Tomorrow Gov Romney struts out his first TV commercial in four or five states.He is certainly an attractive candidate ,however we have to learn a lot more about him before we can feel comfortable with his ideas.I was saddened to read that like Bush he is against stem cell research.
Of interest is the fact that Sen Harry Reid is a Mormon,(I believe a few other Senators are likewise practicing Mormons),and it has never been brought up as an issue pro or con.Hopefully,this will fade like JFK's Catholicism did at election time.
Jews did not appreciate the emphasis on Joe Lieberman's religiousity when he ran for Veep.I personally had upwards of 50 or more press calls after his nomination.I told them all, that he was running for V.P. ,and not Chief Rabbi.
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One of the most productive issues I was involved in during my service in the Jewish Agency,was the work of the Unity Committee.This group, consisting of Orthodox,Conservative and Reform worked on the Conversion problem in Israel.The majority of recent FSU ( former Soviet Union ) immigrants are not Jewish according to Halachah(Jewish Law)
Sadly it appears the committee has run into dificulties in meeting its mandate.
Since I am no longer involved, I would not assign blame.Other than to say,that the leaders of the Reform Movement in Israel have been looking at every opportunity,through Supreme Court cases,publicity,Knesset pressure, and outside (US) religious influences to discredit the Chief Rabbinate,and make themselves as equals(despite their miniscule membership in Israel)
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Kudos to Sen. John McCain for clearly stating that he purposely missed the special Saturday (non-vote) of the Senate,because it was meaningless,and only a futile attempt to embarrass the President.
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There is something to say about the Chasidic prohibition on TV's in the home.Nothing more clearly displays the dysfunctionality of our society at a time of national crisis,than the continuous soap operas on each cable station.
Who should care whether Britney wears underwear or shaves her head?Aside from seeing a Bronx former taxi-driver turned Judge (a success story-NO? ) how much is enough of Smith's body,lovers and dysfunctional relationships ?
Who cares if some actress named Moynihan is pregnant from her former boyfriend?
It only caught my attention because my wife asked me if she was related to the late great Sen?
Obviously ,the public can't get enough of this stuff.
So we have only ourselves to blame,when our children look up to a Paris Hilton or Britney and not to any moral or upstanding communal leader, clergy, or titan of Commerce.
But what I find absent, is that even the voices who once spoke out against TV violence and Sex are silent.
I think they have been overwhelmed by the events on the ground-but then again it is so disgusting that you can't help both laughing at the never ending cast of characters,and feeling sorry for so many wasted lives.
