At Yom Kippur services yesterday, I announced to my congregation that I will be traveling to Iran on an interfaith peace delegation next month. I devoted the majority of my remarks to our current conflict with Iran, and why I have been so deeply frustrated with our government’s and the Jewish community’s response to this [...]
Archive for the ‘Iran’ Category
Understanding Iran, Facing our Fears: A Sermon for Yom Kippur
Posted in Global Activism, High Holidays, Interfaith, Iran, Israel, Peace, Politics, Religion, Sermons on October 10, 2008 | 2 Comments »
The Iran Circus Comes to Town
Posted in Iran, Israel, Politics, Politics/Middle East, War on September 21, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Get ready for an unbelievable din when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad comes to town next week.
For its part, the Jewish community is contributing its share to the political noise making with all the brouhaha over Sarah Palin’s invitation (and subsequent disinvitation) from a Jewish community protest against Iran on Monday. Tellingly, through all of the Jewish coverage [...]
Basketball Diplomacy
Posted in Current Events, Iran, Israel, News, Politics, Politics/Middle East on August 11, 2008 | 1 Comment »
For me, the first truly inspiring news from the Beijing Summer Olympics had nothing to do with athletic achievement. It occurred when David Blatt, the Israeli coach of the Russian basketball team made a point of shaking the hands with and embracing the captain of the Iranian team after a game.
The American-born Blatt [...]
Pistachio Sedition Raging in Israel
Posted in Food, Iran, Israel, Politics on June 19, 2008 | 3 Comments »
A recent article in YNet revealed this ironic nugget: the US Ambassador to Israel has sent a letter to Israeli Finance Minister Ronnie Bar-On, excoriating Israel for illegally consuming Iranian pistachios nuts:
The US ambassador’s letter reveals another amazing fact: Israel is the largest per capita consumer of the pistachio. “I am writing to draw your [...]
Call For Diplomacy!
Posted in Iran, Israel, Peace, Politics, Politics/Middle East, War on June 10, 2008 | 2 Comments »
If Iran continues with its program for developing nuclear weapons, we will attack it. The sanctions are ineffective. Attacking Iran, in order to stop its nuclear plans, will be unavoidable. (Israeli Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz)
In the next 10 years, during which (Iran) might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we would be able to [...]
Hitchin’ a Ride on the Hagee Train
Posted in American Judaism, Elections 2008, Holocaust, Interfaith, Iran, Israel, Politics, Religion, Religion/Politics, Zionism on May 28, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Pastor John Hagee’s outfit, Christians United For Israel is gearing up for their annual summit next month, and if you need to be reminded of just how troubling CUFI’s views are, check out journalist Max Blumenthal’s video report on last year’s summit. It includes the truly horrifying testimonials of Hagee’s followers [...]
Rabbi Lynn on the Radio
Posted in Iran, Judaism, Nonviolence, Peace, Religion on May 16, 2008 | No Comments »
Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb (of whom I wrote a few posts ago) was interviewed on Chicago Public Radio’s program Worldview today. She spoke extensively about her recent trip to Iran with the Fellowship of Reconciliation. Among other things, she has a great deal of insight to share about her experiences with the Jewish community [...]
Shomer Shalom - A Jewish Path of Nonviolence
Posted in Iran, Judaism, Nonviolence, Orgs You Should Support, Peace, Religion, War on May 14, 2008 | No Comments »
I’m proud to say that the Founder’s Gathering of Shomer Shalom - a new organization promoting a Jewish path of nonviolence - will take place this weekend at JRC from May 15-18. This important new effort was created by Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb (above), who has been “walking the peace walk” Jewishly for decades now. Shomer [...]
Back on the Syria Track?
Posted in Iran, Israel, Peace, Politics, Politics/Middle East, Syria on April 24, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Could there be something in the air between Israel and Syria? We’ve receiving reports that the two countries have been back channeling with the help of Turkey for some time - and now Syrian President Assad has told a Qatar newspaper that Turkish involvement had yielded an Israeli offer to withdraw from the Golan [...]
Resist the Politics of Fear!
Posted in Current Events, Elections 2008, Fear, Iran, Politics, Terrorism on April 22, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.
(Dorothy Thompson)
You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.
(Eleanor Roosevelt)
The world is a narrow bridge, but the main thing is not to fear.
(Rabbi Nachman of Breslov)
I’m offering the [...]
