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Haveil Havalim, post-Ki Teitzei steamroller edition.

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Ever been hit by a steamroller?

No, I haven’t either, don’t worry.

But as a parent sending kids back to school, with all of the shopping and meetings and shlepping that that entails, I have given myself permission to take a couple of weeks off from blogging.

Happily, these other bloggers haven’t quit, so I hope they can bring you up to speed on what’s happening in the world.

I will be back.  Even back-to-school can’t defeat me.

Meanwhile…

What is HH, anyway?

imageThis is a weekly roundup of what’s new and great in the Jewish / Israel blogging world.  If you haven’t checked out these great blogs yet, you really should. 

As usual, I have split the links up into arbitrary categories, different from the arbitrary category names I made up last time, just to keep things interesting.  Enjoy!

NOTE:  If your post(s) of yours are included here, be friendly and visit 2-3 other blogs listed here.  I’ve done my best to make them all sound tempting and fun.  Leave a comment to let them know you were there.

 

Warriors

During Tzuk Eitan (Operation Protective Edge), we heard a lot about Israel’s courageous lone soldiers, but not so much from them (because they were probably a bit busy!).  What’s it like being a lone soldier?  Aryeh tells us over at Aryeh Comes Home, in On With the Show.

Speaking of Tzuk Eitan, you’ve probably seen Joan Rivers’ viral and spirited defense of Israel.  If you haven’t yet, you should.  It’s become even more poignant in light of her death last week at 81.  Read all about attorney, columnist and political commentator Debbie Schlussel’s behind-the-scenes meeting with Rivers in Joan Rivers, Proud American, Proud Pro-Israel Jew, Z”L; My Great Meeting w/ Her.

Written before the ceasefire, but still achingly relevant, Yoel Meltzer at Towards a New Jewish Mindset suggests in The God Factor that “without ideas such as the “will of God” or the collective mission of the Jewish people…Israel will forever be stuck in a box of “they kill, we kill, they kill” with no way out.”

imageFinally, were there any greater warriors for Torah than the nevi’im, Israel’s ancient prophets?  Yet I’ve got to admit, I’ve always found their stories deathly dull.  For sure, I never thought I’d be writing a story based in the Tanach – and yet I have.  Check out these images and the “secret” backstory for my new kids’ book Elijah and the Priests of Baal, plus more on writing fiction for kids based on Biblical stories (an excerpt from an upcoming book for grown-up writers) on my Write Kids’ Books blog.

Controversies

Why give up American citizenship?  Most olim don’t, but after 17 years here, Yaaqov Ben Yehudah decided it was time.  Find out why in American, No More at the Times of Israel blogs. 

If you were planning to renounce your U.S. citizenship, however, it may be too late for you, because the fee goes through the roof in a few days.  As Esser Agoroth says in 400% Fee Hike for Renunciation of U. S. Citizenship in Effect on Sept. 12, 2014, “With this hike in fee for renunciation of citizenship, it seems to me that the prison just got a lot harder to break out of.”

Fluoride in the water – a good thing or a bad thing?  Israel has taken sides and stopped fluoridating its drinking water supply as of August 26.  Read all about it and weigh in with your views over at Esser Agoroth in Israel Bans Fluoridation of Its Drinking Water.

At Shiloh Musings, Batya reflects on the meaning of Rachel Corrie’s tragic death more than ten years ago in light of recent events in The “Rachel Corrie” terrorist peers.  Was Corrie a peaceful innocent, an unwitting shill set up by her Arab friends, or a fully-aware and trained militant abetting terrorism?  We may never know.

(Note:  I chose my steamroller metaphor / image at the top of this post before I saw the title or content of this post and it should not in ANY way be interpreted as a joke or reference about Corrie’s fate, which was unfortunate in every way.  Thanks for understanding.)

Should we welcome all volunteers who want to dedicate their time and energy to helping Israel?  Not necessarily, suggests Geula Girl at Esav Exposed, who reveals some shocking truths about one family of Christian volunteers in MEET THE GROAT FAMILY, HAYOVEL VOLUNTEERS.

Devash responds to these and other spiritual predators over at Tomer Devorah in Xians Don't Change Their Spots, They Just Disguise Them, saying “While we've always had to deal with their best efforts to convert us, not since the Crusades have we had to defend our land from the grasping hands of Xians.”  He follows up with a second post on this issue called Path to Intermarriage and Assimilation This Way.

Journeys

Batya, no stranger to holy ascents, undertakes a significant spiritual journey – one I believe all Jews should make – over at Shiloh Musings in My First Aliyah li'Har HaBayit, Ascending The Temple Mount #2.

Here’s a pre-holiday post from Rickismom at Beneath the Wings, who writes in Ballet / Making Time for Ourselves, “I see so many women my age struggling to “do it all”, doing everything that they have done in the past.” I think more of us should follow her example and do less cooking this holiday season and take in more ballet.

And in this week’s timely message from Rav Kook, shared by Itzchak over at Ha’Orot – The Lights of Rav Kook, “The primary role of of tshuva…is for the person to return to their true selves, to the root of their soul.”  A theme we should all take to heart over the next few weeks.  Read more in HA’OROT-OROT HA’TSHUVA:THE LIGHTS OF RETURN.

And finally, because it didn’t really fit in any of my 3 arbitrary categories, though she sort of journeys to work each day: 

It’s the perfect job… almost!  Over at me-ander, Batya reflects on the one thing wrong with her job in I Love My Job, But…

Shavua Tov - Have a great week!

Tzivia / צִיבְיָה


2 comments:

  1. Thanks for hosting, and for including my submissions.

    Haveil Havalim, Post-Ki Teitzei Steamroller Edition Is Up

    The correct title and link for my post on Israel's Ban on Fluoridation is Israel Bans Fluoridation of its Drinking Water.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This has been corrected. Thanks for pointing it out.

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