Last Chance Countdown

The clock is ticking.


G-d gives us ten more days to fix things up.


We had the month of Elul to get our affairs in order, repent to be cleansed of sins and ready for the new year.  On Rosh Hashannah, while we let the sound of the shofar fill every crevice of our body with reminders that G-d is everywhere, judgement had been decided.  And now we have until the tenth of Tishrei, less than a week as I write this, for the final "sentencing," the sealing of the decision.


That's the big picture.  We pray in the plural to "Our G-d," for the sins "we" sinned.  Every Jew is connected.  That's one of the reasons that potential converts unwilling or unable to live within a Jewish community can't be accepted.


Early in our Biblical History Noah was described as "righteous for his time/generation."

ה וַיַּרְא יְהוָה, כִּי רַבָּה רָעַת הָאָדָם בָּאָרֶץ, וְכָל-יֵצֶר מַחְשְׁבֹת לִבּוֹ, רַק רַע כָּל-הַיּוֹם. 5 And the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
ו וַיִּנָּחֶם יְהוָה, כִּי-עָשָׂה אֶת-הָאָדָם בָּאָרֶץ; וַיִּתְעַצֵּב, אֶל-לִבּוֹ. 6 And it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.
ז וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה, אֶמְחֶה אֶת-הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר-בָּרָאתִי מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה, מֵאָדָם עַד-בְּהֵמָה, עַד-רֶמֶשׂ וְעַד-עוֹף הַשָּׁמָיִם: כִּי נִחַמְתִּי, כִּי עֲשִׂיתִם. 7 And the LORD said: 'I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and creeping thing, and fowl of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them.'
ח וְנֹחַ, מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה. {פ} 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. {P}
ט אֵלֶּה, תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ--נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים הָיָה, בְּדֹרֹתָיו: אֶת-הָאֱלֹהִים, הִתְהַלֶּךְ-נֹחַ. 9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was in his generations a man righteous and whole-hearted; Noah walked with God.

Noach, one person, couldn't save the world.  He and his family were entrusted to start it anew.

Throughout the year we are supposed to constantly try to improve ourselves, repent, on a one-to-one with G-d.  Then towards the end of the year, the Jewish Month of Elul, we change focus, shift gears and pray for the entire Jewish People.

Now, although the deadline has passed, we're in the schedule "overtime."  We can still change the results before this years accounts are sealed.

Gmar Chatima Tova

May G-d Accept Our Prayers

May We All Be Sealed in The Book of Life

How's Bibi Netanyahu Going To Escape From The Quicksand?

I had been thinking of comparing Israel's ensnarement in the faux Peace Talks as like being caught in a thornbush, but I honestly and truely hope that we can escape unbloodied.  Then I thought of one of my favorite movies, Blazing Saddles and its quicksand scene. 




It matches better, because when it all G-d willing, falls apart, you can just hear Clinton and Obama spinning wildly to save themselves, their political careers, the $400- cart, rather than caring one iota about the State of Israel and its citizens.  In the movie, the black slaves escape, because the smarter one realizes that he's standing on the tracks and follows them out to safety dragging his friend along.  That's similar to the Wizard of Oz's Dorothy discovering that the Ruby slippers she had been wearing had the power to return her home.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is forging ahead for "peace," but the "PA" glorifies Arab terrorists. 

Bibi is sinking deeper and deeper in the quicksand.  The pressure will only get worse.  We never hear Bibi threatening to leave if Arab and/or American demands cross our "red lines."  Or is it that Israel doesn't have any "red lines?"  That's bad news.  Our government must have some standards.

Let's pray for wisdom for our politicians and that G-d forgives us all for voting them in.

The Latest Kosher Cooking Carnival, #58!

Yes, here it is, the 58th Kosher Cooking Carnival!

Enjoy, even if it's Tzom Gedalia and you're fasting.  At least I'm fasting.

Please let others know about it.  Details for participating and hosting in the KCC.

Back To The Real World

My three day news moratorium has ended.  It was so easy and pleasant to fill myself with holiness during the Rosh Hasanna + Shabbat long escape from reality. The "good news" is that we'll have these three day escapes quite a few times in the next ten years, but the "bad news" is that the rest of the world doesn't change.

This past Friday, as good Jews all over the world were begging G-d to accept our repentance and forgive us, U. S. President Barack Hussein Obama was pounding away with his mantra that Israel must discriminate against Jews and forbid us to build in our HolyLand.  Obama's agenda is clear.  Jews must leave the Land of Jewish History, where the Bible narrative took place and give it to the very same Arabs who want to destroy us. 

Hey, wake up hypocrites near and far.  That's blatant racist and religious discrimination.

And back here, closer to home, not all Israelis had a quiet Rosh Hashannah.  Gazan Arab terrorists fired rockets into southern Israel over Rosh Hashannah.

It doesn't look like the Arabs are preparing for peace.  Does it?

Fill Up With The Sound of the Shofar

Rosh Hashannah is more than the holiday to fill up on honey, honey and apples, honey cake, honey-dipped challah, tzimmis made with honey, etc.

And as joyful as the two-day Rosh Hashannah, exact translation being Head of the Year, holy day certainly is, don't forget that it's a serious time, no joke.


Our future is in our hands.  We're responsible for our lives and how G-d will judge us.


As I've written previously, the big mitzvah on Rosh Hashannah is hearing the sound of the shofar.

I guess I've been thinking about this quite a bit.


Before Rosh Hashannah a very special short movie began being posted on all sorts of sites and blogs.  It's about the heroes who defied the British ban on shofar blowing at the end of Yom Kippur.  The first Jew who defied the British ban was a former neighbor of ours in the Old City, Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Segal, Zatza"l.  If you haven't yet seen the movie, please do.  I'm posting it here.  Under the movie will be my Rosh Hashannah shofar experience.




The custom is to hear one hundred blasts of the shofar each day of Rosh Hashannah, expect if the holiday is on Shabbat.  This is very important and if someone can't get to synagogue they should get someone to visit them and blow shofar.

On Thursday, the first day of Rosh Hashannah, as I stood in my place in the local synagogue I began thinking of that mitzvah, hearing the sound/voice of the shofar, lishmo'ah kol shofar.  Listening should be a kinesthetic experience, so that means that I should use more than my ears.  I needed to let the voice of the shofar enter my body, reach every part. 

So that's what I did, and it was amazing.   There are three different notes, short staccato, medium and long. The short ones seemed to be chipping away at spiritual  blockages.  The medium ones entered my limbs, and the long ones totally filled me as if I was a balloon.  I felt myself rising in the most amazing way.  Could everyone behind me see how I was floating?

Just like I let the voice of the shofar into every part of my being, we must remember that G-d belongs in every part of our lives.  Judaism isn't a part-time religion.  Being a Jew is a full-time job; it's 24/7.  Every aspect of our lives is affected.

Now it's the new year.  May it be a good an excellent one.

Latma's Latest News, Saitire and Song

Commentary on Caroline Glick's site.




Musical tribute to Israel's peace obsession, Latma's latest political ditty.  Sing along. 

Duh!? How Can There Be Peace Without Arab Recognition of Israel?

I'm known for prefacing my questions with:

"Sorry, but here's another of my dumb questions:"

IMRA has just publicized a very revealing opinion poll from the United States.  I'm going to copy/paste it here, emphasis mine:

Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Poll of Americans: 77%:7% agreement must require recognition of Israel's right to exist as Jewish state


National Survey of 1,000 Likely Voters
Conducted September 2-3, 2010 By Rasmussen Reports

1* How closely have you followed recent news stories about Middle Eastern
peace talks?


35% Very closely


42% Somewhat closely


19% Not very closely


2% Not at all


1% Not sure


2* As part of a Middle Eastern peace agreement, should Palestinian leaders
be required to acknowledge Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state?


77% Yes


7% No


16% Not sure


3* As part of a Middle Eastern peace agreement, should Israel be required to accept the creation of a Palestinian state?


51% Yes


27% No


22% Not sure


4* How likely is it that Palestinian leaders will acknowledge Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state?


6% Very likely


19% Somewhat likely


45% Not very likely


19% Not at all likely


11% Not sure


5* How likely is it that Israel will accept the creation of a Palestinian state?


6% Very likely


36% Somewhat likely


38% Not very likely


9% Not at all likely


10% Not sure


NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence

Now, I may be stupid, or missing something, but what's the point of the talks?  It can't be peace, because, unless I'm really dumb, it would seem common sense that Arab recognition of Israel be a minimal requirement for peace between Israel and the Arabs.  And if these are supposed to be peace talks, not peace or appease talks, what does establishing a Pseudostinian aka Palestinian state have to do with peace?


It seems pretty obvious that the State and citizens of Israel have been conned by a serious case of mislabeling.  This Obama conference is no peace conference.  His aim all along has been to "father" a new Arab state in the heartland of ארץ ישראל Eretz Yisrael the Land of Israel.

We, the Israeli delegation, ought to cut our losses and run far away.  Not only won't this conference end in peace, it's to facilitate the end of the state of Israel.  G-d forbid our politicians continue cooperating with the American and Blair.  History will mock and condemn them as traitorous fools.  Let them do their תשובה teshuva repentance and be true noble patriotic leaders of the Jewish People.

Chag Sameach

Shannah Tovah

Have a Wonderful Year

Another Reason Shiloh is Such A Great Place

Today on our local Shiloh email list there was a message:

"If anyone for any reason can't be in synagogue to hear the shofar blows, please contact me to arrange a time when I can come to your house to blow shofar."

On Purim, there's a choice of homes to hear the Megillat Ester for those like myself who need a quiet reading.

There's a committee, actually a few committees according to neighborhoods, to make sure those who have serious medical problems, or l'havdil (the opposite) just gave birth get meals and other help.

Neighbors also provide food and household help to mourners.  People take charge, so it's pretty organized.

Ancient Shiloh welcomed pilgrims, Jews from all over the Land of Israel.  It was the national and religious capital for 369 years.  A holiness remains.

Shana Tova

Have a wonderful healthy and productive year.

Letting the Inmates Run the Asylum

Today at the pool, I was talking to one of the young mothers who was rather surprised to hear that my childhood education experiences could easily compete with modern nightmares of her generation and that of her children.  Probably most shocking is the fact that I was raised in New York and she took for granted that things are/were better there.

So, davka it's pretty ironic that the New York Times has two very interesting articles about education.  One is about teachers taking over administration of schools and the other is better ways of learning.

When I was teaching in schools I always, ok, almost always felt that there were serious problems with the administration.  My offers to help were rejected.  If only I could run the school....

Well, now I'm a grandmother and I hope that things will be better for my grandchildren.  It's not easy, not at all.  Each kid needs different things at different times.

I put a lot of effort into advocating for my kids when they were students.  As far as I'm concerned that's the job of a parent.  You can't take for granted that the system, the teachers know what's best.  There's no "one size fits all."  Don't be shy, but also don't complain just to complain. 

The Shalit Family Should Move Protest Tent to ICRC

The International Red Cross has been protecting Hamas terrorists aka activists in their offices.  Hamas captured and is holding Gilad Shalit.  So instead of harassing Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, as if he's holding their son, Noam and Aviva Shalit should move their operations to the people who are in very intimate contact with their son's captors.

It's no wonder that Gilad is still imprisoned when the campaign to free him is totally misfocused.  I feel sorry for the Shalit family, but that doesn't make their decisions and opinions correct.

Most of all I feel sorry for Gilad Shalit who should have been returned home to Israel alive and well a long time ago.  I consider Gilad to be a victim of Israeli Left wing ideology.

Playing With Fire, Bibi's Dangerous Game

As all of my regular readers know, I'm very upset that ouir Israeli politicians are playing the "negotiation game."  I've blogged about it a lot and recommend that you scroll through the various posts.  We're at the Eve of Rosh Hashannah when G-d decides our fate accourding to our repentence.  Ten days later, on Yom Kippur the decision is sealed, finalized.


One of the most moving prayer we say is the U'Netaneh Tokef.  I'm copying the story of that prayer.  To me it's a lesson to our politicians that they should never negotiate over our Holy Land. 

"U'Netaneh Tokef

Kedushat Hayom"

"Let Us Tell How Utterly Holy This Day Is"


The Background


The prayer entitled "U'Netaneh Tokef" is attributed to a Rabbi Amnon of Mainz, Germany, who lived about one thousand years ago. The story behind this piyut, a prayer-poem, is sad and poignant, and may shed light on the prayer itself.


The Bishop of Mainz summoned Rabbi Amnon, a great Torah scholar, to his court and offered him a ministerial post on the condition that Rabbi Amnon would convert to Christianity. Rabbi Amnon refused. The Bishop insisted and continued to press Rabbi Amnon to accept his offer. Of course, Rabbi Amnon continued to refuse. One day, however, Rabbi Amnon asked the Bishop for three days to consider his offer.


As soon as Rabbi Amnon returned home, he was distraught at the terrible mistake he had made of even appearing to consider the Bishop's offer and the betrayal of G-d. For three days he could not eat or sleep and he prayed to G-d for forgiveness. When the deadline for decision arrived, the Bishop sent messenger after messenger to bring Rabbi Amnon, but he refused to go. Finally, the Bishop had him forcibly brought to him and demanded a response. The Rabbi responded, "I should have my tongue cut out for not having refused immediately." The Bishop angrily had Rabbi Amnon's hands and feet cut off and then sent him home.


A few days later was Rosh HaShanah, and Rabbi Amnon, dying from his wounds, asked to be carried to shul. He wished to say the Kedushah to sanctify G-d's Name and publicly declare his faith in G-d's Kingship.With his dying breath, he uttered the words that we now know of as the U'Netaneh Tokef.


Three days later Rabbi Amnon appeared in a dream to Rabbi Kalonymous ben Meshullam, a scholar and poet, and taught him the exact text of the prayer. Rabbi Amnon asked that it be sent to all Jewry and that it be inserted in the prayers of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur for all time.


The prayer portrays G-d as a Shepherd over His flock, counting and examining each sheep one by one as it passes under His rod. So does He review the flock of humanity one by one, determining each individual's fate for the coming year.


But the individual human being is not just a helpless sheep! Rather, he or she can contribute to their verdict by altering their behavior towards G-d and Man, specifically in the areas of sincere Repentance, Prayer from the heart and Charity given with a cheerful spirit.

U'Netaneh Tokef

כַּמָּה יַעַבְרוּן וְכַמָּה יִבָּרֵאוּן How many will survive and how will get healthier


מִי יִחְיֶה וּמִי יָמוּת How will live and who will die


מִי בְקִצּוֹ וּמִי לֹא בְּקִצּוֹ Who in his dying day and who is not


מִי בַמַּיִם וּמִי בָאֵשׁ Who by water and who by fire


מִי בַחֶרֶב וּמִי בַחַיָּה Who by sword and who by beast


מִי בָרָעָב וּמִי בַצָּמָא Who by hunger and who by thurst


מִי בָרַעַשׁ וּמִי בַמַּגֵּפָה Who by avalanche (perhaps also earthquake) and who by disease


מִי בַחֲנִיקָה וּמִי בַסְּקִילָה Who by strangling and who by stoning


מִי יָנוּחַ וּמִי יָנוּעַ Who will rest and who will move


מִי יִשָּׁקֵט וּמִי יְטֹּרֵף Who will be silenced and who will go mad


מִי יִשָּׁלֵו וּמִי יִתְיַסָּר Who will be peaceful and who will suffer (with agony)
מִי יַעֲנִי וּמִי יַעֲשִׁיר Who will be poor and who will be rich


מִי יֻשְׁפַּל וּמִי יָרוּם who will be insulted and who will be praised