Shabbat shalom! I was going to begin this week with a tip of the kipah to The JNR, honoring it’s fourth year anniversary, but news events have pushed levity to the back burner, at least for the week.
As I write this posting, Israel is at war with the Hamas. “Citizens of Israel, we are at war,” Netanyahu said in a video statement posted about 11 a.m. Israeli time (4 a.m. ET). “This morning Hamas initiated a murderous surprise attack against the State of Israel and its Citizens.” The attack from Gaza came almost exactly 50 years after the Syria and Egypt invaded Israel on Oct. 6, 1973 in what became known as the Yom Kippur War. As in that war, Israel’s enemies again used the Jewish calendar against it today, striking on the holiday of Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah, the culmination of the weeklong harvest festival of Sukkot and a three-week holiday period. Netanyahu promised to exact “an unprecedented price” from Islamic militants in the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning, after Israel awoke to a devastating deadly attack that included more than 2,200 rockets and ground invasions into southern Israeli communities. Officials said that at least 40 Israelis had been confirmed dead, according to Israeli news reports, and scores more hospitalized with serious injuries. The Times of Israelreported that gun battles were still raging Saturday afternoon inside Israel between soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces and Palestinian fighters, and that Hamas claimed to have abducted a number of Israelis. Nine hours into the deadly assault from Gaza, gunmen remain in “a number of Israeli communities.” Let’s hope the IDF can end this assault and protect Israel from any more killings. Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, the news back home this week has been an unrelenting series of shit shows that left my brain a whirling dervish in need of some serious settling sedatives that might also temper my abuse of literary alliteration. MAGA madness continued with the ouster of Kevin, leaving us with a Sophie’s Choice of two other MAGA flame throwers to replace him and also leaving us with a classic case of “the devil you know” syndrome. While all of this was going on we find out the orange turd was spewing secrets about our nuclear submarines to an Australian golf buddy who decided to share said secrets with about 45 of his closest friends. Good thing Melania updated her pre-nup to make sure she gets her fair share of the turd’s grossly exaggerated wealth since the a-hole will probably be spending more time in the jailhouse than the Whitehouse. Fingers crossed.
But stay positive people! After all, it’s Fat Bear week! I promised Sandy I would not include another shot of my own bearish stomach ever again, but the temptation has gotten the better of me. I have a worse than fat chance of competing against these brawny bears but I so enjoy the opportunity! I have decided to put off another version of my PILOS diet plan in order to gear up and fatten up for the competition. For more information on Fat Bear Week, and for those of you interested in casting your vote, here is a link to the website. I am not on the ballot this year, but am throwing my heavy support to Holly.
Cast your vote for the biggest belly!
Now, what about all those other Jewy bits of journalism? Here then, finally, is your weekly buffet of baffling, beguiling, and better news for the Jews copied and pasted from the likes of The Forward, Kveller, Times of Israel, The Jewish Chronicle, JTA, and other reputable sources of all things Jewish-y.
- Feinstein, a ‘proud member’ of her synagogue, to be buried at Jewish cemetery –Funeral services for the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein were livestreamed Thursday afternoon, and featured a San Francisco rabbi, Jonathan Singer, who told the Forward that he’d remember Feinstein as “a woman of valor who showed us how to comfort San Francisco when it was in need, and how to be courageous and stand up for justice.” The funeral was originally planned as a public event at the city’s Herbst Theater but those plans were changed due to unspecified “increased security concerns.” Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to speak at the memorial. President Joe Biden did not attend but mourners heard a recording of his remarks. I just wish she hadn’t emulated RBG and decided to do a face plant at her office vs retiring gracefully. Read the story ➤
- 20 U.S. senators raise concerns to Biden about Saudi demands, urge two-state solution’s preservation – The letter — led by Sens. Chris Murphy, Chris Van Hollen, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin and Peter Welch — is the most detailed elaboration from the Democratic Party on Biden’s efforts to date, showcasing the uphill climb the president faces in hopes of securing domestic support for his efforts. “There’s a version of this agreement that’s good for the United States, and there’s a version that could run contrary to our security interests in the region,” Murphy said ahead of the letter’s release. Read the story
- Trudeau says Canada looking at making secret Nazi files public – Answering a call many Jewish Canadians have been making for decades, the prime minister said Wednesday he is looking into declassifying information from a 1980s commission that investigated and largely exonerated Ukrainian immigrants who fought for Germany in World War II and relocated to Canada. It’s the latest development in a scandal that broke out last month when the Canadian parliament honored a veteran who fought with the Nazis. Read the story ➤
- How a Jewish high school student is fighting back against book banning in Florida – Iris Mogul, 16, founded the Banned Books Club this summer in response to the book bans sweeping across Florida’s schools and libraries. “I wanted to start it, one, just to create a community to talk about beautiful writing,” she said. “And then, two, as an act of resistance.” The kids may be all right after all! Read the story ➤
- This movie tells the true story of a 6-year-old Jewish boy — baptized, kidnapped and raised by the Pope: Now playing at the New York Film Festival, Marco Bellocchio’s Kidnapped chronicles the infamous 1858 abduction of Edgardo Mortara, whose case spurred international outrage. Conveyed with gorgeous period details, the drama has a blistering anger at its core, but also embraces the ambiguity of Mortara’s life. “Belief, it argues, is a more mysterious force than the mortal zealots who serve as its agents,” writes The Forward’s PJ Grisar. Read his review ➤
- A nude dating show is a controversial hit. But is it actually sinful — biblically speaking? A slow reveal of six ancient penises, stirring mutely like naked mole rats dropped on a barber’s shop floor lifts Naked Attraction to be the most-watched show on the streaming platform Max?! Can’t imagine yourself tuning in to watch host Anna Richardson turning sideface and saying: “Would you have a go on that?” or, “Which vulva draws you in?” It may sound crude, but the contestants’ lack of embarrassment (the bodies on the show cover a wide spectrum) brings us back to Adam and Eve, argues The Forward’s Mira Fox. “It’s the shame that they acquire by eating the fruit of knowledge that seems to be the source of sin — not the nudity.” Read the story ➤
On that crazy note, let’s call it a week. And don’t forget to vote for your favorite fat bear, and, as always, let’s be careful out there!
Brad out.
Jew News Review 