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Category Archives: Outreach
Yom Kippur is Finished: Will Your Seat Be Empty Until Next Year?
The majesty and transcendence of the High Holidays are behind us. Rosh Hashanah with its coronation of God and Yom Kippur with the liturgical immersion into the Holy of Holies of the Holy Temple has passed. The machzorim, the special prayer books, have been put back into the storage rooms. The shofar has been put back on to the shelf and the grocery stores will stop ordering extra quantities of apples and honey until next year. That seat you spent so many hours in at synagogue (or the seat that you purchased but barely saw during these past two weeks) will also resume its normal life of being unoccupied. The cushion will resettle, the indentations will be erased and dust will begin to collect. Yet, it doesn't have to be that way.
What would happen if you didn't let your seat at synagogue go unused this new year? What would happen if you came back and visited that seat when no ticket was needed to sit in it. The machzorim are put away but in their stead you will find the siddur, the year round prayer book. Do you believe your experience during the next round of High Holidays would be different if you were more than an annual visitor?
People sometimes compare the High Holidays to the Superbowl. No matter if you are a fan all year or even know the rules of the game there is something captivating about tuning into the game on the big day and knowing you are joining hundreds of millions of other people who are doing the same thing. The comparison has a point but it also falls short.
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are not built like the Superbowl. They are not built with an easy ability to tap into with no prior experience or knowledge. There are no multi-million dollar commercials in the midst of the service or professional athletes facing off against each other. Instead there is the sublime poetry and prose of the prayers. There are the melodies, some very old and some very new, that are meant to enter our heart and soul and move us in a religious experience. There is the introspection and reflection that finds its peak during the High Holidays. This is not the sort of thing that can be readily experienced at its fullest with no prior background. The ticket you purchased gains you entry into the building and a seat to sit on but if that is the only time you sit in that seat all year you very will might find yourself unable to access the moment you have paid for and craving to find some of its relevancy in your life.
So this year let us find time to fill that seat throughout the year. It's alright to dip your toes in gently and build as time progresses. Build familiarity with the rhythm of Jewish ritual and prayer. Stretch those muscles of introspection and reflection. By doing so you may find that the next Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur will be an entirely different experience. Your seat will recognize you, the cushion will not be dusty, the prayer book will be an old friend and the melodies will penetrate your heart and lift you in soulful meaning.
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is finished for the year but your seat will not be lonely for the next eleven months. Shanah Tovah, a good, sweet year of meaning making and spiritual growth to all.
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Note: The opinions expressed here are the personal views of the author. All comments on MyJewishLearning are moderated. Any comment that is offensive or inappropriate will be removed. Privacy Policy
The Destiny of the American Jewish Community: Assimilation or Isolation?
In the great story of humanity there has always been the forces that compel us to assimilate amongst each other and those that urge us to maintain our differences. When we collapse the contours that are the map of the human family into one straight path our journey becomes simple and uncomplicated. Yet, what do we give up when we venture down the path of assimilation?
When we turn our attention to the Jewish community we find these polarizing forces very much at work. This dilemma has presented itself at numerous junctures in history. Whenever the larger environment was hospitable to Jews, the tension between blending in and maintaining community surfaced.
I would argue that the answer to this question lies between the extremes. In the 19th century European Jewry gave rise to multiple approaches to emancipation. One approach asserted that with a more tolerant society the time has come to withdraw to the most particularistic parts of our selves.
Alternatively, in the first platform of the Reform movement composed in 1885, it was declared: "We recognize in the Mosaic legislation a system of training the Jewish people… and today we accept as binding only its moral laws… but reject all such as are not adapted to the views and habits of modern civilization." Similarly, the early members of Reform hopefully declared that their era was "the modern era of universal culture of heart and intellect."
On one hand, we encounter the forces that would have us all live in complete isolation from the world and on the other hand a movement whose foundation is an embrace of assimilation. Like in so many instances the solution rests in grappling with the liminal space in between the parts.
The answer cannot be assimilation. The four millennia-long journey of the Jewish people has produced ideas worth perpetuating along with a people that can carry forward those ideas. Jews are not a people of monuments but rather a people of ideas. Our greatest contribution to the progressive development of humanity does not exist in architecture but in the shaping of the moral intellect. The very beginning of our people finds itself in a call to "go forth." The map of Jewish experience is shaped by experiences of exile and return, of reaching the promised land only to find ourselves shortly thereafter sitting by the waters of Babylon.
The birthright of the Jewish people is the very ability to live with ideas, to grapple with ideas, to test and retest the contours of moral reasoning. It is the challenge to "go forth" and to discover a touch of the Divine in the spaces we live in and the bodies we exist within.
Yet, this need to perpetuate and grow the legacy must be counter-balanced with engagement. No community exists absent other communities. What are we afraid of? Are we afraid that a tradition that survived the tumult of nearly four thousand years will wither in the face of dialogue? Do we lack that much self-confidence in the vitality of this great experiment initiated by Abraham, continued by Moses and then the Sages and thinkers of every era? A Judaism that exists only for itself fails to exist to its full potential.
When one looks at the results of the 2013 Pew Forum study on the American Jewish community one finds, broadly speaking, two growing and competing trends in the American Jewish landscape. There is an ever-increasing rate of disaffiliation. The "universal culture of heart and intellect" that the early Reformers described has no apparent need for a particularistic identity.
The other trend is a growing rate of Ultra-Orthodoxy. This is the Orthodoxy that argues the answer to modernity is to retreat. In 2012 CitiField was filled with 50,000 members of the haredi community pledging their resistance to the Internet.
These are disturbing trends. What will be left of those who occupy the space in between the parts? What will be left of those who exist firmly planted in the ideas and traditions of Judaism while extending a hand to the world beyond our borders? I am neither a sociologist nor a prophet so the answer to that question will be revealed only by time. What I can do is declare that retreat is not the solution. That liminal space is the birthright of the next generation and all future generations of the Jewish people.
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Patrilineal Jewish Descent: An Open Orthodox Approach
This week there has been much conversation online and offline on the Jewish status of people of patrilineal Jewish descent. My fellow Rabbis Without Borders alumna, Rabbi Alana Suskin, brought up the issue in an honest and compassionate article Wednesday that has garnered quite a lot of attention. I, too, have found this issue of status to be a vexing and complicated one.
Jewish denominations do not live in a vacuum. The actions of one movement can have profound impact on the collective Jewish community. Actions must be carefully weighed and considered. This is something that the broader Orthodox community refused to acknowledge for much of the early 20th-century American Jewish experience and is a mistake that I pray all movements from now on would seek to not repeat. Rabbi Shmuel Goldin, the immediate past President of the Rabbinical Council of America, in an eloquent, impassioned and moving speech to his Conservative colleagues at The Jewish Theological Seminary, stated it succinctly:
"The question before us is not simply whether we can learn to talk to each other—There is much more at stake. The real question is. "What role will we play, or not play, in shaping the story of the Jewish people at this critical juncture?" If we can't get along, then we cannot make the kind of difference that we should.
I suppose that we could all react to this challenge in usual fashion, by blaming each other and saying, "Well, it's really the fault of the Orthodox or the Conservative or the Reform." After all, it's always the 'other's' fault. But the Torah teaches us otherwise, that, like the brothers, we are all at fault. If we allow this to go on, if we continue to move apart and do not find ways to act together, we will all be held culpable for the unfolding, potentially tragic fate of the American Jewish community."
Rabbi Goldin urges us to see each other within the framework of brothers, as part of a global Jewish family that needs to work together. We can either all rise to the heights of incompetence together and bring severe havoc to our broad Jewish family or we can rise to the greatest of our potential, together, and usher in a new renaissance and flowering of Jewish life and vitality. That is our charge and our responsibility. The folks in the pews, and even more potently the folks who have long ago left the pews, are waiting for us to act maturely and cooperatively. If not now, when? If we wait too long, it may be very well too late.
It is within that backdrop that I approach the question of patrilineal descent. There are two strata of response to the question: 1. The responsibility of leadership and 2. The pastoral dimension. Both are important but it is important not to conflate them in a discussion of the issue.
Let me preface by saying that I have the utmost respect for my Reform colleagues. I grew up in the Reform movement and it is because of those formative years and the rabbis and educators that so profoundly impacted me that I became traditionally observant in my early teenage years and eventually an Orthodox rabbi. This is less to do with the individuals in the movement than the decisions movements as a whole make, in this case Reform, but in other cases other denominations.
The decision by the American Reform movement to adopt patrilineal status some thirty years ago was, in my opinion, a mistake. It was not primarily a mistake because of the outcome, that is actually the secondary issue, it was a mistake in process. Organizational experts and the best thinkers in community development have long taught that making decisions from a silo is not how to act strategically, it is how one acts tactically. It is a refusal to acknowledge the interconnectedness of movements, peoples and families; the weaving together that is the American Jewish story, and to act alone and unilaterally. It is to declare an austritt when the time has come for collaboration.
Marty Linsky, professor at the Kennedy School of Government and author of Leadership on the Line argues that leaders need to possess a "balcony perspective." What is the big picture? Where do we want to head? How do we get there most successfully?
A balcony perspective would have shown that Reform Judaism does not exist on its own island and indeed no denomination is its own island. Reform Jews are married to Conservative Jews who are siblings with Orthodox Jews who are cousins with unaffiliated Jews. Reform Jews do not only mingle, socialize, date or marry other Reform Jews. The decision some thirty years ago was either predicated on the idea that all other movements will be coerced into going along or on the notion that Reform congregants will never need to run up against differing standards practiced by almost every other Jewish denomination and by Reform equivalent types of Judaism throughout the world. Both ideas were misguided and represented a failure of strategy.
In regards to the pastoral dimension, the situation must be handled with the greatest sensitivity and compassion. The standards of halakha as outlined by the Gemara, Rambam and the Shulchan Aruch must not be compromised in the pursuit of an expeditious conversion. Yet, nonetheless, a child of Jewish patrilineal lineage, must be respected greatly for their identification with the Jewish people, their love of Judaism and of Israel. I was inspired by a lecture by Rabbi Aryeh Klapper of the Center for Modern Torah Leadership several years ago where he insisted that people of patrilineal descent be referred to as Jews who need to rectify their status vies-a-vie Jewish law. In other words, to understand the modern dichotomy between Jewish affiliation and halakhic Jewish status, while upholding with full integrity the halakha and the legal process.
It is my hope that Jewish professional and lay leaders learn from the experience of patrilineal descent and come to do things better: to be more cooperative, more collaborative, to work strategically, to think from a balcony perspective. Unfortunately, examples like this exist in every movement and represent moments to grow from not just for the movement highlighted but for all of us. The time has come to envision ourselves, in the words of Rabbi Goldin, as brothers and to act as a family that seeks to live together in harmony and co-existence. Rabbis Without Borders represents a powerful model in that direction and, G-d willing, we will soon see it become the dominant paradigm of doing business in the Jewish community. We will all be better for it.
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When Goodness Transcends Boundaries
The 70th anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising has created renewed interest in the actions of Polish gentiles who assisted Poland's Jews during the Nazi occupation.
Some rescuers hid individual Jews who managed to flee the Germans' murderous "aktions" and ghettos while others joined in the Warsaw ghetto revolt, forged identity papers for Jews and participated in other activities that saved Jewish lives. One rescuer, Irena Sendler, managed to save over 3000 Jewish lives but her activities were almost forgotten until a group of rural Kansas students heard rumors about her wartime endeavors and embarked on a wide-ranging research project to publicize her incredible story.
Irena Sendler was working for the Warsaw Department of Social Work when the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939. The department's social workers attempted to help the Jews who were displaced and impoverished under the Nazi rule and Irena participated in these activities, expanding on these pursuits as a member of the underground Zagota anti-Nazi organization.
When the Warsaw ghetto was established Sendler obtained forged documents that identified her as a nurse who specialized in infectious diseases. With these documents she was able to enter the ghetto and she brought in whatever food and medicines that she could. Sendler quickly realized that she could increase her effectiveness by helping Jews escape and she decided to concentrate on removing children from the ghetto.
Sendler started smuggling street children out of the ghetto but soon expanded as she tried to bring out children whose parents were still alive. She walked through the ghetto and knocked on the doors of families whose children were still alive to convince the parents that their children's only chance of survival lay with escape.
More than 50 years after the war Sendler described the agony of those days. "I talked the mothers out of their children. Those scenes over whether to give a child away were heart-rending. Sometimes, they wouldn't give me the child. Their first question was, 'What guarantee is there that the child will live?' I said, 'None. I don't even know if I will get out of the ghetto alive today."
Sendler and her Zagota comrades had several modes that they used to smuggle children out of the ghetto. Some children were sedated and hidden under Sendler's tram seat, in a toolbox or piece of luggage or in a cart under a pile of garbage or barking dogs. Older children were often walked out through the sewer system that ran underneath Warsaw or through a break in the Old Courthouse that sat on the ghetto's border.
Once a child was smuggled out of the ghetto, finding a secure hiding place for the child was as perilous an activity as the actual act of smuggling the child out of the ghetto. Sendler and her Zagota compatriots forged documents, identified sympathetic Polish families and transported the children to safe hiding places including at the Rodzina Marii Orphanage in Warsaw and at convents in Lublin, Chomotow and Turkowice. Sendler compulsively recorded the children's names together with their hiding places, hoping that after the war they could be reunited with their families or, at the very least, with their Jewish community. There "records" were stuffed into glass jars and buried in a neighbor's garden.
The Warsaw Ghetto revolt occurred in April 1943 and within months no Jews remained in the area. Sendler, whose code name for her underground activities was "Jolenta," was given total responsibility for the welfare of Jewish children by the Zagota underground. She continued to try to find children who had, somehow, been saved from the transports and mass shootings and move them into hiding.
In October 1943 Sendler was arrested by the Gestapo and was brought to the infamous Pawiak prison where she was tortured, but she did not reveal any information about her Zagota comrades or the children's whereabouts. The Germans sentenced Sendler to death but Zagota members were able to bribe a German guard and she was released just hours before her scheduled execution.
In 1999 a group of schoolgirls from Uniontown Kansas heard about Sendler and embarked on an extensive research project about her life. They created a play about her which they performed in a number of locations. This performance happened to catch the attention of the LA based, Jewish run Lowell Milken Family Foundation who allotted them a grant allowing them to create the Life in a Jar project. This project dedicated to spreading the tale of Irena Sendler, now containing a website, book, film and continuous presentations that have currently been performed in hundreds of locations worldwide.
This is one remarkable example of the goodness that can transpire when we are able to see beyond the boundaries that we think define us and reach across those lines with an open hand. May Irena's story and the actions of those Kansas schoolgirls come to inspire us to see beyond our boundaries for the welfare and benefit of all people.
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But what have you done for me lately?
A couple of weeks ago, Michal Kohane caused a few ripples in the blogosphere by getting fired over the column "40 Plus and Screwed: More on Less Young Adult Engagement." Her premise is that the Jewish community has put most of its efforts into engaging 20-and-30-somethings – with trips, and "service opportunities," grants, fellowships, and essentially begging young Jews to come and be Jewish by offering all kinds of swag and calling them "leaders" (whether or not they are) and basically offering any kind of enticement that can be imagined as attractive to the young. And that this effort is excessive, misguided – and really, not quite Jewish in its exclusion from consideration the talents and wisdom of those over this age demographic:
…one can be "old," and much freer, able and available, professionally and spiritually, with lots of energy, insight, wisdom and knowledge about life, but guess what. If that's who you are, the Jewish people don't need you anymore. Oh, wait, I'm exaggerating. They do need you. You're welcome to pay dues. And memberships. And support the never-ending campaigns. And we will call on our various phonathons, because young people need to party. And travel. And explore their identity. And you? you're already 50, maybe even 60. Seriously? You haven't been to Israel?? and you still date?? But that's one leg in the World to Come! So we are not going to invest in you. Please, step aside, and hand over the keys. And your check book? Thanks. Because that is the only role we left you. You are "40 plus and – therefore – screwed."
Yes, I'm exaggerating, but not much. At a recent meeting about the millennia generation, someone – over 45 – dared ask, what can any of us, "alter kakers" "do. Alter Kakers by the way is not a nice thing to say, but no one corrected the derogatory term. One "millennia child" answered quickly: "You can listen," he said. Another joked: "there is really nothing you can do." The audience nodded with pride.
I don't disagree. I would also add, although she doesn't that this particular form of ageism is gendered (take a look around the room of any powerful Jewish organization and see how many of them are older men, as opposed to older women).
But I'd ask some additional questions here – not because she's wrong, but because I think she actually misses the point. While there is certainly ageism, and gender bias, and an insane focus on getting young Jews to breed by any means possible, this doesn't really have anything to do with the young people whose narcissism she complains about. These programs aren't developed by those twenty and thirty somethings, and don't, for the most part take into account their needs – which is why many of them fail to develop long-term affiliations.
But here's the real question:
Not just for the "screwed 40somethings," but also the 20 and 30 somethings. Why are we offering any bribes at all?
Because, ultimately that's what a great deal of this boils down to. "Please be Jewish, so we don't die out."
But Judaism doesn't need that.
Judaism is not going to die out. And I think perhaps it's time that we stopped treating Judaism as though it needed to be bolstered by various metaphorical swag bags.
The attitude comes from a view of Judaism which thinks that Judaism is simply a sort of super-ethnicity, with some nice cultural baggage that we want to live on. But Judaism is a rich, powerful relationship with the universe and the divine, and it is a mission. And not everyone is going to accept that mission.
The mission requires some dedication – it means that priorities have to be set because -as Moses said to Reuven and Gad in the Torah portion this week – your cattle? really? You're going to put your flocks ahead of this great mission that we're on? They are not the most important thing. God drives our lives, and our goals; God is our mission, and bringing the holy into this world is our mission- you need to get your priorities straight, and sometimes that means setting aside the bigger paycheck, the soccer game, the Saturday shopping trip.
Instead of asking why 40-somethings aren't being offered tidbits along with 20-somethings, I'd ask, "what are you offering Judaism?" All of us, whatever age we are.
I have to say, I'm also tired of the endless programs, the baby-marriage-hookup-drives for the young, the demographic desperation.
And in perfect honesty, I suspect that few of those 20 and 30 somethings are that impressed by them either.
Judaism is a rich, deep tradition – it is a difficult one, because it is not one that is accessed superficially and easily. It is demanding of time and effort. It is not just about once a week – Judaism is a 24/7 activity, that requires immersion, study, patience, persistence and connection to other Jews.
It can't be done well in isolation. And frankly, maybe it's not for everyone.
Which is not to say "My way or the highway." Our communities have gotten lazy abut very basic things: friendliness (but NOT customer service. Judaism is not a business, and the faster we drop that foolish trope, the better), acceptance, and yes, thinking about what a community is.
Both edgy indie minyans and shuls have forgotten that communities are not about finding your age or personality niche and working it. If you have an age range of only twenty years, you have failed, because a community must be composed of children, teens, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty-somethings, Also eighty-somethings. People who are sweet, people who are annoying as heck; people with money, and those who are middle class (the few of those left) and people who are poor. People with green hair or adopted children, or no children, or single people, or gay and lesbian couples or people who like to camp in the great outdoors and those who think that Holiday inn is roughing it.
That is a community.
There are definitely things that we could all do better, no question. Lots of things could be done better.
The fact that some people will start at a more basic level of learning is fine, but we shouldn't be offering only basic learning. Study can be done at all kinds of levels for all kinds of different abilities – but it should be challenging and difficult and rich for anyone at whatever level – and all of us should take ourselves to the table -Every Single Person should make a commitment to study and Jewish living, and spending time with people who are not like you.
And no one should be satisfied with the same basics over and over again – or, more realistically, unsatisfied with them. Because I think that's really what's missing. The superficial is terribly unsatisfying. Have we gone too far in some ways, emphasizing flashy programs over deep study and demographic concerns over genuine commitment to an important mission from God?
And that's why Kohane is right, and wrong: it isn't that people over forty have been excluded – it's that all of us have been. And it's long past time to do something about it. But there's no "someone else" to do it. It's us. So get up, and open a book, and go to shul, and do something Jewish with someone else. If you don't have the skills to do it yourself, well, that's what shul is for – to create a community where we can all lean on each other.
Note: The opinions expressed here are the personal views of the author. All comments on MyJewishLearning are moderated. Any comment that is offensive or inappropriate will be removed. Privacy Policy
Inclusion is a Jewish Imperative
Why do you try to be so inclusive? It's OBVIOUS that you are liberal because you care about these marginalized groups! Why do you have to be politically correct all the time?
These questions and more are often posed to Orthodox rabbis and individuals who care and advocate for the full inclusion of all Jews in organized Jewish life. Regardless of whether the advocacy is on behalf of people with differing physical and mental capabilities, women, LGBTQ Jews or others invariably there will be those in the community who label those actions of inclusion as gestures of political correctness and/or secular liberal values.
I would argue though that there is a deep underlying Jewish value for the full inclusion of all Jews in Jewish life that does not depend on someone being politically correct or solely motivated by secular liberal values. Indeed, full inclusion is an imperative that serves as a prerequisite for meaningful Jewish life for anyone and its roots are at Sinai:
"In the third month of the children of Israel's departure from Egypt, on this day they arrived in the desert of Sinai. They journeyed from Rephidim, and they arrived in the desert of Sinai, and they encamped in the desert, and Israel encamped there opposite the mountain. (Exodus 19:1-2)"
"Moses ascended to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, 'So shall you say to the house of Jacob and tell the children of Israel…' (19:3)"
"Moses came and summoned the elders of Israel and placed before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. And all the people replied in unison and said, 'All that the Lord has spoken we shall do!' and Moses took the words of the people back to the Lord. (19:7)"
The Torah in introducing the moment of Sinai emphasizes that all the people were present for the episode of the great theophany. The liberation from Egypt and the journey through the desert were for this experience. The people were forged into a nation through the servitude of Egypt but only at Sinai did they become a nation with destiny.
Rashi, the great medieval commentator, offers the insight quoting the early midrashic work Mekhilta, that the people were as "one person with one heart." The exceedingly large, disparate and diverse group of Jews encamped in the desert wilderness became unified in heart and soul. Each person valued intrinsically every other person in the community. No one person saw another person as an instrument towards a greater goal or, the reverse, as an impediment towards a desired outcome. Every member of the community was valued. Every member of the community was welcome. Every member of the community was powerfully present.
During the holiday of Shavuot we carve out a single time in the year where we attempt to recreate the experience of revelation. Many people have the custom to stay up all night studying in anticipation for the first rays of light of the revelation. We declare in our prayers that Shavuot is the "time of our receiving of the Torah." The truth is that while Shavuot is a specially designated time for recreating the Sinai experience, we are called upon to approach God and the Torah anew every day. Every day is a new opportunity to meet God in a revelatory experience through prayer, study and sacred interactions. The aspiration of the synagogue prayer experience is to encounter Sinai anew again every day.
However, the Sinai moment cannot be recreated, the mountain cannot be gathered around and God cannot be heard unless every member of the community is present just as they were at the first Sinai moment in the desert wilderness. The religious life of every Jew and the religious life of the entire community is deficient when not everyone is able to be present. That is why it is so fundamentally important that historically marginalized groups are treated with dignity, respect and honor just like anyone else in the community. When the barriers towards inclusion and access are removed and every member of our community — not just those who already have a seat at the table — are fully present then we will have restored the community to a point ready to encounter Sinai.
Those who see the work of inclusion as a concession to political correctness or some outside values that do not stem from the Torah would do well to hearken to the story of revelation. The story of how a diverse and large group of former slaves found a way to stand next to a mountain with respect and dignity for all paved the way for the chasm between heaven and earth to have been bridged and the Torah, the book that lit the world with Divine meaning and purpose, to be revealed is not just a narrative to be revered but an imperative to strive towards achieving that level of inclusion in our modern communities today.
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Deprogramming our Children as a Means to Jewish Continuity?
I just got back from a weekend "family camp" retreat. One of the most remarkable aspects of the experience was that not one of my three children, over the course of 72 plus hours, asked to watch tv or play on my iphone. It wasn't because the camp's programming was so stellar; in fact, rain and frigid weather reduced the planned programming substantially. What occupied my children's attention was far simpler: the sheer joy of being around a bunch of other children their age. It didn't seem to matter whether the context was meals, playing sports, or just hanging out. They simply reveled in being together all the time.
Jewish children, like many American children today, lead lives that are highly programmed. From sports to academics to religious school, our children often have extra-curricular commitments every day of the week. The medical academy has made it clear by now that we are harming our children's development by reducing free play in favor of all this extra-curricular programming. But I wonder, as I look out at dwindling religious school attendance and vastly reduced affiliation rates, if we are missing the boat in our outreach efforts as Jewish institutions by not providing enough contexts for some type of Jewish social free play. The Conservative synagogues (including my own) that I know about tend to prioritize teaching our students Hebrew and some basic Jewish literacy in the limited time we have with our students. But maybe, instead of having religious school become one of several week-long extra-curricular activities, what we need to do is figure out how to bring the Jewish camp ethos into our religious schools and other institutions of outreach. Or, to put it somewhat more controversially, what if USY, Bnai Brith, NIFTY, and other Jewish youth organizations are more important than our religious schools altogether? Maybe, instead of focusing on getting our children into synagogue, we should concentrate on getting them together with other local Jewish youths and just letting them hang out within the context of some general Jewish program or context?
I certainly don't have the answers, but I am curious to hear your thoughts about how we might be able to develop a camp-like culture within our Jewish institutions the other 10 months of the year. Family camp and summer camp are great, but they are only the tip of the iceberg of what we might be able to accomplish when it comes to developing positive Jewish identity. The glee on my children's faces this past weekend is something I hope and pray we can replicate on a community-wide level, transforming Jewish education from a (bi)weekly chore into a true opportunity for engagement and excitement.
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Generosity of Spirit
In my last article I wrote about the need for a renaissance of mission-driven rabbis. I quoted from the powerful words of Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm given at the 16th Conference of Anglo-Jewish Preachers in Manchester, England in 1968. I have received a lot of positive feedback on the notion that the traditional American synagogue needs an infusion of rabbis driven by a passion motivated by a compelling mission that sustains their work. In the words of Rabbi Lamm, the time has come for rabbis to reclaim the "role of rabbanim in the grand tradition."
Another dimension to the growth of the synagogue community is what I call a "generosity of spirit." This characteristic is so important and fundamental that it rests as the ultimate bedrock of all successful communities. A community is at its simplest a collection of individuals sharing experiences together. Communities can be further solidified by shared purpose and mission. The people in these communities invariably spend considerable time with each other in ways that individuals don't spend with other people outside of their communities of choice. There is a lot of rubbing shoulders in the life of community.
It is this regular rubbing of shoulders that can contribute to the total breakdown of the community if a generosity of spirit does not exist. What is generosity of spirit? The Psalmist in Chapter 51, Verse 14 beseeches God to let "a generous spirit sustain me." Ruach Nadivah – Generosity of Spirit is cast as intrinsic to the sustenance of life. A generosity of spirit is being ready to suspend judgment and accusation in the face of perceived slight and insult and maintain an open heart. This sounds simple but it takes a lot of intentional work to cultivate within the context of community.
Why did that person not say hello to me? How come that person missed the kiddush I sponsored this week? Why doesn't the rabbi care enough about me to call me when I was ill? How could those parents let their children run wild through the Sanctuary? That person is so rude to forget to wish me a happy birthday today.
Distrust. Suspicion. Quickness to judge. Contempt. Anger. Indignation. These are all indications of a community that has a breakdown in generosity of spirit. For each one of those scenarios and the multitude of others that manifest in synagogue community, there are a range of possible reasons to explain each and every one of them. The assumption that it was meant as an affront against me and the accumulation of that sentiment amongst many people over an extended period of time absolutely obliterates the bedrock of healthy community.
People do not seek to join communities that are rife with distrust, contempt, anger and indignation. People join communities that are slow to judge others, filled with warmth and caring for each and every member. How do we further cultivate those traits in our synagogue communities? I believe with a lot of patience, a bit of forcefulness and determination.
Patience is required with the people who have developed over a period of time the traits of distrust and indignation because it takes a lot of self-reflection and inner work to build a healthy and positive attitude. It is just as important to not become indignant at those who are slow to change positively. A bit of forcefulness is required because if the community does not react against signs of a breakdown of generosity of spirit that breakdown can easily worsen and spread very quickly. Determination is necessary because even if at times it can feel like changing ingrained habits is impossible, we must nonetheless forge ahead and persevere. It is not impossible and it can be done and with enough determination we can make it so.
When we create synagogues bursting and overflowing with generous spirits we will have developed powerful models of a world redeemed amidst the world that is. Communities that demonstrate trust, respect and slowness to judge each person within that community present a picture of a humanity the way we should be all the time everywhere. "Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation; and let a generous spirit sustain me." The joy of God's salvation can ultimately be fully realized when we are sustained by generous spirits.
Note: The opinions expressed here are the personal views of the author. All comments on MyJewishLearning are moderated. Any comment that is offensive or inappropriate will be removed. Privacy Policy
The Torah of second chances
A couple of years ago, after several years of trying to get all the way through the counting of the Omer, I built an Omer-counter with a foolproof reminder system – my son. It's based on the Christian advent calendar in that it's a series of forty-nine boxes (seven rows of seven) which has randomly placed toys inside the boxes. NO more forgetting to count in the evening! Every night, I have an excellent reminder, and so I do not lose my chance to say the blessing when I count, or worse yet, forget altogether and have to quit counting for the year.
It's a yearly frustration for lots of people who try to keep up with the Omer – it's easy to screw it up and lose track, and according to the tradition, if you mess up, well, hey tough. You're out of luck.
That's why it's odd that about a month into the Omer (today, in fact) there's a little known holiday that's about …second chances. Pesach sheni ( or "second passover") is a biblically based holiday that happens because, as is related in Numbers chapter 9, when God commands the Israelites, a year after the exodus, to bring the passover offering, there were certain people who had become ritually impure through contact with a dead body, and so, could not prepare the Passover offering on that day.
They approached Moses and Aaron and said, "We are unclean by the dead body of a man; wherefore are we to be kept back, so as not to bring the offering of God in its appointed season among the children of Israel?" (Numbers 9:7). After these people approached Moses and Aaron, God tells them that from then on, if anyone is ritually impure on passover, or is unable to keep passover for some other reason beyond their control, "he shall keep the passover unto God in the second month on the fourteenth day at dusk they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs." (Numbers 9:11)
Pesach sheni is a strange holiday. We don't really observe it – mostly because there isn't really anything to observe – there's no requirements, since we no longer bring sacrifices. And yet, it's sort of a shame. Here we are, in the midst of a period where every day counts, where there are no second chances, where you have to get it exactly right, or you lose your chance (at least until next year), and there's this holiday that interrupts it for the purpose of giving a second chance for a holiday that occurred a month prior – and not only that, but it's the only holiday we have the sole purpose of which is to make up for a holiday that someone missed out on.
What is that all about?
Rabbi Yosef Y. Schneersohn is cited by his son-in-law as saying that, "Pesach Sheni teaches us that 'Nothing is ever lost: it's never too late!" and then the latter Schneersohn goes on to say, "Our conduct can always be rectified. Even someone who is impure, who was far away and even desired to be so, can still correct himself." He continues, "Given the significance of Pesach Sheni, one might ask: Why was it instituted a full month after Pesach, in the month of Iyar? Wouldn't it have been better to atone for our deficiencies at the earliest opportunity, in Nissan?"
"We can answer this question by comparing the spiritual characteristics of Nissan and Iyar. Nissan is the month of revelation, the month during which God revealed His greatness and redeemed the Jewish people despite their inadequacies. Iyar, by contrast, is the month of individual endeavor, a quality that is exemplified by the mitzvah of Sefirat HaOmer. The theme of Iyar, self-refinement initiated by the individual himself, is in keeping with the nature of Pesach Sheni, the festival in which an individual who was not motivated by Pesach is given an additional opportunity to elevate himself."
So, two things:
First, the key to pesach sheni is precisely that it does occur a month later, during the Omer. Unlike the first Pesach, which is a national holiday, Pesach sheni is an individual's holiday. The second thing is the way in which Pesach sheni came about – unlike well, pretty much everything else in the Torah, it isn't initiated by God, given to Moses and Aaron and then passed on to the people. Instead, Pesach sheni is initiated by the people themselves, by a group of individuals. In fact, I know of really only one other case like this one: the daughters of Tzelophechad (which also appears in the book of Numbers, farther along, in Numbers 27), who challenged a law of inheritance whereby only sons could inherit, even if there weren't any. They brought their challenge and God told Moses that they were right and amended the law.
I think that that parallel to the daughters of Tzelophechad is the key to why this is the only holiday that is a "make-up" for another holiday. It's not just that it's a group of individuals who want a make-up. It's that these individuals saw a specific wrong that they wanted addressed, and they wanted it addressed for the sake of justice to individuals who have no control over being excluded from the nation. In the case of Tzelophechad's daughters, the case is their sex; in the case of pesach sheni, it's because they were doing another mitzvah ( caring for the dead). But the important thing is that these two cases are things which exclude them from the body of the nation in some crucial way. It is because of this that they take their complaint to God, and God answers them, "Of course, you are right."
IN recent days, when we have seen so much change so quickly both in the Jewish community and out of it in regards to gay marriage and inclusion, this is a message that we should all take to heart. Pesach sheni isn't merely a second chance for the individuals who were excluded, but is a second chance for the nation to include in its inheritance and in its moment of revelation everyone who throws their lot in with the Jewish people. Because even God can make a mistake, and even God can admit it and rectify it.
Note: The opinions expressed here are the personal views of the author. All comments on MyJewishLearning are moderated. Any comment that is offensive or inappropriate will be removed. Privacy Policy
Spicing Up Your Seder
As a rabbi who also happens to be a mother of small kids, I am often asked for creative ideas to enliven a seder. I have decided to dedicate this post to sharing some of these ideas. Feel free to pass it around, and please use the comments section below to share some of your own creative rituals.
The truth is, our family's seders are long – very long – and our kids are back and forth from the table all evening. They are present for the pieces that are meaningful to them, and they play during the sections that feel more "adult." I believe that just as it is important to engage the kids in the seder rituals, it is also important to engage the adults in deep thought and discovery. It is also vital for our kids to see that the seder is not simply a pediatric ritual, but rather an experience that speaks to people of each and every age. Therefore, this list includes ideas for both kids and adults. Enjoy!
- Karpas: This is my number one suggestions for keeping a seder strong. When we dip parsley in salt water, we say "borei pri ha'adamah" – the blessing over the fruit of the earth. This means that we have actually created an opening to eat any "fruit" that comes from the earth, i.e. vegetables – broccoli, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, artichokes, asparagus… even strawberries dipped in chocolate! In fact, since we've already dipped in salt water, we figure we might as well keep up the dipping – which is what the well-to-do in Greco-Roman times did at their symposium banquets, the main inspiration for the seder. So… balsamic vinaigrette, salsa, olive oil, mayonnaise – anything that you can dip vegetables in can make this section even more fun. In our family, we have found that people are much more willing to engage in rich seder conversation when they have a full plate of appetizers in front of them. We are excited to hear all questions, but "When do we eat?" is far less relevant, because we are grazing throughout the entire seder.
- Mah Nishtanah: Did you know that, according to the Talmud, you are only obligated to ask the Four Questions if other questions have not yet been asked? The Four Questions exist as a way of sparking a questioning environment. In addition to singing these questions, we can do other things to inspire questions as well. The rabbis of the Talmud speak about clearing the host's plate before s/he has eaten in order to attract people's attention and invite questions (Why in the world are you doing THAT?) We too can do things a little bit differently to get the questions rolling. Put odd toys on the table. Wear something strange on your head. Once people start asking questions, rewarding questioners with candy and other goodies (thrown across the table, of course!) is a great way to keep the inquisitive nature of the conversation ripe.
- Speaking of Questions: Pre-plan some of them. Look through the Haggadah. Look online. Ask your Rabbi. Come up with some key discussion topics that will engage your guests in deeper and more creative thinking. An example: How can matzah be both "the bread of our affliction" and a symbol of our freedom? How can one item symbolize both concepts, opposite in nature? Discuss!
- Costumes: Invite guests to come dressed in character. Or, better yet, provide a costume box to enable people to grab some garb before they sit down.
- Passover Poetry: Invite your guests to come with their own Passover haikus. Haikus are fairly easy to write, and can be very funny and also incredibly poignant. Incorporating a range of haikus, written by guests, can add to the creative vibe of any seder. Got a really creative guest list? Invite them to come with a "poetry slam"-style piece on the topic of "slavery" or "freedom."
- Turn Your Table into a Beit Midrash: Bring articles, Jewish texts, and poetry and pass them out to your guests. Have your guests sit with a chevrutah partner and learn their piece for 10 or 15 minutes, and then regroup and invite each partnership to share what they have learned.
- Niggunim and Songs: Don't be afraid to sing, and others will follow. Song inspires the soul, and even a song leader who is not a Broadway star can enliven a seder with spirit and joy. There are great resources online for traditional seder songs, as well as Passover lyrics written to modern and funny melodies.
- We Were Slaves in Egypt: Tell the story in your own words. Put down the Haggadah, and place yourself into the world of ancient Egypt. WE were slaves… when we left Egypt, were we scared? Were we excited? What did we bring? As we stood at the sea, what did we see? There is the possibility here of inviting guests to take on different roles, speaking from the "I" perspective, and reliving the voyage of our ancestors. Invite one guest to serve as the moderator. (Oprah Winfrey style!)
- Now We Are Free: Invite guests to bring an item that represents their freedom. This could be an object that reminds them of an aspect of freedom, or it could be something that represents an aspect of their lives that would be very different if they were not free. Ask guests to put their item on the table and share its story to your seder community.
- Don't Be Afraid to Move: The seder doesn't have to happen at a dinning room table. Some years, we have done the whole first half of the seder in the living room, Bedouin style. This enables guests to sit on couches, chairs, and on pillows and back-jacks on the floor, and invites kids to move around, while still participating in the discussion.
- Scallions Aren't Just For Eating: There is a Persian custom of hitting each other with scallions during Dayenu. The scallions represent the whips of our oppressors. Although this may seem a little morbid, young and old alike have a wonderful time violating social norms and slamming each other with green onions.
- Orange on the Seder Plate: The orange on the seder plate has come to symbolize full inclusion of the GLBT community, as well as women, in modern day Judaism. Encourage guests to consider how we make our communities open and welcoming of people who may seem different from us. This can include folks with disabilities, people who are intermarried, divorced, struggling financially, etc.
- Become Elijah the Prophet: Tradition tells us that we have a cup for Elijah at our seder, in the hope that he will come and usher in the messianic age. We don't need to wait for the messiah to bring an end to injustice, slavery, and destruction. We can connect with the piece of Elijah that resides in each of us, and work for a better tomorrow right here, today. Invite guests to articulate what they can do to create more light and more holiness in our world.
- Miriam's Cup: Tradition teaches us that a well of water followed Miriam wherever she went, and quenched the thirst of the people Israel. We call our Torah a "mayim chayim," living waters, because the customs of the Jewish people sustain us emotionally and spiritually and fill our lives with meaning. Invite guests to speak about a particular experience that has sustained them this past year.
- Modern Day Slavery: On Pesach, we tell the story of our people's trajectory, our people's movement from the pain of slavery to the joy of freedom. There are people today, right here in the United States and throughout the world, who are still enslaved. We call this human trafficking. Educate guests about the realities of slavery today, and encourage them to take a stand in fighting these horrifying modern atrocities.
Chag Sameach! May we all be blessed with meaningful and dynamic seders, and may the entire holiday of Passover be sweet. Next year in Jerusalem!
Note: The opinions expressed here are the personal views of the author. All comments on MyJewishLearning are moderated. Any comment that is offensive or inappropriate will be removed. Privacy Policy


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I hereby (fictionally) resign is a great, if alas so far fictional, account of blowback from an employer's demand for Facebook passwords.
Spotted via Emergent Chaos, Chaos Emerges from Demanding Facebook Passwords.
I hereby (fictionally) resign is a great, if alas so far fictional, account of blowback from an employer's demand for Facebook passwords.
Spotted via Emergent Chaos, Chaos Emerges from Demanding Facebook Passwords.
Do you want to think of yourself as a well-informed citizen when it comes to technology issues? If so, you probably need to read Harold Feld's explanation of the Verizon/SpectrumCo/Cox Deal.
In reading this, please keep in mind that in the many years I have been acquainted with Harold Feld, I have never seen anything that would tend to brand him as an alarmist.
A choice bit:
And before you could say "dangerous levels of spectrum concentration," the former mortal enemies had become total BFFs — just like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon, but in reverse. In fact, Verizon Wireless and cable multisystem operators ("MSOs" as we say in telecom) are so into each other now that they simultaneously entered into agreements to become exclusive resellers of each other's products and to jointly develop a whole bunch of new technologies together. The companies insist these three side agreements are totally, completely and utterly unrelated to the spectrum sale and that unrelated side agreements are just the natural love child of freaky four-way spectrum hook ups.
A few weeks later, Verizon graciously offered to buy out Cox's AWS spectrum so that Cox could get out of the wireless business. And, in what can only be an amazing coincidence for utterly independent agreements that should in no way make anyone think that the major cable players are colluding with their Telco/Wireless chief rival, Verizon and Spectrumco offered to let Cox in on the same three agreements to become exclusive resllers and become a member of the "Joint Operating Entity" (JOE) to develop all these cool new technologies.
So you see, it's all totally innocent, and does not in the least look like a cartel agreeing not to compete, dividing up markets, and setting up a Joint Operating Entity so they can continue to meet and discuss their business plans on an ongoing basis while developing a patent portfolio to use against competitors like DISH and T-Mobile. In fact, these three side agreements are so harmless and so completely independent of the spectrum sale that Verizon and the MSOs initially refused to give them to the FCC. When they finally did agree to put them in the record under protest, they cut a whole bunch of stuff out. Because really, as Verizon and the cable MSOs said in their response, what one mega-corp says to four of its largest competitors is really no one's business.
Verizon will actually resell the cable MSO video services they used to (and in theory still do) compete against, while the MSOs will resell Verizon's mobile wireless service. On top of that, they will get together as part of the "JOE" to discuss each other's business, facilitating further cooperation. Finally, the technology developed by these one-time-rivals will be used to disadvantage competitors, much the same way Comcast is currently using its TV Everywhere certification to keep HBO On The Go off devices that facilitate 'cord-cutting', like Roku.
But there's so much more…the really wonky stuff starts like this:
We can divide the substantive issues into three main categories: (a) Spectrum concentration issues that come from pumping up one of the top two wireless carriers with even more primo spectrum; (b) whether the side deals represent an illegal division of relevant markets between competing firms or, even worse, the formation of an actual cartel (a term I do not use lightly); and, (c) all kind of angsty, big picture stuff about whether the whole theory of the Telecom Act of 1996 really works and we can have facilities based competition, or whether Susan Crawford is right and we are doomed to a dystopian future where a cable monopoly controls our broadband and thus our digital future — except for the mobile part which will be controlled by an AT&T/Verizon Duopoly. But since they will be part of the new Communication Cartel, that won't really matter.
And it does go on. Yes, it is insanely long. But he's got me believing it's a Big Deal.
For example,
The parties agree to form a "Joint Marketing Entity" (JOE) "for the development of technology to better integrate wireline and wireless products and services" (to quote the official press release). To translate: the largest residential broadband providers, who also happen to be among the largest residential video, and the largest mobile services provider, will sit down to jointly develop technologies on how to better integrate their supposedly competing services. You know how Google, Apple, Microsoft, and RIM are all involved in this "mobile patent war?" Imagine if, instead of each of them trying to develop competing wireless operating systems and technologies, they said: "Hey, we're the four biggest developers of mobile operating systems. Instead of competing, lets pool all our patents together and not let anyone else license them from us except on terms we all agree to use. We'll meet in a back room every month, talk about all our future development plans, and make sure that we develop patented technologies and proprietary standards for where we plan to take the industry going forward." Why would that possibly raise any concerns?
I could go on, but then this would become an insanely long summary.
Read it.
The 11th Circuit just decided In re Grand Jury Subpoena Duces Tecum March 25, 2011, USA v. John Doe.
Doe was ordered to decrypt his hard drive, and given limited immunity (use immunity) regarding the act of production of the unencrypted contents. He refused, claiming that the immunity was insufficient, and also that he was not in fact able to decrypt the hard drives.
We turn now to the merits of Doe's appeal. In compelling Doe to produce the unencrypted contents of the hard drives and then in holding him in contempt for failing to do so, the district court concluded that the Government's use of the unencrypted contents in a prosecution against Doe would not constitute the derivative use of compelled testimony protected by the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. This is so, the court thought,because Doe's decryption and production of the hard drives would not constitute "testimony." And although that was the Government's view as well, the Government nonetheless requested act-of-production immunity.13 The district court granted this request.
For the reasons that follow, we hold that Doe's decryption and production of the hard drives' contents would trigger Fifth Amendment protection because it would be testimonial, and that such protection would extend to the Government's use of the drives' contents. The district court therefore erred in two respects. First, it erred in concluding that Doe's act of decryption and production would not constitute testimony. Second, in granting Doe immunity, it erred in limiting his immunity, under 18 U.S.C. §§ 6002 and 6003, to the Government's use of his act of decryption and production, but allowing the Government derivative use of the evidence such act disclosed.
It's a well-argued opinion and could be influential.
What if you let law students choose what they would pay for their (digital) casebook? Would you make any money?
That's the gamble behind the Semaphore Press, the publishers of James Grimmelmann's, Internet Law: Cases and Problems, which is the book I am using in my Internet Law class this semester.
Semaphore Press's name-your-own-price publishing model was publicized by Radiohead (although not invented by them). It is very different from the traditional law school casebook publishers who now charge well upwards of $100 per book. The Press suggests students pay $30 for this casebook, but allows them to pay as little as a penny:
What do you have to pay?
Each publication has a suggested price. We price full casebooks based on our belief that it is fair to ask a student pay about $1 for the reading material for each one-hour class session. Different schools use different calendars and credit hours, so we've settled on a suggested price for most of our casebooks of $30. We ask that you pay the suggested price either with a credit card (by clicking the appropriate link on our page), or by sending us a check, and then download a digital copy of the casebook. Note that if your professor has assigned, e.g., only 10 class sessions of material from a Semaphore Press book, then we suggest that you pay $10.
We have expenses that we need to cover. Our authors hope, and deserve, to receive some royalty revenue from the works that they've created. But we also recognize that law school is expensive. We've heard stories of students not buying the required books because they just can't afford them. These students – who want to learn just as much as those who can afford the books – borrow a classmate's book some days, read the copy that is on reserve in the library other days, and some days simply can't do the reading. We think that is not the best way to go about obtaining, or offering, an excellent legal education. Download the required reading and pay what you can, or what you think is fair.
The risk of freeriders
We know that the biggest risk to our business model is freeriders. If too many students pay little or nothing for the materials they download, Semaphore Press won't be able to pay its bills over the long run, and we won't be able to attract authors to publish their casebooks with us. Put simply, we need a critical mass of students to pay for the materials they download. Be a part of the solution to $130 casebooks, by fostering the creation of $30 casebooks: Please pay the suggested price. If you can't pay it, please at least pay something to help Semaphore Press succeed.
In my introductory note to my students, I repeated to the language Semaphore requests faculty use:
This book has a suggested price of $30. I urge you to pay the suggested retail price in order to keep high-quality legal educational material available at reasonable prices. You might want to read the Semaphore Press FAQ before you buy the book.
I was curious: What did law students, a notoriously hard-bitten bunch, actually pay? So I asked them. Every student in my class was asked to write on a piece of paper, without their names, how much they paid, their age, gender, and what year of law school they were in. The tallied results are interesting.
Average price paid in entire class: $21.19 N=26
Average male payment: $20.63 N=16
Average female payment: $22.10 N=10
Average 2L payment: $23.40
Average 3L payment: $17.00
Paid zero: 5 (3M 3L, 1F 3L, 1M 2L)
Paid $.01: 1 (1M 3L)
Paid $.02-$29.99: 3 (3F: $5, $15, $20)
Paid $30.00 :1 7 (11M 6F)
Paid over $30: none
Age range was 23-29, no particular correlations seemed visible.
We might also conclude from this small sample that the Semaphore Press model may have a future. This is consistent with the Radiohead experience, by the way: as Ed Felton noted in 2007, Radiohead's Low Price Might Mean Higher Profit. Casebooks are perhaps even less highly substitutable than songs, and the demand is likely less elastic, so the parallel is far from exact. Even so, I think it's an interesting result.
(We might also conclude from this small sample that male 3Ls are cheap.)
Meanwhile, however, even though name-your-own-price seems to have worked out well for Radiohead, for their latest album Radiohead have gone back to fixed prices.
The claim from this not-utterly-reliable source is that WikiLeaks to move servers offshore, maybe to Sealand.
I'm prepared to believe they are scouting for new locations, including maybe something ocean-based (although how you get adequate connectivity, I have to wonder), but I am quite dubious about the claim that they might go to "Sealand" the oil-derrick-based would-be micronation, since HavenCo I hear is basically collapsed. It would be interesting if it happened, though. For a good account of Sealand, see James Grimmelmann, Sealand , HavenCo, and the Rule of Law.
Meanwhile, count me in with the debunkers at Slashdot.
I have somewhat mixed feelings about Internet Blackout Day. Much as I sympathize with the motives, I have never much liked campaigns that try to take the oppressor's symbols (pink triangles, yellow stars, what have you) and turn them around into pride symbols. The origins stick.
Similarly, I get the idea of fighting censorship with quiet. See what censorship will get you? But I still don't like it. So I've run a compromise, with an overlay on this site that you can click through.
The cause is serious. Congress is contemplating two very dangerous Internet blacklist bills: SOPA (in the House) and PIPA (in the Senate). SOPA has been shelved, perhaps only temporarily, but PIPA is still alive and kicking.
EFF's summary of the issues is right on target:
The "Stop Online Piracy Act"/"E-PARASITE Act" (SOPA) and "The PROTECT IP Act" (PIPA) are the latest in a series of bills which would create a procedure for creating (and censoring) a blacklist of websites. These bills are updated versions of the "Combating Online Infringements and Counterfeits Act" (COICA), which was previously blocked in the Senate. Although the bills are ostensibly aimed at reaching foreign websites dedicated to providing illegal content, their provisions would allow for removal of enormous amounts of non-infringing content including political and other speech from the Web.
The various bills define different techniques for blocking "blacklisted" sites. Each would interfere with the Internet's domain name system (DNS), which translates names like "www.eff.org" or "www.nytimes.com" into the IP addresses that computers use to communicate. SOPA would also allow rightsholders to force payment processors to cut off payments and advertising networks to cut ties with a site simply by sending a notice.
These bills are targeted at "rogue" websites that allow indiscriminate piracy, but use vague definitions that could include hosting websites such as Dropbox, MediaFire, and Rapidshare; sites that discuss piracy such as pirate-party.us, p2pnet, Torrent Freak, torproject.org, and ZeroPaid; as well as a broad range of sites for user-generated content, such as SoundCloud, Etsy, and Deviant Art. Had these bills been passed five or ten years ago, even YouTube might not exist today — in other words, the collateral damage from this legislation would be enormous.
There are already laws and procedures in place for taking down sites that violate the law. These acts would allow the Attorney General, and even individuals, to create a blacklist to censor sites when no court has found that they have infringed copyright or any other law.
See also EFF's blacklist site. PIPA is scheduled for a vote in the Senate next Tuesday, so if you are a US citizen this is a good time to call your Senators and tell them to oppose the bills.
Slides from my talk on the Internet 'Kill Switch' bill, SB 3480. (link fixed, thanks MD)

subset: commoncrawl


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DJ Yella of N.W.A. is one of the men responsible for putting gangster rap on the map, along with Dr. Dre, Eazy E, MC Ren and Ice Cube.
The West Coast veteran artist sat down with…Continue
Added by ChasinDatPaper on March 5, 2014 at 11:00am — 4 Comments
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Ice Cube speaks to DJ Whoo Kid about being the first West Coast ghost writer, his movie "Ride Along" with Kevin Hart, the coming NWA movie, early moments of his career and…Continue
Added by ChasinDatPaper on January 23, 2014 at 12:30pm — 5 Comments
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Ice Cube stopped Power 105.1 recently to promote his new film with Kevin Hart, Ride Along.
During the visit Cube discusses his longevity in the business, being excited about the upcoming NWA biopic, how his…Continue
Added by ChasinDatPaper on January 17, 2014 at 4:30pm — 9 Comments
Tupac Shakur left an indelible impression on the minds of anyone who listened to his music or saw him in a film. After years of waiting, a story about his life will finally be brought to the big screen.
Morgan Creek Productions and Emmett Furla Films announced today…Continue
Added by ChasinDatPaper on September 19, 2013 at 5:30pm — 21 Comments
The FULL 2013 MTV Awards Takeover video coming soon!
Thisis50 & Young Jack Thriller recently spoke with TLC's T-Boz for an exclusive interview!
T-Boz addresses the rumors of Chilli not being happy with the character that is playing her in their Biopic & much more!
Follow @TheRealTBOZ…Continue
Added by Thisis50 TV on August 31, 2013 at 11:26pm — No Comments
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Mike Epps has come a long way in his career. Not only is he one of the funniest comedians around, but he's also transitioned nicely into acting. He will portray legendary comedian Richard Pryor in an upcoming biopic about iconic singer…Continue
Added by ChasinDatPaper on August 21, 2013 at 6:00pm — 3 Comments
Audio After The Jump
Many people were surprised when it was announced that Nick Cannon would be playing the role of Freeway Ricky Ross in…Continue
Added by ChasinDatPaper on March 6, 2013 at 11:00am — 22 Comments
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Freeway Ricky Ross has finally settled on an actor to portray him in an upcoming biopic. Nick Cannon is set to play the role of the man who presided over a multi-million dollar cocaine empire in the early 1980's out of Los…Continue
Added by ChasinDatPaper on March 4, 2013 at 1:00pm — 51 Comments
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Shawty Lo has big plans for 2012 and beyond. Mikey T The Movie Star sits down with the D4L/G-Unit…Continue
Added by ChasinDatPaper on April 21, 2012 at 3:30pm — 21 Comments


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To combine "the sound of the beep" and "the store later opened".
Many whined and complained, for the sound of the beep was not available to them.
The store later opened.
But lo and behold, the sound of the beep made a revival and was new and improved with four new flavours to boast!
There was much beeping and rejoicing.
I fee like you're trying to tell us something.
Perhaps it is that you are dancing.
Perhaps it is that you are stuck in an uncomfortable place.
Perhaps it is you just need to pee. A lot.
If I did this right … you should now be able to access the list of tumblr birthdays that TJ collated (on the spreadsheet here) as a calendar view here.
This is a semi-painful-semi-manual process at the moment, so will not be automagically updated. If you want write rights to manage the calendar, let me know.


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Dr. Steve A. Eklund, MD
Psychiatry, Barstow Counseling Center
- 805 E Mountain View St
Barstow, CA 92311
- 2 Office Locations
- Email a Friend
- (760) 255-5700
Dr. Steve A. Eklund has been practicing medicine for 16 years. Dr. Eklund graduated from the Creighton University School of Medicine in 1998. He practices medicine in Barstow, CA and 1 other location and specializes in Psychiatry. Dr. Eklund is affiliated with Barstow Community Hospital. He speaks English, French, German, Polish, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, Korean, Tagalog and Vietnamese.
Gender: Male
Years in Practice: 16 Years
Languages Spoken: English, French, German, Polish, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, Korean, Tagalog, Vietnamese
Medical School: Creighton University School of Medicine
Graduation Date: 1998
Hospital Affiliations: Barstow Community Hospital
Specialties: Psychiatry
*This physician has multiple office locations. See Appointments for details.
©2005-2014 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.


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A BASE jumper in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, makes a super-splashy entrance at a rooftop pool party, and you can fly along with him in this crazy video.
Bitcoin exchanges and trading posts have been hacking targets over the past year, but now one hacker has taken on ISPs to loot cryptocurrency from mining pools.
The most important things to know when shopping for a new laptop, hybrid, or Windows tablet.
The professional social network introduces a trio of recruiting products to "take the work out of retaining and finding top talent."
The Air Umbrella has reached its funding goal and is coming to market. Can it really protect your dome from torrential downpours using a force field of air?
Dot-com? How quaint. A smorgasbord of new Net domains has arrived, with hundreds more on the way. There's opportunity aplenty, but lots of trademark hassles, too.
Drone maker DJI has launched a video series called "DJI Feats" to show off its quadcopters. The first stop? Bardabunga Volcano in Iceland.
The firm shares updated stats, showing that it's grown the percentage of women in its overall workforce from 24 percent to 29 percent -- though in tech positions the figure is lower.
Verizon pins down rights for content from the parent of MTV and Comedy Central, after its CEO said the company plans to launch a wireless TV service next year.
The Pebble and Pebble Steel get true background fitness tracking and support for apps, along with lower prices: at last, could we have a smartwatch end up being a serious fitness band replacement?


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If the Oakland Raiders decide that they want to cut quarterback Carson Palmer, at least one team will be waiting to swoop in and pick him up.
According to NBC Sports, "there's speculation in league circles" that the Arizona Cardinals are interested in Palmer and are waiting for the Raiders to cut him.
The Raiders are expected to ask Palmer for a pay cut or release him, but he has not heard from them yet.
"Not sure what's going to happen," Palmer said (via email to CSNBayArea).
He added, "would love to be back in Oakland and compete."
Palmer is set to make $13 million next season, and as it was reported a few weeks ago, he could take a pay cut similar to that of Eagles quarterback Michael Vick.
Vick, who was owed $15.5 million in 2013, inked a deal with the Eagles that could make him up to $10 million with a base salary of $7.5 million, a fairly large slash in salary.
Rotowire claims that Palmer "should be open to the pay cut."
The veteran quarterback was traded to the Raiders midway through the 2011 season after an injury to Jason Campbell. Since then Palmer has been the starter for the Silver and Black.
In 15 games last season, he threw for over 4,000 yards, 22 touchdowns and 14 interceptions with a quarterback rating of 85.3. Palmer was severely handicapped, as injuries hampered most of his offensive weapons downfield, his running back, and his offensive line.


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Hey folks, for some reason I am getting some strange results form the last patch that was posted. It looks like the color of the mesh lines are getting messed up. The color also seem to change when I go from fullscreen to mini window. I have attached a screenshot. I have also confirmed that the same result happens when I paste the original patch. Any ideas?
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Hello and welcome to the IndoorAire website! IndoorAire serves the residential heating/cooling needs of people living in Lake, McHenry and Cook Counties. If you are already an IndoorAire customer, you already know that. Not a customer yet? Have a look around to see what we do and how we do it.
One good reason to get your A/C cleaned & checked:
This is a rodent nest inside the condensing unit in the backyard. Guess what happens when the critter gnaws through one of the wires?
What's lurking in your flue pipes?
This is what I found when a customer asked if I could check the flue pipe for the water heater. It was packed full - almost filling a 5 gallon bucket! Dangerous.
Got lint?
This picture shows how much lint I removed from my customer's dryer vent about one week AFTER the homeowner used a dryer vent cleaning kit from the hardware store.
If you notice it's been taking longer to get your clothes dry, or you have to use a higher temperature, your dryer vent may be plugged with lint. Some vents are easy to clean - meaning you could easily do it yourself. Some vents take a lot more work to remove impacted lint.
Clean it yourself if: your dryer sits on an outside wall and vents straight out
Call a professional if: your dryer vents out the roof, or is located somewhere in the middle of your house with the vent pipe running through a ceiling or floor
This news video gives some interesting statistics on the number of dryer vent fires that occur in this country.
The #1 reason for no heat/no AC service calls
When your furnace filter gets too dirty, not enough air is able to pass through it. Too little airflow means not enough cooling for the parts inside the furnace. Overheating triggers safety switches that turn off the unit. The result: no heat in the winter, or no AC in the summer.
See what a "cracked heat exchanger" looks like.
When a furnace's heat exchanger is cracked, combustion gas (AKA carbon monoxide) mixes with the air that gets circulated throughout the home.
Meet Brian, the owner of IndoorAire:
With over 25 years serving Lake, Cook, and McHenry Counties, customer service and value are what keep my customers coming back. I work hard every day to ensure that quality is still job one.
The purpose of this website is not to replace the one-on-one in home consultation. Our in home estimates are always free whether you're interested in a new thermostat or it's time to replace your old inefficient heating and cooling equipment.
What I hope comes out of your visit here today is to remind you of that service or cleaning you've been putting off, or to introduce you to some of the other products and services that we offer. So, as always, please feel free to call with any questions, together we can find the products to make your home comfortable and efficient.


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Bulging out of his polo, William Shatner showed off his sexy midriff after enjoying lunch in Somis, California this weekend.
Space is the final frontier ... for the 79-year-old's shirt.
If you look at ****ner when he was younger he was 100 times better looking then ANYONE who works at TMZ so when you guys at TMZ get to be Bill's age just think how much uglier you all will be and that is poetic justice!!!
He was wearing a girdle even back when TJ Hooker was on. He's had a gut for awhile, but I guess now that he's older he doesn't really care. And why should he? You get to be his age and your give a sh*t level goes way way way way down.
My initial comment was going to be, give him a break, he's 79, but now that I think about it, I am more inclined to say I hope he does something about it, not for his appearance, but for his health.
@Josh #62 - ITA - and I'd like to expand that group to include everyone who is commenting on this post. The guy was hot!
Meh, I'm a nudist. He'd be overlooked at the Santa Clause club. Take it all off and relax. Lithgow even got paid to shake it all on Dexter. ...Then again, John had lost his Dunlop again.
Tell Scotty to beam down a larger shirt.
Kirk is going to stroke out soon if he doesn't get his weight and blood pressure under control. Look how red his face is.
for his age he is doing awesome.
he is an 80 year old man that still has the spunk of a 50 year old man.
he is great even if the show isnt that good
hahaha i LOVE him! he's always so funny and real..reminds me of my stepdad...
Awesome dude !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ignore TMZ ... rock on in our hearts forever !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ps .. you are marvelous!
The only thing wrong here is his shirt is too small. His physique is fine...even good for his age. His choice of shirt...not so good.
I mean...take a good look at that shirt's dimensions. It looks like someone puposely made it shorter than it should be. Maybe shaatner is sticking it to the paps again...he does love poking fun at himself. Gotta love the shaat.
Watch old Star Trek....he was holding in his bulge back then!