The Passover Seder
Yesterday, I wrote about Passover basics. I mentioned that there were three ways of discussing traditions and texts: The face-value way, the story behind the face value and the...
History of the World, Part 1– Passover Edition
Tonight begins the eight day holiday of Passover, the oldest continuing celebration among Jews. In Judaism, there are three ways, or levels, of explaining a tradition or a text—the...
The Singing Salmon From Wasilla
OK, I know I’m swimming upstream here like an Alaska salmon. But I gotta say it: Sarah Palin is not worthy of our interest any more than is Nadya...
STATE CHALLENGES TO HEALTH CARE REFORM
Yesterday, Bitohistory posted a C-Span interview with law Professor Timothy Jost, from Washington and Lee University, about the constitutional challenges to the mandates in the Health Care Reform...
Souls on ICE
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." Emma Lazarus’ poem makes me tear up. I'm proud of America's immigrant history, and grateful that...
Grab a Mop
I'm busy. We don't want somebody sitting back saying you're not holding the mop the right way.
Why don't you grab a mop? Why don't you help clean up?...
Get Your Mojo Here
I read two great articles I want to share. They are elaborations of a piece I posted a couple of weeks ago, about the confounding and stunning passivity...
The Poetry of Jalaluddin Rumi
Maybe you have already heard of the poet Rumi. In the US, translations of Rumi outsell all other poetry books combined. One factor contributing to his recent popularity might...
HATE IN AMERICA, Part 4: What Can Be Done to Combat Hate
Yesterday, March 2, 2010, the Southern Poverty Law center issued a new report on hate groups in America.
The report documents a 244 percent increase in the number of active...