WHY I'M SICK OF "SICKO"

By Rabbi Niles E. Goldstein

I am not sick of the film--I'm sick of the filmmaker. While I am sympathetic to many of Michael Moore's views on politics and culture, I find the lack of reflectiveness, absence of debate, and almost anti-intellectualism in so many of his movies to be as disturbing, say, as the mindless pontifications of Bill O'Reilly and Rosie O'Donell. It's entertainment masquerading as serious national discussion. And that's the real issue: the lack of authentic, deep debate and dialogue in the American public square.

These people (and their "products") are symptoms of a much larger problem. They aren't insightful pundits or astute thinkers--they're little more than minstrels and showmen. It's a classic case of supply and demand. We seem to actually WANT this stuff, and so our multinational media corporations give it to us--on the radio, on television, and in film. When will we demand something more profound? When will we allow ourselves to be challenged rather than merely entertained? Are we that insecure as a nation?

Not your typical Hebrew School: The Amazing Rishonim Carnival

Thursday's Rishonim class with New-Mommy Maya, teachers Orly and Daphna. Celebrating hard work, Jewish history, and fun learning at Rishonim.

HELL IN A HANDBASKET

By Rabbi Niles E. Goldstein

Gaza has collapsed in on itself, Hamas and Fatah are slaughtering one another in the West Bank, and hundreds and hundreds of thousands of innocents are suffering. Throw into this mix the conflict in Lebanon between the Lebanese army and Hezbollah and other rebel groups, and the horrific violence in Iraq between the Sunnis and the Shiites, and the whole Middle East seems like it is about to erupt in an apocalyptic spasm. And all the while, Iran and Syria sit back and enjoy the show they have, in large measure, helped to created.

The real problem, as always, is leadership. The Palestinian President issues orders that no one listens to on the street, their Prime Minister claims he's the one who is really in charge, and extremists and radicals run amok in an atmosphere of political chaos. How do we find a middle ground between dictatorship and anarchy? How can we have an effective leader with power if we can't handle authority and some sense of hierarchy? These are key questions all countries, cities, and communities must wrestle with.

WHAT'S OUR ANCHOR?

By Rabbi Niles E. Goldstein

I've been reading over the last few days how the Turks are amassing troops at the Iraq border, gearing up for a possible incursion against rebel Kurds seeking refuge among their Kurdish Iraqi brothers and sisters. And I know that the Kurds are, for now, our best friends in Iraq. They are decent allies in our current dealings over there, but Turkey has been a very important ally of ours--and strategically critical to Israeli security--for years. The United States is in a tight bind, potentially having to choose between two nations/nationalities with whom we are aligned and dependent.

It's confusing as hell.

So, I turn to what I know best and believe in most: God. I have no real anchors in foreign policies, in politics, in the chaos of world events. These things offer me no support, comfort, or guidance. They change by the hour. I want, and need, an anchor that will be with me, now and always, and I find that anchor in faith. I wouldn't have become a rabbi otherwise. I love following current events and politics, but they stimulate my brain, not my soul. And they don't give me a sense of hope. Only God can do that--at least for me. And even with "God" I see use and abuse.

Anyone else out there on the same page? Any other thoughts on how to ground our lives in an era of chaos and confusion??

The Holy Tongue for Beginners

The talented Mr. Richman has done it again: he's made learning new Hebrew words, one's Hebrew name, and all about the mystical language as simple as a click of the mouse. We found his fun, quick Hebrew tutorial on YouTube and wanted to share it with you. Happy Learning!

-The New Shul Blog Team

OF THE MAKING OF MANY BOOKS

By Rabbi Niles E. Goldstein

In the book of Kohelet we read: "Of the making of many books, there is no end." That was over two thousand years ago, and the making of many books (not necessarily good ones!) has not abated. Just this past week, Book Expo America held its enormous, annual conference here in New York. Yet who is reading what? If you look at the most heavily-promoted titles at the event it would seem that our culture is consumed with little more than celebrity, sex, and crime.

A lot of people say: "I just don't have time to read anymore." We are all so busy, so damn distracted, that when we DO read, it is more often to escape than to learn. That is a sad statement about our society. We have created a culture of escape artists rather than a culture of learners. Our books reflect that reality, and while great new books more often than not vanish from the shelves within months, the mega-bestsellers are trumpeted everywhere, from television to subway ads. As the "People of the Book," we need to lead a bold charge for literacy, for learning, for battling the banality around us. That would be the right thing to do AND the Jewish thing to do.