Monthly Archives: October 2014

BDS Without Precedent (There Were No Academic Boycotts of South Africa)

Posted on October 14, 2014 by zjb

By its detractors, Israel is compared to South Africa, Zionism to Apartheid, in order to justify boycotting, in this particular case, Israeli universities. But two colleagues at Syracuse remind me that there were no academic boycotts against South Africa during … Continue reading →

Posted in uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

5 Comments about the Open Hillel Conference

Posted on October 13, 2014 by zjb

–Kudos to Open Hillel and to its organizers. Self-empowerment is a beautiful thing. Leon Pinsker called it “auto-emancipation,” by which he meant…Zionism. Reading the live tweets from the conference is proof enough that Open Hillel is where the conversation is, … Continue reading →

Posted in uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Shipyards

Posted on October 12, 2014 by zjb

Viewed from Brooklyn Bridge Park,  the Statue of Liberty and international commerce salute each other from their respective positions over the waters.

Posted in uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

At Jewish Voice For Peace, It Got a Little Violent in Brooklyn

Posted on October 11, 2014 by zjb

A spokesperson speaking for Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) expressed horror at the attack of Leonard Petlakh in the wake of a rally they sponsored at Barclays Center in Brooklyn where the New York Nets were holding a fundraiser for … Continue reading →

Posted in uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

Louche and Boozy Little Failure (Gary Shteyngart)

Posted on October 8, 2014 by zjb

I’m recommending Gary Shteyngart’s memoir Little Failure, especially for aficionados of contemporary American letters and contemporary Jewish culture. Born in Leningrad, Shteyngart charts his way from Queens to Oberlin, Ohio and North Carolina via Manhattan and back to Brooklyn. He … Continue reading →

Posted in uncategorized | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Report from a Liberal (Zionist) Pew –Yom Kippur Gaza at Ansche Chesed

Posted on October 7, 2014 by zjb

Israel and Gaza and the war last summer hung heavy over the rabbi’s remarks this Yom Kippur at Ansche Chesed, a large and important Conservative congregation on the Upper Westside, where I’m proud to be a member. Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky’s … Continue reading →

Posted in uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Equality (George Amira & Reuven Rivlin)

Posted on October 6, 2014 by zjb

I’m sure it’s cloying and grossly sentimental, and what it does not address in a direct way is the Occupation and the politics of Zionism. But I refuse to be cynical about this little Youtube clip against hatred, violence, and … Continue reading →

Posted in uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Hajj Selfie

Posted on October 5, 2014 by zjb

Conservative clerics object and might even threaten, but what’s not to like? The critics contend that it’s a kind of showing off. But all I see are happy people. The Hajj selfies are adorable. An open window, they put a … Continue reading →

Posted in uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Yom Kippur Israel

Posted on October 5, 2014 by zjb

One of these years, I’m going to make it over to Israel on Yom Kippur. I’m going to wake up in the morning, eat a large breakfast with coffee and orange juice,  and spend the day out riding on a … Continue reading →

Posted in uncategorized | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Peace Now Rabbi Adam Sinai

Posted on October 3, 2014 by zjb

A couple of months back, Shaul Magid shared this clip, which you can see here.. It’s a talk from Israel by Rabbi Adam Sinai. It seems appropriate for Yom Kippur. The talk is anti-racist, anti-imperialist, and anti-violence. The rabbi claims … Continue reading →

Posted in uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment