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July 8, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q. Duty to save gullible from themselves?

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Islamists have the West just where they want us

JWisdom:: Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality, Part 3: The Fully Loaded Human Being by Rabbi Dovid Gross

July 3, 2008

Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski: A spiritual budget (TOUCHING!)

Jeff Jacoby: Israel still paying for its defeat

JWisdom:: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part IV by Rabbi David Aaron

JWisdom:: The Moses Method by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

July 2, 2008

Jonathan Tobin: Appeasers Make Poor Patriots

The Kosher Gourmet By Kathleen Purvis: Slaw, y'all: For BBQs or Sabbath dinner, these southern recipes are something else!

JWisdom:: Rabbi Mordechai Becher: Jewish Rx for A Simpler Life

July 1, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q. I think it's important to leave a legacy to my children. How much should I save towards this end?

Paul Greenberg:A President who is history deficient?

JWisdom:: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Poland's Unique Antisemitism

June 30, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: Remembering the architect of Torah Judaism for the modern world

Abe Novick: Hulk: Still a Jew?

JWisdom: : Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality, Part 2: The Abandoned Child

June 26, 2008

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: Quantum leap to evil

Caroline B. Glick: Victimized families must not be allowed to dictate policy

June 25, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Today in Biblical History: King Jeroboam of Israel prevents pilgrimage to Jerusalem

Jonathan Tobin: Real Friends and Real Enemies

JWisdom: Raping of reason By Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 25, 2008

Steven Emerson: Kristof: Never Mind the Terrorists

Stratfor Intelligence Briefing: Mediterranean Flyover: Telegraphing an Israeli Punch?

JWisdom: Rabbi David Aaron: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part III

June 24, 2008

Caroline B. Glick: What were they thinking!?

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Guilty knowledge

JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Warping Innocence

June 23, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Diploma dilemma

Jeff Jacoby: A world without children

JWisdom: Rabbi Dovid Gross: Putting the Spirit Back into Spirituality --- Introduction

June 20, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Man: The Crowning Glory of Creation

Caroline B. Glick: Israel's darkest week

JWisdom: We aren't worthy? by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 19, 2008

Rabbi Elazar Meisels: The saints who don't come marchin' in

Chris Christoff: Muslim woman demands an apology from Obama after camera snub

June 18, 2008

Jonathan Tobin: Still Dancing Around Jerusalem

The Kosher Gourmet by Steve Petusevsky: Chilled fruit and vegetable soups

JWisdom: Souls Need A Check Up? by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

June 17, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: Baby Einstein

Caroline B. Glick: Bush's rhetoric, Bush's policies

JWisdom: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part II by Rabbi David Aaron

June 16, 2008

Varda Branfman: Bob Dylan, won't you please come home?

Diana West: Academic dares to question the 'religion of peace'

JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Positive Backfire

June 13, 2008

Rabbi Berel Wein: Trading manna for whine

Caroline B. Glick: Peace with friends

JWisdom: From the mouths of … by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 12, 2008

Michael Feldberg: Meet Paul Revere's pal, the Orthodox Jew who played a key role in laying Boston's cultural and business infrastructure

The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Manweiler: No need to be tempted by Wendy's mandarin chicken salad

JWisdom: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part I by Rabbi David Aaron

June 11, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: What would Hillel say?

Jonathan Tobin: UNRWA and NGOs: The Real U.N. 'Insult'

JWisdom: Sara Yoheved Rigler: Greatness Made Simple: How a momentary decision shifted life's course and destination

June 6, 2008

Rabbi Pinchas Stolper: Revelation: The basis of faith

Binyamin L. Jolkovsky: Mere hours after becoming Israel's new 'best friend' Obama backtracks on status of Jerusalem

Caroline B. Glick: UN choosing to protect rogue nuclear programs

JWisdom: Sameness in difference by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

June 5, 2008

David Lightman: Now Obama wants to be Israel's newest 'best friend'

Obama's remarks to AIPAC policy conference

The Kosher Gourmet By Ethel G. Hofman: Shavous cuisine: Ruby Fruit Soup, Lokshen Kugel with Cheese, Key Lime Curd, Calsone Casserole Frittata with Wild Mushrooms, Sun-dried tomatoes and Olives, Baked Tilapia with Pepper Cheese Cream and Brown Sugar Shortbread

JWisdom: Why a Jewish Jerusalem makes so many nervous by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

June 4, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: A different sort of 'religious broadcaster'

Jonathan Tobin: Misgivings on the Road to Damascus

JWisdom: 44 Years Without An Argument? by Sara Yoheved Rigler

June 3, 2008

Daniel Pipes: Obama vs. McCain on the Middle East

Everything's Relative: There is a crisis growing in Orthodox synagogues worldwide, reveals Jordan "Gorf" Gorfinkel

JWisdom: White Facades; Black Secrets by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

June 2, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q: Lie to outsmart discriminator?

He writes the songs that make our souls sing:Gavriel Aryeh Sanders interviews Jewish music legend Ben Zion Shenker; includes stirring, uplifting song

JWisdom: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Of laws and lives

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 July 25, 2006 / 29 Tamuz 5766

Whatever happened to ‘good morning’?

By Lloyd Garver


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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | My recent trip to Europe is still fresh in my mind. I particularly remember all of the friendly "bonjours" ("good day" or "good morning") I would receive every day in Paris.


You don't get those "good mornings" here in America.


Let's say you're in Paris and you go to the neighborhood bakery for your breakfast bread and croissants. If there's a line there, the person you get behind will wish you a "bonjour," and expect a "bonjour" from you.


You'll also get a "bonjour" from the salesperson and another one from the cashier. And anyone who works there is likely to say "bonjour" to you as you leave. When you walk down the street with your baked goods, complete strangers will say "bonjour" to you, and you'll return the greeting.


What a cheery way to start the day: before eating breakfast or arriving at work, dozens of people have wished the typical Parisian a "good morning."


Since I've been back home, I've kept up the practice of walking a lot. And while walking, I've tried giving other walkers smiles and greetings just as I did in France. The results haven't been all that good. Some people look right at me, but say nothing. Then there are those who look at the ground, pretending they haven't heard me. But what's really disturbing is that many people seem to think that my wishing them a "good morning" means I'm either crazy, dangerous or intruding on "their space."


In old movies, people wished each other "good morning" or "hello" whenever they saw each other walking. Men even tipped their hats to women. I know most men don't wear hats anymore, but until I saw the contrast between France and here, I hadn't realized that "good morning" had gone out of style, too.


I still try anyway, and I've become aware of a weird but definite "good morning etiquette." If I say, "good morning" to a woman who's alone and walking towards me, there's a good chance she won't respond. I get the impression that many women think that if they smile and return the greeting of a man, they might be inadvertently encouraging him to pursue the relationship beyond the "good morning" stage to something unwanted. If the woman does return my greeting and smile, she often quickens her pace as she walks away from me. That's to make sure that I get the message that ours is just a "good morning" relationship, and it's not going to go any further.


When coming across another guy, I can't just smile at him. He almost definitely won't smile back. If I say "good morning," he might respond. Nodding at each other silently is a compromise position that seems generally acceptable among guys. A silent nod might be very manly, but it seems awfully serious for the morning.


If a woman is walking with a guy, and they're heading towards me, I have to use a completely different approach. No matter how tempted I am to smile at her, instead, I look at the guy. Then I say "good morning" to him. Usually, he'll "good morning" me back, and only after he's done so, will she feel it's OK to say "good morning" to me. So I might eventually get a pleasant greeting from the woman, but I'll have to go through the charade of "I'm really just saying hello to the guy you're with" first.


Doesn't it seem crazy to need to go through all these gyrations and strategies just to say "good morning"? So why do so many people not believe that "good morning" just means "good morning"?


I guess it's because of the — somewhat justified — paranoid times we live in. Adults don't only teach children not to talk to strangers, but now we apparently teach that admonition to ourselves, too. Nobody wants to be accosted by some wacko, and since you can never be sure who's a safe person, many people don't take the chance of talking to anybody they don't know. I completely understand that. But I still feel it's sad that we've gotten to this point.


I remember how all those strangers in Paris greeting me each morning put a smile on my face. And maybe my greeting them made them a little happier, too. If you're not comfortable smiling back at every stranger who smiles at you, don't. But maybe you could try it every once in a while. The French know what they're doing when it comes to things like bread and cheese. Maybe they know what they're doing when it comes to "good morning," too.

Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.

JWR contributor Lloyd Garver has written for many television shows, ranging from "Sesame Street" to "Family Ties" to "Frasier." He has also read many books, some of them in hardcover. Comment by clicking here. Visit his website by clicking here.

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