I think there are four primary reasons, both external and internal.
1. Once the Roman Empire became Christian, Jews and Judaism were essentially declared enemies of the state. It is very hard to advocate a message when you are fighting for your life.
2. Jews, therefore, became preoccupied with survival. When a man is drowning, his one concern is not drowning. Nothing else occupies his mind. Unfortunately, Jewish preoccupation with survival continues to the present day, even where, as in America and Israel, Jews are free to advocate the Torah’s values.
3. Jews and Judaism became increasingly insular as much of Jewish law became preoccupied with having Jews avoid interactions with non-Jews (nonkosher wine is an example).
4. Halachah, Jewish law, became so all-encompassing that it became an end unto itself; indeed, it became the very purpose of a Jewish life. As a result, the religious Jew came to be defined quantitatively — i.e., by how many ritual laws he observed. The more laws a Jew observed, the more “religious,” the more authentically Jewish, he was and is perceived to be.
What, specifically, are Jews supposed to be advocating?
The answers lie primarily in those five books known as the Torah and, secondarily, in the rest of the Jewish Bible.
It looks like NPR has done the right thing about its Juan Williams firing debacle. The woman who fired him has left NPR and NPR’s CEO has been reprimanded.
As the British say, “You can’t get fairer than that!”
I hope the Republicans in Congress will cut off NPR’s government funding.
Ellen Weiss agreed to step down as senior vice president for news after 28 years with the radio network. Weiss had fired Williams for his comments on Fox News about fearing some Muslims who board airliners with him.
The Williams’ termination set off a furor and an admission by NPR Chief Executive Vivian Schiller that Williams had been let go too quickly, without a face-to-face meeting. The NPR board began a review and announced the results Thursday.
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Schiller has been admonished for her part in the controversy and will not receive a bonus for 2010, according to a statement from the NPR board that was e-mailed to employees Thursday afternoon.
A team of Israeli researchers believes that tears, in addition to everything else they convey, send a sexual message that can be summarized as: “Now’s not a good time.” In a study published online Thursday by the journal Science, the researchers report that men who sniff tears cried by sad women experience a temporary decline in both sexual arousal and circulating testosterone, a hormone tied to libido.
Each woman chose a movie to elicit crying, watching it in private and collecting her own tears. By far the most successful tear-inducer was the dying scene in “The Champ,” a 1979 film starring Jon Voight about an over-the-hill boxer making a comeback in order to provide a better future for his son, whom he is raising on his own.
“That scene is a winner,” Sobel said. “Emotion labs all over the world use it to establish sad mood.”
Other reliable tear-jerkers were the Italian film “La Vita E’ Bella” (“Life Is Beautiful”), “Terms of Endearment,” “When a Man Loves a Woman” and the Israeli movie “Broken Wings.”
On Dennis Prager’s show Jan. 5, Alison Armstrong said: “A man’s safety lies in his productivity, his ability to produce results. If a man is trusted and respected, he has the biggest access to productivity. You’ll bring out the worst in a man if you disrespect him (particularly publicly) or distrust him.”
“What makes a woman feel safe is when she feels connected.”
Dennis: “If my wife were to differ with me a lot, I would think the connection were breaking.”
Alison: “A man’s opinions are very different from a woman’s opinions. More precisely, the masculine relationship to opinions is different from the feminine relationship to opinions. If you ask me for my opinion, you will get my opinion in the moment. There’s no commitment involved. If you ask a man what he thinks, you will get a product of his values and the information he trusts. His values are who he is. He puts together who he is with the information he has validated over a lifetime, so he forms opinions. So every opinion he has is the best he has to offer.”
“A man’s opinions are always an expression of himself. So he’s invested in them and that’s why he defends them.”
“When I tell a woman I agree with her, I know we’re going to have a moment of connection. Our eyes light up and we know it’s going to be awesome.”
“Conservative and liberal are really masculine and feminine. Conservative means to protect and to provide, the masculine job. To protect and then to provide. The feminine is all about enhancing the quality of life for everyone.”
Dennis: Conservative women tend to vote on the conservative side because they are already protectors.
Alison: “Being a mother means being a protector. It’s very masculine being a mother.”
How does a man express his beliefs without disconnecting from his woman?
Alison: “You have to express things that are in the background for you. You have to say, I have this position because I care about you, because I am committed to protecting you. Because I care about the family’s welfare.”
Dennis: “So if I support capitol punishment and my wife opposes it, I should say, ‘Honey, the reason I support capitol punishment is because I want to protect this wonderful family.'”
Alison: “Yes! If you articulate your commitment, I am reminded of your love for me and that your opinion comes from there.”
Dennis: “Bring your macro position into the micro. ‘Honey, I am for smaller government because it will give our family more opportunity.'”
Alison: “Men are energy conservers. Why waste energy stating the obvious? If you want to get along with women, always state the obvious.”
Dennis: “There is a girl named Dina. I was 18. She was 19. We went out the whole summer. We were counselors at a summer camp. She set my life on its course because she listened to me and affirmed what I believed.”
Alison: “When a man expresses an opinion, instead of asking yourself constantly, ‘Do I agree with that?’, instead, listen to learn. Ask yourself — What matters to him? What does he really care about? What is he showing me that is at the heart of who he really is?
“When you express an opinion, you reveal yourself, which is why a man won’t express an opinion to someone he doesn’t respect. If he’s revealing himself by telling you his opinions, that tells you he does care about, that you are someone worth spending energy on. If you listen for what matters to him, you’ll learn that what matters is taking care of his family. That will make you feel safer and more secure because you will find out what is behind his opinion.”
“You’ll be better informed and better able to predict him because men act on their opinions.”
Jan. 6. Dennis: “The rating system is for kids. It should not be your guide. There are PG-13 films that are unbelievably raunchy and pointless and vapid.”
“I don’t think there’s an NC-17 movie worth seeing.”
Thursday, January 06, 2011 Radio Show
H1: Movie Ratings
Prager H1: Dennis argues that religious adults should not be so rigid as to miss worthwhile R rated movies like “The King’s Speech.” He also makes the case that parents should expose their age appropriate children to important R rated films like “Schindler’s List.” Callers weigh in.
Thursday, January 06, 2011 Radio Show
H2: Basic Sowell
Prager H2: Dennis talks to the great Thomas Sowell, scholar in residence at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. His essential book Basic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy has now been issued in a 4th edition.
Thursday, January 06, 2011 Radio Show
H3: Danger in Pakistan
Prager H3: The assassination of a liberal politician in Pakistan is deeply disturbing. The murderer was not greeted with universal condemnation; on the contrary, the he’s been praised by Islamists, showered with rose petals on his way to court… The ACLU is trying to bring down another cross, this time in San Diego. The liberal 9th Circuit Court is always ready to lend a hand. What does a war memorial cross have to do with the government promoting one religion over another?
Wednesday, January 05, 2011 Radio Show
H1: Is Death Penalty Still Viable?
Prager H1: Dennis debates David Garland, Professor of Law and Professor of Sociology at New York University. His new book is Peculiar Institution: America’s Death Penalty in an Age of Abolition.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011 Radio Show
H2: Male/Female Hour: Alison Armstrong on Breaking the Code
Prager H2: Dennis talks to relationship expert and regular Male/Female hour guest, Alison Armstrong, about how men and women hear the same words differently and how they can get on the same wavelength.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011 Radio Show
H3: The Republican Congress
Prager H3: John Boehner was sworn in as the new Speaker of the House. In turn, he welcomed the new Republican Majority. They have their work cut out for them… Egypt is headed down a very dangerous path, blaming anything that goes wrong on Israel…A hero in Pakistan, a regional governor, a liberal reformer, was murdered by a member of his own guard.
Thursday, January 06, 2011 | Posted by: Allen Estrin at 2:23 PM
This is the biggest story of the year, so far. And it’s very disturbing. If Pakistan falls, the consequences will be very grim, not just for Pakistan, but for the world, too.
Thursday, January 06, 2011 | Posted by: Allen Estrin at 1:09 PM
Dennis talks to the greatThomas Sowell, scholar in residence at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. His essential book Basic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy has now been issued in a 4th edition.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011 | Posted by: Allen Estrin at 12:14 PM
Dennis talks to David Garland, Professor of Law and Professor of Sociology at New York University. His new book is Peculiar Institution: America’s Death Penalty in an Age of Abolition
Monday, January 03, 2011 | Posted by: Allen Estrin at 2:11 PM
The President used the Congressional recess to appointment an ambassador to Syria for the first time since Syria orchestrated the assassination of the prime minister of Lebanon in 2005. The very measured Michael Young calls it foolish, but it’s clear that he thinks it’s stupid and counterproductive.
Monday, January 03, 2011 | Posted by: Allen Estrin at 12:09 PM
The most important story of the year and we’re only three days into it! Do these young Europeans understand why they are in this position? That socialism is a dead end. That only free market capitalism can save them?
Another big California health insurer has stunned individual policyholders with huge rate increases — this time it’s Blue Shield of California seeking cumulative hikes of as much as 59% for tens of thousands of customers March 1.
San Francisco-based Blue Shield said the increases were the result of fast-rising healthcare costs and other expenses resulting from new healthcare laws.
Epstein said Blue Shield raised rates again Jan. 1 to pay for changes under the national healthcare overhaul and a new state law that bars insurers from charging women more than men. (Some policyholders will pay less under the state gender law, while others will pay more.)
A third round of hikes scheduled for March 1 comes in response to rising healthcare costs, Epstein said. Those increases will average 6.5% and be as high as 18%.
Some policyholders have seen their bills rise gradually over the last five months, while others will see the charges lumped together March 1.
“It’s unfortunate that they all came in a five-month period,” Epstein said. “Rates are going to continue to rise unless the cost of medical care is brought under control. We need to reduce what we pay to hospitals, medical groups and pharmaceutical companies.”
Despite the large increases, Epstein said Blue Shield would again lose “tens of millions of dollars” on its individual business in 2011.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011 Radio Show
H1: Is Death Penalty Still Viable?
Prager H1: Dennis debates David Garland, Professor of Law and Professor of Sociology at New York University. His new book is Peculiar Institution: America’s Death Penalty in an Age of Abolition.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011 Radio Show
H2: Male/Female Hour: Alison Armstrong on Breaking the Code
Prager H2: Dennis talks to relationship expert and regular Male/Female hour guest, Alison Armstrong, about how men and women hear the same words differently and how they can get on the same wavelength.
Wednesday, January 05, 2011 Radio Show
H3: The Republican Congress
Prager H3: John Boehner was sworn in as the new Speaker of the House. In turn, he welcomed the new Republican Majority. They have their work cut out for them… Egypt is headed down a very dangerous path, blaming anything that goes wrong on Israel…A hero in Pakistan, a regional governor, a liberal reformer, was murdered by a member of his own guard.
I’m meeting a friend from childhood (from Cooranbong, NSW) tomorrow afternoon in Santa Monica. He seems to stop by Los Angeles every year or two and he always shouts me a meal.
When I left Australia in 1985, 65c US fetched $1 Australian. Now the dollars are at parity.
When it comes to Los Angeles tourism, the Land Down Under is showing up on top these days.
Australia became the No. 1 feeder market for overseas tourists to Los Angeles in 2010, surpassing Britain and Japan, according to statistics released Tuesday by LA Inc., the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The Aussies were part of a larger rebound of L.A.’s tourist industry. Last year saw the number of visitors and level of tourism spending return to pre-recession levels after a significant dip in 2009.
International visitors accounted for about 21% of the total visits and more than one-third of the tourist spending for the year.
Australia became the top overseas feeder market for Los Angeles, with 339,000 Aussies making the trip. (In terms of overall international visits, Mexico and Canada beat out the overseas markets, with more than 1.5 million visitors coming from Mexico and 561,000 from Canada.)
There are logistical reasons for the influx of Australians to Los Angeles. A strong Australian dollar brought more Aussies to the states overall, and LAX is the primary point of entry, said Wally Mariani, senior executive vice president for the Americas and Pacific for Australia’s Qantas Airways.
The airline is the busiest foreign carrier at LAX, flying at least 1 million passengers between Los Angeles and Australia in 2010.
“I think the primary change this year versus a couple years ago is the strength of the Australian versus the American dollar,” Mariani said. Australians “have always wanted to visit America. It’s always been one of the primary destinations.”
The most left-wing institutions in America, our universities, are therefore the most pain- and risk-averse. That is the reason for speech codes on campuses: No student should have his or her feelings hurt or ever feel “offended.” Likewise, no Christmas trees are allowed, lest a non-Christian student feel not included.
That is why Yale University Press last year decided at the last minute to cancel inclusion of the Danish cartoons of Muhammad in the very book it was about to publish about the Danish Muhammad cartoons! Too risky. The liberal university now stands for avoiding pain much more than for freedom of speech.
I have a sad confession to make. Whenever I hear or sing the national anthem, I no longer fully believe its ending — “o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” We have many freedom-loving and brave Americans — just think of those in the armed forces. But overall, risk has been banned as Americans seek to be immunized against pain.
Needless to say, the liberal Philadelphia Inquirer supported the decision to cancel the football game. And so did some of my callers who think of themselves as conservative. But all those self-identified conservative callers who supported the decision were, I noted on air, under the age of 40.
I explained to them that they have grown up in a different America than I did. The idea of telling an American that a pro football game is canceled because he might drive in bad weather strikes a conservative over 40 as demeaning. But the young have been raised without monkey bars, dodge ball or seesaws, lest they fall and hurt themselves; without “Merry Christmas,” lest it offend; protected by parents and schools from experiencing the pain of a loss in sports; being told they are wonderful when they are not; and otherwise weakening them to the point where it seems perfectly natural to cancel a football game because fans may drive in bad weather.
A listener who disagreed with me sent me an e-mail asking me how I would feel if my father drove to that game and died in an accident because emergency vehicles could not reach him in time. I responded by giving my correspondent my father’s e-mail address. I told him that I suspected that my father, who is a healthy 92 and fought for three years in World War II, would probably respond that he doesn’t recognize the America of today as the one he fought for 65 years ago.
That’s why the cancellations by the NFL and Yale University are important. Once the home of the brave, America is becoming the home of the risk-averse and the pain-avoiders. And when you are risk-averse, you are not only less brave, you are less free. With freedom comes pain, a price more and more Americans don’t want to pay.
"This guy knows all the gossip, the ins and outs, the lashon hara of the Orthodox world. He’s an [expert] in... all the inner workings of the Orthodox world." (Rabbi Aaron Rakeffet-Rothkoff)
