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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 23, 2007 / 8 Menachem-Av, 5767

Not so wild about Harry

By Mitch Albom


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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | It was just after midnight Friday when a rustling came from a pile of old books under a bed. And suddenly out came Winnie the Pooh, bags packed, a jar of honey under his arm. Behind him were Tigger, Eeyore and Piglet.


Together they climbed the wall, pushed open the window and took one last look.


"Where are you going?" I asked.


"Someplace where they appreciate us," Pooh said. "Someplace where every child isn't reading…."


He sighed. "Oh, bother," he said.


Pooh and the others snuck down a drain spout, then tiptoed along the dark street. Piglet gave a whistle, and from the darkness of the next house out came Charlotte the spider and Wilbur the pig from "Charlotte's Web." Each carried a small suitcase.


"Ready?" Charlotte said.


"Born ready," Wilbur answered.


"Un moment!" came a small voice.


Down at their feet was The Little Prince.


"I come aussi, oui?" he said.


"Only if you speak English," Wilbur said.


Together they snuck along the curb, peeking into houses. Lights were on in upstairs windows. And in every one there was a child engrossed in the new and final Harry Potter book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."


The group went silent.


"How depressing," Pooh sighed.


"Wait up!" came a sudden voice.


And down from a telephone pole swung Curious George.


"I thought you never spoke," Charlotte said.


"That was just in the book." He shrugged his small monkey shoulders. "Tell you the truth, I'm not even that curious. I just like to get into stuff and make a mess."


As they marched along, they were joined by other once-favorite children's literature characters, now wearing coats and carrying bags. Pippi Longstocking. Stuart Little. Clifford the big red dog. James and the Giant Peach. A big cupboard came thumping out, opened its doors, and out jumped the Indian.


"It's no use," he said. "I tried killing him with a tomahawk. But he just put a spell on it."


Apparently, with more than 300 million books sold, five blockbuster movies, endless merchandising, Web sites and commercial tie-ins, Harry Potter had simply taken over children's reading. If a fictional character could be a tsunami, he was it.


"Who cares about a cat in a hat?" said the Cat in the Hat. "All they want to read now is evils spells and Quidditch."


"And muggles and Death Eaters."


"And green eggs and ham?"


"Nice try, Sam," said Peter Rabbit. "But you're as passe as the rest of us."


Suddenly, a car came barreling into a driveway, and the characters had to scatter to avoid being crushed. The car door opened and out stepped a family with bags from Borders.


"Gee, I wonder what they bought," Charlie Brown said.


"Don't be naive," said Nancy Drew.


Once, it seemed, there was room for all kinds of kids' books. Tigers and spiders and princes and Indians. But these days, it's all Harry. Harry in print. Harry online. Harry in theaters. Harry in the toy store.


Never has a hype machine worked harder to make a big thing bigger. Never has the media so gleefully jumped on a bandwagon of countdowns, hints and contests.


"It ain't fair," said Huck Finn. "He gets like 4,000 pages. What'd I get, less than 400 — counting pictures?"


"I wish I had his publicist," said Hansel.


"I wish I had his money," said Gretel.


They made their way down to the river, where one-by-one they boarded a small boat — a Noah's ark for literary creations.


"Wait," I insisted. "Don't go. You've stood the test of time. Harry Potter is just a fad. It will pass."


Alice in Wonderland shot me a look. "And they thought I was hallucinating?"


Huck Finn pushed off and the boat floated away, flanked by one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.


"At least say where you're going," I yelled.


"We're going," said Babar the Elephant, "to the only place we know for sure that they're sick of Harry Potter."


Where's that?


"Hogwarts."

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.

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