T-A-G-G-E-D

I never liked playing tag as a wee lad...I kept wondering what the point was....no free punches, noogies, nothing. Oh, well.

Okay, here we go...

1. I had a private lunch with the President of my university, at his house.

2. I punched an Arab, in East Jerusalem.

3. I was the target of a rock-throwing Palestinian.

4. I have seen a mountain lion in the wild.

5. I have been close enough to smell the warm, stinky, humid breath of a wild buffalo, and, I might add, not just smell it, but be woken up by it.

6. I cut the grass with a 68" National Triplex CE, the finest specialty mower in the world.

7. I am loathe to put mushrooms into my mouth, much less chew on them.

The buck stops here.

Article by Moshe

I received this newsletter recently and thought it was an edifying read...good enough for the "Interesting Stuff" section, but I couldn't find it anywhere online. So here it is. It is written by Moshe Kempinski, the owner of the Shorashim of the Old City gift shop.

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Very recently, the Women's conference being organized by the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus has come under great criticism in some quarters of the Jewish community. Some of the main participants have been criticized by certain individuals as being involved in covert missionary activity in Israel. These accusations eventually led to the following result.

"A special Rabbinate committee, headed by Rabbi Simcha Kook of Rechovot, ruled on Thursday that concentration on "Judeo-Christian values" and the study of "the Jewish foundations of Christianity" are forbidden. The rabbis ruled that these efforts are actually part of a long-running campaign to bring Israeli-Jews to believe in Jesus."

Regrettably some of the Christian organizations mentioned in the ban have taken great pains to avoid missionary activity and have received flack from their own Christian supporters in the United States for not being involved in such activity. Though they have generally been successful at avoiding the pressure of falling into the trap that such activity would create, mistakes have been made. In general though some of these groups truly believe that a new day is upon us in terms of relationships between Christians and Jews and that a new day necessitates new forms of thinking and action. Most Christians do believe that in the end Jews will see that they are right. Most Jews on the other hand believe that in the end Christians will see that they were wrong. Yet such a revelatory awareness will only come through Divine understanding intervention and not through human persuasion. That understanding must be more fully accepted in the Christian community but the first blossoms of such an understanding is already evident and bridges are being built. These are the bridges that need to be built in complete accordance with the understandings revealed by the prophets Zacharia, Isaiah and Ezekiel in the book both communities believe to be the word of our Creator..

It is clear to me that the first bridges that are already being built between the Jewish community of faith and the Christian community of faith in the last fifteen years have not been built by men but rather by Divine persuasion.

As a result they will withstand any storm.

Yet it has to be understood that this specific storm and crisis has been born out of malice and blind hatred but rather it is one that has been brewing already for thousands of years. The Rabbinate is giving voice to old fears and they can be convinced otherwise if wise and patient voices are heard. The experience of most Jews in this world is that Christian love usually comes with Christian arrogance regarding Jews and their beliefs. More importantly Christian arrogance has invariably led to hatred, murder and persecution. That was the situation for thousands of years and it will take some time for Jews to be aware that a delicate and fragile change has begun. History has regrettably taught Jews to be wary, suspicious and careful about unconditional love presented by Christians. Not because Christians have difficulty with the love part, they seem to have difficulty with the unconditional part.

Many Jews do not know that there are Christian groups like "Bridges for Peace" and others that do represent a humble and loving spirit that truly trusts that G-d will make all the necessary changes in the hearts of people, if they need to be changed. Accepting that simple belief can change the very fabric of Jewish Christian relations.

Christians can continue to believe that the veil that the Christian bible describes covering the eyes of the Jews will be lifted and Jews will continue to believe what Isaiah says in the Tanach that the veil that covers the eyes of the nations will in fact be lifted (Isaiah 25). In the end their common belief that G-d will take care of will free the two communities to begin to talk to each other.

What are needed now are patience, perseverance and faith in the rulership of HaShem in this world. Those voices in the Christian world that decry the fact that "how can they say this about us ..look how much money we are giving them" are either blind to thousands of years of history and wounds or carry some belief that love is bought with money. Jews who are reacting angrily to all that is going on need to discover that a change has really happened and that they are worthy to be witness to see that change that the tanach and our sages predicted. These changes should not convince them keep their guard down but they should remain ready and aware for the change when it comes.

It is a very delicate time .It is also a time of great choosing. People are going to have to choose which side of the fence to stand on. But it is clearly another signpost in the unfolding nature of the world's redemption.

I have wondered, especially in situations like today, what it would be like to walk across a raging river on a shaky swinging rope bridge that is being built slat by slat.

That is what will be necessary for those who are trying to build and walk across this shaky bridge being built between our two communities. Those sincerely working for change must remember that being attacked for exactly the things that they have tried to avoid is EXACTLY part of the bridge building. The mud slinging and name calling is a result of thousands of years of pain and bearing the onslaught of that is part of the courage and perseverance that is necessary.

When I worked as a family therapist and there were many instances of attempting to bring together families that had been ripped apart by recrimination and mistrust. Part of the process of healing involved allowing old hurts to be raised and aired. It has been so very long since these communities could even see themselves as family, and even those memories were not always pleasant .Yet we are told that those changes must come. Zachariah says that there will be many amongst the Nations that will celebrate on the great Mountain together with the children of Israel .

Yet the ticket involves patience, faith and trusting the thought that after the storm comes the quietude of clearly revealed truth. While it is true that those that stand at the head of that line will have to prepare to fend off the greatest amounts of attacks, but it is especially they that must do so with great understanding and calm resolution.

Rosy Barbs

I watched this soccer DVD last night, and I just have to say that I would give my right leg to be able to bicycle kick like that...

Sometime during the last two weeks, my eldest son celebrated his sixth birthday. And as six-year olds are often wont to do, he celebrated his natal day by receiving monetary gifts. Nothing significant enough, mind you, to finance his education at MIT, but big to him, nonetheless. So yesterday, we sat down to determine what he would do with this moolah. A six-year old's financial plan, as it were.

He decided, mostly on his own, to give some money to God, to rent a movie, and to buy a remote-controlled bulldozer. If he had any money left over, he would save it. God, movies, and bulldozers; apparently, he is more ready for adult-hood than I thought.

On the way to town, though, he began to have second thoughts about the movie. He wanted a pet fish, instead. So, it was off to the pet store. He read the sign: "P-e-t-c-o. That can't be right." But it was right and they even sold fish. So, he bought two of them. He bought two fish, and this is the clearest indication yet that he is destined for a career naming rock bands, and I am not making this up, that are called Rosy Barbs, and he named them Wiggle and Splat. (This makes me wonder why humans can't have a more interesting name. What's so exciting about 'Human'? Why couldn't we be called 'Rosy Barbs'? It would fit some people I know, anyway...)

So, our household has grown by two members, but it is really anyone's guess at this point how long the Wiggle and Splat combo will survive the bulldozer. We'll see.

Shoo fly!

Today, I enjoyed the undeniable privilige of observing what was, in my estimation, the biggest, ugliest, baddest housefly I have ever seen. (He was about 9/16 inch long!) This guy must have been, like, a month and half old, or something.

Okay, check it out:

Yeah, it has been kind of a slow news day...

That magical time of year...

You know winter has been too long when your son runs up and exclaims, "Daddy, what are those green things on the trees?"

"Those are leaves."

"Oh. They're not supposed to be there..."

Hmmmm....

"Good" "Night"

This ever happen to you?

I was tired last night. Wiped out. Worked or done work equivalents 29 days in a row. Sleep deprivation headache and all. I'm in bed by 8:30 (p.m.) (!) and fall asleep instantly. Wake up at 2 (a.m.) and, although still being tired, etc. can not go back to sleep. Huh?

How does this happen? And why? I had not consumed an excessive amount of sugar before retiring, and neither had I exercised before bed. My conscience is clear and the air temperature was comfortably cool.

Oh, yes...we're spiritual creatures, aren't we. I can only conclude that God wanted me to be awake, because I spent a full two hours laying there and praying about everything I could think of.

And then, my work being done, I drifted off to sleep.

Some quotes...

While I was teaching the Personal Finance class, I tried to start out most days with some quotes - some humorous and some serious. Here are some of my favorites. (These quotes do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the teacher, students, school, or parent organizations.)

Someone stole all my credit cards, but I won't be reporting it. The thief spends less than my wife did.

If you lend someone $20, and never see that person again; it was probably worth it.

October. This is one of the particularly dangerous months to speculate in stocks. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August, and February.

I made my money the old fashioned way. I was very nice to a wealthy relative right before he died.

When people ask me if I have any spare change, I tell them I have it at home in my spare wallet.

Contentment makes poor men rich; discontentment makes rich men poor.

It is in the character of very few men to honor without envy a friend who has prospered.

And, although it has nothing to do with Personal Finance, at least, not directly, I include this picture, because I found it humorous: