The Evolving Jew

Meaningful and comfortable fast to all. May we mourn whatever aspect of galut we find meaningful to mourn, but do it together . That's the most important thing.

This morning, while looking for the weather channel, I came across a segment about the Israeli medical system. It turned out to be a segment of The 700 Club, with Pat Robertson. They were praising how good a system of medical care Israel has. Then Pat mentioned how wonderful it is that when you look at the US medical system, the top ranks are heavily populated with Jews. Wait a second, isn't that major stereotyping? Well, if so, I'm happier with that stereotype than the old one, where we're all greedy moneylenders. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

I used to blog under the name "Yehudi Hilchati " on a blog of the same name. Around a year ago, I wrote there: . Should I blog under my own name? . I've always been a little uncomfortable with anonymous blogging. But I do it anyway, for the reasons outlined below. I've written stuff here that I probably wouldn't want my family or some members of my community to know of. Though I'm not a full-blown skeptic, I've expressed enough opinions on the documentary hypothesis and the origins of Judaism to earn the title of " apikores " by strictly traditional standards. I've also written some left-of-center opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian issue that while relatively moderate, would provoke massive arguments with my right wing (on that issue) family if they knew about it. So all in all, blogging anonymously allows me to express my opinions without fear of repercussions . On the other hand, blogging anonymously keeps me from e

Cross-posted on DovBear Gil Student, over at Hirhurim , recently posted “a loose translation of notes from lectures by R. Joseph B. Soloveitchik” examining the issue of whether women can be slaughterers (shochatot). Gil, in his introduction, links it to the issue of women Rabbis and concludes that if shochatot are not allowed, neither are female Rabbis. The Rav brings a number of sources that essentially prohibit women slaughterers based on the fact that a shochet is a communal position and women cannot hold communal positions. But the Shulchan Aruch writes that women can be shochatot. The Rama, however, says that they may not serve in that capacity because the custom is that they haven't been doing so. That seems like an extremely poor and circular argument. We don't allow it because we haven't been allowing it. So all the arguments against women slaughterers seem to be based only on social considerations, not solid halacha. And many do allow women to slaughter for thems

Who says the Arab world has no democracies? "Since 1987, Tunisia has gradually reformed its political system, it has abolished life presidency and opened up parliament to opposition parties." And despite the fact that they hosted the PLO for so many years, it seems like they have a history of friendliness towards Israel: "President Bourguiba was the first Arab leader to call for the recognition of Israel in a speech in Jericho in 1965. " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisia#Present-day_politics In the 90's they even had good ties towards Israel, but that's deteriorated since 2000. Maybe it'll improve again, as their democratic values would seem a natural way to provide motive for rapprochement.