May 14, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Snitching to the IRS The Kosher Gourmet by Jill Wendholt Silva: Spring greens with fennel and herbs JWisdom: A Righteous Gentile by Rabbi Mordechai Becher May 13, 2008 Jonathan Mark: For pro-Israel voters, Obama's middle name should be the least of their concerns Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: The Leaker Shield Act JWisdom: Why You & I Never Die: A Jewish View of Immortality, Part II by Rabbi David Aaron May 12, 2008 Chosen Words: A newsletter for personal and spiritual growth gleaned from classic biblical and other sources that will help you enhance your day to day life. Likely the most constructive three minutes you will spend today Mark Steyn: Israel's 'doom' could also be Europe's JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: When Faith Meets Fate, Part One May 9, 2008 Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: Reverence, Yes; Worship, No Mona Charen: Did Israel Drive Out the Arabs 60 Years Ago? JWisdom: Ultimate opportunities by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky May 8, 2008 Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Israel at 3,500+ Jonathan Tobin: Still Fighting the Same War Steven Plaut: How ‘nakba’ proves the fiction of a Palestinian Nation JWisdom: Taking Israel for Granted? by Rabbi Mordechai Becher May 7, 2008 Rabbi Hillel Goldberg: Israel is irrelevant to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Dion Nissenbaum: Latest Olmert scandal could derail efforts to force Israel's compromises JWisdom: My Inner Ventriloquist by Sara Yoheved Rigler May 6, 2008 Caroline B. Glick: Anti-Zionism at 60 The Kosher Gourmet By Ethel G. Hofman: In honor of Israel's 60th anniversary, the former president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, whose members included the likes of Julia Child, is back with a smorgasbord featuring the taste and essence of the Jewish homeland JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Jewish Deer in Nazi Headlights May 5, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Busy work Jonathan Mark: Remarkable half-century old Mike Wallace interview with Abba Eban puts current anti-Israel sentiment into perspective May 2, 2008 Rabbi Berel Wein: Rote religiosity Caroline B. Glick: Whitewashing Hamas JWisdom: Parent trap? May 1, 2008 David Zwiebel: Faith communities can learn from Orthodox Jews in stimulating private philanthropy for religious education George Friedman and Peter Zeihan of Stratfor: The Shift Toward an Israeli-Syrian Agreement JWisdom: It's time to wake up by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis April 30, 2008 Jonathan Tobin: Pennsylvania's Democratic slugfest may leave some Jewish votes up for grabs The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Fresh herbs, sauteed veal and tiny creamer potatoes makes a light spring dinner JWisdom: How to Build a Mentch by Rabbi Mordechai Becher April 29, 2008 Daniel Pipes: Barack Obama's Muslim Childhood Joel Brinkley: On human rights, the U.N. once again strikes out JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: When The Truth is Unbelievable April 28, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q: I'm often stuck in the doctor's waiting room for hours! Doesn't he owe me something for my wasted time? Steven Emerson: New U.S. government policy advises agencies to avoid using some of the very same words that make up terror groups' names JWisdom: Why You & I Never Die: A Jewish View of Immortality, Part I by Rabbi David Aaron April 25, 2008 Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg: Schadenfreude isn't kosher for Passover --- or at any other time Rabbi Berel Wein: The secret of how the data bank of memory is transferred from one generation to the next JWisdom: Stepping Up to A Higher Spiritual Life by Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen, Part III April 24, 2008 Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: The successful failure Fred Burton and Scott Stewart of Stratfor: Placing the terrorist threat to the food supply in perspective JWisdom: Stepping Up to A Higher Spiritual Life by Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen, Part II April 23, 2008 Connie Ogle: An intricate game of a novel Jonathan Tobin: Making Sense of the 'J Street' Jive JWisdom: Stepping Up to A Higher Spiritual Life by Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen April 22, 2008 Jonathan Rosenblum: Why Israel's 'Leaven law' matters Caroline B. Glick: Obama the Savior April 18, 2008 Rabbi Harvey Belovski: Multimedia tool of antiquity Caroline B. Glick: Revealed Truths vs. revealed lies JWisdom: More than miracles by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky April 17, 2008 Rabbi Avi Shafran: Deconstructing Dayeinu Rabbi Elazar Meisels: Is innovation at the Seder a slap at tradition? JWisdom: Discovering Your Divine Mission, Part III by Rabbi David Aaron April 16, 2008 Jonathan Tobin: A Prayer for Sderot's Children Ethel G. Hofman: Sumptuous Seder JWisdom: The Divine is in the details by Rabbi Mordechai Becher April 15, 2008 Rabbi Dovid Zauderer: Let Charlton Heston Go! Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Jimma, tyranny's enabler JWisdom: Relationships: Beyond Mars & Venus, Part IV by Dr. Lisa Aiken April 14, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: The Snitching Supervisor Jonathan Tobin: Forget the Fun and Games! JWisdom: Sincerity is Valued Most by Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, M.D. April 11, 2008 Rabbi David Gutterman: A Mystery in the Middle East Caroline B. Glick: Why Ahmadinejad smiles JWisdom: Elevated illness by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky April 10, 2008 Stratfor Intelligence Briefing by George Friedman: A Mystery in the Middle East The Kosher Gourmet By Steve Petusevsky: The spring elegance of asparagus JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: The Power of Rational Lies April 9, 2008 Michael Feldberg: An all but forgotten Colonial doctor who put his Jewish values before his life Jordan "Gorf" Gorfinkel's "Everything's Relative" gets philosophical JWisdom: Four Rabbis in Bnei Brak by Rabbi Mordechai Becher April 8, 2008 Caroline Glick: Covering for the enemy Elliot B. Gertel: 'House' goes Hasidic JWisdom: Relationships: Beyond Mars & Venus, Part III by Dr. Lisa Aiken April 7, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q: I have a translating business. Recently someone asked me to translate some financial documents that are clearly forged. Should I agree? Jonathan Rosenblum : Israel is unwittingly helping to fuel the international campaign of delegitimization against it JWisdom: Matzah and leaven as a life philosophy by Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, M.D. April 4, 2008 Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: The Mystery of Suffering Caroline B. Glick: Fear of democracy JWisdom: Dirty Jews by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky April 3, 2008 Rabbi Y. Y. Rubinstein: Parents --- and the children who would be them The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Manweiler: Tempted by restaurant dressings? Don't be. Here are recipes that can be made at home, healthier! JWisdom: The importance of retaining a 'slave mentality' by Rabbi Mordechai Becher April 2, 2008 Mitch Albom: Child abuse, disguised as faith Jonathan Tobin: Unreasonable Accommodations JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith with Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Eliminating Jewish Influence over Germans March 22, 2007 J-Rhythms with Avraham Rosenblum: JWR's cutting-edge music program showcasing performers -- singers, song writers, musicians, and bands -- who learn and live the Torah lifestyle (OUR NEWEST IGODCAST !) Oct. 29, 2003 Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)

Jewish World Review April 5, 2005 / 25 Adar II, 5765 Unsettling diversions By Jonathan Tobin We look to sports for escape, but grim controversies are hard to elude http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | A few years ago, when the controversy over Native American nicknames for sports teams was first boiling over, a rather politically incorrect thought popped into my head. Whether silly or just stupid, most of the names all seemed to denote a symbol of strength, or at least, of ferocity. So when some wondered aloud how Jews would feel if teams were named the "rabbis," for instance, or the "Jews," I had a different reaction. It occurred to me that if, in the Western imagination, the word "Jew" had conjured up images of ferocity and fearlessness in battle the way Indian names always did, then maybe the history of at least the first half of the 20th century would have been less unpleasant for the Jewish people. I still think that's an interesting possibility, but it appears that a Dutch soccer team is answering my supposition in a way I didn't quite anticipate. SOME SOCCER ‘JEWS’ According to a March 28 story reported by The New York Times, supporters of Amsterdam's Ajax soccer team call themselves "Jews," wave Israeli flags at games, and flaunt Star of David tattoos to prove their allegiance to their team. The origins of the identification of the team with Jews is somewhat hazy. But fans of other teams have always referred to Ajax as "the Jewish team," and Ajax's non-Jewish rooters have, apparently in defiance, taken the term as a badge of honor. Lest you think this is merely a harmless manifestation of a sports subculture, it appears that Ajax's opponents are prepared to take the "Jews" at their word. Rooters for clubs from Rotterdam or the Hague have been known to chant "Hamas" at matches with Ajax. Even worse, they chant "Jews to the gas" or, as Times' correspondent Craig S. Smith ominously noted, simply hiss "to simulate the sound of gas escaping." The team is trying to get its fans to drop the Jewish stuff to avoid these disgusting scenes, but both Ajax partisans and their rivals seem unlikely to drop either the Magen Davids or the anti-Semitic jeers. All of which just exemplifies that European anti-Semitism is so virulent and adaptable a virus that it can find a haven even in the playing of games, where virtually no Jews compete. Spectator sports are supposed to be havens from the travails of the real world. That's why so many of us, male and female, rely on them so heavily. For example, what else would unite a people as divided as the population of Israel (the real "Jews") as sports? Indeed, it is arguable that most Israelis are at least as obsessed with the possibility that their national soccer team will be able to win a coveted birth in next year's World Cup as they are about Knesset votes on disengagement from Gaza. After ties against favored France and Ireland this past week they might be on their way to a minor miracle. To get into the World Cup tournament, the Israelis have to fight an uphill battle by playing against the more established European teams instead of their Middle Eastern neighbors. That's because Arab countries still won't play Israel, a prejudicial practice that has been accepted by soccer's international institutions. SMALL FAVORS Closer to home, for those who feel that the long winter is merely a prelude to a spring that brings us a new baseball season, even that sacred preserve of Americana is very much under attack. Some players may well have taken illegal steroids calling into question the legitimacy of their statistical achievements. Some have compared the use of steroids to the infamous "Black Sox" scandal, in which eight members of the Chicago White Sox threw the 1919 World Series. That dismal chapter of history is unfortunately associated in some minds with Jews because of the accusation that New York gangster Arnold Rothstein was behind the fix. Let us be grateful for small favors. After digesting the vile goings-on at Ajax soccer games and the obstacles placed in the path of the Israeli soccer team, it is at least some relief to note that no one appears to be blaming the use of steroids on the Jews. Rothstein notwithstanding, the longstanding Jewish love affair with baseball was honored last summer when the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y., noted the achievements of Jews at a ceremony that highlighted the publication last year of a set of baseball cards of all Jewish players in history of the Major Leagues (it is still available for a contribution to the American Jewish Historical Society at: www. ajhs.org). While the number of Jewish players has indeed been small (142 Jews were honored with cards in the set), as set creator Martin Abramowitz has pointed out, the collective batting average of Jewish hitters is three points higher than that of all Major League players, and the collective earned run average of Jewish pitchers is .11 lower than that of all hurlers. All of which proves nothing about Jewish life or baseball, but it does testify to the fact that we need not rely on fake identifications with teams, such as those in Holland, to participate in our national pastime. Some scribes, not to mention grandstanding members of Congress, would like us to focus entirely on steroid use, which is illegal and perhaps even immoral, but it hasn't yet been established with certainty exactly how its use has affected the game. You'll have to forgive me, but I would rather discuss whether former All-Star and top current Jewish player Shawn Green's gradual decline will be reversed by his trade from the Los Angles Dodgers to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Or will the departure of Gabe Kapler for Japan mean that the mazel he brought to the Boston Red Sox last year as a reserve on a World Champion team go with him? Along with other fans of the New York Yankees, Jew and non-Jew alike, I certainly hope so. Either way, the return of baseball is a welcome break from the endless news cycle. This weekend, some of us will pause from our nonstop worrying about the world and instead begin to concentrate on runs, hits and errors. So let's rise for the national anthem, place our Hebrew baseball caps over our hearts, and silently give thanks to the G-d of Israel that it's time to play ball again! Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in Washington and in the media consider "must reading." Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here. JWR contributor Jonathan S. Tobin is executive editor of the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent. Let him know what you think by clicking here. Jonathan Tobin Archives © 2005, Jonathan Tobin