Sept. 5, 2008 Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: What does 'doing the right thing' entail? Caroline B. Glick: The master strategist Sept. 4, 2008 Ron Kampeas: Biden, Palin take lead in clash on Mideast issues Bruce Dancis: With humor as their weapon, the Three Stooges took on Hitler Sept. 3, 2008 Rabbi S. Binyomin Ginsberg: Productive school years don't just happen The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Quick lamb stew serves up flavors of India Sept. 2, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Costly Advice Caroline B. Glick: Calling Israel's bluff JWisdom: Wandering in Wonder by Rabbi Mordechai Becher August 29, 2008 Rabbi Berel Wein: 20/20 sightlessness Caroline B. Glick: When history is not repeated JWisdom: Blessed or Cursed: It's Really Up to You by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky August 28, 2008 Steve Lipman: A Comeback for the 'Jewish Jordan' Jeffrey Weiss: Researcher reports 'intriguing' diabetes breakthrough August 27, 2008 Rabbi Zecharya Greenwald: Removing the perfectionist's mask The Kosher Gourmet by Emily Nunn: Summer harvest linguine JWisdom:: The Missing Link in Spiritual Life by Rabbi David Aaron August 26, 2008 Yaffa Ganz: Grandma gets lessons in staying cool Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: The Dems' 'soft' jihadist JWisdom:: Today: Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: Plague of indifference August 25, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Q: A friend is bearing a silly grudge from a supposed wrong. What recourse do I have? Daniel Pipes: Barack Obama through Muslim Eyes JWisdom:: The knowledge you need to overcome your insecurities by Malka Schulman August 22, 2008 Rabbi Berel Wein: Life's essential ingredient Caroline B. Glick: Dominos anyone? JWisdom:: Actually, Do Sweat the Small Stuff! by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky August 21, 2008 Today in Biblical History by Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Popularization of Kabbalah: 20 Menachem-Av 1558 CE Jonathan Rosenblum: Lessons from the Beyond JWisdom: : The Olympian within is rooting for you -- yes, you! –- to go for the gold August 20, 2008 Jonathan Tobin: Misleading Platform Platitudes The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Chicken Salad with Asian Dressing JWisdom: The Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith: America's Defense of the Jews --- Until WWII by Rabbi Nosson Scherman August 19, 2008 Dennis Prager: If the Almighty doesn't exist Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Obama's Islamist problem has nothing to do with his upbringing JWisdom: Think your life is messed up? by Rabbi David Aaron August 18, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Business with Friends Diana West: Roars About Russia, Bare Whispers About Islam JWisdom: Relationship agony: The real cause by Malka Schulman August 15, 2008 Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: To love the Divine Caroline B. Glick: Georgia, Israel, and the nature of man JWisdom: The Truly Righteous Don't Demand Entitlements by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky August 14, 2008 Rabbi Yonason Goldson: Confessions of broken spirit Libby Lazewnik: The Numbers Game JWisdom: Six Questions You'll Be Asked in Heaven? - Uh - Let's Just Take One for Now! by Gavriel Aryeh Sanders August 13, 2008 Jonathan Tobin: Georgia should be on their minds The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Go Greek: Pair flavorful lamb kebabs with a hearty salad JWisdom: Human hybrids aren't science fiction by Rabbi David Aaron August 12, 2008 Rabbi Avi Shafran: Bless us Daniel Pipes: The West's Islamist Infiltrators JWisdom: From Sadness to Gladness: The Route from Tisha b'Av to Rosh Hashana by Rabbi Mordechai Becher August 11, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: A Jewish view on fair pricing Caroline B. Glick: Ignoring failure in Gaza JWisdom: 'Communication' Is Not The Answer! by Malka Schulman August 7, 2008 Rabbi David Gutterman: A Continuing Story With a Sustaining Goal Rabbi Berel Wein: Mourning and morning JWisdom: Yes, we are still in exile by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky August 6, 2008 David Ashenfelter: Government made military engineer's life a living hell because of his faith, Defense Department report documents Jonathan Tobin: Speak the Truth; Defeat the Lies JWisdom: Jewish Spirituality: Fusion or Confusion? by Rabbi David Aaron August 5, 2008 Chris Leppek: Church/state wall beginning to crumble? Paul Greenberg: Exit Olmert (no encore, please) JWisdom: Serenity: Make the commitment by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin (Read by Gavriel Sanders) August 4, 2008 The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Am I taking advantage of another's psychological quirk? Andrew Silow-Carroll: A black and a Jew walk into the White House… JWisdom: The Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith: Edward R. Morrow visits the ‘living dead’ by Rabbi Nosson Scherman 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 Dec. 22, 2004 / 10 Teves, 5765 Christmas Gifts of the Rich and Famous By Jeff Dunetz Chill out, guys. http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Have you ever stopped to wonder what type of presents famous people give each other for the Holidays? The other day I got an opportunity to receive this unique insight. Getting comfortable on the evening train, my eyes spotted what looked to be a piece of expensive stationary on the empty seat across from me. Embossed on the top of the page was the name of an unfamiliar company: Celebrity Shopping Service, Fulfilling Gift Giving Orders of the Rich And Famous Since 1975. How cool is that -- a gift service that shops for famous people! (Makes sense though…it must be hard for them to stroll into their local Wal-Mart unnoticed, especially during the Christmas rush.) Beneath the corporate logo was a list of gifts purchased by the shopping service and the intended recipient. It was grouped according to the renowned person who was presenting the gift. Celebrity Shopping Service had a fascinating group of clients, and they ordered an extraordinarily list of gifts. One of the first names on the list was, Bill O' Reilly Fox Broadcaster and defender of Christmas. At the top of O'Reilly's list is a set of Christmas CDs performed by Barbara Streisand. He was sending them to the director of the Passion Mel Gibson. Ms Streisand is a particular favorite of Mr. O'Reilly's. He uses her as proof of his theory that "Jewish people enjoy Christmas too." After all he has said. "Ms. Streisand has made Gazillions singing Christmas Songs, and she sings 'em really well" Included with the music is a nice card to Mel which, along with the usual Christmas greetings, suggest to the director that his upcoming movie about the Maccabees include a scene where Judah Maccabee decorates a Christmas tree. Not many people know that Mel Gibson is a collector of historic William Shakespeare items. Along with the Streisand music, O'Reilly sent Gibson a rare first bound edition of "The Merchant of Venice" (Mel's favorite). On the inside front cover Bill inscribed a paraphrase of the comment he made on his December 3rd radio show. He inscribed, "Tell those Jews to convert or move to Israel" U.N. Secretary General Koffi Annan is another client of the Celebrity Shopping Service. Annan arraigned for each of his EU friends to receive a pair of flannel "footsie" pajamas, silk-screened with giant red hearts. The center of each heart has a picture of their idol, the late Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat. Koffi also sent a gift to the PA's Abu Mazen an $18,000 American Express Gift Card. I guess it was supposed to be 1,000 time chai. The card had the nicest note. "Dear Abu, Yassir took billions form the PA treasury and left it to his wife, so please use this to purchase some gifts for you people. Do not worry if I can afford to give you a gift of this size, it is well within my means (I made some extra money in a recent oil deal)" John Kerry created a plaque out of one of Dan Rather's most famous quotes "Journalism is more addictive than crack cocaine. Your life can get out of balance." He had the shopping service send it to the, soon to retire, CBS Anchor along with a note, "Dear Dan, well… we tried" The shopping service can do just about anything. For example, the Board of Governors of the BBC hired the service to create and ship a gift to the King of Saudi Arabia…a handcrafted two-mile long quilt. The quilt is to be fastened on the wall built by the kingdom to keep out people from Yemen. It has an Arabic inscription embroidered on it. Translated into English the inscription says. "Not all fences are bad…just those built by Jews to keep out terrorists" I was so very impressed with the Celebrity Shopping Service and their ability to find unusual gifts, I sent them an e-mail with a request for presents that I would like for them to find before Christmas. To Mr. Annan and his friends at the UN and the EU, I send a framed section of the UN Charter… the part which talks about the equal treatment of all nations. I would include a card explaining that maybe its time to re-read that charter and start treating Israel fairly. To the Board of the Governor of the BBC, they are shipping a copy of Edward R. Murrow's biography with the hopes that they study it to learn the basic tenets of journalistic integrity. I asked them to send Bill O'Reilly something to help him understand that some of those "people of faith" who voted for George Bush wear a yarmulke. Those of us who are Jewish in practice and conservative in politics feel comfortable with public and private expressions of religion. It is OK when someone says Merry Christmas to me when they don't understand it is not my holiday. I don't even mind public displays of the Ten Commandments (as long as they are written in the original Hebrew, or the translation is approved by a rabbi). However, when a teacher puts up a Christmas tree, teaches kids Christmas carols or has someone come into class wearing a Santa Claus costume, they are pushing one religion over another. Forcing my children to celebrate Christmas in school is the majority forcing their religion on the minority. The Pledge of Allegiance talks about "one nation under G-d." Throughout the 240 years of U.S. history we have fought to ensure that one person's vision of G-d should not be enforced upon another. Enjoyed this article? Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here. Jeff Dunetz is a regular contributor to Jewish World Review. Comments by clicking here. © 2004, Jeff Dunetz.