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Nov, 21, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Money matters?

Caroline B. Glick: Civilization walks the plank

Nov, 20, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: Bronfman's blindness

The Kosher Gourmet By Linda Gassenheimer: Portobellos add a hearty flavor to pasta with pesto

Nov, 19, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir : Spread the wealth? Jewish tradition and income equality

Elliot B. Gertel: 'Mad Men': Tackling prejudices or reinforcing them?

Nov, 18, 2008

Dr. Debby Schwarz Hirschhorn: The End of the Age of Reason

Jonathan Tobin: Does Barack + Bibi = Disaster?

Nov, 17, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: The End of the Age of Reason

Diana West: Gulling Americans into making terror legit?

Nov, 14, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: The Power of Spiritual Inertia

Caroline B. Glick: The perils ahead

Nov, 13, 2008

Stratfor Intelligence Briefing: How Bush and Obama together could change the Middle East dynamic

The Kosher Gourmet by JeanMarie Brownson: Sweet and savory, crispy and meltingly tender bestilla

Nov, 12, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir : Tyrannical Co-Workers

Michael Doyle: High Court to consider today donated monuments that may have religious messages in public parks

Nov, 11, 2008

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Will Obama stop government officials considering institutionalizing financial jihad?

Jonathan Tobin: They Will Decide Their Own Fate

Nov, 10, 2008

Rabbi Avi Shafran: $8 billion, modern-day Tower of Babel being built?

Barry Rubin: A letter to the president-elect from a Middle East realist

Nov, 7, 2008

Rabbi Francis Nataf: Of Children and Immortality

Caroline B. Glick: Livni's Obama strategy

Nov, 6, 2008

Rabbi Yonason Goldson: How I tricked a classroom of apathetic students into grasping the fallacy of moral relativism

The Kosher Gourmet By Gina Kim: Tips for making the perfect soup --- includes recipes

Nov, 5, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist By Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Destitute Debtors

Bruce Weinstein: 'Religulos': Bad title,even worse movie

Nov, 4, 2008

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Treasury Dept. submits to Shariah law

Frida Ghitis: A surprise for Obama in the Middle East

Nov, 3, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: Who says Jews are Smart?

Jonathan Tobin: Was He Wrong About Everything?

Oct. 31, 2008

Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Our Immutable Noble Essence

Caroline B. Glick: Running against Bush

Oct. 30, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: The End of the Special Relationship?

Steve Lipman: 'Kid Kosher' Gets A Title Shot

Oct. 29, 2008

Binyamin L. Jolkovsky: GET US THE TAPE THE L.A. TIMES REFUSES TO RELEASE, AND WE'LL GIVE YOU CASH!

Dr. Ari Korenblit: Making The Write Choice for President

Oct. 28, 2008

Mona Charen: Denial runs through American Jewry

Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Sell-off to capitalism or sell-out to Islam?

Oct. 27, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Are tax deductions for charitable donations moral?

Jonathan Mark: The Mystery Of The Arab-American Vote

Oct. 24, 2008

'Why aren't all religious people vegetarians?': Response by Miriam Kosman

Caroline B. Glick: Testing Obama's mettle

Oct. 23, 2008

Daniel Pipes: Obama Would Fail Security Clearance

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: A fast chicken dish with an Asian accent

Oct. 20, 2008

Gary Rosenblatt: Still One Torah

Jonathan Tobin: Government 'Gifts' Are Not Free

Oct. 17, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: Sukkos and the Great Meltdown

Caroline B. Glick: The disappearance of law

Oct. 16, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Copying DVDs: RIP OR RIPOFF?

Cal Thomas: Blaming the Jews (again)

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. 21, 2006 / 30 Kislev 5767

This Jew's favorite Christmas movie

By Rosally Saltsman


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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | One Christmas movie stands out as a classic of all time and its message is in many ways … Jewish.


It's a Wonderful Life, the brainchild of Frank Capra, the granddaddy of feel good movies, is a holiday tradition in and of itself.


For those who have yet to see it, the premise is very simple; a man dreams of doing great things and changing the world and ends up spending his life in the same small town, working in the same small office, struggling with what he deems an unremarkable life haunted by his unrealized aspirations.


The movie's arch villain, Mr. Potter (no relation to Harry) surreptitiously pilfers his funds and so in a moment of despair and hopelessness he is about to put an end to his life. And then, the miracle happens, an angel appears and shows him what the world would have been like had he never been born. Well, it's a mess. Many are miserable, dozens are dead and everyone's worse off. Having witnessed how much he means to the town, and what a truly wonderful life he has had, he asks for a second chance and gets it. He goes home, to yet another miracle, all the town's people contributing money to get him out of trouble because after all, they owe everything to him. Excuse me while I get a tissue. I've seen this movie at least 25 times and I can't watch it without crying, no, sobbing.


The message, in case we've missed it, is transmitted by the angel who says, "Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?"


No one can see this movie without wishing that they too had such an impact on the people around them but the happy ending is they do. None of us can see the ramifications of our actions. Like the proverbial stone skipped in a lake, each action we do, each word we say, creates ripples upon and deep beneath the surface of the lives of the people we touch extending far beyond what we can see or imagine.


When all is said and done, it's possible that we may have accomplished more than we ever dreamed possible by doing the best we could in the circumstances we were given. The heroes of the world are not necessarily the rich and famous, the accomplished and "successful".

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The heroes of the world are the average people who live their often humdrum lives doing the best they can each with his shining moments. Actually, ironically, if George Bailey, the movie's hero would have gone on to do all that he had dreamed, the town's residents would have been worse off and he wouldn't have accomplished nearly as much.


The wonderful truth about the movie's message is that yes, many of us don't realize our most heartfelt hopes and dreams and life does throw us many curveballs but often it is exactly because of that that we realize our greatest potential and do the most good. Each one of us does a plethora of things that make the world better in a way that only he or she can.


While most of us don't have a guardian angel who comes down to earth when we're in crisis to show us that we really do have a wonderful life, we do have hints here and there. But the appreciation and recognition we get a glimpse of is only a tip of the iceberg. Knowing that is the key to appreciating all we are and all we have done.


I have always wanted to be George Bailey.


Well, I got my wish in part. I struggle with debt and I rarely get to work at what I want, I have a faucet that always comes off in my hand and I have always wanted to visit the Amazon jungle though I doubt I'll get there. But perhaps, I've touched the world in ways I'm not aware of. Perhaps we all have.


When things are hopeless, when we think we can't go on and what does it all mean anyway, we need to remember that G-d runs the world in a way that puts us where we need to be and gives us the situations we need in which to reach our greatest potential and do the most good. And if we only had the same perspective as He does, we'd see that things are working in the best way possible for everyone concerned. We just have to have faith and do the best we can because that's all we can ever dream of doing.


Have a bright and happy Chanukah — and a wonderful life!

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JWR contributor Rosally Saltsman has written a novel called Soul Journey. You can see it at her website, here.


© 2006, Rosally Saltsman