by David Raphael
is a historical novel concerning the expulsion from Spain of the Jews in
1492. Dr. Raphael is a very knowledgeable writer who makes the subject
matter very easy to read. If the book is not readily available you can
contact me by e-mail as i have the publishers address on the cover flap
from the book.
Sam Zisblatt <zisblatt@...>
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From: <aa640@...> (Neil Parks)
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 93 23:50:53 -0400
Subject: Jewish Fiction
I recommend two all-time classics:
"Exodus" by Leon Uris. Several hundred pages and well worth the time.
"Marjorie Morningstar" by Herman Wouk. Most of the characters are
non-observant Jews, but the story is delightful.
NEIL EDWARD PARKS >INTERNET: <aa640@...> OR
<neil.parks@...>
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From: <traum@...> (Jonathan Traum)
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 93 18:28:08 -0400
Subject: Jewish Fiction
Barry Kingsbury writes
>I found Bernard Malamud's <The Fixer> to be one of the most unrelenting
>depressing books I've ever read. I would not recommend it at all.
I also found _The_Fixer_ to be one of the most unrelentingly depressing
books I've ever read. But I still recommend it very highly. About such
themes as antisemitism and blood libel, it is perhaps healthy to get a
little depressed now and then.
But how is it that no one in this thread has mentioned Chaim Potok? I've
found his books _The_Chosen_ and _My_Name_is_Asher_Lev_ to be very
engrossing reading, especially for those of us who walk the fine line
between halacha and modernity.
Jonathan Traum
<traum@...>, jont@dsg.harvard.edu
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From: Norman Miller <nmiller@...>
Date: Wed, 25 Aug 93 21:10:00 EDT
Subject: Jewish Fiction
I intended to begin this post with a restatement of what I had asked
in my previous one. But I can't resist this: I dropped into our local
bookstore to see what they had of Rebecca Goldstein--and came up with
"The Late-Summer Passion of a Woman of Mind" about which a blurb says
"electrifyingly erotic". Vey iz mir! What's going on at mail.jewish
these days? :-)
To business. I would still like to hear from someone who has an
explanation for the acute shortage of serious Jewish literature.
By Jewish literature I mean of course something more than a book in
which Jewish characters appear. Let me offer an interesting case.
I.J. Singer's "Yoshe Kalb" was a best-seller both in Yiddish and in
English. Yet one critic (I believe a Yiddish writer living in
Paris) declared at the time that it wasn't a Jewish book. Strange,
a book about life in a hasidic court, and not Jewish? The more I
think of it, the more I'm tempted to agree. Singer used Jewish
material, but no more. Ditto many other Jewish writers.
So we need a better definition of what we're talking about. And
we need a theory as to why Judaism and the literary imagination
don't mesh well.
Norman Miller
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From: <JBNEUFELD@...> (Judith Neufeld)
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 93 09:58:08 -0400
Subject: Jewish Fiction
Regarding recent discussions of Jewish fiction: Jewish Book World,
issued quarterly by the Jewish Book Council (15 East 26 Street, New
York, NY 10010-1579, Telephone: 212/532-4949), is an excellent source of
information about current books of Jewish interest in all fields,
including fiction. Each May, they announce several publishing awards.
The contenders in each category are a good indication of valuable work
being published.
The JBC also publishes Jewish Book Annual in connection with Jewish Book
Month (this year: Nov. 9- Dec.9) which presents in-depth articles on
various literary topics, lists of Jewish literary anniversaries and
essays on particularly significant figures, and lists of books published
during the past year in English, Hebrew and Yiddish.
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From: <gamoran@...> (Sam Gamoran)
Date: Sun, 5 Sep 93 03:28:07 -0400
Subject: Kosher in Binghamton NY
Baruch Hashem we have returned home and settled back in.
During our last week in the US we toured upstate New York (New Jersey to
Niagara Falls and back). A few weeks earlier I put a query on M-J for
kosher info and found the responses quite helpful. We were also guided
by the kosher databases for Rochester, Buffalo (although the 1989 date
makes me wonder what has changed...).
I would like to introduce the M-J readers to a new (< 2 years) old
kosher restaurant - Pockets Kosher Cafe in Vestal NY just outside of
Binghamton. We arrived in the area relatively late in the day - 6:50PM
when they normally close at 7:00. I found them listed in the phone book
- and they were kind enough to stay open for us to come and eat.
The fare is Jewish deli sandwiches, hot dogs, knishes, etc. Casual but
good. Prices very reasonable.
The Rav Hamashgiach is Rabbi Ronald Weiss of Beth David Synogogue,
Binghamton (Orthodox).
Because of their newness the place isn't too well known. Because of
their Chesed in staying open for us - I thought I'd give them a plug.
Pockets Kosher Cafe
Morty Hofstein, Prop.
500 Clubhouse Rd. (inside the JCC building)
Vestal, NY 13850 (10 min. from downtown Binghamton)
607-771-6815
Tues.-Thurs. 11-7
Friday 11-Shabbat
Sunday 11-6
Monday, Shabbat closed
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From: <bob@...> (Ezra Tanenbaum)
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 93 11:21:39 -0400
Subject: Moshiach & Peace Agreement
One of the great accomplishments of Judaism is that practical matters
have religious and spiritual significance. Spirituality comes through
work in this world.
When my Christian friends ask me about Jesus, my answer is,
"To a Jew, the term 'King of the Jews' is not an abstract concept.
You either have the job or you don't."
Anytime we explore the question of who could be moshiach we should really
ask ourselves, "who is closest to having the job of 'King of the Jews'?"
This is different than finding out who is the most meticulously observant,
who is most religious, who is the saintliest, or even who is the greatest
religious leader of the Jewish people! These would all be metaphorical
kings, but the job of Moshiach is not metaphorical it is practical.
As my rabbi says, "Moshiach is a job description."
So when I aproach the question, I am led to the conclusion, that the
closest we have to the job of 'King of the Jews' is the Prime Minister
of Israel. Who else represents the entire Jewish people as a nation
in the land of Israel, leads the Jewish people into battle against
our enemies, promotes the economic well-being of Jews in Israel,
leads the effort for settling the land of Israel, and miracle-of-miracles
even makes peace treaties with those who would oppose us?
As observant Jews, we may wish for a King who embodies the qualities of
saintliness and religious observance, but in the meantime the job
is occupied by Yitzchak Rabin. Personally, I believe the spiritual value
of providing for the day-to-day security and well-being of the Jewish
people as the leader of the state of Israel to be superior than that
provided by even the holiest of religious leaders.
Peace to all, L'shana Tovah.
Ezra Bob Tanenbaum 1016 Central Ave Highland Park, NJ 08904
home: (908)819-7533 work: (908)615-2899
email: att!trumpet!bob or <bob@...>
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End of Volume 9 Issue 8
