Today, Gold is the main protagonist in IRAC’s dramatic petition to Israel’s Supreme Court demanding equal footing with the Orthodox for Reform and Conservative rabbis in Israel. Rebecca Cariati, IRAC
Here’s a frequently repeated mistake, the suggestion that the Orthodox are a minority in the Jewish nation. While Jews who identify themselves through dress and public observance as Orthodox may number only between one and two million, for most Israeli Jews there is no alternative to Orthodoxy. This, and not the lack of state recognition, is why both Conservative and Reform have done so poorly in Israel. Israelis may not follow all the mitzvot, but they know the real thing when they see it.
Not Orthodox? Not good enough Most of the world’s Jews are Reform, secular, atheist, Reconstructionist, Conservative, anything-but-Orthodox. And yet other than this one, highly-qualified decision, Israel’s handling of religious issues says loud and clear that there is but one way to be a Jew, and that’s Orthodox. Indeed: ultra-Orthodox. Emily L. Hauser, In My Head
| CHEESECAKE CONTEST & BLOG MARKETING |
Now and then you hear a clever line, or name, and you just hate yourself for not having come up with it yourself. Without a doubt, Ali-Babka belongs up there, with the winners of my Resentfulness Medal.
Her name is Alison Barnett and she started Alibabka in 2011 to blog about her passion for the culinary arts.
She is a recent graduate from The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in New York City, and she works full time at a non-profit and part time at Solo Restaurant in NYC. And she’s an Observant Jew, kosher, etc.
“Graduating from ICE is proof that observant Jews can do whatever they are passionate and still strictly uphold Rabbinic Law,” she writes. “Keeping kosher in the culinary world has pushed me to be extremely creative by substituting ingredients and coming up with new takes on classic dishes.”
She loves sharing my ideas, thoughts, recipes, and experiences about cooking. “I believe that anyone can cook with a little direction, the right tools, and a whole lot of patience,” she declares.
Cheesecake Truffles DIY A few weeks ago, in a nice ratings-enhancing effort, Alison started a contest, inviting her readers to win a half dozen frozen cheesecake truffles, by posting their favorite cheesecake flavor, sharing her contest and web page on their Facebook “wall,” then getting their friends and loved ones to vote for them and “like” Alison’s fan page – and whoever gets the most votes on their cheesecake flavor wins.
She posted the winner just before Shavuot. Go check it out, and salivate on the images of those cheesecake truffles. Dangerous lady! Alison Barnett, Alibabka
| OLD PROBLEM, OLD SOLUTIONS, DO SOMETHING ALREADY |
Mandating Prenuptial Agreements YU Roshei Yeshiva have signed public letters endorsing it which says honestly:
The increase utilization of pre-nuptial agreements is a critical step in purging our community of the distressful problem of the modern-day Aguna and enabling men and women to remarry without restriction. By encouraging proper halakhic behavior in the sanctification and the dissolution of marriage, we will illustrate diracheha darchi noam v’chol netivoteha shalom, all the Torah’s paths are peaceful. R. Michael J. Broyde, Hirhurim
| ANOTHER PHOTO-ESSAY BY SHARON ALTSHUL |
“Trying to get lots of information into one post was not so simple,” she emailed me. “I had to leave out the organizers names, but credit and thanks to Avigail, Joe, Marna and Michael.”
She reported in text and images on “the Jerusalem Business Network Forum Bio-Med, a group formed to bring science industry to Jerusalem, launched the Burrill Israel Fund.”
Check out Jerusalem, Past and Future:
| FEMININE RAGE, ANYONE? |
Sarah, a guest writer on Dov Bear, comes across as honest and angry. Tell me you haven’t had those days… All I have to say, though, is get yourself a rabbi who will understand you. Not the scary kind…