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July 24, 2008

Rabbi Berel Wein: On the road again --- and again and again

Richard Z. Chesnoff: Mideast Refugees --- Failure vs. Success

JWisdom:: Word power is about more than vocabulary by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

July 23, 2008

Jonathan Tobin: The Mufti of Jerusalem's Nazi ideology lives on among contemporary Islamists

The Kosher Gourmet by Joe Gray: Smoked paprika turkey meatballs simmered in red wine and tomato sauce

JWisdom:: 'Routine' doesn't need to mean ‘rote’ By Rabbi David Aaron

July 22, 2008

Yossi Klein Halevi: Dear Barack Obama

Elliot B. Gertel: Eli Stone: Self-indulgent, arrogant corporate attorney as modern-day prophet

JWisdom:: Three Weeks - Nine Days - One Purpose by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

July 21, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Spending your kids' money

Mitch Albom: A grim exchange illustrates a key difference

JWisdom:: The Holocaust in the Perspective of Faith: Hammered on the Anvil --- Severed by the Sickle by Rabbi Nosson Scherman

July 18, 2008

Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: The Sanctification and Importance of Time

Caroline B. Glick: US wants it absolutely clear it has no intention of attacking Iran's nuclear installations

Mona Charen: What can you say about a people who welcome a child murderer as a hero?

JWisdom:: Living a dog's life, dawg? by Rabbi Dovid Gross

July 17, 2008

Steven Emerson: Deals with devils

Libby Lazewnik: One Step at a Time

JWisdom:: Leader the follower? by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

July 16, 2008

The Jewish Ethicist by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Poaching humans

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: Meaty pasta salad with summer berries perfect for warm evenings

JWisdom:: Keeping A Secret by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

July 15, 2008

Dennis Prager: False Equation: Opposing Same-Sex Marriage and Opposing Interracial Marriage

Joel Greenberg: Researchers look to Israeli circumcision program to help combat AIDS 'Alternatives' to Logic Won't Work

JWisdom:: Re-Jew-venating prayer, Part V: Why Judaism ISN'T Spiritual by Rabbi David Aaron

July 14, 2008

Jonathan Rosenblum: A warning from Canada to those who value life

Jonathan Tobin: 'Alternatives' to Logic Won't Work

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

July 11, 2008

Rabbi Francis Nataf: It's hard to be humble when you're great

Caroline B. Glick: A tale of two hostages

JWisdom:: Profane for Prophet by Rabbi Sroy Levitansky

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

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. 3, 2007 / 23 Kislev 5768

‘Daytime diva’ could rescue ‘rock star’

By Clarence Page


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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | CHICAGO — Does Oprah Winfrey's endorsement help Sen. Barack Obama? She doesn't hurt.


The question seems to be on everyone's lips. Obama's campaign announced Monday that the Chicago-based Winfrey will join the presidential hopeful from her hometown next month in the important lead-off states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.


I doubt that Sen. Hillary Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner, was thrilled to hear that news. The conventional wisdom holds that celebrity endorsements don't mean much, if anything. But, hey, this is … Oprah!


We're talking about the queen of all media taking on the diva of Democratic politics.


Winfrey and Clinton are very popular with women and African Americans. Obama, judging by the polls, needs to win more support from both. If Winfrey can help Obama build his female support without damaging his support from the guys, she could be as valuable an asset to Obama on the campaign stump as Bill Clinton has been for the former first lady.


That observation was supported Tuesday, a day after Obama's Oprah announcement, in a new national poll of likely African American voters. Like other national polls, it shows Clinton viewed most favorably, largely because of her stronger support from women, and Obama running a close second.


The AARP-sponsored poll was conducted by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a black-oriented think tank. Mrs. Clinton received favorable approval ratings from 86 percent of the women in the poll, but only 78 percent of the men. Obama was approved equally by both sexes.


That's the story in South Carolina polls. The New York senator has received stronger support from black voters than Obama in that state, thanks again to black women. Since about half of the state's Democratic voters are black and its primary closely follows Iowa and New Hampshire, Obama's chances could swing on Oprah's ability help him close that gender gap.


The public seems divided in an interesting way over the impact of Oprah's blessing. A Pew Research Center poll in September found that most Americans claimed endorsements would have no impact on their vote, yet most also thought Winfrey's endorsement would help Obama's votes. In other words, "She won't influence me, but I bet she'll influence a lot of other people."


Also interesting in the Pew poll were the groups of voters who said they were most likely to listen to Winfrey: women, African Americans and young folks aged 18 to 29. Obama is already stronger among the under-30 crowd in the polls, although they're less than half as likely to vote as the over-55 folks who tend to favor Clinton. More troubling for Clinton is Oprah's appeal to blacks and women.


The Joint Center's poll also found that "commitment to change" was twice as important to black voters than "experience in public office." Even though they tended to favor Clinton, the "change-over-experience" theme could work for him down the road, depending on how he plays it.


It's not hard to believe Oprah could serve as an important change agent to help put Obama over the top. When she endorses, people listen. She's already proved her powers of persuasion with books. Her book club has made best-sellers out of little-known authors. She's made legions of viewers go out and purchase old classics instead of the CliffsNotes versions that some of us read when they were assigned to us back in high school.


Celebrity endorsements usually don't matter much because the sort of people who are most likely to be influenced also tend to be lazy voters. They're not very committed to one side or another. It's hard for campaigns to get them up off of their cozy couches to go out and stand in line on a winter's night to vote. But if Winfrey can move Americans to go to bookstores, she might well be able to move a few to vote.


On the question of whether Obama risks trivializing the political process, I think Oprah's taking a bigger risk. It doesn't hurt Obama to pal around with an entertainment icon who has Oprah's formidable crossover appeal. It is Oprah who must dance delicately above the turbulent waters of our country's bitterly polarized politics.


She says her support of Obama is personal, not partisan. I believe her. She has hosted guests of both parties on her shows with equal hospitality. I'm sure she will continue to do so. Still, I won't be holding my breath waiting for Mrs. Clinton to say "yes" again.

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