To Life

nmmm

2009-10-27T10:29:34Z

It appears everyone is yawning, including the Beatles.....

Pesach and beyond..

2007-04-13T16:49:14Z

Pesach was AWESOME, even though it was a week ago. LOL Thats how great it was..., didn't get anywhere near here. Shalom Aleichem

Im here..., somewhere.

2007-02-09T19:26:52Z

I HAVE been around, I pop in take a quick look and then have to run. Studying, working etc... I must go again, but I shall return and keep my eye on the ones I love and happenings.

Shalom.

lechaim @ 2006-09-15T00:14:00

2006-09-15T07:14:28Z

Ahhh..., studying two languages at the same time fries your braincells...hehe.

Government fiasco...

2006-09-07T05:38:06Z

6 months to gather paperwork, why so long, who knows. Its been close to a year and finally, my brother gets the letter. His application as been approved and the info forwarded to the national visa center for processing. What a horrendous process to bring your wife from another country. Oy!

lechaim @ 2006-07-31T16:02:00

2006-07-31T23:03:17Z

The world is a crazy place these days...

Chag Sameach..

2006-06-03T19:24:06Z

Happy Shavuot, 'feast of weeks' or Pentecost however you like to say this first harvest festival!

bleh...life, love and reality

2006-06-01T00:00:38Z

The median age is 25 for women and 27 for men. I'm a very particular kind of guy, it appears I've been had. I wait for those who do not want, or who have a twisted view of desired want I suspect. And pass up others who did not consider with other than whimsical inclination. So, what is life and what is love then if it is considered in such trivial respects. NO WONDER I'm single.
---------------------------------------------
Median Age at First Marriage
Year Males Females
1890 26.1 22.0
1900 25.9 21.9
1910 25.1 21.6
1920 24.6 21.2
1930 24.3 21.3
1940 24.3 21.5
1950 22.8 20.3
1960 22.8 20.3
1970 23.2 20.8
1980 24.7 22.0
1990 26.1 23.9
1993 26.5 24.5
1994 26.7 24.5
1995 26.9 24.5
1996 27.1 24.8
1997 26.8 25.0
1998 26.7 25.0
1999 26.9 25.1
2000 26.8 25.1
2001 26.9 25.1
2002 26.9 25.3
2003 27.1 25.3
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census; Web: www.census.gov.

*******************************************************************************

Estimated Median Age at First Marriage, by Sex: 1890 to Present
From Sheri & Bob Stritof,
Your Guide to Marriage.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Although there has been a change in the median age at first marriage for both men and women, the amount of change isn't as large as some people claim it to be. Here are the statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau of the median age at first marriage dating back to 1890.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau --- the figures reported for 1947 to 1999 are based on Current Poplation Survey data. The figures for years prior to 1947 are based on decennial censuses. A standard error of 0.1 years is appropriate to measure sampling variability for any of the above estimated median ages at first marriage --- based on Current Population Survey data.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau --- Annual Social and Economic Supplement: 2003 Current Population Survey --- Current Population Reports --- Series P20-553 --- "America's Families and Living Arrangements: 2003" and earlier reports." --- Internet release date: September 15 --- 2004

Recently a medical visit summed it up:
(N-nurse, M-me)
N:What is your status? M:single,
N: Divorced? M: No, SINGLE;
N:Ever been married? M: No, thats why I said single and technically I haven't been married YET, whats with the 'ever been and divorced' clause? N:Oh, we just have this list. M:No wonder my brother is happy to be married again...

Its like they consider it a disease or you have something wrong with you if you fit those categories..., AND its now the 'NORM' assumption that you must have been divorced when you say your single. And they look at you real funny if you aren't divorced.

In the United States..., marriage has become a frivolous short term thing and the days of my parents, and life long commitment are a thing of the past. That is why American women are NOT GOOD CANDIDATES for marriage. Well, I've only ever looked for a lifelong commitment, anything less will not be tolerated. Thus..., I'm SINGLE and Im not looking to 'fix' other people, go fix yourself 'FIRST', I've spent my life making sure I have no major problems my 'wife' will have need to be concerned about so turn around courtesy would be nice. And I'm always in shake down mode, cause Im not someone's 'sack lunch' either!

GEES..., nothing against those who had to go through divorce because of 'whatever' reason but come on, I've been fairly particular for good reasons. I have been in love before, just never got the chance to act on it..., long story. When a girl who has her "P's" and "Q's in order" (also stated as T's crossed and i's dotted in her personal life and all that and also meets some of my base criteria and wants 'ME' I will go there. Mind you, that means its until we both DIE, cause marriage isn't a sack lunch in my book.
Again, nothing against those who have become divorced..., especially those whose fault it was not.

JEWISH-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

2006-05-31T08:57:06Z

JEWISH-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE,

(I don't really think the title is very accurate for the content.)

If you haven't already figured it out..., Im kinda into historical stuff..., this is one very long informative piece.

The following information is included:

1.

Description of the historical perspective.
2.

Description of the Jewish identity.
3.

Description of the concepts of Judaism.
4.

Description of the Jewish culture.
5.

Explanation of Anti-Semitism.
6.

Explanation of the current relationships.
7.

Definition of the contemporary issues.

Part I. Historical perspective

Although the focus of this lesson will be on the experience of Jews in America, it is important you understand some of the history and events of Jewish people. The participation of Jewish-Americans in the American experience has been, and promises to continue, to be as exciting and glorious as all other American groups. One studies the Jewish-American experience, not to take away from the experience of other ethnic groups, but rather to add to their understanding.

As of 1980, the Jewish population is the United States was approximately 6 million. There are approximately twice as many Jews living in America than in the entire state of Israel.

Concept of Judaism. Judaism is one of the oldest world religions, and is the forerunner of both Christianity and Islam. Though the number of its adherents is small, they greatly impacted Western thought and civilization. As noted by Martha Morrison and Stephen Brown in the book Judaism: World Religions. This ancient religion arose in the Near East some 3,500 years ago. Among monotheistic religions, or those whose followers believe in only one true god, it is one of the oldest.

Though this religion has always had a relatively small number of believers, Judaism has played an extremely important role in the development of Western civilization. Christianity was built on the foundation of Judaism and Islam. Moreover, the Jews have risen to great heights in every area of cultural achievement. It is important to know the Jews have made their contributions in the face of enormous difficulties, for survival in an often hostile world. Only a tenacious adherence to their beliefs, their customs, and their identity accounts for their continued existence.

Early Jewish history. In the beginning, God created the universe. (Gen, 1:1). That is the start of Jewish history. The Old Testament is the story of the Jewish people. The first five books of the Old Testament are the foundation of the Jewish faith, the document called the Torah. In those books are some of the key events which help explain the reactions of the Jewish people to the situations which have affected them throughout history.

The first critical concept is from Genesis (17: 1-2, 5,8). When Abraham was ninety years old the Lord appeared to him and said, I am the Almighty God, obey me, and always do what is right and I will make a covenant with you and give you many descendants...I will give to you and to your descendants this Land in which you are now a foreigner. The whole land of Canaan will belong to your descendants forever, and I will be their God.

By this time the Jewish people had already been moved to many different places throughout the Middle East, so they were considered foreigners in the land of Canaan. They never had a homeland up to this point in time.

Many generations of wandering passed and the Israelites came to the Sinai with Moses as their leader. The next important concept came through Moses. This is from Exodus (19:2-8). After they had left Egypt, they came to the desert of Sinai. There, they set up camp at the foot of Mount Sinai, and Moses went up to the mountain to meet God. The Lord called to him from the mountain and told him to say to the Israelites if you will obey me and keep my covenant...you will be my chosen people and you will serve me as priests. The people answered we will do everything the Lord has said.

They were considered the chosen people because they were to live out the commandments before others. There are 613 laws.

The guidance received by Moses and written in the Torah describes for the Jewish people a way of life. This is supplemented by interpretations and discussions of the Torah by Jewish scholars known as Rabbis. These discussions form the basis for the body of law called the Talmud, which was originally completed about 500 AD. From the Talmud, comes the concept of Mitzvah, the way the Jewish people affirm their faith. Through Mitzvah the people prove their commitment to God by performing good deeds.

Understanding these foundations of the Jewish faith helps you understand how the Jewish people have survived for thousands of years and their reactions to situations they have faced.

Torah is the divine Word from God. Talmud is the interpretation of the Torah.

For as long as history has been recorded, it tells a continuous story of exile, resettlement, and conquest of the Jewish people of their lands. Throughout this time the Jewish people were able to overcome prejudice, hate, and discrimination making significant developments in their religion and culture by keeping in mind Gods covenant. If they kept His commandments and performed good deeds, they would be given Israel as their home.

After the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 CE, the Jewish people were expelled from their land and tried to plant new roots throughout the entire known world following on the coattails of the Romans. Eventually, through centuries of dispersion, the Jewish people evolved into two general distinct subgroups, the Ashkenazim (Germanic) and the Sephardim (Spanish). The Hebrew word that signified the land of Germany, Ashkenaz, was used to describe all Jews living in Germany, parts of France, Eastern Europe, and Russia. The Hebrew word that signified the lands of Spain and Portugal on the Iberian peninsula, Sephard, was used to describe those Jews living on the Iberian peninsula, North Africa, and parts of Middle East. These two Jewish groups were linked by a common faith and history, but separated by distance, had different historical experiences, which were to affect their entry into America. One will quickly see that the effect the Jews had on America began even before the existence of America was known in Europe.

The Sephardim, or Spanish Jews, lived primarily under Islamic rule, either in the Middle East, North Africa, or Moorish Spain. While technically the Muslims viewed them as inferior, because they did not accept the Islamic faith, in practice they were allowed to make great contributions in art, science, literature, and politics. As Leo Trepp notes in Judaism, Development and Life, Living under Islamic rule, the Jews developed a flourishing Jewish culture and produced outstanding thinkers and leaders.

Spain eventually was united under the reign of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in 1492. One of the first tasks of the Queen, under the guidance of her religious adviser Tomas de Torquemada, was to make Spain a land united under one faith. After converting or expelling the Moors, the Crown issued a decree that all Jews must either convert or leave the country. This order was announced on April 20, 1492. It is interesting to note that Columbus set his sailing date for August 2 but was postponed a day due to the heavy port traffic caused by the exiles leaving Spain. The Spanish Monarchs then forced the hand of King Manuel of Portugal, who in 1497 expelled from that country all Jews who would not convert. This expulsion marked the end of Spanish and Portuguese Jewry, but also begun the history of Jews in America.

The Jews come to America. By the 13th century Jewish life in Spain began to decline as Christianity became dominant throughout Europe. By the 14th century, increasing competition developed between Christians and Jewish merchants in the cities. Christians instituted local laws restricting the religious liberty of Jews. Anti-Jewish violence, common in other parts of Europe, began to erupt in Spain. Jews became targets of suspicion and prejudice. For example, they were blamed for the Black Plague and accused of performing the Blood Libel, a sacrificial ritual to obtain Christian blood for the Passover Feast. Mobs invaded Jewish neighborhoods and synagogues. The government offered the Jews death or baptism. Many were baptized and were known as conversos; however, many conversos continued to practice Judaism in private.

Christians, doubting the Jews sincerity, labeled them marrano (deceiver or pig). Many Jews became prominent in society and politics, causing further concern among Christians. This led to the establishment of the Spanish Inquisition in 1478 to ensure the sincerity of converts. As a result, many Spanish Jews were imprisoned or put to death. Finally, to rid itself of the Jews, Spain expelled them beginning in 1492. The last boatloads of exiles left on August 2, 1492, bound for Italy, the Turkish Empire, and North Africa. On August 3, 1492, Christopher Columbus, who had been delayed one day because of all the harbor traffic, set sail for the western route to India.

Columbus had five conversos on his ships, including two physicians and his interpreter Luis de Torres. On October 12, 1492, de Torres went ashore with Columbus and led a scouting party. When Columbus returned to Spain, de Torres volunteered to remain in San Salvador to govern it as a Spanish colony. He spent the rest of his life there. Ironically, the door to the New World opened just as the door to the old slammed shut.

The first wave of Jewish immigration was during the period of 1654-1829 and consisted of 23 people. These Jewish people sailed up the coast to the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, which is now New York City. They developed the first Jewish colony on North American soil. The primary reason for immigrating was for religious freedom. The population grew from 23 to about 5,000 by 1829. They were considered wealthy and skilled professionals. One of this groups major accomplishments was to win the right to become citizens, own real estate, to travel and trade and the right to bear arms. However, they were still required to worship in private. When Great Britain defeated the Dutch and renamed the area New York City, Jews were allowed more freedom to practice religion. They established model communities similar to what they had in Europe.

The second wave of Jewish immigration to America was from 1820-1880. They mainly arrived from Germany and Central Europe. As a result, the Jewish population grew to approximately 300,000. The primary reason for immigration during this period was to escape political strife and economic suffering. The majority of immigrants were traders, peddlers, or merchants. These Jews spread across the country and tended to assimilate more into American society than the first group of Jews.

This was the period of Manifest Destiny where the U.S. population grew from approximately 10 million to 40 million and there were many opportunities for immigrants. Manifest Destiny is the supposed inevitability of the continued territorial expansion of U.S. boundaries westward to the Pacific, and even beyond. It is often used to justify U.S. annexation of Texas, New Mexico, Oregon, California and later Alaska and Hawaii.

The third wave of Jewish immigration took place between 1880-1924, and consisted of Jewish people from Eastern Europe. They were poor, unskilled and immigrated because little work was available and to escape extreme religious persecution. During this period approximately 2.5 million Jewish people came to the U.S.. They mainly settled in the industrial cities. Their primary accomplishments made during this period included the formation of unions and groups to fight for laws, including child labor laws. This was during the Industrial Revolution and there was a need for laborers. They settled mostly in New York City in crowded, substandard housing. Many worked in the grocery, dry goods, and garment industry.

As a result of the substandard conditions they lived and worked in, Jewish organizations emerged to improve conditions. These conditions and organizations were catalysts for major changes in the U.S.. The factory working conditions in most parts of the U.S. were unsafe and miserable. The conditions were crowded, unsanitary, hazardous and because of this there were many problems and deaths in factories. The Jewish organizations took the forefront in lobbying against the unsafe conditions. It all came to head in an incident known as the 1911 Triangle Shirt Waist Company fire. There was a movie made on this incident years back. It was a typical sweat shop factory and about 95 percent of the young people employed were young Jewish women and the other five percent were other minority women immigrants. The owners would lock the doors of the factory to keep the women from escaping and loosing productivity. One day a fire started in the factory and no one was able to get out. A few of the women jumped of three or four story windows to their deaths and the other 143 women burned to death in the factory. The press reported the incident, which caused labor reform to come to the forefront in the U.S.. This was due in large part to the lobbying by some of the Jewish welfare and aid organizations. The ultimate result were changes in safety and child labor laws.

In 1924, due to an outcry on the large volume of Jewish immigrants, quotas in immigration were established. Before the Immigration Act of 1924 there were 140,000 Jewish people immigrating to America each year. After the Act was enacted and quotas established, the rate dropped to 10,000.

During the period 1935-1945, in an attempt to respond to Nazism, the American public did not want America to be a haven for Jews. After concentration camps in Europe were destroyed, Americans had more tolerance for Jews.

Legislation. Although many Jews originally came to America to practice religious freedom, they still did not have equal religious rights. One of the longest battles was trying to get separation of church and state. Originally in the U.S. much of the civic privilege was tied to taking a Christian oath of office. Thus, Jewish people were excluded from many civic privileges. A number of states established state religions and many were Christian religions. There was an ongoing battle from the time of Thomas Jefferson until 1947 to overturn the link between church and state. Thomas Jefferson persuaded Virginia to separate church and state and many other states followed. However, in 1845 the Federal government set back the whole movement by ruling that the 1st Amendment to the Constitution, pertaining to separation of church and state, did not apply to the States, but just to the Federal Government. In 1947 the Supreme Court overturned the 1845 ruling and that the separation of church and state did apply to States. They used the 14th amendment to apply the 1st amendment to the states. It was decided that neither the state or the Federal Government can set up a church and that they could not pass laws to aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another. They could not force or influence a person to go to or remain away from church or to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion.

State of Israel. The next legislation the Jewish people were involved in was the Zionist movement. Zionism is a biblical term for Israel. Zionism is a plan or movement of the Jewish people to return to Palestine. It was a movement originally aimed at the re-establishment of a Jewish national homeland and state in Palestine and now concerned with the development and support of Israel.

In 1917, the British who controlled the lands of Palestine supported the Balfer Declaration, which was the idea of Palestine as the Jewish state. Bowing to the pressure of the Arab nations who did not want the Jewish people to immigrate in 1939 they closed off Palestine to immigration. In 1947 the United Nations finally voted to open Palestine again as a Jewish state. On May 14, 1948 the British left Palestine and the state of Israel was proclaimed. Unfortunately most of the Arab nations have not recognized the existence of Israel as a separate political entity.

The establishment of Israel ended a debate amongst Jewish-Americans, which had split the Jewish communities for many years on whether to support the state of Israel or not. Unfortunately, it raised anti-Semitic sentiment, because people thought that with the establishment of a Jewish homeland the Jews in America would desert in droves to Israel. This did not happen, because being Jewish does not tie a person to a nationality. Jewish-Americans stayed in America, but supported Israel with money, skills and philanthropic support. There were disagreements within the Jewish community on the legitimacy of the state of Israel. These disagreements ranged from the unconcerned to rejection, moderate to extreme concern, and positive to negative. Some reject it, because they do not want to be associated with political Zionism and the possibility of being discriminated against and harassed. Devout Orthodox Jews reject the state of Israel, because it was promised to them as a religious homeland to established by God as a result of keeping the covenant and the return of the Messiah. They do not see the political formation of the state as Israel as fulfilling that portion of the covenant.

The third area of legislation which affected the Jewish-Americans was the quotas established in the 1924 immigration law. Through lobbying with Congress and joining with other Civil Rights groups Congress passed the Immigration and Naturalization Act in 1965, which is the one the U.S. basis its immigration on today. Some of the quotas the Jewish-Americans had to deal with were not so blatant and obvious as law. The Jewish-Americans have had problems with institutions of higher learning.

Many of the colleges and universities in the 1920s, during the anti-immigrant sentiment, had some unwritten discriminatory policies involving quotas that affected a large number minorities in the U.S.. For some reason it was emphatically enforced on the Jewish-Americans. Jewish-Americans place a great deal of value on education, which will be discussed later. Jewish-Americans tend to take advanced education and get into professions such as lawyers and doctors to move up into society.

Many universities used the reasoning of not admitting Jews, because they wanted a cross section of Americans attending. In 1922, the President of Harvard University stated that the reason for limiting the number of Jewish people attending Harvard was to reduce anti-Semitic tension at the university. Due to his comments, Jewish organizations were able to fight the quota system more openly. The problem with the quota system even today is that the quotas are not really written down and identified.

In 1948, President Trumans Commission on Higher Education reported on the discrimination in college admission. It specifically addressed the obstacles of Jewish candidates. It recommended that application forms remove all questions pertaining to religion, color, and national or racial origin. Eventually reform happened, but colleges were rather slow in doing so. The recommendations could not be mandated, except for government supported schools.

In 1973, the quota issued was raised again in almost the opposite way, because the quota system which was used to deny equal opportunity was invoked in an attempt to correct past discrimination as a response to government supported affirmative action. Allen Baake, a Jewish person, sued to get into the UC Davis Medical Center. He was allegedly kept out of medical school, because of quotas that were established to allow underprivileged minorities and in this case a Black medical student admission. As a result, it created a rift between Jewish Civil Rights organizations and Black Civil Rights organization. On the one hand you have a quota system to ensure certain groups get into college and on the other people are denied admissions, because of the quota system. In 1978, the Supreme Court declared the quota system an unlawful measure for affirmative action.
Part II. Jewish identity/Judaism

The traditional definition of a Jew is if you were born of a Jewish mother. The concept of having the Jewish religion passed through the mother stems from their long history of conquest. Because of the number of battles and struggles that the Jewish people went through, many men died in wars as their lands were conquered or they separated from their families. The Jewish people realized that the best way to keep track of who was of the family was through the mother. However, in 1983 the Reform Jews recognized that it can be passed through either parent as long as the child is raised in the Jewish tradition. People can convert to Judaism, but it must be approved by an Orthodox Rabbi.

Being Jewish goes beyond a religious belief and doesnt rest in theology. It is a state of mind and emotion that crosses religious and secular lines and crosses cultural, national, and racial differences. There are Jewish people of all cultures of all nations of all races and you find them practicing their culture in a variety of ways all of which are religious. There are many Jewish sects. So being Jewish does not mean you have the same lineage, nationality , ethnicity, or race.

Judaism can be defined as the religion of the Jewish people, tracing its origins to Abraham and having its spiritual and ethical principles embodied in the Bible and the Talmud. It is conformity to the traditional rites and ceremonies of the Jewish religion. There are three major Jewish groups and their identity can be traced to the area from which they immigrated from.

The first group is Orthodox Judaism. It is also known as the traditional Jewish religion. To be an Orthodox, you must have been born of a Jewish mother or converted to Judaism by an approved Orthodox Rabbi. Orthodoxy believes in God as the divine and absolute Creator who revealed His work and His plan for humanity through the Torah given to Moses and the Jewish people at Mt. Sinai. The Torah is binding. The Rabbis (teachers), or spiritual leaders, strictly and literally interpret the teachings of the Torah and the laws, or Talmud. Because the teachings and law come from God, there is never a need to change. Tradition is preserved and passed from generation to generation. Children are schooled in religious traditions. Synagogue or congregational worship and prayers are central to the practice of Orthodox Judaism and are practiced according to traditional ritual. The laws and rituals of the Sabbath, Holy days, and diet are followed strictly. Orthodox Jews observe the Commandments precisely.

The second group is Reform Judaism (modern). As a reaction to Orthodoxy, the Reform movement developed in Germany in the middle 1800s. Abraham Geiger is often identified as the founder of the Reform movement. They challenged the concept of revelation and as a consequence the need to follow precedents in interpreting the law or the need to follow the law itself. Reform Judaism teaches that the Jewish religion is an evolving religion that must continue to change to meet the needs of our time. Reform Judaism can have lineage from either parent. The ethical and moral teachings of the Torah were revealed by God and are binding. The ritual laws were developed by people to satisfy the needs of the times. These can be changed as needed to unify the Jewish people. Reform Jews believe that following the laws is a matter of individual choice and each person must rely on conscience and experience to determine the validity of the laws. Reform Jews believe in general revelations and directions of the Torah, and so it is still meaningful, although they will be more liberal in applying the specific rules to their daily lives. Reform Jews believe social action and concern for others are the heart of Judaisms message and that their followers can deal with secular challenges and problems and be a part of the larger community and still remain Jews. They believe working with other faiths is the best way to wipe out religious prejudice. Reform Judaism is always willing to experiment with new practices, ceremonies, and rituals to strengthen Jewish life.

The third group is Conservative Judaism (middle of the road, based on the congregation). The Conservative movement, having roots also in Germany, developed out of a reaction to some of the radical positions of the Reform movement. They saw Jewish law and its precedents as important, but not necessarily binding on the present. The essentials of the law, or its spirit, were binding, not necessarily a past ruling. To be considered a Conservative, you can identify lineage from either parent as long as the child is raised in a Jewish tradition, according to the reformed Jewish community. They can also be converted by any Rabbi. Conservatism views Judaism as a changing religious civilization with the main purpose of preserving the Jewish people. Conservative Jews accept the Torah as the revealed word of God, but they also believe revelation is progressive. People have interpreted the Torah and must continually reinterpret in light of changing ethical, social, and economic situations. Change is carefully considered. Conservatism favors tradition, but will adjust ritual laws. The synagogue and the home are basic institutions and maximum Jewish education is encouraged. Conservative Jews believe the differences are often a matter of degree rather than disagreement. There is no strict cut-off and there is a great deal of crossover. There are more similarities than differences between traditional and modern Jews.

There are other more extreme Jewish movements. There is Hasidic (or folk) and mystic followers. There are the Black Hebrew and Falashism whose movement members consider themselves true descendants of the original Jewish tribes. There are more radical movements; such as reconstructionists, who reject traditional Jewish concepts about God and the Torah. There are Evangelical Jews, and even Jews who believe Jesus was the Messiah. There are also secular movements; such as Zionism.

The language of Jewish-Americans is predominantly English, which comes from their desire to assimilate into the U.S. rather quickly and to progress. Hebrew is a traditional language and spoken in many synagogues and during rituals. Yiddish, a combination of Hebrew and German is slowly dying out along with Ladino, which is a Sephardic mixture of Hebrew and Spanish.

Religion. Religion is the cornerstone of the Jewish culture. The Torah is the first five books of the Bible which contain all of the basic tenets and laws of the Jewish religion. These books are supplemented by the Prophets and writings and some of the old testament books. The Torah is kept on scrolls and the scrolls are kept in a container called an Ark. The Torah contains the covenant. The term Ark of the Covenant refers to the case which hold the scrolls. In the movie Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark, the ark that they are looking for is the ark of the covenant. The case that held the original Torah or Commandments scrolls that Moses received on Mount Sinai. Its required in Jewish synagogues that a lamp be burning at all times over the ark that holds the Torah that holds the covenant. The Torah scrolls are considered sacred and can not touch the ground. When the Torah is read you are not to touch the scroll itself, but its read using a pointer. The Torah was given by God, and because of that the Jews have to obey all of the laws within the Torah and must pass it from generation to generation. The passing on of Jewish culture and faith is extremely critical to Jews, because that is the only way the Jewish people are going to be able to fulfill their part of the covenant and eventually obtain the land of Israel.

Along with the Torah is an interpretation of it that was finalized around 500 AD and its called the Talmud. The Talmud is the interpretation that the Rabbis made of what the Bible means and how they should apply it to their lives. The Talmud can be changed meeting changing needs through interpretation by the Rabbis, but never the Bible. Rabbi means teacher, and is not a religious leader in a sense that a priest is in the Catholic faith or a minister in some of the other faiths.

The term Mitzvah in the Jewish religion means a deed which fuses actions and values. This is the way the Jewish people affirm their faith and prove that they are willing to keep Gods covenant and obey his laws so they will eventually be given the land of Caanan. The term Mitzvah technically means Commandment. The term Bat Mitzvah and Bar Mitzvah is a ceremony in which a young Jewish boy or girl comes to be a keeper of the Commandments. It is similar to Confirmation in the Christian faith. A Bar Mitzvah refers to a Jewish boy ceremony and Bat Mitzvah refers to Jewish girl ceremony.

The concept of God in the Jewish faith is that they believe in one God and he is the Creator. It is similar to the way Christians believe in God. They believe God is a loving merciful and just God and not a vengeful God. They believe God is a helper and someone they can talk to, but that God requires them to follow His law. Jews have a very congenial relationship with their God. It does not require, like other Christian faiths, a priest in which the priest is the interpreter of Gods law and is sort of a liaison between the people and God. The Jewish people dont have that same type of relationship, because the Rabbi is not that kind of a spiritual leader. It is a very personal relationship between the Jew and his or her God. What the Jewish faith does stress is the idea of the covenant and being the chosen people. However, the concept of being the chosen people has often been the target for a great deal of anti-Semitism. The Jewish people believe that they were chosen by God to follow His laws and Commandments and to pass that on to other people. The Jewish people do not interpret this to mean that they are elite or better than others. The Jewish people feel they have a duty to honor and obey God and to imitate God in their ethical and moral behavior.

Judaism: its values and ethics. Jewish law embodies basic values common to all humanity. In this respect it can be viewed as applicable both to Jews and non-Jews alike. An attempt has been made by Rabbi David Saperstien, Associate Director of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, to abstract the values embedded in Jewish law. He lists the following:

1.

The inherent dignity and importance of all of humankind, derived from the belief that we are all made in the image of God;
2.

The equality of all people rooted in our common descent from Eve and Adam;
3.

The capacity of all people, given the will and the right educational tools, to improve themselves;
4.

The concept of wealth as representing that which is Gods and which is given to human owners in a trust relationship, a trust which requires sharing of the wealth with the less fortunate;
5.

The attendant special concern which God has mandated for the poor, the widow, the hungry, and the orphan;
6.

The belief that a society or state is created to serve the needs of its citizens, not vice versa;
7.

The existence of certain laws (the seven Noachide laws) which were regarded as essential to any civilized society. They included bans on murder, robbery, blasphemy, idolatry, sexual crimes, eating of living flesh, and required that every community establish courts of justice;
8.

The rule of law to which even the highest human ruler is accountable;
9.

Freedom of choice and accompanying responsibility of each person for his or her actions;
10.

The paramount obligation of individuals and societies to pursue justice, righteousness and darkei shalom or the ways of peace, e.g., to be involved in the work of social justice.

The very nature of Jewish religious practice demonstrates a heightened belief in the sanctity and holiness of the family. Most of the customs of Sabbath and the Holy Days are centered around strengthening and enhancing family life. For example, the chief purpose in telling the story of the exodus during the Passover is to get the children involved in the story and the Holy Day. Also, every Friday evening, before the Sabbath meal, the parents gather their children around them and give them an ancient biblical blessing while holding them.

Jewish culture has always placed a strong value on education and the work ethic. Education for its own sake is not enough, however, it must be used to enhance and strengthen the community. If it is used for less than that, it is wasted. This is best epitomized by Rabbi Hillel, a Rabbi in the Talmud, when he says, If I am not for myself, who will be for me. But if I am only for myself, what good am I? This brings us to their contributions to the American adventure.

*******************************************************

Part III. Jewish culture

What is the Jewish culture? What binds Jews together? The answer to this is their basic beliefs of Judaism. There are seven areas that tie Jewish culture together. They are:

1.

The Torah (Bible). The Torah is a handwritten document containing the original first five books of the Bible and is the foundation of the following Jewish beliefs:
2.

The Talmud (Law). Written by Rabbis in 500 AD and is used to keep Jewish traditions alive. It meets changing needs through interpretation.
3.

Mitzvah. It means affirm commitment to God through good deeds. Individuals that go through the ceremony are considered to have entered adulthood.
4.

One God. Judaism has only one God: the creator, the lawgiver, the helper. Judaism is the oldest known Monotheistic religion.
5.

Covenant. The Covenant is the contract between God and the Jewish people.
6.

Dietary Laws (Kashrut). Jewish Rabbis inspect slaughter houses and other food industries to affirm if the food is properly prepared to be Kosher. The animals must be slaughtered humanely. These laws were not imposed for any reason except for health. The law states do not eat anything that the Lord has declared unclean. You may eat these animals: cattle, sheep, goats, deer, wild sheep, wild goat, or antelopes. Any animals that have divided hooves and that also chew the cud, but no animals may be eaten unless they have divided hooves and also chew the cud. You may not eat camels, rabbits or rock badgers. They must be considered unclean. They chew the cud, but do not have divided hooves. Do not eat pigs. They must be considered unclean. They have divided hooves, but do not chew the cud. Do not eat any of these animals or even touch their dead bodies. You may eat any kind of fish that has fins and scales, but anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales may not be eaten. It must be considered unclean. You may eat any clean bird, but these are the kinds of birds you are not to eat: eagles, owls, hawks, falcons, buzzards, vultures, crows, ostriches, seagulls, etc. Do not eat any animals that dies a natural death. Do not cook a young sheep or goat in its mothers milk. This law of not cooking a sheep or goat in its mothers milk has been interpreted as a prohibition of mixing meat and dairy foods. In an Orthodox Jewish household they maintain separate sets of cooking utensils, so they do not even cook meat foods and dairy foods in the same pot or pan. Jews may not eat shell fish, since they do not have fins and scales. Again, these laws are based on the sanitary habits of the animals. Many of the animals they are forbidden from eating are scavengers. The laws not only direct what types of food the may or may not eat, but the way in which the food is prepared.
7.

Other. Jewish people value the 10 commandments. They believe the Golden Rule is strengthened through customs and observances.

Celebration and holidays. The Jewish people observe several holy days. It should be noted that the reasons the Jewish holidays fall on different days each year is because the Jewish calendar is lunar versus a solar calendar. It is based on the phases of the moon. The primary holy days are:

1.

Sabbath. The Sabbath starts at sunset the day before, and ends at sunset the next day. Each week the seventh day, Saturday, is observed as day of holiness, rest and rejoicing. During this period they do not cook or drive automobiles.
2.

Rosh Hashanah (Rosh-sha-nah), Jewish New Year. The first of the High Holy Days which marks the beginning of a ten-day period of penitence and spiritual renewal. Work is forbidden for 1 or 2 days, it is a time for prayer and spiritual renewal.
3.

Yom Kippur (Yom Kee-poor), Day of Atonement. This, the most holy day in Jewish year, is marked by fasting and prayer, as the Jew seeks forgiveness from both God and man. During this period work is forbidden.
4.

Sukkot (Soo-kot), Feast of Booths (Tabernacles). Commemorates the 40-year wandering of Israelites in the desert on the way to the Promised Land, and expressed thanksgiving for the fall harvest. The Pilgrim Fathers used it as a model for the American observing of Thanksgiving.
5.

Simchat Torah (Som-chat Torah). The rejoicing in the Torah which celebrates the conclusion of the public reading of the Pentateuch and its beginning anew, thus affirming that the study of Gods word is an unending process. This concludes the Sukkot festival.
6.

Chanukah (Hon-i-ka), Festival of Lights. Eight-day festival celebrates the rededication of the temple to the service of God (165 BCE) and commemorates the Maccabean victory over Antiochus who sought to suppress freedom of worship. It is closed to Christians.
7.

Purim (Poo-rim), Feast of Lots. Marks the salvation of the Jews of ancient Persia from Hamans plot to exterminate them through the intervention of Queen Esther.
8.

Pesach (Peh-sach), Passover. Celebrates Israels deliverance from Egyptian bondage. During this eight day festival, matsch (unleavened bread) is eaten. It marks the Exodus of Jews from Egypt.
9.

Shavuot (Week of Weeks) Festival of the Weeks. Occurs seven weeks or 50 days after the first day Passover seder. It commemorates the revelation of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai. It is also called the Feast of the First Fruits to celebrate the success of the spring crops after seven weeks of laboring and waiting. This is the reason Easter dates change each year.

Education. Religious education is a duty and a way of life. Secular education is important for them for the education to improve themselves and to integrate better into society and help overcome the effects of anti-Semitism. Many attend a Jewish day school to learn the Jewish religion. Females are thought to be more spiritual, therefore, are not required to attend the synagogue. Men earn the living.

Jewish families are nuclear families. Most believe Jewish lineage is through the mother. Males are religious, obligated and the provider. Females raise the children. The roles of the Jewish women are reflected below:

ORTHODOX

CONSERVATIVE

REFORM

Separate Worship

Congregational Choice

Full Participation, Family Seating

Minyan-male (Quorum or 10 males)

Minyan-choice Congregation

Minyan men and women (any number)

Bris (Circumcision)

Bris Naming Ceremony

Naming Ceremony

Bar Mitzvah

Bat Mitzvah

Bat Mitzvah

Lineage (religious/tradition)

Lineage Contemporary

Contemporary Definition

Rabbis-men

Women Rabbis Since 1983

Women Rabbis Since 1972 (Sally Priesland was the first)

Anti-Semitism. According to Webster, Anti-Semitism is defined as discrimination or prejudice against Jews; hostility towards Jews. Unfortunately, anti-Semitism, like other forms of discrimination is still present in society.

The Jewish response to anti-Semitism and its strategy to change others are acculturation/assimilation (assimilated and not to be different). To eliminate discrimination in the work place, many have become lawyers and doctors. They feared others and relied on themselves for mutual aid and help. Some of the mutual help associations include:

1.

Bnai Brith (1843). To care for the poor and orphans.
2.

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (1881). Helped make new immigrants arrival to America as easy as possible.
3.

American Jewish Committee (1906). Human Relations Committee who supports rights for Jews is best secured by rights for all.
4.

Anti-defamation League of Bnai Brith (1913). Purpose is to highlight incidents of Anti-Semitism, teach, and try to fight by making it well known.

While the Jewish people believe Judaism is the source of Christianity, they continue the interaction between other cultures and religious groups.

One of the major turning points in combating anti-Semitism was during the Second Vatican Council in 1965 with Pope John Paul XXIII. Up until this time there was a common held belief that the Jewish people were held responsible for the death of Jesus Christ. During this council the Catholic church condemned anti-Semitism and the Pope announced that the Catholic church could not blame people for incidents that happened 2000 years ago and there needed to be more acceptance and better working relationships with the Jewish people. Since both the Christian and Jewish religions have the same source of their faith, the Catholic church stressed looking more at the similarities in the two religions.

There is a close relationship between Hispanic-Americans and Jewish-Americans. Jewish American organizations provide monetary support to civil rights causes, and assistance when the Hispanic-Americans were forming groups. Many Jewish programs are listed in Spanish.

The Jewish people have a long history of support to Black-Americans and the NAACP. Both groups have parallel views and have the same vision. Early in the 20th century Blacks and Jewish Americans joined forces against discrimination, bigotry and for civil rights. Their collaboration changed American politics and culture. The only major difference was the desire of the Black-Americans to keep the quota system, while Jewish people did not. In the late 1960s the relationship may be defined by a public ritual of mutual blame. Each accused the other of insensitivity and betrayal. In August, 1991, the relations between the Black and Jewish communities hit bottom when a riot between the two groups in the community of Crown Heights in Brooklyn, New York. The riots began after an Hasidic Jewish driver lost control of his car and ran over an killed a seven year old Black child. Hours later a young Black youth stabbed to death an Hasidic man visiting from Australia as he walked down the street.

This riot, which has become a symbol for Black/Jewish relations in the U.S. involved a neighborhood heavily populated with Hasidic Jews and Caribbean-born Blacks. Yet the mainstream Jews and mainstream Blacks are the ones who are taking the riot and who are reacting to it. The tensions had been in the community for a long time. Crown Heights is a poor community where poor Blacks and poor Jews live together competing for the scarce resources and each group was convinced the other was getting preferential treatment.

There are still many contemporary issues that are a concern of the Jewish people. They are:

1.

Social/Political. Jewish communities continue the fight against anti-Semitism. They have concerns about the fate of Israel and U.S. foreign policy towards Israel. Many feel that what goes on in Israel will impact the American Jews. There is also concern about the treatment of Jews in repressive countries.
2.

Cultural. Many Jewish-American feel there is a threat to cultural survival of Judaism. This is due to the low Jewish population growth, assimilation into other cultures, and intermarriage. While intermarriage is not prohibited, it is a concern.
3.

Military service. Considering the historical experience with war, the Jewish people have a concern about war. During W.W.I, approximately 250,000 Jewish individuals served in the military. In W.W.II, over 500,000 Jewish individuals served in uniform. Today, there are very few Jewish individuals on active duty. This is mainly attributed to the following:

*

The scarcity of Jewish Chaplains.

*

Dietary constraints.

*

Sabbath being on a Saturday and not always easy to attend. In the Reserve Component drills are held on weekends.

*

Requirement to wear of the yarmulke.

A Jewish male will always cover his head to acknowledge there is someone greater above him. The yarmulke is always worn in the synagogue, but normally only the Orthodox Jews wear it outside of the synagogue.

*

The requirement to serve in certain overseas areas, such as Germany.

*

Traditions of family and home rituals.

Jewish-American contributions

Jewish-Americans have participated in all aspects of American life. They have made notable contributions in the fields of medicine, science, law, education, literature, music, and art. Like any other minority, to ignore their influence and impact from the American experience is not only to change it but to diminish what America is today. There are many books written on their contributions. Here we will highlight some of these contributions.

Law, government and the social sciences

Senator Jacob Javits - U.S. Senator from New York.

Admiral Hyman Rickover - Father of the U.S. Navy nuclear submarine program.

Erick Fromm - Psychoanalyst and social philosopher.

Louis D. Brandies, Benjamin Cardozo, Arthur Golberg, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Felix Frankfurter - U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

Henry Kissinger - Secretary of State.

Alan M. Dershowitz - Harvard law professor and attorney.

Samuel Gompers - Founder of the American Labor Movement and the American Federation of Labor.

Literature

Isaac Bashevis Singer - Yiddish writer who won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1978.

Arthur Miller - Playwright and author Received the Pulitzer Prize for Death of a Salesman, and a View from the Bridge.

Bernard Malamud - Writer who won the Pulitzer in 1966 for The Fixer.

Saul Bellow - Writer who won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1976.

Allen Ginsburg, and Emma Lazarus - Poets.

Herman Wouk, Leon Uris, J.D. Salinger, Philip Roth, Irving Wallace, Art Buchwald, Norman Mailer, and Elie Wiesel - Writers.

Joseph Pulitzer - Journalist and publisher who established the Pulitzer Prize.

Music, art and entertainment

Irving Berlin, Aaron Copeland, George Gershwin, Marvin Hamlisch, Stephen Sondheim, and Art Garfunkel - Musical composers.

Leonard Bernstein - Musical composer and Director of the New York Philharmonic.

Isaac Stern - Violin virtuoso.

Danny Kaye, George Burns, Harry Houdini, Al Johnson, Milton Berle, Zero Mostel and the Marx Brothers - Actors.

Bob Dylan - Musician, composer, and singer.

Isaac Stern, Beverly Sills and Valdimir Horowits - Classical musicians.

Gilda Radner - Actress.

Phil Slivers, Kirk Douglas, Dustin Hoffman, Richard Dreyfuss and Henry Winkler - Actors.

Barbara Streisand - Actress, singer, film director.

Lenny Bruce - Comedian.

Sammy Davis, Jr. - Comedian, actor, singer.

Bette Midler - Actress, singer.

Mel Brooks - Comedian, film director, writer.

Woody Allen - Actor, film director, writer.

Arthur Fiedler - Conductor of the Boston Pops.

Andre Previn - Conductor, composer, pianist.

Louise Nevelson - Sculptor.

Bob Dylan and Neil Diamond - Singers.

Louis B. Mayer, David Selznik, Otto Preminger, Mike Nichols and Steven Spielberg - Movie producers.

Medicine and science

Casimir Funk - Physician who discovered vitamins.

Jonas Salk - Epidemiologist who developed a vaccine against polio.

Albert Einstein - Physicist who changed our perception of the universe with his development of the theory of relatively. Won Nobel Prize for Physics in 1922.

Judith Resnick - The first Jewish-American woman astronaut. She was killed in the explosion of the space shuttle, Challenger.

Harold E. Varmus - Microbiologist and educator who won the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1989 for his work in genetic research.

Jerome I. Friedman - Physicist who won the Nobel Prize in physics in 2990 for showing that protons and neutrons were composed of quarks.

Harry M. Markowitz - Economist who won the Nobel Prize in 1990 for the work in investment strategies.

J. Robert Oppenheimer - Physicist who managed the Manhattan Project that developed the Atomic Bomb during World War II.

Isaac Asimov - Scientist and Author.

Jonas Salk - Polio

Selman Waksman - Antibiotics, Nobel Prize Winner.

Labor and industry

Samuel Gompers - Founder and president of the American Federation of Labor.

David Dubinsky -Helped to establish the International Ladies Garment Workers Union.

David Sarnoff - Started as a messenger boy and rose to the head of RCA, Radio Corporation of America.

Sports

Max Baer and Maxie Rosenblum - Boxing

Hank Greenburg, and Sandy Koufax - Baseball

Nat Holman, and Red Auerbach - Basketball

Mark Spitz - Swimming
Sid Luckman - Football
***************************************************************************************

Jewish-American military participation

One of the claims anti-Semites, or those not well informed, have made what was that Jewish-Americans do not serve in the military. The record shows quite a different picture. During the last two World Wars, Jewish-Americans have not only served with distinction but in numbers exceeding their percentage of the population. When the new Jewish immigrants came to this country over a century ago, many were fearful that perhaps this new land would make them at best only second class citizens. When the wars came, however, they joined the ranks like all other ethno-Americans and laid their blood on the field of battle as if they were first class citizens. If participation in battle is considered a test of ones loyalty, then Jewish-Americans are very loyal citizens.

The stories that can be told about Jewish-American participation and heroism in battle are many. These were achieved despite the anti-Semitism that many service members experienced while serving their country. There are many books on the subject; however, we will only highlight some of the Jewish-American contributions.

Military highlights

Revolutionary and Pre-Civil War: There were about 2,000 Jews living in America during the time of the Revolutionary War. Beginning a trend that was to continue to modern times, the majority of eligible Jewish males participated in the war. They left an interesting history behind them.

There was a predominantly Jewish company form South Carolina. This happened quite by accident. It appears that the region from which this company originated was mostly populated by Jews.

Some famous Jewish combatants of the Revolutionary War are Captain Richard Lushington, Lieutenant Colonel David S. Franks, Lieutenant Colonel Solomon Bush, and Ensign Mordecai Davis.

The first South Carolinian to fall in the Revolutionary War was Francis Salvador, a Jewish-American. He is often called the Paul Revere of the South.

After independence was secured, Jewish-Americans continued to participate in the new Army of the United States. Simon M. Levy from Baltimore, Maryland, was appointed a cadet to the first class at the Military Academy of West Point in 1802. The first Jewish-American captain in the United States Navy was Uriah P. Levy. He served with distinction in the War of 1812 and was instrumental in abolishing corporal punishment in the Navy. He experienced much anti-Semitism during his service, and as a consequence reflective of the time, had to fight many duels. Many of those serving with him thought that, as a Jew, he was unfit to hold such a high rank. Other Jewish-Americans that served during the War of 1812 were Commodore John Ordroneux and Captain Mordecai Myers.

Some highlights of the Jewish-American participation in the United States War with Mexico are:

*

Surgeon general David de Leon from South Carolina, twice took command of combat soldiers on the battlefield who lost their own commanders. He received a special citation from Congress for this heroic action.
*

Other combatants of this war include Colonel Leon Dyer, Israel Moses, and General David Emanuel Twiggs.

The Civil War and after: All wars are sad, but perhaps the Civil War was the saddest war in which Americans have fought. This war literally was brother fight against brother. The losses on both sides were tremendous, as both sides fought valiantly for the causes they believed in. Jewish-Americans, like all other Americans, shared in that tragedy on both sides of the field, both Americans fought in the Civil War, 8,400 for the Union and 10,000 for the Confederacy. Some highlights are:

*

Seven Jewish-Americans were awarded the Medal of Honor in the Union Army.
*

Several Jewish-Americans rose to the rank of general. Frederick Knefler, a volunteer private at the beginning of the war, was the first Jewish brevet major general.
*

Edward S. Salomon, who became governor of the Washington Territory after the war, was famous for his courage in the Battles of Fredrickson, Mainfordville, and Gettysburg.
*

Philip J. Joachimson was a New York District Attorney who secured the first anti-slavery conviction. He was instrumental in organizing the 59th New York Volunteer Regiment. He served as a lieutenant colonel in the Regiment and was later promoted to brigadier general.
*

The banking firm of Seligman Brothers provided financial support to the Union Army during the war.
*

The same Surgeon General David de Leon that fought valiantly in the United States war against Mexico earlier was the first Surgeon General of the Confederacy.
*

Judah Philip Benjamin served both as Secretary of War and Secretary of State for the Confederacy.
*

The Army of the Confederate States of America (CSA) had at least 23 Jewish-American staff officers.
*

Captain Levi Myers Harby, Navy-CSA, distinguished himself in the defense of Galveston.
*

The first Jewish chaplain, Jacob Frankel, was appointed by Presidential order on September 10, 1862. Up to this time, the military only appointed Christian clergy as chaplains.

After the war the nation proceeded to heal its wounds. Unfortunately there were those that refused to recognize the contributions Jewish-Americans made on both sides of that war. As a response to unfounded statements that Jewish-Americans do not fight for their country, the Hebrew Union Veterans Organization was founded on March 15, 1896. This organization was a forerunner to the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America. The latter is recognized as the oldest veterans organization in America.

The Spanish-American War saw a total of 300, 000 Americans fighting. This was approximately 0.4 percent of the general population. About 5,000 Jewish-Americans saw service in this war, representing 0.5 percent of the Jewish population of the country. Among those Jewish-Americans who participated, there were 30 Army officers and 20 Naval officers. The 2 percent casualty rate of the war was similar to the Jewish casualty rate. Adolph Marix commanded the U.S. battleship Maine shortly before it was sunk. Jewish-Americans were also to be found among the Rough Riders. Jacob Wilbusky was the first to be killed in an early skirmish.

World War I. A summary of the war record of Jewish-Americans in World War I:

*

Total population of the United States in 1917: 103,690,473
*

Jewish population in the United States in 1917: 3,389,000
*

Total number in the Armed Forces of the United States: 4,355,000
*

Jews serving in the Armed Forces of the United States (approximate): 250,000
*

Percentage of Jews in the total population: 3.27%
*

Percentage of Jews in the Armed Forces: 5.73%

Distribution among services

Infantry: 35.7%
Artillery: 11.6%
Cavalry: 1.5%
Engineers: 4.2%
Signal and aviation: 6.5%
Ordnance: 2.4%
Quartermaster: 8.9%
Other branches: .6%

Casualties

Dead (approximate): 3,500
Wounded (approximate): 12,000

Commissioned officers

Army
Generals: 1
Colonels and lieutenant colonels: 94
Majors: 404
Captains: 1,504
Lieutenants: 6,000

Navy
Miscellaneous (including one admiral): 1,013

Marines
Miscellaneous (including one general): 161

Total; 9,177

Decorations

Congressional Medal of Honor: 3
Distinguished Service Medals and Crosses: 147
Other decorations, citations, and awards: 982
Total: 1,132

Source: Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America

World War II. A summary of the war record of Jewish-Americans participants in World War II.

*

Total Population of the United States: 135,000,000
*

Total Jewish population of the United States: 4,500,000
*

Total number in the Armed Forces of the United States: 13,000,000
*

Jews serving in the Armed Forces of the United States: 550,000
*

Percentage of Jews in the total population: 3.33%
*

Percentage of Jews in the Armed Forces: 4.23%

Distribution among services

Army: 80%
Infantry: .7%
Other Ground Forces: 8.5%
Air Corps: 33.5%

Navy: 17%
Marine Corps: 2%
Coast Guard: 1%

Casualties

Dead (approximate): 11,000
Wounded (approximate): 40,000

Decorations

Medal of Honor: 2
Distinguished service Medals and Crosses and Navy Crosses: 157
Silver Star: 1,600
Other decorations, citations and awards: 50,242
Total: 52,000

About 60% of all Jewish physicians in the United States under 45 years of age were in the Service.

Multiple family contributions:

*

4 Jewish families contributed 8 members each
*

12 Jewish families contributed 7 members each
*

19 Jewish families contributed 6 members each

(These figures are approximate)

Source: Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America

The saga of Jewish-Americans fighters continues to the present. Approximately 150,000 Jewish-Americans saw service during the Korean War. In Vietnam, about 30,000 Jewish-Americans served. Among them was Major General Ben Sternberg. Colonel Jack H. Jacobs won the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam. According to early figures complied by the National Museum of Americans served in the Gulf War. Out of an overall force of about 500,000, this represents approximately 2 percent of the force.

http://www.gordon.army.mil/eoo/jewish.htm

Historical footnotes: Jewish prominence in Alaska.

2006-05-26T20:55:53Z

Unlike so many frontier areas - to which Jews typically have not been attracted - Jewish life in America's northernmost frontier of Alaska thrives as it has for some 137 years.

In cities and rural areas, Jews join in Shabbat, holiday, and life-cycle observances, study, sports, events, and religious activities. Eighty-one percent of Alaskan Jews today live in the three largest cities, Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. The remaining 19% live in rural small cities (Sitka, Kenai, Homer, Nome, Ketchikan, Kotzubue, Soldotna, Haines, and Bethel) with populations of less than 10,000 and Jewish populations of 1 to 71. In at least 9 Alaskan cities, one or more formal Jewish communal organizations exist, serving a statewide Jewish population of some 3,500-4,000. Brandeis University Professor Bernard Reisman's extensive study in the late 1990's reveals a highly acculturated Alaskan Jewish population, of whom 54% received graduate education beyond an undergraduate degree compared to 8% of all Alaskans and 25% of Jews in the Lower 48, with almost four out of five (78%) working as professionals or managers - more than twice that of the general U.S. white population (31%) and 29% more than Jews of the Lower 48 (49%). A 1995 demographic survey of Alaskan Jews indicates their level of observance of Jewish customs and rituals and their positive feelings about their Jewishness are significantly higher than that of Jews in all other U.S. states. Jews in Alaska also play a prominent role in the state's government and have since its inception. A number of Alaska's political offices, including mayoral, senatorial, gubernatorial, and local offices have been held by Jews. As of the November 2004 general election, there are six Jewish members of the Alaska state house (of a total of 40), up from four in the previous session. Three are from Anchorage, two from Fairbanks, one from Kodiak.

Jews have been a prominent part of Alaska's history even before its acquisition by the U.S. in 1867. San Francisco Jewish pioneering merchants Louis Sloss and Lewis Gerstle (for whom Northeast Alaska's Gerstle River is named) are credited with opening the Alaska Territory to settlers and commercial enterprises when establishing the Alaska Commercial Company in 1868. Originally a fur-transporting firm, ACC expanded to become a salmon cannery and fishing fleet, operated a chain of trading posts providing general merchandise to natives, trappers, miners, and explorers, and supplied Alaska's first fleet of ships during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-1901. The Haines townsite's Mt. Ripinsky honors Jewish pioneer Solomon Ripinsky whose contribution to Alaska's history echos that of many Jewish settlers. Between 1894 and his death in 1927 he served in Sitka, Unalaska, Chilkat, and Haines in various capacities as law clerk, teacher, trading post operator, postmaster, storekeeper, notary, lawyer, elected convention delegate, and U.S. Commissioner. The movement of Jewish European immigrants and Jews from the Western U.S. during Alaska's Gold Rushes from the 1880s on greatly enhanced Alaska's economy with general merchandise stores, law offices, mining operations, pharmacies, jewelry stores, and more.

In the early 1940s, Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes and members of Congress considered a proposal to make Alaska a settlement for Central European Jewish refugees seeking asylum from the Nazis, both as a development and humanitarian effort. The bill eventually died in subcommittee. Though Ickes fought staunchly for the bill, he felt American Jews had not done enough for it. New York Jew Ernest Gruening* (who later became a leader in the drive to gain statehood for Alaska, was appointed first Governor of the Territory of Alaska for 14 years beginning in 1939, then was elected U.S. Senator from Alaska, serving for ten years beginning in 1958, just one year before Alaska became a state) opposed the bill. He considered Jewish refugee resettlement in Alaska improper, as it would differentiate Alaska's immigration laws from those of other U.S. states. The committee's choice to deny entrance to 400 European Jews to Alaska as refugees of the Third Reich led to their deaths in concentration camps. Gruening's stance was ironic in that his own family was of German Jewish heritage. [A more modest proposal to distinguish Alaska as a haven for Jews had been introduced in 1906 by Abe Spring, Russian-born Jewish early mayor of Fairbanks, to save some of his countrymen from the violence of the pogroms. It too had been rejected by Congress.]

Today in Alaska's State House of Representatives, the Yamacaucus (Yarmulke Caucus), as they jokingly refer to themselves, includes Ethan Berkowitz (District 26 Democrat) who has served for ten years in the house and eight years as Minority Leader. This November, Berkowitz makes his bid for the office of Governor. State Legislator Jay Ramras (District 10 Republican) was elected to the House in 2004 and comes from a family with a long history in Fairbanks. Two other Jewish members of the State House include Les Gara (District 23 Democrat), first elected in 2002, and Max Gruenberg (District 20 Democrat), who continuously has been elected to the House since 1984.

Dawson City was site of Alaska's first Jewish services in 1898. As many as 200 Jews lived in the Klondike at the height of the gold rush. The small but historically significant Jewish section of Klondike's cemetery, Bet Chaim (established 1902 by the Jewish Society of Dawson) is all that remains of this influential group. The cemetery was restored in 1998 through efforts of Alaska historian Dr. Norman E. Kagan and concerned citizens forming as the Jewish Historical Society of the Yukon. With the discovery of gold on the beaches of Nome, the stampede there began. Yukon hotel clerk Max Hirshberg made a historic 48-day bicycle ride over ice from his home in Dawson to Nome. Most families found comfortable passage from Seattle. The Nome Jewish community had its own torah brought by Sam Bayles and some sixty Jews in 1900 who attended the world's most western and northern Rosh HaShanah services. Nome established the state's first Jewish congregation in 1900 and the Hebrew Benevolent Society in 1901 to assist the less fortunate. The isolated community declined with the consolidation of shipping and supply lines by the Swiss-German Jewish Guggenheim family after WWI and the Bayles Torah was transferred to Beth Shalom Synagogue in Anchorage.

A small Jewish community formed in Fairbanks in 1904 just two years after significant gold was found there. Pioneering Jewish merchants organized the Congregation Bikkur Cholim in 1908 with intermittent services at members' homes. Lithuanian Jew Robert Bloom, one of the congregation founders, had arrived in the Klondike in 1898 and served as one of the Yukon's first lay rabbis for nearly half a century. Peddling goods on his back and later from a general store until 1941, he became chairman of Alaska's Jewish Welfare Board, instrumental in the establishment of an Air Force base in Alaska, a founder of the University of Alaska (1918) and a charter member of its Board of Regents. His wife, Jessie Spiro Bloom of Dublin, for whom the Fairbanks Girl Scout Training Center is named, established the Fairbanks kindergarten and the first Alaskan Girl Scout chapter (1925). The Blooms co-founded the Fairbanks Airplane Company, were active in Alaskan conservation efforts and the establishment of wilderness preserves in Alaska, and served as unofficial chaplains for Jewish servicemen stationed in Alaska during WWII. Fairbanks' courthouse is named for Jay A. Rabinowitz, Superior Court Judge in 1960, appointed to the state Supreme Court in 1965, serving for 32 years, four terms as Alaska's Chief Justice. The First Jewish Congregation of Fairbanks was established in 1980 to serve some 300 Jews in the city with worship services and a religious school at the Fort Wainwright Army Post Chapel. Renamed Or HaTzafon (Light of the North) in 1992, the congregation acquired property for a first synagogue and affiliated with the Reform movement. Student rabbis intern with this congregation, which is raising funds to hire a full-time rabbi. Diverse membership (some 100 members, associates, and supporters) includes Jews of all traditions, Jews by choice, and Jews of mixed marriage.

Today more than half of Alaska's Jews live in Anchorage, where Jew Leopold David was the city's first mayor, serving three terms from 1920 when the city was incorporated. Zachary J. Loussac, a Moscow Jew, served as mayor of the city in 1948 and established a trust fund that enabled building of the city's municipal library, which bears his name today. At Elmendorf Air Force Base outside Anchorage, Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Jewish chaplains rotated tours of duty from the early 1940s to mid 1980s, providing Shabbat services and serving Jewish residents in Anchorage and other areas. A mikvah for the wife of the chaplain was built on the base in 1974 and demolished in 1999. Reform Congregation Beth Sholom was established by 20 members of the Anchorage community in 1958. A first synagogue was erected in 1964; by 1982 with a membership that had quadrupled, a new synagogue on five acres was erected to house worship services, study, education center, camp, religious school, and sports. From 1984 until 2000, Rabbi Harry L. Rosenfeld was Beth Shalom's rabbi. The City of Anchorage proclaimed October 1, 1994 Rabbi Harry Rosenfeld Day as the state legislature honored him for his ten years of service to the Alaskan people. Alaska's first Chabad Center and only orthodox congregation, Shomrei Ohr of Anchorage was established in 1991 by Chabad emissaries Rabbi Yossi and Esty Greenberg. Three locations in the city are home to worship services, Hebrew school, adult classes, library, preschool, and a recently built mikvah. Chabad also has established a kosher section of a local supermarket, intends to open a future community center and is seeking grants for a culture and history archive.

Today, some 100 are served by the Juneau Jewish Community (JJC), which has for more than 35 years met at public locations and members' homes. In April 2004, the congregation purchased a former community center in the west of the city to serve as its new home for a future synagogue and Jewish school. Affiliated with the Union of Reform Congregations, JJC serves some 70 affiliated families with Shabbat, festivals, life-cycle events, and religious school. A student rabbi has visited them monthly, along with visits from rabbis from the Anchorage area. Friday night services are held in different members' homes. Jewish families in Juneau have been gathering for Shabbat, festivals, and life-cycle events since the 1960s. The community is young, with young children, and the population highly mobile. Over the past 15 years, there has been a complete turnover among Jewish residents. A rabbi from the lower 48 states joins them for the High Holy Days.

The small Jewish community in Ketchikan meets weekly for Shabbat services and other activities at the home of Steven Dulin, who imports kosher food from Seattle and runs a kosher bed and breakfast. A handful of Jews maintain orthodox homes and spend major holidays at the Chabad houses in Seattle or Anchorage. The group meeting at Dulin's home is usually a minyan, and when tourists are in town during the summer, Shabbat is a larger gathering. In the town with its many shops, the Frank Meisler Gallery at 619 Mission Street sells Jewish-themed sculpture, jewelry, and religious articles created by Meisler. Ketchikan's mayor, Bob Weinstein, also is Jewish.

The Yukon city of Whitehorse has a Jewish population of approximately 15-20. The Jewish President of the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce, Rick Karp, can be reached through the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce.

It is common to see modern Jews involved in community, political life, philanthropy, and entrepreneurship throughout Alaska. The Gottstein family helped create the largest chain of supermarkets (Carr's), warehousing, freight, and wholesale grocery business in Alaska, Carr-Gottstein, operating 49 stores in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Ketchikan, the Kenai Peninsula and other Alaska communities. Anchorage attorney James B. Gottstein devotes much of his time to pro bono work with the Law Project for Psychiatric Rights and has devoted much time pro bono to mental health consumers in various matters in 25 years of active practice. Robert Gottstein is a member of Alaska's State Board of Education. Anchorage resident Rachel Landau Gottstein, who survived internment at three concentration camps, including Bergen-Belsen, speaks on her experiences in the Holocaust. A historical plaque honors Isaac Bayless, a businessman in early Anchorage. The Goldsteins in Juneau and other areas of Alaska had a long tradition as traders and entrepreneurs. The Goldstein Building stands on the corner of Second and Seward as it has for much of the century (though it was rebuilt after a massive fire destroyed it in February 1939). Anchorage furrier David Green and his family are among the best known furriers in Alaska and active with the Chabad congregation. These of course, are just a few examples.

Alaska does not have a formal relationship with the state of Israel, but Israel is Alaska's 44th leading trade partner, importing some $313,000 worth of manufacturing goods from Alaska in 2003, with a total of just over $26 million worth of goods since 1991.Coincidentally -- though not directly connected with Alaska's Jewish history -- Alaska Airlines, the world's largest charter operator, became connected with Israel and the rescue of Yeminite Jews. The airline assisted in Operation Magic Carpet, the airlift of more than 40,000 Yemenite Jews to Israel from 1948-1950 through the efforts of Warren Metzger (Chief pilot and vice-president of Alaska Airlines flight operations) and his wife Marian Metzger, Alaska Airlines flight attendant.

NOTE: *The inclusion of Ernest Gruening in this Jewish history is controversial. Gruening did not feel a connection with the Jewish community and shunned references to himself as a Jew or Jewish politician. Many believe Gruening's support of equal rights for native Alaskans and Alaska's statehood assured his appointment as governor. His time was largely spent not in Alaska, but in Washington, D.C. He is included within this reference because he was a Jew by birth and played an important role in Alaska's history.

http://www.joyfulnoise.net/JoyAlaska5.html

Historical footnotes: Alaska purchase from Russia

2006-05-26T20:50:55Z

Alaska Purchase Treaty with Russia (1867)

In 1866 the Russian government offered to sell the territory of Alaska to the United States. Secretary of State William H. Seward, enthusiastic about the prospects of American Expansion, negotiated the deal for the Americans. Edouard de Stoeckl, Russian minister to the United States, negotiated for the Russians. On March 30, 1867, the two parties agreed that the United States would pay Russia $7.2 million for the territory of Alaska. For less that 2 cents an acre, the United States acquired nearly 600,000 square miles. Opponents of the Alaska Purchase persisted in calling it Sewards Folly or Sewards Icebox until 1896, when the great Klondike Gold Strike convinced even the harshest critics that Alaska was a valuable addition to American territory.
The check for $7.2 million was made payable to the Russian Minister to the United States Edouard de Stoeckl, who negotiated the deal for the Russians. Also shown here is the Treaty of Cession, signed by Tzar Alexander II, which formally concluded the agreement for the purchase of Alaska from Russia.

The risk of encroachment by Russia had been one of the causes which induced President Monroe to give official utterance to the Monroe Doctrine. After his statement, Russia ceased from attempts to increase her influence on the Pacific coast, and became willing to dispose of Alaska, regarding it as a possession difficult to defend and of little value. The territory was formally transferred on Oct. 18, 1867. The first settlers to Alaska migrated from Asia thousands of years ago across a land bridge that existed where the Bering Strait is located today. The Russians claimed Alaska from the late 1700s until 1867, when the United States and Russia signed this treaty. It resulted in Alaska's transfer to a territory of the United States.

CONVENTION between the United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of Russia, for the Cession of the Russian Possessions in North America to the United States, Concluded at Washington, March 30, 1867; Ratification Advised by Senate, April 9, 1867; Ratified by President, May 28, 1867; Ratification Exchanged at Washington, June 20, 1867; Proclaimed, June 20, 1867.
The United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, being desirous of strengthening, if possible, the good understanding which exists between them, have, for that purpose, appointed as their Plenipotentiaries, the President of the United States, William H. Seward, Secretary of State; and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, the Privy Counsellor Edward de Stoeckl, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States;
And the said Plenipotentiaries, having exchanged their full powers, which were found to be in due form, have agreed upon and signed the following articles:

Article I

His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, agrees to cede to the United States, by this convention, immediately upon the exchange of the ratifications thereof, all the territory and dominion now possessed by his said Majesty on the continent of America and in adjacent islands, the same being contained within the geographical limits herein set forth, to wit: The eastern limit is the line of demarcation between the Russian and the British possessions in North America, as established by the convention between Russia and Great Britain, of February 2816, 1825, and described in Articles III and IV of said convention, in the following terms:
III Commencing from the southernmost point of the island called Prince of Wales Island, which point lies in the parallel of 54 degrees 40 minutes north latitude, and between the 131st and 133d degree of west longitude (meridian of Greenwich), the said line shall ascend to the north along the channel called Portland Channel, as far as the point of the continent where it strikes the 56th degree of north latitude; from this last-mentioned point, the line of demarcation shall follow the summit of the mountains situated parallel to the coast, as far as the point of intersection of the 141st degree of west longitude (of the same meridian); and finally, from the said point of intersection, the said meridian line of the 141st degree, in its prolongation as far as the Frozen Ocean.
IV With reference to the line of demarcation laid down in the preceding article, it is understood
1st That the island called Prince of Wales Island shall belong wholly to Russia (now, by this cession to the United States).
2d That whenever the summit of the mountains which extend in a direction parallel to the coast, from the 56th degree of north latitude to the point of intersection of the 141st degree of west longitude, shall prove to be at the distance of more than ten marine leagues from the ocean, the limit between the British possessions and the line of coast which is to belong to Russia as above mentioned (that is to say, the limit to the possessions ceded by this convention), shall be formed by a line parallel to the winding of the coast, and which shall never exceed the distance of ten marine leagues therefrom.
The western limit within which the territories and dominion conveyed are contained passes through a point in Behrings Straits on the parallel of sixty-five degrees thirty minutes north latitude, at its intersection by the meridian which passes midway between the islands of Krusenstern of Ignalook, and the island of Ratmanoff, or Noonarbook, and proceeds due north without limitation, into the same Frozen Ocean. The same western limit, beginning at the same initial point, proceeds thence in a course nearly southwest, through Behrings Straits and Behrings Sea, so as to pass midway between the northwest point of the island of St. Lawrence and the southeast point of Cape Choukotski, to the meridian of one hundred and seventy-two west longitude; thence, from the intersection of that meridian, in a southwesterly direction, so as to pass midway between the island of Attou and the Copper Island of the Kormandorski couplet or group, in the North Pacific Ocean, to the meridian of one hundred and ninety-three degrees west longitude, so as to include in the territory conveyed the whole of the Aleutian Islands east of that meridian.

Article II

In the cession of territory and dominion made by the preceding article, are included the right of property in all public lots and squares, vacant lands, and all public buildings, fortifications, barracks, and other edifies which are not private individual property. It is, however, understood and agreed, that the churches which have been built in the ceded territory by the Russian Government, shall remain the property of such members of the Greek Oriental Church resident in the territory as may choose to worship therein. Any Government archives, papers, and documents relative to the territory and dominion aforesaid, which may now be existing there, will be left in the possession of the agent of the United States; but an authenticated copy of such of them as may be required, will be, at all times, given by the United States to the Russian Government, or to such Russian officers or subjects as they may apply for.

Article III

The inhabitants of the ceded territory, according to their choice, reserving their natural allegiance, may return to Russia within three years; but if they should prefer to remain in the ceded territory, they, with the exception of uncivilized native tribes, shall be admitted to the enjoyment of all the rights, advantages, and immunities of citizens of the United States, and shall be maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty, property, and religion. The uncivilized tribes will be subject to such laws and regulations as the United States may from time to time adopt in regard to aboriginal tribes of that country.

Article IV

His Majesty, the Emperor of all the Russias, shall appoint, with convenient despatch, an agent or agents for the purpose of formally delivering to a similar agent or agents, appointed on behalf of the United States, the territory, dominion, property, dependencies, and appurtenances which are ceded as above, and for doing any other act which may be necessary in regard thereto. But the cession, with the right of immediate possession, is nevertheless to be deemed complete and absolute on the exchange of ratifications, without waiting for such formal delivery.

Article V

Immediately after the exchange of the ratifications of this convention, any fortifications or military posts which may be in the ceded territory shall be delivered to the agent of the United States, and any Russian troops which may be in the territory shall be withdrawn as soon as may be reasonably and conveniently practicable.

Article VI

In consideration of the cession aforesaid, the United States agree to pay at the Treasury in Washington, within ten months after the exchange of the ratifications of this convention, to the diplomatic representative or other agent of His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, duly authorized to receive the same, seven million two hundred thousand dollars in gold. The cession of territory and dominion herein made is hereby declared to be free and unincumbered by any reservations, privileges, franchises, grants, or possessions, by any associated companies, whether corporate or incorporate, Russian or any other; or by any parties, except merely private individual property-holders; and the cession hereby made conveys all the rights, franchises, and privileges now belonging to Russia in the said territory or dominion, and appurtenances thereto.

Article VII

When this convention shall have been duly ratified by the President, of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, on the one part, and, on the other, by His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington within three months from the date thereof, or sooner if possible.
In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this convention, and thereto affixed the seals of their arms.
Done at Washington, the thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
William H. Seward [L. S.]
Edward de Stoeckl [L. S.]

Russia...foreign exchange report.

2006-05-20T09:57:59Z

Been watching a report..., some of the 'facts' that were discussed were Putin's pledge to pay couple's 9000 to have two children because the population is dropping by 700,000 per year of some 450 million, *I hope I remembered those number stats right*.

And the per capita income went from 600 to 4500 at year. William Broader, whose mother is russian was having the discussion, and lived/lives there and is the largest foreign capitalist business owner in Russia but Putin has banned him from the country. They showed interviews of health care and such in parts of Russia. It was an interesting discussion.

Some interesting stuff in that report..., I wonder how close it is.

http://www.foreignexchange.tv/

erhem...

2006-05-19T08:11:09Z

Tired of all the media hype surrounding governmental hodgepodge. What crap!

Russian roots.., in America.

2006-05-14T03:46:54Z

I ran into someone online a while back, they were upset at 'us Americans' for not understanding and not having a clue about Russians. I have also tutored a few Russian / Ukrainian immigrants in english, and some of them were not aware that they are NOT the first of their ethnicity to come here by a long shot. I had to take a moment and educate her that in the 19th century, many Russians immigrated to America along with other ethnic groups like Jews.

So, as she was going off about 'us Americans', I let her know she needed to recheck her history..., Russians were a portion of the first groups of 'Americans' that immigrated and helped establish America as 'America' shortly after some of the immigrants formulated a Declaration of Independence. Some of those she was irrate and complaining about as well as to, ARE Russian. Being American means being Russian, Jew, English, Oriental, Irish, and well...you name the group, they're probably here and you get the picture, 'a melting pot'. For anyone out there still in other countries, who has a chip on their shoulder about 'Americans', remember...we ARE you, just part of a melting pot of mixed ethnic gene pools.

In fact, my background is Jewish, Cherokee, Irish, and probably one or two others, since we've been here for 7 generations. I have a 'by marriage' cousin whose Father is half Russian and a brother whose wife has not yet immigrated from Ukraine.

I tend to gravitate to both Russians and Jews even without knowing thats what they are. And one example of that is my interest in certain actors, and the real reason I decided to write this journal entry. I was pleasantly surprised that one of my favorite actors, namely Michelle Trachtenberg is Russian and Jewish. I learned this for sure from an interview she had, as well as looking up other things.

Here is the portion of Michelle's interview stating thus:
********************************************************

MICHELLE TRACHTENBERG
Interview by Michael J. Lee, Executive Editor
for Radio Free Entertainment
May 24, 2005

I understand you speak Russian?

I'm pretty fluent, yeah.

Did you learn the language at an early age?

Yeah. My background is Russian. My mom was actually born in Russia, so I would always hear it around the house. And that was the only way I could communicate with my grandparents. So I do Russian and English.

A muslim view of the Holy Land.

2006-05-04T02:57:00Z

With all the news reports, one would question a Jewish view that does not fit with those reports..., so why not here it from a Muslim instead.

A Muslim in a Jewish Land
by Dr. Tashbih Sayyed

As I boarded EL AL flight LY 0008 for Tel Aviv on November 14, 2005 with my wife, Kiran, my mind was busy arranging and re-arranging the list of things I intended to accomplish. I wanted to use my first visit to Israel to feel the strength of the Jewish spirit that refuses to give in to evil forces despite thousand of years of anti-Semitism. It was not Israel's suicidal sacrifices that I wanted to investigate but the foundations of Israeli determination to live in peace.

There are many things that I wanted to talk about with Israelis, the foremost among them being their reluctance to do something about the bad press that continues to paint them as villains. Although I understand why the media, which reasonably covers most events accurately, chooses to ignore all rules of ethical journalism when it comes to Israel, I could not fathom Israel's reluctance to challenge the negative press effectively. Media bias against Israel reminded me of the Nazi era German press that was recruited by Hitler's Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels who picked up every hate-laden word against the Jews. Just like the German press who refused to print the truth about the gruesome atrocities in Europe's death camps - or claimed that it was all an exaggeration, the media today also ignores the Arab terrorism. I wanted to see if there was any truth in the media allegations that Israel was an apartheid state, undemocratic and discriminatory.

I knew that a true Jewish State could not be undemocratic since democratic concepts were always a part of Jewish thinking and derived directly from the Torah. For instance when in the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson wrote that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, he was basically referring to Torah that said that all men are created in the image of God. I was confident that Israel cannot be racist or discriminatory since it is based on the idea of the covenant between God and the Israelites, in which both parties accepted upon themselves duties and obligations underlining the fact that power is established through the consent of both sides rather than through tyranny by the more powerful party.

My understanding of the Jewish State was confirmed when the entry form that I needed to fill before landing in Tel Aviv did not ask for my religion as is the law in Pakistan. Also, unlike Saudi Arabia, no one in Israeli immigration demanded from me any certificate of religion.

As the El Al approached the Promised Land, I continued to shuffle the list of charges made routinely against Israel by its enemies.

Israelis live in a perpetual state of fear.
Israel is undemocratic.
Muslim Arab citizens of Israel do not have equal rights

Israelis live in a perpetual state of fear:

From Tel Aviv to Tiberias, Jerusalem to Jezreel, and from Golan heights to the Gaza border, I could not find any evidence of fear. In fact the people felt so secure that none of the stores, gas stations, market places, or residences we went to, and where it was known that we were Muslims, deemed it necessary to either search or interrogate us. Especially when Kiran and I went to the Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem one evening, we found it bursting at its seams with people of all ages. The ground was shaking with music and young boys and girls were so busy having fun that they did not bother to even look around. Tourists were busy making deals and the whole crowd seemed to throb with the beat of the music.

I could not help but compare Israel's sense of security with the environment of insecurity that exists in Muslim countries. From Indonesia to Iran and from Afghanistan to Saudi Arabia, people are not sure of anything. In Pakistan's capital Islamabad, and the port city of Karachi, I was constantly advised not to make big purchases publicly for it encourages robbers to come after you. I did not hear news of any rape, honor killing or hold-up in Israel.

Israel is undemocratic:

As a Muslim I am much more sensitive to the absence of democratic freedoms in any society. And I do not believe that anyone but a committed anti-Semite will deny that Israel is not a democracy. Democracy in Israel is proportional and representative, but democratic coalitions, necessary in order to effect any decision making also have its problems.

The very first day in Caesarea introduced us to the Israeli democracy. The air was full of political debate and discussion. Ariel Sharon's decision to leave the Likud and form a new political party dominated the hotel halls and underlined the problems caused by the necessity of having democratic coalitions. "The object of a free and democratic Israeli society is to reach satisfactory compromise but often the conclusions are less than satisfactory -- especially for the majority. It involves coalitions and unity which are also checks and balances on any potential abuse of minority rights. It is a better system than the American representative Republican system -- which is really a representation of power and special interests. In the U.S. you get a democracy for the few. In Israel you have a democracy for everyone."

I tried very hard to find any Muslim state that has true democracy and where religious minorities are accorded equal democratic rights, but failed. The map of the Muslim world is too crowded with kings, despots, dictators, sham democrats and theocratic autocrats and the persecution of minorities is an essential part of Islamist social behavior. But here, protected by Israel's democratic principles, the Muslim Arab citizens of Israel are afforded all the rights and privileges of Israeli citizenship. When the first elections to the Knesset were held in February 1949, Israeli Arabs were given the right to vote and to be elected along with Israeli Jews. Today, Israel's Arab citizens are accorded full civil and political rights entitled to complete participation in Israeli society. They are active in Israeli social, political and civic life and enjoy representation in Israel's Parliament, Foreign Service and judicial system.

The Israeli faith in democracy also explains their refusal to respond to Islamist terrorism in violent ways. Despite my being aware of the human weaknesses which allow anger to subjugate the best of intentions, I could not find Israelis acting in vengeance against their Arab compatriots. My experience as a Muslim was also instrumental in expecting the worst in human behavior; Muslims under the influence of radical Islam have been unleashing their terror against non-Muslims even when the charges of anti-Muslim offenses were determined to be false.

I thought that it requires a superhuman effort to ignore the atrocities meted out to you and remain free of vengeful emotions. In my experience of Muslim societies, minorities have never been allowed the benefit of the doubt. Hatred of non-Muslims and outbursts of violence against minority faiths among radical Islamists have remained a norm rather than an exception. As a non-Wahhabi Muslim I have personally faced their barbarism and have watched Christians, Hindus and other minorities being persecuted on false pretenses. I thought that if Wahhabis in Saudi Arabia can sentence a teacher to 40 months in jail and 750 lashes just for praising Jews, it will not be unreasonable on the part of Israelis to punish Palestinians for throwing stones at worshippers at the Western Wall and burning down the tomb of Joseph.

But even in this section, Israelis have proved the world wrong. Despite daily provocations, they have managed successfully not to descend to the same level of depravity as their Arab enemies. The world is used to daily violence that is unleashed against religious minorities in the Muslim world. Only a couple of days ago the Muslim faithful in Pakistan had broken through the walls of a Church, torching and tearing open its doors. They were reacting to a rumor that a Christian had desecrated their holy book, the Quran. They smashed the marble altar of the Holy Spirit Church and shattered its stained glass windows. They torched a Christian residence and the neighboring St. Anthony's Girls School. Within moments flames were licking the walls and black smoke filled the sky. For days the Wahhabi clerics kept on calling their Muslim followers to come out from their houses and defend their faith by unleashing a reign of terror against Christians.

I wondered if an Israeli may someday find it justified to copy what Wahhabis have been doing in Iraq and other places -- abducting, murdering and beheading "infidels". Most recently, the body of a Hindu driver, Maniappan Raman Kutty, was found with his throat slashed in southern Afghanistan for no evident reason but his faith.

But there was nothing in history that could have substantiated my fears; Jews, despite being subjected to the most barbaric acts of terrorism have yet to react in vengeance against their perpetrators. And I concluded that my first visit to Israel will help me in untangling the knot of Israel's insistence on continuing to remain a target of Islamist terror.

Muslim Arab citizen of Israel do not have equal rights:

As our air-conditioned bus negotiated the mountainous curves of the road to the heart of Galilee, I could not miss the rising minarets identifying a number of Palestinian Arab towns dotting the hillsides. The imposing domes of mosques underlined the freedoms that are enjoyed by the Muslims in the Jewish State. Large Arab residences, wide spread construction activity and big cars underlined the prosperity and affluence of Palestinians living under the Star of David.

On my way from the city of David to the Royal Prima hotel in Jerusalem, I asked my Palestinian taxi driver how he feels about moving to the territories under Palestinian Authority. He said that he could never think of living outside Israel. His answer blasted the myth spread by anti-Semites that Israel's Arab citizens are not happy there.

Another Israeli Arab informed me that Arabs in Israel have equal voting rights. In fact, Israel is one of the few countries in the Middle East where Arab women can vote. In contrast to the non-Israeli Arab world, Arab women in Israel enjoy the same status as men. Muslim women have the right to vote and to be elected to public office. Muslim women, in fact are more liberated in Israel than in any Muslim country. Israeli law prohibits polygamy, child marriage, and the barbarity of female sexual mutilation.

Moreover, I found out that there are no incidences of honor killings in Israel. The status of Muslim women in Israel is far above that of any country in the region. Israeli health standards are by far the highest in the Middle East and Israeli health institutions are freely open to all Arabs, on the same basis as they are to Jews.

Arabic, like Hebrew, is an official language in Israel and underlines the tolerant nature of the Jewish State. All the street signs call out their names in Arabic alongside Hebrew. It is official policy of the Israeli government to foster the language, culture, and traditions of the Arab minority, in the educational system and in daily life. Israel's Arabic press is the most vibrant and independent of any country in the region. There are more than 20 Arabic periodicals. They publish what they please, subject only to the same military censorship as Jewish publications. There are daily TV and radio programs in Arabic.

Arabic is taught in Jewish secondary schools. More than 350,000 Arab children attend Israeli schools. At the time of Israel's founding, there was one Arab high school in the country. Today, there are hundreds of Arab schools. Israeli universities are renowned centers of learning in the history and literature of the Arab Middle East.

Aware of the constraints that a non-Wahhabi is faced with while performing religious rituals in Saudi Arabia, Kiran (my wife) could not hide her surprise at the freedoms and ease with which peoples of all religions and faiths were carrying out their religious obligations at the Church of the holy Sepulcher, Garden Tomb, Sea of Galilee, newly discovered Western Wall Tunnels, Western Wall, tomb of King David and all the other holy places we visited.

All religious communities in Israel enjoy the full protection of the State. Israeli Arabs --Muslims, as well as many Christian denominations -- are free to exercise their faiths, to observe their own weekly day of rest and holidays and to administer their own internal affairs. Some 80,000 Druze live in 22 villages in northern Israel. Their religion is not accessible to outsiders and Druze constitute a separate cultural, social and religious Arabic-speaking community. The Druze concept of taqiyya calls for complete loyalty by its adherents to the government of the country in which they reside. As such, among other things, the Druze serve in the Israel Defense Forces. Each religious community in Israel has its own religious councils and courts, and has full jurisdiction over religious affairs, including matters of personal status, such as marriage and divorce. The holy sites of all religions are administered by their own authorities and protected by the government.

A Hindu journalist who came to visit me talked about the openness that Jewish society represents. He told me that more than 20% of the Israeli population is non-Jewish of which approximately 1.2 million are Muslims, 140,000 are Christians and 100, 000 are Druze. Another non-Jewish Israeli told me that Christians and Druze are free to join even the defense forces of the Jewish State. Bedouins have served in paratroops units and other Arabs have volunteered for military duty.

The big houses owned by Arab Israelis and the amount of construction that was going on in the Arab towns exposed the falsity of propaganda that Israel discriminates against Israeli Arabs from buying lands. I found out that in the early part of the century, the Jewish National Fund was established by the World Zionist Congress to purchase land in Palestine for Jewish settlement. Of the total area of Israel, 92 percent belongs to the State and is managed by the Land Management Authority. It is not for sale to anyone, Jew or Arab.

The Arab Waqf owns land that is for the express use and benefit of Muslim Arabs. Government land can be leased by anyone, regardless of race, religion or sex. All Arab citizens of Israel are eligible to lease government land.

I asked three Israeli Arabs if they face discrimination in employment. They all said the same thing; normally there is no discrimination but whenever homicide bombers explode and murder Israelis, some Israelis feel uncomfortable dealing with them. But that uncomfortable feeling is also very temporary and does not stay for long.

My first visit to Israel has not only consolidated my belief that Israel is vital for the stability of the region but has also convinced me that the existence of Israel will one day convince the Muslims of the necessity of reformation in their theology as well as sociology.

A journey through the Israeli desert brought another important aspect of life to light; Prophets are not the only ones who can perform miracles -- people who believe in themselves can also perform unbelievable acts. Acres and acres of sand dunes have been transformed into the best possible fertile land; Wheat, Cotton, Sunflowers, Chickpeas, Groundnuts (Peanuts), Mangoes, Avocados, Citrus, Papayas, bananas and any other fruit and vegetable that Israelis want to consume is grown within Israel. In fact, Israelis have proved beyond any doubt why God promised them this land - only they could keep it green.

The land is described repeatedly in the Torah as a good land and "a land flowing with milk and honey". This description may not seem to fit well with the desert images we see on the nightly news, but let's keep in mind that the land was repeatedly abused by conquerors that were determined to make the land uninhabitable for the Jews. In the few decades since the Jewish people regained control of the land, tremendous improvement in its agriculture has been witnessed. Israeli agriculture today has a very high yield. Agriculture in Israel is very effective, and is able to cover about 75% of domestic needs, despite the limited land available.

Looking at the development and transformation that the land has gone through because of the Jewish innovative spirit, hard labor and commitment to freedoms for all times to come, I am convinced that it is true that God created this earth but it is also a fact that only an Israel can keep this earth from dying.

Courtesy of Muslim World Today

http://www.aish.com/jewishissues/israeldiary/A_Muslim_in_a_Jewish_Land.asp

A rant on immigration...

2006-05-02T07:46:10Z

A rant on immigration..
So..., I thought I might starting using this LJ, and rant a little over the crying of the illegals in the US right now: I wrote this on a myspace web log....

(Sorry, I can't write this in russian or hebrew, but thats another thing about the US that ticks me off, we aren't versed in multiple languages in school. 'But I do study some.., your writings in other languages are safe..., I can't read them...but I try. :-) )

Welcome to the new me-hi-co.., the aliens are now in charge.

The invasion of illegal immigrants is upon us, and its being done without one shot being fired. When do we change the language as well, cause they are already trying to make their own rules?

There are thousands upon thousands of people who, 'if they can get their feet on this soil' want the 'right' to stay even though there are established guidelines EVERYONE ELSE is following to do it properly. Why not just do in your own country what happens here, that way you don't have to come here thinking its 'all that', in a lot of ways, it is NOT. We need to fix the immigration problem but I do NOT support the outcry of these illegal immigrants.

Before you think about attacking my position, I must remind you I am a first generation offspring citizen of a LEGAL immigrant to this country. Who, went through the established steps necessary to enter and live here, and who was also from the migrant worker force as well.

AND.., I have a sibling who is even at this moment going through the LEGAL steps to bring their alien spouse into the country. The process of doing it LEGALLY is a long, detailed and expensive. All these marches are doing nothing but undermining those who are doing it correctly.

Its akin to kids in school cutting in line or even ignoring that there is a line in the first place, in the least their actions are rude and selfish.

We need to work out some fair guidlines and straighten out some of our rules and laws related to immigration and those giving birth here, but what they are doing now is not helping matters. What a mess we have. OY!

~I wrote some more later~
Now...some more indepth thoughts on all this.
*****************************************

Now...., why do I say feel this way? I, my Uncle, my Father and many others served and serve in the U.S. Armed Forces to help protect us all against foreign enemies, and we must get control so we can be aware of when those foreign enemies are threatening my ..., YOUR family, Nieces, Nephews, Cousins, friends.

This is a country built on immigrants, we are a newer country made up completely of immigrants. The constitution gives us the right to free speech, and many other things. But, who holds right to that free speech? The citizen's, who has a say and right to speak out..., legal immigrants. The problem is, those who are protesting are 'all inclusive' in their protests. Sure there are some illegals with legal offspring protesting..., but that is only a small segment of the marching protesters. The rest are protesting and are illegal and have blatantly stated they don't want it know or found out they are illegal. Ever hear of this happening in other countries..., NO they have closed borders, and closed for important reasons, so they know who is there!!!

Speaking of that, lets look at this from another focal point, go to Israel, go to Russia, Ukraine..., Japan. Pick a place and take a close look. They require Visa's and multiple documentation, the want to know, insist on knowing who is coming and going in their countries. I have a friend in Russia, she wants to go to Japan, but because of many things the Russian's have done in Japan..., they tightened their restrictions and she must now apply, ask for permission to gain access. And she already studied there for around 2 years. But she still must apply for permission to return, very strict.

WE are the relaxed ones, we are the ones with borders that are comparably wide open already. That is why there are so many illegals already here, and that has potentiality of being very dangerous considering we have a bulls eye painted on us by terrorists.

Sure we should be making some changes in relation to children born here of illegal aliens, I often wondered who thought that up in the first place. The open, relaxed and tolerant status we have had on our borders for such a very long time needs to end.

And on Nightline tonight, a taste of the seriousness of the problem came to light, MANY schools essentially had 70% absent, and some businesses slowed to a trickle. One in L.A., the largest apparel company in the US...CLOSED DOWN COMPLETELY.

How many undocumented, illegal aliens do we have. 100,000 and up to a million are estimated in L.A. alone..., but frankly they just don't know. That should be setting off all kinds of alarms. All of those that flew into the WTC were residing IN the US.

The giant has been asleep..., and better wake up. Some of those marchers considered themselves the 'giants that have awakened'. Who is in charge here, WHO are the citizen's here, WHOSE country is this....? And when do we begin to decide to gain control of our borders? Or do we just go back to sleep and continue to pay a heavy price for not doing so. When the inmates are in control of the asylum..so to speak, it is essentially to late to get a grip on this long time problem.

At this moment, people voluntarily go throught the process of legal immigration paperwork. But even more don't bother with that and just slip in. G-d Bless America as long as your doors are wide open right?

They all want the American dream..., but you are only trully an American when you go through the process the other legal immigrants have set up to gain that status, and there is are common sense reasons for that. To just open the borders..., well, essentially the borders are already that way now, and look what it has caused. The real question 'picture' is..., see whats happening because the government actually wants to get a grip on it, equal controls similar to other countries, SAFETY controls, its crucial that we get a grip on all this. Before it bites the hands of the blindfolded eyes. Its a wake up call. Want to go to another country? Go, if you can, and do a comparison.
Shalom.

lechaim @ 2006-04-15T03:27:00

2006-04-15T10:40:51Z

OK kozochka, Takaya devochka, Its shabbat..., and its very late/early in the morning. I've created it and Im going to sleep now.
G-night babe.