This Week’s Torah Portion – Parashat Ekev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25)

Posted on August 13, 2011 by Luke Ford

I discuss the weekly Torah portion with Rabbi Rabbs this Monday at 12:30 pm PST on my live cam and on YouTube. Facebook Fan Page.

This week we study Parashat Ekev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25).

* This world is filled with goodness and you should enjoy it. You should have children. Having kids is a sign of optimism.

* Deut. 7:15: God will remove from you every illness. Is this true?

In a sense, if you don’t do destructive things like man-on-man bareback buttsex, you’ll likely be spared all sorts of diseases such as AIDS. Don’t share intravenous needles.

* No wonder that Jews have so much confidence. God tells them that if they follow Him, they will be the most blessed of peoples.

* Tapping into the wisdom of the Torah brings success, whether you are a Jew or a Gentile. Look at LeBron James who brought a rabbi with him to a major business transaction. The Torah is a book of wisdom and much of the wisdom is transmitted through its laws. The Torah is sacred to Christians as well as to Jews. If Muslims tapped into their Jewish roots, they’d become successful too.

* Deut. 8:9 “You will eat bread without poverty.” I can’t think of anything in Torah that says poverty is good. Material success is a worthy pursuit so long as it is done in accord with God’s commandments. Poverty sucks. Hunger sucks. Suffering sucks.

Artscroll: “The Land will have a thriving economy that will provide its population with the means to purchase whatever commodities they need.”

* Deut. 8:11. How can you know if someone believes in God? By how they behave. Do they observe God’s commandments?

If you believe in God, how would people know it from your behavior?

* Deut. 9:1. “You will drive out nations greater and mightier than you.” Reminds me of the success of the IDF against Israel’s more numerous enemies.

* Just like 3,200 years ago, Jews are once again in a conflict for the land of Israel with people who sacrifice their children to their gods.

* Moshe tells the Jews that they are not getting the land of Israel because they are so righteous. This has echoes to this day. It was secular Jews who founded the modern state of Israel.

* Moshe had an unparalleled relationship with God and yet he was angry and miserable much of the time. So you can have an amazing relationship with God and it is not enough. We need people too.

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Pico-Robertson Gets A New Shul – The LINK Shul

Posted on August 12, 2011 by Luke Ford

Email: With great and bursting praise to the Almighty, we formally announce the beginning of the New LINK Shul – an offshoot of the LINK Kollel.

Where will the shul be located?
In our Kollel, 1453 Robertson – corner of Saturn and Robertson. It is a beautiful space with a backyard area, two classrooms and a gorgeous sanctuary. We are in the process of beautiful renovations as well.

When does it start?
The 1st minyan begins with Shacharis on Thursday, September 1st at 6:45am. In general, Mon. and Th. mornings will be at 6:45am, Tues., Wed. and Fri. will be at 7am and Sun. at 8:15am.The 1st Shabbos minyan will begin on September 9-10th. Fri. Mincha will be 15 minutes before sundown; Shabbos mornings will start at 9am. We will have Mincha Sun. thru Th. at 2:15pm and Maariv at 9:30pm. There will also be a Mincha/ Maariv combined, beginning 15 minutes before sunset.

What are the membership costs?
Free. That’s correct. We certainly welcome and need donations, but we hope b’ezras Hashem for as long as we can, to keep the membership all free. To be a member, you must fill out a form which we will send out shortly. We will charge for seats for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. No one will be turned away for lack of funds for RH/YK – but we may sell out – so please reserve as soon as we open it up.

Will there be childcare/youth groups ?
Yes. We will have baby care on the shul premises and three childcare groups that will be staffed by energetic and responsible counselors under the supervision of experienced adults in a fantastic preschool facility that has an indoor/outdoor area

What type of shul will it be and whom do you expect to attend?
Warm and Serious. All different types of Jews – united by a desire to grow in their Judaism
Warm in that everyone will feel comfortable. Warm in that no one feels judged. Warm in that everyone will have a place for a Shabbos meal. Warm in that the mechitza allows women to see well while maintaining ideal halachic standards. Warm in that the LINK shul will have wonderful melodies and sweet singing. Warm in that the LINK shul seeks to develop community and connections.
Serious in that a shul is a place to pray to Hashem and the decorous davening will be assumed, not imposed. Serious in that the davening will not be shleppy and belabored. Serious in that you will feel like you are in a special space.

Are there any unique features to the shul?

1. Our wonderful Kollel Rabbis, Rebbitzens and their families form the nucleus of the community
2. Over Shabbos, there will be at least 8 distinct learning opportunities.
3. Every non-winter Shabbos, when feasible, we will have a women’s shiur in the Pico community. The first three shiurim will be given by Rebbitzen Batyah Brander on Yonah. Stay tuned for details
4. Every non-winter Shabbos, we will have father-son learning.
5. Approximately once a month, there will be a soulful, beautiful and extended Seudah Shlishis
6. During winter months, we will have an Oneg Shabbos 1-2 times a month
7. A serious teen minyan [for young men, 11-16] run by one of our Kollel Rabbis, to empower the youth
8. Approximately 4 beautiful Shabbatonim with outstanding and dynamic Torah personalities (including Rabbi Paysach Krohn)

Will there be shiurim during the week?
The LINK Shul is affiliated with the LINK Kollel. The Link Kollel will provide over 25 weekly shiurim (for men and women) and 50+ Chavrusa Slots. Got www.linkla.org for details

Will there be a Kiddush every week. If so, will it be a hot Kiddush?
Yes. We really hope so.

Does Pico need another shul?
We need at least as many shuls as restaurants. In truth, the Pico Robertson community is moving eastward and we seek to meet the growing demand of the vibrant Pico community.

Who will lead the minyan ?
Rabbi Asher Brander and Rabbi Eli Stern. Rabbi Brander has been the Rabbi of the Westwood Kehilla for the past 17 years, and Rebbe at YULA High School and Bnos Devorah for 21 years. He founded the LINK Kollel in 2002 . Rabbi Stern has been a shul Rabbi and an Outreach teacher for the past 24 years in 4 cities, including the last 15 in LA.

How can I help? How can I find out more?

We’ll let you know after Shabbos, in the meantime, enjoy Shabbos, and we look forward to joining your community really soon!!

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More Than 300,000 Israelis Protesting

Posted on August 12, 2011 by TheJewishChannel

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Erin Brockovich and the Beverly Hills: Greenscam by Norma Zager

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Luke Ford

From Amazon.com: “This timely exposé reveals Erin Brockovich’s role in inciting public fear regarding the oil well at Beverly Hills High School. The author describes how Brockovich’s methods to link the oil well with cancer occurrences in former students were suspect and questions the veracity of Brockovich’s claims, using interviews with subject experts and studies done by the Air Quality Management District and others to disprove them. Focusing upon the Beverly Hills case, the author positions Brockovich as the poster child for what she terms “green porn,” sexy Madison Avenue slant thats misleads citizens, distorts scientific information, and neither informs nor educates the public.”

A review: This book is a quick read. Zager takes you through each step in this high stakes game of chess between two formidable opponents like Erin Brockovich vs. the City of Beverly Hills. With children’s lives and family fears as the pawn. Brockovich cleverly uses the media and unsubstantiated science to exploit fear and panic into a community for what seemed to be a sure fire sequel to her namesake movie starring Julia Roberts. In stark contrast, you have a City Government and a tenacious citizenry hell bent on finding the truth. Norma Zager flushes out the fiction from the fact and exposes the movie deals, tabloid newscasters creating sweeps week sensationalism and the dollar signs being flirted to solicit plaintiffs. She is equally hard on a City Government who decades earlier signed a long term contract allowing for an oil well to be built on school property. Zager pulls no punches until she exposes the truth.

Another review: An oil well was located on the playing field of Beverly Hills High School, installed long before the high school was built. People could smell the emissions from the well all the time (although it was determined by air quality technicians that it was safe to breathe). When legal assistant/environmental crusader Brockovich determined that a “more than average” number of BHHS alumni were dying of cancer, she commissioned an air quality test which ultimately resulted in a law suit against the oil companies, the City of Beverly Hills, and its school district. It also resulted in a movie with lots of cash flowing to Brockovich and her team.

Ms. Zager was working for the “Beverly Hills Courier” at the time and she began her own investigation. Zager came to believe Brockovich was misdirecting worried families and the media with her unfounded allegations. Brockovich refused to answer questions like “Who did the air sampling and could we have a copy of the results?”. Zager’s book presents the results of her investigation with a journalistic (just the facts, ma’am) eye, including many interviews with all the parties involved on both sides of the issue.

Luke: There was much hysteria on Pico Blvd by members of the big shuls because of an oil rig on Pico and Doheny Blvd.

Norma Zager was on Dennis Prager’s radio show today.

Norma: “Parents were terrified. You struggled to afford to live in Beverly Hills to give your kids a good education and now someone is telling you that you are killing your children.”

“There are certain types of emissions that they can link to oil wells, such as benzine, that lead to higher rates of cancer but how much has to be released before they become harmful to a person’s health? You’re talking about an oil rig 165 feet up in the air? By the time these emissions fall to the ground, they’ve dissipated quite a bit so they’re intensity is not as harmful as someone breathing closing to it.”

There were many years of legal posturing until a settlement was rich.

Erin Brockovich and her trial lawyers had to pay the city of Beverly Hills almost $500,000 because they lost in summary judgment. The oil companies settled, paying out tens of millions of dollars. At the end of the day, it’s beneficial to sue because you will get money.

The Jewish Journal published Jan. 13, 2000:

A battle against an oil company ignited by a handful of Jewish mothers and grandmothers has grown into community-wide demand for more accountability and honesty from both Breitburn Energy, and city and state monitoring agencies.
Breitburn remains confounded by the demonstrations and petitions against its application to expand and modernize a drill site at the corner of Pico and Doheny, in the middle of the heavily Orthodox Pico-Robertson neighborhood.

Neighbors for a Safe Environment (NASE) is calling Breitburn to task over its proposal to increase production from 1,200 to 3,000 barrels of oil a day by moving from a schedule of 10 business days a month to 24 hours a day, year-round to perform the vital workover operations that keep the wells pumping. Breitburn has included in the expansion proposal plans to replace a diesel workover rig with an electric one; to build a 175-foot tower (about 18 stories) to enclose that derrick; to erect other structures to enclose most operations; and to raise the perimeter wall extending on Pico from Doheny to Cardiff from 12 ft to 25 ft. All these measures are meant to mitigate the noise and pollution emanating from the site.

I cover real estate, refinance and mortgages at the following blog:

August 13, 2011

August 9, 2011

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20 Years Since The Crown Heights Pogrom

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Luke Ford

Former New York Times reporter Ari Goldman writes:

Yet, when I picked up the paper, the article I read was not the story I had reported. I saw headlines that described the riots in terms solely of race. “Two Deaths Ignite Racial Clash in Tense Brooklyn Neighborhood,” the Times headline said. And, worse, I read an opening paragraph, what journalists call a “lead,” that was simply untrue:
“Hasidim and blacks clashed in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn through the day and into the night yesterday.”
In all my reporting during the riots I never saw — or heard of — any violence by Jews against blacks. But the Times was dedicated to this version of events: blacks and Jews clashing amid racial tensions. To show Jewish culpability in the riots, the paper even ran a picture — laughable even at the time — of a chasidic man brandishing an open umbrella before a police officer in riot gear. The caption read: “A police officer scuffling with a Hasidic man yesterday on President Street.”
I was outraged but I held my tongue. I was a loyal Times employee and deferred to my editors. I figured that other reporters on the streets were witnessing parts of the story I was not seeing.
But then I reached my breaking point. On Aug. 21, as I stood in a group of chasidic men in front of the Lubavitch headquarters, a group of demonstrators were coming down Eastern Parkway. “Heil Hitler,” they chanted. “Death to the Jews.”
Police in riot gear stood nearby but did nothing.

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The Conservative View On The Labor Riots

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Luke Ford

Dennis Prager endorses this column by Max Hastings:

They are essentially wild beasts. I use that phrase advisedly, because it seems appropriate to young people bereft of the discipline that might make them employable; of the conscience that distinguishes between right and wrong.
They respond only to instinctive animal impulses — to eat and drink, have sex, seize or destroy the accessible property of others.
Their behaviour on the streets resembled that of the polar bear which attacked a Norwegian tourist camp last week. They were doing what came naturally and, unlike the bear, no one even shot them for it.
A former London police chief spoke a few years ago about the ‘feral children’ on his patch — another way of describing the same reality.

Dennis: As soon as you hear the word “hopeless”, you know you’ve entered the planet of leftism. What hope do they not have? They have hope to have room and board. They’re not living on the street. They’re not starving.

The left’s view is that you can explain everything by economics. My view is that you can explain almost everything by someone’s values. Knowing someone’s values, I can tell you whether or not they will rape and steal.

Which would you think would insure me that these looters would lead a productive life and hurt people less? An active religious life or twice the regular amount of money from the government?

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What’s Wrong With Kids Picking Berries?

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Luke Ford

I used to pick berries when I was a kid. I remember picking blackberries at Pacific Union College from age 11 on.

Kids are good at picking berries. They’ve got the little fingers adept at reaching into vines and brambles and making dainty little picks.

I don’t think we need government intervention to make this illegal. If a parent puts his seven-year-old kid out to work picking berries, that is the choice of the parent.

Who should raise kids? Parents or the government? The left wants you to have as little to do with the raising of your kids as possible. The left does not even want you to make your kids lunch because you might put in unhealthy foods.

Here’s the top story right now on Drudge:

Nearly two years after ABC News cameras uncovered young children toiling away in Michigan’s blueberry fields, federal investigators have found yet another disturbing example of illegal use of child labor in the berry industry.

Three southwest Washington strawberry growers were fined $73,000 last week after the U.S. Department of Labor found children between the ages of six and 11 working in their strawberries fields in June.

While an exemption in the federal child labor law allows 12- and 13-year-olds to work for unlimited hours on large agricultural operations, children under the age of 12 are strictly prohibited from working under similar conditions.

A caller on Dennis Prager’s radio show today protested this song and its suggestive lyrics.

Well now we call this the act of mating but…
There are several other very important differences
Between human beings and anmials you should know about

I’d appreciate it in the b_tt

Sweat baby sweat baby
Sex is a Texas drop me
Can you do the kind of stuff that only friends would sing about
So put your hands down my pants and I bet you’ll feel nuts
Yes I’m Sisco, Yes I’m Ebert and you’re getting two thumbs up
You’ve had enough of two hand touch
You want it rough you’re out of bounds
I want you smoothered want you covered
Like my waffle house hash browns
Come quick like fed ex
Irridgenate like fex
Just like cuticle cost stock
You are inclined to make me rise an hour early
Just like day light savings time

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How Much Do You Tense Up When You Simply Think About Standing?

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Luke Ford

Bob Lada, an Alexander Technique teacher in Cambridge, Massachusetts, tells Robert Rickover: “When I say stand up, I want you to start to stand up but not actually do it and sense what is going on. Go ahead, stand up now.

“You probably felt something there. The feeling wasn’t there at some time, it intensified, and it started to fade. All without any actual standing.”

Robert: “I felt some tension in my neck and my legs. That’s an exercise I use with students too. Get them to do everything that’s involved in an activity except the activity itself.”

Bob: “You get to the verge. You have that intensity. It’s not there and then it’s really there. Then it starts to fade.

“I bring in some choice when I tell them it’s OK to stand up the next time but I want you to pick the moment when the intensity starts to fade to start to move. Normally you would stand up immediately when that tension starts to rise. We’re going to let it rise through its cycle, start to drop, and then to stand up then.

“That exercise starts a dialogue with the student about what it means to move when you get a stimulus. Then you can start to play with what it feels like in your process to move.”

“Here’s another exercise. Get a sense of your awareness. How far it goes to your left and to your right. In front of you and behind you. Above and below. In a moment, I’m going to tell you to stand. Don’t stand but check in to see what the boundaries of your awareness are.

“OK. Stand up now. Did your range of awareness change?”

Robert: “It narrowed in.”

“An exercise where the person doesn’t do the activity is a nice way to discover the tension patterns or the visual constriction patterns or the narrowing of your field of vision patterns that accompany an act such as standing up or hitting a baseball. If you were doing the activity, the movement would tend to swamp the subtle things you would want someone to notice. Asking someone to think about doing something but to not actually do it is a good way of discovering the subtle restrictions we tend to add to ordinary activities.”

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Is Sex Without Love OK?

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Luke Ford

Prior to my conversion to Orthodox Judaism, I sought as much sex as possible (without spending much time, money, effort or dignity), but I’ve always hated illegal drugs and have shied away from people who indulge in them.

Robert Kurzban writes in Psychology Today:

You might think it’s all about personality, and ask about their “openness to new experiences” or some such. You could go the religious route, and ask about how often they go to religious services…

But here’s the best one: “Is sex without love OK?”

If they answer yes, it is OK, then you can predict with a certain degree of accuracy that they will be in favor of legalizing pot. If they answer no, then, obviously the reverse.

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The Mommy Track

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Luke Ford

Kate posts: “I’m not a mommy-track type, but I can see the appeal. If you want to earn more money, learn to demand it. Or negotiate, to use a nicer word. When I was a producer, I was, frankly, very aggressive about $$–and almost all male bosses paid up. Female bosses were somewhat surprised that we were discussing anything as icky as pay rates.”

Kay Hymowitz writes: Early this past spring, the White House Council on Women and Girls released a much-anticipated report called Women in America. One of its conclusions struck a familiar note: today, as President Obama said in describing the document, “women still earn on average only about 75 cents for every dollar a man earns. That’s a huge discrepancy.”

It is a huge discrepancy. It’s also an exquisite example of what journalist Charles Seife has dubbed “proofiness.” Proofiness is the use of misleading statistics to confirm what you already believe. Indeed, the 75-cent meme depends on a panoply of apple-to-orange comparisons that support a variety of feminist policy initiatives, from the Paycheck Fairness Act to universal child care, while telling us next to nothing about the well-being of women.

This isn’t to say that all is gender-equal in the labor market. It is not. It also isn’t to imply that discrimination against women doesn’t exist or that employers shouldn’t get more creative in adapting to the large number of mothers in the workplace. It does and they should. But by severely overstating and sensationalizing what is a universal predicament (I’m looking at you, Sweden and Iceland!), proofers encourage resentment-fueled demands that no government anywhere has ever fulfilled—and that no government ever will.

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