Random Jewish Stuff ...

So I've decided I just can't do the Solonica book right now. It's sort of schizophrenically written, and it's absolutely difficult to read right now. So while running out the door this morning I grabbed Yiddishe Mamas: The Truth About the Jewish Mother by Marnie Winston-Macauley, which Ian picked up for me at his last job. It's incredibly quirky and amusing. Here's to hoping I zip right through it. I'm trying to work up the strength to buy and read My Holocaust: A Novel by Tova Reich. From what I can tell, it isn't for the faint of heart or the easily offended. Essentially it's a book about marketing the Holocaust (by Jews!). She's written several other books that are considered pretty heavy, but I have yet to delve into her books or to take on her style of writing. That's for (not so far away) future times.

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Here at work, while the big man is gone, I've been taking the time to be leisurely ... and in the process have been examining the various podcasts iTunes has to offer. Additionally, I've perused the web for some, and came across Israel National Radio (sort of like NPR). I was listening to today's podcast and it was a conversation between the host and Shmuel Sackett about the upcoming Likud election (sort of like the primaries, I guess) for the prime minister of Israel. Shmuel was talking on behalf of Moshe Feiglin, the favored candidate (from what I can tell) among the Likud party. Something that caught my attention was that Shmuel was talking about how Moshe wants to build a stronger Jewish Israel, but that they don't want to become the "Jewish Taliban" by using religion ... rather the intent is to approach and work with all Jews, no matter the affiliation or practice. Interesting ... but probably just words! They're big move is to turn the State of the Jews into the Jewish State ... returning the state to its true Jewishness. They claim to not want to turn it into a "halakic state," but ...?

He also cited this week's parshah (Ma'sai) and talked about the initial, biblical promise of the boundaries of Israel. As it turns out, it's about four times larger than the current state. Then came the shocking statement ... he basically said that under Moshe, they want to settle Jews wherever they can in that original, biblical land area. Curious and a little ambitious, I think. Probably too ambitious.

Just some interesting thoughts anyhow. And I'm bored at work. So there we are.